she was that brutal to you the first time, you should want nothing to do with her.”
Low shouts goodbye as she heads toward the door to meet up with Levi, and I offer a brief wave.
Brody speeds over from the back and lands next to Teagan, looking as if someone just threatened to stick a Roman candle up his boxers.
“Dude”—he rubs his eyes so hard I’m half-afraid he’s about to gouge them out—“I just got off the phone with Les—the accountant? He says I need to reconcile every single receipt we’ve produced for the last year. He says we’re inches from a big messy IRS audit. I’m going to have to comb through acres of spreadsheets just to make sure nothing stands out. There’s no way I’m going to have time to do all that and run the bar.”
“What about Levi?” I should probably feel worse for playing puppet master—for even suggesting Levi since I’ve ensured he won’t have a free moment before his wedding, but I don’t. Lex is here, and I’m about to move heaven and earth to make sure I can spend as much time with her as possible.
“Are you kidding?” Brody glances to Teagan with an apologetic nod before continuing. “He’s checked out until after the honeymoon. It’s you and me, and we both know that means it’s just me. Dude, I don’t think I can do this without hiring a manager until this bull blows over.”
“Don’t do that.” I put on my sincerest concerned face. Teagan can read me like a book, and I’m pretty sure I have a ten second window to say my peace before she blows my cover. “I’ll step in. I want to. This place is just as much mine as it is yours. You get creative with the numbers or whatever it is you need to do, and I’ll mop the floors, get the schedule done, and put in the orders—heck, I might even spit shine a toilet or two.”
“You’d do that?” Brody looks equal parts concerned and floored by my generosity.
“Hell yes. Consider it done.” A familiar looking face walks in and heads straight over to Lex—my brother, Shep. “In fact, I’ll start right now. Shep just walked in. I’ll have him drive Teagan back when we’re through here.”
“Sweet.” Brody offers up a knuckle bump before heading back to his office.
“My, my”—Teagan sings while nonchalantly inspecting Shep and Lex at the bar—“looks as if all the cards are falling into place for you. Levi’s so busy with his wedding, and poor Brody seems completely overwhelmed with a looming audit of apocalyptic proportions. Funny how you didn’t offer to sic the Collins’ accountants on this mess and clean it up in one fell swoop.” She picks at her chipped nail polish, pretending to be bored—a dangerous, dangerous thing when it comes to my sister. “So tell me, big bro—was Shep a part of the plan, too, or did his flirtatious moves just throw a wrench in your sexual scheme?”
Lex and Shep burst out into laughter as if they heard—as if they didn’t care at all what Teagan and I were discussing. Lex is glowing, and my brother shines in her light. No, I don’t like this at all.
I hop up and head over, tapping my brother over the shoulder hard like a threat. “Teagan needs to speak with you.” I nod my head that way, and he rolls his eyes before taking off.
“Shep and I were just having a lively conversation,” Lex spits the words out, and I can’t stop staring at those fuchsia pink lips. Her eyes needle into mine with venom, issuing a warning all their own. “You don’t get to dictate who and when I can speak to someone.”
I take a step in, closing the gap between us, the heat from her body warming mine, that burnt vanilla musk she wears so prolifically teases my senses, and I’m right back there—as if the past six years never happened, and I crave to have her in the very worst way.
“I can dictate exactly who you speak to within this establishment. I can dictate the hours you show up and the hours you leave. I can dictate a lot of things, Lexy.” She flinches as if I struck her. “Brody and Levi are taking a little break from The Sloppy Pelican.” A careful smile tugs at my lips. “Meet your new boss. It’s me.”
Triple XXX Threat
Lex
My boss?
I glower up at Axel for a good long minute. I’ve found that