Page 7

That is, until a loud laugh booms from behind me, grating on my nerves. Hawke walks up the stairs with a woman. Of course, he has a woman with him. Does that man ever not have a woman with him?
I doubt it.
Instead of going to his usual booth farther back in the open room that looks over the rest of the club, he heads straight over to us.
“No fucking in front of my wife,” Eli growls as he walks past.
Hawke simply laughs as he throws an arm around the woman he’s with. I can’t hear his smart-ass reply as he scans the booth, but before he looks at anyone else, his gaze stops on me. I haven’t seen him since his assholery interrupted my date.
I straighten my back and offer him a smile, even though we both know it’s anything but friendly. He always sees it as a game; I enjoy it just as much. I don’t like it when he has one up on me. His arrogant smile kicks up as if reading my thoughts, and his hand drops from the woman he’s with as he stops in front of me. I maintain eye contact because I refuse to show any type of submission to this asshole. It’s the song and dance we play.
He might be intimidating to a lot of people, but he’s not to me, and I think that irks him the most. Not that he tries to intimidate women, but he’s used to them falling into submission in other ways.
“Lover,” he says to me in greeting, and I give him my best eye roll. He takes the seat next to me, angling himself in my direction. His whole body facing me makes it awkward for his date to try and sit beside him, so instead, she sits across from us and uncomfortably looks away from Jewel, who’s intimidating as all shit to anyone who doesn’t know her.
“Hawke,” I reply before looking away and shaking my head. This guy’s such an asshole.
“I’ve missed you,” he says, and I sigh, staring up at the ceiling and asking for strength to deal with this jackass tonight. Hope is observing us both carefully. But I realize the others are too.
“You can leave now.” I wave him off and then turn to the others again as if to pick up where we left off.
“Good luck, Hawke,” Jewel says with a smug expression as she stands, and I can’t help but replicate her look. I really like her. She saunters over to Eli, who makes room for her at his side.
“Want to explain why Hawke’s calling you lover?” Posie asks as she leans back as if enjoying the show.
I expel a sigh. Hawke’s shit-stirring doesn’t come as a surprise.
This fucker isn’t going to leave.
I roll my eyes. He’s had it as my name in his phone since we fucked years ago, but he’s most likely using it openly to rub in the fact he thinks he ruined my last date. Which is far from the truth. I don’t really care if they find out about Hawke and me, but it always seemed easier to keep it between us. We had sex to see if we were compatible in that way. We are. That’s that. Check it off the list.
“I saved her from an awful date the other night,” Hawke begins, but I cut in.
“This asshole here thought he’d be funny and try to ruin my date, but I was already planning on leaving,” I say, correcting his version of the story. Then I address his date, who is awkwardly sitting by herself. “Hi, you fucking Hawke?” I ask her, bringing her into the conversation. Her cheeks go red at my question, and she looks to him for help. Oh, fuck me, he’s caught himself a little lamb.
“Not yet, but we will be. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” he croons with an arrogant smirk. I can’t help but bite my bottom lip. He calls them all sweetheart when he doesn’t remember their name. Payback can be so sweet.
“What’s her name?” I ask him, and he glares at me, his smug expression dropping. She goes to speak, but I lift a finger and hold it up to her. “What’s your date’s name, Hawke?” I ask again.
“Why are you so mean to me today, lover? You know, I don’t know her name.” I drop my hand as his date gapes at him in shock. I’d like to think I’m doing her a favor by showing her what an ass he is, but I know he can charm himself out of almost anything. “I’m sorry, it was loud when you told me your name down there.”
I laugh as I stand and tap him on the shoulder, saying, “Let me pass.” Then I turn to Posie and Hope and ask, “Should we dance?” They both nod, and I grab my drink.
Hawke is staring up at me, that mischievous glint in his eye. “You’ll have to climb over me, lover.”
I smile sweetly and lean into him. He thinks I’m doing it to shuffle over him, but instead, I whisper into his ear as I press my knee close to his balls, forcing him to move back. “The only thing I’ll be climbing over is your dead body,lover.”
He chuckles as he lets me through, and I feel rather smug as I sashay toward the stairs.
“I never understand you two,” Hope comments from behind me.
Posie laughs and says, “Can’t blame him for trying; you’re hot as fuck.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I reply with an appreciative smile.
I throw back my drink, more than ready to enjoy the slight buzz it’s sure to give me. After ridding myself of my glass, I notice a lot of familiar faces, both family and friends. There are also a lot of people here that I don’t know, which is a good thing, especially while I’m on the dance floor. I love to dance, and I especially love enticing men with my dancing. Don’t get me wrong, I do it for myself, but dancing is an easy way for me to see which men are ballsy enough to approach me and which one I might be inclined to go home with. I think when two people dance, it’s so fucking sensual, it’s almost a form of fucking.
“Damn girl, get it. I’m surprised you never tried to get a job at Pearl,” Posie shouts over the music. I offer her a devilish smirk. Pearl is the Gentlemen’s Club that Dutton owns, where he first met Posie as a dancer. She’s since changed roles, as Dutton doesn’t let her dance for anyone but him now.