Page 41 of Midnight Whispers

“I’m going to try to calm him down. As soon as the door closes, you flip that lock, okay? And you don’t open it for anyone except me, okay?”

More pounding and cursing erupt from him.

She nods again.

I pull her in and give her a hug. “It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. After you’ve locked the door, I want you to take Rose and go into the bathroom and lock the door. I’ll shout for you to open the door for me once everything’s calmed down.”

I have experience dealing with drunks at Black Magic Bar and guys who can be too handsy at T&T’s, but my hands shake as I straighten and grip the door handle.

“Open up this fucking door!”

I look over my shoulder at Dahlia. “Ready?”

She nods, lips quivering as I unlock the door and push my way out of the room, quickly shutting the door behind me. I hear the deadbolt click into place. Good girl.

“Who the hell are you?” The man steps back and gives me the once-over.

He has on a dirty flannel shirt, splayed open to reveal a stained white T-shirt underneath. I don’t think he’s had a shower in days. Based on the smell of him, he’s been drinking.

“You must be one of Lisa’s whore friends from the club. Where the fuck is she?” He makes for the door, and I remain where I am, pushing at his chest.

“She’s not here. You should go. You’re scaring your daughters.”

He scowls. “That fucking slut thinks she can take my kids from me. Thinks she’s too good for me. I’ll show her!”

He tries to push his way around me again, and this time I push harder, standing my ground.

“You tryin’ to come between me and my girls? Bitch, you don’t wanna do that.” He grips my upper arm hard, and I cry out.

“Just leave. I’ll tell Lisa you came by, and she can call you when she gets back.”

He squeezes harder, and I wince, my knees buckling. “She busy whoring herself out, that it? That why you’re here watching my kids, and they’re not with me?” He moves me to the side and slams me against the wall, raising his fist.

I brace myself, knowing he’s never shied away from hitting Lisa, the woman he supposedly loves. I’m just some woman he doesn’t know or care about. But before his fist lands on my face, he’s tackled onto the concrete by Nero.

What the hell is he doing here?

Chapter

Eighteen

NERO

Iwatch from my vehicle as Cinder knocks on the motel room door.

What the hell is she doing at this dive motel on the county line? Is she meeting someone? My hands grip the steering wheel even tighter with the thought that she’s been playing me.

Thankfully, I don’t lose my shit and storm out of my car because the woman who opens the door is someone I recognize. She’s one of the other dancers at T&T’s. Maybe Cinder’s just visiting a friend? Though she’s never come here after any of her shifts at T&T’s before. She usually goes to Black Magic Bar or Midnight Manor.

Continuing to watch the room, I see the other woman leave a few minutes later, but Cinder remains inside. I settle in, wondering what she’s doing and why she’s staying when her friend is leaving. Cinder hasn’t moved her things out of Midnight Manor. I’ve given the staff strict instructions to let me know when they go in to clean her room daily.

Maybe she decided to leave the manor, leaving all her stuff behind, because of how on and off I’ve been. I ate her out on her birthday then ignored her for weeks. She probably doesn’t know what to make of me or what I want.

But she’s never mentioned what happened—either at T&T’s or on her birthday. She’s never pushed me to explain myself. Almost as though she understands that I need time to get my head on straight. Though try as I might, it still feels inevitable that something between us is going to break. It’s like we’re barrelling down the tracks, a runaway train with no brakes, and at some point, we’re going to collide. The question is, what will the damage be afterward?

I can’t get this woman out of my system, and I fear that if I give all of myself to her, I might become more obsessed than ever. But it’s becoming harder and harder to control my urge to claim her.

I watch for another hour, but it’s getting late, and I’m tired. Between watching Cinder all the time and trying to keep up with things at Voss Enterprises, sleep is a rarity these days.

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