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If someone hated you, at least they felt something toward you.
But with Axel, it was like he didn’t feel anything at all.
Ever since my father had let him go, he’d been on my mind. I wondered how he’d taken the news, if he was upset about the dissolved partnership or if he was relieved to be free of my father.
Before I knew it, my phone was in my hand, and I was typing. My father told me what happened…just wanted to know if you’re okay. I stared at the message without sending it. I deleted it and put the phone away. But then I grabbed my phone and typed the message again. My father told me what happened. Just wanted to know if you’re okay? I stared at the screen as I tried to decide whether I should send it. I still had his message thread because I’d never deleted it. The last few messages were from the last fight we’d had, but everything above that was eggplant emojis, heart emojis, pictures of his naked chest and his fat dick…good memories. A rush of sadness filled me, so I deleted the message and put my phone aside.
Maybe Theo was right. Maybe I wasn’t totally over him.
7
SCARLETT
The vehicle pulled up to the curb outside the restaurant, the very restaurant where Theo and I had had our first date, the restaurant where I’d met him for the first time. When we stepped up to the door, the place was quiet, shut down for the evening.
I wasn’t sure how he stayed in business when he shut down the restaurant whenever he felt like it.
We walked inside, his men positioned at empty tables and in corners, drinking coffee to warm their bellies. Now that Theo and my father had a strong business relationship, I wasn’t sure why the armed men were necessary, but my father didn’t appear concerned.
I arrived at the table first. “Hello, Theo.” I gave him a smile and a knowing look.
“Hello, beautiful.” He didn’t hug me or kiss me on the cheek. Instead, he pulled out my chair for me.
This man was the biggest prude who ever lived. I took a seat.
My father greeted him next, the two of them shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. Then we were all seated, wine and coffee served, along with appetizers no one would eat.
“You shouldn’t shut down this restaurant so often,” I said. “The food is too good.”
“We close early on Sundays,” he said. “The guys deserve a quiet night.”
“Very kind of you,” Dad said before he took a drink of his coffee. “So, business has been exceptional. I want to say you exceeded my expectations, but I knew you were capable of profound greatness.”
Theo crossed his arms over his chest, and on his left hand was one of the skull rings I’d stolen.
I stared at it, a sliver of guilt rushing through me, because if I hadn’t stolen that ring, Axel might still have his job. My eyes flicked back to Theo, wearing a thin, long-sleeved sweater over his mountain of muscles.
“It’s what I do,” Theo said humbly. “I like money.”
“I’ll drink to that.” My father raised his wineglass and tapped it against Theo’s.
I didn’t partake in the toast.
Theo drank from his wineglass then shifted his gaze to me.
I stared back but had nothing to say.
My father started to talk specifics about the distribution process and then inquired about the status of the French territory. The men talked back and forth, and I quickly disassociated from the conversation out of boredom. My eyes drifted away, looking across the tables and the men sitting there, and that was when I noticed something out of place.
A man sat with his back to us. Dirty-blond hair. Thick arms. A gray t-shirt despite the fact it was freezing outside and we’d had nonstop rain all week long. Heat suddenly flushed through me, remembering the warmth of his skin underneath the covers, the way he made me sweat when he was on top of me.
But then that warmth was replaced by a warning in my heart. “Dad?”
Theo said something that made him laugh, so he didn’t seem to hear me, his eyes reserved for Theo.
“Dad?” I said it a little louder, glancing at all the armed men around us, realizing they weren’t there to protect us…just Theo.
He finally turned away from Theo. “Yes, sweetheart?”
My eyes glanced at Theo for a second before I looked at my father again. “I need to speak to you in private.”
My father’s eyebrows furrowed, but he didn’t say anything.
“Let’s talk outside. It’ll only take a minute.”
My father probably found the request annoying, but I’d never done anything like this in my life, so he seemed to give me the benefit of the doubt. He rose to his feet. “We’ll return shortly?—”
“Sit.”
I hadn’t risen out of my chair yet, but I went cold at Theo’s tone.
