All Souls' Night - Renee Rose Page 0,240

is right?

I duck under the bar. “I’ll be right back.”

Roxy whistles, egging me on as I navigate toward the coat check area. My pulse pounds in my ears. I reach his side and my throat dries up.

Armando smiles and I forget my name.

“Hi.” Did I just squeak? I clear my throat, and my words rush out in one breath. “I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me sometime.” Please don’t ask me to say that again!

His brown eyes darken, and he smirks. “What do you have in mind?”

Armando is a tsunami and I’m happy to drown in his presence. My mouth waters as I imagine those broad shoulders hovering over me in bed. And those lips. Are they as soft as they look?

I’m on my tiptoes, closing the distance, when my senses return, and I back off.

His hands slide to my hips and he drags me closer. His mouth brushes against mine like a whisper. Just enough to ignite a fire in my body.

I moan when his erection presses against my abdomen. He releases me and I stumble. The room spins, and I’m aching for more.

Oh, shit. He asked me a question, didn’t he? “H-how about dinner?” I swallow and lick my lower lip, hoping to get another taste of him.

He cups my face and runs his thumb over my cheek. “Sunday night?”

My head bobs. “Perfect. I’m off that night.”

He smiles. “Yes. I know.”

I run away before he can change his mind.

I messed up the Moscow Mule on my last order, and now I’m knocking over glasses. Shake it off, Z. It was hardly even a kiss. And yet that doesn’t matter one bit, does it? I’m floating on air because he didn’t reject me and send me away with my tail between my legs. Roxy was right. Once again, my eyes wander to the coat closet. I drink in every inch of Armando’s tanned six feet. God, the man is gorgeous.

Armando’s smile is contagious, no matter how hard I try to suppress it. Sighing, I force myself to pay attention to the beer I’m pouring.

A creeping and familiar persona taunts me from the corner of my gaze, and I snap it toward the man sitting at the end of the bar. My heart stops, and ice courses through my veins. Oh, Jesus. How did he find me? How did he fucking find me?

My butt slams into the register behind me. Those chilling blue eyes lock onto my face and that evil grin twists his mouth. One whole year has passed, and I dared to hope he’d forgotten about me and finally moved on. Apparently not.

Phil lifts his Old Fashioned in a silent toast, his dark blue silk shirt bragging his wealth. His spiked blond hair and confident demeanor grate on my every last nerve. I resist the urge to claw his eyes out, knowing full well I’ll be the one to go to jail for assault. Never mind the fact that this creep has been stalking me for six years, and police won’t do a fucking thing about it. When money talks, people shut up and listen.

Goddamnit! I fight the tears stinging the backs of my eyes. This monster has ruined my life.

How the hell did he follow us from New Orleans? And, how the fuck does he keep finding me? My heart beats against my ribcage like a sledgehammer. Keep your shit together, Z! My soul plummets into the abyss. I can’t stay at Club Toxic. For that alone, I want to slit his throat. I finally worked up the nerve to ask Armando out, and now I have to leave.

The music pounds me into the floor. The walls seem to shrink. I can’t breathe. My eyes search for Armando, Theo, Maximus, Augustus. I glance at Phil, and that smug smile reminds me I’m trapped… once again. He’s doing nothing. He’s a customer having a drink. He’s done no crime. At least, not right this minute. It doesn’t matter that he broke my jaw and I filed a police report. Phil knows people in high places, and the charges were mysteriously dropped. No one arrested him. And I had to pay for the hospital bills.

And move.

And try to restart my life.

And he came after me again. And again.

Here we are, full circle, dancing that same clumsy waltz of hide and seek.

I scream inside. Poor Karina, the only family I have left in this world. She always gets caught in the middle. She’s always moved with