7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
The Huntress
He ruined my favorite fucking cup with his stupid, perfect mouth. I drum my finger incessantly on the bathroom counter. I have to leave for work in fifteen minutes, and I’m still fuming over a ten-dollar ceramic mug.
Because he touched it.
I grind my teeth together as I meet my smoky eyes. “I’ll fix it. I’ll fix this.” I just need a release. That’s it. I run my fingers through my freshly blow-dried hair and take a deep breath. Desperation pulls at me as I push off the counter and head out of the bathroom...
And run right into Jude.
“Whoa, sorry,” he mutters as he stumbles backward, his back hitting the opposite wall.
I ignore the way my stomach flutters and glare up at him. “You should pay more attention.”
“Maybe you should?” He raises a brow like he’s asking me a fucking question—one that I have no interest in answering. I stand there for a few beats, my heart unevenly pumping in my ears. Jude takes the moment of silence as a reason to keep speaking, much to my dismay. “Your brother just left. He told me to tell you if you need a ride or anything to let me know.”
I narrow my gaze. “Why would I let you know? Why wouldn’t I just ask him?”
Jude’s expression is unmoving and unamused. “He’s working? Oh, and I’ve always been his errand man. He points and I go.”
“Sounds like you’re his little bitch,” I scoff, unable to keep from laughing wickedly. “If you weren’t so... you, I might feel sorry for you.”
“Yeah, I’m not concerned about earning your sympathy.” Jude takes a threatening step toward me, and his jaw tenses. I back up until I’m now the one against the wall, sucking in a sharp breath as his hand lands above me. “I think we should get something clear, Cher.”
“What’s that?” I swallow the pinch of fear as he leans in.
Don’t flinch. Don’t flinch. Don’t let him see weakness.
His breath tickles my ear. “You hating me won’t make me go away.”
I breathe in his cologne, and a shockwave of excitement rolls down my spine. My lips part to snap back at him, but nothing comes out. My brain seems to freeze... And my mind grows quiet for the first time in years. Warmth floods through my stomach, and I relax entirely. His body is within inches of me, and if his move was meant to intimidate...
It worked.
I’m suddenly terrified of what he’s doing to me.
I shove at his chest as hard as I can, my nails digging into the fabric of his T-shirt. “Just stay the fuck away from me!”
Jude stumbles back with a narrow gaze on me, and then sighs as he leaves me shattered with the worst four words I’ve ever heard. “ I’ll figure you out .”
I spin on my heels and rush away from him, nearly falling on my face as I grab my purse from the counter. My chest feels heavy as I fumble with the front door, and rip it open, the stale hallway air doing nothing to relieve the dread washing over me.
‘He’s going to hurt you.’
‘He’s going to ruin you.’
I stumble toward the elevator and punch the button over and over, glancing over my shoulder. Leave me alone, Jude. Don’t follow me.
“Cher,” his voice calls from the hallway. “Are you okay?”
I can’t look at him. I refuse. The doors slide open, and I rush inside, ignoring the beat-up white Converse in the corner of my eye.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.” Jude’s shadow appears in the threshold, and my hands start to shake. I smash the door close and glance up, seeing the concern etched across his face.
“Go away,” I choke out in a near whisper.
His reddish eyebrows crease as something painful flashes in his expression, but he steps back, letting the doors close entirely. I squeeze my eyes closed and collapse from the waist up, resting my hands on my knees. Gasping for air, I try to count to ten. I try all the methods I’ve read about. I know they won’t work. They never have, but...
Why is he getting to me like this? I haven’t been this triggered in years.
My demons jump with the answers. ‘Because he’s a threat. He’s just like him. ’
I shake my head in defeat, running my fingers across my forehead and peeling away the damp hair as I stand up straight. Jude is unraveling all the progress I’ve made, and I just need to do what I do best to put myself back together.
***
“Thank God, you’re here,” Sarah lets out a breath of relief. Her blue hair is pulled up in a bun on top of her head. “There’s a bachelor party that’s driving me nuts. I swear I’d love for any of them to disappear.”
I roll my eyes as I slide behind the counter, the evening air tinged with an almost cool breeze. I squeeze her arm. “Sorry for running a little late.” I got caught up having a mental breakdown in the elevator.
“It’s all good. Bossman isn’t here tonight, so no trouble will come for you.” Sarah laughs. However, it fades as a stocky blond-headed man slaps his hand on the bar. “And there’s one of them now.”
“Excuse me?” he shouts over the music. “I’m thirsty.” Sarah grumbles something incoherent, but I pat her shoulder.
“I’ve got this one.”
“Thank you,” she murmurs, as I slip past her and plaster a fake smile on my face.
“Sorry about that. What can I get you?” The sweet tone drips off my lips in a way that causes his gaze to drop to my mouth.
“That’s a lot of clothes to wear in the Vegas heat,” he mentions, raking over my black long-sleeve crop top. It has a hole placed right over my cleavage, but clearly, even that is not enough for him. “She’s got on less.”
