My hand tightened around the phone. Since the incident at the mine, Owen Grayson had called the Pork Pit and left me a few messages, none of which I’d returned.

Mainly because I hadn’t known where things had stood with me and Donovan Caine. Well, now I did. But I didn’t need Owen Grayson to swoop in and pick up the pieces. I could do that all by my lonesome. Been doing it for years.

“I’ve been busy.”

“Seeing Donovan Caine?” he said. “Eva called and told me he stopped by the restaurant tonight and that things were tense between the two of you.”

My gray eyes narrowed. “Eva’s very chatty, isn’t she?”

Owen let out a laugh. Somehow the low sound lightened my mood the tiniest bit. “Don’t blame her. I asked her to play the part of spy.”

“And why is that?”

“Because my offer still stands,” he replied. “About wanting to get to know the real Gin Blanco.”

I snorted. I didn’t think Owen would like the real Gin Blanco and her silverstone knife collection. Then again, he hadn’t flinched that night at Mab Monroe’s party when I’d been pretending to be a hooker. Which was more consideration than Donovan Caine had ever shown me. Still, I wasn’t ready to jump into something new. Not with Owen Grayson, whose real motives were still a mystery to me. Despite the desire I’d seen in his violet eyes.

“Sorry, Owen, but I’m just not in the mood right now,” I said in a kinder tone. “I don’t think I will be for the foreseeable future.”

“No worries,” Owen replied in a smooth tone. “I’m nothing if not patient. I just wanted to call and remind you that you had other options, Gin.”

“Well, I’ll keep those other options in mind,” I drawled. “But right now, I’ve had a long day, and I plan to go home—alone.”

“Don’t let me keep you then,” he murmured.

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

He let out another laugh, and I found myself smiling back, despite my mood.

“Good night, Gin,” he rumbled.

Good night, Owen.”

And just like that, he was gone. But unlike Donovan Caine, I knew that Owen Grayson would be back. For some reason, that thought comforted me, standing in the darkness of the restaurant.

———

After Owen’s call, I drove home to Fletcher’s. Checked the gravel in the driveway, then the granite around the door. Once I was satisfied there was no one lurking around, I went inside and headed straight to the kitchen. I poured myself a tall glass of gin, dropped some Ice cubes in it, then plopped down on the sofa in the den. I leaned my head back, stared into space, and brooded.