No one wants to touch your Frankenstein body. His words shouldn't bother me, but they do. It's not like I don't still have some self-conscious issues over my chest, even though the scars on the surface have healed. And now I'm missing even more.
"Get him the fuck out of my club, and don't you ever let him back in," Dane says to one of the bouncers.
Before the beast of a man can haul the jerk up, I decide to take a cheap shot, just like the one he took at me. Using the heel of my stiletto, I stomp the hell out of his crotch, and revel in the sound of his bloodcurdling scream.
"Don't ever come anywhere near my family again," I hiss before turning and walking back toward Dane.
His arms come around me quickly, and I watch his jaw work back and forth as he strains to hold himself back.
"Didn't know that asshole even lived in town anymore," Dane growls.
"Apparently he just got out of prison."
I stay in Dane's arms as the bouncer forces the crying piece of shit out the door, and Maverick shakes his head as he glares at his back.
"I guess we didn't work him over good enough way back when," he grumbles, and then his eyes meet mine, a spark of amusement glinting in his dark browns. "Don't ever go after my balls with your heels."
Just like that, the mood is lightened as everyone laughs. Since the dance floor is a little crowded with curious bystanders, we decide to head back to the booth.
I probably need to warn Tria that he's back in town. I opt to send her a text, considering it'd be awkward to call and have this conversation.
Me: Pete Mercer is in town. He's looking for you. You may need to get a restraining order.
After several minutes pass, I assume she must be asleep. So, I decide to let it go. But my phone buzzes, and I look down to see she has finally sent something back.
Tria: I've got one. Thank you, though.
She already has a restraining order? What happened? It pisses me off that I don't know, but it's not like we're close enough for me to pry.
Frustrated, I put my phone down.
Dane's arm is around my shoulders, but he's not pulling me close like he was. It's more... friendly now. I suppose I screwed up by making him feel rejected, but it's not like I can tell the truth.
No one needs to know about what else I had to give up, especially not Dane. Not yet. I'm not ready to tell them.
Chapter 10
RAIN
After a few more weeks of being besties, I'm ready to slit my wrists. This was so much easier when I was a kid. I'm a woman now. A woman with needs, damn it. And I swear he's trying to torture me.
He hasn't tried anything since I rebuffed his advances that night at the club, but that hasn't stopped all my fantasies and daydreams. If anything, it has only fueled them. Dane Sterling wants me, even if it is just for fun.
Over the past few weeks, I've weighed all the consequences. It'll hurt like hell when he's done, but my heart will just have to forgive me. My six weeks are up. As of today, I have nothing forbidding me from sex. And nothing stopping me from willingly tossing my heart into a meat grinder.
When we're at my house—which is rare—Dane's mother goes to stay with Britt at his house. When we're at his house, I get to know Britt a lot better. Her blunt personality is sweet, but at the same time, she's shy. She's come to hang out with me more and more, doing what she can to learn about her brother. The only stories from the past she's heard have been from the guys, and those aren't the stories someone wants to hear.
Dane has been giving her social lessons, so to speak, and she works hard not to ask questions that are too personal. She never even asked about my small scars from my surgery, even though I know she wanted to the day she saw me changing.
Kode is still avoiding me, but at least he's back home. I miss him. He was my best friend for longer than Dane. Maybe soon. Maybe tonight.
Tonight is some party, and Dane is going to drive me out of my mind. We've slowly fallen back into our old habits... He'll kiss along my jaw, I'll sit in his lap, and we're constantly sleeping over at each other's houses. At least he didn't go ice cold after I rejected him.
I shouldn't want to rush into getting my heart broken so badly, but I'll be damned if I can think of anything else. No sooner does that thought cross my mind, the shower door opens and in steps the man of every one of my dreams.
"What are you doing?" I squeal, quickly covering what bits I can with my hands, contorting my body in awkward poses.
He cocks an eyebrow like I'm the one who has lost my mind.
"We have to be at the party in less than thirty minutes, and you've been in here for thirty minutes. I decided I had no choice."
He flips on the adjacent showerhead, and I marvel—okay, drool—at the gorgeous back and other assets Dane has to offer. It's hard to remind myself that we need to have a serious conversation before we simply... cross a line.