“Oh, lovely.”
“Isn’t it?”
I give him another kiss. “I’ve had the best day, thank you.”
He smiles and seizes me, indulging me. “You’re welcome, baby. You can thank me properly when we get home.”
I smile coyly, detach myself from my conniving husband, and saunter out, my alarm bells going wild. I close the door.
“You dick, Ringo,” Danny hisses.
“I thought you told Fury to hold back?”
“I did.”
“Well,” Ringo pants, “he clearly didn’t hold back enough. I’m fucking sweating here.”
I stand on the outside of the office staring at the wood, my eyes narrowed. “What are—”
I swing around and hush Beau.
“You’re eavesdropping?”
“Yes, I am.” I go back to the door, and the next minute, Beau is pushed up next to me. “Did you see Ringo arrive?” I ask Beau, making sure I’m not completely losing my mind.
“Yes, I saw.”
We both listen hard.
“Well, I couldn’t very well have them go back to the fucking mansion,” Danny whispers. “If I had told them to come to the club, she would have gone home. If I told her to go home, she’d come here. I know how my wife thinks.”
I balk at the door incredulously. He wanted me to come here? Why?
“What if Amber shows up there?” Danny rants on.
I still. Shocked. Amber?
“So instead,” Ringo snaps, “you had them come to the club where a few hours ago it looked like Hannibal Lecter got jaw ache and opted for the more humane approach to killing his prey.”
“It was a stupid idea telling Amber to go to the house,” Brad chimes in. “Really fucking stupid.”
“She’s got information on The Bear,” Danny growls, and Beau steps back, her eyes going back to the wood.Oh no.“Not that it matters because she’s missing in fucking action.”
“Beau,” I say, stepping toward her. “Beau, please.” She shakes her head, turns, and heads for the ladies’. “Beau!” I whisper shout, swinging my head back and forth between my fleeing friend and the door to the office. “Fuck it.” I turn the other way and go back to the club, finding Fury. “Would you take us home in an hour? Esther’s finishing her wine.”
“Sure.”
“Thanks.” I smile and brush past him, going to the others at the bar, looking back to see Fury going to the office. To check with the boss if he can indeed take me home in an hour.
“Everything okay?” Lawrence asks.
“Everything’s fine.” So, so fine. I smile and place my purse on the stool next to Pearl, pulling my cell out and slipping it into my back pocket. “Will someone order me a lemonade, please? I’m just going to the restroom.” I leave my purse on the stool and walk away calmly, and as soon as I round the corner, I break into a jog, cursing Beau to hell and back for putting my neck on the line like this. But I will be damned if I am letting her disappear on her own again. I will check in with the men. I will let them know we’re okay. They must appreciate that.
I burst through the door and work my way down the cubicles until I find Beau's petite body squirming to get through the small window above the fourth toilet. She grunts as her body dislodges, and her legs disappear through the small gap. “Well, if she struggled, I’m fucked,” I scoff, getting up on the toilet seat.
I peek out and see Beau jogging down the alleyway and curse her to hell again as I pull myself up and clamber through. But I completely misjudge the drop to the ground, which looks farther away now that I’m hanging out of the window. “Beau!” I whisper yell, clinging to the frame. “Fuck.” I turn my head and see her stop and look back.
“What are you doing?” she shouts, running back to save me, reaching to help.