Jillian Dodd - Hate Me

“So what’s your next movie?” I ask Sander, changing the subject.

“Not sure. I want to choose the right project. My agent called me yesterday wanting me to do a screen test for that remake of your mom’s old movie. Hey, we could star in it together. They want me to play the boyfriend. How easy would that be?”

Shit. I need Sander to stay far away from Vincent.

I grab the fruity martini they ordered me, take a big drink, and look toward Cooper. “Oh, wow. I didn’t even see him over there.”

“Who?” Donnie says, swiveling his head quickly, probably hoping to spot someone more famous than Sander.

“Cooper Steele,” I say, drawing his name out. “I’ll go get him. I feel bad making him sit over there and wait for me.”

“Girl, you should always play a little hard to get,” Dylan tells me.

I saunter over to Cooper. “You’re going to have to pretend to be really into me, okay?”

“Got it,” he says, all business as I grab his hand and lead him back to the boys. But as soon as I introduce him to everyone, he becomes a cad, stealing my martini, drinking half of it, and placing his hand firmly on my ass.

“So, Cooper Steele, where did you get all those muscles?” Donnie asks.

Cooper shrugs like he was just born this way.

“The Steele Building Workout,” I say discreetly.

“Sexy name for a workout,” Dylan says. “I dance too much. Can’t seem to put on any bulk.”

“Eat more protein and lift weights,” Cooper says. “You need to balance out all the aerobic activity.”

“Are you a personal trainer?” Sander asks, sizing Cooper up and noting his hand placement.

Cooper, who doesn’t miss anything, keeps his hand firmly in place, but starts caressing my ass with his thumb.

I give a cute little shiver and kiss him on the neck. “Cooper is one of Tommy’s stunt men. So, thanks for the drink. It was great seeing you, Sander, and meeting you all. We’re going to head out. I’m taking him dancing tonight.”

“We were thinking of hitting Plague. Where are you going?”

“To a place that doesn’t have a name,” I laugh.

“I’ve heard rumors about that place,” Danny says in awe. “Can we join you? Can you get us in?”

I glance at Cooper. He gives my butt a single tap of his finger. “Sure, why not? Can we meet up at your house, Sander?” I look down at my clothes. “Obviously, I need to change.”

“Sounds good. Ten o’clock? We can get there before the crowds.”

“Sander,” I tease. “I’m not going to let you drink with the crowds. We’ll be in the VIP section.”

Danny claps his hands together and grins. “Even better.”

Cooper puts his arm around me as we stroll out of the bar.

“That went surprisingly well,” he states.

“Hopefully, breaking into my house will go equally well.”

“Breaking in?”

“Not breaking in, exactly, but we don’t have a car for a reason. Come on.”

I take my shoes off and drag him across the street, down the beach, and through the fence delineating the start of the Malibu Colony properties.

“Are we going to get in trouble for trespassing?” Cooper asks after reading the warning signs.

“I live here,” I say, then I take off running, feeling free for the first time in a while.

I stop two houses before mine and point. “That one is ours.”

“It’s pretty here. I can see why you like it.”

I nod, looking out at the ocean. “You can sightsee later. We have work to do. No one’s around, so let’s go.”

I take off running again and don’t stop until we’re standing on the side of my house that’s hidden behind the fence. I sneak to the front, push one of Tommy’s codes into the keypad, and slip into the garage.

Cooper tries to open the door into the house. “Shit, it’s locked.”

“I know. Hang on.” I walk around Tommy’s Ferrari to a shelving unit where he keeps all the car cleaning supplies, pop open a cigar box hidden under a stack of diapers, pull out a key, and let us in.

The house security alarm beeps, wanting me to enter my code. I press in one of Tommy’s instead, quickly stopping the beeping.

“Whew,” I blow out a breath. “I wasn’t sure if they changed all the codes or not.”

“Why would they change your code?”

“I didn’t enter my code. We don’t exactly want to broadcast to Garrett that we’re here.”

“Won’t they know Tommy isn’t here?”

“I used the code he gave to the guy who details his cars. He has to come inside to get the keys,” I say, stepping into the kitchen.

I thought that when I got here I would be able to see all the good times I’ve had here.

But I don’t.

Instead, I’m reliving that night. The photos dropping out of a manila envelope onto the kitchen island.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts, and move toward Tommy’s closet, sticking to the mission at hand. “We need to find you something to wear.”

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

“Nothing, it’s just not club appropriate. Hmm, Tommy’s a little taller than you.”

I open Tommy’s closet and step in.

“Whoa,” Cooper says. “This is like a store.”

“Tommy loves clothes.” I move to a section of long-sleeved shirts, pulling out a bright blue one with the kind of sheen you only get from fine cotton. “Try this on.”

Cooper strips off his long-sleeved t-shirt and, well, I can’t help but enjoy the view. Specifically, the sexy tattoo running across his abs.

He buttons up the shirt and tucks it into his cargo shorts. “Whatcha think?”

“Hmm. The sleeves are just a little long.” I unbutton his sleeves and roll them up. “Yeah, that will work. Okay, now we need pants. What size is your waist?”

“Thirty-four.”

I move to the wall of pants, find a black pair with a subtle blue pinstripe, and check the label, quickly translating the European size to an American one. “Let’s try these.”

“Dress pants? Can’t I wear jeans?”

“That depends. What size shoe do you wear?”

“Eleven.”

I smile. “Yes, if you’ll wear a great pair of shoes, I’ll let you wear jeans.”

“I can live with that.”

I throw him a pair of dark jeans and even though I’d like to turn around and watch, I give him privacy and focus on choosing a pair of shoes. One pair immediately catches my eye. I pull the black Pradas off the rack and study the pattern of perforations and the blue undertones, remembering Aiden in the same shoe at Homecoming.

Luck, I think.

Or maybe fate.

Either way, it couldn’t hurt to have a little of each on my side tonight.

I look at Cooper. “Hmm, something is missing . . . I know.” I grab a large, expensive watch, strap it on Cooper’s thick wrist, and nod. “Perfect.”

“Okay, now my turn.” I head toward my room, still feeling odd.

I thought I’d walk in here and feel like I was finally home, but I don’t.

I feel . . . tense. Nervous. Bad memories keep surfacing.

I wonder if I can even do this.

If it’s this bad here, what’s it going to be like at The Side Door?

But once I get into my closet, I feel better. It’s a happy place, and I’ve missed my clothes.

I open a drawer and dig through it until I find the pair of shiny black Lurex shorts I want to wear.

Normally, I wouldn’t dress quite this skimpy, but if I’m going to do what I want to do, I have to look the part.

I pair it with a neon bra top, fishnet hose, and black patent leather platform boots.

I shoo Cooper out of my closet so I can get dressed.

I also call Troy, but he doesn’t answer, so I call Damian.

Thankfully, he answers.