“Baby?”
“Let me handle this.” Years of surviving in a competitive environment click into place. I remove the tie holding my bun, shake out my hair wildly, and whirl around.
Her reaction is instant, her mouth dropping open as she glowers at my appearance. The judgment seeps all the way to my bones.
There’s a low whistle from the side, followed by a strong jerk from Evin, which results in a grunt.
“I will kill you.”
“Sorry, man, heard about it, but couldn’t picture it. The new ink is…” Evin’s growl cuts Miller off.
Miller’s response boosts my confidence, and I smile sickly at Rina. “We haven’t properly met, I’m Poppy Graham. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Poppy,” Evin groans.
“No, sweetie. When was that first time she came up? Oh, yeah, during our date at the Cosmopolitan when she sent that pleading text wanting you back. That was such a buzzkill.”
“I remember it worked out pretty well in the end,” he joins in the fun, sliding his hand to cup my ass.
“Ahhh, and then that time in the airport. Ick, that was rough. Heard you had better days. Public rejection isn’t really in my repertoire.”
“Once again worked out in my favor that time, too.” Evin nips the tip of my ear.
Rina’s glare turns deadly, laser beams of hatred aimed at me.
“Not sure where you have been getting your information, but be careful. Don’t you think, honey?” I twist to Evin and run my hand down his soft cheek. “I miss the scruff.”
“Growing it back.” He grins, brushing his lips across mine.
I pivot, kicking my leg out for effect. “Rina, I’m a Vegas performer on the strip… at the Bellagio Theatre. I’m sorry to squash your delight in the details. But there was no falling off a stage. Whoever fed you your information is mistaken. I was injured on stage.
“And since you’re worried, let me ease your concerns. I don’t know specifics about medical insurance for adult entertainers, but my employer takes care of us. Jesse is being compensated for my therapy. As for Evin losing respectable business professionals, once again, be careful who you listen to.”
She remains still.
“Last, don’t worry your little mind about the Graham family. They aren’t wallowing in humiliation.” I lean back, gaining balance, and wrinkle my nose at Evin. “It had to happen, eventually. Surprised it took a month.”
“What had to happen?”
“I’d run into one of your jaded lovers.”
“We have different definitions of lovers.”
“Tit for tat. She’s jaded.” I shrug, feeling the fury singing my flesh.
“You bitch,” she seethes.
The air changes, all my mocking sucked out of the space between us.
“You’re done, Rina. Thought I’d made it clear many times there was nothing between us, but now you’ve pissed me off. If I hear you talking shit about my wife again, it won’t be pretty,” Evin grates out icily.
“Here’s a friendly suggestion, woman to woman. Look in the mirror; the color green looks terrible on you.”
The flicker of pain in her eyes is the only reaction before she storms away. For a split-second, I feel bad, but it vanishes when I remember she’s slept with my husband. My jealousy surfaces.
“Where are your clothes, and why are you out here alone?” Evin clips.
“I’m wearing them, and I’m working out.”
“She hasn’t been alone long, Evin,” Jesse clarifies.
“I asked you to keep an eye on her—Oww, shit!” he howls, his torso lurching back. “What was that for?”
“Being an overbearing Neanderthal. I’m capable of getting around on my own.” I pinch harder, twisting my fingers this time. “Lighten up.”
Miller and Pierce chuckle, and I slice my attention to them. “Why are all of you here?”
“Darby called when she got held up. We were all together at a job site, so they rode with me.”
“Together at a job site? Why?”
“Investor interest.” His reply is vague, further heightening my curiosity. Several times over the last few weeks, I’ve gotten a weird feeling he’s hiding something.
“Care to share more?”
“Nothing to share. Where is your shirt?”
“It’s on the bench.”
“Put it on.” He barks the order, guaranteeing it’s not happening.
“No.”
We go into a stare-down, his eyes growing darker with each second.
“For what it’s worth, I agree with Evin,” Miller throws in, breaking my concentration, and I cast my focus to him. He’s grinning like a boy, enjoying this.
“No one asked you.”
“Just saying, Ashlyn would be over my shoulder by now.”
“That’s exactly what’s about to happen,” Evin warns.
“I’m ready for a beer and my wife. Can we get on with it?” Pierce adds.
I open my mouth to tell him to shut it, but all that comes out is a girly squeal when Evin bends, hooking his elbow under my knees, and swings me in the air. “Jesse, will you get her bag?”
“See you tomorrow, Poppy.” She hands my things to Pierce.
“You’re making a scene,” I mutter, then something catches my attention across the room. Rina is staring at us, her face fallen and eyes welling up. “Evin…”
“Next time, she’ll think twice about listening to gossip and learn respect.”
The venom in his tone reminds me of earlier. “She’s not the only one that listened to gossip, is she?”
His silence is my answer, setting off alarm bells in my brain. A trick like this has Natasha’s name all over it. She was in Charleston, targeting people in Evin’s life, and spreading malicious lies about me. Tony’s ordeal was three weeks ago, which means Evin has been keeping secrets.
“He shouldn’t have told you,” Marco states bluntly. “We’re working on it.”
“You don’t get to make that call. Neither does he.”
“Don’t be too hard on him, Poppy. He’s trying to keep you focused, safe, and living your life. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
This is only the second time we’ve actually spoken since the day in the hospital. It is still odd to hear him refer to me as Poppy. “Figures you’d take his side since you’ve been conspiring to keep me in the dark for almost a full month. Time’s up. Tell me what you know.”
“Natasha has stayed low. There’s been no communication with anyone in her circle. Our last lead was when she was in Charleston. That’s now dead.”
“It’s not too dead, considering yesterday I came face to face with someone from Evin’s past that thought I was a stripper! Tasha is in this town trying to throw shame on my family and ruin Evin’s reputation. Someone has to know something.”
Darby and Ashlyn nod encouragingly from their chairs. I settle back on the massive swing on Darby’s front porch with Runner’s head on my lap.
“She’s making it difficult to find her.”