Page 415 of Dark Love

He takes a shot and hands it back. “I’ll tell you what I can.”

Why is it so hard to tell me about the idiot I should be killing? I take another drink. This is going to hurt tonight.

“Adonis Holmes Graysen is a honorable man in every sense of the word, even when it comes to his entertainment. They could put him up for sainthood.”

I hate this guy. “Anything else I should know about him?” I can’t keep the sneer out of my voice.

“He still goes to Sunday dinner with his family every week. He holds the door open for others and walks old ladies across the street,” Payne laughs as he says the words.

It would be wrong to break my best friend’s jaw, but a few bruises wouldn’t be a big deal. “So killing him isn’t an option. How is any of this helping me get him out of her life?”

“Ask her to move in with you. Problem solved. Women never want to work when they can live in the lap of luxury.” Payne doesn’t even blink as he takes the bottle from me.

“Dahlia isn’t like that. She’s stubborn. And sweet. And beautiful.”

“Are you trying to make me puke up this exceptional whiskey?”

He’s just jealous.

“I don’t wanna hear about your love life. It doesn’t matter how independent they appear, when they realize how much money you have, they’re all the same.”

And I thought I was jaded. “Dahlia doesn’t care. She wouldn’t even let me buy her clothes.”

Payne spews his mouthful across the couch, just missing my pant leg. “What?”

“She won’t take my money. As far as I can tell, she’s got enough of her own.”

“Dahlia isn’t poor, but she doesn’t come close to your money. Are you sure that wasn’t just a fluke? A mental break because of the stress of everything that happened?”

“She doesn’t listen to anything I say.”

“That’s a woman thing. This needs more testing. Buy her something nice, like diamonds, and see how she reacts.”

Payne is driving me out of my mind, or that could be all that I’ve drunk. “Diamonds aren’t getting rid of Adonis and his soup.”

“Stake your claim then. Start showing up at her job being the doting boyfriend. Make him step back.”

That could work. “How would I do that?”

“You know, if you dated before, this would be easier.”

There was never anyone worth the effort. I raise my eyebrow and snatch the bottle back.

“Send her flowers at work. Have lunch delivered to her. Show up and kiss her in front of everyone. Pick her up or drop her off at work occasionally. These are all the basics.”

Hmmm. “I could do flowers. She really likes them. But we haven’t kissed yet. And she seems to be a private person. I don’t think she’d like me showing up to kiss her in front of everyone.”

“Wait. Back up.” He rolls his hands backwards like that is going to help. “You haven’t kissed her.” His gaze narrows at me. “But it’s stupid o’clock in the morning and you just left her house?”

“Dahlia isn’t like that. We haven’t even gone on a date—”

“You slept over. That should count as a date.”

“It doesn’t in her mind. Not to mention she wasn’t feeling well. I didn’t want to take advantage of her weakness.”

“You take advantage of everyone else’s,” Payne mutters under his breath.

“They deserve it.”

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