Black Hearted - An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Complete)

Black Hearted: Chapter 3

Solana watched Alfonso drool as Jack peeled ten one hundred-dollar bills off the wad of cash in his hand.

Smug, rich bastard. Walking around with a stack of money in his pocket like it was loose change. Tossing a thousand dollars on the desk like the pile of dough meant nothing. Half of that would buy almost two months of her abuela's diabetes medication.

Jack shifted to the bank of monitors. "Fine establishment here. The Peppermint Stick yours?"

Her boss, for a few more hours at least, joined Jack in perusing the happenings on the club floor below on the video screens. "Took the place over a decade ago when the original owner's son got himself into a tight spot."

"Smart. You know," Jack put his palm on Alfonso's back, "I'm thinking of investing in a place of my own here in Vegas. Might need a savvy manager. Perhaps you could keep an eye out for any other good deals."

"Sure, sure. Places come up all the time." Alfonso rushed his words. "Give me your number and I'll get you the scoop before the vultures land."

Jack picked up the thousand dollars off the desk and handed Alfonso the stack. "Mighty kind of you. And our girl here?"

"Solana is one of my best..." Alfonso didn't finish his sentence, smart enough to realize he shouldn't tick off the man with the money by saying server or earn an earful from Solana if he repeated Jack's sexist waitress reference. "You have a good eye, Jack. I'll rearrange some things and dedicate her to you and your friends."

"It's Trixie's table. She won't be happy." Solana's reasoning was lame, but she had to try to get out of this. Put up some kind of fight.

Alfonso's Perma grin faltered for half a second. "Let me take care of Trixie. You concentrate on making Jack here a happy customer."

Solana stuffed her hands into her pant pockets to keep from throttling Alfonso, swiping the smug grin from Jack's face, or giving them both the finger, she wasn't sure. When her shift ended in a few hours, Alfonso was cashing out her last week's pay in advance so she could go back to LA tomorrow. She couldn't afford to piss the man off at this point.

Jack was another story.

Spinning on her heel, she stepped out of the office. The arrogant ass had won this round, but she was not about to go down without some form of revenge. She didn't know what she'd do, but she'd make damned sure an opportunity presented itself.

Solana stomped down the stairs and, as she hit the last step, spun around. Jack slammed into her, he was following so close, and she pushed by him, climbing back up two steps so her short frame could meet his tall one eye to eye. "Let's get a few things straight."

"Ok, Sweetheart."

"First, don't call me sweetheart. My mother had the good graces to give me a name, use it." Solana pointed at the black and white nametag pinned to above her heart. "See, right here in big bold letters."

Jack's eyes trailed down her face, neck, shoulder, the deep v of the collar of her shirt where two buttons sat undone and landed on her chest. Solana remembered too late the see-through consistency of the shirt, which didn't matter much in the dull lights of the club, but here in the harsh glare of the stairwell, the material hid little.

"Oh, I can see alright."

She thought she was so smart, but all she'd managed to do was give this arse a good view of her cheap bra. Mad at herself, she barged on like she wasn't standing half naked inches from a stranger. "Now, do you need me to sound it out for you?"

Blue eyes reversed their course until they found hers again. "My mother had the good graces to teach me how to read, Solana."

"Too bad she didn't throw in an etiquette lesson or two as well."

"I'm sure she would have had she not died."

The honest answer threw Solana. She'd expected a snide comeback. "Oh, I'm sorry for your loss."

He waved a hand like he was swatting away a cheap drink. "Happened a long time ago."

A few feet away, the door swung open and the pulsating beat of a techno dance song from the club assaulted them. Not stopping to take in the situation, Trixie pushed between the couple and trudged up the stairs. Solana watched her go, concerned something was amiss and knowing the news Alfonso was about to share would not help the situation.

Jack crossed his arms and called her attention back to him. "I don't believe my parent's deaths are relevant to the list of demands you have regarding our arrangement."

"Right. Where was I?"

"No more sweetheart." The corner of his lip curled as he mocked her.

Solana considered chiding him again over the nickname, but forced herself to ignore it. He was simply toying with her. Why did she always get involved with men who like to play with her? Was she wearing a sign?

"Yes. Another thing. You may have my boss wowed with your wealth, but not me." She leaned closer to Jack. "Don't get the idea I'm serving you anything more than drinks tonight."

Jack's eyes dilated, and he inched closer. "I wouldn't dream of asking you to do anything you're not comfortable with."

The words sounded right and coming from an honest person, she would believe them. Trouble was, she'd probably believe them from a liar as well. Her bullshit radar failed her sometimes. Too many people had made too many promises in her twenty-seven years. Best to assume everyone was a liar and be proven wrong.

His exotic cologne, a mixture of bergamot and something woodsy from the man who had probably never stepped foot in a forest in his life, permeated the air between them. The scent suited him; the tartness softened by the earthy tones. Solana leaned in and inhaled another lungful.

Jack's lips murmured in her ear. "I've been known to make quite a few dreams come true." His deep baritone words reverberated through her, and she cursed the lower half of her body for reacting like a teenager who'd just been asked to dance by the prom king. "Just say the word."

Solana jumped, her back hitting the cold cement of the stairwell wall. "Not in this lifetime, buddy." She avoided looking at him as she bounded down the stairs. "Let's get this over with."