Keep It Sexy (KIS Series Book 3) (4 page)

Chapter Four

Billie

Two hours.

They’d been fucking for
two
goddamn
hours
. Straight.

One hundred and twenty minutes ago when I heard Jade’s soft moans, I thought,
good for them
, but that was ages ago and they were still going at it so hard the boards above me were shaking. Jesus! Was that even humanly possible? Personally, I’d never been with a man who could last two straight hours.
Stamina
. Pete must be eating his Wheaties.

Bam.

Bam.

Bam.

“Harder, baby, harder!” Jade’s wails were muffled, but still very clear.

I was surprised he hadn’t smashed her head into the wall by now, and she
still
wants it harder?

I seriously needed to get my ass in gear and find a job. I’d been here three days, and still no luck. And to make matters worse, it was possible my dad knew I was back. He’d sent a cryptic text asking me how I would manage to drive my Frog in the snow. Considering it doesn’t snow in Nevada, Don must’ve known, and he would surely show up in a few days and ask me to come back home. By that point, I would, because even though I love Jade, we’d be at each other’s throats and I’d cave and go with Don.

I knew what would happen. I’d be there for a few months, he’d ask me to do a job with him and I’d decline. That would lead to another falling out, ending in me leaving Colorado yet again. My life was a series of cascading failures—
predictable
failures.

When the banging and moaning finally stopped, I was fully awake. Pulling the comforter off my body, I winced as my feet hit the cold concrete and not the rug. I ran across the room on my tiptoes and quietly made my way up the stairs. Sitting on the round dining room table was Jade’s laptop. Bored and curious, I sat on the chair and turned on the machine to find Jade’s Facebook page staring back at me.

I’d never signed up for an account, so I was curious to see who she was friends with. As I scrolled through her pictures, I noticed she had a lot from the bar where she worked. One girl was photographed with her a lot. She was, for lack of a better word, stunning. Midnight hair flowed behind her like molten onyx, and her eyes were a curious mix of honey and sepia. Her body was surely every man’s fantasy.

No name was tagged on the photo, but on the comments below, someone said her name was Ava. There were more photos of this Ava, and two other girls. One had the same eyes, but light brown hair. She was just as pretty but in a girl-next-door sort of way. The third girl had curly blonde hair with bright green eyes. Jade and the three girls looked like friends—
good
friends—and that felt like a punch through my chest.

I was jealous. I wanted this; I wanted a life full of girlfriends and a man to come home to. A man who would take my best friend into his house without question. Me wanting things never resulted in anything. Chaos followed me around, and I was cursed with living a crazy life. No sane person would purposefully inject themselves into my life.

***

My sleep had been ruined last night by their banging, and now at eight in the morning it was ruined once again by a different sort of banging. Pots. I stared at a black dot above my head, feeling like my eyes had doubled in size. The corner of my left eye began to twitch.

“Come on, Bil, wake up. I made you bacon,” Pete yelled down the stairs.

Bacon. That was the only reason I hadn’t suffocated them in their sleep. They fed me bacon. My jaw clenched as I peeled the covers off me. I walked up the stairs one by one with a slouch. Sooner than I would have wanted, I came to the first floor while Pete and Jade kissed in front of the stove. Pete took one look at me and laughed.

“There’s coffee ready in the pot,” Pete said, but Jade pushed him aside and pulled a Diet Coke from the fridge.

“My girl doesn’t drink coffee,” she explained, handing me the can. I took it gratefully as I crashed on the dining room chair.

“Why not?” Pete asked.

“How do you think I keep this girlish figure?” I replied playfully before taking a large swig from the can.

“What
figure
?” Pete goaded. With the can still at my mouth, I held my hand in the air and flipped him off as Jade smacked his chest.

“Be nice.”

“What? She knows,” he said as an explanation. I rolled my eyes and nodded.

“Yes, I’m fully aware of what I’m
not
rocking under my clothes.”

“Pete,” Jade scolded.

“Baby, I’m not saying Billie is unattractive. All’s a guy can think about when they first meet her is in what way he can pick her lil’ ass up to fuck her. Dudes think petite girls are sexy. Easier to maneuver.” He winked at me before turning around to flip his eggs. I grunted, taking a piece of bacon that was cooling on a plate next to me. Jade walked over to my side with her hands on her hips.

“What do guys think about when they first see me?”

“Motorboat,” Pete and I said at the same time. We laughed as Pete came over to high five me. Jesus, this is what happens when you grow up with only men. You turn into one.

We bullshitted some more before Pete finished cooking, then we all sat around the table to eat.

“So,” Jade said, pausing. I looked up with a mouth full of bacon, waiting for her to continue. “I got you a job,” she finished.

“Oh, Jade, why—”

“No, stop,” she said, holding up her hand. “I told my boss about your experience, and he wants you to come in today for an interview. And I told him you would.”

I exhaled with a heavy breath. Pete was trying his best to avoid our conversation, instead paying extra attention to the leftover yolk that was smeared all over his plate.

“Think of this as you paying me back for feeding your ass for four days,” she added as she stood, taking her plate and mine to the sink.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to work with her. I would love to. But she’d made a life for herself without me, and I wasn’t sure if I fit it. I didn’t want to intrude on her new life more than I already was. I could feel Pete’s stare on me, and it made me feel smaller. It was obvious by the look on my face I was uncomfortable with the situation.

“Babe, maybe Billie can look somewhere—”

“No, Pete,” I said. “It’s fine. I’ll go see your boss, Jade. Thanks for breakfast.”

