Chapter 50
CHAPTER
FIFTY
ELODIE
I can’t take my eyes off her. She’s dancing in the corner, two men entranced by her. Watching her. There is nobody else in this bar but her and her naked body to them. I can see why they all want to sleep with her. She owns them, at least for a moment.
Sliding my gaze down her body, I realize that I am nowhere near as absolutely gorgeous as she is, and I cannot compete at all.
This is going to be a painful lesson that I’m going to learn, because I’m going to be with Coast. I don’t think I’ll be able to not be with him, but at the same time, she’s going to be right here… and available.
Tearing my gaze away from her, I turn around, turning my back to her as I look down at my feet. I am feeling extremely out of place here, and as much as I want to take off and get the hell out of here, I need answers.
Shifting my eyes up, I scan the rest of the bar, taking in the other people in the room.
Forcing myself to look anywhere and everywhere but at her.
There are a few guys playing pool, a few others playing darts, and more than a few bellied up to the bar, but that’s not what has my lips parted in awe.
It’s Alex.
Alex and one of the men in a leather vest are standing close together.
It’s not just any leather vest, though. It has the Iron Flame insignia on the back.
He’s one of the club members. They aren’t facing me, but that wouldn’t matter because I wouldn’t recognize him anyway.
The only men I really know anything about here are Coast and Dare.
I watch as the man reaches up and wraps his fingers around Alex’s neck before he draws him close.
Then the man kisses Alex. Right here in the middle of the room full of people, not giving a single shit who sees what.
It’s not the fact that Alex is kissing a man.
I’ve seen that a million times. It’s where we are, and that it’s happening out here in the open.
I would never have guessed that these alpha-male type guys would be cool with that.
I stare at them kissing one another for a long moment.
When I tear my gaze away from them, I flick my eyes up and take in the rest of the bar.
Nobody is watching them. Not a single person.
It’s as if they’re like any other couple in the world; that’s about how much anyone else gives a shit about them kissing.
My lips curve up into a smile. I let out a sigh and shift my attention away from them. There is an intimacy there that I don’t think I should be witnessing. I don’t know where to look or what to do, though.
Feeling parched, I decide to look for some water. That should keep me busy for a minute, maybe two. Then hopefully, whatever Coast is up to will be finished, and then we can have our own little discussion.
Or maybe a big discussion, depending on how it goes.
Making my way into the kitchen, I slip inside, walk toward the fridge and gently tug it open. There are a dozen water bottles lined up in two rows, right where they were earlier this week when I was here cleaning.
Reaching for one of the bottles, I close the fridge and walk over to the counter. I lean my hip against it, I twist the cap off, and bring the bottle to my lips. Closing my eyes, I let the cool water slide down my throat.
Once I’ve had a drink and swallowed the liquid, I open my eyes and let out a heavy sigh at the same time, and the sound of a deep voice clears. Turning my head slowly, I find him standing just a few feet away from me.
“Coast,” I whisper.
“I used you,” he admits.
I feel the heat rising through my body, my blood beginning to bubble as I attempt to breathe.
I open my mouth to ask him what the hell is going on, but the words don’t come out.
He takes one step toward me, and my heart begins to slam against my ribs.
I don’t know what to say, and even if I did, I’m not sure how I would say it.
“But I didn’t do it to hurt you or put you in the middle of my shit. I did it because I needed the information, and it was the least risky way to do it.”
“By making me do your dirty work for you?”
I’m not sure if steam is actually billowing out of my ears, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it were. Twisting, I turn and place the bottle of water on the counter before I push off and take a couple of steps into the middle of the room so I can face him fully.
His gaze searches mine, then his lips curve up into a grin as if he finds something about this funny, which I certainly do not. I find it so not funny that I press my lips together into a straight line and narrow my eyes at him.
“It was work for me, but definitely not my dirty work. But you can do that, too, Haze.”
I shake my head, trying not to tell him to fuck completely off. I know he’s being dirty, and while I have to press my thighs together because my stupid body didn’t get the memo that I’m pissed at him, that doesn’t change that fact.
He closes the distance between us, and then, before I realize what’s happening, he cups my cheeks and presses his lips against mine in a hard, owning kiss.
I curl my fingers around his wrists and somewhat attempt to tug his hands away from me, but not hard enough, because I don’t really want that. I just want to make a show of it.