“Miss, can I get you another drink?”
Cori turned to the waiter who offered to take her glass. She regarded it, debating on whether to get shit-faced. Why not? The first dance was over. The cake had been cut. All that was left were gifts to open and the tossing of the bouquet. Then Cassie and Theo would be heading to their honeymoon, and Cori would go to the club. Her friends were somewhere.
The best part of all, she was dragging Mariah out tonight too.
Nodding at the server, she handed him the glass and thanked him before she approached the table holding the gifts. She spotted Cassie and Theo dancing, but this time, Theo was dancing with her mom and Cassie with Theo’s father. While it was customary for the bride and groom to dance with several of their new in-laws, she wanted to be long gone before she was placed in an uncomfortable position. She didn’t want to dance with her new brother-in-law.
Talk about awkward.
Shaking the thought from her mind, she glanced over the packages, being as nonchalant as she could. At the first opportunity, she’d hide out somewhere until it was time for the bouquet toss. If there were any way possible, she’d slip out before that point. The longer she stayed, the more uncomfortable she grew.
As she continued to scan the name tags on the gifts, she came across a few envelopes as well. Money cards. She recognized them. Yet one stood out from the rest.
Curiosity purred to life as she leaned closer to the table and read the writing. The dark blue letterhead made her blood grow cold. Midnight Blues. She was no stranger to the blues club her sister frequented. In fact, two people were in attendance that worked at Midnight Blues—Dee-Dee and Jimmy.
Both had brought gifts, but Cori saw them at the beginning of the table. Knowing as much meant someone else had sent it. There was only one person Cori could think of that would have the nerve to send something without receiving an invitation.
Mike.
“Damn him,” she whispered.
He was not going to fuck up her sister’s day. The boy needed to move on and get over it. Her sister broke things off. Dude needed to take a hint.
It was bad enough that Cassie had to get a new number so he’d quit texting her. If he thought he was going to weasel his way into her sister’s biggest day with a stupid reminder of their brief time together, he was gravely mistaken.
Surveying the room, she made sure no one was looking her way. Her heart beat so fast that her hands began shaking. It didn’t stop her from lifting the envelope or shoving it into her wristlet. She didn’t like feeling like a thief, but she would not let Mike Casanova hurt her sister.
It seemed like a joke to know he had such a surname. Somewhere in life, it had gone to his head, and he thought he was God’s gift to women. Well, he thought he was a gift to Cassie at least.
Please.
Cassie’s ex, Aaron, was way hotter. Now she had Theo who was . . . Yeah. He was Cassie’s. The point of the matter was that Cori knew it was her duty to nip this in the bud.
“I saw that.”
The gritty voice made Cori’s body tingle. She turned to look over her shoulder and came face to face with Jesse. The fact that he was standing so close made her gasp.
“Saw what?”
Jesse grasped her arm, raising it high enough that the wristlet came into view. “I saw you slip something inside here, something that was supposed to be for your sister and my friend.” He forced her to turn and face him. Then he leaned in. “What are you up to, Cori?”
It felt as though hornets were pelting her face. Fire burned through every inch. Not only had Jesse seen her lift the envelope, but he was also treating her like she was trying to steal it. How dare he.
“You’ve got this all wrong. I’d like to explain, but I’m not going to do it in front of an audience. Believe me, I’m doing this to protect my sister and your friend.”
“Fine. Let’s step outside. It’s stuffy in here anyway.”
Relief pulsed through Cori. Jesse wasn’t going to cause a scene like she feared. The fact that he was following her was proof enough. Still, his presence had her body reacting in ways she didn’t want, especially when he touched his hand to her lower back. Her nipples hardened, and she swore she’d caught fire.
The fresh air did her a world of good. When the cool breeze hit her face, the heat dispelled. She felt like she could breathe again.
Then Jesse stepped in front of her, crossing his arms. “Okay, Cori, we’re outside. Mind telling me why you slipped one those gift envelopes into your purse?”
