15. You’re Not Making Sense

Chapter 15

You’re Not Making Sense

Megan

“ O kay, you gotta stop following me around like this, guys.” I look over my shoulder at the two funny-looking men who have glued themselves to my side. “Nothing is going to happen to me here. We’re in the club, I’m surrounded by people, and I’ve got work to do.”

The two oversized oafs exchange a look, and finally, the meatier one of the two responds in a rough voice, “Miss, it literally is our job to follow you around.”

I notice Lars sitting in Hunter’s empty office, reading something on his computer screen, and I give him a pleading look. “Please, do something about this. I can’t have them breathing down my neck. I’ll stab someone at this rate!”

Lars appears amused and shakes his head at the security team assigned to me. “Take a thirty-minute break. She’ll be fine.”

Watching their retreat to the kitchen, I let out a heavy breath. “Thank God.”

“Who were you planning to stab?” I can tell that Lars is trying not to laugh.

“Myself,” I say darkly.

“The boss is just trying to be careful.”

“He’s too careful.”

Lars gives me a questioning look. “If he were his usual careful , there wouldn’t be so much activity around his penthouse. People aren’t supposed to even know where he lives.”

Ah, yes, he’s talking about the shooting, and while I completely understand why that would rattle everyone, it had nothing to do with me. Why am I the one who needs the extra protection? But I’m not going to argue with Lars because we seem to be forging a mutually respectful relationship, and he’s one of the few allies I’ve got in this place.

I retreat to my office to pick up the day’s schedule before making my way to the bar where Gage is.

“When you have time,” I tell him. “Take a look at these. I’m sure Hunter briefed you already.”

He makes a cheeky clicking sound with his tongue as he gives me a two-fingered salute, “Got it, boss lady.”

Two of the servers are side-eyeing us and I sigh to myself. I still haven’t talked to them collectively since the incident with Diana, and now they’re walking around me on eggshells. I’m both anticipating and dreading that team meeting.

Lacy is working with Billy, and as I pour myself a cup of coffee from the machine, I ask her, “Have you taken a break yet?”

She looks towards Billy, who says, “She’ll take one in ten. We just have to finish this up.”

“I’ll be outside then,” I tell them. “Taking my break.”

Grabbing a sandwich from the refrigerator, coffee in hand, I go outside, grateful to breathe in the fresh air. It’s cold out but my lungs feel good, away from the stale atmosphere of the Blue Whiskey.

It’s been two days since Lacy came to stay with us. The girl is relatively quiet, and despite her circumstances, she seems to have a positive outlook on life, which I like about her, but I still can’t figure out why Hunter is so interested in her.

I’d be lying if I said that it doesn’t bother me. I’ve seen the way he looks at her. There’s confusion in his eyes and a hint of sadness that I’ve never seen before. And the strangest thing of all is that he avoids interacting with her. I don’t see his normal swagger or confidence when he looks at her.

That scares me.

Hunter is not a liar, and I have no reason not to trust him, but he’s also the first man that I’ve allowed myself to be vulnerable with. While I almost convinced myself that our age difference is what makes this thing between us so different. So safe. I am quickly realizing that the trust between us is fragile.

As I perch on the steps, I look down at my coffee, sighing helplessly. I’m dating Hunter Middleton, the billionaire and the philanthropist. I’m also dating his alter ego, the ruthless club owner and underworld negotiator. He’s been so preoccupied with work lately that aside from a few stolen kisses, I’ve not really managed to spend any quality time with him. Normally, that wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen, but my body is half-starved for him.

For someone who wasn’t exactly getting laid, I am addicted to his touch, and I miss it. He knew exactly what he was doing when he basically turned me out by flying me to Paris and seducing me in that hotel room (or maybe I seduced him). Now I want him all of the time. I bet if I go into his office right now, he’ll put everything aside and fuck me so deeply that I’ll lose my mind.

My vagina twitches as if she’s itching to follow through on my dirty thoughts, but I force myself to stay still and take another gulp of coffee. This can’t be about me and my raging hormones.

It’s obvious that Hunter is busy and much more stressed than normal. I wish I could just go up to him and ask him to talk to me. Make him talk to me. I kind of want to. But if I do that, I’m going to be throwing myself deeper into this tangled mess of feelings and trust that is growing like a bunch of angry weeds.

I’m sitting in the back of the club but hear footsteps approaching the alleyway. I’m expecting to see my new security detail, but instead, it’s Diana.

“Hey,” she greets me casually as if we’re old friends.

It’s a little awkward that she’s approached me after everything we’ve been through in the last 48 hours, so I stand up, sipping my coffee.

“Do you need something?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “Not from you, anyway.”

I frown at that but don’t comment on it. She has a weird expression on her face, almost anticipatory.

“Okay,” I say, biting into my sandwich but keeping a close eye on her. “Did Parker give you the details about your new job?”

She doesn’t say anything for a few moments, just watching me with this strange gleam in her eyes.

“You want me to thank Hunter or you for that, bitch?”

“I beg your pardon?” I ask, nearly choking on the sandwich, not even fully grasping that she called Hunter by his first name.

“I don’t need any piece of shit job you ask your fuck buddy to give me.” She smiles at me, the expression almost twisted. “I only stayed here as long as I did because I needed to see how precious you were to him.”

The hairs on the back of my neck are rising as I study Diana. Her statement is confusing to me, and then I hear something shuffle in the background at the opening of the alley, which makes me jump. I quickly turn my head, only to see a cat.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask. “You’re not making sense,” I say, wondering if Diana may be high on something.

“You’ll find out,” she murmurs. “I never expected Hunter Middleton to reveal his weakness so readily.”

Okay, now I know something’s wrong and that I’ve unwittingly found myself in a possibly dangerous situation. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Diana has an ulterior motive here. She’s a different person.

She looks different, she’s dressed differently, and she’s referring to Hunter and his supposed weaknesses in some super creepy way.

I’m in deep shit right now.

“I don’t know what you’re smoking, Diana, but I’m not that important to Hunter.” I try to keep my tone casual. “Girls like me are a dime a dozen to a man like him.”

Diana smiles at me, cocking her head in an unnatural manner. “I’m not that easy to fool. I’ve been watching you way before you hired me.”

“What?” Now I feel really confused. “Why?”

“You probably never recognized me because every time I came in, I made sure never to interact with you. Plus, I was always wearing different wigs. This is my real hair, by the way. I’m a natural blonde. Do you like it?”

Oh, my god.

Suddenly, I remember why she looked so familiar when I hired her. It had been a fleeting thought. An improbable connection. One I should have evidently done a little more digging into.

Steve.