Page 24 of Broken Rules
He chuckles, getting ready again. “You sound like your mother.”
“And what do you suppose she’ll say to you felling in your condition?”
Sucking his teeth, Dad scolds me as I take hold of the handle, then he releases it. “Come late again, and you’ll be drowning in paperwork. Give me my keys.”
I sigh as he walks away, then I get to work. This time of year is perfect weather where the hard ground is the ideal texture to harvest the trees, but being out in the cold while sweating can take its toll on my body. The old man will feel the labor effect in the morning, that’s for sure.
Nine hours later, my knee is throbbing as I step into the mill to punch out, Bones patting my shoulder as he leaves before me. There’s shouting in Dad’s office, Gwyneth standing with her arms crossed.”
“What are you expecting to happen when you pile on so much responsibility? When has he ever been late?”
“All I hear are excuses. None I used when I was Lennox’s age working the field.”
“Have you ever once stopped to listen to him? Give him some slack before he leaves this place behind.”
I turn back to my locker when she strides out of the office, and I sigh while storing away my gear. At least someone’s sticking up for me.
“Lennox, get in here.”
Closing my locker, I stroll to the doorway and lean on the jamb. “Yeah?”
He glances at me from the papers on the desk, applications he wants me to look over. “These two,” he says, sliding two packets in front of the desk. “They start Monday. One is ready for the field, and the other is Jimmy’s son. He needs to brush up on training and will work with you for a while.”
“Why not pick two experienced men?” I already know his answer. He rather his men work the Thomas Hunter way.
“Are we gonna have this conversation?”
“Yes, because that’s what adults do. When people disagree, they discuss the issue to figure out a solution.”
“The solution is you train the man. End of story. Go home and rest so you make it to work on time.”
“Great. Nice talk, Dad,” I say, leaving the office building.
Another autopilot drive home, and I head straight for the guest house, Letting Jinx inside first before stripping my clothes. I hang them on the railing, then walk inside in my underwear, ready for a hot bath to soak my body. Grabbing the bag of peas from the freezer, I head upstairs, running the water until it’s hot enough, and get inside, resting my leg on the side of the tub with the peas on top of my knee. There’s not much more I can do except deal with the pain until it subsides, which after icing and elevation, is relatively quick. Hopefully, that’s the case tonight.
Either way, I’m heading to Vivid Vixens, already securing a timeslot to see Evie at midnight. Even if seeing her this way doesn’t feel right, I can’t help myself—I’m ready to explore more of what she has to offer, but more so, I want to know who she is, what she enjoys in life, to see if her beautiful smile can calm my world of chaos. The anticipation is too much, so I cut my soak short, shower, then leave for my closet while securing a towel around my hips.
Sophisticated is not something I’d call myself, but when an occasion arises, I clean up nicely. I gather black jeans, a form-fitted button-down, and boots, grabbing my red underwear. Why not?Laying each article on my bed, I drop my towel to dress as Jinx watches me from her pillow. If she weren’t a feline, I’d believe she was checking me out, or maybe my dick’s a new toy she’s been plotting to destroy. Either way, I’m not willing to find out.
I leave the top two buttons of my shirt unfastened, then stroll into the bathroom to style the mess on top of my head. Leaning on the counter, I stare at myself for a moment, my mind running a hundred miles a second. Evie’s a knockout, easily the best-looking woman I’ve ever come across…am I even in her league?
“Don’t start that bullshit, Lex. Get the girl.”
With one quick nod to myself, I blow out a sharp breath, fix my collar, then grab my leather jacket before heading to the front door. Jinx is a step behind me as we make our way toward the cabin, going our separate ways. It amazes me the routine we’ve fallen into, and I’m glad she continues to hang with me.
Same route, but one I look forward to driving. I pay my fee to enter the building and take a seat at the spot I sat yesterday, the entrance to the dressing room only a few feet away. My time with Evie isn’t for another two hours, but nothing a few beers won’t help pass.
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair comes to the bar with a tray in hand, placing it on the counter. “Hey, Gin, can I get two rum and cokes, a vodka cranberry, and a tall domestic. The customer said it doesn’t matter which brand.”
She sits next to me while waiting, her bright blue eyes widen when they meet mine, and she quickly leaves toward the other end of the bar. I furrow my brows, watching as she gnaws on her bottom lip, bouncing on her feet as she waits.
It doesn’t take Gin long to fill the order, placing each drink on the tray, and the brunette carefully carries them away as Sadie watches her from across the room. The woman glances back just as Sadie waves at me. I do the same before facing forward, and Gin’s leaning on the bar in front of me.
“Whatever’s on tap?”
“And keep them coming,” I say, resting back on the stool.
I’m not interested in watching the main floor, but I glance around the room at the dancers spread around talking to patrons. One woman is performing on the main stage with men seated in each chair surrounding her. Does Evie work in each area, or is her job upstairs, and the aerial performance? I can quickly gather the answers to questions from anyone in the room, but I would rather she gives me the details about her life. She chooses how much and how little information she wants people to know.
