Nevertheless, I closed my eyes, praying for any thoughts that didn’t end with her wearing my hand for a necklace. I had dabbled in different kinks but had never really found my specific one per say. Like I said, irrationality was the only constant I had going for me right now.
“Fucking little monster,” I forced out of my dry throat.
“I’m sorry?” a woman’s voice raised with clear irritation questioned me, and my eyes shot open immediately.
“For fucks sake, not you,” I clarified, shaking my head without looking at her.
“He’s referring to me, Trin,” my pretty little monster’s voice called from just inside the door. My jaw tensed, and I told myself to stay calm. My fingers curled into balls, and I shoved them into my front pockets to keep them busy. Coming here with this much rage inside was a bigger mistake than I had realized it would be.
“Devil.” The woman, whom I learned was named Fiona, tipped her imaginary hat.
“Monster? Devil? What in the smutty romance novel is going on here, Fi?” The Trin woman prodded for answers, and I sure as shit wouldn’t be the one to supply them, even though she hadn’t asked me.
“I would like to know the same thing,” I said, my eyes locking with Fiona’s.
“Trinity.” Her attention flickered to her friend.
“You aren’t coming to dinner, are you?”
“I’m afraid she won’t be,” I answered for Fiona, hooking my arm through hers and resting my hand on the small of her backto test the waters a little. Not a single muscle twitched in her body with fear. I had to hand it to her, she was
“You’ll have to excuse his lack of eloquence. He’s a manly man, Trin. You know how cranky they can be when someone isn’t around to stroke their ego.” She laid the bullshit on thicker than her accent, and my fingertips tapped against her back with impatience.
“I’ll tell you this once. I don’t like the way you look at her one bit.” Fiona opened her mouth, and Trinity raised her hand as she shook her head. “But, she has made it clear she wants to handle whatever is going on between you all on her own. She’s nineteen. That’s what, almost half your age? It doesn’t really matter, does it?” She sighed. “Just remember, Skip Turner, where we come from, everything learns how to be a predator so as not to become the prey. I know how to lose a body in the bayou and will gladly do it for her.”
“Noted,” I simply answered, processing everything she had said in her statement. It was undeniable that Fiona was young, but nineteen wasn’t a number I would have guessed. I figured she was in her twenties at the very least. The fact that Trinity hadn’t mentioned the guitar to me either meant she was clueless her friend had stolen from me, or she was one hell of a liar. There wasn’t an ounce of guilt clinging to any of the words she spoke, so I doubted it was the latter, but hell, I didn’t know her.
Trinity formed a V with her first two fingers and pointed them to her eyes and then at me before skulking off. I had to admit, seeing such a small woman vehemently threaten me over her friend almost made me chuckle, and it would have if I hadn’t been so pissed.
“Would you like to show me to your room?” I spat out through gritted teeth, unclenching my jaw, only to press them back together.
“I wouldn’t.”
“Let me rephrase that. We’re going to your room. Lead the way.” I applied pressure where my hand was on her back. Not enough to cause horrific pain, but enough to let her know I wasn’t playing any games with her. Hopefully she would understand my unspoken instructions, or I might do the one thing I didn’t think I would. Call the cops.
“Fine.” She plastered a fake grin on her gorgeous face. “But, I would much rather go to your place.”
“You were already there,remember?” I growled, not finding any amount of enjoyment in our dodgy conversation. “Cut the bullshit. Where is my guitar?” I said in a hushed tone as soon as we were out of passersby’s earshot.
“Which one? You have a lot of them, or at least, I think you do in your shop. And you can’t prove I was there.” She planted her feet and batted her long eyelashes in my direction.
“Your room. Now.” I pushed my fingertips harder to make her walk again. “I have you on camera, and I have no problem handing the evidence and you over to the police.”
“What’s the matter? Not used to someone being as big of an asshole as you?” she asked in a sour tone, her eyebrows knitting together.
“Does it really matter if I answer?”
“Not really.”
“Good, because like I said. I’m done with the bullshit. Now, be a good little monster and unlock the door.”
She squeezed her legs together and nodded slowly, biting her bottom lip.Fuck.Was this turning her on? Was it turning me on? The answer to my question was clear as my cock jerked to half-mast at the sheer possibility of her wanting me. Nothing made a damned bit of sense, and I couldn’t trust myself when I was this close to her. I didn’t know what it was about her that drove me fucking crazy, but if both of us made it out alive, it would be a miracle.
It was a fucking horrible idea to touch her, but how was I to know that she was my direct line to crazy? I hadn’t even touched her skin, only her fucking back through a shirt, and here I was thinking with the wrong head. I had to get a hold of myself. I jerked my hand off her body like it was the most repulsive thing I had ever touched. I wasn’t here to fuck her.
“Nope.” She took a step forward, nodding her head to a couple as they walked between us.
“No?” I spat out in disbelief, faking a smile, not bothering to look at anyone but her. I closed the distance between us, resting my cheek against hers. “I think you’ve mistaken me for a nice man, and maybe that’s my fault. Let me be clear.” I lowered my tone, flattening my palm on the wall beside her head. “You call yourself an asshole, but as far as I’m concerned, you’re nothing but a fucking spineless thief.”