Page 132 of Release Me

“What?” Jeremy’s face screws up.

“Yeah, the only one on there with a note like that. Ja—my contact”—he catches himself before he divulges her name—“said seasonal hires have to be available for full-time hours. It’s a hiring requirement. And hey, what do you know! Jeremy works for the Sea Witch!” Cody laughs, a fake, maniacal sound, as he reaches for the motor throttle.

Sloane’s face has paled. She’s run out of deflections to throw at him.

I grip the back of the bar stool to keep myself from reaching out and clocking the asshole. “Get the fuck out of here before I call your new boss and let him know you’re harassing tourists.” Sanders. I make a mental note of that name.

“It’s fine. Sloane’s not a tourist.” Cody smirks, easing his dinghy away. “She’s just a raging bitch.”

My pulse explodes in my veins. I hoist Ryan onto the nearest chair—for both her safety and to get her out of my path—and then drop into the water, my fists balled as I charge toward him.

“Ronan! Help!” Connor’s voice booms from my right, his distressed words distracting me. He’s limping toward us in the water, a tear-streaked Katie cradled in his arms.

My rage evaporates in an instant.

“Here, I’ve got her.”Kyle stoops, and Rachel helps Katie loop her arms around his neck so he can carry her piggyback style. “You’ve gother, right?” He nods to Ryan, who’s slouched against the rail.

“Yeah, I got my drunk-ass sister.” Connor winces as he puts weight on his left leg. “Come on, drunkie. I’m behind you, but don’t fall or you’ll take us all out.”

Carefully, they all move up the steep set of wooden stairs from the dock, leaving me alone with Sloane.

“You weren’t kidding about those slides being dangerous.” I watch as she ties an impressive sailor’s knot with ease.

“You probably should have let the paramedics do their thing.” She hops up on the dock. “I’d get Katie’s ankle checked out right away. It could be broken.”

“Yeah, we’re gonna get her back to the house so she can change and then head in. Connor, too.” He doesn’t know what happened, except he landed weird and now his knee is swollen. “So much for a leisurely cruise.” It went sideways, fast.

“Yeah, I guess that wild orgy tonight might not work out for you guys,” she deadpans, her arms again folded across her chest. Closedoff.

With all the commotion, she hasn’t forgotten that part.I owe you one,Ryan. “Look, I meant what I said earlier. That isn’t happening.”

“But itdidhappen.”

“It did.” And I won’t be ashamed. I definitely won’t apologize.

She bites her bottom lip, and I can almost hear the litany of questions screaming for answers inside her brain.

How many women has he fucked?

Has he fucked men?

How many other people is he fucking right now while he’s with me?

She won’t believe any answer I give her except the one that paints me as shady as her ex.

Sloane takes a step back and then another, away from me. “I’ve gotta close up here before Jeremy comes back in an hour, so I can deal withthatmess.”

“I’m going to find out who Cody’s been talking to,” I promise. And fire her ass.

She shrugs. “Does it matter? They’re all going to quit on me when they hear about this, anyway.”

“Maybe not.”

“I would, if I were them.” She nods toward the stairs. “You should go. They’re waiting for you.” That’s a dismissal if I’ve ever heard one.

I stall for another long beat. “We’ll talk soon.”

“Yeah, sure, in another couple of weeks?” She shakes her head. “There’s a lot of drama here. Too much. You could lose your job, and you’re in that weird place, remember? And I’m very vanilla, compared to you. I can’t even believe I let today happen.” A nervous laugh escapes her.

---