Page 270 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

When she rounded the hallway and disappeared from view, I wiped at my eyes. She was right about being the high school drug dealer, but it wasn’t the only thing she had been right about. I’d also been a party girl, and a promiscuous one at that. The boys loved me because I was fun, or so I thought. Turns out, they believed I was easy which only created this insecurity that still afflicted me to this day.

When I got to Denver for college, I had withdrawn into myself. All I cared about was making money and erasing my past. As I looked around my bedroom at the expensive linen and designer furniture, it sure as hell beat the mattress and metal frame I had back in Carson.

I had completely changed everything about my life, and it was likely why I was so resentful of my cousin. I should’ve been thrilled that she’d decided to come visit me, but instead, I was busy looking my nose down on her. She’d been a lot like me, only I had actually followed through with everything before. That same drive was what fueled me to my current career.

“Shelbs.... The pizza is here and is going to get cold.”

I had completely missed the doorbell, but I did hear the door close. I left my bedroom and when I made it back into the living room with her, she already had a beer open along with her pizza box.

“Stop looking like that, Shelbs.”

“Like what?” I asked as I took my seat and picked up my own pizza box.

“You’ve done amazing for yourself here, and I’m so proud of you. I was proud of you back then too, though. I don’t care what it is that you’re peddling these days. I only care that you’re happy, and you are. Right?”

I smiled at her. “I am.”

“And does that happiness include a man?”

My face heated at that. I still had no idea what to call what Easton and I had, and I certainly didn’t want to mention Syn and what went on there, so I just nodded. “I’m talking to someone, but it’s in the early stages so I’m not sure if it will amount to anything or not.”

“I’m sure it will. Why don’t you give me the deets on him, and by deets, you know I want to know how hot he is and how good he is in bed.”

I had just taken my first bite of pizza and nearly spit it out at her words. I grabbed the bottle of beer and wasted a few seconds getting it open. If she expected me to talk about Easton, I needed to be buzzed. Of course, if I was, I might let something slip. After taking a swig of it, I set it back down.

“We haven’t gotten that far yet,” I lied and shivered slightly. “He is hot, though. Tall, blonde, and built like a Greek God.”

“Oh, he sounds like someone I want to meet.”

I smiled politely, although I doubted that would ever happen. “Why don’t you tell me about why you decided to come visit me after all of this time,” I urged, then took a bite of my pizza.

Carley started to talk, but something about her just wanting to catch up didn’t sit right. I had no idea if something had happened back home. It’d been a few years since I’d talked to my parents or hers, and I made a mental note to check in with them soon. We did finish the pizza and beer, and finally both curled up on the couch with one another to watch one of those teenage chick flicks we’d loved so much back then.

Thirteen

EASTON

It’d been over a week since I’d returned from Los Angeles, and almost as long since I’d been with Shelby. We talked briefly, mostly through text message, and it was only when I’d threatened to visit her the night before that she told me she had a family member from out of town visiting her. Wanting to respect her time and privacy, I’d let it go and tried not to bother her much.

Once upon a time, I’d been very causal even with those submissives at Syn. I rarely ever scened with the same female more than just a couple of times, and I certainly didn’t message them when away from the club. I had no idea why this woman was so different, but she was. I really liked her which was an oddity for me.

When back in Los Angeles, the other agents had tried convincing me to go with them to some of the strip clubs when not on duty, but I’d declined their invitations and spent the nights in my hotel room talking to Shelby. It had been much different back in Texas when I’d not accompanied those men to those types of clubs, but even went to a hotel with one of the dancers afterward.

“I’m turning into the others,” I said aloud as I thought about Caine, Lucien, and Hawke.

The last thing I wanted was to turn in my bachelor card for a life of domestication, even if it was with a woman I couldn’t keep my hands off. The very thoughts I had of Shelby kept me hard, and I’d spent way too much time in recent days getting myself off with my hand when I could’ve very well invited her to Syn to help me with those needs.

Only I couldn’t because she had an out of town guest. It didn’t mean I had to stay home just because she did, though. Upon realizing that, I got dressed and headed to Syn. After I parked in the nearby garage, I sat in my car for several minutes. Finally, I shook my head, then got my key fob out with my membership card.

Caine was off this evening so Bruce and a new guy were manning the doors. I almost wondered if the mammoth had been placed there intentionally. Hawke had rightfully been very concerned about the death outside of his club. Ayden had managed to keep it on the low at the moment because I’d heard nothing about it on the news, and I’d been watching the local shows religiously to see what was revealed.

All work had made me irritated, and tonight it would be time to play. I entered the club and decided to check in on Hawke. I didn’t see him in the main area of the club, but I did see Ryder. I walked over to the blond. “Where’s your bossman?”

“Hawke’s in his office.”

“You think he would mind if I bothered him for a minute. I want to check in on the case.”

“No, I don’t think so. He’s made me beef up security around here, and I can tell it is all worrying him,” he offered up to me.

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