3
Dante
“Are you ready to get out of here?” I ask Moreno.
He looks bored, and I’m done now that I’ve had my fun.
My gaze scours over the bar, but I don’t see any sign of Nicole. She must have already left. I’m not sure why I care. At least there aren’t other men dancing with her.
A strange pang of jealousy hits me like lightning.
I shouldn’t care. I gesture to the bartender for one more whiskey.
“I’m driving,” Moreno says and holds out his hand.
He’s waiting for me to deposit my keys into his palm.
“Fair enough.” I’m in no mood to fight him and, quite frankly, a little more than tipsy. I don’t need to get behind the wheel and crash my truck. Besides, that’s why I have good men like Moreno accompany me.
Occasionally, I have chauffers too. But I like driving, getting behind the wheel and being in complete control. There’s something that can be said for going off road, through rocky terrain, and across dangerous valleys all alone.
I swallow down the last glass of whiskey the bartender brings me.
She’s cute.
Young. Barely twenty-one.
Hell, Nicole barely looked old enough to be in the bar.
Since when did I start chasing ass who was nearly half my age?
Fuck.
When did I get so damned old?
I stand, planting my feet firmly on the ground. I don’t want to indicate that I’m tipsy, even to Moreno. The man would never let me live it down.
I shove my hand into my pants pocket to retrieve my keys.
Nope, not there.
I check my other pocket. My wallet is there but no car keys.
Exhaling a heavy breath through my nose, I head back toward the booth I had occupied earlier with the raven-haired treat.
There’s no sign of my keys on the booth or under the table.
“Looking for something, Boss?” Moreno asks. He stands behind me and is wearing a grin.
Is this some sort of joke? “Did I give my keys to you already?”
I swear I’m not that trashed. Just a little tipsy. But fuck, the room spins like a carnival ride when I bend down.
Moreno isn’t smiling or joking. He doesn’t look amused.
“The girl, she stole them from you.”
“Nicole?” I run a hand through my short dark hair.