Page 28 of A Billionaire Rebel

I started to wonder why it was dark and then realized my eyes were closed.

And then I rememberedwhy.

Fuck.

I opened my eyes and found Damon hadn’t moved. In fact, his hand on my waist was the only thing keeping me steady. When I smiled and nodded, he gently kissed me, and then took a step back to give me room to breathe.

I moved to one of the chairs as he went to the sink to wash his hands. I needed to go to the restroom and clean up, but my knees were too shaky at the moment to trust. I wouldn’t need long to recover, but I’d do it better sitting.

Before the silence could get awkward, Starla opened the door, her expression unreadable. Her gaze shifted from me to Damon and back again.

“I kicked Spencer out and told him if he stepped foot on my premises again, I’d press charges, but that’s not going to stop him from hanging out in the parking lot.”

I was grateful she hadn’t commented on the fact that I probably looked guilty as hell. As much as I’d needed it, I shouldn’t have let Damon do that to me when I was at work.

As if she knew what I was thinking – and our friendship suggested that was highly likely – she gave me a small smile.

“I’d rather you not be here if I have to call the cops,” she said. “You only have forty-five minutes left of your shift, but I want you to leave now. You’ll get paid for the full hour, and it won’t come off your sick days.”

“I don’t want to leave you hanging,” I protested.

“You’re not.” Her voice was firm. “None of this is on you. Don’t put the blame on anyone but that asshole. Understand me?”

I nodded, my eyes burning with unshed tears. I hated that I’d brought this into my friend’s world, into her place of business. I wasn’t responsible for Spencer’s actions, but if I hadn’t been stupid enough to date him, none of this would’ve been happening. Nothing she could say would change it.

“I mean it, Jae.” She crouched in front of me and took my hands. “When I was your age, I was living with a boyfriend who used to abuse me. I made all sorts of excuses for him, blamed myself. It wasn’t until he broke my arm that I left him, but he kept coming after me. It took him nearly killing me for him to get arrested and put away for assault. I’m not letting it get that bad for you.”

“Starla.” I didn’t know what to say, so I leaned forward and hugged her. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

“It’s in the past,” she said as she pulled back. “I’m more concerned about your future. I need you to go home and be safe. I’ve already called the people who did our security camera, and they’re going to come out and install two more in the store and two outside. We get him on tape hanging around, harassing you, and it’s no longer your word against his.”

“I hate that you think you have to do this.”

She stood. “No apologies, no blaming yourself. I should have done this months ago.”

“I’ll drive her home.”

I’d forgotten that Damon was here. “You don’t have to do that.”

He put his hand on my shoulder. “Spencer could be looking for your car.”

Shit. He was right.

“Okay.” I didn’t like it, but I wasn’t going to make this worse for them. If this made them feel better, I’d agree to it.

Besides, my nerves weren’t settled enough yet for me to feel comfortable driving any time soon.

“There’s a back door that we use to take out the trash,” Starla said to Damon. “Bring your car around there. That way, if Spencer’s watching, he’ll just assume you left alone.”

Damon nodded and went back out front.

“I like that one,” Starla said, watching him go. “He’s a good man, Jae.”

She left then, giving me time to attempt to collect my thoughts.

She was right about Damon. He was nothing like any man I’d ever met before. Strong, both physically and in his personality, but not overbearing. Funny but not flippant. Confident, but not arrogant or condescending. He didn’t make apologies for what he wanted but didn’t force his desires on others. At ease with fame, but personable. Protective, but willing to let people stand on their own two feet.

There had to be flaws somewhere because no one was that perfect, but everything I’d seen so far had pointed toward a man who was worth getting to know, and I hadn’t met many of those.

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