“Sure. I’ll tell you, but first I want to say something to you. In all the years you’ve known me, where do you get off thinking I’d steal anything from my sister?”
Jesse parted his mouth with a retort, but nothing came out. He stammered a moment then pressed his lips together. After shrugging, he released a deep breath. “You’re right. I’ve never had a reason to think you’d steal. I guess it’s just . . . I don’t know. After what happened between you and Theo a few months ago, I guess I thought the worst.”
Great. She would never live down that foolish mistake. What more did she expect in the presence of Theo’s oldest friend? Of course he would think badly of her. Hell, she hadn’t fully forgiven herself. Part of it was regret, but the other part stemmed from the difficulty of letting someone go, someone she’d convinced herself she would have, even for a night.
“Thanks for thinking so little of me, Jesse.” She hated herself for feeling an ounce of attraction to him. He was an ass.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to sound like that. It’s just that . . .”
When his voice fell away, she stared in his direction. It wasn’t hard to see his remorse. It covered his face. He hadn’t meant to offend her. Too bad he had.
Forcing her clutch open, she jerked the letter out and shook it a few inches from his face. “Look, I don’t have proof, but I’m pretty sure this envelope came from the guy my sister used to see.”
“Which guy?”
“Mike,” she answered, locking her eyes on him. “He’s one of the bartenders at Midnight Blues.”
“You mean the guy that Theo decked?” When she nodded, his jaw flinched. “Is that asshole trying to cause a problem?”
“I think so. Cassie and Theo haven’t seen any of their gifts yet. I wanted to remove this before they did. This is their special day. I’m not going to let this asshole screw with either of them.”
Jesse’s gaze fell to the envelope as she lowered her hand. “So you don’t know for sure what’s inside. Do you seriously think this guy would be that stupid?”
Something about his voice was condescending. It irked her. “Isn’t that why my sister had her number changed?”
“True.”
Jesse scuffed his shoes against the ground. He stood quietly, probably contemplating what to say.
Cori didn’t mind the silence. It gave her a moment to clear her head until her mind took a sharp left onto Seduction Highway. Seeing Jesse standing there, body rigid, muscles rolling underneath his tux, was enough to make any woman stop and stare. He had a killer body. Despite how much he’d pissed her off, she was only human. Part of her wanted to see what was underneath his formal attire. Was he a boxer guy, a brief guy, or did he go commando?
“What are you waiting for? Aren’t you going to look?”
An icy sensation washed over Cori as she stared at him in disbelief. Was he a damn mind reader? “Beg your pardon?”
Jesse peered over his shoulder. “The letter. Aren’t you going to open it and see what it says?”
Damn her mind for going in the gutter again. It seemed to stay there whenever he was around. She shouldn’t be reacting this way. She needed to focus on the issue in front of them.
Sliding her nail under the corner of the envelope, she swept it across the paper, tearing it open. Just as she expected, a piece of paper was inside, nothing more. When she unfolded the plain white paper, she regarded Jesse once more before reading the words scribbled o
n the sheet.
Each one she scanned made her angrier. It was definitely Mike making a last-ditch effort to woo Cassie. This asshole needed to get a life and quick. Otherwise, Cori would make him regret it. She wasn’t sure how, but he needn’t put anything past her.
“Unbelievable.”
“What is?” Jesse’s voice held so much inquisitiveness. He was just as anxious as she was to know what Mike had said.
“After everything that’s happened, this idiot still thinks he has a shot with my sister. He even said he’d be there if she decided Theo was too boring for her. What a dick.”
“He’s a punk. If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll make this his last point of contact. Otherwise, Theo won’t hold back. Maybe I should just pay this asswipe a visit.”
Jesse took a few steps away when Cori clasped her hand over his shoulder. “Hang on, now. If anyone gets to confront Mike, it’s going to be me.”
“And why is that?” Jesse sneered.
