Page 18 of See Me

He drops the lights and comes to stand in front me, laying his hands on top of mine. “Absolutely not. Are you okay, by the way?” He tips my chin to examine my neck. No marks were visible this morning but he still grits his teeth and has a pained look in his eyes. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get to you in time. If—”

“If Tomi hadn’t held you back?” He drops his chin to his chest and takes a deep breath. “Is that what you were going to say? Where is the little hussy anyway?”

“I sent her home when she showed up this morning. Told her to take a few days off. She does feel bad, just so you know. She didn’t think he would actually put his hands on you.”

“Then why stop you? If she didn’t think I would need saving, why did she stop you?”

“She feels threatened by you.”

“Why?”

He shrugs. “Isn’t that what girls do? Lash out at the ones they’re jealous of?”

“Why would she be jealous of me?”

He blows out a long breath. “She’s been after Luca for a long time.”

I stand up straight and put my hands on my hips. “Is this a joke? He hates me. Every interaction we’ve had proves that. Why would I threaten her chances with Luca?”

Enzo walks to the end of the bar and pulls out a manillaenvelope. He dumps the contents on the bar and sifts through photo after photo. He pulls one out and hands it to me. It’s a photo of me singing at the Halloween party. I don’t see it at first, with the stage lights on me, but in the corner is clearly Luca standing, watching, with a smile on his face. I knew I felt someone watching me. My stomach flips and I swallow hard. I didn’t know he could actually smile. It’s a bit toe curling, his genuine smile. And he’s looking atme.

I look up at Enzo and he winks.

“This means nothing.” I toss the photo back in the pile. “He liked the way I looked in that dress. He likes her, he hates me.” I chew the inside of my cheek while the rest of my body sings with heat.

“Whatever you say, Blaze.” He stuffs the photos back in the envelope with a smile stretched across his face.

“Shut up.”

“Yes ma’am. Hey, I was thinking, I’ll call Tomi in and how about me and you go to the hockey game tonight? It’s Monday night, she can handle it. And if not, well, karma’s a bitch.”

I narrow my eyes and tilt my head. What’s he trying to do? Then I see Luca out of the corner of my eye standing in the hall signing for a delivery. His ear is cocked in our direction. I try to act like I didn’t see Luca and Enzo is kind enough to act like he didn’t see me not seeing Luca.

Whoa, that was a lot.

“Sure, sounds like fun.” I walk toward the hall and bend over to snag a box of garland. Luca shoves the clipboard so hard into the delivery driver's chest he nearly stumbles over a box behind him. He stomps to his office and slams the door.

I'm going to keep this on the down low, not even Enzo will know but…game on.

SIX

JUST THE TIP

I crackanother beer open and prop my feet on the coffee table. The sounds of screaming fans filter out from the TV speakers but I’m not interested in the game. No, my dumbass is scouring the crowd in search of one particular redhead. As if I can find her in the sea of people. I bend the cap and squeeze it between my fingers making my throbbing hand ache.

Punching a brick wall was a mistake. One I learned as a teenager when I broke my hand for the first time. When I walked out and saw that guy’s hands around her throat, I saw red. I wasn’t lying when I told her it wasn’t about her. The problem was him. I wanted to take him out back and beat his smug face in until I heard his bones crunch under my fists. I could’ve killed him.Wanted to kill him.Enzo pulling me off hissorry ass was the only thing that saved him. Punching that wall was the only choice I had. Well, that or Enzo’s face for letting that guy get his hands around her neck.

When she rubbed her throat in my office earlier, my stomach dropped. My cock was at full attention, though.

Jesus Christ, this girl.

Smart, beautiful, and a fire unmatched by anyone I’ve met. She got choked out yesterday and still showed up this morning for fuck’s sake. Her smart fucking mouth, though. That’s what gets me. I did lie about that. Her mouth doesn’t ruin it. She starts sassing off and my dick tries to snake out of my pants looking for sustenance. I usually go for the dumb, easy ones. No conversation. I don’t want to hear about their fucking dreams and aspirations unless it involves my dick down their throat.

But her? I find myself wanting to know more. Maybe it’s because I can’t keep my eyes off her plump fucking lips when she talks. And it pisses me off.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I hang my head when I see it’s Tomi calling. She’s downstairs alone since my fuckstick of a brother carted Ella off to the hockey game.

“What?”

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