Page 39 of Moonlit Thorns

He nods and takes a pull from his beer. “He’s at a loss. Said there are people better equipped to help her.”

I slouch into my seat. “I don’t know that we could afford it even if we wanted to.”

“Probably not,” he says.

I’m quiet for a moment until a scream rips out of my throat, piercing the quiet night air. I let out a big sigh when I’m done. “That felt good.”

Luke looks at me warily. “I was going to ask how things were going at Midnight Manor, but I guess I have my answer.”

I roll my head along the back of the chair until I’m looking at him. “It was just a bad week. At least I don’t have to do manual labor anymore. Now I’m working directly for Asher Voss as his assistant.”

My brother sits straighter in his chair. “Is he doing something that makes you uncomfortable, Belle? Because if he is, you need to leave. We’ll figure some other way to keep the estate in the family.”

I blow out a breath. “There is no other way. And I’m fine. Or I will be. I just needed to come home and see some friendly faces is all. I miss you guys.”

“Miss you too, sis.” He looks like he doesn’t believe me, but he lets it go.

I push up off the chair. “Now what I need is a few drinks and some fun.”

“You heading to Black Magic?” He arches an eyebrow.

“Yup.” I walk toward my car.

“I haven’t heard of any of your friends returning to town,” he calls.

“Don’t care. My only mission is to get drunk and forget this entire week.”

And maybe to get laid. I don’t tell my brother that though. Maybe if I get under someone else, I’ll get over Asher Voss and how he delivered the best two orgasms of my life then tossed me aside like trash.

Chapter

Nineteen

ANABELLE

Iwalk into Black Magic and find that my brother was right, I don’t recognize anyone here. There are two couples playing pool who I think were a few years ahead of me in high school and some lifers sitting at the bar, but that’s about it.

I order a drink from Sawyer and head over to one of the tables, not feeling like chitchatting with anyone. Maybe after my first drink.

At the moment, there’s no one here for me to go home with, but maybe someone else will come in later on. It’s not as though there are an unlimited number of bachelors my age in Magnolia Bend. At least Galen’s not here. I’m so desperate to escape my life tonight that I might have even considered going home with him.

I forgot my book in my car, so about halfway through my drink, I step outside to grab it. I walk around the side of the building and look to my left when the sound of an approaching vehicle reaches me. Two blacked-out high-end SUVs pass by, and I get that hollow feeling in my chest whenever my mind travels to Asher because I know they’re headed to Midnight Manor.

Maybe I should have stayed at the manor tonight to try to get some answers.

I’m almost at my vehicle when a car stops in the dirt parking lot behind me. I turn and watch a man get out and walk toward the bar, but I can’t tell what he looks like because of the headlights.

Once I turn away from the glaring lights, I get my book from my car and bring it back into the bar with me. I’ve just set the book on the table and am pulling out my chair when an attractive man comes out of the back hallway where the restrooms are.

His eyes take me in from head to toe, and I can tell that he likes what he sees. There’s a gleam in his gaze that feels a little off-kilter, but I set my concerns aside. He’s definitely older than me, though probably not as old as Asher. Maybe in his early thirties.

God, why am I comparing him to Asher? The whole point of tonight was not to think of him.

He’s wearing expensive black dress pants and a short-sleeve black button-up shirt. His hair is cut close to his head, and I can tell by the way the light reflects off of it that if it was longer, it would probably land somewhere between light brown and dark blond.

He smiles and walks over, taking the back of my chair from me and pulling it out. “Allow me.”

Maybe my night is looking up. I smile at him and take a seat. “Thank you.”

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