“Because, for one, I’m a girl. He’s less likely to hit me. Two, I’m not a semi-famous musician with a career on the line. Hell, I don’t even have a career yet.”
She was certain Jesse’s testosterone would kick in, and he’d make some chauvinistic remark, but when humor played in his eyes, she couldn’t look away.
“Semi-famous musician?”
His laughter sounded heavenly.
“I said semi because you’re not a world-renowned musician. But give it some time, Jesse Woods. One day, you’re going to be famous. To some, you already are.”
As she winked, she knew she’d caught him off guard with her response. Had she shocked him by not falling all over him like some of the girls he’d met? She knew he had met plenty. The music industry was full of groupies at any level. It wasn’t just the celebrities.
When the moment grew awkward, she stepped away and prepared to find her car. Before she could get far, Jesse called out her name. Swift strides brought him to her side. He raised his hand and dangled his keys in front of her.
“You’ll have to wait for valet if you want your car. Mine’s just across the street. I won’t stop you from confronting this prick or setting him straight, but you’re not going alone. These are my friends he’s messing with. I’m going with you.”
Hopefully, no one would notice they were gone. The thought alone had Cori second-guessing her choice to leave now instead of after the reception. Cassie would have a fit if she knew Cori left.
It was a chance she was willing to take. She had to put a stop to this before Cassie and Theo found out. He and Mike already had one physical confrontation. If he learned about the letter Mike sent, Theo would spend the night in jail instead of leaving for his honeymoon. Cassie would be devastated.
No way was it happening on Cori’s watch.
Chapter 5
You sure we’ll be back before they leave for their honeymoon?”
Jesse acknowledged Cori then refocused on the road. He nodded his head in response to her question. It was all he could do. Forming any words would be impossible, and he knew she wouldn’t stop worrying until he answered.
From the moment she slid into the passenger seat of his car, her sweet scent intoxicated his nose. It wasn’t just her scent that was driving him crazy. It was what she was wearing. He never considered a bridesmaid’s dress to be sexy. Maybe this one wasn’t either, and it was just the fact that Cori was wearing it. At this point, he wasn’t sure about anything. All he did know is that every second he spent with her, his brain turned to mush.
Downtown was abuzz with patrons seeking a good time. There was never a dull moment in the city, unlike the suburbs where they grew up. An inward laugh forced him to clear his throat to keep Cori from noticing. He couldn’t help it. Memories flooded his mind, ones of him and Theo sneaking into some of the bars with fake I.D.’s.
He wondered if Cori had done the same stupid thing but didn’t ask. She was Cassie’s little sister after all. They were more alike than he’d thought. Cassie had gone to the bars with him and Theo on a couple of occasions.
“Look there.” Cori pointed out the window to an empty parking space. “That spot is open, and it’s close to the door. Park the car, Jesse. Let’s do this.”
The last time a woman said something similar wasn’t because she was planning on chewing out some guy who was messing with her sister. It was an open invitation to fuck her, and Jesse had obliged. Sadly, he couldn’t remember the girl’s name.
It didn’t take him long to park the car and even less time for Cori to spring from the vehicle. She was bound and determined to set Mike straight on where he stood with Cassie. This was one instance where Jesse didn’t mind seeing another guy get verbally humiliated by a woman. He wished he had some popcorn because he didn’t doubt Cori would give him one hell of a show.
What was he talking about? If he didn’t keep her in check, she’d land them both in jail for the evening—in a tux no less. He wouldn’t fair well.
The thought had him shaking off his coat. He loosened the bowtie, shoved it in the glove compartment, and then scurried from his car towards Cori. She was halfway to the door when he caught up with her. For a girl who was worried about falling in her heels, she sure could move when she was pissed.
Tugging on her arm, he finally got her to stop and look at him. “Listen, you know I support you a hundred percent for what you want to do here, but I need you to hear me out.”
Her brow furrowed. “Okay. I’m listening.”
