Page 51 of PortCity Killers

The unspoken words lingered in the air.

“I agreed to go on a date with you, Don. I get that Valentina is interested in me and I’m not going to lie, I’m obviously attracted to both of you, but,” I cleared my throat, “She didn’t ask. You did. I think that she and I still have more to discuss when it comes down to it with our own potential dates.”

“Fair enough. Still, it would be nice for her to hear from you directly, I think. Why don’t you come to the house tonight for dinner?”

“Dinner? You were there last night, Don. We can’t afford for me to cut any hours right now.”

“The bar will survive without you for one night, little Lexi. I had planned to take you out later this week, but I think it’s better for you two to talk before that happens.”

Frustrated, I checked the time on the stove, “Can we talk about it more when I get some things settled?”

“Of course. We’ll talk more about it when I arrive at the bar.”

I said my goodbyes to Don. My groan filled the apartment as I reached for my bag and hustled down to the elevator with Lorenzo on my heels. Ever the gentleman he opened the back door for me, slamming it closed when I scrunched myself in.

My thighs burned on the black leather, but I let it. I liked the heat of it even as I breathed through the sting. Since Lorenzo didn’t seem to like to babysit any more than I liked being babysat I kept my mouth shut as he pulled out onto the city streets.

Similarly to Valentina, Vosco had requested a favor as payment for the information we’d given the Giovenni twins. It seemed unavoidable in PortCity, the give and take of favors and alliances for information and goods, but it was a language I learned well before settling here.

So far, I somehow owed two of the strongest warring leaders that operated within PortCity favors, and my little shit of a brother was nowhere in sight to help pay the tab. I wasn’t surprised, but I also didn’t like the deep pain in my stomach every time I thought of him or what other trouble he could be getting into.

That Valentina was the last one to see him didn’t make me feel any better, no matter how infatuated she was with me. Maybe it was because she seemed to like me that I felt so uneasy about the whole thing.

Not that it was any of my business anymore, but reminding myself of the promise I’d made to Bryce–to myself–didn’t ease the knot in my throat. Jaymes knew the score. He knew I wouldn’t be able to help him again, not if he fucked up like this. I just couldn’t.

Lorenzo left me to my own devices once we were at the bar. I’d had to strong arm him into sitting at the bar instead of standing beside it growling at the employees every time they came within an inch of me. By the time Don was stepping in through the front door it was nearly time to open, and I’d already caught up on everything.

Without Collin overriding all of my decisions, I found the work fulfilling. Inventory was done and truck was ordered; schedules were sent out until the end of the month; and I would have both Az and Laylah up to speed on both opening and closing procedures soon enough. I was tacking down a sign-up sheet for those who wanted to cross train when Don came up behind me.

I felt his gaze roving down my body as I turned to face him. The heavy weight of it was like an electric blanket coating my skin, prickling at every nerve ending and cell, making me shiver.

Typically, when men leered over me in uniform it made me want to bash their heads in, curling my hands protectively over the extra curves and rolls that couldn't be hidden. When Don’s gaze turned from bright green to smokey forest I thought I would strip myself of my skin to have him touch me. He didn’t, simply parted his lips to crack his jaw and smirked down at me like he was enjoying his own private joke.

“I’ve brought you a present.”

Startled, I looked pointedly at his hands, one in the pants pocket of his suit and the other that brushed gently back and forth across his bottom lip. He nodded towards the front, walking away without looking back. I followed him because what else was I supposed to do? The bartender from Valentina’s was introducing himself to Az, who seemed entirely too excited by the prospect of his presence.

I couldn’t blame Az though; the man was walking sin like so many of the men employed by the Giovenni’s. I watched the two chatting, Az showing him the POS system we used for tendering.

“Jason will be your replacement this evening.” Don swept his hand towards Jason, who nodded at me.

I smiled back at him, not wanting to interrupt them, my mind scrambling to come up with the words that would make it clear to Don that he couldn’t run roughshod over my life without sounding like an ungrateful cretin. I touched Don’s elbow, and relished the warmth that spread up my fingertips as he clasped my hand in his. He tucked my hand in the crook of his arm as he led us to a small side table.

“Don? You know you can’t just find me a replacement every time you want to have dinner, right?”

He didn’t look at me, his lips dipping close to my ear as he sat me down, “Of course not, princess, just for today.”

I shivered at the low rumble his voice took, “Don-”

He leaned in across the table, sitting himself down. His eyes stared into mine, the short stubble on his face making my palm itch to reach out and touch him, but I kept my hands right where they were.

“Yes, princess?”

My thighs clenched against the old wood seat under me. The seam of my jean shorts suddenly seemed simultaneously too tight yet not tight enough to soothe my aching clit.

“Please don’t call me that,” I whispered, “Not in public.”

“Why?” His amused smile smirk widened.

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