Chapter 0231

Daniel slides in with me and I lean against him as soon as he pulls the door shut, wanting his steady presence and his warmth.

He wraps an arm around me as he gives the driver orders, though the address he tells him is certainly not home.

“Where are we going?” I ask, looking up at him.

“For a drink,” Daniel growls, glaring forward at nothing as the cab pulls away from the restaurant. “I need a drink.”

I nod and settle against him, realizing that I very, very much want that as well right now.

Adrink sounds absolutely fucking perfect.

When we pull up to the address, I hesitate to follow when Daniel opens the door and steps out.

“Daniel,” I say, looking around at the dirty, apparently abandoned alley. “Are you sure this is...”

“Just come on, Fay,” he sighs, putting his forehead in his hand. I nod, trusting him and climbing out of the car as Daniel leans

through the passenger window to hand the driver some cash. Then, once the driver pulls away again, Daniel walks to a steel

door that’s painted a rusty shade of red, banging on it twice.

To my shock, the door opens quickly to reveal a short woman dressed in her own tuxedo, a red carnation pinned to her apel.

“Ah, Mr. Green,” she says, smiling up at him with a slow smirk. “Welcome back.”

“Thank you,” Daniel murmurs, walking swiftly past her and pulling me with him by the hand. We walk about five feet forward,

passing through a velvet curtain, and then my head is instantly on swivel as I gasp and look around at the incredible room,

realizing that we're in an elaborate, secret speakeasy.

“Ohhh!” I say, my face breaking into a happy smile as I take in the gorgeous mahogany bar on the left side of the room and the

small, discreet booths that are built into the other three walls. And then I gasp when I look up to take in the gigantic crystal

chandelier hanging from the ceiling as well as a second row of balcony seating, where people mingle much more than the

intimate pairs downstairs.

Daniel pulls me over to the bar, where two seats seem to be waiting for us. I’m still marveling as I slide into mine.

“Daniel,” I breathe, taking in the velvet wallpaper, the intricate oil paintings on the wall that depict a variety of half-dressed people

in salacious situations. “It's incredible here...”

He doesn’t respond, though, and when I turn to figure out why I see the very handsome bartender coming towards us.

“Hello, Mr. Green,” the bartender says, giving Daniel a slow and frankly intimate smile. “Welcome. What can we get for you

tonight.”

“Manhattan,” Daniel replies, sharp, and then turns to me.

“And tequila,” I say, unable to help

smiling at him, the char of this)

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The bartender gives us a cute wink and heads away to get started on our drinks, and then Daniel turns to me.

“I'm so sorry, Fay,” Daniel breathes,

reaching out to run a hand down

arm, which I s deqherdatizeis? il

cpyered by His jacket I slip the

garment from my shoulders, tucking

it over the back of my chair. Please

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“It's not your fault, Daniel,” I say, but he doesn’t let me get any further.

“It never should have happened,” he

growls, looking away Eel meana \

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h tal er does. “I could kill them.”

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“Well,” I say, quirking my head to the side a bit. “You could kill them. Considering that’s what they suggest you do to my father.”

Daniel, shocked, just turns to me and stares.