Page 26 of The Enemy of My Enemy Is… My Fake Boyfriend?

Answering immediately, I said, "Ethan here. To what do I owe the pleasure, Aria?"

There was dead silence on the other end, and for one heart-stopping second, I thought she might hang up.

"Seriously," I said quickly, my tone softer, trying my best to sound more inviting. "What can I do for you?"

"Can... can you meet me somewhere? We need to talk."

Well, damn. Maybe I wouldn't have to go after Chase alone after all.

Nine

Aria

I pulled my coat tighter around me, shoving the hood up over my head, glad that the spring nights were still cool so I could at least attempt to be incognito.

The car Ethan had sent for me took off, leaving me outside of what could only be called a dive bar, dimly lit with flickering neon beer signs in the window and a brick façade that had seen better days.

A shiver of excitement rippled through me. This was so different from my previous life or anything I'd ever known. Stepping into the unknown was terrifying but also a thrill, if I was being honest with myself.

Did I just go in? Was Ethan already inside or should I wait outside for him?

I gave a quick look up and down the street, trying to get my bearings. We weren't actually too far from where I lived, but I didn't come this way very often so it was definitely unfamiliar territory.

Someone exited the bar, the sound of laughter spilling out along with a little more light that was warm and inviting. Deciding to go inside, I finally made a move toward the door. But the sound of a motorcycle behind me gave me pause.

I turned to see Ethan parking and stepping off his bike, removing his helmet and staring straight at me. Something about him made my breath catch in my throat... his perfectly mussed up hair, his piercing eyes, how tall he was. Or maybe it was the frank, straightforward way he looked at me, like he could see some part of me that I'd hidden from everyone else.

God, that was scary.

Breaking eye contact, I took a step backwards, skittish as a colt. And there was that handsome smirk from him, lit up by the street lamp above him as he headed toward me.

And then he was in front of me, and I had to practically crane my neck to look up at him, something I wasn't used to in life. "Sheesh," I muttered. "How tall are you anyway?"

His brow shot up like he was surprised by my question. "Six-six."

Damn. Six-six made my five-foot-ten seem downright small. I could easily wear my favorite heels and he'd still tower over me.

"I meant to get here earlier, but I had a damn meeting run long."

The disgust in his tone made me laugh, a laugh that surprised us both. I quickly smothered it and headed for the door. "It's fine. I was alone for like a minute. Thanks for the car, by the way."

"No problem."

As I reached for the door in front of me, his large hand got to it first and he held it open for me, taking me aback a little. I'd forgotten that guys actually did that kind of thing. Chase had always let me get my own door. I wasn't sure what to feel or say about that, so I just kept quiet and walked inside.

I paused, taking it all in, the low lights and eclectic mix of furniture, a group of people settled in around the well-worn bar watching some game, looking like they all knew each other and had their own favorite seats.

"How about over there?" Ethan asked in his deep, rumbly voice.

He nodded toward a quiet corner in the back with a table and two mismatched chairs. Nobody looked at us. Nobody pointed or whispered or even cared that we were here, and I was surprised at what a fantastic feeling that was.

Taking a seat, we both instinctively angled our chairs so we could see each other while our backs were to the wall. The two of us had trust issues apparently, needing to see everything going on in the bar and who came and went. Or at least that was what I needed.

I had to wonder about Ethan whose knee was too close to mine, his long legs barely contained by the table. His motives about everything were a complete mystery to me.

"I'm starving," he said. "Are you hungry?"

I was famished, but also hesitant to eat, my body filled with nervous energy. "A little. What do they have here?"

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