Page 2 of Your Sweetness

“I bet you’re right. Thanks.” He gave me a nod and turned back to Pam. “Let me grab my stuff, and we’ll head over.” Pam relaxed her shoulders as he walked back toward the house.

“Are you sure you want to go with him? We can call an Uber, and you can hang with us until they get here.”

“Yeah. He’s okay. He was nice to me and my friend yesterday, like a big brother, and I … really need to leave.”

“Hey, babe, what are you doing out here?” Another man from the party approached in a T-shirt and board shorts. Pam bristled and shifted closer to me.

“Dinner is getting set up,” he said with a glance at me. He stroked Pam’s upper arms with an overly familiar smile. “You should come back inside.” He leered at her chest in the skimpy tank top and didn’t even try to hide it.

Pamela wrapped her arms tighter around herself and stepped aside. “I need to get back to campus.” She waved her phone.

Campus? Yeah, the odds were going up this girl was too young for a party like this. The guy glanced at me and roamed his gaze down my body. I didn’t move or blink.

At 5’6”, I wasn’t intimidating, but I grew up in the South, and Southern women can say more with their eyes than most folks can with their words. When a culture hasn’t historically encouraged your gender to speak out, you learn to communicate in other ways. My eye-threat game was on point.

“I thought your phone died,” he said in a soothing voice, turning back to her.

“Right. I’m catching a ride with someone.”

He murmured, “Pam, you seem upset. Why don’t you come back in. We can talk about it. My driver will take you home later if you still want to go.”

“No, I’m fine.” That came out loud and clear. “I just need to get going.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

This guy was the problem. If he wanted her, he’d have to go through me.

I stepped closer to Pam, letting him know I was paying attention to every move.

He cleared his throat. “Okay, your loss.” He glanced at me. “Hey Hon, what time will dinner be served?”

I raised my eyebrows. “You can call me Sam. Food will be ready an hour after we finish cleanin’ off the workspace. So, the timing depends on how much mess we find.” My Southern accent became more pronounced when I was pissed.

His focus sharpened. “You speak to all of your customers that way,Sam?” It was a threat.

“To all the ones who call meHon?You bet.” I squinted and stared, keeping my face otherwise blank.

Lucas reappeared. “Hey Cole, let her do her job.” He clapped a hand on the guy’s shoulder. “I’m sure there’s an opening in the cuddle puddle inside.”

“I have a job for that sassy mouth.” He snickered.

“Excuse me?”

My blood boiled. This asshole was the worst. Annie touched my arm in a silent reminder to stay calm. This guy wasn’t worth an assault charge. Get in, do my job, get out. Fuck, I hated all this power shit.

He ignored me and turned to Lucas, noticing the duffel in his hand. “You takin’ off? Helicopters are coming to take us out to an island party in a bit.”

“I gotta catch a flight,” Lucas said, running his hand through his perfectly messy, dark hair.

“You connected with some big boys in there.” Cole grinned. “You get what you need?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” Something was off. I felt it, though Lucas’s expression gave nothing away.

“Should be worth a lot of money. I hope you make them pay,” Cole said.

“We’ll try.” Lucas stepped back. “It was … good to meet you. Once this thing closes, I’m not sure where I’ll be. Let’s be in touch down the road.”

“Sounds good.” He raised his fist for a bump from Lucas, then strolled toward the mansion like nothing could touch him.

Lucas turned to Pam. His eyes narrowed. She was shaking almost imperceptibly.

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