I’ve never felt awkward before, but I do now.
“My name’s Miranda. If you were wondering,” she tells me reaching for her cell, which has just lit up.
“I wasn’t.” Fuck. Just leave. “Look we both know this was a one time thing so let’s just forget it. I need to leave.”
Turning my back to the woman, I quickly check my pockets for wallet, keys and cell before I stride out of the bedroom.
Making my way across the apartment, I reach the door and yanking it open, I hear her walking up behind me. She says, “See you around Ruben McKenzie.”
I freeze. She knows who I am? How?
“The man at the bar told me who you are,” she answers my silent question.
Not quite trusting her, because something tells me she’s lying, I turn back and face her. She shrugs.
God, I need to get out of here.
~*~*~*~
Walking through the back door of my club, I know there’s something wrong. Usually I can come and go this way without anyone batting an eye, but tonight everyone has stopped to stare.
Simon, my club manager walks out from the corridor leading to my office and is about to walk toward the front of the club when he spots me. He pauses before changing direction, coming toward me with intent.
“Ruben.”
I nod. “What’s going on?” I ask, walking in his direction.
“A couple of guys decided to have a fight in the club, and,” he pauses, “Rosie got caught in the middle.”
My blood runs cold as I stop in my tracks. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“One of the guys punched her. She’s in your office on the sofa with a cold compress on her face. I’ve just given her two painkillers so hopefully they’ll kick in soon.”
“And the guy,” I seethe.
“Tony and a customer, who I’ve set up with free drinks at the bar, wrestled them outside and handed them over to the cops. Tony’s back on the door, and everything has calmed down—for now.”
I nod. With Tony handling it, there really isn’t much I can do now. Tony is damn good as a security guard and always manages to keep the damn peace. I just wish he’d gotten to Rosie before she’d gotten hit.
Simon turns away and heads back out to the floor leaving me undecided as to whether to go check on Rosie or break the bastard’s neck that dared to touch her.
Rosie wins. Rosie always wins.
Before I go barging into my office, I try to curb my anger at what’s happened to her because the last thing I want to do is scare the shit outta Rosie, which I will if I unleash the anger buried deep inside me.
Letting my mask slip into place before she sees the concern that I’m feeling for her, I stare at my office door. Feeling anything for her is wrong. She’s my employee. Michael went after Lily even though he was her boss first, but he knew as soon as he met Lily that she was the one.
I’m not looking for that. I like my life as it is, and hooking up with Rosie, no matter how much I want her isn’t going to happen. I wasn’t meant for everything that came after the hookup. I wasn’t into having a relationship and if I did hook up with Rosie, I’d have to let her go afterwards. Not only that, but Rosie is innocent. I like being in control when I have sex. And there isn’t anyway Rosie has any experience with the kind of control I like. Shit, I’d probably terrify the life out of her.
Shaking loose of my thoughts, I push into my office and feel my composure slip. Rosie is curled up on my sofa with her back facing me. Seeing her like this crushes me.
Gently closing the door behind me so as not to disturb her, I walk to where she is. Dropping to my knees beside the sofa my hands hover over her. I’m not sure what to do. Do I touch her and do what I want to do? Or should I back away so she doesn’t know I’ve been here?
Oh fuck it!
“Rosie…” I gently place my hands on her hips, helping her to turnover and when she does, I want to kill someone. Her beautiful face…the left side is bruising with her eye-swollen shut. Her face is dry and I can tell that she’s close to crying, but hasn’t yet. She still looks heartbreakingly beautiful.
I need to remember I’m the boss in this situation. How would I react if it had been any one of the other servers? I’d have been angry and concerned, but I wouldn’t be kneeling on the floor wanting nothing more than to take her in my arms and keep her safe.
Step back, Ruben.
Just as I’m trying to work up the courage to take a step back, she bursts into tears. I’m done for.
“Dammit, Rosie. Come here, babe,” I say while I’m already standing and lifting her into my arms.
She lets the ice pack drop to the floor and wraps her arms around my neck, holding on real tight.
Turning with her, I drop to the sofa and hold her against me.