A female cop sitting at the end of the bar lifted her glass for a refill, reminding Paige she had a job to do. Drawing another brew, she tried not to think about Trevor’s call yesterday, and the plans for Sunday he and Troy had come up with. March wasn’t a bad time to spend an afternoon on the ocean, and who wouldn’t enjoy sailing on a fancy mega yacht with two hot guys? Oh, and another couple, friends of theirs. It was the fun accoutrements Trevor mentioned that turned her palms damp, and hearing about the other couple that sent a wave of heat through her. Always before, she’d known what she was getting into when she succumbed to the urge to have sex with someone, but not this time.
Best-case scenario: She got both Troy and Trevor out of her system on Sunday. Worst case: She walked away yearning for more, maybe nursing a tender heart.
“Hey, quit daydreaming and get me another.” Detective Evans snapped his glass down on the counter.
Paige sent the refill down the bar top with a slight push before acknowledging her nemesis’ belligerent demand. She returned Evans’ glower, surprised at his red-rimmed eyes considering the watered-down drinks she’d been serving him the past two hours.
“One more, Detective.” Picking up his empty, she turned away to get a clean glass, but he stopped her by latching on to her wrist with a bruising grip.
Leaning forward, Evans snarled so no one else could hear, “You’re not my keeper, bitch. Quit cutting back on the booze.”
“It doesn’t seem to have mattered since you’re still a drunken ass. Let. Go. Of. Me,” she enunciated slowly.
He tightened his grip until she winced then released her and sat back with a taunting sneer. Resisting the urge to rub her throbbing wrist, she turned her back on the jerk and mixed the weakest drink yet. Take this, you mother fucking titworm.
“Is there a problem, Paige?” Mel asked, sidling up to the bar and flicking the surly cop a warning look.
“Not at all,” she replied in her sweetest voice that earned her another glower from Evans. “I was just telling our good detective he’s met his limit with this refill.”
Mel said something to Evans, but Trevor snagged Paige’s attention when he entered The Precinct and maneuvered his way through the crowd toward the bar. It was the first time she’d seen him without his brother, but the lustful impact of his potent gaze struck her the same. The detective stalked off with a disgruntled huff, Mel winked and gave her a smile before turning to make the rounds again, and Trevor slid onto the bar stool in front of her.
“Hey, sugar. Can I get a beer?”
“Of course.” Damn it, Paige didn’t get flustered around men, but from the way Trevor’s eyes skimmed down to her chest then back up to her face, she knew he was picturing her shirt rucked up to her shoulders and thinking about the way he’d enjoyed her bare breasts last weekend. She remembered too, every, single, vivid detail. “Where’s your sidekick? I’ve never seen you in here without Troy.” Sticking a frosted glass under the spigot, she pulled the lever, willing her body to calm down with a warning they weren’t getting together again for another day and a half.
“We do manage to have our own separate interests and down time.” His slow drawl curled her toes, and made her wonder if she was a separate interest, or just a thorn in both their sides because of her determination to avenge Penny.
“Here you go, then. Enjoy your evening.”
Paige swiveled but Trevor halted her with one, low-voiced word. “Stop.” She wasn’t sure if the goosebumps racing over her skin were due to irritation from her immediate compliance or the warmth his tone always produced. Sucking in a deep breath, she pasted on her friendly bartender face and swung back around to face him. “Did you need something else?”
He cocked his head with an amused grin. “Really? So formal after I had my mouth all over your ass and your cream gushing over my fingers?”
Frantic, she leaned forward and hissed, “Shh! What if someone hears you?”
“Please,” he whispered back. “Give me a little credit. No one is near enough to hear what we’re saying over the noise in here. I stopped by to see for myself if you were being honest and you’re on board with Sunday’s plans.”
She hadn’t expected such solicitous concern as she heard in his voice and noted on his face when he kept those probing eyes leveled on hers. If she hadn’t already figured it out, that look would have confirmed she lacked the ability to pull much over on him, or his brother.
“I still don’t get what’s in it for you,” she returned, hoping he would answer the one question plaguing her most.
