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“I should go home. I have to work in the morning.” I glance with blurry vision at my watch, bringing it closer to my face. “Actually, it is morning. I need sleep.”
“I don’t have class until tomorrow afternoon. Do you mind if I stay?” Alyssa asks.
“Sure. No problem.”
“Will you be okay getting home on your own?”
I roll my eyes. “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. Thanks though.”
“Okay, great, because there’s a cute guy over there checking me out. I’m going to go say hi. Don’t wait up for me.” Alyssa smiles with mischief, then her graceful dancer’s body threads through the crowd.
Tamara and I make our way outside to wait for the Ubers that we ordered. I should save my money and walk to the subway, but my feet ache, my head’s a little fuzzy, it’s drizzling, and I’m freezing. Thank God I have a job now, because tonight has done damage to the pathetic amount of money I have left. Looks like I’ll be eating cheap ramen noodles until I get paid.
Tamara’s Uber pulls up first. She pauses at the passenger door. “See you at work tomorrow?” After what happened tonight, I’m not surprised that she’d be wondering if I’ll show up.
My heart says ‘no’. How am I supposed to see Finn again? My pockets says ‘get your ass to work or you’ll be out on the streets’. “Yes, see you in the morning. Thanks for a fun night.”
Tamara waves and smiles as she slides into the backseat of the car.
The temperature has dropped since leaving my apartment, and my coat isn’t doing much to keep out the icy chill. Waiting for the Uber, I huddle closer to the building, rub my hands up and down my arms, and bounce on my toes to get warm. “God, it’s cold.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, something warm drapes over me. Tilting my head to the side, I see a thick, black coat hanging from my shoulders. For a moment, I squeeze my eyes shut and breathe in the familiar scent of sandalwood and citrus, knowing exactly who’s standing behind me.
Slowly turning around, I come face to face with Finn for the second time tonight. Now his expression is unreadable. Much better than the hard glares he’d been giving me all night. I tried pretending he wasn’t in the room, but I couldn’t help giving him sneaky looks.
“What are you doing?” I start to shrug off the coat.
Finn stops me by holding onto the lapels. “Keep it on. You’ll freeze.”
“Why do you care if I freeze?” In the dim light of the streetlamp, I search Finn’s face for any signs of the man I once knew. For that fun, full-of-life man I’d fallen head over heels for. The man who held me, loved me. The man who wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. A tight fist squeezes my heart. Someone harder, fiercer, stood in his place. The man I once loved is gone, and it breaks my heart.
He shrugs, lets go of the jacket, and steps back. A look of confusion slides across his face, like he isn’t sure what he’s doing here. “I don’t.” He turns to leave.
The alcohol in my system gives me the courage to hold onto his arm—an arm more muscular than I remembered—and pull him around. “What is your problem?”
His gaze zeros in on my hand and he shrugs it off. He can’t stand an innocent touch, yet he had his hands all over me a few hours ago.
“You’re my problem. There’s a reason you’re working at Alessi’s, and I’m going to find out why.”
Pent-up frustration pours from me, and I jab a finger at his chest. “There’s no sinister reason. I’m working at Alessi’s whether or not you like it!” I try to jab my finger at his chest again, but Finn grasps my finger before I hit the mark. He tugs me forward, and I stumble toward him, my hands landing on his chest. His muscles bunch under my palms, feeling bigger and firmer than nine years ago.
For a moment, Finn stares down at me. Anger blazes from his eyes. Even though the love is long gone from his eyes, I can’t pull away. “Fine. Keep working at Alessi’s. It will only make it easier for me to figure out what your game is. And I will figure it out.” With that, he spins on his heels and marches back into the club. Even with his coat still on my shoulders, I feel colder than ever before.
Chapter Nine
FINN
InsideAlto,withmyhands on my hips, I drag in deep breaths. What the fuck am I doing? It’s bad enough that I kissed Harper…touched her. When I saw her leave the club, I propelled my ass from the chair and followed her for the second time tonight!
I had no reason to talk to her again. I’d already made it clear I wanted her to keep away from Alessi’s…keep away from me. Yet,I’mdoing the chasing. It’s like I have no control over where my feet lead me. Like a sleepwalker walking through the night unaware of what they’re doing. Being led by a dream. Maybe I’m clinging onto the dream I once shared with Harper. No, that was a nightmare I violently woke up from.
There’s no point sticking around the club. Hayden and Lucas have already gone home. Normally, I’d find a woman to take back to my hotel. I’d spend a couple of hours pretending I wasn’t thinking of Harper while fucking a nameless woman. It’s sick. I know. Every morning I wake up with the shame of what I’ve done. Yet, I keep doing it again and again and again.
I give a quick scan around the room. With all the beautiful women in the club, not an ounce of interest stirs in me. These women are a poor imitation to the real thing. There’s no denying I’m still drawn to Harper. She’s beautiful. Even more so than before. It’s what’s inside I have to remember—cold and unfeeling. She’d rip a person’s heart out in the blink of an eye.
I leave the club, and a blast of icy wind blows through my shirt. I shiver in the night air as I wait for the valet to bring my car around. I could do with my coat. Why did I have to put it on Harper?
Shit! My coat. I pinch the bridge of my nose. What have I done? If Harper happens to check the inside pocket, she’ll discover the memento I’ve kept all these years. Something to remind me to never fall in another trap again.
