Broken but Breathing(Jinx Tattoos Book 2)(27)

Snake grunted. "If you can see that, how about you come back later?"

"Wish I could, boss man. I'm simply delivering a message. Mike called  church. If you look for your phone I think you'll find it's dead."

"Shit. What time?"

"As soon as you get your ass there," Kali drawled with a sweet smile.

"Fine. Sprite, I gotta hit the road. I'm going to take a quick shower and get out of here."

She sighed. "Okay."

"Don't worry, I'll stay behind and help you with this spread," Kali said  as she entered the kitchen. "Heart shaped bacon? How cliché are you?"

"Shut up," Es mumbled.

Kali watched Snake leave and turned to Es. "Is it safe to say this thing is official?"

Es grinned. "Yes."

They jumped up and down like teens, and she couldn't stop the giggles that spilled from her lips.

"I have been waiting forever for this. I win the pool," Kali exclaimed.

"What pool?" Es asked.

"The one I have going with a few of the guys about when you guys would get your heads out of your asses and get together."

"Kali!"

"What? It was painful watching you two dance around each other," Kali remarked.

"There's nothing wrong with taking things slow. It was the right choice for us."

"There's going slow, and then there's stalling. You were in the stalling phase."

Es held her tongue. Kali spoke the truth. She could debate her, but the  woman would call her out. She'd never had a friend who was so honest; it  took some getting used to. Snake reappeared in a pair of jeans that  hugged his frame, a black T-shirt, and his cut.         

     



 

"Be back when I can," he murmured against her lips before he kissed her  hard and thoroughly. Her leg lifted behind her, and she sighed as he  pulled away. Kali laughed as Es watched Snake leave dreamily.

"You are so gone."

"Yeah, I am. It snuck up on me," she said.

"Are you still going to work at Rain now that you're shagging the boss?" Kali asked with a mock English accent.

"Wait, I'm what?"

"Crap? He didn't tell you?"

"No," Es snapped, crossing her arms beneath her chest.

"Ugh. He owns, Rain, babe."

"What! So the entire interview process was bull?"

"No, if I didn't like you or think you could hack it, I wouldn't have hired you," Kali stated.

Es believed her, but still. Embarrassed, she turned away from her  friend's kind gaze. All this time she thought she'd been making huge  strides forward and becoming independent had been nothing more than a  lie. He'd been in control of her destiny. She scowled.

"Hey, he was helping out a friend and his business. We did need a new bartender."

"I don't doubt it. But he should've told me. You can't defend his way out of this."

"You're right. Of course, we both know men are giant idiots. So don't hold it against him too much," Kali said.

We'll be talking about this later. Shaking her head, Es forced a smile.  "I refuse to let him ruin our breakfast. Sit down I'll dish it up."

§

She was dressed for work when Snake showed up looking tired and stressed. She bit the inside of her cheek. Maybe I should wait.

"Did you have a good day, Sprite?" he asked. Sinking down beside her on  the couch, he wrapped an arm around her waist, but she remained stiff.

"It was enlightening," she drawled.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

That you're in trouble. "Were you ever going to tell me you owned Rain?"

"Fucking, Kali," he mumbled.

"No, don't put this on her. She assumed you had told me by now. I'm wondering why you didn't."

"Because I knew you'd be upset," he said, sighing.

"You knew how important it was to me to make my own way and gain independence. I thought I'd earned that job fair and square."

"Sprite, you did."

"Oh, bullshit. Like they wanted to piss you off."

"If you haven't learned it by now, Kali doesn't give a damn who she makes angry."

Es huffed. "You should've told me."

"Maybe. But then what?"

"We'll never know now. That's the problem. I know it seems silly, but I  always thought you were the one person who'd always be blunt with me. I  get that there are things you can't discuss. But when it came to our  relationship you were forthcoming and real. It's part of the reason I  wanted to take things to the next level. Now I'm wondering what else you  lied about."

"Hey, I didn't lie."

"No, you omitted, dangerously close to the real thing in this case."

"If I had told you the truth it would've impacted your decision one way  or the other. I wanted to give you a chance to choose with no  distractions."

"It's so pretty when you spin it like that."

"I get that you're pissed. I'll take your anger. What I won't let you do  is blow this out of proportion. I'm always going to do what's best for  you. I won't apologize for that."

"Even if it means hiding things from me?" she asked.

"Yes. There are things you won't be in the loop on. You're a smart woman, I know you realized that."

"We're not talking about Club business. We're talking about us."

"They're one in the same. I can't draw a line in the sand and pick and choose. I am the Club, and the Club is me."

"Why are we off topic?"

"Because I need to know if you can handle this. You're about to fly off the handle over one small detail I glazed over."

"It wasn't small! Which you know, or you would've told me."

"Did it work out?"

"That's not the point."

His jaw ticked. "You happy at Rain?"

"Of course I am. I love it there."

"So what's the problem? I apologize for keeping my ownership to myself. I  thought it was best at the time, and it didn't really come up later."

She shook her head. If she let this go would it continue? Did being with  him mean accepting whatever he thought was best at every turn? "I need  to be allowed to make my own decisions, good or bad. I want it all laid  out in front of me. I know we're going to disagree and hit snags, but  this feels too much like a manipulation. I won't do it again."         

     



 

"Now who isn't willing to give? Neither of us can toss down ultimatums.  I'll try to meet you in the middle. I'm not used to being questioned. I  take care of things the way I see fit."

"Not anymore," she said, standing firm.

"We can-"

His phone rang, interrupting his response, and she growled.

"I have to take this, it's the lawyer."

She waved her hand.

"Hey Arbuckle. You do? Yeah, I can come in right now. This is good news,  right? Well, let's hope so." He hung up and she studied him  expectantly.

"They want to talk negotiations for Jocelyn."

"Go, I need to get to work anyway."

"Are we okay?" Snake inquired.

"We will be. Just … think about what I said, okay?"

He nodded. "It's an adjustment for me, too, Sprite."

"I know," she said softly. This would be a part of their day-to-day. Can  I handle this? Things had been calm recently. But it wouldn't always  be. Reality poked a hole in the bubble of fantasy she'd been living in.

§

Snake

Nerves had him on edge as he pulled into Arbuckle's offices. This was  the first time they'd heard anything from the Miles. It would set the  precedence for how things would proceed. He was grateful that Joc landed  with a nice family. The things he'd imagined her living through were  straight off the ID Channel. Now, he had to deal with the complications  that came with a substantial amount of money. We have the upper hand.  They purchased her illegally. No judge would rule in their favor. Unless  they're on the payroll. Money had the ability to make the impossible  possible. He wouldn't lose her a second time. Walking his bike into a  parking space, he got off and hurried into the small brick building.

Arbuckle's secretary greeted him with a smile. The fifty-something women  with coal black hair, heavy make-up, and a tight black T-shirt that  showed her expensive cleavage always gave the impression she was on the  prowl.

"Good evening, Mr. Kolton," she purred.

"Evening."

"You can go back," she said, leaning forward.

He nodded and hurried through the small waiting room.

"Snake, come on in," Arbuckle said.

He walked in and shut the door behind them. Sinking into the  coal-colored chair he tried not to squirm. Something about the older man  behind the desk and the set-up reminded him of being called into the  principal's office in high school.

"You heard something from them?"

"Yes. They had their lawyer send back a letter requesting a DNA sample. Which I anticipated."

"You think I should do it?"

"Yes. Once we have the proof, it'll open up the playing field. Right now you could be some whacko after a chunk of their money."

"You think they actually believe that?" Snake asked, leaning back into his chair.