Bad Girl: An Enemies-to-Lovers Roommate Romance (Alphahole Roommates Book 3) Read online

  Have they caught up with me and sent someone to kill me on their behalf? Will I be taken and tortured until I not only give all the money and that vile thing back, but also so that I also know what happens to stupid girls who screw over bad guys? Then, will Thad make me watch as he hurts everyone I care about, or will he just make sure I know that it’s going to happen?

  Thad warned me. He warned me and then had his dirty-cop friend test me and show me the images of what would happen to me. I did what I had to do. Got outta Dodge.

  I took some self-defense classes in Baltimore, but I’m not convinced that’ll help me if those guys or their thugs are here with guns.

  Will it be Thad or Jonah in there? Both of them? If it’s just Thad, will he take what he made clear he wanted from me before he brutally ends me? If it’s Jonah, will I feel anything looking into those gray eyes one more time before he likely ends me with a bullet? Those gorgeous but lying gray eyes. I don’t let thoughts of Jonah Steele penetrate because I have to make a snap decision here.

  Go in and take my chances or try to bolt, knowing that if someone’s in there, they’ll chase me, or they won’t need to because I not only can’t run fast but also can’t outrun a bullet.

  Might as well face the music. Even though it’s the last thing I want.

  I open the door just a smidgeon. I’m expecting to see my apartment trashed or the barrel of a gun, but I don’t. Instead, I spot big, scuffed motorcycle boots crossed at the ankles on the coffee table.

  I know those boots.

  As the recognition sinks in, I don’t know how to feel about it.

  It’s not the Steele brothers here to punish me for running away, to kill me for stealing their big bag of money and the vile thing in that bag. It’s not the dirty cop in Thad’s pocket who was obviously working with a mandate of finding some reason for Thad to find me guilty, so he’d have a reason to kill me (likely after taking what he wants from me).

  Nope. It’s Jude Novak, man of my dreams and bane of my existence. And right now it almost feels worse. Almost.

  That’s silly, right? Nothing about Jude suggests he’s a murderer. The fact that he’s here doesn’t mean I’m dead meat, so that’s good, right?

  So the jig isn’t up. Yet. Alyssa McQueen gets to live another day as Ally Kingston. But right now, I have to deal with Jude, and I really, really do not want to deal with Jude. I let out a heavy sigh as I push the door the rest of the way open.

  Even though the trip away for Carly’s wedding was just three days, I feel like I’ll need a week to recover.

  Carly and Aiden, whose relationship I take at least partial credit for, had a super short engagement and decided to do things lickety-split, and though it was a great weekend watching my best friend get her happy ending in the most beautiful way and I got to catch up with Meryl, my former roommate who also has her little slice of happy, I’m tired. I’m tired and want my bed. What I don’t want is to deal with the man of my dreams Jude Novak.

  I should’ve stayed in paradise. Or run off with Meryl. I think that’s where I’d consider going to get lost again if I caught wind the Steele brothers figured out where I am. Somewhere in The Philippines. Not near Meryl because I wouldn’t want to bring drama and danger to her, but maybe somewhere accessible to her so I don’t have to be 100% alone.

  God, I do not need this tonight.

  I’m exhausted and a little hung over from the wedding. I’m also of the mindset that this guy right here has to be avoided at all costs. And I don’t have the energy for the confrontation that’s about to happen.

  It’s my own damn fault for instigating that booty call last weekend. I did it to cure him of his intrigue with me. And cure me of the burning desire to have sex with him. So, why is he here? Clearly, the booty call was no miracle cure because I’m not over him either. But he can never, ever know that.

  ***

  So, this is gonna be a little long-winded, but to understand why I’m where I’m at right now, I should explain how I found myself here.

  In hindsight, it wasn’t my best idea. But in my defense I’d been celibate for months and I really, really like sex. There’s also the not insignificant fact that I’ve never been more turned on by a man… ever. And I’ve dated some hot men, including the most recent alpha male asshole who put a giant dent in my heart.

