“Duh. I was there, silly. I saw everything. You were amaz—”

“Jace said he never saw you.”

Dammit. That rat bastard. This is what I get for rooting for him and Dylan…even when he was an asshole to her.

“That’s because he didn’t…I didn’t sit with him. It was so packed.”

“There was an empty seat right next to him and Dylan.”

I open my mouth to tell him the truth, but I can’t.

I told Oakley I’d keep his secret, and I’m not the type of person who goes back on her word.

I’ll just have to track Oakley down and have him tell Scott that I’m spilling the beans to Cole.

In the meantime, I have to tell a little white lie.

“I’m sorry, Cole. My boss called me into work the second I got to the game. There was an emergency and—”

“Why didn’t you just tell me that?”

“I should have,” I admit. “I just didn’t want you to be mad.”

“I’m not mad at you, Sawyer. Disappointed you didn’t come…sure. But I get it. Your boss is a dick.”

“Trust me, you have no idea.”

“What time do you get off?”

“Huh? Oh, you mean work…right. Eleven. Why?”

“Want to go to Christian’s with me later? I can pick you up. Or…we can do something else if you want.” I start to answer him, but then he says, “I don’t mean sex. Although I wouldn’t mind sex. I just want to see you…I don’t give a fuck what we do.”

Hold the phone. “Was that your way of asking me out on a date?”

“Maybe.” He clears his throat. “Actually, you know what? It fucking was. Got a problem with it, Church?”

“I can’t seem to think of one, Covington.”

“Good. I’ll see you at eleven.”

With that, he hangs up the phone.

Chapter 44

Cole

“Where are we going?” Bianca questions from the passenger seat. “Our house is the opposite way, idiot.”

Clenching my hand around the steering wheel, I glare at her. “I’m not going to our house, moron.”

She lets out an irritated sigh. “Whatever. I didn’t agree to be taken hostage tonight, so drop me off at home.”

She’s been in an even bitchier mood than usual lately.

“My car…my rules. Besides, it will only take five minutes. I’m just making a pit stop at Sawyer’s work.”

“Why?”

“I…”

Why am I going to her job?

Oh, that’s right. Because I want to steal her away for five minutes and kiss her face off…amongst other things.

“I’m in the mood for some chicken.”

And by chicken…I mean burying my face in her tits and pussy again.

At that, Bianca laughs. “Right.” Another sigh. “God, you’re so sprung.”

“Am not. Shut the fuck up.”

She snorts. “Wow, you’ve got it bad.” Her expression changes from humorous to serious. “It’s okay, you know. Truth be told, I actually think it’s kind of awesome. I’ve known you my whole life and I’ve never seen you so…” Her voice trails off.

I side-eye her. “What?”

“Happy.”

I grit my teeth. “Whatever.”

“Whatever me all you want, but you like her.”

“She’s not my type,” I argue, knowing there’s not an ounce of truth to it. She’s exactly my type. “We’re complete opposites.”

“You know what they say about that.”

I make a sharp left turn. “She’s annoying.”

She cackles. “So are you.”

“It’s not real.”

“You and I both know that’s bullshit.”

I hate it when she’s right.

We spend the next few minutes in silence.

I should have taken it as a sign this was a bad idea the moment I walked in and saw him at the counter.

Stone DaSilva.

Tommy’s little brother.

Beside me, Bianca tenses up. “I didn’t know she worked with him.”

Me either.

You’d think she would have said something.

Granted, it’s Stone, not Tommy.

Not that it matters…much.

They still have the same venomous killer blood pumping through their system.

The look on his face when he spots us tells me he doesn’t like us being here any more than we like seeing him.

He throws his towel on the counter. “What do you want?”

“Wow,” Bianca says mockingly. “You’d think we weren’t welcome here.”

“You’re not.”

Bianca looks at me. “You know, I’m a little insulted by his lack of hospitality.”

Me too.

“Who says we’re not welcome, dipshit?” Snorting, I look around. “Your family eats cockroaches for dinner. I highly doubt you own this place.”

His jaw works. “If you’re looking for Tommy, he left town.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re not looking for that murdering piece of fucking shit.” Bianca knocks over a pitcher of water. “Isn’t it?”

He folds his arms across his chest. “Look, I highly doubt a bunch of rich prissies like you are here for the food, so why don’t you just cut to the chase.”

“We’re here to see his girlfriend.” Bianca flutters her fingers. “So why don’t you be a good little bitch and run along and get Sawyer for us.”

He barks out a laugh. “No, seriously. Why the fuck are you here?”

I lean in. “Did she stutter, asshole?”

“Nah, man.” He winks. “That was your brother, remember?”

Anger brews in the pit of my stomach and I fist the collar of his shirt. “You have about two seconds to tell me where the fuck my girlfriend is before I break your teeth on this countertop.”

Coughing, he chokes out, “Sawyer isn’t here.”

“Bullshit,” I seethe, tightening my grip.

Sawyer doesn’t lie.

“It’s true,” he insists. “I usually work in the back, but she asked me to cover her shift tonight so she could go to the football game at her school.”

Bianca makes a face. “On second thought…he’s right. Sawyer was definitely at the game.”

“No, she wasn’t. She told me she got called into work.”

She holds up a finger. “I’ll be right back…I just need to make a quick phone call.”

She runs outside before I can stop her.

What the hell is going on?

Why the fuck would Sawyer lie to me?

“No!” some older man with a broom in his hand shouts. “You out. Now!”

Releasing my hold on Stone, I turn to look at him. “I’m sorry, pal. Who the fuck are you?”

He stomps his foot. “This is my place.”

It all hits me in one big wave.

Bianca telling me about Sawyer and her boss.