But Stella didn’t need anything like that. She didn’t need to be called a girlfriend or old lady.
All she needed to be called was Cadeon’s.16Cadeon looked at his watch once more and expected Stella to arrive any minute. He would have met her at the restaurant, or at least picked her up, but Ziggy called in sick, and he wasn’t about to leave Naggie all alone to man the entire shop.
Naggie finished up with her last client for the evening, and once they were checked out, he grabbed some designs and put them in a folder. He turned up the music and glanced over at Naggie, who had a grin on her face as she cleaned up her area. “What are you all smiles about?”
She glanced over at him. “Hot date tonight.”
He shook his head and turned to put the designs in a folder. “Hot date?” He snorted yet couldn’t help but smile. “At least you kicked that last douchebag to the curb. Good thing you listened to me.” Teasing her was half the fun.
“Kind of like how I told you to tell that bitch Tally what a skank she is and if she keeps coming around, you’ll sic me on her.”
He started laughing at that. Naggie was small, but she was a fierce little thing.
“But seriously, if I was a guy and had stuck my dick in Tally, I would have soaked my shit in bleach.”
He chuckled, but it wasn’t filled with humor. “Yeah.” He ran a hand over his jaw. “I can’t say I haven’t done shit I royally regret. That’s for fucking sure.”
Naggie finished wiping off her workstation, tossed the paper towel in the trash, and took her gloves off to wash her hands. “So you’re dead serious about the Vicious Bastards chick, huh?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I’ve never been surer about anything before in my damn life.”
“But shit, Cadeon, it’s been like… not long at all.”
“I’ve known her for three years, Naggie, and honestly I’m getting sick of people pointing that out.”
She stared at him but showed no emotion. “And you’re old as hell.” She broke out in a grin, and all he could do was shake his head.
The sound of the bell over the front door dinged with someone entering, but when he turned around and saw Tally standing there, he narrowed his eyes. “We’re closed, Tally, and your appointment with Ziggy isn’t until next Monday.” She was wearing her fuck-me heels again and another micro-mini skirt. She would have probably felt more comfortable whoring herself out on the corner of Colfax.
“Yeah, I know, but I thought you and I could finally have that talk.”
Naggie snorted and turned away from them.
“I don’t have anything to talk about. We’ve said all we need to say to last a lifetime.”
She crossed her arms under her chest, further emphasizing her cleavage, but all it caused inside him was disgust. “So, what, you think all I’m good for is a piece of ass?”
Naggie started laughing hard at that, and he turned and looked at her, as did Tally.
“What the hell is so funny?” Tally’s voice had risen an octave, and any minute, he expected her to stomp her foot like a two-year-old having a tantrum.
Naggie turned around, still laughing, but her humor slowly faded when she stared at Tally. “You want to know what I think is so funny?”
“That’s what I fucking asked,” Tally sneered out.
Naggie shook her head and glanced at him with this expression on her face that he knew was one part humor and three parts she was about to slap a bitch.
“I think it’s funny that you are such a stupid, whoring bitch and can’t take your head out of a man’s lap long enough to realize that Cadeon doesn’t want you.”
Tally squeaked. “What did you just say to me?” She may have six inches of height on Naggie, even without the heels on, but she was no match for the spitfire that lived within Naggie.
“You heard every damn word I said. I’m not the first person to ever tell your slutty ass to get the fuck out of here, and I know I won’t be the last.” Naggie snorted again. “Hell, this isn’t even the first time I’ve told you to keep your hands off what isn’t yours.”
Tally flipped her hair over her shoulder and looked at him. “Cadeon, are you going to let your employees talk to a customer like that?”
“You’re not a customer, and you need to leave.” For a moment, which was far too long as it was, no one said anything. Tally looked between him and Naggie, and then back at him again. “Leave, Tally. My girl is going to be coming by, and I want you the fuck out of here before you can start shit with her too.”
She narrowed her eyes. “So I’m not good enough for you to go exclusive with, but some tramp in town is?”