Page 18 of Don't Lie To Me

I throw my head back to glare at him. “Don’t you dare, this is all your fault,” I snap.

Jagger groans out a protest and sits up in a rush, coughing and spluttering, his sleepy eyes finding mine. “What the fuck, Sloane.”

I glare daggers at my brother. This is the last time I ever leave him in charge of this place. Taking his hand, I haul him up to standing. “What the fuck is right. Who the hell let this happen to my club? You said you had it all under control.”

He runs a hand through his hair, his eyes shifting around the place, widening as he takes in all the mess. “Well, shit.”

“Is that all you have to say for yourself?” I slap him across the arm as hard as I can. “You and the other numbnuts who caused this mess better have it fucking sorted by the time I get out of my office to start the day or there will be hell to pay.”

Asher appears, his head popping up from behind a booth seat. “Hey, Sloane’s back,” he calls, obviously still trashed. “With her boyfriend.” He smirks cheekily seeing Romeo at my side, and I want the earth to swallow me up.

What the actual hell kind of world have I woken up in this morning? I glare at him and stomp my foot. “You can find your own way out, Romeo,” I toss over my shoulder before taking off for my office. I have had enough of all men for today.

Once inside, I lock the door and go straight for my desk drawer, pulling out my bottle of pills. I pop two in my mouth and swallow them down with a bottle of water from my bar fridge. My head is heavy and foggy. I need some clarity if I’m going to make it through the day.

On my desk sits a massive vase of red roses. I’m not even surprised. Every year since my mother was killed, they arrive on my birthday. I spy a little card attached and open up the envelope. Inside is a bright red heart with a note that saysHappy birthday, enjoy these in my absence.They’re almost as beautiful as you.

I have no idea why, but the words send a chill over me. Every year it’s the same, and every year it kind of freaks me out because I have no idea who sends them. Everyone in my life knows I only like white roses.

Not having time to dwell on the unwelcome gift, I go right for my private bathroom and splash water on my face, drying it off with a cloth, before pulling open the drawer with my stash of emergency make-up in it. I take my time perfecting every detail just the way I like it. Dark eyes, peachy lips, flawless skin. Then I fix my hair in a high ponytail and look at myself again. Much better. I take a deep breath, the control starting to fall back into place.

In my office, I open the cupboard and find a white sheath dress, left just in case I ever needed a fast change of clothes. I strip off my cocktail dress from last night and pull it on, fixing the zipper in place down my back. Then I switch my strappy heels to white pumps, and I’m done. Back to normal. In control and ready to face the mess outside. Fuck, my brothers are immature assholes sometimes. I know when I get out there, I will still have to deal with the mess. They are in no condition to do anything. I shake my head as I open my door to leave my office. Lucky I know how to turn the constant shitstorm they throw at me into gold. This family would be truly fucked if it wasn’t for me.

Onyx is waiting for me just outside the door. He still looks mighty pissed, and I roll my eyes in his direction. This is his fault. If he hadn’t rejected me yesterday, I wouldn’t have felt the need to play up with Romeo. Or maybe I would have. I was a ticking time bomb, but his rejection definitely tipped me over the edge.

“Sloane, before you go out there,” he says, surprising me. I was expecting cold, distant, and broody like he normally is.

“What?” I snap, spinning back around toward him.

His eyes burn into mine, so intense it feels like he’s peeling away every one of my defenses.

He closes the gap between us, and before I know what’s happening, his hands are on me and I’m being pushed into the solid flocked-wallpapered wall behind us. He cages me in with one hand flat against thewall beside me, and the other on my waist. His jaw is tight, his chest heaving, his face so close to mine I can smell him. And fuck, he smells divine.

“What, Onyx?” I say, softer this time, searching his face. Is he going to finally give me what I want and kiss me? I’m almost desperate for it. I lick my lips involuntarily. I have wanted Onyx for so long, it is actually starting to hurt being around him every day.

He leans in, our faces just an inch apart, his breath warm against my cheek. His eyes drop down to my lips for a split second before jumping back to my eyes. Slowly, deliberately, he tugs a fallen strand of my hair behind my ear, his fingers trailing over my cheek, the crazy pull between us electric and all-consuming. And I know it’s no longer just in my head.

“Are you trying to make me jealous?” he growls, his voice thick with restrained emotion.

I blink back at him. Part of me wanted to make him jealous as hell, but the other part just wanted to live for once. Either way, I can’t answer his question. “Are you jealous?” I ask instead, placing a hand to his chest to feel his pounding heart. I want so desperately to be close to him.

He doesn’t answer me. Instead, he lingers, a silent, suffocating presence, his nearness both thrilling and intensely intimate.

When he finally steps back, I’m breathless and panting, my heart racing out of control, my eyes locked with him in question. “Onyx. What the hell?”

A shadow crosses his face as his expression turns serious, his mouth tightening into a thin line. “Did he hurt you?”

I stare back at him, the intensity of his gaze making my heart pound. “Only in all the ways I wanted him to.” My voice is barely above a breath, the words escaping my lips weaker than I’d intended. If hewants me to make him jealous, I’m going to do every fucking thing possible to do it.

I see the flash of hurt, and he pushes away from me. “You have started something you won’t be able to stop, trouble.” He produces a small black box and hands it to me before he strides down the hallway, waiting for me with the door open to the club.

And just like last night and a million times before, I’m left with my breath hitched in my chest as I fight to control my pounding heart. What the hell was that? He saw me with Romeo and now he wants me as well? The whiplash is so bad, I can’t even find something smart to come back at him with. I stare at the little velvet box then pop the lid. It’s a heart charm bracelet, delicate and beautiful.

“For your birthday,” he mutters when I keep staring at the gorgeous piece of jewelry. He’s never gotten me a gift before, nothing like this anyway.

I take the fine bracelet and place it around my wrist, a flutter in my chest. “It’s stunning, thank you.”

He offers a nod, and I pass him the empty box for him to deal with. I wish things were different between us. I would give just about anything to reach up and kiss his edible lips for giving me such a thoughtful gift.

---