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Desperate to make her understand, I grit out through my teeth, “I already told you I’ve sent Janelle home the second you left, Amanda.”
A moment of strained silence follows our argument before a man stops beside us and breaks the icy atmosphere.
“Well, if it isn’t the lovely Amanda Brown.”
I clench my fists when photographer Cody Michael rests a hand on her shoulder. Amanda flashes him a warm smile, and he leans in closer while I fight the urge to push his paw off her.
“Hey, Cody,” she greets him in a sweet and welcome tone.
“Can I buy you a drink?” he asks.
I open my mouth to object, but Cody replies, “I know you already have one. So maybe I can buy you the next,” he says, winking at her.
To add to my annoyance, my name gets called, and when I look sideways, Darius beckons me and I have no choice but to go.Damn it, I don’t want to leave her with him.
“Don’t worry about this beauty, Fox. I’ll take good care of her,” Cody says, already taking his seat beside her.
Reluctant, I turn away, my stomach churning as Amanda refuses to meet my gaze.
The next two hours are an eternity as I run around all over the place, and when it quiets down, I frantically search the room for her. I’ve tried to keep an eye on her, but she isn’t in the spot where I last saw her.Did she go home? Did she leave with Cody? The thought of that makes me want to punch something.
Needing an answer, I ask Darius, “Have you seen Amanda?”
Darius catches my eye and nods toward the VIP lounge.
“Tread with care, boss,” he says as I turn and leave.
My feet freeze in their tracks and my blood boils like a cauldron of emotions as I arrive at the lounge and take in the image before me: Cody and Amanda sitting on one of the velvet couches, him with his posture angled toward her, and his arms stretched out across the back—a blatant sign of interest. I know Cody Michaels all too well; his reputation with women is as notorious as mine and I don’t like that. Because she deserves better than being someone’s one-night stand.
My eyes clash with Amanda’s for a split second before she turns them back to Cody. Puzzled that she didn’t smile or even acknowledge me, I walk over and say in an even tone, “Hey. Everything all right here?”
Cody’s eyes flicker between me and Amanda, and a smirk curls on his lips. “Oh yeah. Amanda’s a tough one... I’ve been trying to get her to pose for me, but she keeps turning me down... I’m such a heartbroken soul,” he jokes. “Can you imagine how gorgeous she’d look in lingerie? Magazine sales would go through the roof. Hell, traffic would jam up when she’s on a billboard.”
My fingernails bite into my skin as my insides churn with an electric fury. Amanda’s laugh tinkles like a knife running along my spine when she grazes Cody’s wrist.
“I said I need to think about it.”
“You mean there’s still a chance you could say yes?” He wiggles his eyebrows.
“Amanda, can I speak to you alone?” I grind out between gritted teeth. My temperature reaches the boiling point when our gazes lock.
“Not right now. I’m in the middle of a business meeting with Cody. I’ll catch up with you later.”
Cody strides up, hand outstretched. “Care to dance?”
My throat constricts and all I can do is watch in horror when she sets down her drink and stands up from the couch. “Sure.”
As soon as she passes me, I take the opportunity and reach out and seize her wrist, which causes her to halt in her tracks. Cody notices and glances between us. She offers him a smile. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
He nods and leaves.
“What the hell are you doing, Amanda?”
Her innocent façade slides back into place. “Just having a few drinks with Cody and talking business.”
“And he’s flirting with you,” I spit out.
She locks eyes with me and coolly responds, “So?”
