Page 83 of Abyss

“And then liquor you up some more,” he adds.

“And liquor me up some more, and then take me around town?”

His smile broadens before he scrapes his teeth over his bottom lip. Even in my slightly inebriated state, I can see ourfaces are closer than necessary. “And maybe, possibly, hopefully after that, I could take you to my apartment to show you where I live.”

I pull my glass to my lips again, taking another healthy sip, hoping to put some space between us. “Maybe . . . possibly.”

I purposely don’t add the ‘hopefully’.

When I put my glass down, Adam reaches out to touch me for the second time this evening. His thumb finds the corner of my lip, brushing off a drop of the wine. His eyes soften as he brings his thumb to his mouth, and I’m caught off-guard at how brazen the man is, given I just met him.

Is this normal? I haven’t been in the dating scene for a while, but have the rules changed? Are men this obvious about what they want?

My phone buzzes on the table, lighting up with a message, and Adam reads the name out loud.

“Who’s Captain CrankyDick?”

Belinda snorts next to me. “Oh, I’m totally going to change his name to that on my phone, too.” She pulls out her phone, likely doing just that. “That is fucking gold.”

I pick up my phone, telling Adam it’s a message from my boss.

Captain CrankyDick

I need to see you in the house. Upstairs, the master room at the end of the hallway. Now.

I look up and find the demanding jackass staring at me while he pretends to be in conversation with his friends.

Me:

I’m not on the clock at the moment, Mr. Case. Please revert your requests to your weekend admin. Oh wait . . . you don’t have one. Guess you’re SOL.

I watch as he takes his phone out of his pocket and reads my message, his nostrils flaring as he types back his response.

Captain CrankyDick

Tell me, is it because of the riveting conversation you’re having with the twerp who looks like a failed backup dancer for a shitty boy band?

My fingers storm over my phone as my audacity and the need to taunt heightens. If he’s going to demand answers, then he’d better be ready to hear what I have to say.

Me

I fail to see how that’s your problem. In any case, yes, I’ve had quite the lovely conversation with him. He even asked me to dinner and then to go home with him. And since I have nothing tying me down . . .

I hitSendwith more than just alcohol thrumming through my veins. I can feel each heartbeat inside them.

When I look up, I find that Hudson’s gaze has darkened, but he’s not focused on me. Like it was at the wedding, it’s on poor Adam. Adam, who’s happily slicing the meat on his plate without a care in the world. I’m starting to feel bad for the guy, unaware of his part in the crossfire, when my eyes catch movement striding toward us.

Looks like the lion’s decided to come out of the shadows and pounce on his prey.

Chapter Twenty-Four

HUDSON

Kavi

I fail to see how that’s your problem. In any case, yes, I’ve had quite the lovely conversation with him. He even asked me to dinner and then to go home with him. And since I have nothing tying me down . . .

My hand tightens over my phone, threatening to crack it as my head lifts to find her smiling back at me. It’s a smile unlike any I’ve ever seen from her—reckless and full of innuendo. And while my brain tells me I should reign in the rising tide inside me, my dick is hardening inside my tux.

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