Page 32 of Protecting the Boundary
Plugging one ear, I hold my phone to the other and answer as I keep making my way to the exit. “Hello?”
I can barely hear him over the crowd, but I’m almost at the door, so I tell him to hold on and push my way through the last big crowd of people until I get to the bouncers and the exit doors.
“Coming back in?” one of the bouncers asks.
“No.”
“Alright, have a nice night.”
“You too,” I say as I walk out and take a breath of fresh air.
Romel’s deep voice breaks through the quiet of the night outside the club. “Where are you?” he demands.
“Outside the club.”
“Stay put. I’m almost there.”
My steps falter as I come to a stop a few steps away from the club doors. “What do you mean you’re almost here?” My words are still a little slurred, but the cool night air is clearing my head a little more.
“I told you I was on my way. Don’t move, and stay on the phone with me until I get there. GPS says I’m three minutes away.”
I’m speechless. Completely speechless as I stand frozen on the sidewalk.
“Talk to me, Meredith,” his voice rolls over me and sends tingles to my core.
I hate how much I respond to him when he wants so little to do with me. More than that, I hate that I’ve just become a burden for him.God, what if he fires me over this? I feel the sudden desire to explain myself.
“He kept staring at my boobs,” I say, tears of drunken frustration burning at the corners of my eyes.
“What?” he growls.
“Chad.”
“Who the fuck is Chad?”
Damn, he sounds pissed. That should not turn me on, but it does. I love the protective edge to his voice.
“I made a game out of him looking at my boobs every time he looked I drank I didn’t expect it to be so bad I don’t drink like this please don’t fire me.” I heave in a breath after rambling all my words.
His car pulls up to the curb, and he stares at me through the passenger window, his dark eyes holding me hostage.
“I’m not going to fire you.”
TWENTY-ONE
She drops the hand holding her phone to her side as she steps forward to the edge of the curb and opens the passenger door.
“You’re not going to fire me?” Her voice sounds so sad, so unlike the Meredith I’ve grown used to over the last few months.
I’m here worrying about her safety and well-being and she’s standing there worried I’m going to fire her.And why shouldn’t she be? I haven’t given her any reason to think I care about her beyond her role as my daughter’s nanny.
“Get in the car, Mere. I’m taking you home.”
She blinks twice and then gets in the car without argument. She’s quiet for the first five minutes before she sits up and rotates abruptly to look at the backseat where Kay’s car seat usually is.
“Where’s Kay?” There’s panic in her voice and it does something to me to hear her concern for my daughter, even knowing she’s inebriated.
“She’s at Gabe and Danae’s house. She fell asleep while we were all hanging out, and instead of waking her up, Danae and Gabe offered to let her sleep over. They’ll bring her by in themorning. I would’ve been here faster if I hadn’t had to take out the car seat.”
