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“Okay, now I want to know what is going on with you and Race?” Calliope demanded as soon as she returned from the bathroom. Normally, Bellamy wouldn’t talk about her private life in front of anyone but her best friend, but she’d had enough alcohol that she didn’t care at this point.
Deciding to aggravate her a little, she pretended not to know what she was talking about. “What do you mean? There’s nothing going on between me and Race.”
“Are you sure? I thought since you slept in Race’s bed during the storm, I was hoping things between you might have gotten a little more interesting.” Calliope waggled her brows up and down.
“Okay. Let’s get one thing straight. I stayed in his room because there was nowhere else to sleep.”
“You could have slept in mine and Jackson’s room.” Aww. Wasn’t her friend so sweet? And dense.
“Yeah. Right. I’m not sleeping on the floor of Jackson’s room. Especially when I know damn good and well that man would be pissed if I was in there and he couldn’t fuck you.”
“Okay. Okay. You have a point. Now explain what’s going on with Race.” She rolled her hand in a circular motion, trying to get her to get back to the story.
“There’s really nothing to tell.” She shrugged her shoulders. Calliope clearly didn’t believe her, so she said, “There’s nothing going on between us.” Calliope’s expression stated she did not believe her. “Fine. He said he didn’t think I was old lady material and that I wasn’t a no-strings-attached kind of woman. So, to me, that says I’m good for a quick fuck, but nothing else.” Bellamy leaned back so the waitress could place their drinks on the table. She immediately picked up her shot and tossed it back, making her momentarily lose her breath. “Whoaaa,” she choked and coughed, pounding on her chest. Holy crap, that was strong.
Cami laughed at her confusion. “Jaggermeister.”
“Ah,” Bellamy tipped her chin up in understanding.
“He said that?” Lindsey leaned into the table, trying to be heard over the band.
“Yes. He said that.” Bellamy glanced out toward the dance floor, then back to the ladies at her table. “You know what really aggravates me? He has no clue who I really am. He has no clue how I grew up or the things I’ve done. All he sees is the pretty trappings I use to make my business successful.”
“Speaking of growing up. Why didn’t you ever tell me that your brother, Isaac, is also the notorious crime lord known as Preacher?” Calliope accused. The other women at the table’s mouths dropped open and their eyes rounded huge.
“Shh. Shh. Keep it down.” Bellamy shushed her with her hand. Unless you were someone living under a rock, everyone had heard of Preacher. “He doesn’t want anyone knowing that he’s related to me and Grandma Martha. He’s afraid his enemies could use it against him.”
“I can’t believe you never told me. I thought I was your best friend,” Calliope loudly whispered over the blaring music.
“You are my best friend, but there are some things I don’t tell even you.” She didn’t miss the momentary look of hurt on her friend’s face. It was there and gone so fast, she thought she might have imagined it.
“Like what?” Calliope’s brow arched, daring Bellamy to spill her secrets.
What the hell? In for a penny, in for a pound, right? Bellamy took a deep breath and let it out on a whoosh. “Okay. Growing up, Isaac’s bodyguard, Mick, taught me how to fight.”
“Like with your hands?” Lindsey asked.
“Yes. And guns, knives, tire irons. Anything can be used as a weapon. He also taught me self-defense moves that can bring a grown man to his knees.” She stirred her drink with the tiny straw they always put in mixed drinks, not surprised to find everyone looking at her like she was crazy.
“Do I even know you at all?” Calliope asked dramatically.
“Have you ever had to defend yourself?” Cami asked.
“Yes. A time or two.” There was no way she was going to talk about her time before she’d started Bling Boutique that she’d contemplated asking her brother if she could join his business.
“Damn, girl. I definitely don’t want to mess with you.” Jenna’s eyes rounded.
Calliope, sensing that was all she was going to get on that subject, changed it. “From what Jackson said, Race was upset that you took off before he could talk to you this weekend. Why did you leave and go to your Grandma Martha’s?” She sipped at her soda.
“My brother was there visiting for a couple of days and I never get to see him. And my grandmother needed help getting all her stuff unpacked.” Bellamy wasn’t about to admit that she’d left to avoid giving Race the chance to continue to tell her how they could never be more than fuck buddies.
“Have the two of you been able to talk at all since you left?”
“No. He’s sent me several text messages and left a few voicemails, but I haven’t had time to listen to them yet.”
“Hold up. I’m confused. You say Race isn’t interested in you and that he told you you’re not old lady material. Something doesn’t add up here. From what I know about Race, he doesn’t chase after women. Ever. He doesn’t have to. If he’s texting and leaving voicemails, it sounds to me like he’s interested. And from the look in your eye every time you talk about Race, I think you’re interested in him, too,” Cami said. “Do you think maybe there is some kind of misunderstanding here and maybe you should talk to him to clear the air?”
Bellamy’s heart tripped in her chest. Why did what Cami was saying make so much sense? Did the woman really think that Race could be interested in her? If so, he had a funny way of showing it. She would have thought if he was all that interested he would have made an effort to come see her either at Bling or her grandmother’s house. No. Cami had to be mistaken.
