Page 28 of Past and Present

Marissa nodded absently. “Me too.”

“Earth to Marissa. Where’s your head at girl?”

Marissa shook her head. “Sorry. Was distracted.”

Austin’s gaze followed Marissa’s and landed on Patrick, Lance, Hunter, and the other men of Solitaire standing around the bar laughing and drinking scotch.

“We have some of the best-looking men in the country, don’t we?” Austin asked.

This time Marissa flashed her friend a grin. “We sure do. I’m a lucky bitch.”

“You’re telling me,” Lana said from her perch on a couch where she was tying ribbon into bows.

“I’m glad you brought friends, Marissa. Solitaire needs more women,” Austin said.

Just then Erin Green, a new face at the club, came storming into the bar area and made a beeline for Samuel with her phone in her hand.

“I told you it was a bad idea to skip town this close to the swearing in.”

Marissa watched as Samuel calmed the woman down. She didn’t know what Erin was stressed about, but she liked watching Samuel with her. The Dom had a special place in her heart since he’d saved her life a few months prior.

Samuel held Erin’s hand, and the couple walked toward the group of women working on decorations. He held his hand out and Erin huffed but slapped her phone into his hand. He winked at Marissa and tucked it into his pocket.

“Find something to keep this one busy won’t you ladies?”

Dakota Hylander swooped in and grabbed Erin’s hand. “I got you, honey. Turn your work brain off for an hour and help me with this tree.”

“Where’s Emily and Tamara?” Dakota asked as she pulled a pair of silver nipple clamps out of a box and hung them on a tree.

“What do you think? Should we do the whole tree in them?”

Everyone enthusiastically agreed, but Dakota hadn’t forgotten her original question and looked expectantly at Austin.

“I think Emily is trying to keep Tamara company. From what I understand, she’s feeling a bit wounded and doesn’t want to be social right now. I’m sure Em or David will coax her out soon.”

Marissa cleared her throat. “I know Lance is trying to help with whatever her problem is. Maybe I can do something too?”

Austin shrugged. “I’m honestly not sure. I wasn’t given a lot of details, but if Lance is helping, I’m sure he can fill you in and Tamara would be glad for the help even if she won’t admit it.”

Marissa gave her a smile. “I’ll talk to him and see if I can help.”

“You can help me out by loaning me your phone,” Erin said with a pout as she sorted a box of nipple clamps Dakota handed her.

“And why do you have a box full of nipple clamps?”

Dakota smirked. “Someone who makes them gave us six boxes for the gift store. We’ll never sell that many. I figured why the hell not put them to some kind of use.”

Marissa watched Erin and thought she might like to befriend her so she tugged her phone out of her back pocket and held it out to the woman.

“Trying to get Erin in trouble, Kitten?”

Marissa jumped and jerked her phone to her chest.

“What makes you say that?”

Lance just shook his head.

“Come with me.”

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