Page 79 of Until the End

“What bar and where?”

“Ummm. I don’t remember. Somewhere in Greensboro. Hey, you…”

“Hey, beautiful,” a guy says.

I growl.

“Ooooh. That was hot. Do it again.” Adalaide’s tone is indecent.

“Uh, hey, beautiful?”

“Not you. Michael, make that sound again.”

I sigh and rub my hand across my face. This is going nowhere fast. “Adalaide. Tell me what bar you’re at.”

“Oh! Right. Um, what’s the name of this bar?” she asks the guy.

“I’ll tell you if you tell me your name, gorgeous.”

“Ew. No, thank you.” There’s a pause, and then, “Hey, what bar is this?”

“The Salty Dragon,” a woman says.

“Really? What an awful name.”

“I know, right? Good drinks, though. And hot bartenders.”

“So. True.”

I growl again, and I will never admit to doing it on purpose just to get Addie’s attention. “I’m on my way. No more talking to other guys. Stay with whoever you’re with right now. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Yes, sir.”

Fuck. I know she’s teasing me, but the way that word rolls off her tongue sends a shiver down my spine.

I hang up with Addie and send a text to Ryan to let him know I’m leaving. Running out to my truck, I say a quick thank you to my past self for parking on the street to keep from getting blocked in. Then I’m on the highway, headed to Greensboro to find the one woman who has always been the exception to every rule I’ve ever made for myself.

The Salty Dragonlooks exactly like every other bar I’ve been to—a wooden bar top, tables scattered around the edge of the dance floor, and some pool tables on the other side of the room. I search for the dark brown curls that have haunted my dreams since I was a teenager.

I find her standing at a high-top table, surrounded by guys and only one other woman. I push my way through the crowd, not giving a single fuck about being polite.

“Adalaide.” I cross my arms over my chest to keep from hauling her over my shoulder like a caveman.

She turns toward me with the biggest smile. “Hi, Michael.”

“It’s time to go.”

“Oh, but I was just getting to know my friends.”

“Yeah, what’s the rush? Let her stay,” some puffed-up frat boy interjects.

I step in close to Addie and throw my voice low so only she can hear me. “I swear to god, Adalaide, I will throw you over my shoulder if you don’t walk out of here with me right now.”

She shivers at my tone, but I can’t decide in what capacity. That is, until I lean back and note that her eyes have gone glassy with desire. With every ounce of self-control I have, I grip her biceps and pull her with me. Those assholes didn’t even put up a fight. I could’ve been anyone, yet they let her go with me without a fuss. Fucking idiots. It’s a good thing I got here when I did.

“You can let me go now.” Addie huffs, but I don’t release her until we get to the passenger door of my truck. I open it for her and then grip her hips to lift her inside. I ignore her gasp as well as my own body’s reaction to having my hands on her. The slinky little black dress she’s wearing feels like silk under my hands, and the hemline slides up high on her thighs. Ripping my gaze away from her tan skin is as difficult as telling my body to stop breathing.

“What the fuck was that all about, Adalaide?” The words are gravel in my throat after not speaking for half an hour. We’re almost home, and I need to know what’s going on with her before we get there.

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