Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 16084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 54(@300wpm)
I don’t get a chance to respond before a heavy slab of meat steps behind her. Red faced, with thick bullets of sweat pouring down his brow, the no nonsense barman has come to her aid.
“This guy giving you trouble?” He asks, beady eyes narrowed so tight I can barely see the white.
It’s in her hands now.
Answering yes means another fight, and another poor, old bastard laying sprawled out on the floor and covered in blood. She’d blame herself, but it wouldn’t be her fault.
I don’t handle rejection well.
Taylor glares at me for an eternally torturous second, but with a humph she forces a smile onto her face and turns to the barman with unsteady motion.
“Not at all,” she slurs the words with measured precision even the finest actors would kill to possess. Pressing her ass into the table for “stability” she continues. “We’re just having some fun. I got a little carried away.”
I smirk as she drops back into the booth. The instant her face is pointed away from the barman, the ditsy drunk façade disappears behind a scowl. Guess luck is on my side in more ways than I could’ve imagined tonight.
“Right, then I’ll only say this once, you two better settle down. You’re making the others uncomfortable.” The barman shrugs his meaty shoulders.
He lumbers back to his counter, slinging drinks and chatting up a couple sitting opposite him. Doesn’t take long for his attention to shift away from me completely.
“Before you get the wrong impression on why I sat back down, I want you to know that it’s not because I care if you get hit or not,” she speaks once we’re alone.
“Then why did you?”
The scowl softens to timid indecision. “I’m not really sure.”
You sat down because you want this as badly as I do. Your mind and body crave it. Beg for it. Can’t fight the urges to stay, to know what it would feel like to take a walk on the wild side.
“Because you want answers,” I say, instead.
As much as I want to, I can’t say any of my thoughts out loud. It’s a delicate balancing act for the time being. Playing it off as cool and calm, when deep down the fires in my veins burn hotter.
“Maybe.” She turns away from me.
“Then ask, and you shall receive.” I’m not in the habit of spilling my guts, especially when it comes to how I operate my business.
“Why were you there tonight?”
“Business. Nothing more, nothing less.” To prove my intentions, I will give her honesty. I won’t approach her, hat in hand, begging for approval, though God knows I crave it.
“Why did it have to end with my dad in a mess?” She won’t look at me, speaking into the void in hopes that it will make her questions and my answers easier.
“You know why.”
“He owes you money,” she says.
“He does.”
“He doesn’t have it,” she bites, mouth hardening.
“I know.” This conversation had to come up at some point, but I didn’t expect it to be so hard.
Sadly, I can’t buckle or show remorse. It’s not in my nature. I would do anything to make see her smile again, but if there’s any hope that we can build a future together, I refuse to let it stand on a foundation of lies.
If this is going to have any chance of progressing beyond a bar room fling, she has to know who I am. What I am. Taylor must understand that this devil wears a suit and tie, flashes a charming smile as he doles out money, but can flip on a dime without compassion.
“He won’t next week, either.” The triumphant hum in her tone fades.
“I know.”
“So what? You’re just going to keep coming back, bruising his face, making it impossible for him to land a job?”
Never thought about it like that. Outward appearances are everything and I do a good job of making them messy.
“You tell me to walk away, you’ll never see me again, Taylor.” Painful as it is to say, I mean it. “You want our bad deal settled? We’re square. I’ll clear his debt, wipe the slate clean. Hell, as long as it’s benefiting you, I’ll give him more money than he knows what to do with. Don’t you see this,” I gesture between our bodies. “Has nothing to do with him. I’m not here because I expect anything. It’s because I want it. Need it. Can’t fucking live without it.”
Cards on the table, no holding back.
She isn’t playing me with the threatening waterworks. Realizing it was me behind the mask must’ve awoken a clusterfuck of emotions no one in their right mind can grasp. The weight lifted off her shoulders from clearing her father’s debt only adds to the mix.
Her dad’s bruises will subside and there’s no reason to fear another visit from me. But where I could play dumb, pretend I have no idea what’s running through her mind, there’s no point in that either.