Read Online Creature of Habit: Book Two (Creature of Habit #2) by Angel Lawson - Free Book Online
Authors: Angel Lawson
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which means I’ll be watching you now.”
Fear took over, but now that I understood who these people were— what they were, and were capable of, I shut down. “What do you want?”
“For you to deliver your boss a message.” He rolled his eyes at the word boss, clearly having a better understanding of our relationship than I did. “Every day he keeps what rightfully belongs to Caleb, is another day you both risk losing someone you care about.”
Joe released my neck and I frantically searched the bar for Drew. I found him leaving the counter and he caught my eye. I shook my head, I didn’t want him over here but he raced in my direction, the fizzy soda splashing over the rim of the glass.
I glanced at the chair next to me and it was empty. Joe had disappeared.
Oblivious Drew said, “See that guy over there?” He pointed to the doorway between the deck and the bar. “I think he’s looking for you.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because he came up to me and said, “Where’s Amelia?” I don’t know how he knows who I am. But God, he’s terrifying.” I searched the room again and spotted Ryan walking in my direction.
“Oh boy,” I muttered and jumped up to meet him. The alcohol hit my brain the second my feet hit the ground and I teetered, grabbing for the back of the chair to hold steady.
“Do you know who that is?” Drew asked.
“Yeah, I know.” Sheer relief washed over me at the sight of Ryan. How could I be so stupid not to see that Joe was one of…them?
Ryan stopped in front of me and I said, “He just left.”
He sniffed the air twice—quickly. Then he pushed back my hair and grimaced. “Stay here. I’m serious, Amelia, do not move.” He looked at Drew. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”
Drew nodded, eyes wide, and watched Ryan disappear into the crowd. He turned to me and said, “What the hell was that?”
Something Olivia said a while back popped into my head. “Welcome to the world of Grant Palmer. Tickets to the freak show are on your right.”
~*~
Ryan escorted me to my car in a dark parking lot down the street from the bar. Without asking he took the keys and sat down in the driver’s seat. Fair enough. I’d had enough to drink to take that option off the table.
“Your place or his?” he asked, shaking his head at the sputtered start of my car.
“His,” I said without the slightest bit of hesitation. Was there really any question? I knew in my heart there wasn’t and not just because I was afraid. Being with Grant was where I wanted to be, no matter how foolish it may seem.
To his credit, Ryan didn’t respond to my answer. He also didn’t say much about what happened after he left me and Drew at the bar but I didn’t think he caught Joe. The tense set of his jaw and shoulders told me that much.
“Do you remember what he said to you?” Ryan asked.
I rubbed my hands on my thighs, feeling cold even though it was a warm summer night. “He told me he had taken Sasha’s place with Caleb and that Caleb was going to hurt people close to all of us if Grant didn’t give him what he wanted.”
“Did you say anything to him?” His eyes flicked over at me and I could sense the judgment. The alcohol was starting to wear off. He could probably smell it or something. Gross.
“He asked some questions about Grant and his business. I think it was just a way to get me talking. I didn’t tell him anything important,” I said. A memory flashed in my head. “Well, I did tell him that Grant was a prick, but that’s all.”
That earned me a small grin. “Well, you were just being truthful.”
Once inside, I procrastinated. I stopped in the kitchen to get a glass from the shelf and fill it with water from the sink. Walking by my desk even though I knew there was no work. No list. Grant was waiting for me upstairs. He would have seen the journals. He would know that I know.
I finally gathered my nerve and walked upstairs. I raised my fist to knock on
Fear took over, but now that I understood who these people were— what they were, and were capable of, I shut down. “What do you want?”
“For you to deliver your boss a message.” He rolled his eyes at the word boss, clearly having a better understanding of our relationship than I did. “Every day he keeps what rightfully belongs to Caleb, is another day you both risk losing someone you care about.”
Joe released my neck and I frantically searched the bar for Drew. I found him leaving the counter and he caught my eye. I shook my head, I didn’t want him over here but he raced in my direction, the fizzy soda splashing over the rim of the glass.
I glanced at the chair next to me and it was empty. Joe had disappeared.
Oblivious Drew said, “See that guy over there?” He pointed to the doorway between the deck and the bar. “I think he’s looking for you.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because he came up to me and said, “Where’s Amelia?” I don’t know how he knows who I am. But God, he’s terrifying.” I searched the room again and spotted Ryan walking in my direction.
“Oh boy,” I muttered and jumped up to meet him. The alcohol hit my brain the second my feet hit the ground and I teetered, grabbing for the back of the chair to hold steady.
“Do you know who that is?” Drew asked.
“Yeah, I know.” Sheer relief washed over me at the sight of Ryan. How could I be so stupid not to see that Joe was one of…them?
Ryan stopped in front of me and I said, “He just left.”
He sniffed the air twice—quickly. Then he pushed back my hair and grimaced. “Stay here. I’m serious, Amelia, do not move.” He looked at Drew. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”
Drew nodded, eyes wide, and watched Ryan disappear into the crowd. He turned to me and said, “What the hell was that?”
Something Olivia said a while back popped into my head. “Welcome to the world of Grant Palmer. Tickets to the freak show are on your right.”
~*~
Ryan escorted me to my car in a dark parking lot down the street from the bar. Without asking he took the keys and sat down in the driver’s seat. Fair enough. I’d had enough to drink to take that option off the table.
“Your place or his?” he asked, shaking his head at the sputtered start of my car.
“His,” I said without the slightest bit of hesitation. Was there really any question? I knew in my heart there wasn’t and not just because I was afraid. Being with Grant was where I wanted to be, no matter how foolish it may seem.
To his credit, Ryan didn’t respond to my answer. He also didn’t say much about what happened after he left me and Drew at the bar but I didn’t think he caught Joe. The tense set of his jaw and shoulders told me that much.
“Do you remember what he said to you?” Ryan asked.
I rubbed my hands on my thighs, feeling cold even though it was a warm summer night. “He told me he had taken Sasha’s place with Caleb and that Caleb was going to hurt people close to all of us if Grant didn’t give him what he wanted.”
“Did you say anything to him?” His eyes flicked over at me and I could sense the judgment. The alcohol was starting to wear off. He could probably smell it or something. Gross.
“He asked some questions about Grant and his business. I think it was just a way to get me talking. I didn’t tell him anything important,” I said. A memory flashed in my head. “Well, I did tell him that Grant was a prick, but that’s all.”
That earned me a small grin. “Well, you were just being truthful.”
Once inside, I procrastinated. I stopped in the kitchen to get a glass from the shelf and fill it with water from the sink. Walking by my desk even though I knew there was no work. No list. Grant was waiting for me upstairs. He would have seen the journals. He would know that I know.
I finally gathered my nerve and walked upstairs. I raised my fist to knock on
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