Page 38 of Hap

“So, let me get this straight. We want her to hit on Hap?” Dixie asks, a confused look on her face.

“No, we don’t, right?” Elsie asks, furrowing her brow.

“Yes, we want her to make her move. We want her to come on to him, and for him to turn her down and declare his love for Alina,” Star confirms.

“But it would be okay if he didn’t. I mean, it’s not like we are exclusive.” I shrug, like it’s no big deal, when in reality I feel sick. I’m shovelling popcorn into my mouth in an effort to lock down my emotions.”

“You keep shovelling popcorn in your mouth like that, you will choke and miss me being right,” Star mutters in my ear.

“So, we are honey trapping Hap?” Josie asks. “That’s what it’s called, right? Like those shows on TV, and then the wife or girlfriend walks in and is all likeGET YOUR HANDS OFF MY MAN, BITCH!Then they start pulling each other’s hair out,” Josie states, while acting out the part of the show.

We all laugh at Josie. “Oh, look!” Elise points to the screen. I turn my attention back to the TV and see Hap approach the blackjack table. I watch as she talks to him, specifically at her hand movements and the way she stands. Then she drops something on the floor, and as she turns around, she bends over, displaying her ass, aimed directly at Hap. My hands ball into fists, and my nails dig into my palms. “Oh, shit,” Elsie mutters.

“That is the lowest form of flirting. She may as well have opened her legs and said I’m fertile,” Star tuts next to me.

I don’t say anything, as my gaze is completely transfixed on the screen before me, praying that he doesn’t do anything, but that’s what I wanted, wasn’t it? I wanted him to move on to someone else. I rub my chest with the palm of my hand, feeling that deep ache. We watched as Hap didn’t even look at her ass. Instead, he looked away. seemingly bored.

“Well, would you look at that?” Star gloats from beside me.

“You haven’t won yet. There is still time,” I counter.

We sit there for another hour watching them before Maggie lets out a big yawn. “Seriously, something entertaining better happen soon, or I’m going to bed.”

With that, we all watch as the woman walks around the blackjack table and places her hand on Hap’s shoulder, her fingers delicately tracing the outline of his cut. She leans in closer, whispering something in his ear, before she moves her mouth along and around to his. An audible gasp echoes around the room while my heart plummets.

Hap’s hand moves and quickly grabs the girl’s face.

“Holy shit,” I breathe as Hap’s carefree expression changes from relaxed to murderous. I watch as words are exchanged, and he lets her go, and she scurries off. That’s when the brothers all move towards him, asking what happened. It looks like he’s explaining, and that’s when Star’s cell begins to ring, making us all jump. She answers and puts it on speakers.

“Eyes on me,” Ghost growls down the phone. We all look from Star’s phone to the screen, seeing Ghost staring furiously down the camera. “Darlin’,” Ghost begins, but he doesn’t get to finish.

“Retreat! We’ve been busted! Retreat!” Star screeches before jumping from her seat in a panic.

“Woman,” we hear Ghost growl. Star hits the end call button and runs out of the room like her ass is on fire. Everyone else begins to stand and leave for bed, muttering their goodnights as they go. My cell pings with an incoming text.

I look down at my phone to see a message from Hap.

Bed now.

Nothing else. I quickly reply.

No.

I can feel my heart beating wildly in my chest, both from anger and the anticipation of what he will do.

Do not fucking test me right now.

I nibble on my bottom lip. So he’s annoyed. Fine. I will apologise like an adult. It doesn’t mean that he can treat me like a child. What’s he going to do? Put me in a time-out? This is ridiculous. I quickly send back a reply.

Or what?

It takes a second for me to realise what I’ve sent. “Shit,” I mumble, feeling anxious. I sit, staring at my phone as I wait for a reply that never comes.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

HAP

“Doyou think it’s wise to bring her back?” Beast asks.

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