Page 28 of Darlin'

"Why?" I ask, anxiety spiking. "What's going on? Tell me."

"Nothing." He snaps his defeated gaze up at me. "Relax, princess. Your brother's fine, okay? Nothing's gonna happen to him."

"Who was that guy?" I double down, lowering my voice. "Why is he trouble?"

"You should really stop trying to stick your nose where it doesn't belong," Jesse groans. "Drop it."

"Doesn't belong?" I scoff. "Whether you like it or not, your businessismy business because Beau is my brother, so you better tell me who in the world that man was." I perk up an impatient brow. "Well? Who is he?"

"You're not gonna drop this, are you?"

"Nope," I state. "If you don't tell me, I'll just keep pryingallnight until you finally wave a silky white flag."

"Fuck's sake..." Jesse sighs as the overpowering scent of Andy's perfume floats through the bar. Begrudgingly, he locks on my gaze, his tone bordering with contempt ashe divulges, "Miguel works for the cartel, okay? You might want to be careful around him, Savannah."

"Cartel?" I whisper harshly, my heart sinking. Cartel?! Now there's a cartel in the mix? I need to get Beau out of here as soon as damn possible. "Like the Mexican cartel? Like the ones you see on TV?Thatcartel? "

"This ain't a TV show, princess," Jesse mutters. "You need to need to watch yourself around him, got it? This is my only warning."

"But..." I chew on my bottom lip, glancing at the door Miguel left through. He didn't look scary, though. He didn't give me the chills. I couldn't sense that he was...dangerous. "But he...he looked so...normal."

"Miguel Mendoza is anything butnormal." Jesse snorts, polishing off his scotch as Andy appears behind the bar. Jesse gives me a tight-lipped smile. "Shift's over. Let's go."

"Uh-huh," I mumble, praying that Beau's alright. "Give me a second."

"How many have you had?" Andy asks Jesse in a sour tone as I scoot past her and drop my apron into the cubby under the register. Jesse ignores her, standing up and leaving. Andy snaps her diva attention at me.Great. "How many did he have?"

"I don't know," I say with a defeated shrug. "One?"

Andy scoffs. "Honey, it's never just one." She glances over her shoulder at Jesse. "You shouldn't let him ride if he'sdrunk. The last thing we need is another dead Paxton."

"Savannah!" Jesse calls, strutting out the front doors. "Let's fucking go."

"Another one?" I ask, grabbing my sweater and draping it over my shoulders. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, he hasn't cried about his mommy yet?" Andy asks with a phony pout. "Awe, that's too bad."

"What?" A wave of sympathy washes over me. "His momma passed? When?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Andy shoots me daggers. "Since you're living together and shit."

"I've said it once, and I'll say it again, I'm just staying with him until my brother comes back;that's all," I state, uncomfortable with what she's suggesting. "Nothing more."

Little does she know it's radio silence most of the time. We eat, we watch some TV, and we sleep. Not a lot of talking happening in the Paxton residence.

"Right," Andy sneers. "Whatever you say."

"I don't like what you're implying." I glower at Andy as Marlow stops in front of the register and observes us with an entertained gaze. "If you have a problem with me staying with Jesse, then say it. This whole passive-aggressive charade is getting old real quick."

"Problem?" She scoffs, flipping her thick raven hair. "Honey, I don't have a problem with you shacking up with my ex." She shrugs. "I personally hate leftovers, but you're to free nibble on mine all you want." She tosses me a bitchy smile. "That man mightlookgood, but he's damaged goods. Trust me."

My jaw drops. "That is quite rude."

"But quite accurate, no?" She shoves past me, scoffing. "Nighty night, Goldilocks.”

"Mew, mew, mew, mew," I mimic under my breath, irritated. "Dang, she's annoying."

"Shit," Marlow chuckles as I round the bar. "Thank God I'm off soon. Poor Gina's gotta work with the wicked bitch of the east tonight."

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