“Jorge, I’m not feeling well. I need to go to the restroom.” Jane told him as he moved from one customer to the next.
He studied her face for a second before nodding. “Hurry the fuck up. We’re busy.”
Jane guessed fear of getting caught taking his keys had made her face pale, adding credibility to her claim.
“I’ll try.” Jane tried to give a make-believe sick look before disappearing around the corner where his office was. The bathroom was directly in front of it, and the room that Cade was renting was next to it.
Jane hurriedly slipped the key in the door after checking to make sure no one else was near. Slipping inside, she closed and locked the door in relief. She stared around the office in dismay. It was filled with papers and boxes. She would never be able to find anything in here before Jorge noticed she had been gone for too long.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she began her search, making sure to place things back exactly as they were so Jorge wouldn’t know she had searched his things. Time flew and Jane was about to give up when she noticed a ledger lying on top of a box that was closest to his desk. Opening it, she saw several names with money amounts and addresses.
Jane ran her finger down the column, almost shouting when she saw the last name Silva. Jane memorized the address then closed the ledger.
Barely opening the door, she peeked outside, and seeing no one, she slipped back out into the hallway. She was about to close the door when she found herself jerked away as a hand reached out and snapped the door closed.
Jane stared up into Cade’s face as she was backed against the now closed door with Cade plastered against her.
“What?” Before she could say anything else, his mouth slammed down on hers. Jane’s hands pressed against his chest as she tried to turn her head to the side. A firm hand on the side of her face held her still as his tongue pressed against the seam of her lips. Unable to stop herself, Jane parted her lips, letting him enter. Her hands fluttered against his chest before grabbing on to his T-shirt to steady herself. His tongue slid against hers in an intimate way that had her wanting to imitate the movement.
“What the fuck, Cade? You already have one of my girls. I need at least one to work. Carina’s upstairs with a customer. Either pick Teresa or Jane.” Jorge stomped back around the corner. When he moved, Jane saw a furious Teresa staring at her from the end of the hallway.
Cade took a step away, giving her room to move. Jane hurried forward, intending to go back to work, but Teresa blocked her path. Carina had warned her about Teresa’s fury.
“Teresa, come here.” The male voice behind her had a seductive pitch that had Jane’s head turning, but Cade wasn’t looking at her. His attention was on Teresa, who nearly knocked her over when she brushed by. Jane’s mouth dropped open at her rudeness while Cade’s arms slid around Teresa’s waist as she neared him, pulling her closer to him. When Teresa lifted her mouth to his, Jane spun around and left the two alone.
“Why am I not surprised he picked Teresa?” Jorge’s sarcastic comment had Jane’s blood boiling.
“Maybe because she’s a slut?” Jane snapped, handing a customer a fresh beer.
Jorge raised his brow at her yet didn’t say anything else. Jane tried not to notice that neither Cade nor Teresa immediately returned to the bar. She tried not to let it bother her, but somehow, it did.
It was over an hour before Teresa returned to the bar, shooting her a triumphant look, which she ignored. Setting down the bar rag, she walked to Jorge’s side. “I’m going upstairs for a break. I’m still not feeling well.”
“Go,” he snapped. “Make sure you’re back before six.”
“I will,” Jane lied. She had no intentions of ever stepping foot in the bar again.
She felt inexplicitly sad that she would never see Cade again, which made no sense, considering she didn’t even know him.
“For Christ’s sake, I’ve never even talked to him,” she said to herself. Her anger at herself didn’t make her feel better, even though she told herself it did.
Before she walked out, Carina gave her a sad smile, somehow knowing Jane wouldn’t be coming back. Jane gave her a thumbs up in return as she passed. She would leave Carina a note, thanking her for her help. Jane would miss the friendship that had begun yet promised herself she would keep in touch.
As she headed upstairs, Jane looked down at her watch. She had twenty minutes to catch the bus for Peñuela. She was going to find her sister and get back to the life she had left behind.