Page 110 of One Bad Idea

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"I told him to. Big difference."

I gave him a look. "Okaaaaay. But it doesn't change the facts. If I'd 'told him to’, he would've laughed or at least said no. So why'd he say yes to you?"

"Because I'm the boss."

I gave a nervous laugh. "Thanks for reminding me."

"I don't meanyourboss," he said. "I meanhisboss."

I blinked. "What?"

"I own the place."

Nowthatsurprised me. "You do?"

"Well, me and Jax."

"Oh." Now, I didn't know what to think. All along, I'd assumed that Jaden was here for a good time. "So, are you here to work?"

"If by work, you mean check on my investment, yeah, that's exactly what I'm doing." He paused. "And I'mnottalking about the bar." His expression grew serious. "So let me ask you again, why'd you come here alone?"

And there he was, the jackass that I loved to hate. "I already told you."

"Yeah. And your reason sucked."

I scoffed, "Is that so?"

"Yeah. It is. You shouldn't be here alone."

"Why not?" I demanded.

"Because you're new in town. You don't know the landscape."

"I know plenty," I said.

"Yeah? So who's watching your back?"

"What?"

"Your back," he repeated. "Let's say you disappeared, who would notice?"

My chin lifted. "Cassidy."

"Yeah?" His voice hardened. "When? Tomorrow morning?"

I saw what he meant, but he was just being paranoid, or rather, he wantedmeto be paranoid.

I told him, "I wasn'tplanningto disappear."

He frowned. "No one ever does." He glanced toward the bar, where I'd been standing with that stranger – the guy whose name was apparently Derek.

In what felt like a change of topic, Jaden said, "What'd that guy tell you, anyway?"

"I don't know," I said, "because I didn't hear it. Remember?"

"I'm not talking aboutthat," he said. "I'm talking about the other line of bull."

I wasn't following. "What line?"

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