The blankness in his eyes hit worse than if he’d yelled back. The sight was too familiar, too distant, like those first days that he’d lived with us. Polite, guarded, untouchable.
I’d told him minutes ago not to treat me like a boss, then the next second I shoved my title down his throat.
Fuck.
Scrubbing my hands over my face, the heat in my heart cooled. Being in charge wasn’t clean, and it sure as hell wasn’t easy.
Wishing it would all go away, I turned toward the entrance. Avoidance wasn't good, but I wasn’t in the right head space to talk about this in depth. We could do that after this job.
“Let’s go,” I threw over my shoulder.
His heavy footsteps fell in behind me, and I inhaled slowly. This was better, I told myself. Cleaner. He wanted lines drawn—bosshere, second there. Distance. I’d just given him exactly that… for now.
“Do you want me to do a building check?”
The rasp in his voice made me pause. Guilt flared, colliding with the stubborn righteousness still burning in my chest.
“No.” My hand closed around the knob. “I’m in the mood for a fucking fight now.” I yanked the door open.
Cigar smoke rolled out thick enough to taste as we stepped through the threshold into the lobby. A fairy with neon green hair sat at a large desk, chomping away at the gum in her mouth like it had personally offended her. Despite out obvious footsteps, she continued flipping pages of her magazine without looking up.
“If you need your bike looked at, come back Monday. We’re closed for the weekend.”
I slid my hands into my pockets to keep them busy. I didn't want to strangle the girl from the jump. “I’m here to see Fitz.”
She gave a heavy exhale before finally looking up. Her reaction was instant.
Eyes wide. Chair scraping back. Wings snapping into motion so hard they blurred as she stumbled over her words. “I—I’m so s-sorry, s-sir. I—I’ll get him r-right away.”
She bolted through the door behind her, and I saw her fly across the shop to a door in the back. I didn’t bother waiting.
Following her panicked trail at an easy pace, I didn't need to tell Rack to follow. His presence at my back was already a given.
The garage was dim and cluttered. Half-torn bikes laid in the center, and the stench of the tires piled in corners filled my nostrils. Red toolboxes were scattered around like they’d been kicked aside mid-thought.
For half a second, I was back in my own garage, gazing at my newly built car that hadn’t even touched the street yet.
I should’ve been driving it right now. Pulling up to Val’s place. Watching her light up like she always did when I showed her something new. Desert air flowing in our hair as we owned the open road. Taking her to a cliff overlooking the Strip.
Rack’s voice shattered my daydream. “This way, sir.”
Closing my eyes, I inhaled.Work first. Play after.
With renewed vigor, I crossed the space in a blink and threw open the door I’d seen the fairy girl fly through.
Music slammed into me—loud, heavy, unmistakably intentional. Soundproofed. Cute.
The room beyond was dark and sticky with heat. Men in leather vests lounged at tables and booths, while half-naked women were draped over them like accessories. In the far dark corner, a couple moved like they were dancing, but the moans and groans coming from their direction told me what they were really doing.
Across the room, a massive booth dominated the space. The lobby girl hovered there now, frantically whispering into the ear of a bald werewolf with a thick black beard. Two women in nothing but G-strings flanked him, hands roaming, bodies pressed close.
The door clicked shut behind me, and the big bald wolf’s eyes snapped up.
He did a double take then surged to his feet, shoving the women and fairy aside as he lumbered toward me like he was some big bad I should be wary of.
Since he was determined to come to me, I waited where I was with my hands in my pockets. A grin stretched wide across my face to keep me from laughing out loud.
“Nice establishment,” I said, letting my gaze wander. “Business, club, and pleasure all under one roof. Efficient.”
