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“Excellent.” My fingers tightened on the rough manilla paper.
“Are you looking for a little taste?” He placed the product on the table and set up lines for both of us.
“Same quality as usual?” I didn’t need to have a surprise tonight.
“For you. Always.” He threw an arm on my shoulder, the earlier tension between us forgotten. He knew the drill and sampled the first line himself before gesturing for me to go next.
I grabbed the small metal cylinder, closed one nostril, and sniffed. I leaned back in my seat and grinned, already feeling the drug move through my system. My muscles relaxed, and a lightness filled me.
I let the pure sensation roll through me that blocked out all the other shit going on in my life.
“Another?” Griff asked.
I waved him off. “Enjoying this hit first.” Already, the initial sense of euphoria was beginning to wear off, and a surge of energy began making my body tingle.
Focus, Killian.You’ve still got business to handle. I didn’t need to be so wasted I fucked up our transfer.
“Gentlemen, I’m going to pass this destination off to my captain and then mingle with my guests. Is there anything you need from me before the trade-off?”
“Not yet. Tell the captain to stop the boat at that location. We’ll meet the rest of our crew, and they’ll bring the product on board. Storage rooms marked below?” Griff said.
“They are. Let me know if you run into any problems until then,” I replied.
A grunted response was all I got.
I nodded and walked off to give the captain the necessary information.
It helped that I paid him enough to not ask any questions.
Chapter Nine
TRISSA
The tap tap of Killian’s hand on the roof of the car had my jaw dropping open.He’d really left me behind.Tears filled my eyes at his ability to walk away so easily from me.
Again.
This pattern of his cut deeper every time.
Max hadn’t even left the parking lot before I yelled for him to stop the car. He must have thought ignoring me would work, because he kept his mouth shut and continued driving.
“If you don’t let me out, I’ll jump.” I had no idea where this bold side of me was coming from. The emptiness of Killian’s dismissal swirled in my gut and brewed into a maelstrom of feelings I’d have to unpack later. I needed to get out of this car.
Max’s snort-laugh cut off as I hit the lock and started to open the door, causing his front screen monitor to ping.
“What the actual fuck?” he yelled, jerking the wheel. We swerved to the side of the road and came to an abrupt stop.
I rocked forward and almost slid to the floor before I caught myself. I scooped up my purse with one hand and pushed thedoor open with the other and hastily scrambled out before he changed his mind.
“You can tell Killian I don’t get paid enough to deal with this shit,” Max ranted.
I shut the door and wisely said nothing.
Not knowing if Max would have a change of heart and come after me, I power-walked towards the boats. Even among the larger yachts, it was easy to identify Killian’s. The sleek pearl-white exterior with subtle accents, its sheer size, and the loud music drifting across the water directed me right to it.
Why was he trying to keep me from this? I’d been to plenty of parties with musicians and other celebrities. It’s not that I was immune to what went on at these types of events, but Killian not wanting me here tonight made me want to be present that much more.
I’m not the innocent girl he remembers,I fumed.