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“Tara, please. My sweet child, please put your pride aside for once. We raised you to be a strong woman, but sometimes I wonder if we raised you too strong.” My father’s defeated sigh goes straight to my aching heart. He and I have always been close, but ever since they forced Zayan into my life and things went bad between him and I, our relationship has been strained. The distance between us seemed impossible to overcome, but now that Zayan is out of my life, we’re finally getting close to being back to normal.
“I-I’ll think about it, okay? It’s not a yes, but I’ll consider it. I’ve got to get back to the restaurant. I promise to call soon.” My voice cracks at the thought of Zayan being my only option. I’ve always worked hard, trying to make this place the best it could be, so the thought of losing it devastates me.
“We will continue this conversation later. Bye, sweet girl.”
“Bye, Papa. Bye, Mama.” I end the call, leaning back in my chair and picking at the peeling faux leather. Everything feels fucked up.
Losing the restaurant.
Disappointing my parents.
Being told to marry Zayan.
It’s all one big clusterfuck that I don’t want to be a part of right now.
With a deep sigh, I pull myself up from the chair. I tighten my high ponytail before wiping my sweaty palms on my black jeans.
Opening the door quickly, I step out, running right into a solid wall of muscle. The impact forces me to stumble backward. Large palms grip my upper arm, squeezing tightly to keep me upright. The sleek black designer shoes and pressed black dress pants give away exactly who this is.
Ocean blue eyes pierce right into my soul when I look up, their intensity almost making me stutter. “Stalking me?” I finally spit out. With the way he was glaring at me earlier, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was. I’ve already had a stalker once; I don’t need another.
“I’d have to be interested first to do that,” he grunts, keeping his hands around my arms, “and I’m not.” My skin burns under his tight grip. His lip snarls in disgust as he gives me a once-over, but his eyes say something different.
“Ahh, so it is true.” I chuckle under my breath.
“What’s true?” he asks, frowning like he’s confused.
“You’re just as much of a jackass as you look.” Everyone says my sassy mouth is going to get me in trouble, but I have yet to see that day. And judging by the way his gaze hungrily roamed over my body, I’d say he’s definitely interested, even if it’s only for a quick fuck.
His eyes sizzle with anger, but he keeps a calm mask planted on his face. “You speak to all of your customers like that?”
“Only the ones who can’t mind their business.” I wiggle my arms free from his hold in order to put a little breathing room between us. My skin craves his touch, but I shake off the thought. “What were you doing outside my door like a creep?”
“So full of yourself.” He shakes his head, giving me a look I’m sure scares people in whatever boardroom he’s walked out of. Unfortunately for him, it’ll take a lot more than just an angry glare to scare me. This rich prick finding himself lost on the West Side is nothing compared to the monsters from my past.
“You always talk about yourself out loud?” I smirk, but he doesn’t seem to find humor in my joke.
“You see, there are these things called bathrooms back here. If your ego wasn’t so big, you’d realize that’s where I was headed, while you were just too clumsy to look where you were going.”
The ice in his tone is like a cold splash to the face. Damn, he’s a dick. No shit, there are bathrooms back here. I was so wrapped up in the way he was looking at me earlier, I automatically assumed he was being creepy. I’m not about to admit my mistake though. There’s no way in hell this cocky fucker will get that from me.
“Exactly how a stalker would cover his tracks. If you really had to go, you wouldn’t still be standing here speaking to me.” My arms cross over my chest, pushing my tits up, which naturally grabs his attention. “Now you’re ogling me.” I pull one hand away, snapping my fingers right in front of my chest to get his attention. Of course, that’s what he’s focused on right now. An easy test I do to see if all men really are dogs.
Can’t blame him though—my tits are pretty spectacular.
I’m convinced he just growled at me, but it was so quiet I could barely hear it. “You’re in my way,” he points out, reminding me I’m still standing in the middle of the hallway.
Moving to the side, I gesture dramatically so he can move past me. “After you, Your Royal Highness.” I even add in a little bow for dramatic effect. He shakes his head, walking toward the bathroom and mumbling something inaudible under his breath.
I straighten my spine, heading back to the dining area to see if any of the waitresses need my help. His words echo in my mind. Maybe I am the reason we’re losing business. If I keep talking to customers that way, we’ll be shut down before I can even blink.
What can I say? I’ve always had a problem with my attitude and my mouth.
Something about this guy pushed me over the edge though. It could be the smug vibes he gave off or the way he looked at me with fucking fire in his eyes. Either way, I know my parents wouldn’t appreciate me treating people that way. Especially someone who looks like he’s got better connections than God himself.
I’ll pay for his meal to make up for it. Maybe that will stop him from retaliating and calling the health department to shut us down. Not like they’d have a reason to—I keep this place up to code—but I don’t want to piss off the wrong person if I don’t have to.
He said he was on his way to the bathroom, but a small part of me is having a really hard time believing that. Could be because all the bad men I’ve encountered over the last few years have made me skeptical, but I’m almost positive he was lurking outside my office door.
The sooner he leaves, the sooner I can shake off this weird feeling.
