Page 33 of Bourbon Deceit
Francy patted her shoulder then looked at me. “You scored yourself a hot piece of ass, Jett. Don’t fuck it up.”
“Yeah, don’t fuck it up,” Babs repeated as she pushed my shoulder.
“Or we will fuck you up,” Pepper added. They all started to come at me like a little blonde mafia, besides Francy, looking to kill.
I held my hands up. “I may have chosen Goldie but that doesn’t mean you ladies can get out of control. Know your roles,” I said with a smirk.
All the girls’ mouths fell open as Kace threw his head back and laughed behind everyone. I couldn’t help it, I let out a little chuckle as well. They were too easy.
“You’re lucky you’re on your way out,” Babs said.
“Give him hell, Lo,” Francy added.
I looked down at Goldie, who was looking up at me with a devilish glint in her eye.
Without taking my eyes off her, I said, “I have no doubt in my mind that she won’t.” A small smile spread across her face as I grabbed her hand again. “Time to go.” I turned to the girls and gave them all a wink. “Night, ladies. Don’t get too drunk tonight.”
Walking away, Pepper said, “Don’t worry about us, Lo is the one with the drunken craziness.”
God help the men out on the streets tonight, because as their jean-clad asses walked away from me, I knew they were about to cause hell.
I led Goldie out to the waiting limo and held the door open for her. I watched as she hiked up her dress so she could climb in. The slight movement brought the slit up to a dangerous height and the mere thought of what she was hiding underneath had me itching to ditch the event and take her back upstairs.
Fuck me, this was going to be a long night.
I slid in next to her and shut the door. The driver pulled forward as Goldie leaned into my shoulder and rested her head on my chest. I wasn’t used to being comfortably intimate with someone but I liked the way she felt against me so I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, allowing her to bury herself deeper into my side.
“Thank you for taking me tonight,” she said, with sincerity in place of her usual spunk.
I kissed the top of her head and played with a strand of her hair. “I’m glad I was able to pull my head out of my ass and realize I needed you.”
She nuzzled my chest and said, “Please don’t ever stop saying that.”
We sat in silence holding on to each other as the streets of New Orleans passed us by. I should feel weird, I should want to distance myself but right now, in this moment, I knew I’d made the right choice. I just hoped it didn’t backfire on me. I wasn’t strong enough to get my heart ripped out of my chest again. I liked to pretend I was a strong man and nothing affected me but deep down, I was a hurting son of a bitch with a black hole where my heart should be.
* * *
“I’m not goingto lie, I’m nervous,” Goldie whispered into my ear as we rode up an elevator to the top floor, where the party was taking place.
Trying to still her shaking hand, I whispered into her ear, “Don’t be nervous, I won’t leave your side.”
“I just have to stand tall, remember not to fucking swear, and make sure to keep my chin even.”
“Don’t overthink it, little one. You’ll be just fine.” I kissed the top of her head, kind of liking the whole affection thing. “Just be yourself.”
She looked at me and gave me that “You’re kidding me” look. I shrugged my shoulders and said, “I like you the way you are.”
“Yeah, well, you have a special taste for trash . . .”
Trash? That’s unacceptable.
Anger spoiled my jovial mood from her insult. I pinned her against the wall of the elevator and got right in her face.
I spoke through my teeth as I tried to contain the anger that was spilling out of me.
“I will not repeat myself, if you ever call yourself trash again, or degrade yourself in front of me, I promise you this, you won’t like the consequences. Do you understand me?”
She gulped and nodded her head.
