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I didn’t feel like there was a good option. My hands were tied, and I didn’t know which way to go.
Still, I longed for his arms around me again. For the scent of whiskey and coffee, with the sweet notes of vanilla. I wanted my nest to smell like him, and that was probably the most scary part. Spending more time with him would only make the tie between us stronger, and what would happen to me when he cut it?
Rolling over, I buried my face in a pillow and screamed. I couldn’t do anything about the car now. The work was done, and Leo wasn’t answering. Until I had a chance to talk to him, I wouldn’t know how much I owed, or what he wanted from me in return.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, making my heart skip a beat. Breath catching in my chest, I couldn’t help the surge of excitement or the hope that it was Leo.
I also couldn’t stop the whoosh of disappointment to seeFrankie’son the screen.
“Hello?”
“Mary called in again. Do you want the hours?”
Frankie had never been one for small talk.
“I’ll be there in thirty.”
The line went dead, and I let my arm fall to the bed. Sucking in a deep breath, I pushed myself up to get ready for a twelve-hour shift.
Just because the car was fixed didn’t mean I wouldn’t have to pay for it, and if I wanted the option of avoiding paying withmyself, I needed all the money I could get. Maybe Leo would be more lenient with me than a mechanic would have been and let me make payments, since he didn’t give me the option of taking care of the issue myself.
I let my brother know I’d been called in and said goodbye to Momma on the way out. Unconscious tension relaxed from my shoulders as the car cranked smoothly once again. I hadn’t realized how paranoid of driving I’d become until the feeling went missing, and while I still planned to give Leo a piece of my mind about doing things without asking, I also wanted to thank him. It had been overwhelming to worry about searching for a mechanic I could both trust and afford, and it was nice to be able to come straight home after work without waiting for the bus.
The rest of the day passed without the unpleasantness of the night before, and though I was tired by the time the diner closed, I had a pocket full of cash and was in a better mood. The only damper was that I still hadn’t heard from Leo.
I debated calling him on the way home and finally dialed his number as I pulled into the driveway. I knew he ran a club and always wanted to meet late, so I doubted I would be interrupting his sleep.
Once again, the phone rang and rang before going to voicemail. I left a more civil message than the one I had that morning before getting out of the car and heading inside.
I knew I owed him, which was exactly what he’d wanted, and he’d come to collect soon enough.
Chapter Eight
Leo
Ihad waited until after I’d finished with business for the night and had returned home before listening to Cadence’s message. She sounded calmer than she had in the first one, and it surprised me a bit. I had expected her to try calling more throughout the day, but if she’d been busy at work, she might not have had the chance.
I’d gone to sleep with a smile on my face and a weeping cock.
While she may have come to terms with me fixing her car, I doubted she would be as understanding about the rest of it. It was Sunday, so none of her accounts had been updated yet, but come morning, at least a couple of them would reflect their new balance.
I grinned into my empty office. I couldn’t wait to see her. It was hard to resist the temptation to drive to her house once again, but the point in my plan was to make her come to me. She was going to be left with no choice but to seek me out if she wished to speak with me.
Standing from my desk, I made my way down the hall to the balcony of the club. Sunday nights were busier than most would expect, and the dance floor below was writhing with bodies, though the scent dampeners I had on this level kept us from having to smell it up here.
I was walking to the stairs when I happened across Madame. Two of her pets knelt at her feet, one patiently holding her drink while the other rested his head in her lap.
“I know that look. Is your Blossom back?”
A smile crept across my face. It was impossible to hide anything from Madame, and while her painted face seemed to show only mild interest, I could feel the approval she emanated as her fingers twirled in her pet’s hair.
“Not yet, but the game is in play.”
She held my gaze in silence for a moment.
“And what is the game, Leo? What are you offering her that makes it worth the risk to play?”
My heart slowed as I considered her question. I’d merely said what had popped into my head, but I realized the truth in the words. I’d turned this thing between Cadence and I into a game.
