Page 32 of Rattle the Cage

“I don’t have to do anything. But I forgive you.”

Her tight knit brows eased into an expression of relief. Her shoulders dropped as a heavy breath escaped her lips. “Thank you.”

Then, she turned to face me, throwing the car into park. “That doesn’t mean I’m done, though. Making it up to you, I mean.”

“Oh I know,” I laughed. “You’ll be doing that for a long while.”

“If I’m lucky.” She smirked.

The engine idled, and so did I. It felt impossible to walk away when she was looking at me with those big gray eyes, begging silently for just one more minute.

But we were already cutting it tight on my shift.

“Don’t look so sad,” I pouted, leaning closer to her across the center console. “Like I said, you’re not getting rid of me that easily this time.”

“Promise?” she grinned, eyes dropping down to my lips.

And before I could think better of it, I pressed forward onto my elbows, closing the gap between us.

Barely had our lips met when Nash’s palm cupped my cheek, fingers teasing the sensitive skin where my neck met my jawline. The kiss was reserved, yet that didn’t stop the spark it created from tingling past my lips and straight through my core.

God, I really have missed Nash.

But before we could get too caught up in the moment, I pulled away, chest heaving as I leaned against the passenger door. “I’ll only be a few hours…”

“I’ll be waiting right here, Sweet Lamb.” The nickname was innocent, but the hunger in her voice was anything but.

If I don’t get out of this car, she’ll eat me alive.

Grabbing my bag, I threw open the door and hopped out of the Cadillac, desperate for some air. The kiss was hardly more than a peck, and yet it sent my whole world off-kilter.

But I hardly had a second to catch my breath before I made eye contact with a whole different kind of problem: Lola, standing by the performers’ door with her eyebrow raised and her arms crossed. “I thought you said you weren’t going back to them?”

19

TESS

“Hey Lola…” Heat crept into my cheeks as I crossed the parking lot toward the door, hefting my duffel bag onto my shoulder.

“Seriously? Gonna try to brush past that like I didn’t just watch you crawl out of that same fucking Cadillac that’s been stalking⁠—”

“Alright, alright. Keep your voice down…” I shot her a look, glancing back at the car before leading the way into Velvet Paradise. “I’m sorry for the white lie.”

Lola let the door slam behind her as she followed me through the hall toward the dressing rooms. “You should be sorry. Why wouldn’t you just tell me?”

I paused, letting the silence speak for itself.

But she just crossed her arms, chin jutted in a challenge to my silence. “What?”

“I didn’t think you’d be happy with me going.” I sighed, pulling my phone from my pocket.

“I’m not happy. And are you seriously texting right now?”

I pressed the last few buttons on my screen before looking up at her. “Check your notifications.”

“Tess—”

“Humor me.” I begged, plopping my bag down next to my seat at the beauty bench. While I got busy pulling out my makeup and hair accessories for the night, I watched Lola through the mirror, waiting for the moment when her jaw would drop and⁠—