Page 57 of Beautiful Killer

Lulu started giggling. “Hunter looks seconds away from throwing me over his shoulder and dragging me home.”

“He better not!” Ruby cried. “No way am I ready to leave yet.”

That’s when I noticed Ruby and Lulu’s partners against the wall not far from us. Well then, that explained why we weren’t getting harassed. Lulu turned and gave Hunter a finger wave. The guy smirked then gave her a look that made me actually blush. Ruby on the other hand put some extra swing in her hips and looked at Neco over her shoulder. Neco did not smirk, he smoldered.

Jealousy struck out of nowhere. And I realized that I wanted someone to look at me like that, even after all my shitty luck. I wanted a man to scare away other men and promise dirty things with his eyes. Someone to share my day with and cuddle on the couch. To hold hands. Laugh. Kiss.

I’d convinced myself that wasn’t for me, and I’d been lying to myself. I wanted all of it.

And I wanted it with Zeke.

My heart started thumping hard. I couldn’t let myself feel that way. I just couldn’t, for my own sanity. But it was too late, wasn’t it?

Which was bad news for me, because besides taking Julia to her new place, he was back to his routine of arriving in the middle of the night, leaving early, making sure I didn’t mistake what we were doing for anything more than it was.

I pushed it out of my mind, refusing to think about it, and focused on the music.

About half an hour later, another couple of guys approached, moving in close, wide smiles on their faces, one of them leaned in to say something to me then glanced over my shoulder and his smile dropped, eyes kind of widening. He straightened and his elbow shot out, catching his friend, then his gaze shot over my shoulder. The pair of them backed up and were gone a second later. I smirked at Lulu and Ruby opposite me. “Which one of your badasses scared them off this time?”

Ruby’s eyes were locked on something behind me and Lulu’s were kind of wide. “Not ours,” she said. “Yours.”

I stopped dancing. “What?”

A small smile curled up Ruby’s lips. “It was your badass, not ours.”

I turned slowly, and sucked in a sharp breath. Standing against the wall with Hunter and Neco was Zeke. His eyes were locked on me, and they weren’t just smoldering, they were on fire. The heat from them burning me alive. My belly flip-flopped. Holy hell. I had no idea what to do, so offered him a tentative smile. His expression didn’t change, stayed impossibly intense. God, he was beautiful. Terrifying. Sexy as hell.

A faster song started and Lulu grabbed my hand, pulling me out of my daze.

“Don’t even think about it,” Ruby said. “No sneaking off to bone. The night is young.”

I was painfully aware of Zeke behind me after that, could feel his eyes on me, blazing over my skin, heating me up. Was he as affected as I was? As turned on as me? I loved every minute. Let myself pretend that this was my life. That Zeke was mine, that these women were my best friends, that there would be more nights like this in the future. It was frightening how happy I felt just from allowing that fantasy.

I knew it was a bad idea, entertaining these thoughts. It was only going to hurt more when my case was solved and Zeke moved on, when Lulu and Ruby went back to their lives. But I couldn’t help it. I wanted to pretend, just for a little while longer.

It was after midnight when Hunter finally came over and led Lulu out of the club. I felt butterflies as Neco and Zeke walked toward Ruby and I. We were sleeping together, we’d gotten closer when I stayed at his place, but he wasn’t mine, despite spending the night pretending otherwise. So I didn’t know what to do when they reached our sides. I wanted to lean into him, wrap my arms around him like Ruby did Neco, but I couldn’t do that.

So I turned to him and offered a wide smile. “Hey.”

He didn’t smile, he lifted a hand, curled his fingers around the back of my neck and tugged me into his side. “Ready to go?” he said.

My pulse picked up speed. “Yes.”

He heard me over the music, or at least read my lips, because his eyes were locked on my mouth. Ruby gave me a quick hug and Neco gave Zeke a chin lift then we were walking through the club. I was so distracted, so aware of the man beside me, I stumbled over my own feet before we reached the door. Zeke growled, grabbing me around the waist, hauled me against him, and kept on walking.

He led me to his truck and opened the door for me. I climbed up. Zeke rounded the front and climbed in beside me.

I turned to him. “You didn’t need to come pick me up.” I fumbled with my seatbelt and he growled again, pushed my hands out of the way, and did it for me.

He started the truck and pulled out. “I went to your place, you weren’t there.”

I frowned at his tone. “I didn’t think . . .”

“I told you I was coming over this morning, Sunny.”

Huh.Was he actually pissed off at me? “Are you angry?” I asked, because I sure as hell couldn’t figure this man out and I guessed just straight out asking was my best bet.

He glanced at me. “I was worried out of my fucking mind when I got there and the place was empty. You weren’t at the shop and you didn’t answer your phone.”