Page 13 of Miss Trust

He shrugged. “Suit yourself. But leave here without a dime.”

Defeated, I turned to leave his office, only to run smack into a hard body. My fingers unconsciously curled into expensive silk material before I peered up into the handsome face of none other than Chance Maxwell. His piercing green gaze had me mesmerized for a moment before I came to my senses and realized I was still pressed against him.

I stepped back and watched his eyes settle on Ernie. “What’s going on here?”

“None of your business,” the asshole quipped.

I saw a muscle tic in Chance’s jaw. “You refusing to pay the lady?”

His low, ominous tone gave me shivers.

Ernie barked out a laugh. “Ain’t no lady here.”

Chance didn’t spare me a glance even though he was obviously speaking to me. “Get changed and meet me in front. I’ll join you in a moment.”

“I don’t need you—”

His sharp look had the words, “fighting my battles,” dying on my tongue. I rolled my eyes and left. If he aspired to go all alpha on my piece-of-shit club manager, I didn’t care. It didn’t matter. And it absolutely, positively didn’t make him more attractive. Ugh. How annoying. But in my defense, it wasn’t often I’d ever had anyone stick up for me.

I changed quickly, gathering my makeup and outfits from my locker and saying goodbye to some of the other girls. It wasn’t as if we were friends, but there was a certain kinship brought about by the desperation we all must have felt to work in a dive club like this.

I was outside two minutes before Chance exited the front door. He walked towards me and slipped some folded bills into my purse.

“Four hundred and fifty, correct?”

“Yes. Did you have to beat it out of him?”

He frowned as though I’d insulted him. “I don’t have to stoop to such levels. My threats are much more creative.”

“You didn’t have to go to any trouble for me.” It made me feel weird to know he had. To know I was now in his debt.

“Let’s just say hearing a club manager ask for sexual favors in exchange for money owed is a pet peeve of mine.”

Despite my wariness of his intentions, I found myself believing him. “Thank you for getting my money.” I slipped the contract out of my bag. “Here is the signed paperwork.”

He took it in hand. “Any questions?”

“No, it was spelled out clearly.”

“The movers will be at your apartment on Friday. Will you be ready?”

“Yes.” I’d have to forgo sleep to pack all day tomorrow, but I’d get it done. I always did.

“If you need more time—”

“No. I gave notice to the apartment building today.” It was the end of the month, which meant I needed to be out before next week if I didn’t want to have to pay another month’s rent.

“Good.”

“All right, guess I’ll see you, or not, this weekend.” Come to think of it, I wasn’t sure when my first official day was. In any case, I needed the weekend for the move and cleaning out the apartment. I was eager to retrieve what I could of my security deposit.

“Where are you parked?”

“In the lot the next block over.”

“I’ll walk you to your car.”

“Why?” I was used to being on my own. I had pepper spray, and the route I took was well illuminated by the streetlamps.