Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Reaching out, I took what looked like a hundred-dollar bill wrapped around a few more bills. Curious, I unrolled it to find there were five hundreds. Frowning, I looked up at her. “I think someone made a mistake.”
She shook her head. “Don’t think so. It’s a hundred for every set tonight.”
I looked back at the money. “This can’t be a tip.”
“Oh, but it is, and you’re taking it.”
“Who in their right mind would leave me this kind of tip?”
Pepper sat down beside me on the edge of the back of the stage, then crossed her legs. “One Storm Kingston.”
“What?” I asked incredulously. “He left during my second set. This can’t be from him.” Then there was the fact that he hated me.
“It’s from him. He put it in my hands himself. Said to make sure you got it. And he didn’t leave during your second set. He just moved to the back.”
“What back?”
I could see the entire room from the stage. If he’d been in the back, I would have seen him.
“My office. He watched from the screens, and before you say anything, I let him because he had left you five hundred dollars. Not to mention the way he was looking at you like you were his favorite snack.”
I let out a laugh. “Storm hates me. Loathes me. This?” I held up the money. “This was some kind of bribe to get you to let him back there.” I stood up, starting to seethe. “He’s up to something. He doesn’t want me here. I don’t think he even wants me breathing and walking the earth. But mark my words: This money was not for me. It was for something else.”
Pepper leaned forward, resting her elbows on her thighs as she studied me. “You sure about that? Because I’m real damn good at reading men, and that one couldn’t take his eyes off you.”
“I am positive. All he did was make degrading comments when we spoke. I don’t know why he was here, but it wasn’t for me.” Then, I held up the money. “And I don’t want this. Take it.” I shoved it into her hand and bent down to pick up the real tips I’d made.
I was going home to take a hot bubble bath and drink an entire bottle of wine.
“I’m not keeping this money. If you won’t take it, I’ll make sure he gets it back,” she said slowly, then stood up. “If you’re sure.”
I nodded emphatically. “Very!”
“Go on home. Get some rest. You were incredible tonight,” she told me.
“Thanks. I need to go grab my things from the dressing room, and then I’ll head out. See you in two days,” I said, lifting a hand in a small wave.
“Drive safe,” she replied, then turned and walked back toward the bar with the five hundred dollars Storm had left me.
Asshole. Why would he do that? How was that supposed to insult me? I knew he’d had a purpose, but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure it out.
Taking my time, I got my things together, downed a bottle of water, made sure my tips were safely tucked in my purse, and slid my gun into the waist of my jeans before heading for the side door. Not that I’d ever had trouble here, but it was best to be safe. The front door would be locked, and I was parked closer to the front of the side entrance. The door wasn’t locked yet, but I knew at least two of The Judgment guys would stay until Pepper was locked up and safely in her car, headed home. I had yet to meet her older brother, but I already knew he was very protective of her. His club made that very clear with the way they all seemed to be her personal bodyguards.
Stepping outside, I started toward my car when the dark figure leaning against it caused me to freeze. My hand went to the butt of my gun just as the man’s head turned, and the moonlight hit Storm’s face. Relief and annoyance collided into me as my hand let go of my gun, dropping back to my side.
“That’s a real good way to get shot,” I called out, not moving in his direction.
“I took my chances,” he replied, staying there against my car as if he owned it.
I had to get in my car to leave. His blocking me was one more strike against him tonight.
“What do you want, Storm? To call me some more names? Please get it over with so I can go home,” I said, then started heading in his direction again.
“You refused my tip,” he said as I got closer.
“That wasn’t a tip. No one tips that much. It was some weird, twisted thing that I can’t figure out the purpose of at the moment, but I’m tired, and you are standing in the way of me and a bubble bath.”