AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I casually run my hand through my hair, forming a shade with my hand.
“What?” Elle blinks, cocking her head, then gasps. “Oh my God, is that like your ex or something?”
“Worse. That’s the woman who’s suing us,” I bite off.
Elle’s eyes widen.
She glances past me, then back at me, lifting her brows. “August?”
“What?”
“You’re too big to hide behind your hand. She already saw us.” Her gaze flicks past me. “Aaand she’s coming.”
Shit, shit, shit.
I let out a few more curses under my breath, then drop my hand and straighten up.
When I glance back, Marissa has slid off her barstool. She saunters toward us with a sway that looks risky on her spike heels, her top nearly falling out of her dress.
The ball of ice in her highball clinks loudly as her hand wavers with the glass, sending the golden brown liquid inside sloshing back and forth.
Every time I’ve had direct contact with this woman, she’s been piss drunk.
Considering how her father died, that almost concerns me.
It would, if she weren’t trying to blow our lives to smithereens.
I try to let my concern outshine my irritation, if only so I won’t tear her head off the moment she opens her mouth.
Which she does the instant she stops next to our table, looking down at us with a triumphant smirk. “Well, well, if it ishn’t—isn’t Augusht Marshall. You stalking me, big boy?”
My upper lip curls in disgust. “I’d ask you the same. It’s an odd coincidence that you happen to be here the night we decide to eat out.”
“My offersh—office—is two blocksh away. I wanted a drink after work.” One of Marissa’s heavily kohled eyes squints as she peels a finger away from her glass and points it at me. “Yer stressin’ me out, man.”
“I’m not the one filing a frivolous lawsuit,” I say tightly. “You’re free to withdraw your attack anytime, if it causes you such discomfort.”
“What? Fuck no! Imma ... Imma wring you dry.” There’s a lascivious curl to those words that makes me shudder. Then she turns on Elle, squinting at her with a sneer. “So you the new dish?”
“Um.” Elle just gawks at her for a few moments, but her characteristic sweetness is there. She just looks curious and pleasant. No judgment, perhaps a little concern. “Not sure about ‘dish,’ but my name’s Elle Lark.” She holds out her hand. “Marissa, right?”
Marissa eyes Elle’s hand with clear disgust. “I don’ wanna shake yer hand. Yer the enema.” Then she blinks and laughs obnoxiously, her nasty tone turning girlish instantly as she covers her mouth. “En-e-mee.”
Elle lets out a good-natured laugh, completely unfazed. “I’ve never been called an ‘enema’ before, though I’ve called a few guys ‘douches.’”
“Well, this one’s a huge dooshnozzle.” Marissa jabs a wobbly finger at me. “You ... you shoulda just settled out of court.”
No.
This is not a conversation we should be having without legal counsel present. I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“Miss Sullivan.” I sigh. “You’re in no state for this conversation. Is there anyone here with you?”
Marissa smirks at me sloppily. Her bright-red lipstick is smeared, staining the edge of her glass in messy smudges. “Ashkin’ if ’m single in front of yer fiancée? Shameless.”
“Don’t be crass,” I bite off. “You are in no condition to drive home, and you’re clearly at your limit.” I pull my phone from the breast pocket of my shirt. “I’ll call you an Uber.”
Elle leans across the table toward me, stretching one hand out lightly to touch my wrist. The warmth of her fingertips soaks into me, soothing my irritation. “August, we could take her. It’s okay. We don’t have to stay for dinner.”
