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“You’re protective. I get it.”
“You would be, too, if she was your sister.”
“It doesn’t look like she needs to be protected,” I pointed out. Felix’s eyes followed mine, and sure enough, we could both see that Zoey had made herself very comfortable. She was standing between two of our fellow attorneys. Jason and Taylor Watson were a tag-teaming duo. They won cases together in the courtroom and they won unicorns together in the bedroom. If there was ever a perfect picture of a power couple, it was them.
“Son of a bitch,” he growled, looking at them. Taylor was already running her hand up and down Zoey’s arm. Zoey seemed completely enamored with both of them, and I wondered if she was thinking of going home with them. Hell, she hadn’t even had a drink yet, and already the Watson couple was making a move. Nope. I couldn’t have that. Tonight was my night to shoot my shot. I wasn’t about to lose to the Watsons.
Without a word to Felix, I walked directly toward Zoey. I was halfway across the banquet hall when she noticed me, and our eyes locked. I saw so many different emotions in those eyes: excitement, anxiety, fear. She was a wild one, to be sure, and I wanted to play with her in all of the worst ways. I didn’t want to tame her, no. I just wanted to harness all of that wild, unmanageable energy that was flowing through her veins.
Zoey said something, but I couldn’t hear what. She turned, and she walked away from Taylor and Jason. The couple seemed a bit disappointed, but not mad. It was hard to get Taylor or Jason terribly worked up. Although they were known for being polyamorous, they were also wildly respectful of other people. If someone didn’t want to play, they never pushed. I had to admire that about them.
“Where’d Zoey go?” I asked when I got close to them. Jason and Taylor were holding hands while sipping their drinks. They turned to me.
“Zoey?” Jason asked, confused.
“The girl who was just here?” Taylor asked, curious.
“Yeah.”
“She said she had to use the restroom,” Taylor told me. “She went that way.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“Hey,” Jason asked. “How do you know her?”
“Zoey?”
“Yeah.”
“Trust me,” I said. “The two of us go way back.”
Jason looked at me carefully, as though he was trying to read my mind. Knowing Jason, he probably was. It was fine, though. Jason was calculating, but he was fair. If he suspected that I had been into Zoey for a while, he’d back down. He was a shark in the courtroom, but he was a gentleman in real life.
“Good luck,” Jason finally said. “I feel like you might need it.”
Taylor just smiled and nodded as I took off, and the couple began scouting the room again, looking for the lucky girl they’d be taking home with them. I had to admit that their arrangement seemed to work well for them. I didn’t have time to loiter and see who they chose, though. I was on a mission.
When I reached the hallway, Zoey was there. She was scurrying away from the banquet hall, but she wasn’t headed toward the restrooms. Instead, she was going straight for the front doors of the hotel. Was the little minx running away? I couldn’t have that. I’d waited far too long for the chance to talk to Zoey. I wasn’t going to miss out on that now.
She didn’t look over her shoulder. She just pushed on the doors and headed outside. I started to run. What if she had called a ride or was going to try to grab a taxi? Nope. I only came here to see her. Out of all of the noble, wonderful reasons I could have had for sharing in my best friend’s celebration, the real reason I’d shown up was to see his little sister.
That was messed up, sure, but it was the truth.
When I got outside, I looked around, but she was gone. There was a small U-shaped area for valet drop-offs and people who needed to unload their luggage. I looked around, but she wasn’t there. Where the hell had she gone? Disappointed that I’d lost before I even got to play the game, I turned around to head back inside, and she was there.
Zoey Lane was standing between me and the door to the hotel, and she was looking at me like she wanted to fuck me or fight me.
And I couldn’t tell which.
“David,” she said.
“Zoey.”
“You chased me.”
“You ran from me.”
“I didn’t want to talk to you.”
