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I smiled again and looked Patrick up and down and then clearly compared him to Ezra, making Manny chuckle.
“Frigid?” Ezra murmured, disbelief in his tone. He tossed his head back and roared with laughter. “Did you miss those kisses, man? You call that frigid? Dana lights up like a Christmas tree. Just kissing turns her into a wildcat. Fuckin’ scratches I got down my back. Shit! If Dana gets anymore frigid, I’m gonna need a splint for my dick.”
Ezra leaned forward, his face gloating.
“Ezra!” I snapped, blushing.
Surprisingly not, Ezra ignored me. “Am I lying, honey?” he finally asked, turning.
My mouth popped open a fraction.
He gave me a wink and then turned back to Patrick. “Dana goes wild. If I ain’t quickenough, the woman’s pinning me down and taking what she wants like a greedy child. Dana has no fear of claiming her needs. Screams so fuckin’ loud when I make her come. Fuck, she wears me out. And those sounds Dana makes when she’s coming. You understand how sexy they are?” Ezra looked at Patrick and laughed again.
Mom made a horrified noise, and I grinned. This was a horrific car crash, but for once, I wasn’t the victim, which made it fun.
“Nah, you don’t know those noises, do ya? You never made an effort to motivate Dana. You were shit in bed, and you’re shit out of it. Walk into my bar, my fuckin’ bar, like you’re the big man with his bitch, whore, cunt of a wife, and you diss my beauty?” Ezra roared. “Don’t see your cunt wearing two-thousand-dollar shoes or a dress that costs one k. But my woman? Yeah, Dana wears that because she’s worth it.”
“Ezra,” I said, stunned, putting my hand on his chest.
Ezra looked down at me. “You are fuckin’ funny, honey; you’re sweet and cute and so damn loyal. You’re kind, loving, and the way you bloom around me—I’m the luckiest man alive. Shit, I’m guessing dickhead here can’t say that, but I can. Baby, I thank God for everyday you’re in my life.” Ezra’s eyes stared piercingly into mine.
“Dana may be all that, but she isn’t a fighter; she’s weak. I took her guy; I’ve always taken her boyfriends.” Shania flipped her hair. “Look at me and then her. Dana’s a mouse. I’d even steal you.”
Shania’s words stabbed deep.
Patrick shot her an irritated glance.
“In your dreams. Hell, I wouldn’t touch you if you laid naked, begged, and paid me a million bucks to fuck you,” Ezra sneered.
With a wave, I glanced at Shania, revealing a hint of my hurt.
“You may have stolen every boyfriend I ever had, even taken my fiancé, but you will never take Ezra. Ezra’s a real man. One that sees through you, and you could never get the likes of him.” I motioned at Patrick. “You got that? I got this.” I waved a hand at Ezra, and his eyes lit up happily.
Mom snorted. “I don’t see why Dana thinks there’s a comparison between you and Patrick; there’s clearly an uneven balance between the two of you.”
“Yes, one in which Ezra is a real man and isn’t fake or false or wears a constant public persona. You might like fake mother, I don’t,” I snapped.
“Dana, pretend all you want, but there’s no way an alpha male would be interested in a timid dormouse like you,” Shania interrupted.
“Mouse?” Ezra said, peering at me. “The woman who chased a kidnapped woman to save her from men holding her captive. Then, there are rogue bikers chasing her through the streets, and she leads them into a trap. The girl who sounded the alarm on men trapped with no escape in a shooting situation is no mouse. That’s a lioness!” Ezra declared.
“Kidnapping? Chases? What criminal activities are you involved in?” Mom screeched.
I grinned, happy with the next sentence I spoke. “Mom, I work for Dylan Hawthorne. If you paid attention to me at all, you’d have known that. Even in your limited world, you’d have heard of Hawthorne’s Investigations. I’ve been a member of Hawthorne’s since before I left Patrick. But Patrick never noticed the job I did and nor did you. Dylan values me,” I said, blowing my own trumpet.
That was true. Dylan would be lost without me organising the office. I was valuable in a certain way. I was absolutely positive about that. The office would be in anarchy—and the guys in disarray—without me to book their appointments and keep their calendars and so on.
Hell, I even reminded them when to pick up their dry cleaning and when their mother’s birthdays were. I was vital to the guys and knew it. This time, I could blow my own trumpet, and I intended to do that!
Chapter Two.
Dana
Tonight was turning surreal, I decided as I gazed at the family from hell. Why Rage and the old ladies were standing up for me, I didn’t know, but I wasn’t going to call them on their lies. Lindsey and everyone were being so kind, even if they were exaggerating.
Taylor grinned again, and his behaviour slightly puzzled me, but he winked and offered Patrick a venomous glare.
“Hey, what’s happening?” a voice I recognised inquired.
