Page 14 of All Jacked Up

She let out a sigh and shook her head.

“I’m sorry if I offended you. I don’t know what happened just there. I haven’t lied about anything,” he said, looking at my sister, then me, as if he were confused.

“Ransom is good at reading people. And, well, so am I. Someone’s character is something that can be seen through more than just actions. Anyway, I think maybe you’ve misread Juliette. She’s not what you believe she is. Perhaps the two of you have had some miscommunication.”

Very political of you, sis. Make it sound like he’s not a lying prick.

“I’m curious,” I drawled. “Did you try to fuck her and she turned you down?”

Which was what made the most sense. He’d wanted her, and she hadn’t wanted him. His bad-mouthing her was his payback. How many people had he lied to about her? Dumb shit didn’t realize once someone was around her for less than five minutes, they’d figure out he’d lied.

Anger flared in his eyes. I’d hit pretty close to home, it seemed. I chuckled, amused with his reaction. My guess was, no one called him out often. He didn’t like it.

“Ransom,” Opal bit out. “Why don’t you go get our coats? I’ll meet you outside.”

I downed the last of my whiskey and stood up. Not bothering to speak to the man again. I knew Opal was going to bitch me out about what I’d said, but she would get over it. She had to see he wasn’t what she’d thought.

The delectable backside of Juliette Romeo was already at coat check when I approached. I grinned as I closed the distance between us.

“Are you skipping out?” I asked, leaning down close to her ear.

She jerked, startled, and her entire body was stiff again. The scent of honeysuckle and vanilla had me drawing even closer. Damn, she even smelled incredible.

“I, uh …” She stumbled over her words, and I watched as goose bumps covered her bare arms.

She might not like me, but she wasn’t unaffected by me. I could work with that.

A girl stepped out of the other room, holding a white wool coat, and held it out to Juliette. She moved away from me subtly as she thanked the girl and handed her a folded bill. I watched as the girl glanced down at it, and her eyes widened before shepocketed the money. Realizing generous was also on the list of things that had been left out of Juliette’s description, I took the coat out of the girl’s hand before Juliette could. She spun around, staring up at me with surprise and a touch of annoyance that I’d taken her coat.

There was a fire in her. One she was afraid to allow free. She wanted to tell me off, but she wouldn’t. She’d refrain because of the timidness that baffled me. But it was there in her eyes. Something she wanted to overcome, but it seemed to be embedded deep.

I held open the coat for her to slip on, and her eyes dropped to look at it for a moment, unsure, before lifting back to meet mine.

I waited her out as she stood there, not moving. She was a seductive, smoking hot piece of ass, but she was also fucking adorable. Again, how the hell this woman managed to be both, I didn’t know.

Finally, she held out her hand and lifted her chin. “I’d like my coat, please.”

Ah, there was that spark.Good girl. Bite back. I deserve it.

“Just trying to help you put it on,” I replied.

“I can manage it myself. Thank you.”

Do not laugh, Ransom. That’ll only piss her off more.

“Where in Mississippi did you live?” I asked her just to see her reaction.

The widening of those gray pools and flicker of surprise, as if she were trying to read me, tugged at a memory somewhere tucked away. So fucking odd. I felt like I’d seen those eyes before but there was no way I’d forget them. What was clear however was that I’d been right, as had Opal. Her accent was too close to home. Sure, she’d toned it down a touch, not like Opal had, but some, however, it was still there.

“I didn’t mention Mississippi,” she said tightly.

The corners of my mouth quirked. “No. But your accent saysyou did.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Just give me my coat. It’s been a long night, and I would like to leave.”

And I wanted to go with her, but it was going to take longer than trying to charm her at the coat check for that to happen. My earlier damage needed more cleanup, and she wasn’t going to give me time for that. We weren’t done here. I’d find a cause to run into Ms. Juliette Romeo again.

“Fine. You can have it. But it’ll cost you your name. Your real name.”

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