Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 124(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 124(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
She lifts her shoulders in a big shrug. “But you do. So why does that bother you?”
I grunt. “Because you’re not the type of woman to fuck.”
“Because you like me. I’m not just one of your club’s cherries. You like me, and you want more with me.”
Enough is enough. I can’t keep doing this. The longer I sit here and listen to her, the more I start to have hope that something could actually happen between us, and that’s not going to happen. I won’t let it.
“Stop. Listen, Lexi. Yeah, I’m attracted to you and yeah, I like you, but it doesn’t mean anything. Nothing—and I mean nothing—can happen between us. You don’t belong in my world.”
Her stubbornness shows as she lifts her chin at me. “How do you know if I do or not?”
“Because I know. Look, I fucked up. I should have left you alone, and that’s what I plan to do from now on.”
“But—” she starts, and I shake my head.
“Go get in your car, Lexi.”
“Boss, please.”
There’s steel in my voice because I’m barely holding on. “Lexi, go. I won’t show up at your campus anymore, and I won’t follow you around, but promise me that if you need me, you’ll call me.”
“Uh—” she stutters and points at me. “You’re hot and cold, hot and cold. You say we can’t be together, but you want me to call you if I need something. Please make this make sense.”
“Go get in your car. I’m not doing this, Lexi.”
Her shoulders slump, and she shakes her head before taking a few steps away from me. She stops and turns to face me. “I just have one question.”
I give her a nod, and she smiles at me. “So since it’s not happening between us, I guess this means I can date someone else, right?”
I stand up, kick my leg over my bike, and stalk toward her. I stop before I get to her and try to calm myself down. Rage is flowing through my veins, and I want to claim her right here and right now, but I know I can’t. Not in the state I’m in. What is it about this girl that challenges me at every turn? “You let another man touch you and I’ll kill them.”
She starts to laugh, and when I don’t join her, she stops and swallows hard. “What?” she huskily asks.
I nod. “You heard me.”
“But—” she starts, and I point to her car. “Go, princess. Get in your car. Walk away.”
I’m practically vibrating with anger, thinking about her in the arms of another man, him thinking he has a right to touch her. She’s safe from me, I would never hurt her, but I don’t trust myself around her right now because I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life, and the more I’m around her, the harder it is to resist her.
She walks away from me and gets into her car. She’s watching me through the front windshield, and there’s a part of me that wishes she would get out and come back to me. I’m a fool for thinking it, but I do all the same.
She just shakes her head and drives away.
I’m walking back to my bike when my phone rings. I put it to my ear without looking at the caller ID. “What?”
“Club. Ten minutes,” Pres says.
I hang up the phone without saying another word. At least I have something to do other than think of the one woman I can’t have and shouldn’t want.
6
LEXI
Ishouldn’t be here. I know I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t stay away. After talking to Ben yesterday, I had so many unanswered questions, and I just can’t let it go.
I look into the front windows of Heat & Ink and remember the last time I was here. I was so excited and happy to go in and see Ben, and when I left, I was holding back tears until I got to my car. I felt foolish, and I can’t help but wonder if I’m doing the right thing now or not.
I turn off my car and get out. I’m literally trembling in anticipation of seeing him again, and the bells above the door jingle as I walk through. A woman is behind the desk, and she smiles at me. “Hey, I know you, but I don’t think we met. I’m Alice.”
I grit my teeth because of course she’s going to remember me. I’m sure I was a joke to all these people after the last time I was here. I lift my chin up. “Yeah, hey, Alice. I would like to get a tattoo.”
She looks me up and down. “Uh, do you have an appointment?”
I shake my head.
“Does Boss know you’re coming in?”
I look down the hallway to where I know he is and then back at the woman in front of me. “Actually, is there someone else that can do it?”