Cash (Sexy Bastard #2) (12 page)

Clinging to her quilted robe, she looks
me dead in the eye. “Dear, please do us all a favor and invite
him up. Some of us need our beauty rest.”

“I’m so sorry, Mrs.
Carson.”

She gives me an affectionate pat. “Oh,
bless your heart,” she says, which in southern is akin to ‘you
poor, stupid thing.’ “If I was you, I might put on
something different first, but…” she shrugs.

I walk past her, heading for the front
door of the apartment. The day I change for Tanner is the day the
devil sells snow cones to the Pope.

“Go home, Tanner,” I say
from the doorway. He will not come up—I promise myself. He will
not march back into my life. “I’ll call the cops.”

Bless your
heart, my ass.
This girl is made of steel.

“I’m not leaving, Savannah,
until you let me up. Or is that ‘boyfriend’
of yours staying over? Send him out; I’ll deal with him. Either
way I’m
just thinkin’
bout the girl I left at home…
”
he sings, strumming the guitar loudly again. “You’re my
home, Savannah.”

I can hear more doors open, and when I
look back, many of my neighbors are sticking their heads out of their
apartments that I realize I’ve suddenly become the new side
show. If this doesn’t get me in trouble with my apartment
manager, I don’t know what will.

“Stop,
Tanner.”

He plays a few more chords, and I
cringe. “Not until you let me in.”

Ugh. “You promise to shut up if I
let you in?”

“My honor as a musician.”

Which is
probably as good as your honor as a married man
, I think
to myself, but let’s just hope it lasts for a fraction of the
time.

“Fine. Get inside. Now.” I
stand aside, letting him enter.

Tanner stops right in front of me,
invading my space with such casualness I want to smack him. But he
just tips his hat to me. I glare. He cannot buy his way back into my
good graces with his southern charm. I lead the way up the stairs to
my apartment, and doors silently click shut. I’m sure Mrs.
Carson will have plenty to tell her friends in the morning about the
crazy girl who lives across the hall and her midnight visitor.

Inside my apartment, he seems larger
than life. It’s like he sucks up all the space around him,
leaving so little for me.

This was going to be my life. How many
times had I pictured him here with me? Making love. Helping me cook.
Writing songs. A life planned out in my head and smashed by his lies.

I fold my arms and lift my chin. “What
do you want? I’m in the middle of something.”

He comes closer, eliminating the gap
between us, leaning a hand against the wall so that he can box me in.
“Just you.” He comes in for a kiss and I move a fraction
of an inch, letting him stumble for balance when he hits the wall.

“You sure your wife would be
okay with that?” I put a hand on his chest and push him back.
Not again. That is a dead end road to heartbreak.

“Don’t be like that,
Savannah.” He cups my face and forces me to look back at him.
“You’re perfect to me. You’re the one I want.”

“Let me go,
Tanner.”

I brush off his advances and go back to
my kitchen. Although there might be too many sharp objects in there.
Maybe that’s why I choose it as my retreat.

“Anyway, I came here to talk
about my contract.”

I snort. “You could have called
my office during normal business hours. I can get you my card if you
need it.”

“I wanted to talk it through with
you now. I know you need me on this,
Savy.
”
I bristle at the nickname. He has no right to that name. “We
could be great again. You and me, straight to the top.”

“I have other clients.”

“But not ones with number one
songs. I want to help you, Savannah. After Tennessee, I was
miserable. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you.”

“Then why lie to me?”

“Because it came out of nowhere.
You stepped into my life, and everything made sense in a way that it
hadn’t for a long time.” He walks around my island and
comes to stand next to me. Taking my hand in his, he holds it up. “I
want you to know I left her. We’re done.”

I look up at him. What? Lacing our
fingers together he plants a soft kiss on our joined hands.

“Baby, I’m here to make it
up to you. I came to Atlanta to tell you that I left my wife, that I
choose you. I want you.”

He left his wife, he chose me. This was
what I waited for, wasn’t it? So why don’t I feel good?
He wraps his arms around me and I remember for a moment why I fell so
fast. Every dream I had after he broke my heart had him coming to my
apartment, holding me, telling me I was the only one for him. Tanner
is here in my apartment saying everything I ever wanted him to say.

