Page 18 of Jersey

Zeus and I begin to stand out of respect, but she's gone before we can fully get our asses off the sofa.

"I never would've guessed you were someone who struggled to talk to women," Zeus says with a chuckle. "You made that shit awkward as fuck."

"I don't struggle with talking to women," I mutter, draining my second glass and considering asking Zeus if he has had his two-drink limit yet.

"What the hell was that then?" he asks, pointing in the direction Caitlyn left.

I fight the urge to follow her and make sure she makes it to her car safely. Instead, I grip the right arm of the sofa I'm sitting on to keep myself locked in place.

"She's Eli's therapist," I remind him.

"And a little kinky," he says. When I turn my head to glare at him, I find him comically raising and lowering his eyebrows rapidly like a fucking clown.

"You don't know that."

His head tilts before he pulls it back a few inches. "Did you forget where we are? Forget this is a previous patron invite-only event, which means it's not her first time here?"

"You need to forget you even saw her here in the first place."

"I'd never tell anyone she was here," he snaps, sounding offended.

It makes the guilt I have for blurting it to Jericho triple.

"It's no one's business," he adds, making it ten times worse for me.

"We have a fucking job to do," I grunt.

"Oh, I'm thinking of a job, alright. Did you see her lips?"

I slam my empty whiskey glass down on the table in front of me and slide closer to him.

"Do you want to be found in a ravine on the side of a mountain?"

His smile grows wider, his bright green eyes sparkling with mischief.

"So, you only have a hard time talking to women you have the hots for, huh?"

He stands, slapping me on my shoulder before walking away.

Chapter 7

Caitlyn

I wonder if people realize they're losing their minds or if it typically hits just out of the blue. Like one day, you're normal, and then the next, your head is all messed up with no recollection of what normal might actually be.

I feel like my world should be different.

Less than two months ago, it was my normal.

Now, I find myself second-guessing nearly everything I do. I've never struggled to get out of a car and visit a client. Other than nerves about wondering if I'm going to be a good fit for someone right before an initial meeting, I never falter.

I blame Jersey for why I've been sitting in the parking lot in front of the cabin instead of heading inside to start my appointment.

I don't know if he is inside.

I don't know if Zeus mentioned something to Jericho or if Jersey said something else about me.

I don't know if when I knock, I'm going to be met with Mr. Hart telling me my services are no longer needed.

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