Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Walking through Pulse during the day always has a different vibe to it. People are milling about. Refilling the bars, cleaning, and everything else that has to be done to be ready for when the doors open in a few hours.
I find Colton in his office. It’s right next to mine. “I have to go over to Obsidian tonight,” I tell him.
“You want me to come with?” he asks. We usually attend these events together.
“Nah, I’m taking Hayley.”
Colton blinks at me. “Hayley, right… How’d that go?”
“I’m still alive.” I laugh. “Hear anything more about the shooter?”
“Nope. Whoever was after Reyes, they’re keeping a tight lid on it,” Colton says. “You’re really going along with this fake girlfriend thing? Why?”
“Because it saves me from spending the night avoiding the advances of every gold digger in attendance,” I tell him.
It’s not a lie. I also just wanted an excuse to keep Hayley. After these two weeks are up, I will either come up with another reason to need her around or make her fall in love with me so she doesn’t want to leave.
The thought has me stilling. Fall in love with me? That’s not right. I don’t want love. Do I?
No, I just don’t want to let her go. That’s not love. That’s… obsession, infatuation.
“Sure, that’s why.” Colton eyes me suspiciously. I’m not giving him anything, though. He knows what I want him to know. “You grab the drop this morning?”
“Yeah, three-fifty-six,” he says, referring to the buy-in we collected from our dealers.
“Good.” It’s decent. “I need you to stick around here tonight. I’ll be in late.”
“Suits me. Did you see the new redhead we hired for the front bar?” he asks.
“Do not sample the staff,” I warn him.
This guy is a PR nightmare. I swear with the number of girls who have quit because they caved to his advances, I’m surprised he hasn’t been sued yet.
“Fine, I won’t,” he groans. “Lunch?”
“Let’s go.” I’m starving.
On our way out, my phone pings. I look at the screen and see Andre’s number flash across the top.
“Yeah?” I answer.
“What color scheme do you want?” Hayley’s voice washes over me.
“Color scheme? For what?”
“Christmas. What color decorations do you want in your apartment?” she asks.
“I really don’t care. Whatever colors you want,” I tell her.
“Well, I do. So, choose: pink, gold, and silver… or green, blue, and gold.”
“Green, blue, and gold,” I sigh.
“Okay, pink, gold, and silver it is. Good chat.” The call cuts off.
“You look… strange.,” Colton says, pointing to my face. “Is that a smile?”
“Fuck off.” I wipe the smile from my lips.
“So, Hayley, huh? It’s all just fake, right?” he asks me.
“Why?”
“No reason.” He shrugs.
The moment I walk into my penthouse, I almost walk right back out. This is not my penthouse. It’s Santa’s fucking workshop.
“Babe?” I yell into the living room, knowing she hates it when I call her that.
When Hayley comes down the hall, I’m speechless. Gone is the mess that’s now my home, and all I can see is her.
Fuck me. She’s wearing a dark-purple knee-length dress.
It’s tight, as in I can see every fucking curve she has.
The top comes down into a small V, showing an ample amount of cleavage, and the sleeves sit just off her shoulders.
Her long locks are piled up on top of her head in some fancy-ass hairstyle, with loose curls hanging down around her face, and her lips are painted a shiny pale pink.
“I’m sorry it’s a mess. I ran out of time. Because I had to get ready, but I will finish it tomorrow,” she says.
I’m struck dumb. Too dumb to reply as I take in all of her.
“Don’t move,” I say, pulling my phone from my pocket. I hold it up and snap a photo.
“Did you just take a picture of me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you look fucking breathtaking, Hayley,” I tell her. “And art like that…” I point to her body. “…should be appreciated forever.”
“Um… thank you,” she says, a nice blush creeping up her neck.
“You ready to go?” I hold out a hand. It’s taking everything in me not to pull her up against me and just fucking claim those lips of hers.
To my surprise, Hayley grabs my arm. Her tiny palm disappearing into the crook of my elbow.
“You really do look beautiful,” I say, pressing the button on the wall to open the elevator.
“Thanks. What do I need to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“At this dinner, what do I need to do?” she clarifies.
“Just… be you.” I shrug.
“Yeah, that’s not a good idea.” She laughs. “Seriously, I’ve never been to a party with the mayor, August. I’m more likely to embarrass you than to be the asset you seem to think I am.”
“You could never embarrass me, babe.” To be embarrassed, you have to care what other people think, and I don’t.
When we step out onto the street, Andre opens the back door of the car. “Do you ever get to go home?” Hayley asks him.
“Yes, Miss Bell, I do.” He nods his head at her.
“You work too much,” she says, turning to me before she gets inside. “August, you make him work too much. Tired people make mistakes, you know.”
My gaze falls on Andre and his eyes widen. “Sir, I don’t complain,” he says.
I slide in next to Hayley. “I know.”