Bad Things (Tristan & Danika, #1)(10)

Kenny shrugged. “Who knows? Cory is working the bar, so my guess is there will be a turnout. Not many of our friends will turn down free drinks at one of the hottest clubs in town, but Jared is the only one I know for sure will be there.”

“Nice,” Tristan said, sounding pleased. “Jared is my baby brother. You’ll love him. Everybody does. You have any brothers or sisters?”

A tight fist gripped around my heart at the question. I hadn’t been expecting it, and it was a subject that my mind tended to shy away from. “I have a sister.”

“Older or younger?”

“She’s two years younger than me.”

“She live in town?”

I bit my lip. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard from her in years.”

“Why the hell not? You have to keep in touch with family.”

If only it were so simple. “She hates me, actually. I couldn’t get her to talk to me if I tried.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a shitty big sister. Are we done with the interrogation?”

“My bad. I didn’t mean to be nosy.”

“So don’t be. Just drop it.” I felt bitchy, but being a bitch was better than rehashing painful old baggage just to appease his curiosity.

He put his hands in the air to signal that he would stop.

Even agitated, I couldn’t help but study those big, sexy hands.

“Sorry,” he said, sounding sincere. “Sorry. I will drop it. To make up for being so rude, I’ll pick up your tab for the night.”

I gave him a level stare. “You know the bartender. It was already going to be free, wasn’t it?”

Those damned dimples came back in force. Even in the darkness of the car, I could see the twinkle in his golden eyes. “Have I mentioned that I like sassy women? Yes, the tab was going to be covered either way. How about I help you with your chores while I stay at the house? Will that make up for me being so nosy?”

I studied him, knowing that, friends or not, being in close proximity to him for a prolonged period of time would not be good for my peace of mind. Still, I just couldn’t seem to resist. I enjoyed being around him, Trouble or no.

“It will. You’re my chore bitch for the week,” I told him. A happy smile overtook my face as he threw his head back and laughed.

“She owns your ass,” Kenny said, laughing.

Tristan gave me a sideways smile that could only be described as mischievous. “I can think of worse things.”





CHAPTER FOUR





It was mid-summer, and the air felt like a hair dryer as Tristan handed me out of the car.

“You’re kind of a gentleman…for a man-whore,” I told him so only he could hear.

That startled a laugh out of him. “I try,” he told me, not sounding at all offended.

Kenny had valet parked, so we were inside of the Cavendish Casino in a few short steps. Cool air blasted me as we stepped inside, a stark contrast that had my nipples hard as rocks in a heartbeat.

“Brrr,” I said.

That made Tristan steal a glance at my nipples.

I heard the perverted bastard mutter, “Fuck,” as he looked quickly away.

“Pervert,” I said softly.

Of course that made him smile.

He grabbed my hand, pulling me with him as he started to walk at a fast clip across the marble of the grand foyer that led into the casino.

“Slow down,” I snapped at him. “Have a little sympathy for a girl wearing four inch heels.”

He glanced down at my feet, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. On behalf of men everywhere, thank you for wearing sexy f*cking shoes. I’ll try to remember not to walk too fast.”

“Thank you for not minding that I can be a pain in the ass,” I told him, thinking how sweet it was that he was so accommodating.

“On the contrary, I love that you tell me what’s on your mind. I’m not good at guessing games, and I find it refreshing that you just tell me what you’re thinking. I hate sulking, Danika, and you’re no sulker. Give me shit, hell, yell and scream at me, just as long as you let me know where we stand.”

I blinked at him, thrown for a loop. “I can do that. I’m actually very good at that.”

“Yes, you are. I love that about you.”

“And I love that you love that about me,” I told him, meaning it. And boy did I. I loved a man that could take a little honesty. My ex had been a whiny bitch who was always protecting his fragile little ego, so my brand of honesty had never been the order of the day. Tristan was a nice change of pace, to say the least.

I took in our fancy surroundings as we strode slowly through the casino portion of the Cavendish property. “Where did Kenny go?” I asked as I noticed that the other man had disappeared.

“Not sure,” he said, looking around. “He’ll meet us at the club, though. It’s not far.”

Decadence, the club, was intimidating. There was a long line to the entrance as we approached. My first thought when I saw a line like that was to head in the other direction.

I slowed, but Tristan just pulled lightly on my hand, heading straight for the front of the line.

The huge, stern-looking bouncer didn’t even check our IDs, just nodded us through the door, no expression on his face.