I gave Pete a weak smile, then left before Jade could see the expression on my face. I was pulling out my clothes for my interview when my phone vibrated on the bed. It was a local number but I knew it wasn’t Don or either of my brothers. If anything, they would spoof the number to make it look like it was coming from somewhere in Europe. I swiped the phone to answer, curious to see who it could be.

“Hello?”

“I told you that douche-bag would cheat on you, didn’t I?” His thick Irish accent always made my stomach flip. It was a mixture of anxiety and nervousness, and I didn’t understand where it came from.

“Connor,” I whispered without meaning to. He had many titles, one being my older brother Lincoln’s second in command, the third best con man I’d ever known, and my ex-boyfriend—conqueror of my virginity.

“Don’t go saying my name like that, darlin’,” he replied in a throaty tone. I sighed. I wasn’t interested in this.

“How did you know I was home?” I asked. His deep chuckle vibrated against my ear.

“You think I don’t always know where you are?”

“Yeah, that doesn’t scream stalker behavior at all.” I grunted as I shifted the phone so it was pressed against my ear and my shoulder.

Throughout the years, Connor would randomly send me flowers, teddy bears, or even pictures he’d taken of us when we were together. Sometimes, he would mail three names on a piece of paper, noting in his letter that these would be the names of our children. Things like that always gave me a cold shiver down my back. The thought that he could possibly hurt me never crossed my mind, but there was still this very unsettling feeling about his packages. I unzipped my bag and took out a pair of faded jeans and a cream-colored long sleeve V-neck sweater. It was mid-September and still pretty warm outside, but on the bike it got chilly.

“You have yet to learn the art of subtle sarcasm, aye?” Connor replied.

“Oh, no I’ve learned it—mastered it, even—I’m just choosing to be forthright about it,” I explained. There was a beat of silence and I wondered if he had hung up. When an awkward amount of time passed, I pulled the phone away from my ear to hang up. That’s when he spoke.

“I’d like to see you,” he said.

I closed my eyes as I plopped down on the bed, rattling the old metal coils. Meeting up with him was a terrible idea. Connor wasn’t a bad guy; he was a criminal, but he treated me right when we were together. He always took care of me and was there when I needed him, but he wasn’t who I envisioned spending my life with. He was committed to the life I desperately wanted to escape.

“I take your silence as a no?” The disappointment in his voice was visceral.

“Let me get some things in order and we’ll meet up, yeah?”

“Sure thing, darling. Call me if you need anything.”

“All right, talk to you soon.” I knew he wouldn’t say bye in return, so I hung up first.

I laid back on the pale yellow pillow behind me, suddenly feeling a little trapped. If Connor had found out I was already home, it would only be a matter of time before Don came around.
Perfect.

Following Jade’s directions through text, I pulled into the back parking lot of the bar once I spotted it. The neighborhood was full of new, hot and trendy shops and restaurants, bursting with people. It seemed like every establishment had customers coming in and out.

I parked the Frog in the small space designated for motorcycles. Hopping off, I tugged and slipped off my riding gear before putting it all inside the backpack I always carried.
Blush
was located on the corner of the street, a prime bar location. A line of black floor to ceiling windows covered the side of the building that looked out onto the busy street. Above the front door, in typewriter lettering, read
Blush
.

I pulled on the straps of my backpack before giving myself a small pep talk. The sign on the door said they were closed, but Jade warned me beforehand. She said the door would be unlocked and assured me her boss would be waiting.

Inside, the room was warm and sensual with wine-red colored walls. I stood back, taking in the dark stained slab of wood that stretched from the front of the room all the way to the back, where it stopped a couple of feet away from a set of bright blue swinging doors I assumed went into the kitchen.

The main dining room area had metallic, square tables and chairs randomly placed throughout the concrete floor. It was clear people didn’t come to eat but to drink. On the opposite side of the bar was an empty space used for dancing, and toward the back corner was a small hallway. The contrast of the silver tables and the warmth of the wood made the place look modern, but traditional at the same time. It seemed like the bar had an identity crisis, but it made sense in a way.

As I explored the room, the swinging doors flew open and two men walked through them. One I presumed was the deliveryman, on account of his uniform, and the other held a clipboard. He had his head down as he read and signed paperwork. He was tall with thick brawny arms that were covered in vivid tattoos. He wore a white V-cut shirt, which showed off the ink on his chest, the vibrant colors popping against the unblemished umber color of his skin. His hair was a murky chestnut.

As he signed the papers, two strands of shiny hair fell softly over his forehead. Handing the clipboard to the delivery guy, he lifted his head and locked eyes with me. They were the color of warm chocolate, and my breath escaped me, but it wasn’t until he smiled that I nearly fell apart. He had dimples. Like deep
pour-some-whisky-inside-and-suck-them-dry
dimples. When his gaze shamelessly traveled down my body, I snapped out of whatever stupor I was under.
Lord, protect my ovaries from this man.

“Hi, I’m Billie. I’m a friend of Jade’s.” I walked closer to him, extending my hand. “You must be Christian.” Without a second of hesitation, he took my hand.

“You’re hired,” he said, still smiling. I was caught off-guard by this directness, and laughed.

“What if I was a thief or just plain bad at the job?”

He shook his head, still smirking. “Wouldn’t care. With a face and a voice like that, there’s no way you wouldn’t make me money.”

I wasn’t sure why, but I felt my face flush a little. “Are you always so frank? Aren’t you afraid of a sexual harassment lawsuit?” I tried to sound serious, but failed miserably. My cheeks were starting to burn from the excessive smiling.