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Duke curses. “Last place I want to be with those assholes isin,” he murmurs.
Stoker takes a step forward, his gaze focused on and never leaving Duke’s as he leans over the desk slightly. “You do this, everything in your file, in Bond’s file, and the men who want to leave, it disappears.”
Duke’s eyes widen. “Yeah?” he asks.
“Poof.”
REESE
There is no more hiding this pregnancy, at least not by the end of the day. I wake up with a semi-flat stomach, and by the end of my shift, I’m popped and round. I’ve had my first couple of doctor’s appointments. An image of the ultrasound is taped to the fridge in the kitchen of the bar.
I’ve been completely accepted.
I don’t know how or when it happened, but I’ve found another family. That doesn’t make me miss the family I left behind in Casa Grande any less, though. They are so close that I could drive down there for the day, but something holds me back every time I start to go.
I hold myself back.
The pain of what could be, of what could have been, I can’t handle it. There’s also the fact that Agony might have found someone else. What happens when he’s claimed someone, and then I show up pregnant?
I’ve already done enough to him. I can’t do that, too. Although, isn’t it worse that I’m just over an hour away and carrying his baby while he has no idea? Instead of dwelling on the past, the future, or anything else, I worry about tonight and get myself ready for my shift.
Charley has been letting me work as many hours as I can, knowing that I need to stockpile all my cash for maternity leave and the baby. He’s been watching me closely as if he knows that something is going to happen, he can feel it, and that causes me to look over my shoulder at every opportunity.
“You ready for tonight?” Justin asks.
Turning my attention from Charley, I flash him a smile. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
He stares at me for a moment, holding my gaze, then clears his throat and jerks his chin. “It’s a full moon. I can feel a shift. Something is going to go down tonight.”
His words cause my spine to straighten. Charley can feel it, too, not that he’s said as much, but I can tell he does. That scares the absolute shit out of me. I very much believe in intuition in every sense of the word.
Before I can ask either of them to elaborate on their feelings, Charley unlocks the door, and our first round of customers starts to file inside. I decide it’s better to be busy than it is to sit around and think about… well… anything.
Moving around the bar, I take orders and deliver them over and over until it comes close to closing, and then Charley heads toward the door, following behind the last customers, and locks it behind them.
I let out a sigh. Nothing happened. The night isn’t over, so I shouldn’t feel that relieved, but I am, nonetheless, slightly calmed that nothing has happened. Maybe it’s thanks to being extra vigilant and cautious? I don’t know, but instinct is a powerful feeling.
Kicking off my shoes with a groan, I decide I need to invest not only in a few outfits that are a bit larger but some more comfortable shoes. Reality is here, and I’m only going to get bigger.
As I move around the bar, the chef sticks his head out and announces his departure. We all wave and continue with our duties when, what feels like just moments later, there is a noise in the back of the bar.
I stop and look in the direction of the noise but decide it’s probably the chef finishing up a few things, so I go back to cleaning up.
“Babe?” Justin calls out. I turn my head. Looking over my shoulder to see him placing his last clean glass on the shelf. “I got somewhere to be tonight. Can’t follow you home.”
Watching him for a moment, I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. He’s got a date, and he doesn’t want to tell me. I don’t know why he wouldn’t. It’s not like I’ve given him any kind of sign or signal that I want more from him, and I don’t.
“I’ll be fine,” I say. “Have fun.”
Maybe I shouldn’t be so relaxed. Other than just having a funky feeling tonight, I have become a bit lazy about my whereabouts lately. It’s been weeks, and I haven’t even thought about looking for Douglas every minute of every day the way I probably should.
I’ve been lax, and I know what happens when being comfortable takes over. That’s when he finds you. When he pounces, I need to remember that. Nobody is going to save me from Douglas. I have to save myself, and so far, I’m not sure how successful I am at the job.
Justin gives me a long, questioning glance. As if he doesn’t believe I’ll be okay on my own. I hate to tell him that I’ve been on my own for over five years, and I’ve become pretty good at running from Douglas.
“I’ll be fine,” I call out again.
Justin dips his chin, then moves toward the back of his bar, leaving me alone with Charley. “Do I need to follow you home?” Charley asks after Justin is gone.