  Add alcohol and scrolling through our original texting string before I decided I had to push him away at all costs, and it was the recipe for Ally getting laid by Jude.

  That’s what I did. I got laid. By Jude. Thoroughly. Unforgettably. Like an idiot.

  See, I figured it’d solve my problem. Scratch my itch and end his fascination with me. It often goes that way when a guy is curious about you because you’ve turned your nose up at the idea of dating him. Their egos get bruised, and you become a challenge. Guys who are that hot and know it – there’s a good chance after sex the mystery will be gone, and you won’t be so intriguing anymore. Off toward the next conquest he’ll go.

  And obviously my having sex with Jude is why he’s here in my living room right now. He’s back for more. I even tried this weekend, to make a pass at Austin Carmichael, the groom’s brother, thinking: best man plus maid of honor, both single equals some fun and hoping it’d help me dilute the memory of my night with Jude, but that didn’t work.

  A) Austin laughed at me, didn’t take my pass seriously.

  B) Sex with Austin would probably be super-duper vanilla and a yawn-fest in contrast to Jude anyway.

  Don’t get me wrong – Austin is hot. He’s got a great mouth, gorgeous body, and nice eyes, but he looks almost too perfect. He’s a hot McDreamy type. A wealthy hot guy who lives in a family-ready home. He’s a catch and a half. Just not a catch for Ally Kingston.

  It’s clear that life with Austin will include kids and a dog and he won’t delay once he meets Miss Right. That’s not in the cards for me.

  Austin is the exact sort of guy I’d have dated and wanted to marry if I were still Alyssa McQueen.

  When I became Allison “Ally” Kingston, I let go of a lot of the things I used to go for. Clean cut guys who own more than one suit. Making sure my shoes and my purse match. Dressing like a sultry librarian type. My family and friends. My blonde waist-length locks. Life as I knew it.

  When I ran, I knew I’d have to change everything about me so that nobody (especially the bad guys) would connect the dots between me and my old life.

  I changed my appearance. Drastically. My style – substantially. My habits, too. Even the kind of guy I’d go for. If you put me today and me of a year ago up on a whiteboard side by side, old me would look like my uber-conservative cousin. Same eyes and face, but a totally different vibe.

  Put me with a guy like Austin, I look more like I used to.

  Put me with a guy like Jude, I get even farther away from who I was.

  The problem with Jude?

  There are several.

  He wants more than sex.

  I gave him the sex and it was the best sex I’ve ever had.

  I can’t do this. I’m half in love with him already and if I don’t avoid him at all costs, I’ll be sunk. And so will he. Because I’m Trouble. With a capital T.

  I flirted. I talked dirty. I gave him all the signs that I was down to get dirty because I wanted it to be a bit of fun, but it was quickly evident that it wouldn’t be fun for me, so I backed off. Or I tried. But he got insistent. And then more insistent. And then what did I do? I instigated a booty call just hours after he finally gave up, sending mixed messages and confusing the issue.

  I tried to retreat, I did. As soon as I knew he’d make me want something real, something I am not allowed to have. There’s also the not small problem of what Jude does for a living.

  Of all the guys I start hitting on, I would pick a private eye.

  I first set eyes on him in a nightclub when I was liquored up and focused on playing matchmaker for Carly and Aiden.

  It was a few weeks after I move
d to San Diego, and it’s me, my new bestie Carly, my roommate slash coworker Meryl, and being the me that I am, the me I’ve always been and can’t seem to stop being, I’m digging into other peoples’ business, playing matchmaker.

  For Meryl: A whirlwind romance with Austin – a hot, nice guy who she’s got a crush on that will rock her world before she has to go back home and resume being Miss Responsible and Perfect Daughter.

  And for Carly… to get started on living out The Dream with Aiden, who I knew bone deep was her happily-ever-after, even if she was in denial.

  As I was stirring the pot with everyone else, I was blinded and dumbstruck by Jude Novak.

  Aiden and Austin (both super-hot buff guys) walk in with him, and the guy makes my jaw drop and my eyes bug-out. He is totally my type.

  Or more like – Ally’s type.

