Page 18 of Bleeding Heart

Although Kelsey skitters by Jake, she leaves with more confidence than she had. I’m glad to be on her side.

Jake clicks the laptop shut. His annoyance at me for escaping the office and butting my nose into his business is evident. He presses a firm hand to the case. “I’m not hiring anyone.”

“How wonderful for you. So, let me inform you of my refusal: I’m not stepping foot in your sleazy club again to sit here alone, twiddling my thumbs because you have yours stuck too far up your ass.”

Everything that Kelsey mentioned about Holly getting away with yelling at Jake when he wouldn’t listen swirls in my head, and his current curse-colorful grumbling spurs me on. I push a final button to see what I can get away with before Jake reminds me of the secret he’s hanging over my head.

“It is almost like you want Sweet Caroline’s to fail.”

Less than thrilled that I’m speaking my mind, walnut-hard contours groove Jake’s chin. “It’s time for you to leave.” His fingers curl around the bulk of my sweatshirt. Jake grips my arm, hauling me from the desk chair.

In agreement, I shove at his chest. “Do not manhandle me, you stupid giant.”

He lets go, crossing his arms. We stare at one another for a beat.

“I thought I was leaving?” I quip.

“You are. But you’ll be back here tomorrow night to make up for the time we didn’t get to spend together tonight.”

“Face it, Jake, you’re too busy and too self-centered a man to pull off having a girlfriend. No wonder why your friends have the impression that you’ll never settle down in a real relationship. I don’t even believe this.” I motion between the two of us.

Jake shoots me a wicked grin. He bends, his mouth grazing the shell of my ear. I shiver when his lips press to my neck. “Believe whatever you want as long as you live up to your end of the bargain and act convincing.”

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9

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I press my heel to the door and the thump of the music coming from the theater fades to a dull roar. Paisley is perched behind my desk. With her limbs tucked tight, she reminds me of a baby bird.

We’re nearing the end of a full month that she’s spent a few evenings a week at the club. I leave her sequestered in here often to prove the point that I get to do whatever I want. Sometimes Paisley stays put. Other times she goes out onto the floor and makes friends with my employees to prove the point that she gets to do whatever she wants. But what she’s doing by making casual appearances in the club is exactly what I need her to do. I mean, how smart would it be to lock Paisley away so that no one sees my girlfriend and me in public?

She’s gotten so used to being here that she doesn’t seem appalled by what happens on stage. Though, I’ve seen her blush when a dancer has taken a guest behind a curtain. Her innocence is adorable, in as much as I have something extra to tease her about.

Tonight Trig is dropping in. All Paisley has to do is hang on me while we say our goodbyes. Something she’s proven adept at in the past, so Trig gets a good show.

I drop a water bottle on the desk for Paisley and place a rum and coke on a paper coaster for myself.

“Thank you.” Paisley is polite without glancing up from the word puzzle she’s playing on her phone.

We engage in all sorts of games. This particular one is my second favorite, right after kissing Paisley until she’s panting and then sending her home like nothing happened. The manic glimmer in her eyes when I pull away makes me positive that someday soon she’ll go for my jugular and kill me for the number of times I’ve turned her on and then doused the flames.

That might put me out of my misery, too. I can’t say pretending with Paisley is easy—I’ve taken my cock in my fist to work off some aggression—but having her around is entertaining.

Paisley ignores me for her cell and her water bottle for my rum and coke. I never stop her from sipping out of my drink. She gets off on the little power trip. She thinks she’s driving me nuts since all she ever asks for is water, but I’ve compiled a collection of snide remarks.

“Don’t hesitate to drink it all on my account,corazón.”

“I won’t.” The corners of her lips lift, though she’s trying to hide her smile from me. Paisley tips her forehead to the laptop. “Another response to the co-manager position came in while you were gone.”

Ah, that’s it.Paisley isn’t a bird. She’s the cat that ate the canary.

My pretend girlfriend thinks she’s winning the new-hire argument since I allowed her access to the laptop Kelsey uses to schedule the staff. None of my unscrupulous activities are on this computer. Nor is it like I’ve given Paisley unfettered access to club business. In actuality, I told her to place the ad because I needed her distracted on an evening when some unexpected business cropped up.

I kick the rolling chair away from the desk with my wingtip and scoop Paisley up under the knees. Her shriek ends in anoomph!when I unceremoniously drop her ass onto the leather sofa. Then I sit in the spot she occupied, while she tries to keep the Cheshire smirk off her face. Sliding the desk chair back into place, I’m smug when I click on the notification and launch the program.

But my presumption that I can skim and click delete fades when I pull up the message and wind up focusing on reading it through a second time with ice in my veins.

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