Chapter 16
“Your name, Rose. It fits.”
“How come?”
I can’t stop smiling. My face hurts from doing it so much. But I don’t care. The things he says… No one’s said them to me before and I don’t want it to end.
“You’re small. Delicate.” He leans in like he can’t get enough. “And you smell like flowers.”
“You can thank the dollar store.”
He leans back, giving me a funny look. “You’re kidding?”
I shake my head. “I wish I was .But it’s what I could afford.”
“Well, it’s smells nice.”
“You’re just trying to be nice.”
He spins us around. “I don’t joke about a girl and the way that she’s smells.”
I scan the crowd, searching for Amy. I find her smiling at his friend. Awareness creeps up my spine. My stomach clenches. I feel it before I see him. Garret.
He’s watching me like a serial killer. Dark. Angry. He leans against the wall, arms crossed, eyes locked on mine. I wonder how long he’s been standing there.
His gaze dips to Leo’s hands on my waist. