Whispers of a Broken Halo by Abbi Glines

Archer stood up, not once taking his eyes off mine. “Well, hello, Angel. How is my favorite waitress?”

Oh God, oh God, oh God , how did I handle this? I couldn’t pretend as if I didn’t know him. I was going to have to face this and deal with it. I just needed a moment, although I wasn’t going to get a moment.

“Hello, Mr. Hendrix,” I replied.

“I was disappointed last night when you weren’t working,” he said.

“I’m only working Saturday and Sunday nights now,” I told him nervously, trying to smile.

Saul came walking up from the pool then, and he looked from me to his father. “Grill is ready,” he said to Henley. “You staying to eat?” he asked his father then.

Archer shrugged, then took another drink. “I believe so.”

Saul looked at me. “You okay?” he asked me. He must have heard him.

Great. Now, Saul knew his father had seen me topless.

I nodded, although I was definitely not okay.

Saul swung his gaze back to his father. “Her name is Bryn. Use it,” he said in a hard tone, then walked past us to the house.

Archer chuckled, as if Saul had amused him.

Rio was walking out before Saul made it inside. He saw Archer and smiled. “Mr. Hendrix,” he said. “Long time.”

Archer had taken a pull from his cigar. He gave Rio a singular nod. “Indeed. I’ve been in Rome for a month,” he said.

“New hotel?” Rio asked him, handing me a glass of ice water.

“Always is,” was his reply.

There was no reason for me to have this sick knot in my stomach. This was going to be okay. Rio didn’t seem to care about my job. While that had bothered me before this moment, I was now thankful for it. There was a good chance he knew Mr. Archer came to the club. He himself had been there with friends. They had sat at our best table. Perhaps it was Mr. Archer who had suggested The Red Stiletto to them.





Chapter Forty

Rio

“How’s the farmers market business?” Archer asked me.

“Good. Pops had a heart attack a while back, but he’s okay. Back home, but not at work. Gramma won’t let him go back.”

“Guess it’s about time to hand it on over to you,” he said, then took a pull from his cigar.

I didn’t respond, but I hoped that wasn’t what happened anytime soon. There was too much I didn’t know that Pops still needed to teach me. Hazel would be more prepared than I was to take over running things.

“Bryn and I were going to watch the sunset,” Henley said, then nodded her head toward the railing, where the best view was this time of year. “Rio, could you help Saul get the steaks down to the grill?”

My eyes met Bryn’s then, and I realized something was wrong. I studied her for a moment, trying to figure it out, but Henley took her arm and pulled her away. I watched them go, although I needed to get her alone. See what it was that had her looking nervous.

“Takes a confident man to date a woman with a job like hers. I’ve dated a few Playboy Bunnies myself,” Archer said, then chuckled and slapped me on the back as he walked past me on his way inside.

Fuck.

That was what was wrong with her. Archer had been to The Red Stiletto. Had he said something to her? Dammit!

I started toward her.

“Rio! Come get this other tray of steaks,” Saul called out.

Bryn was laughing at something Henley had said. She seemed okay now, but I wasn’t going to be okay until I spoke to her. If I told him to get Drake to get the steaks, then Cullen’s entertainment was over, and he’d be out here. I needed him occupied, so I could talk to Bryn.

Turning, I went back inside to get the other tray and made my way down to the grill. Saul was putting the potatoes on when I got down there.

“How long is your dad gonna be here?” I asked him.

“As long as it takes to completely piss me off,” he replied. “Why?”

“He’s seen Bryn at work, and I think he said something to her, or she recognized him.”

Saul winced and looked at me. “Yeah, I heard. I don’t know how you do it. I’d lose my goddamn mind if I were you.”

Every time she left for work, I felt sick. I’d been ready to talk her into working at the market, and then Tory had died. Not wanting to upset her or bring up something that would cause a fight, I’d been trying to give it some time. Give us some time.

“I gotta go talk to her,” I told him, then turned and headed back up to where she stood with Henley.

She was taking a drink from the glass of water I had given her. The breeze caught her hair, and she smiled at something Henley had said. My chest tightened at the image. In the beginning, I’d thought this might wear off. This insane attraction I had to her. That I wouldn’t want her naked with me buried inside her all the damn time.

It wasn’t wearing off. I was sinking deeper. She was mine, and I fucking wanted to rip the eyeballs out of every man who had seen her tits and barely covered ass. That was mine.

Jealousy raged inside me, the closer I got to her. Knowing Archer had seen what was mine was eating at me. I had a hard enough time, knowing Drake had seen her like that.

I put my hand on her back. “We need to talk,” I said and shot my sister a warning glance to stay the fuck out of this.