Under Locke(112)

"Ritz," he sighed. "You trust me?"



I blinked. "Why are you asking?"



"You trust me, or not?"



Did I? It took me less than a heartbeat to decide that after Sonny, I probably trusted Dex the most. And that was even over Will. What that said about the lack of people of in my life, I had no idea, but I didn't care. "Yes," I answered him a little breathless.



"You sure?"



"Yeah," I told him again. I did. "Absolutely."



He rubbed that finger over his lip again. "Absolutely," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "You think I trust you?"



There wasn't a need for me to wonder about the answer to his question. It was instinctive. This was the man who told me things about his childhood, his family. He'd shown me his spare bedroom. I couldn't have fought the strain in my chest if I tried. "Yes."



Dex planted both of his hands on the desk in front of him and leaned forward. "I tried all night to think of somebody I trust as much as you and I could only come up with one. One fuckin' person out of everybody in the world, babe," he let me know.



The sudden urge to cry and smile had me make some kind of stupid face.



"My ma," he said. "The only person who knows me better than you do is Ma and that's cheatin'. Not my sisters or my brothers, babe. Just. You."



I couldn’t breathe.



“I really didn’t wanna like you, honey. A part of me still doesn’t,” he said, his expression guarded. “You’re not the kinda person I had in mind for the shop. But your damn brother begged me to hire you, threatened my future kids if I wasn’t nice to his baby sister. And now you’re here.”



Umm...what?



My neck itched as my throat went dry. His admission explained a lot, and at the same time, it made me feel uncomfortable. “Dex, if you don’t want to be my friend that’s okay.” You’d just be ripping my heart out and stomping on it but okay.



His laugh was hard. “Honey, you and me, we’re more than just friends.”



And… I was dead. I had to be.



Dex scrubbed his fingers over his lips again, his glare violent. “Look at you. I never stood a fuckin’ chance.”



I blinked at him, refusing to absorb the creamy words that were coming out of his mouth. “I’m pretty sure you’ve made it known to half of Texas that you’re not attracted to me.” Then there were the times I thought he looked at me as his pet.



Dex’s nostrils flared. “Baby, have I or haven’t I, warned you a million times that I say shit I don’t mean all the time? You expected me to tell your brother I wanted to fuck his little Ris the first time I saw you in shorts? Or should I have said somethin’ to you when I knew you were still pissed at me?”



“Charlie…”



“Babe.” He said my nickname like a challenge.



“You told Shane you didn’t like me not even three weeks ago!”



“I never said that, babe. Quit puttin’ words in my mouth.”



Damn this man. I felt like the walls were closing in on me. “You’re the most confusing person I’ve ever met in my life.”



He shrugged. “Forgive me for bein’ so damn stupid and confusin’ you.”



“You’re not being stupid, I just don’t think you’re thinking clearly. “ I swallowed even as my heart hurt. “Maybe you just need to go...you know...with someone.”



“Baby, there’s nothing wrong with my judgment. I know exactly what I’m doin’, and I know damn well that if I ever see you smile at somebody like you did at Trey today, I’ll kill the poor bastard.”



“Dex!”



“I’m not jokin’. I don’t ever wanna see that shit ever again so unless you want me goin’ to jail for murderin’ somebody, quit it,” he stated, not blinking, not breathing, totally focused.



And I stood there just waiting. For what, I had no idea. Maybe to wake up from this dream.



But the beautiful dark-haired man in front of me wasn’t saying anything. His gaze was zeroed in on my face, jaw tight, shoulders pulled back. He must have realized I thought he was on drugs because he kept going. “That shit made my chest burn. I hated it. You know what that’s like for me? Standin’ there thinkin’ to myself that I don’t wanna share you with anybody?” His neck visibly strained. “I can’t ignore this shit between us anymore, and I’m not gonna. Not when it makes so much sense.”



Oh. Dear. God.



I wasn’t sure whether to have a panic attack or run around fist pumping. But still. That fear crept threw my bones, warning me, preparing me, making me wary. “Why does this make so much sense?” The question was hoarse.