  Let’s just say I’ve 100% embraced becoming Ally Kingston. She’s the polar opposite of Alyssa in many ways and she’s not only who I need to be, but I’ve decided she’s also who I want to be.

  Alyssa stood out for different reasons and that’s why I had to change.

  Ally’s way of standing out keeps Alyssa safe. And Ally is fun and fearless. She’s so ‘out there’ with how she acts and dresses that she disarms people.

  I’m not the blonde girl-next-door type anymore. I’m the quirky weird girl who talks to everyone, who declares someone a new friend within minutes of meeting them. I like strange art and colorful crystals and aromatherapy, talking about being slightly psychic while changing my hair once a month and presenting as a modern, sex-positive girl with zero filter.

  Anyway, I saw the muscled, sexy, tattooed, and bearded guy and decided to break my dry spell and have fun with the hottest man who wasn’t Alyssa’s type that I’d ever laid eyes on.

  Liquor-infused and confident Ally was overtly flirtatious, and interest was reciprocated.

  In fact, the way he looked at me, the way his eyes actually burnt into me, sensations I’d never ever felt before shunted through me. I chalked it up to the booze and the long stint of celibacy and went with it.

  We flirted and the sexual tension crackled so hot it could fry an egg. Then we slow-danced, and my Lord did I fit perfectly into that man’s embrace on the dancefloor. Tall, muscled, warm. Not remotely timid with the way he touched and looked at me. Good God… I’ve never felt instant chemistry that potent in my life.

  But he had to leave suddenly, devastatingly, telling me that there was a security problem with one of his clients. I didn’t have the good sense to ask what that meant. Instead, I give him my number, then go home excited about the future plans we’re going to make for sex. I think I even said, Text me and we’ll make plans to get nakedly acquainted further.

  As soon as I heard “security” I should’ve stopped the games and backed off. Given a wrong number. But a couple things were happening at once.

  I was having fun and getting caught up with the butterflies he was giving me. There was also the not small amount of alcohol in my system.

  My judgement was clouded beyond the booze though. I’ve never had the soulmate instinct about myself before, having epitomized the term ‘bad choice in men’ in my past, Jonah Steele being the most recent poor choice. But something about Jude Novak that night – I couldn’t stop myself from doing something I didn’t want to do. Something dangerous.

  Hope.

  Hope for a happy ending with a big, strong, good-looking and intelligent guy who made my stomach flutter, who made me wet on sight, whose voice made me want to do dirty things, any dirty things he commanded me to do.

  And I got distracted from being careful too because I got an angry text from Carly, who was pissed at me for telling Aiden where to find us that night. I had to instigate damage control there, which completely panicked me and made me take my eye off the ball.

  Not only was Carly mad at me for interfering by telling Aiden where we’d be that night and threatening to pull the plug on the life support (for me) that had become our friendship, because I had nobody but her and Meryl at that point and I knew Mer was leaving soon, but I was also caught up with the idea of Jude because of those eyes. Those eyes told tales of insight, wisdom, experience, and depth. A depth and connection I’d never experienced on-sight before. He had a presence that made me feel safe, that made me forget to be vigilant.

  I forgot to remind myself not to do it.

  Don’t want something you can’t keep, Alyssa. Because if anyone knows who you really are, not only are you at risk, but so are they.

  I baked a batch of cupcakes, ate some, and brought some to Carly hoping to get her to forgive me for my meddling. Lesson learned with her. I did not want to lose that friendship, decided it was non-negotiable otherwise San Diego wasn’t home. As soon as we met, I knew she was going to be my person. In fact, I didn’t even hold back on declaring her to be my new best friend within minutes of us meeting.

  I do not regret giving her the title. I get a vibe when I meet people and I’m typically spot-on with it. Except for Jonah. I was so wrong there it isn’t even funny.

  As for my matchmaking efforts, I’ve matched up a fair few couples successfully. And predicted couples that wouldn’t last, too. I learned long ago to keep the latter sort of prediction to myself, though, because girlfriends don’t typically appreciate being told the guy they’re into isn’t The One.

