Page 60 of Savage Suit

“You had a strange look on your face.”

“I did? I guess maybe I am a trifle strange,” I said, attempting light-heartedness, losing my battle to focus on Ian.

Like a moth to a flame, I was helplessnotto look Noah’s way. He was here, and nothing else mattered. Except for the woman with him. And the sick feeling twisting in my belly.

This time when I looked his way, he headed in my direction, his escort trailing behind. Swallowing a gasp and desperate to act casual, I picked up my cup of coffee and sipped. It tasted thick and robust, the coffee’s hidden bitterness hitting my suddenly dry tongue. My hand shaking, I set the cup on the saucer.

Ian lifted a brow, then started to speak, but Noah’s arrival with his date interrupted.

“Ryan.” Noah held my gaze, his blue eyes inscrutable, before frowning at Ian. “Bartender Ian,” he said with obvious distaste.

Shady motherfucker.

Ian stiffened, and I shot Noah a glare for his rude ass greeting.

“I didn’t recognize you in the bar, but I know who you are now.” Ian glared at Noah. “I’ve seen you enough on the news.”

“Hello, Noah…Mr. Keegan,” I blurted, not liking the rising tension between the two men. There was no love lost between Noah and Ian. From the moment they’d met, they had engaged in a dick-sizing contest.

Noah pierced me with an icy gaze. “Shouldn’t you be at home, preparing for your first day on the job?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your damned business,” Ian snapped before I could answer.

Noah’s smile chilled me. “It certainly is since she works for me.”

“The hell you say!” Ian returned his attention to me. “Did you read about this guy’s business practices?”

A muscle ticked in Noah’s jaw, but instead of responding, they both turned to me. Two pairs of questioning male eyes demanded answers, but their mutual displeasure meant little. Noah’s nearness commanded my attention and heightened my agitation. My pulse pounded and my belly tightened. Somehow, though, I exercised perfect control.

With our text exchange uppermost in my mind, I ignored Noah and addressed Ian. Why I felt the need to explain myself to him or anyone else escaped me. I couldn’t process much else, except Noah. His cologne. His displeasure. His presence.

I drew in a steadying breath. “Ian, I applied for the position before the release of the exposé.”

“We’ll discuss this later,” Ian declared. “In private.”

“I beg your pardon?” Noah snarled. “You have nothing—”

“Excuse me,” I hissed, glaring at Ian, and not giving a fuck that I interrupted whatever Noah had been about to say.Theycould engage in their dick measuring contest. “There’s nothing to discuss, Ian,” I said flatly. “You don’t pay my bills. You don’t buy me food. You don’t give me money. My work life and my personal life are two separate entities and if you can’t remember that, I suggest you write it down and look at it every day. Don’t ever interfere with my bag, mister.”

“A bag?” Noah echoed.

“Money,” I snapped, allowing him a cursory glare before I looked at Ian again.

His mouth was tight with displeasure.

“We’ll discuss this later,” he repeated, his jaw set. “It should matter to you how I might view whatever job you hold.”

“Says you,” I growled. “But no dick is that good.” The words fell out of my mouth before I caught myself.

While Ian and Noah both looked ready to foam at the mouth, the feminine laughter redirected my attention to the silent green-eyed woman next to Noah.

I drew in an irritated breath. “Who’s your date?”

Noah offered me a tight smile before pulling the blonde closer to him. She shot him a surprised look. “May I present Rosalie Howard?”

She sidled an icy smile to him before nodding.

A tense silence fell around us.