Thrill Seeker (Sinful in Seattle)

My hands shook a little as I parked. I looked for a spot under lights and close to the exits. Old self-defense class checklists bubbled in my head. If we had a mugger in the area, we’d have to go back to the buddy system for closings. We never should have stopped, but I would talk to Angel about having a staff meeting. I didn’t want the attention and people asking me a zillion times if I was okay, but I had to keep my coworkers safe.

I threaded my keys through my fingers and held my thumb on the panic button as I rushed through the garage. My heart slammed and I couldn’t hear a damn thing. Just blood rushing in my head as residual fear crawled up my spine. I didn’t actually breathe until I was halfway across the street.

Bellamy’s was doing a brisk business as usual. I’d never been so happy to see people waiting to get inside. I wouldn’t have time to think about my attacker or Max Chapel.

Thank God.

I walked through the brass and glass door and Chelsea rushed to me, dragging me through the small group of people to the kitchen.

“I’ve been trying to text you all morning.”

“Yeah, about that.” And it begins.

“What the hell is going on? Mr. Chapel was here as soon as the doors opened.”

“Which one?”

Her huge blue eyes gave me an incredulous glare. “Max, of course.”

I sighed. “Well, there are four of them.”

“Yeah, but Max is the only one that comes in on the reg. Seriously, girl. What the hell happened last night?”

“I need to talk to Angel first.”

“Oh, you’ll be talking to him. Max lit into him already.”

My heart sank. “What?”

“I couldn’t hear what he’d said, but we’ve been buzzing about it all day.”

What the hell? Why would he come to talk to my boss?

“Georgia!” I spun around at Angel’s voice. He stood in the doorway to his office. “A word please.”

“Oh, man. You never get the voice. Ever.” Chelsea gripped her sweater. “You are going to tell me everything.”

Oh hell no. Not everything. “I’ll be back.”

“Good luck.”

I smoothed a hand down my dress and straightened my sweater. I was going to lock my purse in my locker but Angel was still holding the doorknob on the inside of his office.

Not good.

He dragged me in for a bear hug and I squeaked. “Angel.”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

I patted his back awkwardly. We were a family here at Bellamy’s and Angel had hugged me plenty of times, but not like this. His caramel scent hit me. Mr. Sweet Tooth as we called him. Always a caramel in his mouth or in his coffee. “You heard?”

He let me go. “Yes. Max Chapel came in here and ripped me a new asshole.”

I winced. “Really?”

“He demanded to know why the women weren’t escorted to their cars at the end of the night. Dammit, George, you know better.”

Wow. He must be really worried to bring out my rarely used nickname. “How many times have I walked to my car without incident?”