Page 33 of The Games We Play

She’s not teaching in that, so where the hell is she going?

I’m suddenly irritated that I have my meeting with Ember at Afterburn today. I should consider canceling, but I know I can’t.

The moment I found out Mimi lived here, I offered myself up for Ember’s permanent security team for her large events, and she immediately took me up on it.

We have an event this weekend that we need to plan for. My team is meeting me there to go over the logistics and prepare for anything different based on the theme of what she has planned.

Dammit.

You can’t follow her around everywhere she goes, I tellmyself, but I would rather punch myself in the face than listen to that guy.

Step away from the window, Seamus.

I do it reluctantly.

I’ll see her later. I know I will, but my obsession is verging on dangerous, and I hate that she hasn’t given in to her curiosity and made her way over to me yet.

She’s more stubborn than I thought.

After I get back home, I’ll conjure up some way for her tohaveto come and see me.

An hour later,I’m parking my truck in the same spot I always park in, on the side of the building of Afterburn. The vast difference between the club at night and the club during the day is quite literally, night and day.

Seeing it now, virtually empty and desolate, is a complete one-eighty from the nighttime chaos of the reporters and the members who are practically begging to get in on a nightly basis. The protestors still show up on event nights, which is why Ember has my secondary security team for those, as well as the weekends, too.

Rounding the corner to the front entrance, I slow my steps as I inspect the white Mini Cooper that’s parked near the front.

There are a lot of white Mini Coopers, I remind myself as I continue to walk.

But as I get closer to it, I peek through the windshield and my legs stall. Yoga mats are rolled up haphazardly in the back, a sweater thrown over the top of them, a couple bottles of water are resting in the center console, and other random crap spread across the front seat.

I snap my head in the direction of the building, then back at the disaster of a car.

What the hell is she doing here?

Unable to stop myself, I stalk to the front entrance, pulling the heavy doors open with ease. Walking through them and around the front lobby desk with purpose in my step.

The waterfall isn’t on like it normally is, so the quietness of the vast space is deafening, which is a dramatic change from the customary nighttime ritual. It’s open and so empty you could hear a pin drop.

I make my way to the bar, passing it as I head to the stage area. I hear voices echoing through the hallway of the staircase that leads to the second floor.

Stopping, I crane my head back in that direction and the sight shocks the hell out of me.

Ember is hugging a clipboard against her chest, smiling from ear to ear and talking to Mimi.

My Mimi.

She’s awfully comfortable, like they’ve known each other their whole lives. But, I know that can’t be the case considering Ember is from Missouri and has lived in Seattle for less than a year.

I don’t realize how long I’m frozen—and staring—until Ember looks my way. She calls out my name excitedly, waving her hand, gesturing for me to come over.

My eyes bounce between the two of them as I head in their direction.

I know my face is unreadable, other than the chronically pissed off look that I always have. Mimi’s face matches mine, even though she fakes a smile as I step up to their circle.

“Seamus, you’re early…well, I mean I guess you’re always early.” Naturally, my eyes snap over at Mimi with a snarky raised brow, because she’s never early, and I feel like I should win points for that.

Instead of saying anything, I huff out a grunt. I have nowords. I had no idea she would be here, and I hate fucking surprises.

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