Bad Boys Do (Donovan Brothers Brewery 2)

She finally let go of his wrist. Jamie wanted to massage the feeling of her fingers off his skin, but she was watching him, so he only swiped his arm against his apron and stepped back behind the bar.

“The police are trying to make this into something it’s not. I liked you. That was why I came by that night. It wasn’t some premeditated crime. I told Graham I was stopping by and he asked if I’d…”

“Be an accessory?”

“No!”

“Did you get a cut? Did he pay you to take me home and screw me?”

“No!” she yelled, her voice loud enough that the two customers stopped talking to watch them.

“You need to go,” Jamie said. “Now.”

“It wasn’t like that. I wanted you.”

“Yeah,” he muttered. “I remember. Whether I wanted it or not, right?”

Her mouth became a red slash of anger as her cheeks went pink. “Don’t pretend you didn’t want it. You’re a man. If you hadn’t wanted it, there wouldn’t have been much to work with. And if I remember correctly, there was plenty.”

“Get out,” he ordered.

She seemed to realize she’d gone too far. Her sneer disappeared and she shook her head. “I’m sorry. Really. I swear, I had no idea what he had planned.”

“What is it that you want, Monica?”

Her gaze flickered down. She shook her head.

“Just say it so you can leave.”

She reached for him, drawing one finger down his arm, her lower lip edging out a little as if she were a young girl in trouble. “They’re trying to set me up, Jamie. If you would only tell them it wasn’t like that. We had a connection, and I’d never have done anything to hurt you. Just tell them that. I know your sister is dating the lead detective. He’ll listen to you.”

Monica Kendall looked ridiculous playing this part. There was nothing soft and vulnerable about her, which was exactly why he hadn’t been the least bit attracted to her. It was why he’d said no until he hadn’t had a choice.

“I really care about you, Jamie.”

He pulled his arm out of her reach and shook his head. “You’re a lying, ice-cold bitch. I’m not the only man you played this way. There was that construction company Christmas party, right? Is that the only way you can get a decent guy to sleep with you? By tricking him?”

She reacted as if he’d just set a live wire to her nervous system. First her spine snapped straight, then her eyes went wide. Her lips parted, but no sound came out.

He hated her with a fury that would’ve surprised him if he hadn’t recognized the phenomenon. It was hate for her mixed up with hate for himself. “You’re beautiful, Monica. There’s no denying that. But there’s something wrong inside you. I could see it right away.”

This time when her mouth opened, plenty of sound came out. She screamed, “Fuck you!” and lunged for him, her bright red nails swiping toward his face. He pulled back just in time, but she kept coming.

“Hey!” he yelled, grabbing at her wrists to stop her attack.

“You loved it!” she screamed. “You loved every minute of it.”

“Get out now before I call the cops.”

The swinging doors burst open and Eric stormed in. “What’s going on?” His eyes narrowed on Monica. “What the hell is she doing here?”

“She was just leaving,” Jamie growled, straining to keep her hands away.

Monica was still raging, her lips pulled back from her perfectly white teeth. “You suck in bed, you know that? You didn’t even make me come.”

Yet another lie. The girl had screamed so loudly in bed she’d made his ears ring. “Yeah, sorry. I wasn’t really into it.”

She pulled her chin in, took a deep breath and spit right into his face. He let go of her in shock and one of her nails caught his cheek.