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“Listen, I’m real sorry about today, all right? I didn’t mean to ram your motor up the behind, did I?” I crossed my arms and glanced around. To my right was the trailer that Shep had once lived in, but since he’d left, I’d gotten a couple of new neighbors. They weren’t bad fellas, but I didn’t want to cause any fuss that would create an issue with the park’s owner. By how Judah was looking at me, I thought he wanted to strangle me.
“I heard you were fired.” He mirrored my posture, and my lips quirked at the familiar move. He’d always done that. It was good to see some things didn’t change. “Your boss called me about some insurance issues, and when I asked to speak to you, he told me he’d let you go and gave me your number and address. Is that true?”
I sighed and scratched the back of my neck. There weren’t many people who could make me feel like a failure, but I’d always wanted to look good in front of Judah. He’d been my crush since I was thirteen and first moved to the United States with my mum and dad. We’d started dating at sixteen, and I’d lost my virginity to him on my eighteenth birthday. He’d been my first everything. But I’d changed since I was that naive kid from Scotland. I’d grown and lived through the worst bloody times of my life. I’d seen Mum get sick despite the treatments and watched her die. If I could get through that, I could do anything, even admit a shameful truth to Judah fucking Dailey, who still stared at me as though I’d destroyed his everything.
“It is, aye. Apparently, I hadn’t attached the hose properly, and it’s what made your life a tad shittier, if you know what I mean.” I grinned, despite the serious situation, because I would never let this pun go. It was the best.
He pressed his mouth into a thin line. Obviously, he wasn’t in a joking mood—color me surprised. Not. Judah hadn’t always been this serious. Once upon a time, he’d been happy and laughed. He’d enjoyed every day like it was his last, and we’d gone on all kinds of adventures together. When we were younger, we’d bike everywhere, and when he’d gotten his license and his new Mustang, I’d let him drive me. After the interaction with him today, it was clear he wasn’t that carefree spirit anymore. His anger toward me drove his attitude.
He glanced around the trailer park, his gaze assessing but not critical. “You live here.”
It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t answer. I merely stared at him, waiting.
“How’s your mom?” The bite in his tone softened slightly, and I held back a smile. He’d always had a gentle spot for Mum.
“She passed about a year after we left.”
He froze and the hardness on his face fell away, leaving behind a subtle sadness. If I hadn’t known him so well, I might’ve missed it, but I’d seen every emotion on this man’s handsome face, and I’d never forget them. They were burned into the back of my brain. “She was an amazing woman.”
I nodded. “Aye, she was. She loved you.”
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants and exhaled heavily through his nose. A tic worked at his jaw, and he swiped his tongue across his upper lip, a sign of his agitation. He usually got this way when he couldn’t think of the right thing to say, which had always been rare for him. Judah was great with words, but there were occasions where his mind got jumbled and he was left irritated. This was one of those times.
I laid a hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right, Judah. Breathe.”
He shrugged free of my touch and glared. “Fuck off.” His eyes narrowed again, and the anger returned, simmering beneath the surface of his perfect facade. “I need a new driver. Mine is moving to the West Coast. You know how to drive in the city, right?” His words were sharp and vicious, and he left no room for argument. This version of him was new. I supposed whatever he did for business made him this way.
“Are you offerin’ me a job?” I cocked my head, watching his face carefully.
“I’m telling you that you have a job,” he snapped in return. He shifted in closer until his breath tickled my nose, and my stomach clenched at having him near. His cologne danced around me, a sensual scent that teased my cock into twitching. He’d always smelled so masculine.
“I don’t get a choice?” I joked.
“No.” His stare dipped down to my lips, and I paused, surprised when he didn’t break the gaze for a long moment. I thought he was going to kiss me, but then he snapped his attention away again and took a large step back. “Give me your phone.” He held out his hand expectantly.
I only hesitated for a moment before I snuck into the trailer to grab my cell off the narrow kitchen counter, then came back out to hand it to him. He opened the Notepad app and typed an address in it.
“This is my home address. I expect you to be there at seven thirty tomorrow morning. I’ll show you the car you’ll be using to drive me.” He glanced around again. “Do you have a vehicle?”
I shrugged. “Yeah.”
“Hmm.” His jaw clenched. “Good. I need you to show up on time. My business hours are important. Am I clear?”
All I could do was nod at his authoritative tone. It almost had me spouting out “Yes, Sir” as though he was my Dom. I wasn’t completely into BDSM play, but at this point, if he spoke in that tone, I’d call him anything he wanted. And obviously, we weren’t going to talk about the whole teenage heartbreak thing. Fine with me.
He passed me back my phone. “Seven thirty. Don’t be late.”
Judah didn’t give me time to reply. He left, his strides strong and confident, and I couldn’t help but watch him until he slid into a sleek red car, either a hire or maybe another one of his. From what I knew of his family, he was rich enough to have more than one. Hell, more than ten, if he had a mind to get them.
The headlights nearly blinded me, but I didn’t leave my spot until the red backlights disappeared into the darkness of the night. When I went inside, Ellis had his textbooks closed. He grinned at me.
“He’s got a hot alpha thing happening.”
I chuckled and swatted him playfully across the head. “You read too many of those omegaverse novels.”
He poked his tongue out at me, the glint of the piercing in it teasing in the light. “You sure you don’t want to read one?”
I laughed harder. “No. Now do your homework. Don’t make me sound like my mum. I’d never forgive myself.”
