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“I’d rather speak to her about that. How’ve you been, by the way?” He leaned against the counter, putting him closer to me.
I wanted to recoil in disgust, but I stood my ground. “Fantastic. I’m working on a great project that’s going to rock the technology world.”
“Okay.”
I clenched my jaw at the brush-off. I shouldn’t care what he thought. There was no reason to push for him to understand, but part of me needed him to get it. That I wasn’t what he said. “It’s true.” Walk away. Now. Go.
I couldn’t follow my own insistent instructions.
“I believe you,” he said in a voice that implied he very much didn’t. “Or I believe that you believe you. If the ideas live in your head, and you can’t make them real, it doesn’t matter how good they are, Honey Pot.”
I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms, and tried to focus on the pain.
“Seriously, though. Would you let Aubrey know I’m here? I have business to conduct,” Don said.
If I punched him, no one in this town would bat an eye. “You’ve already been asked to leave.”
The door opened again, and Maddox walked in.
Thank the gods.
Don glanced over his shoulder, then shrugged and turned back to me.
Maddox didn’t give him any more attention. Instead he walked around the counter, wrapped an arm around my waist, and kissed me so deeply it radiated to the tips of my hair. When we broke apart, he kept his gaze on me. “Sorry to keep you waiting. You deserve better.” His tone was light and self-effacing. “Are you ready to go, or are you waiting on Aubrey?”
Don cleared his throat with a loud cough. “I don’t believe we’ve met. You’re Xander Haddar’s little brother? He and I went to high school together.”
Maddox glanced over his shoulder. “You have me at a disadvantage. He doesn’t really talk about people who didn’t leave an impact on him.”
“Don Spader.” He extended his hand, but his smooth reply didn’t hide the twitch of his jaw at Maddox’s comeback.
Maddox looked at his hand but didn’t take the offer. “I see.”
“Hey. Sorry to keep you—” Aubrey’s voice reached us before she stepped into the room, but she stopped when she saw Don. “Get out.” Her tone was ice.
“Is that how you greet an old friend?” Don’s reply was kind and warm.
Aubrey scowled. “No. That’s how I treat you. Get out.”
“I’d like to talk to you about—”
“Get. Out.” Aubrey bit off the words.
Maddox moved out from behind the counter, and stepped closer to Don. “You’ve been asked to go multiple times. You can comply, or I can make you.”
“No wonder this entire block is about to go under.” Don scoffed. “Not a single one of you knows how to run a business.” But he turned on his heel and strode quickly from the shop when Maddox took another step toward him.
“What did he want?” Aubrey joined us.
Besides to make me feel small? “He wouldn’t tell me. Kept asking for you.”
“He can go suck his own dick. Fuck that asshole,” Aubrey said.
Her response and Maddox stepping up without hesitation made me feel better, but Don’s words nagged me. They always did and I hated that. I hated that I let him get to me.
I relaxed a little as Aubrey grabbed the dress for me, but I couldn’t completely shake the encounter.
“We’re going to head out,” Maddox said to Aubrey. “Are you okay here if he comes back? We can stay if you’d rather.”
