Page 13 of Stay Baby Stay

There ain’t nothing rational about my attraction toward this girl.

I close my laptop and tear off my jacket, my shirt, my holster. I’m rock hard again, and as I palm my cock through my slacks, I could fucking shoot myself for not getting Holly’s last name.

But it’s probably just as well. The work I do requires sacrifice. Of time, energy, attention. Some cops can balance the two, work and relationships. But I’m all about laser focus. I see chronic singledom as a side effect of the calling I’ve chosen, like nightmares and sleep deprivation.

My ex used to say I made her feel like a mistress. Like I was married to my job. After the divorce, I resigned myself to the notion that I just don’t have time for a full-time woman.

The dead ones take up too much headspace.

Chapter Six

Holly

The party begins to thin out around two o’clock in the morning. All that remains are about half the girls and a few elderly stragglers.

I’m trying not to stress over the fact that Kenzie isn’t back yet, but it’s impossible not to. She’s been gone for four hours; far longer than she said she’d be. She should be back by now, shouldn’t she?

I’ve spent most of the night waiting for her, parked on a leather couch, sipping club soda, and trying not to freak out. Steph’s been avoiding me since Kenzie left. The one time I did manage to corner her in the dining room, I asked her where Kenzie had gone, and she told me to chill out.

I haven’t seen Jack anywhere. I shouldn’t care where he is, but I do. I wonder if he’s gone off to be with another girl.

A dark-haired man with a pointed nose stands by the bar chatting up two of the girls I came in with. I think he might be the host. I overheard him chewing out some guy earlier over letting somebody in who shouldn’t have been here. I hope to God he wasn’t talking about Kenzie’s driver.

I tap my fingernails against the side of my glass. A girl dozing at the opposite end of the couch opens her eyes and frowns.

I just want some kind of confirmation that Kenzie’s all right. It’s hard to know whether Steph’s refusal to tell me where she went is because she thinks it’s none of my business, or because she doesn’t know. I’m honestly not sure which excuse is more unsettling.

As the grandfather clock ticks closer to three, a group of women file in from another part of the house with buckets and vacuums, garbage bags, and caddies full of cleaning supplies. One of them points to my empty glass. I hand it off to her, and she thanks me in Russian. Having worked in housekeeping for a while, I’m used to working alongside people—mostly women—from other countries.

Steph motions for the girls who are left to congregate around her. “Once I’ve given you your cash, you can head outside to the van.”

My throat closes. If the van leaves now, then how the hell is Kenzie supposed to get back to the motel?

I cough softly and ask, “What about McKenzie?”

“What about her?” Steph snaps.

My anxiety spirals into anger. “She isn’t back yet.”

“She isn’t?” Steph scans the faces eyeing her expectantly. “Well, she probably agreed to spend the night. Happens all the time. I shouldn’t have to explain this to someone in your position, but a wealthy gentleman taking a liking to your friend is agoodthing.”

She hands a wad of cash to a girl who quickly takes it and heads for the foyer.

“But how is she supposed to get home?” I ask.

“Someone will drive her,” Steph says.

“What if they bring her back here?” I ask. A few of the girls scowl at me for holding up the payment process, while others seem like they’re trying not to look concerned. “Maybe I should stay and wait for her.”

“That’s out of the question,” Steph says. “Your job here is done.”

“They look like they’re staying.” I point to the two girls sitting at the bar with the presumed host.

“They’ve been invited to stay. Just like McKenzie probably has.”

My pulse jumps. “Probably?”

“Definitely. Why the hell else would she still be there?” Steph groans, clearly annoyed to still be having this conversation. “I wouldn’t normally do this, but here, take McKenzie’s share.”

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