Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
The door to the library opened, and Brick walked in. I lifted my gaze to meet his as he made his way to the center of the room. I was sitting in Liam’s leather chair with my booted feet propped up on his desk. I could see that Brick was pissed at me. Well, join the fucking club. I wasn’t real damn happy with me either.
“This place is crawling with Judgment. Some of them that don’t understand she’s off-limits. You gonna sit up here and ignore that?” Brick asked me.
“You said you left her with Nina and your ol’ lady in the kitchen,” I replied.
“They’re not gonna be there all damn night with her, and the way some of these horny-ass prospects are, I don’t want that shit on Goldie’s shoulders. You had me bring her here. Now, it’s your turn to take care of her.”
I dropped my feet to the floor and stood up. He was right, but that didn’t mean I wanted to listen to it. “You think me taking care of her makes her safer?” I asked. “I almost fucked her earlier. She’s a virgin. I can’t be near her.”
A low, deep chuckle came from Brick, and I glared at him.
“You’re afraid to fuck her.”
“Yeah, because virgins are clingy. They get attached. They expect things.”
“Is that what you’re telling yourself?” he asked, grinning. “Because the way I see it, you don’t want to fuck her because you won’t be able to stop. You will want to keep her, and no woman has ever held that power over you.” He paused. “Not even Calista. When she left, you didn’t even chase her.”
Calista had been the only girl I’d ever loved. But that had been years ago. I started to argue, but stopped. Was he right? Was I scared I wouldn’t be able to get enough? That I’d keep wanting more?
“She’s a sweet girl. Too damn nice for the likes of your ass. But seeing as she looks at you like you hung the goddamn moon, I can’t say it’s a bad thing. She wants you. You want her. Just get this over and fuck. If she owns you after that, then so be it.. You’ve been a fucking whore for long enough.”
“Shut up,” I growled, stalking past him.
I wasn’t going to stand here and listen to this. I was going to get weak and give in. I needed to go wash her smell from my fingers. Get this out of my head. Stop fantasizing about it.
“It’s not a prison sentence. First taste I got of Goldie’s pussy, and I was done. Happily so. I didn’t want another one. She had all I needed with her pot of gold.”
I didn’t look back at him. He was one of the few happily married men I knew. Men weren’t meant to be tied down to one woman. It was their downfall. It messed them up. Took away their youth. I wasn’t falling into that trap.
I jerked open the door and got away from Brick and all his words that were digging into my skull and trying to settle in and stay. Telling me that just maybe I could have her. That it would be worth it. That I wouldn’t end up breaking her heart. I’d already hurt her once, and the idea of doing it again nearly brought me to my knees. I couldn’t stand it.
Getting her out of my head was what I needed to do. I’d go get one of the girls and fuck her until Dolly’s sweet scent was gone. If I didn’t, then there was a good chance I’d snap and lock Dolly in my bedroom and keep her naked in my bed all damn night.
18
Dolly
The pink cocktail that Goldie had given me tasted nothing like vodka. It was fruity with a slight kick to it. If I had to stay down here with these loud, rough, slightly scary people, then I needed something to ease my nerves. Two men had already gotten in a fight. Brick and Tex had broken it up. There was a blonde woman who was currently straddling a guy I didn’t know on one of the sofas, and I was afraid to look in that direction again because I wasn’t so sure they weren’t having sex.
“Hey, beautiful,” a guy I didn’t know said as he leaned against the bar, facing me.
I looked up at him and forced a smile. He was around my age, maybe a year or so older. His arms were bare and covered in tattoos, and he was lean but still built well.
“Off-limits, Pinch,” Nina informed him. “Go flirt with one of the club sluts.”
The guy grinned at Nina, but his gaze came right back to me. “Why would I want to do that when there’s a pretty thing like this one sitting here, all alone?”