I glance over to Sarah, who he’s pointing to, sporting a black bandeau and a high-waisted leather skirt. “Yeah, to each their own. I guess I prefer to leave a little mystery.”
His brown eyes sweep over my figure. “I think I might like that.”
“Mmm.” I bite down on the inside of my cheek, careful not to roll my eyes. “So what can I get you to drink?”
His eyes drop to pussy level. “I can think of something...”
My demons screech in my head. ‘Give him something to drink, Cher. He’s thirsty. Show him how good you can fucking taste.’
I grit my teeth, my palms sweating for the GHB in my purse. It would be so easy to slip a little in his drink, and then watch him stumble around all fucking night. Maybe he’d get alcohol poisoning. Maybe he’d just wake up alone in an alley somewhere. Maybe someone would mug him in his vulnerable state...
“Just give me whatever beer is on tap,” his coarse voice cuts through my thoughts.
“Got it.” I spin around, shaking it off. I can’t target anyone that shows up at work. It’s how I get my party invites, but I never hunt the crowd here. It’s too risky. I fill up a Blue Moon and add it to his tab, relief flowing through my chest as he wanders away.
“What a creep,” Sarah comments as I turn back to her. “I hate guys like that.”
“I’ll add him to my list,” I joke, shooting her a grin.
“Yeah, please do.” She pours a glass of water and hands it to me. “I swear working at this place reminds me of why I don’t want a boyfriend. I think I’ll stick with women.”
“Girls can be pervs, too,” I point out, sipping on the water.
“True, but I think I could take most of them.”
I burst into laughter. “You’re something else.”
She winks at me, and then scurries off to help a group of women at the end of the bar. I sigh and settle into my fa?ade, making drinks and chatting with Sarah as the time passes. She has no real idea of what I do with the drugs she supplies me—though I’m sure the nickname she’s given me is evidence of suspicion, but in a city like this, no one fucking goes there. There are more drugs floating around than anyone could track, and it almost makes it too easy for me to fly under the radar.
“What’re you doing after work?” Sarah asks five and a half hours later. “Going home to sleep your life away?”
“Probably,” I lie to her. I haven’t gotten any invitations to private parties, but I still have my list of regular spots I intend to hit. I’m itching to hunt tonight, and the encounter with Jude is starting to feel like a distant memory. Once I remind myself of my own power, I’ll be able to face him with ease.
Maybe I could even toy with him.
“You can always come home with me.” She nudges me with her elbow, and giggles.
I roll my eyes at her. “Nice try.”
“You know I didn’t mean it like that,” she snorts. “But seriously, I have a killer stack of horror movies that I think fit your aura.”
My stomach flips. “Are you trying to say I’m possessed or something?”
Her dark brows shoot up. “No, but I do think you have your demons. Anyone choosing to live and work in this city is battling a war of some sort—internally, usually.”
“Real deep, Sarah.” I down the rest of my water and reach for my purse. “Will it kill you if I go ahead and slip out?”
She shakes her head. “Nah, go ahead. I’m thinking about staying late anyway. I need the overtime.” She leans against the bar, her eyes scanning the thick crowd of dancing, mostly drunk patrons. They all probably think they’re having the time of their lives, grinding against each other’s sweaty bodies and putting their livers through hell. And as much as I’m disgusted by the sight, I wish I could cope with my shit in such a harmless way.
But it doesn’t work for me.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“You mean later today.” I side-eye her as I sling my purse across my body.
She makes a face. “It’s exhausting when you say it like that.”
I laugh and slide out from behind the counter. “See you tomorrow, Sarah.”
“You got it, BW.”
Smiling a wretched grin to myself, I head for the exit, opting for the elevator. I step inside. However, before the door closes all the way, a hand stops it.
“Are you taking off for the evening?” The stocky young blond asks, suddenly hovering in the gap. His breath reeks of liquor, and I purse my lips in an annoyance.
“You should get back to your group,” I tell him politely. “I have places to be.”
“They don’t need me as much as you do.” He winks at me, and bile rises up the back of my throat.
“Not interested,” I spew at him, letting the viper out. I don’t have time for this inconvenience of a human being.
He takes a step toward me. “I didn’t have you pegged as a bitch, but it turns me on when you talk like that.”
Anger wails in my ears. “Get out of this elevator, loser. No one is interested in your little dick energy.”
He mutters curses under his breath and takes steps back, his cheeks reddening. The elevator doors close, and I fill my lungs with oxygen. The asshole almost signed his death warrant, and while part of me wanted to entice him, again, it’s bad etiquette to hunt at work. It’s used for connections only. I shake it off on the ride down, and once out of the building, I take a left.
My heels click on the pavement, and as much as I wish I could take Cash with me on all my runs, it would draw too much attention. I’m not unarmed though. I carry emergency protection in two forms: lead and a taser. Surprisingly, I’ve never had to use either of them. However, a sense of unease hangs in the air around me tonight, crackling and sparking with impending doom. But I brush it off.
It's just the weird dynamic at home.
I still have to take it into account though. I need a relatively easy target—one that won’t make it difficult to lure them away.
And I know exactly where I’m going.