“He’s leaving,” I say.
“You don’t have to,” Clare interjects. The girl doesn’t know when to keep her mouth shut. “I’m sorry, my friend just had a bad day. Her boss is an asshole, and she got fired from her job.”
“He fired you?” Bearded Bad Boy says. I swear that I hear him growl under his breath. His top lip twitches with a snarl. “I’ll kill him.” He’s not quiet with his threat.
And as much as I’d like to see Connor pummeled and taken out of the equation, I don’t need anyone sticking up for me or my honor. “That isn’t necessary.” I hold up my hand to stop him from doing what, I’m not sure. “It was just a dumb job. I can find another one.”
“Maybe she can come and work for you,” Clare says with a smirk. “And you are?” The girl is persistent. I never told her about the shooting in the forest or the stranger at the hospital. We don’t see each other often enough. I shouldn’t be calling her to vent as I unravel, but I need someone to help me screw my head back on and make sure I don’t fall into bed with some random guy at the bar.
Clare is usually the sensible one, at least when drinking is involved.
“Dmitri.”
“You remember your name?” I can’t hide the excitement bubbling inside of me. “That’s good!”
“I remember some things,” he says, not elaborating further.
Clare glances from Dmitri to me. “You forgot who you were?”
“It’s a long story,” I say, not making Dmitri share it if he doesn’t want to with Clare.
She downs the second shot she ordered while the bartender makes another round. “I’ll be back. I need to use the ladies’ room.” Clare shuffles from the bar and slips past Dmitri, leaving the two of us alone.
“I should go with her,” I say, and Dmitri’s hand falls to my arm.
“Because you have to go, or you don’t want to be alone with me?”
I purse my lips and realize that he’s right. “I’m not mad if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“So, I was the reason you were fired,” Dmitri says. His brow is furrowed, and his hand drops from my arm, balling into fists at his sides. The muscles in his arms twitch, veins bulging as anger seems to ascend to the surface.
“It’s nothing,” I say, and shrug off the situation. “I should have been looking for another job. Connor, my boss, is a tool. He only has the job because his brother owns the hotel chain.”
“Connor must be the short, balding man with bushy eyebrows and ear hair?”
I chuckle, Dmitri winning a smile from me. “I didn’t notice the ear hair.”
“How could you not notice it?” he asks, wide-eyed. “It was quite repulsive, and I can only imagine that it would flail in the wind outside and perhaps even give him wings.”
“Pigs don’t have wings.”
“You know the adage when pigs fly,” Dmitri quips, and reaches for the shot that the bartender brings over, stealing it from me. “You’ve had enough to drink.”
My shoulders slump in defeat. “Fine. Are you going to drive me home when the night is over?” I’m not serious about my request. The man doesn’t owe me anything.
“I will take your keys,” Dmitri says, his tone firm. He’s not playing around. “You’re not getting behind the wheel inebriated.”
Clare waltzes back from the bathroom and scoots past Dmitri, resuming her position on the barstool. “Thanks for saving my seat. What’d I miss?” She’s all smiles, her cheeks rosy and flushed from the two shots that she’s had since arriving at the club.
The music pulsates through the small space. “We should dance,” Clare says, and slides easily off the barstool. She grabs my arm and pulls me off my seat.
The room sways, and I stumble into Dmitri’s arms. Or maybe he steps in the way to stop me from falling. I’m not sure which happens first.
“You can barely stand,” Dmitri says.
“Because you won’t let me.”
He releases his hold on my arms, but his hands are right next to my hips.