Page 59 of Redeeming Rabbit

“Is there a story behind it? A family namesake?”

This was the part I’d been dreading, the reason I never brought my name up. “My mom was an All My Children fan.”

Silence, then she asked, “As in the soap opera?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh. My mom used to watch soaps, but I found the drama too stressful. Were you named after a character or an actor?”

“Thaddeus James Martin, who went by Tad, was her favorite character. And since her last name was James…” I spread out my arms, inviting her to take me in. “You caught me. Named after a daytime drama character. Nothing screams trailer trash louder than that.”

“That’s not true. Your dad could have been your uncle.”

I barked out a laugh, shaking my head as I dressed, relieved that there was nothing but good-natured humor in her tone. Despite her many objections, I paid for my own goddamn suit. Oddly enough, my standing up to her only seemed to feed her libido because she kept her hand on my cock the entire ride back to her place. I stayed the night, and we got little sleep.

* * *

The rest of the week passed in a blissful blur. We met up at the gym after work every day before heading to her place, where we’d shower together, which always ended in sex. Then we rotated between my cooking and her healthy meals that weren’t actually half bad. Next, we’d stumble into bed, where I’d eat her pussy until we both passed out.

Before I knew it, it was Saturday and time for me to get ready to rub elbows with Seattle’s elite. Elenore had gone to the lab early that morning to prepare some last-minute data. One of her files had become corrupted, so they’d had to call in IT and figure shit out. She’d intended to come home to prepare for the evening’s fundraiser. But even more unforeseen issues required her time. Wanting to make the day easier on her, I’d delivered her clothes and makeup bag to the lab so she could get ready there. She sounded frustrated and distracted when she took them from me. I wished like hell there was more I could do to help her, but everything she ranted about sounded like gibberish.

“I won’t be able to pick you up, so I’ll send a car for you,” she said, walking me to the door.

I shook my head. “No need. I can Uber.” I hadn’t used the app before—since I always had my bike—but some brothers who didn’t live at the fire station used it when they’d had too much to drink. How hard could it be?

Turned out pretty damn hard since my debit card wasn’t in my wallet. By the time I tracked it down to the grocery store I’d stopped by yesterday, I didn’t have time to pick it up. Instead, I got dressed in my suit and rode my bike to the hotel hosting the dinner. I’d thrown on my cut over my suit since club rules stated I wasn’t supposed to ride without it. The shit-ton of sideways looks this earned me on the highway stung like fire ants nipping at my skin.

The valet didn’t know what to make of me. I resisted the urge to flip him off as I drove past to self-park, pocketing my ticket. That was when I realized the ride had scuffed up my shoes. Something glistened on my left pant leg. It was likely grease I’d accidentally rubbed off the chassis. I’d pulled my long hair back into a low ponytail, but the ride had whipped several strands free. I felt like a goddamn dandelion puffball. One strong wind, and I was likely to fall the fuck apart. Desperate to keep myself together, I approached the entrance. But the universe continued to conspire against me.

The bellhop’s gaze went to the front of my cut and then the ink covering my hands before rising to meet mine. “How can I help you?”

His tone made it clear he’d prefer it if I turned and walked away, which was what I wanted to do. But I was here to keep Elenore from a lecherous motherfucker, so I ignored the concern in his eyes and marched right up to his little booth, removing my cut and draping it over my arm. Someone had released a hive of bees just beneath my skin. Right now, they were just flying around in there, riling me up. I was twitchy and wired, anticipating the sting to come. It would knock me on my ass, if the last episode was anything to go by. I’d been a goddamn fool to believe I could do this. I needed to get to Elenore. She could calm me down. If I could just see her, everything would be okay.

“I’m here for the investor dinner,” I said, realizing Elenore hadn’t told me the name of her company.

Thankfully, the bellhop didn’t need it. Downright gleeful to be passing me off, he gestured to a registration table outside a ballroom. Thanking him, I moseyed over to the table, doing my best to pretend I belonged. The scuffs on my shoes kept mocking me, as did that unfortunate glistening spot on my pant leg. My suit chafed. The fucking tie damn near strangled me. Everything was too tight. Toowrong. A blind man could see I didn’t belong here, which was why I wasn’t offended when the security guard manning the dinner entrance asked for my name.

“Rabbit.”

His eyebrows shot up, and a smirk skewed up his face. “Rabbit?”

Fuck!Like an idiot, I’d given him my road name. I smack, smack, smacked myself on the forehead.

“Tad. I mean Thaddeus. Thaddeus James.”

He chuckled, studying the clipboard in his hand. “I think I would have stuck with Rabbit. Doesn’t matter. Neither name is on the list.”

My chest squeezed tight. I rubbed at it, trying to loosen it up. It was getting hard to breathe. “There must be some mistake. I’m here as Elenore’s date.”

“Elenore, who?”

Another man watched our exchange from the door, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

Suddenly, I couldn’t remember Elenore’s last name. How could I forget something so important? That’s right, because I was a fucking idiot. The buzzing beneath my skin grew louder, making it impossible to concentrate. My heart raced. It felt like it was about to burst out of my chest. Why wasn’t my name on the list? Elenore had promised to add it, and that wasn’t something she’d forget. Didn’t she want me here? Had she changed her mind? Did she wake the fuck up and see I didn’t belong here with her?

“I need to get to Elenore.” I stepped forward, trying to peer past them into the room. If I could get a glimpse of her, I could flag her down. She’d settle this.

Alarm flickered over the guard’s face. He moved to intercept me, flexing as if preparing to pick me up and remove me himself.

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