Along with guns and self-defense, I had also been tutored in French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian. I switched back to English and sighed, “Listen, I’ve had a shit day and all I want to do is have a good time tonight and forget about my shit day. So if you’re here to bring me more shit, then I’m going to tell you to eat shit. Also, I’m too buzzed to have any serious conversations at the moment. Tonight, I’m just Maura. I’m checked out.”
My rambling made his eyebrows rise before a slow smile pulled at his lips. “Why was your day shit?” he asked.
I wagged my finger at him. “I’m here to forget, remember? Ask me something better. Like what my favorite color is.”
His smile grew. “What’s your favorite color?”
I smiled. “I don’t know. You weren’t really supposed to ask me that. You’re terrible at this,” I teased.
Amused, he chuckled.
“Do you know if the next band is any good?” I asked, taking charge of the conversation.
“I only book good bands,” he stated with a cocky glint in his eye.
“Smooth. Owner or manager?”
“Owner,” he said proudly.
“So tell me, Mr. Owner, how’d you know who I am?”
He leaned closer and whispered in my ear, “I didn’t. I thought Stefan was here, but when I noticed they were all watching over you, I became curious.”
It took a moment for the information to compute in my whiskey-soaked brain. “They?” I tilted my head, confused before the rest of what he said caught up. I spun around, looking back at the bar, finding not only Dean, but Jamie and Louie as well.
I let out a frustrated sigh and turned back to the owner. “Did I piss in someone’s Cheerios by coming here?”
He stared down at me for a moment and then one side of his mouth lifted up in a smirk. “No,” he finally replied. Then his eyes looked past me before a hand came down on my shoulder.
“Sasha,” Jamie said from behind me.
“Jameson.” The owner, who I guessed was named Sasha, greeted. “Tell Stefan his daughter is always welcome here.” Then he looked back to me. “It was nice to meet you, Maura.” He gave me a tight smile before walking away.
I shoved Jamie’s hand off my shoulder and walked back to the bar. I wasn’t ready to deal with him. I caught Louie glancing between us, reading our interaction with questioning eyes.
“How’d you find me?” I asked him as I climbed onto the stool next to him. I shot a glare at Dean over his head. Did he call them?
“We tracked your phone,” Louie answered honestly.
Of course they did. I waved a finger at the bartender, telling him I was ready for another. In the back of my mind, I knew I shouldn’t drink anymore. Having Jamie so close made me not care.
The bartender dropped my drink down in front of me and I tasted nothing as I swallowed half of the amber liquid in the glass.
“How much have you had to drink?” Jamie asked from behind me. I hated how my body reacted to the sound of his voice. We'd kissed, like, twice! Okay, maybe a little more than twice and there had been this morning. That wasn’t really the point. Why does he have this effect on me? I never reacted like this with Tom.
“Not enough,” I snapped loud and clear.
It went strangely quiet behind me. Peeking over my shoulder, I found both Louie and Jamie staring at Dean expectantly. The assholes were trying to get an answer from him. He genuinely surprised me by just standing there with a blank face and his arms folded over his chest.
“How much has she had to drink?” Jamie questioned Dean. Despite his calm tone, you could tell he was pissed he even had to ask. Other goons would have thrown me under the bus by now.
Dean shrugged. “I didn’t know I was supposed to keep track.”
Louie’s brows shot up and he smirked a little. I couldn’t tell if he was proud or impressed, both of which I'd never expected. I think my jaw would have dropped to the floor if I hadn’t recovered as quickly as I did. Isn’t he Dean’s boss? Jamie, on the other hand, glared at him. If Dean was intimidated, he didn’t let it show. Now I was impressed.
“Leave him alone,” I ordered. The steel and authority behind my words could rival Stefan and seemed to surprise the men around me. Jamie’s anger traveled to me. “He did his job by keeping me safe. If you punish him, you’ll not only lose his respect but mine, as well.”
Done saying my piece, I turned back toward the bar and waved at the bartender again for one more before I threw the rest of my current drink back. When he placed another glass in front of me, I asked to close my tab. Ignoring everyone, I threw back my last drink, then slammed the glass down on the bar. Louie swiveled around and bumped his shoulder playfully into mine.
“Why are you here?” I grumbled after the bartender handed me my bill.
“Why do you think I’m here?” he asked, sarcastically.
“Stefan send you?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think Jameson’s told him yet.” That surprised me. “If you wanted to go out, babe, all you had to do was ask. You didn’t have to kidnap one of my guys.”
I laughed at how infuriating that was. Why the hell should I have to ask? I was a grown-ass woman. “I was in the mood to piss some people off.”
“I think you succeeded,” he said, tilting his head toward Jamie. Good.
Louie whistled and I realized I’d said that out loud. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but you guys need to fix it because you’re both shitty company tonight,” he said in a low voice only I could hear, then held his hand out with his palm up. “Give me your keys. I’ll drive you home.” I fished them out of my wristlet and dropped them into his hand. He smirked mischievously and I immediately realized my mistake. He turned to Dean and I heard him say, “I’ll drive you back to the house.” Dean nodded and they both walked away, leaving me alone with Jamie.
CHAPTER 20
Jamie sat on the stool Louie had vacated and rested his arms on the edge of the bar. An awkward uncertainty bubbled between us as the next band began to perform. The room filled with loud music. Not that I could hear it, though. I was too consumed with the man next to me.
How did we get here? With that thought, through the thick cloud of my frustration, I realized there was no going back for us. At least not for me. I had crossed the line that should have never been crossed. I rubbed my chest, hoping to ease the wrenching regret that had taken root there. It didn’t help.
I wanted to place blame. He'd kissed me too, but…I had thrown myself at him.
Did he kiss me out of pity?
Shit, I’m going to cry.
With blurry sight, I hopped off the stool. As if I had sea legs, I took two steps before stumbling. I barely caught myself in time on the railing. A hand wrapped around my arm, holding me steady. Without thinking, I looked up. My eyes met Jamie’s for only a moment before I remembered I was on the edge of tears and quickly turned away.
He was so close, I could smell him. His intoxicating scent should be an illegal substance with the way my body betrayed me. I was tempted to crumble, so he’d have no choice other than to hold me, giving me one more chance to be enveloped in all that was him, his smell, his strength, his soul. I wanted it all.