“Confronting Mike is one thing, but don’t go in there half-cocked, ready to beat some sense into him. As much as I’d like to see you do it, I don’t think we’d escape freely. I can only speak for myself, but I’d rather not spend the night in jail, especially dressed like this.”
“Don’t worry, Jesse. I know how to handle myself. I’ve managed to stay out of jail for the last twenty-one years. I don’t plan to break that record now.”
The moment she winked, he released his hold on her and watched her saunter toward the door. Damn those hips of hers. He imagined what they would look like if she were riding him. Would they move just as fast when she was close to coming?
Cursing himself, he did his best to temper the desire making his cock hard. Twice now she’d made him struggle to keep control. He needed to keep his wits about him if they were about to confront Cassie’s former lover. He’d only been in the blues club once when Southern Scandal performed, but he knew there were bouncers present.
He didn’t doubt he could take on one. There was still the whole issue of going to jail. He’d never been, and much like the little redheaded firecracker in front of him, he didn’t plan to make tonight his first visit.
The club was packed wall to wall with bodies. He didn’t recognize the band performing, but the funky beats resonating through the blues joint had everyone inside pumped. The dance floor was overrun with people, so much so that some were dancing in the seated area near the bar.
Cori didn’t let anything deter her from her mission, not even the long, sexy gown she wore. She hiked up the side, securing the fabric in her hand as she walked forward. She made her way toward the bar, but just before she reached a stool, she turned to face him. “Pretend like you don’t know who Mike is. Let me handle this.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted her request as she shook her head at him.
Before he could proceed to the bar, his phone chimed, signaling a new text. He grabbed it from his pocket long enough to see it was a message from Maggie. Again. Releasing it from his grip, he let it slide back into his pocket and followed Cori. He didn’t have time to deal with Maggie’s shit. She needed to leave him alone.
Once Cori slid onto the stool, Jesse took the one beside her. He tried to appear unaffected by her presence. If Mike thought she was alone, he might be more apt to talk to her. The second he spotted Mike on the other end of the bar, he knew it wouldn’t be long until he found out if he was correct.
Right on cue, the bartender made his way
toward them, his sights seemingly set on Cori. There was an air of cockiness to him. Jesse recognized it right away.
For a guy, he wasn’t bad looking. It was obvious by his size and physique that he spent plenty of time in the gym perfecting his appearance. Even so, Jesse felt no intimidation. If this idiot tried something stupid, he’d lay him out on the ground.
Doing his best to blend in, he ordered a beer from another bartender, then turned to face the stage. He regarded Cori once, but she was too fixated on Mike to notice.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in. It’s the little Clarke sister. How’s it going, sugar?”
“Living the life, Mike. How about you?”
“The same, hot stuff. Living the life. Can I get you a drink?”
Jesse peeked at Cori to see if she was still sporting the same pissed-off expression she had since entering the club. To his surprise, her face had softened.
“I’ll take a Crown and Coke.”
“Cool. Be right back.”
Mike was barely out of hearing distance when Jesse leaned closer to Cori. “You buying that drink for liquid courage or do you plan on throwing it in his face?”
Cori chuckled. “It’s to drink. I’m parched. Besides, I wouldn’t waste good liquor on that asshole.”
“That’s my girl.” He couldn’t believe he just said that. He meant it in the friendliest terms, but the way Cori’s smile faded had him regretting his choice to say it. He didn’t have a chance to explain why he had. When he turned to face the bar, he noticed Mike walking back.
“Alrighty, Red, here’s your drink. Should I start a tab?”
“No. I’m afraid I won’t be staying long.” She threw down a twenty between her and Mike, then picked up her drink. While he went to get her change, Jesse watched in disbelief as she chugged most of the cocktail in just a few gulps.
This couldn’t be good.
When Mike returned, he handed her change back, then leaned on his elbows across from her. “You’re looking good tonight, Little Clarke.”