  My vibe with Carly from a friendship potential perspective was instant. I sensed she was trustworthy, and I knew she needed our friendship almost as much as I did.

  Okay, so I needed it a whole lot more since I was starting over and had absolutely nobody from my old life I could safely stay in touch with, but she didn’t need to know that part. We were both in a new city, in the same apartment building, and starting new jobs at the same place on the same day. And she seemed like she was running from stuff, too. Not dangerous to her ability to breathe stuff like myself, but bad for her emotional wellbeing stuff.

  And I quickly saw that she and our boss (actually – boss’s boss) Aiden Carmichael were meant to be. The proof is in the pudding since they just tied the knot.

  But back to Jude Novak.

  I indulged in fun. I played dirty-flirty text games with Jude leading up to our first date. I was telling myself it was going to be a bit of fun, nothing else. But I should’ve known, should not have ignored the warning bells going off at the fact that I was as excited as I was.

  My persona with him was of a fun sex kitten who was looking to play. I told myself I was going to get laid; I was going to dabble in areas I’d started to get interested in sexually because of my ex, but without getting invested. A fling. That’s it; that’s all.

  But the banter was amazing, and I assigned him with his own text sound and forevermore I think I’ll associate that pulse sound with him, with belly flutters and excitement.

  After a week of flirty texts, he picked me up and took me out on his motorcycle. He was demonstrative. He was proprietary. He was interested and I could tell by how his eyes devoured me and how he took every opportunity to touch me that he was digging my quirky girl vibe.

  Opening doors. A hand to the small of my back. Holding my hand to help me onto his bike. Buckling my helmet and staring into my eyes while he did so with the sexiest smile on his face.

  Gah.

  Five minutes into the date, my alarm bells started going off about him wanting more than a hookup.

  And then I broke my rule by asking questions about him and his work. I asked about his place, his family, his life. From there I knew I was neck-deep in trouble.

  He has a big family that he laughed about, telling me that they’re all up in one another’s business and at one another’s homes all the time. I loved this and didn’t get the chance to hide it.

  But then he got into talk about his job. He owns a security company, and this doesn’t just mean installing alarm systems, which he does, but he also does deep-dive background checks for people and companies. He’ll do surveillance. He’
s even someone who will go undercover. He deals with cheating spouses but also the dark web and has had a few freelance projects with the cops. As he told me about his job, he didn’t do it in a bragging way to make himself sound like a big shot. He was letting me know he loves what he does but it can be dangerous at times and people in his life have to be willing to deal with that.

  I couldn’t ignore the alarm bells any further because they went from dinging to blaring in my head louder than the alarm at Christmas Everyday that day when I opened the emergency exit door and took off. Listening to him talk about his work and seeing the way he was being with me?

  Panic mode. I needed the emergency exit door again.

  In the days leading up to that date, I was thinking with my vagina in the text conversations. It was all about teasing, building anticipation.

  A sampling of some of our texts:

  Me: I have a question of utmost importance.

  Him: Shoot.

  Me: Should I wear pink lace panties or a pearl thong for our date?

  Him: Surprises are always good.

  Me: Maybe I’ll skip panties altogether.

  Him: Your call but if I’m asked for input, I’d rather you didn’t. Surprises are nice but even nicer when someone takes the time to wrap them up with care. Plus, then I get to unwrap it.

  Me: With your teeth? Please say yes.

  Him: Wait and see. Anticipation is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

  Another time:

  Me: I’ve been naughty. I think I might need a spanking.

  Him: Elaborate.

  Him (three minutes later): Immediately would be nice.

  Him (one minute later): Ally!

  Me: Never mind. . If you want to dole out spankings, you’ll have to catch me being naughty.

  See? Stupid me. But in my defense, I was trying to make it all about sex. Setting the tone.

  But I was too excited. I wanted him to want me. I wanted him to find me irresistible. I changed outfits four times. And all that wasn’t what I should be feeling with planning for this to be a sexy one-off. In my defense, I’ve never been into casual sex. It sounded good in theory and I was working with theory only.