Read Online A Shot in the Dark by Christine D'Abo - Free Book Online

inside the doorway, his hands on his hips and a grin on his face. “Hello, Paige.”
    She’d pictured this day a few times after their last phone call three years earlier. None of the scenarios played out positively for her. At least this was public and Ian was here. While Rick might not have understood the line between foreplay and fucked-up, he never did anything outside of a club or their apartment to draw attention to their lifestyle. She hadn’t given him any chances after leaving him.
    Swallowing down the sick rising in her throat, she plastered on her best fake smile and pretended he was another customer.
    “What can I get for you? Our special today is mocha lattes and lemon loaf.”
    Ian came up to stand beside her, his hands balled into fists below the counter. “Hello, Rick. I’d heard you’d left town?”
    “I did, but now I’m back. Not enough interesting work in Montreal to hold my attention. I moved back to Toronto a few months ago.”
    With every step he took closer to the counter, Paige’s chest tightened. She fought to keep her panic from showing, not wanting to give him any reason to think he could still affect her like this.
    “What can I get for you?” Her voice was steady, but she found it challenging to keep her gaze locked on his.
    The door chime sounded again as Blue Eyes walked in. “Hey, kids.” He didn’t let Rick’s presence stop him from making his way over to the counter and taking up residence on one of the vacant stools. “Can I get a black coffee and one of Sadie’s muffins, gorgeous?”
    Ian glanced at Blue Eyes before turning to her. “Are you okay?”
    “Why wouldn’t she be okay?” Rick stepped up flush to the counter and threw a twenty between them. “One coffee. Double, double. You, go talk to your boyfriend.”
    Paige had always hated the way Rick had treated Ian, and her brother was more than ready to get into a fight with anyone who wanted to push matters. She reached up and took Ian’s fist. “Go see to our other customer. I can handle this.”
    “Are you sure?”
    She smiled. “Not like you’re far away.”
    Ian gave Rick one last glare before moving down to talk to Blue Eyes. Paige ignored him to concentrate on the bastard at hand. “Let me get your coffee.”
    The weight of his stare was like an electrical current running up and down her spine. She wanted to scratch her arms to chase away the feeling of bugs beneath her skin but wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her uncomfortable.
    The sugar was swallowed up by the chalk-colored coffee, the best effort she was willing to make for him, letting her know it was done.
    “There you go.” She slid it across the counter. “Anything else?”
    Leaning over to close the distance between them, Rick grinned. “I heard a rumor you’d gone back to the club.”
    Fuck. “Who the hell told you that?”
    “Doesn’t matter. Though she did say you were all alone for a long time. Like you didn’t know what to do with yourself.”
    Paige hadn’t recognized anyone there that night, certainly not anyone from their old crowd. “I was fine.”
    “Yeah, the person said that too.” There was something in Rick’s tone that had Paige paying attention. He lowered his voice and placed his hand over hers. “I heard some asshole took you upstairs. You were gone for a while and when you came back the two of you were smiling and laughing at people. Is that true? You find someone who could pretend to give you what you want?”
    “Shut up. That’s none of your damn business.” She tried to pull her hand away, but he pressed down hard, preventing her escape.
    “No, you listen. I left you alone because you told me you weren’t into pain anymore. That you didn’t need to be spanked and tied up, and ‘please Rick you don’t need to do that anymore. I’m over it.’” His cheeks were red and his eyes were bug wide as he whispered softly enough so no one but Paige would hear. “I don’t care what you think.