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“What?” Joey raised a questioning brow.
“My phone is missing. It must have fallen out of my pocket back at the house. Can you turn around real quick so I can grab it?” She couldn’t believe that she hadn’t noticed it fall, but it was the only conclusion that was reasonably logical.
Joey already began the process of backtracking. “Are you sure you had it?”
She nodded. “Positive. Liam texted right after we got there saying he couldn’t make the meeting today and would just get an update later. He’s probably with Kristill.” Whatever her brother saw in the paid piece of ass, she would never know.
Minutes later, they were right back at her dad’s house. Leaving Joey in the car, Layne hopped out and jogged up the front steps. Once inside, she ran into Mick pulling his arms through the sleeves of his coat by the door.
“Back so soon?” He grinned as he adjusted the collar of the grey coat.
“Hey, yeah. You didn’t happen to see my phone lying around here, did you?” Layne was already looking down at the floor to trace back her path.
“You mean this phone?” He pulled the device out of his pocket and held it up for her to see.
Relief flooded her face. “Yes, thank you.”
Mick handed it over to her. “Your dad found it on his way out. I was just about to bring it to your place, but you beat me to it.”
Layne stood on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around Mick’s neck in a quick hug. “You’re a lifesaver, I appreciate it.” She smiled at him, and he returned the same.
Layne turned to head right back out until she heard Mick speak up. “Layne?”
Her hand still on the door handle she looked back over her shoulder. “Yeah?”
His hand rested on her shoulder in a caring gesture. “I spoke with Liam, and he told me everything. You know how much I care about you, but this guy is the worst type of scum. I haven’t said anything to your dad, but you need to quit fooling around. You’re going to end up getting burned, and I hate to think what the fallout will be.”
Her face fell hearing how much the man she considered an uncle was concerned about her and Joey. Of course, he had heard it from Liam to boot. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Do you? Because from what I’m seeing, you are being careless. You have worked so hard to get where you’re at, and are you so quick to put it at risk? I’m only saying something because I’m concerned.” His hand gave her shoulder a squeeze before he continued. “If your dad found out, you and I both know it would be game over. All the progress you’ve made wouldn’t mean anything. It would be back to square one where you were three years ago and there would be no coming back from that.”
She shook her head. “I know you’re trying to look out for me, but there’s nothing to be worried about.”
Mick’s forehead was all wrinkled up in concern. “Just give it some thought, ‘kay?”
She nodded before slipping out the front door. Layne knew he was coming from a place of concern for her, but she wasn’t the same girl she was three years ago. She wasn’t going to let her father dictate every aspect of her life to shield her from the grit and grime of a life in this business of organized crime.
When she returned to the car, she shut her door roughly prompting a look from Joey. “Everything ok?”
“Liam is an ass determined to undermine everything I do.”
“What else is new?” He put the car back in drive, pulling back into the roadway.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
With Liam being extra ornery, Mick voicing his concerns, and plans being slow to come into place after the not-so-peppy pep talk her dad had with Joey, she was beginning to burn out from all the stressors taking a toll on her life.
Tonight, Joey insisted on taking her to one of her favorite restaurants, a low-key burger spot that had the best bacon cheeseburger she had ever tasted. As much as she argued about going out and wanted to sit and stew at home, he had been right to drag her out. A good meal and change of scenery had helped tremendously. Not to mention the company hadn’t been half bad either.
Having Joey around all the time had naturally become an expectation. Things between the both of them were growing more and more complicated in some ways and in other ways? To put it simply, Layne hadn’t opened any of her dating apps in weeks.
Leaving the restaurant, they stepped out onto the sidewalk together. The holiday lights had just gone up last week on most of the storefronts indicating the approach of the very merry season. She didn’t like to admit it, but the city this time of year was always capable of lifting Layne’s mood.
Her fingers slid between his as she held onto his hand for warmth. “I definitely enjoyed that.”
A proud smile slid across his face. “Which part? The food or the way I had you squirming in your seat?”
Layne nudged a shoulder up into his side as the heat crept up onto her cheeks and let out a soft laugh. “Both.”
