Oh, he could handle it. And her.
6
They arrived back at the club, to find Trevor had called in Vienna to replace her. He gave her a nasty look when Ajax and Connor’s backs were turned. She really hated that dick.
“Everything okay?” Connor moved in behind her. The heat of his body warmed her, and she had to resist the urge to lean back against him. Her head was thumping and she’d like nothing more than to take a couple of pain killers and crawl into bed.
“Sure. Why wouldn’t it be? My best friend has been taking money to pay off a blackmailer who called her ex, who then beat her up. I’m great.”
Connor sat on the stool next to her, placing one hand on the small of her back.
“It will be okay, Ria.”
She snorted. “Yeah, right.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“Course it wasn’t,” she told him, not believing a word. “Since I’m not needed here tonight, I think I’ll return to my apartment.” And sit there, alone. Thinking over what had happened and what she could have done to prevent it. Guilt was a motherfucker that could make your life a misery.
“And do what? Beat yourself up?”
“Think there’s been enough hitting going on. Got the bruises to prove it.”
He scowled. “Let’s not talk about that.”
“You’re angry I was hurt? Why? It wasn’t you who did it. You couldn’t have prevented it.”
“I could have if you’d called me.”
Her eyes widened. “Why would I have done that?”
“Because you trust me to take care of shit.”
She leaned in. “News flash, I don’t trust you.” Trust him? Was he insane? She didn’t even know who he was. She’d only just learned why he was truly here. It was just like Martin all over again.
Yeah, except Martin fucked you and used you.
Connor might have kissed her, but he hadn’t let things go further. And it wasn’t like she was being fully truthful with him.
He was silent for a moment. Fuck, there went that guilt again. She really had to learn to control that emotion. “Don’t take it personally, I don’t trust anyone.”
“Must be lonely.”
He had no fucking idea.
“Even if I had called you, you wouldn’t have gotten there in time to help.”
“Not unless I was close by.” He gave her a heated look.
“How close?”
Oh, fuck, are you flirting with him? This is the guy who had been ready to throw Sophie in jail. But he hadn’t. He’d let Ajax handle things.
He ran his fingers down her arm. She shivered. “Close enough to be there when you needed help.” He placed his hand around the back of her neck. “You’re very tense.”
“Yeah, no kidding.”
“You need to relax or you’ll never get any sleep.”