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I can only frown as I try not to let what he’s saying germinate and ruin last night.
“What I’m less sure about, isyourgame.” He cocks a brow.
“My game?” I question with a frown, not understanding what he’s trying to say. “I’m not playing any games.” My temper boils. “The only one playing games around here isyou.”
His face shadows over, his features turning menacing as my heart skips a beat before speeding up. Now I’m definitely scared to be alone with him.
“If you think I’ve been playing,Angel, then you haven’t been paying attention. And if you think sleeping with Hawk will endear him to your side, then I have some news for you: Your pussy isn’t that good. As for Kai? He’d never go for a heartless bitch like you. Plus, he’s a professional. Yourdatelast night was just that—a job. No matter what he said or how he acted, you are just ajobto him, and once he’s caught your stalker, he’ll be done with you too.”
Each hateful word drives like a dagger into my chest, ripping me apart and leaving me cold. Knowing his barbs have landed, he tacks on a smug smirk, finally leaving me alone.
My hands shake with anger as tears gather in my eyes, but it’s my thoughts that are the hardest to deal with as I go back over every interaction last night with Kai and Hawk. Was everything Kai said and did just for the job? He said it wasn’t, but perhaps he got caught up in the moment like I did and is currently somewhere in this house, regretting it.
And what about Hawk? He didn’t have to say all those things last night to get me into bed… unless he’s been playing me like Wilder has, only his games involve stealth and mental manipulation.
“Ughhh,” I groan, rubbing my hands over my face. I don’t want to believe Wilder, but there’s no arguing that he’s planted doubts. Doubts that scare me because I don’t want my date with Kai to be only a job. I had more fun last night than I’ve had in a long time, and I’veneverenjoyed myself so much on a date. Usually, I’m a nervous wreck or self-conscious, never sure what to say, or my thoughts have drifted elsewhere. I’ve never just been in the moment like I am when I’m around Kai. When I’m with him, all my concerns and worries fall away. I stop thinking about everything I need to do or wondering if I left the stove on or if I remembered to pay the electric bill.
But perhaps it’s not like that for him. After all, Iama job to him. And I’ve no doubt Kai would go to the extremes to protect his charges. Is that what he’s doing?
Sick to my stomach, I climb out of bed and hurriedly get dressed, needing to be anything other than naked in case Hawk decides to come back from wherever the hell he disappeared off to.
Cracking the door, I peer into the hall, making sure no one else is around before sneaking out and sprinting up the stairs. I only breathe again when I slam the bathroom door closed behind me.
Showered and dressed, I pull up my big girl panties and march downstairs, not entirely sure what my game plan is. All I know is that I can’t hide in my room until the end of time. Although, admittedly, that thought is appealing.
I make it to the kitchen before my steps falter. Kai is sitting at the island with his back to me, working away on something.
Mustering confidence I don’t feel, I push back my shoulders and keep my head high as I step into the kitchen. “Morning.”
“Hey,” he greets, glancing up from his computer and giving me an easy, boy-next-door smile. “How did you sleep?”
My cheeks immediately heat, and a new, terrifying thought strikes me. If I’mnotsimply a job to Kai, and what transpired between us last night was real, then I came home from our date and jumped into bed with Hawk. Hawk, who is his boss and friend.
What the hell was I thinking?
“Fine,” I squeeze out through a tight throat, immediately turning away from him as I move to grab myself a cup.
Keeping my back to him, I clear my throat as I pour myself some coffee from the pot. “What are you up to this morning?” I ask, changing the topic.
There’s a moment of silence, and I swear I can feel his gaze digging into my back, probing and prodding with a silent demand to turn around.
When I don’t turn to face him, he thankfully answers me, “I reached out to the owner of Club Envy, asking if I could see their security footage from last night, and they just sent it over.”
“Oh?” Curiosity piqued, I turn, thankful to find his eyes back on his laptop screen as I walk around the island to stand beside him. “Anything interesting?”
He chuckles. “Plenty of interesting stuff, but nothing with your stalker.”
My gaze flicks to the screen, watching people dance and grind on a packed dance floor. The screen flicks to a different angle, and I spot Kai and me in the upper left corner of the screen. My arms are around his neck, and I’m staring up at him with a painfully obviousfuck meexpression.
Oh my god.Did I really look like that last night? Crap, if this is only a job to him, then that is incredibly embarrassing, and I feel awful for putting him in such an awkward position.
“About last night,” I begin, needing to clear the air before it suffocates me. “I—”
His laptop pings with a notification that flashes up at the corner of his screen, alerting Kai to a new email, but the subject line catches my attention.
Police Report - Girvan.
“Girvan?” I question, my voice sounding shaky. “That’s Richard’s surname.”
