Page 26 of Jig's Last Dance

“Yes, you know, I’m going to a party.”

“Hm. For tonight, but we need to talk about your future.”

“My future? I—”

“Your father asked me to look after you, Alice. Running around all night with unsavory characters is not healthy,” he says, and I shrink under his disapproval.

“I’m in school. I—”

“You may go tonight, but tomorrow we need to talk.” He spins on his heel, saying over his shoulder, “Marco will escort you.”

What? Shit. Now I have a keeper?

∞∞∞

“Can you drop me here?” I ask the formidable dude sitting behind the wheel.

He glances at me with a frown and shakes his head. “No can do, Miss Patterson.”

“So, what? You’re with me all night?”

He nods, and I lean back with a sigh. Fuck me. How am I going to explain this to Shawn? I’ve evaded all conversation about my home life because I’m not ready to admit that not only am I living with a gangster, but he’s also the head dick.

“Pull in here,” I grumble, and he looks at me with narrowed eyes but complies.

Shawn’s jamming in her vehicle, oblivious to her surroundings until I roll down the window of the town car. She does a double-take when she spots me and frowns before exiting her vehicle and leaning in my window.

“What’s up?”

“You can ride with me,” I say. She glances around the interior, stopping on my new shadow before turning to me with wide eyes.

“Ride with you?”

Nodding, I open the door and scooch over, calling out to Marco as she joins me, “Do you know where the Point is?”

His mouth curls up, and he nods before putting the car in gear.

Shawn turns to me with bright eyes. “Who’s the hottie, and what’s going on?”

“Ah,” I wave her off, noting the way Marco’s mouth curls in amusement. She’s not wrong. He is handsome with caramel eyes, thick dark hair, and a sexy cleft in his chin.

But he’s also my keeper, which makes him annoying as fuck.

“I’ll tell you later,” I say, glancing at Marco. Shawn nods and looks between us one more time, but thankfully she takes the damn hint. “So, what’s the deal with Jig?”

Sinking in my seat, I groan. Why, God, why?

“He took me home after we got sick the other night,” I confess, my cheeks heating.

“Did you fuck him?”

“What? No,” I say, flashing a look at Marco. Maybe he’s good for something because she takes the hint again, but her eyes warn me the subject isn’t over.

With nothing more we can say, we drop into silence until we reach the Point. When Marco puts the car in park, I ask, “Can you stay here?”

He looks between us with a curious glint in his eyes, and I’m not surprised when he stops on Shawn for a beat too long. Her long black hair hangs to her ass in soft curls, and her pretty pale eyes shine. She’s gorgeous, and her effortless confidence only enhances the appeal.

“Okay, but if there’s a problem, I won’t be staying in the car again,” he says and I nod, relieved for the reprieve.

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