He blinked. “Are you kidding me?”
“Nope. Mr. Dean has announced he isn’t paying us for half-assed services, and my father agrees.”
“We didn’t half-ass shit.”
“You think I don’t know that? I told my father this is why we do the risk assessments for jobs. So I get the chance to decide what’s better for the club. He didn’t do the assessment, and I should’ve pushed harder.”
“Max, you know how your father is. When he doesn’t want to do something, he won’t do it.”
I growled. “Yeah, well.”
“Seriously. This isn’t your fault.”
“Well, because he thinks it’s our fault, we aren’t getting paid. At least, until I find a reason I can shove down that man’s throat to pay us.”
“Like?”
I shrugged. “I’ll let you know when I get there.”
I wanted to tell Rupert more, but I was shaking with fury. I needed to calm down. I reached for yet another cigarette and put it between my lips, ready to strike it up. I needed all the nicotine I could get. Fucking hell, I needed the gum to chew at night in the middle of my sleep, too. If I was lucky enough, the damn thing would choke me and I’d be done with this bullshit life.
Rupert’s focus shifted to something behind me.
“What the--?”
I turned around. “What?”
Rupert pointed, and I saw what he was looking at. I saw a pair of legs rushing for the curb as a mass of dark hair bounced around. I didn’t even have to see the person’s face to know it was Dani. My eyes whipped up to the dorm room and I saw the curtain of her window pulled wide open.
Fucking hell. I needed to find a better place to meet with Benji.
“What do you want?” I asked.
Dani came closer and the moonlight finally illuminated that beautiful face of hers.
“Hey there,” she said breathlessly.
I blinked. “What. Do. You. Want?”
Rupert chuckled behind me as her eyes danced along my body.
“I, uh, just wanted to come out here and make sure you were okay.”
He snorted. “Well, that’s my cue. Have fun with your little pet, Max. I’ll see you around.”
I glared at him over my shoulder as his attention fell to Dani.
“And don’t let him get under your skin, man. He’ll drive you mad. And you know that’s exactly what he wants.”
My nose twitched at the way he winked at her. I didn’t want anyone winking at her. Hell, I didn’t want her anywhere near me. Or Benji. Or Rupert. Or anyone else, for that matter.
Rupert nodded. “Max? We’ll talk soon.”
I licked my lips. “Yep.”
I watched him ride off down the road before my attention turned back to Dani, who was staring at me with her hands clasped in front of her.
“Change of clothes?”