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I stare at her for a long moment, the muscle in my jaw ticking. My initial instinct is to dig in my heels, tell her no, and send her back to the packhouse where I know she’ll be safe. That’d be the equivalent of taking two steps back with her, though. If I want Juliet to accept our mate bond, then I need to accept her for exactly who she is- a woman who’s just as strong as she is beautiful, one who’s stubborn and headstrong and refuses to be sidelined.
It's ironic that the reasons she frustrates me the most are the same ones that made me fall for her in the first place.
“You’re right,” I concede, pinching the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. “Fuck, you’re right.”
Juliet’s lips tip up in a smug smirk. “Say that one more time?”
I can’t help but crack a smile. “You’reright.”
Her grin widens.
I step toward her, looping my arms around her shoulders with a sigh. “It’s not gonna be easy to take him down,” I murmur. Then, glancing around to make sure nobody’s within earshot, I drop my voice lower. “You want to know what’s really going on? Gavin’s a thug. It’s not just liquor that he’s pushing, the distribution is a front for drugs. I caught on when I stopped by the warehouse that day to drop off the paperwork, which is why I refused to follow through on our deal.”
Juliet’s brows lift in surprise, then a little crease forms between them as she contemplates my words. “Aren’t you friends with the police chief? Can’t you report him or something? Call in an anonymous tip about the warehouse?”
“For all I know, he’s made his own deal with the chief,” I mutter. “It’s obvious that he’s got some officers in his pocket, considering what happened the night you were arrested at Club Zodiac, and I have no idea how deep he’s got his claws in law enforcement.” I scowl, shaking my head again. “And Gavin’s not stupid. He knows what I saw at the warehouse that day, and he knows that after this, I’d likely retaliate. There’s no way he hasn’t moved his product from that warehouse already.”
Juliet steps back, my arms falling away from her body as she crosses her own over her chest with a frown. “Well what about the places he’s selling?”
“They’d only be able to nab his dealers, and he’d have new ones in their place tomorrow,” I grumble, considering. “If we’re gonna get rid of him, we have to cut the head off the snake.”
Juliet and I stare at one another as we quietly contemplate our options. There aren’t any good ones. It’s a seemingly impossible situation, but I refuse to work with Gavin now more than ever. And I’m apprehensive that his ‘messages’ are only going to escalate further.
Juliet suddenly snaps her fingers, drawing me out of my turbulent thoughts.
“I have an idea,” she breathes, her eyes alight as she stares up at me. “It’s good, but…” she trails off with a wince. “You’re not gonna like it.”
37
My heart’s beating so fast that it feels like it’s going to lurch out of my chest. The interior of Atlantis nightclub is dimly lit in hues of blue and purple, the bass beat from the music pulsing into the soles of my feet as I stride through the main floor toward the VIP area. Although this whole plan was hatched from my idea, every angle examined to ensure it’ll be executed seamlessly, I’m still jittery with anticipation as I take the first steps to put it in motion.
The bouncer at the entrance to the VIP section is tall and stocky, dressed in a well-tailored suit with his hair slicked back neatly. He gives me a once-over as I approach with confidence, my tight red dress accentuating every curve and my stiletto heels clicking against the floor, then angles his chin down to murmur something into the microphone on his lapel. Pressing a finger to the earpiece he’s wearing, whatever response he receives has him drawing back the black velvet rope and stepping aside to grant me entry.
I flash the bouncer a bright smile as I strut past him, the light even dimmer back here and the music muffled. Booths line the wall, separated by tall partitions to grant privacy to the clientele who pay for it, and I give each a passing glance as I sweep by and make my way to the very last booth.
I smooth the hem of my dress down over my ass as I slide onto the leather seat, meeting the stare of the man seated across with a coy smile.
“Gavin.”
A smug grin spreads across his lips, his eyes eating me up. “Juliet. I have to say, I was surprised when I got your call to meet tonight.”
The way his gaze lingers on my cleavage makes my stomach turn, but I keep my composure, my smile never faltering. “Why’s that?” I ask sweetly, tilting my head. “Because the last time we saw each other, you tried to kidnap me?”
He roars a laugh, scooping up his tumbler of amber liquor and bringing it to his mouth. His eyes remain on mine as he takes a sip, swallows it down, and licks the remnants from his lips. “Is that what you think I was doing?” he chuckles, setting his glass back down on the table. “Not at all. I only wanted to chat.”
I ease back against the leather seat, shaking my head with a chuckle. “Men whochatlike you are the reason I learned self-defense.”
He gestures to me with both hands. “And yet here you are.”
Gavin lifts his glass again, finishing the liquor inside while eyeing me. His cell phone vibrates against the table top, but he doesn’t so much as glance down at it. He’s completely absorbed by my presence.
Right where I want him.
I set my own phone on the table across from his as a cocktail waitress silently appears with two glasses of whiskey. Gavin continues to stare me down, and as soon as the waitress leaves, he slides one of them in front of me. “So why’d you ask me here, Juliet?” he probes, arching a dark brow. “You finally get tired of Bauer? Decide to take me up on my offer to see what it’s like with a real man?”
I can’t contain the wry laugh that spills from my throat. “Not if you were the last man on earth.”
Gavin’s eyes darken, though he continues to play it cool, shrugging. “Keep resisting, babe. It gets my dick hard.”
