Page 83 of Crave Me

“So does that mean you’ll help me pick out a ring?”

“You want me to help you pick out a ring?” I ask, punching his arm affectionately. “I’d be honored.”

“You helped pick out Tess’s and Sofia’s, it’s kind of tradition now.” He makes a face. “Besides it’s either you or Angus. He and Molly have been engaged for twenty non-fucking years. You think I want that kind of Karma or whatever the hell that’s called.”

“He loves her.” He cocks a brow. “In his own non-fucking way,” I add with a smirk.

He laughs again and gives me another hug. “Gotta run. I’ll call you about the ring, okay?”

“See ya, Finnie,” I say, watching him step into the elevator.

I start to walk away from the elevator when the doors close behind him, only to race across the lobby when I see Dee rushing toward the building. “God, I’m sorry,” I say pushing through the doors.

“It’s okay,” she says, tossing her long braids over her shoulders. “Was that Finn?”

“Yeah, Evan hired him as his personal trainer. It gives Finn an extra workout.”

She huffs. “It’s working. He’s huge. The last time I saw that boy, he was barely a man.”

“Tell me about it, I still remember when I was taller than him.”

Dee’s a friend of my old friend Mateo. She’s a single mom who just finished her college degree. I gave her a chance and holy shit she’s been a Godsend. We chat away as we head down to the local diner that’s been catering our breakfast meetings. I send a quick email to Anne, reminding her Evan wants to see her later today, so I don’t immediately notice the car that parks next to us.

Dee and I slip out, she hits the key fob to lock her doors at the same time their doors shut behind them. “That’s the great thing about whores,” one of the guys say as they catch up to us. “You don’t have to stop fucking with them. They can leave your bed, tell you they don’t want you. But they know you have them and can do anything you want to them.”

My gaze shifts toward Dee who rolls her eyes. Foul-mouthed assholes aren’t uncommon in any city, but the way this guy talks, he’s trying to make sure we hear him.

I throw open the door, letting Dee pass in front of me. But before I can follow, one of the guys shoots in front of me, the other guy at his heels, separating me from Dee and blocking my path.

They leer at me, dragging their stares down the length of my teal dress.

“Is there a problem?” I ask, jutting out my chin.

They exchange glances, laughing. “Hey, don’t I know you?” the closest guy in a white-muscle T-shirt asks.

“No, and you don’t want to,” I fire back.

Dee shoves her way between them. “Get away from her,” she says, clasping my wrist and dragging me forward.

I keep my attention on them as she pulls me into the diner. “Yeah. I do,” the guy says. “I’ve seen you at Ragtown.”

At first I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about, but then realize what he means, it’s all I can do to keep standing.

Ragtown. The bar where I met Bryant the night he screwed me over and showed me how toxic he really is.

“Hey!” The owner stomps over, his son directly behind him. “You giving these ladies a hard time?” he demands. The patrons at the counter gather toward us, their fists clenching as a few more leave their booths.

The owner doesn’t wait for them to answer. “Get the fuck outta my place.”

The guys don’t argue, knowing they’re outnumbered. They stomp back to their car and pull out, stopping long enough for the driver to roll down his window and yell my way. “By the way, ‘B’ says, hi.”

Motherfucker.

I race down the ramp, Dee and a few of the patrons chasing after me so I’m not alone. I snap a few pics with my phone just as they speed away.

“You okay?” Dee asks, at the same time the owner offers to call the cops.

“My brother’s a cop,” I say.

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