And maybe, if it was six months ago,
and I hadn’t started to put back together the pieces of my
broken heart, maybe this would be more than the band-aid I always
dreamed of. He’s single, he chose me.

But he’s also a liar who cheated
on his wife and made a fool of me.

Cash was right—I deserve more
than this.

“You’re serious?” I
ask. He doesn’t hear the incredulity in my voice. Or at least
he’s pretending not to. He thinks because he’s finally
here, saying everything I ever wanted him to say and more—he
left his wife, he wants me, I was worth it, what we had was real—that
I’ll want him, too.

“I’ve missed you. After
everything that happened, it was just never the same. You are my
muse. Together, me and you, we’ll be so good. I’ll be
back writing up a storm, and when my next song hits number one you
will be right by my side..”

The air freezes in my lung.

Muse. Music.

“Muse?”

Fuck that shit.

“Every singer’s got one.”
Tanner looks down at me, “The person who inspires them. Without
you in my life, I’ve been completely blocked. I can’t
write without you, Savannah. I need you to do this. Triton, they’re
great, but they—they want a new album— a full one. With
songs like the one I wrote with you. Together, we can build this
dream. I need you.”

I need you. Not I love you.

Not I want to be with you forever come
rain or shine and all that jazz. Not I’m so sorry, I was wrong,
I fucked up, how can I make it up to you. No, of course not. It’s
I need you. Words mean a lot to me as a lawyer. What might seem to be
a simple word substitution can entirely change a contract. Need isn’t
love, and no matter what you do to it, it never will be.

Tanner Jakes only revolves around one
fucking thing: himself.

“Is that why you left your wife?
She’s not your muse?”

“No.” He shakes his head.
“I left her because I need
you
.
I don’t need her.”

That’s the difference between
need and love. Something you need can easily be replaced with
something else that fills your need, but love, that’s not
replaceable. It’s something you fight for.

He leans in for the kiss and this time,
I push him away. No more. How could I possibly walk back into that?
All he cares about is himself. I’m just his meal ticket to the
Grammys.

“I’ve heard your proposal,
and I think it would be best if we discussed this further at my
office.” When I push, he backs away, stunned.

“Savannah, I don’t—”

“I’m happy to represent you
in legal matters, but we’re done, Tanner.
We’ve been done for a long time.”

“Savannah—or do you prefer
Savy now?”

“Get out.”

“You think you’re gonna be
happy with that two-bit bartender? Not even here tonight to keep you
company. I tell you, I’d never leave you alone if you were
mine.”

“He has to handle business issues
tonight. Unlike some people, he doesn’t need me to help him
make his fucking living.”

“Don’t be like this,
Savannah.” Tanner pleads. “Let me make it up to you.”

“Too late,” I tell him,
bitter. “Leave. Now. And don’t come back.” I stand,
staring him down. Slowly, recognition dawns on his face. The cool
demeanor drops. He believes me.

“Sure, I’ll
go. And I’ll take my business elsewhere,” Tanner
sneers. “Is that what you want?”

There is that ugly side, the one I’ve
been waiting for. When he doesn’t get his way he’ll just
intimidate everyone, or bluff his way out of it. But this time I
refuse to back down.

“Fine, then.” It will hurt
and I will lose my chance at a promotion, but I will not break myself
again to be his puppet. I am worth more than that.

“Sav—”

That’s the last straw. “
Get
out
or I will call the cops and I will file a restraining
order and it will not look good for you. Have fun explaining that one
to the papers.”

He tries again, but I’m over it.
“You really want to do this? What about everything we had?
Those long nights—I remember just how you like it.”

Without waiting, I pull out my cell
phone and start dialing a number.

“Fine, fine,”
he says holding up his hands in surrender. I still hold the phone to
my ear, listening to it ring.

He marches past and stops to look back
at me. “You really want your bartender that badly?”

“Hello,”
I say to a ringtone. “I need an officer to come to my
apartment.”

Tanner leaves before
I say another word.

“
You’ve
reached Cash Gardner…”
I disconnect
when I reach his voice mail, but hearing his voice is a reminder. I
want more dates like tonight. I want to feel wanted like I did in the
alley with him.

