Intensity (12 page)

I jogged into the garage, popped the trunk and removed the jack and spare. As I loosened the lug nuts with a socket wrench, a shuffle behind me brought the quick repair job to a stop. The bald man from last night stood a few feet behind me.

“You’re Serena, right?” His huge smile looked overly pleased.

On a nod, I rose. “Yes, I’m sorry, I don’t know your name. We haven’t been introduced.”

His solid grip shook my slightly dirty hand. “Sal, I’m in charge of security.”

Since he’d accompanied Linc and Tanya, he must know what I’d done. Nothing like making a bad first impression. He probably thought I was a bully and put me on his radar as a person to watch. Great, he must’ve come down here for that.

“I see.” My response came out clipped and cold. Alright, I shouldn’t be such a witch. He hadn’t said anything about it. No reason for him to have a worse opinion of me. “It’s good to meet you then. I’m sorry, but I need to get back to this.” I pointed to the still-flat tire. Geez, that sounded bitchy too.

He scratched his bald head. “Why are you doing that?”

“Uh…because it needs fixed.”

His wide grin exposed nicotine-stained teeth. “The security guys can do that. Hell, Linc would do it.” His beefy frame stood proud and conveyed a message I’d interpreted as
changing a flat tire is man’s work
.

“I appreciate the offer, but I can change it myself.”

He crossed his arms, shaking his head side to side. His hearty chuckles bounced off the cement walls.

“What’s so funny?” I tapped my foot at his chauvinistic attitude.

He glanced up. “Nothing, doll.” He stroked his fingers along a scraggly chin and announced, “I can see why the boss likes you so much.”

Ridiculous. I turned my back on him and picked up the wrench, twisting it up and down real fast.

Still laughing as if it were comedy hour, he relayed, “I’ll let you get back to it then. See ya around, Serena.”

After he left, I mumbled, “Guys can do that,” my snarky parroting made me feel a whole lot better. Task completed in under five minutes, I clapped my hands once at a job well done.

Ha! Stuff it you know where, baldy.

A much-needed shower on my mind, I threw open the door and found beach-Barbie B.B. lounging on my sofa and glaring over her purple honker. I gave myself a mental pat on the back. In a bad mood from the Sal show, I had no patience left. “What the hell are you doin’ here?” My feet locked in the entryway, I stood my ground.

She dangled a crystal heart key ring. “I used to live here before moving in with Tanya.” She smirked, spinning it around her finger. “I still have a key.”

“And you didn’t think to return it to Linc or me when I moved in.” I pointed to her and back to the hallway. “Get out.”

She scooted her back along the couch and tossed her feet on the ottoman. “I’m not going anywhere until we talk,” she declared, crossing her arms.

What a freaking witch. Both strong-willed women, it didn’t mix well under normal circumstances, and this wasn’t a normal situation. “I have nothing to say to you.”

She dropped her flip-flop covered feet with a thump and stood. “I have
plenty
to tell you.” Her head emphasized each word. “I’ll make this easy, so you can understand.” She enunciated each syllable real slow like I had zero I.Q.

Determined not to let her antagonize me, I stayed steady and in place.

Her hands whipped out to her sides, she waved them top to bottom along her body like the models on the Price is Right. “
This
is not…” She pointed a painted index finger at me. “
That
,” she spat as if tasting a vial of shit. “
You
will
never
satisfy him. I can, will, and do. I know he comes to you, but he’s with me, in my bed, having
sex
-
with-me.
Not—” Her mouth transformed into a Cheshire Cat expression as she purred, “a
virgin
.” She strutted toward me. “
You
don’t
cut it here.”

Shit, hold it together. My chin dropped to my chest along with my hair, shielding my face. I stared at the floor and hoped she didn’t see the red-hot heat creeping up my neck. The truth rocked me to the core. It ripped open and exposed a gaping wound inside me that wouldn’t be easy to repair. Remember why you’re here. Don’t let her ruin it. My grip tightened on the doorknob, willing her to get the hell out. My brain worked in spits and spatters, and by some miracle I pitched an out-of-my-ass tactful response: “I need to get to work.”

She planted herself half a foot away and dug the dagger even deeper. “All mine. Pay attention, you already missed the boat. Exclusive—not. Temporary—yes.” She strutted across the hall, then turned and faced me. “I’m the queen. His partner in bed and in business. Soon, I’ll be managing the girls, and you’ll have to answer to
me
.”

Bite. Your. Tongue. I held my hand out to her challenging face and waited for my key. She looked down at it and then back up. With a quirk to her brow, she stepped up to me and dropped it in my hand. I clenched it closed, the jagged ridges biting into my palm.

She leaned up to my ear, and for a minute I thought she was going to bite me, so I lunged back. She mocked, “Who do you think he’s with on Sundays when he’s gone all day, all night?”

Face blank, a seething fire erupted in my belly from my repressed anger. I motioned with my key-filled fist to her door. “
Don’t
come back.”

Jaw clenched, she stared at me and then stomped across the hall. The slamming door rocked her bitter stink against me.

