Chapter Two

I noted Dean’s car as I drove into the parking lot the next morning. The sun was just beginning to come up, and I was beyond tired. I didn’t really want to get up and come over here, but I figured on owing him that much. And if it meant getting rid of Nichole, then I was all for it.

I’d like to say it wasn’t Nichol herself that I had an issue with, but honestly, it was. When she showed up at Dean’s and called me his maid, that rubbed me the wrong way, and now she had a contract for two weeks here to see how things went, and since she’d started here she hadn’t done anything to change my feelings for her. Sure, she seemed nice, on the outside, but I knew there was something off with her and had known it all along. No one wants to work as much as she does without another reason for it. Apparently that reason is to sleep with my boyfriend and then steal all his money before forcing him into bankruptcy.

I bit my lower lip as I entered the lobby of the casino. Melina and Dean turned to face me.

“What’s up?” I asked, unable to look at Dean; instead, I focused on Melina.

A grin spread over her face. “Ding dong, the witch is dead.”

For a split second, I actually thought she meant that she went out and killed Nicole.

“What do you mean?” I was sure she hadn’t actually killed her, but I mean, come on, Melina seemed like she had it in her to kill someone.

“I’ve asked Nichole to arrive a little early. I told her I would be here around 8:00 to open up.” Dean cleared his throat, and I turned to look at him but didn’t dare make eye contact. “When she arrives, I will confront her about the things you found, pretending that it was I who hired the investigator, to keep both you and Melina out of it, which is only fair to you both.” I swallowed dryly. “I will tell her that I am releasing her from her contract, and that she is free to leave the business, and that I will be giving her information to a couple friends of mine and encouraging them to pass it along to their own friends.”

“That’s it?”

“Well, what else am I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know, can’t she be arrested?”

“No, not really,” Melina spoke up. “I mean, not for what she was trying to do to Dean, and unless the other men do something … I’m not even sure if that would help,” she admitted. “What matters is that we get her name out there to people, so they know what she is.”

I sighed. It wasn’t good enough. I wanted more; I wanted her to pay for what she was doing, but that didn’t seem like it was going to happen. “Alright, fine.” I bit my lip. It just sucked that all we could do was tell her to leave. But at least, Dean knows what she is.

That was what mattered. That I didn’t lose him to someone like her, and that I kept him safe from someone like her. I glanced at the clock. If he was going to talk to her at 8:00, why were we here so early?

“Melina, do you think you could grab us all a coffee? Oh, and Becca likes hot chocolate.”

Melina nodded. “Alrighty, I’ll get the drinks, just don’t start telling her off until I’m here to listen.”

He didn’t say anything until Melina was gone, and then Dean turned his attention to me but still refused to meet my gaze.

“I um, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry.” He paused. “I should have believed you and should have at least given you a chance; I should have looked into her but didn’t … and then I took it out on you because you and Melina knew there was something wrong.”

“You should have listened to us.” I crossed my arms over my chest. He was right. If he had listened to us and run his own background check, none of this would have happened. She wouldn’t have tried to sleep with him; he would have realized that she was just trying to get his money, but most of all, nothing would have changed between Dean and I. “You know, I tried really hard. I did. And you just sat there and acted like I was some crazy jealous girlfriend who was being paranoid about some girl trying to make a move on her boyfriend.” He should have known that I wasn’t that girl.

“I know, and I’m sorry. I just … I liked the idea of having someone who wanted to stay late and work with me—”

“I always offer to stay late!” I protested.

“I know … but you …” He let out a deep breath. “I just liked the idea, alright?” No, it wasn’t, but I didn’t say it because I was trying to be nice. I didn’t want to break up with him over this, and didn’t want him to think that’s what I was getting at. “I love you, Becca, I really do. I just fucked up, and I can’t ask you to stay with me; I can’t expect you to either. But I can ask. So please, will you give me another chance? Will you let me prove to you that I will never let this happen again, that I’ll never make you feel like I’m picking someone over you ever again?”

I swallowed dryly, biting my lip and stepped towards him. “I love you too, Dean,” I said, reaching out and touching his arm. “I do, but I’m really hurt. You picked her over me, even if you didn’t have sex with her.” Which I still wasn’t sure about. “You picked her over me. You defended her and acted like I was crazy, and you put spending time with her above spending time with me, even if it was because she liked to work with you. That hurts.” I stepped closer to him. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to give you another chance,” I admitted.

Our eyes locked, and he stared at me; for a second, I thought he was going to cry. My hand traced over the muscles in his arms.

“So … you’ll give me another shot?”

Of course, I was going to give him another shot. I didn’t give up that easily. I stepped closer.

“Of course.”

He reached out; his fingers brushed my cheek as he closed any distance there was between us. His lips moved towards mine, and then he froze. His eyes locked on mine as if he was trying to figure out if he was allowed to kiss me or not, and I swallowed dryly, waiting to see if he would. I wouldn’t turn him away if he did.

“Really?” He raised an eyebrow. “After I was such an ass?”

“I’m not saying I’m going to forget about everything, but yea really. I’ll book a therapy appointment for us for tomorrow if she can fit us in. Er—” I hadn’t really been thinking about what I was saying there. “I mean, you said you wanted to come with me, right? That didn’t come out right.” I blew out a deep breath.

Way to make it more tense, I thought.

“No. I get what you mean, and maybe it will be a good idea for us to go after everything that happened. I can’t pressure you into going and then say it’s a bad idea for us to.” His eyes sparkled, never leaving mine as he reached out and brushed hair out of my face.

His lips lowered themselves to mine.

The kiss was soft and more gentle than I ever would have thought. I barely felt it, honestly and inhaled deeply as he pulled away from me. I didn’t want him to but knew the kiss would have to end, eventually. He cleared his throat, looking over my shoulder.

Hint taken. Melina was back.

“You don’t have to hide!” he called, a smile touching his lips.

“Shit,” she muttered loud enough that we heard her. “If you two need me to be gone for a little longer…”

“Don’t worry about it.” I cleared my throat. How long had she been there? She came into the room carrying a tray of hot mugs. “We’re getting along; we can sort the rest out later.” It was meant to lighten the mood, and thankfully it got a smile from both of them. Melina handed me one of the mugs and then took one for herself.

“So, she should be here soon.”

“Good.”

“You still don’t want us around?” I asked.

“No, I’m interested in seeing how she reacts if it’s just the two of us.”