I want Cash Gardner. And if there’s
one thing he better be aware of it’s this: I get what I want.

Cash

The Warehouse was originally planned to
be one of our clubs, but once Ryder’s fight club outgrew their
old space, we knew it’d be perfect. A little dirty, a lot of
square footage, and with that underground feel that suits our
not-so-legal fighting ring.

Ryder is in charge, pure and simple.
It’s his empire, and as far as I’m concerned, he can have
it. He’s edgy and focused, much like what I imagine he was back
when he was giving opponents the old one-two punch. I focus on
keeping the bar stocked in the back and the liquor flowing. The
crowds get bigger every month, and so do the profits. Tonight, we’re
packed to max capacity. It’s crazy back here, but a flash of
blond curls at the end of the bar catches my attention all the same.
Savannah.

Right away, my night gets better.

“Whiskey
rocks,” I say, sliding the drink over to her.

“Hello there,” she says,
with a suggestive smile. “I was wondering when I’d see
you.”

“How about later?” I tell
her.

“Maybe…” she lets
out an exaggerated sigh. “I might be meeting this guy. You
could say, he left me all wound up the last time I saw him.”

“Really? Because I thought you
got exactly what you needed. I was the one left with blue balls.”

She smirks. “Not everything I
needed. I can think of one more thing…”

Her gaze goes to my pants. Damn.

“Cash!” the yell comes from
across the bar. “We’re in the weeds over here.”

I sigh. “Hold that thought,”
I tell her, and go to keep the drinks moving. When I get back,
there’s some tatted up douchebag leaning in close, trying to
pick her up.

“How about another drink?”
he leans in, sliding a hand over her waist.

I want to toss him in the ring for a
one-on-one fight, but I’m saved from that mistake.

“Excuse me,” Shelby says,
cutting in. “I love the feel of your shirt, is that silk?”
She presses up against the guy and drags him off, giving us a wink
over her shoulder. Total party girl that one, but hell if she doesn’t
know how to save a friend from a cock-block.

“Do we have to tip her for that
service?” Savannah asks, watching Shelby expertly ditch the
man, leaving him in a group of women.

“If we did, we’d never make
any money.”

“Too true.” She sips the
whiskey

“Need
anything stronger?” I ask. Stronger, or deeper.

She smiles. “As a matter of fact,
yes.”

The bell suddenly sounds.
Time for the next fight. Shelby returns, and links her arm through
Savy’s. “Come on, I don’t want to miss this one.”

“Little Miss Shelby,
hungry for blood,” Savannah laughs.

“More like hungry to
get a look at these fine fighters,” Shelby winks. “Coming,
Cash?”

Not soon enough.

“Right behind you,”
I say, and enjoy the view as Savannah walks ahead. Let the rest of
the crew handle the bar tonight, I have more pressing priorities.

We all gather ringside. I find a spot
beside Savannah, and slide my arm around her waist, drawing looks
from the others.

Fuck it. I’m not some kid
sneaking around, and like Savannah said, it’s her business who
she fucks.

Mine too, if I’m lucky.

Ryder gives me a look. “How’s
the bar doing?”

“Fine without me,” I glare
back.

“Cash was just explaining how the
fight is mostly fake,” Savannah teases.

Ryder grins. “You
want fake, watch the TV crap. This is the real deal.”

“How was the sushi joint?”
Parker asks. “It’s great right?”

I’m going to murder Parker.

“ Great,”
Savannah smiles. “Until
Cash had to run out for some bar emergency.”

Ryder shoots me a look. “What
emergency?”

“How’s your new
client doing?” I ask, trying to cover. “That country guy.
He still around? Or did he get jealous that you had a really hot
boyfriend?”

“New client?” Cassie asks.
“Country guy?”

“Tanner
Jakes,” Savannah grumbles into her drink

“He’s your client? Oh my
God, he is awesome! His song is everywhere!” Cassie crows. “You
should invite him to the club, it’d be—”

“I don’t
think that’s going to happen,” Savannah says. She holds
up her bottle. “Look, I’m empty. Who wants another round?
No one? Be right back.”