Something unpleasant flipped my stomach over and I glanced quickly at Ellie. She was frowning at Braden and then scowling at Adam, brushing off his hand and striding off after Braden who had managed to convince some people sitting around a table to squeeze further along the leather couch so he, his mystery girl, Ellie and Adam could sit down.
Everyone slid onto the couch except Ellie who was now glaring daggers at them all. Adam said something to her. Ellie shook her head, looking extremely pissed off now, and Adam’s face darkened. Like a whip, his hand came out and wrapped around her arm, yanking her down beside him. She struggled to get away from him, but his arm slid around her waist, his hand on her hip—a seemingly casual gesture but his hold was clearly strong and whatever he whispered in her ear made her stop struggling.
It didn’t remove the stony look on her face.
Worried, my eyes drifted to Braden, but he hadn’t seen any of this. He was too busy chatting with the brunette.
Quickly, I turned away, completely unprepared for the rush of blood in my ears and the tightness in my chest.
I honestly didn’t know where I stood with this guy. One minute he was giving me ‘sex eyes’ and the next he wouldn’t even acknowledge my presence. Well, I wasn’t going to let him get to me. I served my customer and looked over at Alistair. “I’ve seen some friends. Can you guys handle the bar while I get them drinks?”
“Sure thing.”
Ignoring the butterflies in my belly, I headed out onto the floor, stupidly thanking my boss for the sexy tank top he made me wear. If I had to be a little bit sweaty and held up for comparison to the brunette in the shimmery shift dress, then at least I was going to do it knowing I made that tank look good.
As I approached, Ellie’s glacier expression melted and she smiled up at me, relieved to see me.
“Hey guys,” I announced myself loudly to be heard over the music. “Can I get you drinks?”
“Oh no need,” Adam told me with a smile, “Darren is getting us some.” He pointed behind me and I turned around to see a tall, clean-cut red-head waiting to push his way through the crowds to the bar.
I frowned in question. “Darren?”
“My husband.”
The answer came from the brunette and I looked over at her in surprise, my eyes washing over her sitting next to Braden, my brain trying to make the picture in front of me and what she had just said make sense. I caught Braden’s gaze and he gave me a cool smirk, like he knew I had assumed she was one of his Barbies. “This is Donna. She’s Darren’s wife. Darren is the manager of Fire.”
Oh.
Well I felt sheepish.
And then I caught Braden’s eye again and his smile deepened.
Ellie’s suspicions from earlier played around in my brain. Well, just so you know, I get the impression he’s planning something.
God damn him! He wanted me to think Donna was his date. He wanted to see relief spark in my eyes when I realized she wasn’t. And God damn me, because I’d given him it.
“Nice to meet you.” I nodded at her. “I’ll send your husband back over because he’ll be standing there forever. I’ll get your drinks order from him and bring it over.”
“Thanks, Joss.” Ellie smiled wanly up at me.
I frowned, hating to see her so uncomfortable. I reached out and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, noting Adam’s hand still clamped firmly on her hip. I shot him a look of warning over the top of Ellie’s head that made his brow pucker in confusion. Ignoring Braden and whatever game he was up to now, I sashayed back over to Darren, introduced myself and sent him back to the others once I had the drinks memorized.
“He’s back,” Craig said in my ear, leaning around me as he shook a cocktail mix.
“Who?”
“That guy that Jo was going on about for ages after he was in here.”
“Braden.” I nodded, looking up at him. I hadn’t realized how close he was standing, our faces inches apart. “Jo wanted to make him her next sugar daddy.”
“From the feel of the daggers embedded in my back, I’d say he was interested in being someone else’s sugar daddy.”
I pulled back, rolling my eyes. “I don’t need a sugar daddy, Craig.”
Craig shot a look back over at Braden. “He bothers me. Last time he was in here he stared at you like he owned you, and tonight is no different. Something going on with you two?”
“Not a thing. I told you—I don’t need a sugar daddy.”