Page 61 of Sins of a King

“Ash called to tell me. It should’ve been you.”

“Agreed. And if you’d answered your phone, I would’ve been able to.”

“I was out for a run,” I explained. “Is that where you were last night? Tending to that?”

He nodded. “We have an ‘in’ at the paper. He gave us a heads up about the story going to print, so I was able to release a statement.”

“And your statement was ‘my girlfriend got food poisoning. Do you really think anyone will buy that?’”

“It’s stopped all speculation, so, yes, Barrett, the press is no longer on my back trying to discover the truth.”

“Why was I even in the paper?” I demanded. “I’m no one. I’m not your girlfriend.”

“Is that why you’re really angry? Do you want to be my girlfriend?”

“You patronizing bastard,” I hissed.

“Okay, that’s enough—”

“No, it’s not enough! Did you call me your girlfriend because you needed a cover and couldn’t tell the truth about what really happened in your club? Or are we suddenly in a relationship and you forgot to tell me?”

“I’m seriously asking if you want to be my girlfriend.”

“No.”

“No?”

“Yeah, I can tell by the disbelief in your voice that no one has ever said no to you. Well, there’s a first time for everything. No. No. No. No.”

He stared at me for a long moment and said, “It wasn’t just a date rape drug in your system, Barrett. There was a tranq in there too.”

“What does that mean?” I asked, my breath hitching.

“Someone wanted you incapacitated. For a long time. Don’t you get it? It’s not just people doing drugs in my club. Drugs are now being put in drinks, which means I can’t guarantee my patrons’ safety. This is serious shit we’re dealing with. I couldn’t have that in the press.”

“Everyone is going to know,” I murmured. “Alia and Shawna, everyone I work with. They’re going to think I lied to them. Not to mention my cover’s been blown.”

“You don’t need a cover anymore. We found out it was Chelsea bringing drugs into the club.”

“Yeah, but we don’t know who put her up to it.”

He didn’t reply, but he stared at me.

“You have an idea, don’t you?”

“I know someone who might know.”

“What does this mean for me? For us?”

His smile was slow. “Barrett? You’re fired.”

Chapter 18

“I’ll give you the keys I had made,” Flynn said, finally breaking the silence.

I shook my head. “Keep them.”

“Okay.”