Page 37 of Give Me Redemption

“Really?” she asks, lifting her beer. She signals to the bartender and he walks over. “Water, please,” she says before looking back at me. “That’s pretty cool—that your brother owns a club. Free drinks?”

I laugh. “Yeah, it’s one of the perks.”

“Are there more?” she asks, taking a sip of her beer. She wipes her mouth again. I can think of plenty of other perks, but I choose not to tell her.

“Nah, that’s about it.”

She nods as her water is placed on the bar. “Thanks,” she says the bartender.

“Sure thing, Michelle,” he replies. I find it a little odd how he said her name. Like he was spelling it out or something.

“What do you do for fun?” she asks me.

“Well, I go to Red and…” I look up, trying to think of other things I like to do. “I ride dirt bikes out at the ranch, and I like to go to the gun range from time to time.”

“Oh, the gun range, huh?”

“Yeah, you ever shot a gun?”

“Once or twice,” she says with a shrug.

“That’s surprising. I didn’t think city girls did that kinda thing.”

She smiles. “I’m full of surprises.”

“I bet you are,” I reply, sliding my empty plate toward the bar.

She winks at me before she looks back at the TV. My emotions are all over with this one. I’m torn between wanting to fuck her—because look at her—and wanting to be her best friend.

She seemed so uptight earlier, but maybe I saw her wrong. Or maybe this is her happy place and I’m getting to see a side of her that most don’t.

She’s carefree here. A part of me feels like she isn’t like that very often.

One thing is for sure. I’m liking everything about her.

Chapter Seventeen

Harlow

Hours before

Walking into my apartment, I can’t stop thinking about Grocery Store Guy and the odd feeling I’ve seen him before. Not at Red or anywhere out in public, but I’ve seen his face. It bothers me so bad. I place my grocery bag onto the couch and walk over to my desk. My chest aches, and I’ve got this sick feeling in my gut. I flip open the folder sitting there and scan my eyes over its contents.

Grant, Bryce

Thirty-three-year-old Caucasian male

Owner of Red in Atlanta, GA

Adopted at thirteen

Birth Parents. N/A

Suspected of running an illegal gambling operation

Younger brother: Grant, Jace

Twenty-six

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