JК
The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 15 из 234The sound had a bitter undertaste to it, as if it hadn't been laughter at all. "You are a fool, Richard."
My beeper went off again. I checked the number, and turned it off. It wasn't like Dolph to call this many times, this close together. Something bad was happening. I needed to go. But. .
"I don't have time to get the full story right this second." I poked a finger into the middle of Richard's chest. I gave Jean-Claude my back. He'd already done the damage he'd intended. "You are going to tell me every last bit of what's going on."
"I don't. ."
"Save it. You either share this problem, or we don't date anymore."
He looked shocked. "Why?"
"Either you kept me out to protect me, which I'm going to hate. Or you have some other reason. It better be a damn good reason and not just some male ego shit."
Jean-Claude laughed again. This time the sound wrapped me around like flannel, warm and comforting, thick and soft next to naked skin. I shook my head. Just Jean-Claude's laughter was an invasion of privacy.
I turned to him, and there must have been something in my face because the laughter died as if it had never been. "As for you, you can get the hell out of here. You've had your fun for the night."
"Whatever do you mean, ma petite ?" His beautiful face was as pure and blank as a mask.
I shook my head and stepped forward. I was leaving. I had work to do. Richard's hand gripped my shoulder.
"Let me go, Richard. I'm mad at you right now." I didn't look at him. I didn't want to see his face. I was afraid if he looked hurt, I'd forgive him anything.
"You heard her, Richard. She doesn't want you touching her." Jean-Claude had taken a gliding step closer.
"Leave it alone, Jean-Claude."
Richard's hand squeezed gently. "She doesn't want you, Jean-Claude." There was anger in his voice, more anger than should have been there. As if he were trying to convince himself more than Jean-Claude.
I stepped forward, shaking his hand off. I wanted to reach for it, but didn't. He'd been keeping major shit from me. Dangerous shit. It wasn't allowed. Worse yet, he thought in some dark corner of his soul that I might have given in to Jean-Claude. What a mess.
"Fuck you both," I said.
"So you have not had that pleasure?" Jean-Claude said.
"That's Anita's question to answer, not mine," Richard said.
"I would know it if you had."
"Liar," I said.
"No, ma petite . I would smell him on your skin."
I wanted to slug him. The desire to smash that beautiful face was physical.
My beeper went off again. I checked the number, and turned it off. It wasn't like Dolph to call this many times, this close together. Something bad was happening. I needed to go. But. .
"I don't have time to get the full story right this second." I poked a finger into the middle of Richard's chest. I gave Jean-Claude my back. He'd already done the damage he'd intended. "You are going to tell me every last bit of what's going on."
"I don't. ."
"Save it. You either share this problem, or we don't date anymore."
He looked shocked. "Why?"
"Either you kept me out to protect me, which I'm going to hate. Or you have some other reason. It better be a damn good reason and not just some male ego shit."
Jean-Claude laughed again. This time the sound wrapped me around like flannel, warm and comforting, thick and soft next to naked skin. I shook my head. Just Jean-Claude's laughter was an invasion of privacy.
I turned to him, and there must have been something in my face because the laughter died as if it had never been. "As for you, you can get the hell out of here. You've had your fun for the night."
"Whatever do you mean, ma petite ?" His beautiful face was as pure and blank as a mask.
I shook my head and stepped forward. I was leaving. I had work to do. Richard's hand gripped my shoulder.
"Let me go, Richard. I'm mad at you right now." I didn't look at him. I didn't want to see his face. I was afraid if he looked hurt, I'd forgive him anything.
"You heard her, Richard. She doesn't want you touching her." Jean-Claude had taken a gliding step closer.
"Leave it alone, Jean-Claude."
Richard's hand squeezed gently. "She doesn't want you, Jean-Claude." There was anger in his voice, more anger than should have been there. As if he were trying to convince himself more than Jean-Claude.
I stepped forward, shaking his hand off. I wanted to reach for it, but didn't. He'd been keeping major shit from me. Dangerous shit. It wasn't allowed. Worse yet, he thought in some dark corner of his soul that I might have given in to Jean-Claude. What a mess.
"Fuck you both," I said.
"So you have not had that pleasure?" Jean-Claude said.
"That's Anita's question to answer, not mine," Richard said.
"I would know it if you had."
"Liar," I said.
"No, ma petite . I would smell him on your skin."
I wanted to slug him. The desire to smash that beautiful face was physical.