Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 167257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 558(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 558(@300wpm)
“Are you telling me you’ve never fucked her?”
He stared at me for a long, long while. “Why does it matter?”
“Because I need to know if you go around fucking all of your employees or just me.”
Rowdy exhaled through his nose and dropped his head back to stare at the ceiling. “Where is this coming from, Atlas?”
I parted my lips, but no words came. It dawned on me that Rowdy may not even know about Tuesday’s past. What if she had told me about Rex in confidence? What if I destroyed that trust she’d shown me by blabbing out of a misplaced sense of jealousy?
Rowdy wasn’t even mine.
When I said nothing, he pushed me away from him none too gently and left the bathroom.
My heart pounded out of control as I followed him into his office.
He was at the sideboard now, pouring himself a glass of Hennessy, and then he plopped down in the cushioned armchair with a sigh and made himself comfortable. Still feeling reckless, raw, and pissed off, I ignored the major “keep away” energy coming from him and stood between his long legs with my arms crossed.
Rowdy simply took a sip of his drink while staring up at me like I was something to entertain him.
“So you’re really not going to answer me?”
“Nah.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re talking stupid right now, and I’m liable to choke you. I want to fuck you, beautiful, not hurt you.”
I prided myself on keeping my expression blank. “I have a right to know.”
“Do you? You’re not my girl,” Rowdy reminded me. “I haven’t even fucked you yet.”
“And you think I’d let you, knowing you go around sticking your dick in everyone?”
“You can think whatever you please, but I already told you, we’re fucking. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it.”
I felt my nipples pebble against my shirt. “How about no? Do you understand that word?”
“You won’t say no.”
“I seem to recall saying it once or twice before. Try me.” I didn’t wait for his response as I turned and stormed away before he could see the depth of my hurt.
I’d already reached the door before I heard him say, “I never fucked Tuesday, you fucking crybaby. Come here.”
“No.” I refused to turn around and let him see that he was right. I wanted to cry. “I don’t believe you.” I hurriedly checked my cheeks for wayward tears when I heard him set his glass down, stand, and cross the room. Once he was standing close enough, he grabbed my arms and spun me around to face him before pushing my back against the door.
“Are those tears for me, bad girl?”
I huffed and looked away. “In your dreams,” I blustered.
“I definitely dream about you,” he confessed. “But you’re only crying when my dick is inside you, and you’re begging me to go deeper.”
“God, you’re a pig.” Baffled, I shook my head.
A fresh wave of tears came, and this time, I didn’t have the fortitude with Rowdy so close to hold them back. He made me feel like I could withstand anything while breaking down my walls at the same time. As if he sensed my internal struggle, he kissed them away, his lips peppering every inch of my face, even my eyelids and forehead, which were free of tears. He kissed everywhere…except my lips.
“Why haven’t you kissed me yet?” I asked him.
He smirked. “You were just telling me I’d never hit, and now you’re begging me to kiss you?”
“Begging? Boy, please. I was just wondering.”
“Hmm.”
I could feel him scrutinizing me, so I changed the subject. “So you and Tuesday…”
He released a frustrated exhale. “I already told you. I never fucked her, Atlas.”
I stared at him for a long while, and he let me until I was satisfied he was telling the truth. “Just checking.”
“She sucked my dick, though.” Rowdy barked a laugh when I shoved him. “I’m playing, mean ass! Damn. I’ve never touched her, but I did fuck up her boyfriend or whatever after he came to my place of business with his chest out,” he said, making my heart drop. “I couldn’t let the disrespect ride, but keeping it real, I would have done it anyway.”
My stomach twisted as I fought to keep my voice level. “Why?”
He shrugged, but for the first time, he actually looked uncomfortable. “All right, don’t tell her I told you this, but I could tell Tuesday had been getting her ass kicked by him.”
“Oh.”
“And before you say anything, no, I didn’t fuck him up because I wanted her for myself. Tuesday is good people and a good employee. I’m not a perfect man, Atlas. I’ve done things a lot worse, but it still didn’t sit right with me how afraid she was of him.”
“It’s okay,” I said quietly but honestly. “I’m not mad.” How could I be, knowing what Tuesday had gone through and that Rowdy had been perceptive enough to sense it and help her instead of turning a blind eye?