Trevor sipped his beer before answering, his gaze remaining focused on her over the glass. “Troy and I will have an attractive redhead all to ourselves, miles from shore, on a yacht filled with endless possibilities to torment you with. What’s not to look forward to?”
“Neither of you showed an interest in me before Penny’s assault,” she reminded him, attempting to ignore her tight nipples and the sudden way her bra felt too confining under his piercing gaze.
He hesitated before replying, “Lucky for all of us you decided to tread where we warned you not to then, isn’t it?”
She couldn’t win with verbal sparring, so her only hope would be to shock the heck out of both men by submitting to their every demand on Sunday. With any luck, she would leave them aching for more, as they’d done to her last weekend. She should’ve come up with that plan days ago; it would’ve saved her a lot of grief.
“Yes, it just might be.” Paige grinned at the way he startled before masking his reaction to her quick agreement. “Two, or in this case, three can play your game, Trevor. I’ll see you and Troy Sunday.” This time he didn’t stop her when she moved away from him, but she felt his eyes on her until he left fifteen minutes later.
The following afternoon, Paige slowed her steps to the Jeep when she noticed another note fluttering on the windshield. With a hand that shook, she jerked it off and opened it. Last warning, back off before you end up worse than your sister. A slither of unease rippled down her spine and she cast a quick look up and down the street before hopping behind the wheel. She’d be a fool not to heed the warning, but since she couldn’t return to the club now they’d found her out, she labored to swallow down the lump lodged in her throat and calm her racing heart as she pulled out of the drive. What was done was done, and even though she regretted not being able to lure this son-of-a-bitch out of hiding and take part in taking him down, she’d be only too happy to drop off his radar with her absence from Sanctuary.
She pulled up to Damien’s house to find Penny waiting for her on the front porch swing. As she started to get out to help her sister, Penny surprised her by walking over to the Jeep with a much stronger, surer gait than the last time she’d seen her only a few days ago. After waiting until she shut the passenger side door, Paige got right to the main reason for their lunch appointment.
“Okay, give. What’s going on between you two?” Backing out of Damien’s drive, she didn’t miss the discomposure crossing her sister’s face before Penny smoot
hed out her features. “Don’t you even think of lying to me, sis.”
“I’m not, Paige, but there’s nothing to tell. Damien feels responsible for what happened, is all.”
“Then why do you look so despondent? Are you feeling bad? You seem much stronger.” The two had made plans to go out for lunch before Paige reported for her shift at the bar. The timing worked well since Damien had been called into the club because of a problem and wasn’t around when Paige picked Penny up. She held nothing against the man except his high-handedness in dictating to her sister.
“I’m feeling good, and yes, I’m doing much better. You noticed how much easier I’m walking? Damien has me working out on his weight machine, and it’s been helping.”
“I did and am so proud of you. I know these last two weeks couldn’t have been easy. Any nightmares?” The bistro they’d selected wasn’t far, and Paige pulled over to park in front of the popular cafe. A short, wrought-iron fence surrounded the front outdoor patio with its round, checker-clothed tables under colorful umbrellas. Sitting outside in the pleasant, mid-seventies temperature and mild breeze would be enjoyable after being cooped up all week.
Penny hedged before admitting, “Just one, but… I was fine.”
Paige put the Jeep in park with a sigh. “Come on Penny,” she said, swiveling in the seat to face her. “Talk to me. I can tell when something’s bothering you. Are you ready to come home?” She hoped so, but wouldn’t push.
“No, yes… damn it, that man has me twisted into so many knots, I’ll never get them untied,” Penny burst out in a rare show of frustration. Of the two of them, she was usually the most easygoing.
“I thought you liked being tied up,” Paige teased before turning serious again. “What’s he doing?”
“I do like being bound, and that’s the problem. He’s not doing anything! I’m sleeping in the guest room and he waits on me hand and foot in between turning all Dom when it’s time to exercise, eat, or rest, which means he’s in Dom mode most of the time.” Penny rolled her eyes. “When he’s not dictating to me, he’s being too… nice.”