Page 34 of Cold Foot Revenge
He’d thought strippers made good money, so how had she gotten into a pattern of not being able to buy groceries? Or taking herself out to eat? Her car was old and on its last legs if the sounds from the engine were anything to go by. There was no way she owed on it still. Maybe she lived in a nice place that cost a lot of money that was draining her.
He stood and paced the hotel room again, locked his arms onto the sink and glared at himself in the mirror. He barely knew her.
The memory of how soft her legs were under his touch under the table at dinner flashed across his mind and he closed his eyes tightly. Was this it? Was this what it had been like for Garret when he’d met Raynah? Shifters had some kind of seductive power, right? Maybe that’s what Roxy was doing to him.
With a sigh, Dylan pushed off the counter and grabbed his keys and his phone and left the room. As he hit the bottom floor exit, his phone vibrated, and he checked the screen, hoping it was a response from Roxy.
His brother’s name was glowing across the caller ID.
Crap.
He hesitated for a moment, just staring at it, and then looked around quickly, and answered in a low voice. “Hey, this isn’t a good time, can I—”
“No, no, no, no, you will not hang up on me you fuckin’ dipstick.”
Dylan pulled a face and ducked into the hotel restaurant. It looked empty, and indeed, there was only one table that had anyone at it. He waved to the bartender and gestured to a table in the back corner.
The bartender nodded. Sweet. Dylan muttered, “I didn’t do anything wrong to be called a dipstick.”
“Oh yeah? Where are you? Right now?”
Dylan pursed his lips and looked around as he sat at the table. “In a bar.”
“Yeah, and where is that bar located, Dylan?” Garret yelled.
Wincing, he pulled the phone away from his ear for a moment to aid the ringing there. “I’m assuming you talked to Tawk?”
“Tawk knows?” Garret barked out.
Aw dang. Dylan scrunched up his face and mouthed,whiskey neat, at the bartender.
The bartender smiled and nodded his head before he got to work.
“Um, did I say Tawk? I meant—”
“No more lying. I talked to our parents,Dylan, who apparently ate dinner with you today,Dylan, and were wondering why I didn’t come down with you for a visit, and you know what,Dylan? I’m wondering the exact same thing! I’m definitely wondering why I wasn’t fucking invited, and then it dawned on me. You snuck away from Darby, and you haven’tanswered any of my texts or calls for days, because you didn’t want me to know. Why is that,Dylan?”
“Why do you keep saying my name like it’s a cuss word?” Dylan asked, stalling on answering.
The bartender set the drink on the table and Dylan handed him his credit card to start a tab. This lecture was probably going to be a long one. Unless…
“I met a girl.”
Garret was quiet for a three-count, and then asked, “A girl you’re dating?”
Oh hell yeah, this was working. Garret had always been easily distracted. “Mom and Dad didn’t tell you about her?”
“You introduced her to Mom and Dad?”
“Yep.”
Silence was thick on the other end. “And where did you meet this girl?”
“At a strip club.”
“Fuck off, Dylan.”
Dylan chuckled. “I’m serious. I met her at a strip club.”
