Page 60 of Ruined Promises

“Hadley, where are you?”

“Eiffel Park.” I stop in my tracks and close my eyes—of all places, back to the scene of the crime.

I grab my keys off the counter and race down the stairs to the garage.

I open the car door when I see my brother doing the same on the passenger side. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m going with you. You look extremely distracted, and honestly, I’m a little concerned about you.”

My brows shoot up, insinuating he’s never been concerned about me.

“I thought you were going out?”

He shrugs. “Plans change. Now, are we going or not?”

He’s right. I need to stop stalling and rescue my girl.Back to where it all began we go.

Twenty minutes later, we’re pulling my car up to the front of the club. On the ride over, Asher explained that Lexi had confronted him and tried to warn him that Dominic Jennings was a bad person, but that he brushed her off. Is it possible all of this is connected?

A valet out front tries to stop me. “I’ll be just a minute.”

The young boy hesitates, and Asher comes to the rescue at my side, reaching into his wallet and grabbing a hundred-dollar bill. “Go, I’ve got this.”

I place my hand on his arm. “Thank you; I’ll be right back.”

I race into the club in search of Lexi and Hadley. I find Hadley standing over by the bar, her eyes focused on something on the dance floor. When I approach her, I graze my fingers on her arm to get her attention, causing her to jump.

“Oh, Ben, thank God. I didn’t know what else to do. She’s…” She holds her arm out where she was just staring at on the dance floor, and my blood begins to boil. She’s pressed up against some random guy, dancing, just like the night we met. I can tell she is intoxicated by how her eyes are shut, and she is swaying side to side. I need to get her out of here.

“Come on.” I follow Hadley out to where she stands.

“Lexi, I think it’s time to go,” Hadley shouts over the loud music.Lexishakes her head no at first.

“I’m fine. You can go,” she retorts. “You wanted me to have fun, so now I’m having fun.” Her hands tighten around the douchebag’s whom she is dancing with.

Lexi finally notices me standing behind Hadley.“What are you doing here?”

“Lexi.” My tone is firm. I wrap my fingers around her slender arm and pull her toward me. As I suspected, she is so drunk she flies right into my hard chest.

“Ooof.” She laughs and pushes off my chest, but I hold on to her tight.Fuck, I have missed her so much. Now is not the time.

“Ben, just leave.”

“No.”

“Hey, buddy, I believe she told you to leave,” the jackass that was just grinding all on her says from beside me.

I turn and stare at him, leaning closer. “Why don’t you back off before I make you. She’s already spoken for,” I growl. Luckily, he takes the hint quickly. I do not feel like getting into a fight tonight, but if it weren’t forher,I wouldn’t hesitate.

“Lexi, come on, let’s leave,” Hadley begs.

Lexi looks between her best friend and me before her shoulders sag in defeat. She takes a step to walk away from us but begins to fall. I reach out and catch her, then wrap my arms under her knees and lift her. Her head rests in the crook of my neck. The way she clings to me is everything I need to know but leaves me more confused than ever. Her body is telling me one thing, but her mouth is saying another.

Hadley and I make our way through the crowd to the door.

Once outside, I find Asher leaning against the passenger side of the car looking down on his phone.

“Asher,” I call out, and he looks up from his phone. I nod for him to open the passenger door for me, and he obliges before stepping to the side.

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