“Is it a coincidence you’re all here?” I asked.
Cole cocked one of his honeyed eyebrows up. “Aidan Michaels is as sleazy as they come, Ness.”
“And what? You came to warn me?”
Matt leaned back against the bar. “Yeah. We take care of our own.”
“Your own? I’m not even part of the pack.”
“You could be, if you drop out before Saturday,” Liam said.
“Like I’d ever trust your word.”
“Ouch.” Lucas slapped a hand over his heart.
“Look, thanks for the warning, but I’m fine.”
Liam and Cole hopped off their barstools and walked over to me.
“You will be fine.” The smell of cold cigarettes clung to Cole’s sunburned skin. “If you come back with us.”
“I can’t.”
Liam frowned. “Is he forcing you to be here?”
“No one’s forcing me to do anything, but I can’t leave.”
I tried to step around him to go to the bathroom, but Liam clamped his hand around my bicep. “Whycan’t you leave?”
“Sorry. Did I say can’t? I meant I don’t want to.”
“You can’t hang out with a guy like Aidan Michaels.”
I shrugged Liam off. “No one tells me what I can or can’t do.”
He glowered down at me.
“The dude is sixty and only dates whores and call-girls,” Cole said.
“Maybe that’s why she’s here,” Lucas drawled.
Liam’s eyes widened.
“I’m not a whore,” I snapped.
Lucas raised a cocky grin. “Which leaves call-girl.”
“He’s paying you to be here?” Liam’s voice was dark, as though the shadows crowding his face had creeped down his throat.
“Just leave me alone. All of you. And stop fucking pretending like you have my best interest at heart. None of you do.”
I started toward the bathroom, but Liam grabbed my armAgain.”Do you need money?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“You’re a Boulder wolf, so it is our concern,” Matt said.
“I’m not a Boulder wolf,” I bit back.
“Is there a problem, miss?” the bartender finally asked.
“I’m fine,” I gritted out. Then, to Liam and the other three, I said, “You…all of you…you all better be gone when I come back out.”
“Or what? You’ll throw a tantrum?” Lucas sneered.
“Maybe I will.”
Finally I went to the bathroom. When I was done, they weren’t gone, but at least they were sitting back down. I returned to the table where the waiter had set out a giant chocolate sundae and a thick slice of apple tart topped with cinnamon cream.
“I didn’t know which you’d like, so I ordered both.”
I glowered at the desserts.
“We can order something else if you-”
“No. No. It’s fine. Thank you.” I dunked my spoon into the sundae and took a bite to settle my swishing stomach.
“Are those boys friends of yours?”
My breathing hitched a couple notches.
“I noticed you chatting with them.” He rubbed his ear.
“They’re not friends. Just acquaintances.”
“I own a lot of land and concessions. Money and power attracts detractors.” Even though he smiled, it looked strained…and I felt a twinge of pity for the man who had no friends and no family, just a dog, a couple rifles, and a real estate empire. His smile vanished, and his eyes deepened to navy as he tilted his neck. “If it isn’t Liam Kolane in the flesh.”
My gaze climbed up the length of Liam’s rigid body and then landed on his incendiary glare.
“My deepest condolences,” Aidan continued.
“I’m taking Ness home.”
I cringed at the use of my real name.
“I’ll be the one taking her home.” Aidan reached under the table and crinkled the red silk hem of my dress.
I jerked my knee so hard his hand fell away. Just yuck.