I flipped her off and rushed inside. Her stench and our exchange scrubbed off in the shower, but the awful reality of my boss with that wench didn’t wash. It lingered and festered.

Fallon didn’t mind my late arrival. I told her about my flat tire and the whole Sal debacle but didn’t mention anything about B.B. I didn’t want anyone else involved. The less drama, the better.

My new motto:
keep my head down…uh, up and do my job.

Fallon accomplished quite a bit before I arrived, and we finished everything with ten minutes to spare. Two glasses set on the counter, she nudged my shoulder. “Let’s do a shot.”

My scowl didn’t hide my distaste. I leaned an elbow on the edge of the bar and considered her unwelcome request. For the first time all day I relaxed, thanks to her. When I had shared my male chauvinistic impressions, her wisecracking urged me on, putting me at ease and giving us a good laugh. “I’m not much of a drinker.”

She snatched the tequila and wiggled it in my face. “Come on, I think after the day you had you need it. It’ll help us get through the long night.”

Her wagging eyebrows and pout made up my mind. “
Okay
.” Before I could finish my answer, she started pouring with flair, gliding up and down, then tossing and twirling the bottle before filling the next glass. Her technique could’ve taught the bartenders in the movie
Cocktail
a thing or two.

Drinks in hand, I prompted, “So, what should we toast to?” I hoped she had an idea because my mind drew a complete blank.

Fallon stared at me, her devious grin and mind formulating something good. “Hmm…”

The office door opened; both of us turned at the disturbance. Out strolled Linc and Sal, headed in our direction. They scooted onto the leather stools, positioned front and center. Sal’s expression jovial. Linc’s perturbed. He propped his arms on the bar and clasped his fingers together as he often did, sitting at his desk, relaxed but alert. “Good evening, ladies. We celebrating something?”

Fallon jumped in, answering in an overexcited and earsplitting voice. “Actually we are.”

My full-to-the-brim glass held to hers mid-salute, I quirked my brow, no clue what she might blurt.

She winked at Sal. “A very
special
toast.” Her glass clinked against mine, and she tilted it first at me and then toward Sal, announcing full of bravado, “To women who can change flat tires.” She laughed and downed her drink, holding her gaze steady on a grinning Sal.

Funny, funny girl. I snickered and peeked at a scowling Linc before guzzling the clear liquid in one gulp. Proud I didn’t upchuck afterward.

Linc snatched my glass and slid it across to Fallon. “Fill that up for me and get one for Sal. I have a toast too.”

Uh oh.
He had something cooking in that masterful mind. I set my chin in my hand and waited for the show. Business mode Linc could be best described as intense. A playful Linc—captivating. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

He waited as Fallon filled both glasses. His blue gaze never leaving mine.

Both men picked up their drinks, ready to salute. Linc turned to Sal, clinked glasses, and pitched, “To beautiful women who can do anything a man can do.” Humor stretched wide across their faces. They knocked it back and slammed the empties on the bar.

Linc stood and palmed my neck, dragging my mouth to his for a sultry kiss. His temple on mine, he whispered against my parted lips, “See you after work. My place, okay?”

I nodded, my mouth scraping his in a dazed reply. He strutted across the room, greeting the eager clients. In the background I heard Fallon and Sal whoop with laughter and slap the bar, amused at their boss’s blatant show. Lost in ecstasy my heart and body floated, reaching across the divide between Linc and me.

Fingers crossed, I prayed they didn’t crash and burn.

Halfway through the night, the stock behind the bar dwindled. I took off for the storage room located in the notorious alcove. The difference, lights were installed and there wasn’t a shadow in sight. I guessed Linc had something to do with that.

Wandering around for the bottles, I heard the door open and shut. Damn, this couldn’t be happening again. I rounded the stacked full shelves and came to a halt at the entrance.

Jax was propped against the door with his arms crossed at his chest, a tattoo peeking out at the edge of his short sleeve T-shirt, and wearing black jeans that fit him way too well. Cool and composed, he lifted his chin at me, inspecting my body like a doctor who needed to perform surgery but didn’t know where to start. If he didn’t have such light blond hair, I would’ve pegged him for James Dean with that blatant, macho stance. This day just went in the shitter. “What are you doing in here?”

He sauntered over and stood so close, I could
feel
him. “I wanted to give you a hand.”

Yeah, I bet he did. He had
that
look—sex on the brain.

“I can handle it, thanks.” I took one step back and another while he stalked along, not missing a beat. I threw my hand out to his chest, halting his forward motion. “You should go. I’ve got this.”

He picked up several strands of my hair and brought it to his nose. Before I could move away, he grabbed my upper arms and yanked me into his chest. “I want you.” His lips grazed mine. About to tell him where he could go, the door crashed open, and there stood Linc with the most ferocious face I’d ever seen.

Damn, this alcove must be jinxed. Caught in a very compromising position I tried to step back, but Jax pulled me tighter to him, threw an arm over my shoulder and aligned me to his side like he wanted to showcase me to the world.

Oh
hell!