Page 69 of Bombshell

Some of Pepper’s anger eased, and her shoulders rose and fell with a heavy sigh. “FINE! Let her wear her own clothes. But please don’t say another word to the Crowns. They’re eating their food now, and since six more Judgment have walked in the door, I doubt they are going to stick around long.”

Micah smirked. “I expect several more will arrive before they’re done eating.”

Pepper rolled her eyes. “Figures. They’d just better all order lots of drinks and food.”

Micah nodded. “They will.”

She pointed to the door. “Get out so she can change.”

Micah frowned. “I hate to be the one to break it to you, Pep, but I’ve seen her naked.”

Pepper held up a hand to stop him. “Don’t. I know that. I also know the moment I walk out of here and she starts to undress, you’ll fuck her in my office. One”—she held up a finger—“that’s not an image I like to dwell on.” She held up a second finger. “And two, I need her out there, waiting on tables. Now, get out.”

Micah grabbed my chin and tilted my head back before pressing a kiss to my mouth, then turned and walked out the door.

Pepper looked at me and shook her head in exasperation before following him.

32

Dolly

Thanks for last night. I needed that more than you know.

Those words kept replaying in my head. I could even hear them said in her sultry voice.

I stared at the cup of espresso I had made, but the thought of actually drinking it made me feel nauseous. Setting it on the bar, I walked out of the kitchen. The world that had been so bright and full of hope just an hour ago when Micah woke me up, kissing down my body, now felt as if it had no oxygen left in it. Everything that made me smile had been snatched away so quickly.

The sound of the shower cut off, and I stared toward the bathroom door. Micah was in there. After we’d had sex, he’d kissed me and held me, then said he needed to get a shower. He had to head back to Ocala today but would be back late tonight. We had been in a bubble of perfection—or so I’d thought. Instead, it was my own delusional bubble. One I had created in my mind.

I wasn’t sure how I could face him now. Did I confront him? Ask him what the text from Calista meant? Maybe there was a good explanation that I needed to hear, and then this devastation that I was experiencing would go away. I’d have my bubble back. The one that I shouldn’t have started to feel secure in.

Micah hadn’t said he loved me. He hadn’t called me his girlfriend or labeled what we were. He basically lived here now. We were together every chance we got. Sex was amazing. The thought that he was seeing Calista…it felt almost unreal.

The faucet turned off, and I knew he was finished brushing his teeth. He would open the door and walk out at any minute now. His towel would be wrapped around his waist. All of his beautiful body on display. It was one of my favorite morning views.

Except now, all I could think was, had Calista seen it too? What had they done last night? What was it she had needed that he had supplied?

My stomach rolled, and I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply through my nose. Even if Micah didn’t love me, he cared. He’d called me his. He wouldn’t betray me that way. Would he? Could he do that? The man I loved didn’t have that kind of cruelty in him.

The door to the bathroom opened, and the moment he saw me, he smiled that slow, sexy grin that usually made my heart flutter. This morning, it didn’t flutter. It cracked.

Asking him was the only fair thing to do. For me and him. I was going to dwell on it, and this would just get worse if I didn’t know.

“You already had your espresso?” he asked me.

I couldn’t smile. I didn’t even try. I shook my head. “No.”

He studied me for a moment, and a frown creased his brow. “What’s wrong, Tink?”

Knowing the truth was better than making up my version of it, I had to hold on to the hope that there was a reasonable explanation.

Dropping my gaze to the floor, I took a deep breath before asking, “Where were you last night?”

He didn’t respond right away. Dread, fear, loss—it all began to uncurl inside my chest. Why wasn’t he saying anything?

“I told you, I was at the club. We had some issues to handle.”

I swallowed hard. He was evading the answer. I could hear it in his voice. There was more, and he didn’t want to tell me. Too bad. His phone had lit up when I was getting out of bed, and the text had been right there on the screen for me to see.

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