Page 45 of Legacy

He easily slips back into his interrogation, and for Jesse’s sake, I go along with it. The last thing I want is to cause problems for him with his club, especially considering he’s letting me stay here.

“I’m from Glendale.”

“Your work doesn’t care that you’re taking a hiatus?” Soul walks to the line, throwing his first dart and hitting it dead center.

“I’m taking a year off,” I lie, knowing it won’t sound good if I say my obsessed former boss fired me. “I worked for a school, and our contracts are renewed yearly. I decidednot to go back when this year started so I could be here to help out. Margaret’s more important than a job right now. After this—” After what? She gets better or doesn’t. “We’ll see.”

The thought of returning to Glendale when I’m no longer needed here sours my stomach.

Soul hums, throwing another dart that lands near the center.

“You’re not so bad at darts yourself.”

“Practice makes perfect.” He winks, and I get the impression he’s not just talking about the game. “Maybe next time we’ll make a little wager.”

“I’d feel bad swindling you out of all your money.”

“The confidence is sexy as fuck.” He grins. “Maybe we’d be better off betting something I don’t mind losing, like our clothes.”

“Keep it in your pants.” Jesse’s deep voice vibrates the air, and I swear I melt.

He circles to my side, standing so close our arms brush. That insignificant touch intensifies between my legs, which is utterly ridiculous.

The only explanation is that it’s been an embarrassing amount of time since I’ve had sex.

“You okay?” Jesse’s eyebrows pinch as he looks at me, and I feel blood rushing to my cheeks.

“Yes.” I hate that it comes out pitchy, so I try to recover. “Just—I need to use the bathroom.”

What is it about this man that makes me a complete idiot?

“I’ve got a bathroom—” Soul starts, but Jesse cuts him off.

“You can use the one in my room.”

Soul smiles, and I wonder if that was his plan all along. If everything is a challenge to him.

A bet.

A bargain.

His grin stretches his cheeks as he turns his attention from Jesse to me. “Nice to meet you, Reagan. We’ll catch up soon.”

That makes Jesse’s jaw tick, but I don’t know why. Soul is just being polite. Which I appreciate after Jesse has mostly ignored me since I arrived.

Soul disappears, and Jesse starts guiding me through the clubhouse. I don’t actually need to use the bathroom, so now that Jesse is taking me to one, I feel a little guilty. But I had to say something to stop him from noticing that one look makes me burn up from the inside.

His hand finds my lower back to guide me around a corner, and my skin tingles. I miss him the moment his fingers fall away.

“You have a room at the clubhouse?” I ask as Jesse stops in front of a door and pulls out a key.

“All ranked members do. Some use them more than others.”

“And you…”

“Not as often as the rest.” He scratches the scruff on his jaw. “Mostly on nights like this when it’s easier to keep these things separate from Bea.”

These things.

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