now or I’m calling the cops.” Then she narrowed her eyes at Sloane. “O’Sheas aren’t welcome here.”
“Fucking hell,” I muttered and reached for my wallet. Tossing enough cash on the table to cover the food and a generous tip, I got to my feet and walked outside with Sloane following closely behind me. I came to a stop beside her car and turned to face her. “Shall we continue this elsewhere?”
“I’m not sure what else there is to continue,” she retorted.
“There’s plenty to continue, and you know it.”
16
I placed my balled hands on my hips and demanded, “Did you cheat on someone when you slept with me?”
“Not a cheater, Sloane. Never have been, never will be,” he said with such conviction I believed him.
Exhaling slowly, he looked to the sky for a few seconds. “I’m not having it out with you in another parking lot. We can finish this in my hotel room unless you have another suggestion.”
I laughed derisively. “I’m not going back to your hotel room with you. Been there, done that.”
“No, Sweet Sloane, I’m the one who’s been there and done that,” he said in a tone that had tingles shooting through me.
I rolled my eyes. “Semantics,” I quipped. “Where’re you staying?”
“The Cherry Tree.”
Frustrated, I ran my hands over my face and sighed. My curiosity was going to win out, and there was nothing I could do about it. I knew going back to his hotel wasn’t the smartest decision, but he was right in front of me. And I desperately wanted to know what else he could tell me about Paige. “I know where that is. Let’s go get your bike, and I’ll meet you there.”
With that, he got into the driver’s seat and drove us back to the parking garage. “Are you okay to drive now?” he asked.
“Stone cold sober,” I admitted. When he continued to scrutinize me, I huffed and recited the alphabet backward. “Happy now?”
“Um, did you just have a stroke? Should I call one of your brothers?”
“It’s a field sobriety test. Or it used to be,” I laughed. “When I was four years old, my grandmother told me I needed to know how to say the alphabet backward, just in case. It wasn’t until I was much older that I realized the reason behind it.”
“It’s impressive. I don’t think I know anyone who could do that sober, let alone drunk.”
“Which is exactly why it’s no longer used as a field sobriety test. At least, I don’t think it is,” I said and gestured for him to get out of my car.
He shook his head and opened the door. “I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
“Okey dokey,” I acknowledged as I carefully climbed over the console and into the driver’s seat, magically managing to keep from showing my good girl to the world.
On the short drive to the swanky hotel downtown, I tried to gather my thoughts. So much had already been said, and I knew there was more to come. I just couldn’t fathom what else there could possibly be.
He didn’t send his brother to threaten me.
He didn’t ghost me.
He had a baby.
My phone ringing through my car’s stereo scared the living shit out of me, yet again.
“Frankie!” I shouted.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing. The phone ringing scared me.”
“Really? What’re you doing?”
I scrunched my nose. I wasn’t going to lie to her, but I decidedly did not want to tell her what I was doing. Because she was going to tell me how stupid I was being, and I was in a place where I didn’t want to listen to reason.
“Going to The Cherry Tree to finish talking to Bronze,” I admitted.
“What?! Have you lost your mind?”
“We went to a diner downtown to talk, but a waitress recognized me when we started arguing. ‘O’Sheas aren’t welcome here,’” I mocked. “So, we’re going somewhere else. But let me tell you this real quick before we get there. I played the recording you sent of me and his brother—thank you again for doing that—and Frankie, I wish you could’ve seen his face. I wholeheartedly believe he didn’t know anything about what his brother did.”
“Okay, then why did he ghost you?”
“I don’t know the whole story. That’s when the waitress kicked us out.”
“Tell me the half-story, Demon!”
“He had a baby!” I blurted.
“Men can’t have babies, Sloane. Try again.”
“That’s all he said. ‘I had a fucking baby!’ Then Cunty McCunterson showed up. I’m going to find out which one of my brothers fucked her over and kick his ass.