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Why am I admitting all of this? Why do I feel defensive? She looks like she’s questioning why she got upset.
“I’m sorry. I’m on edge. I’m trying to have a good time, but I’m freaked out about my apartment and staying in someone’s house who I’ve never met. Josh is still boring as all get out, but I’m trying not to be rude.”
“You don’t look freaked out. You were laughing earlier.”
“Because he was telling stupid jokes, and I knew I’d look like a bitch if I didn’t.”
“Do you want to leave?”
“I can’t. I already told him I’m ready to go to Spotlight. Even though the service was great, we’ve already been here almost two hours. Let’s see how long I last there.”
“Okay. I’ll let Pauly know to go out ahead of you. I’ll follow again.”
She hesitates before she nods.
“Piccolina, what’s wrong?”
I keep calling her that, but I’m definitely not ready to examine why I call her little girl or translate it for her. She hasn’t asked what it means. Does she know and is fine with it? Does she not care?
“Will you really be right behind us?”
“Did Josh do something?”
“No, not really. But I think he thinks he’s getting laid tonight.”
My gaze darts to him, and I know he’s getting impatient. She has to go back there.
“If he does anything you don’t want…”
She nods, and I don’t have to finish that thought. She hurries back to the table. She only grabbed her cell phone, ID, and a credit card from her purse as we pulled up. She left everything else in the town car. I didn’t realize her skirt had pockets. I’ll never understand why most women’s skirts and dresses don’t have them. I get the whole it’ll mess up the lines and how the clothes hang. But pockets matter more. At least they would to me if I were a woman.
I’m talking to myself to distract from how he wraps his arm around her waist, and she doesn’t pull away. I leave my hideaway and hand my plate to Lolita without looking at her. It makes me the asshole; I know. But I’m not falling behind when Sinead told me she was scared and asked me to be where she can see me.
It's barely a five-minute walk to get to the club, and I spot Lorenzo immediately since I texted him we were on our way. It’s hot as balls, and the place isn’t even packed yet.
“She’s cute.”
Lorenzo waggles his eyebrows. I shrug.
“Can you keep an eye on her? I need to ditch my jacket and gun in your office. I’m way overdressed, anyway.”
“Yeah. Marco’s over by the DJ already.”
I saw him there as I came in. There’s a fire exit he’s guarding. No one is coming in or out of that door without him saying yes. I hurry down the hall and punch in the code to open Lorenzo’s office. I slip my suit coat off and toss it over the back of the desk chair before I punch in the code to open the left-side desk drawer. I put my gun in there with Lorenzo’s second weapon. The man never sweats. He’s wearing a suit out there, but he also won’t be in the crush of people. He has his gun in the holster at his lower back. But if he feels like he needs to, he’ll come and get his shoulder holster and put both guns under his arms.
I’m rolling up my sleeves as I reach the dance floor. I spot her easily. There are more people here than there were when I went in the office, but it’s like she has a homing device on. I can find her without having to try. She has a bottle in her hand. I strain and look over at Lorenzo, who’s still by the bar. He nods. None of his bartenders would ever roofie a drink, and they’re excellent at watching out for anyone who is. But they can’t see everything all the time. Lorenzo’s letting me know he watched the bartender open the drink in front of Sinead, and she never let it out of her sight.
She’s swaying to the music while sipping her beer. She doesn’t like it. I wonder if he ordered it for her or she just doesn’t like beer, and it’s the least offensive. I notice he’s drinking the same thing, so it was probably the former. He tries to draw her closer, but she dances away as though she doesn’t notice. But she turns her back to him, and he wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her back.
I clench my fists. I have to let her deal with it unless she looks for me. He’s grinding his junk against her ass. She pretends to misstep and puts her foot down on his. She spins and looks apologetic, but that gives him the chance to pull her closer. The motherfucker is trying to put his leg between hers. She stops and shakes her head before leaning in to tell him something. Now he’s shaking his head and trying to wrap his arm around her again.
I inch closer until I’m behind Josh, and she can see me. She relaxes. A couple women dance around me, and I can’t stand here like a statue without people wondering why I’m there. I might sway next to them, but I don’t touch them, and I don’t look at them. They lose interest and move on.
It’s the same thing for four songs. Josh is keeping some space between them, but he still has his arm around her waist, and now she has an arm around his neck. When the song ends, they head back to the bar. I find a spot not far away, and I can hear them talking.
“I can drive you home if you want to go now.”
“No thanks. I’m actually headed to Andrea’s. She’s only a couple blocks away.”
