Loving War(33)

I never thought I’d see the day when Kode Sterling’s eyes softened to be so compassionate, but right now, he looks like all he wants to do is save me. I’ve never had anyone look at me like that. Ever.

“Tria, you’re staying here. It’s not going to mess anything up.”

He moves around the side of the bar, and without any warning, his lips press gently against mine as he pulls me close to him. His hand grabs a fistful of the shirt I’m wearing, gathering it at the back as I move to my tiptoes to deepen the kiss.

He pulls back, nuzzling his nose against mine. “Right now, you need to get dressed. You have to go deliver a statement to the police station.”

I groan again while leaning against him, and he holds me to him. I’m starting to wonder if I’ve spent all these years judging him wrong, or if he’s changing toward me.

“My car is at my house,” I remind him. “I took a cab to the club last night so that I could drive your car here.”

“Your car will have to stay at whatever condo I tell Rain and Dane I’m putting you in. We’ll take one of my cars to the police station.”

“You can’t come in,” I say through a sigh.

“Fine. I’ll wait in the car and do some business via phone while you go press charges.”

This isn’t how I pictured this morning going.





Chapter 12



TRIA



“Tell me we’re on the road to success,” Leo, my business partner—the brain behind the formula of Beauty Graffiti—says over the phone.

I feel like a constant failure. His part is done, but I keep falling short on my end.

“Another no. Sorry, Leo. Regret taking this leap with me yet?”

He sighs over the phone, but he doesn’t say anything negative. Never does. “It takes time, Tria. We’re new and trying to compete with brands that have been out there for forever. You fronted all the cash, so that means you’re taking the majority of the risk. You gave me a chance to do this when no one else would even review my proposal, so no. I sure as hell don’t regret going into business with you. I have faith you’ll get it out there. Internet sales are doing decent for a new launch at least.”

Only because Ash knows all the tricks to get our line to show up in search engines. But the sales aren’t enough to keep the business afloat. Very few people internet shop for new makeup. Leo just assumes those numbers are big, when in reality, they’re actually very small.

“I’ve got more lined up. I’ll drive them all crazy before I give up,” I assure him.

He laughs before saying, “I’m sure you will. Hey, is something up? Darla said she was forwarding all your mail to another address when I asked her to send you some fresh samples.”

Damn. One more person who has to know. “I’ll be fine. Just staying with a friend until some drama gets sorted out.”

“Guy or girl?” he asks, prying. I can almost hear his smile.

“Guy, and no, it’s not anyone you know.”

He snickers before speaking again. “Fine. Fine. Well, let me know if you need anything else for the meetings.”

“Thanks, Leo. I swear I’ll eventually get us a break.”

“I know you will. And let me know if you ever need a place to stay. Jake wouldn’t mind you staying with us.”

“Thanks, Leo.”

Hanging up, I continue going over my short notes from the meeting. I barely got to tell her my opening line before she started taking calls and ignoring me. How do I keep someone’s attention?

It’s hard to focus on work when your personal life is all twisted up.

I hate drama. I really do. There should be a screening process and background check done on men before they’re allowed to date someone. All that information should go to the woman considering a relationship. That would be a great way to avoid lunatics like Pete.

“How’d your meeting go?” Kode asks as he walks in, loosening his tie while dropping off his briefcase by the bedroom door.

He apparently has to work late some nights.

“It… went.” That’s all I can stomach divulging. It’s hard to distribute a line of cosmetics when no one will even look over your proposal. Five minutes into the meeting, the woman was standing, making up a lame excuse as to why she was cutting our visit short. Then I was shown out of the office by a very smug secretary who seemed to revel in my misery.

He comes to drop beside me on the bed, and I snuggle over to him. It has been three days since Pete Mercer showed up and rocked my world, but Kode has been amazing. It’d be really easy to get used to seeing him like this.

As his arms slide around me, he tugs me to him. “You want to show me your proposal? I can look it over and see if I can point out anything you might need to adjust for maximum potential.”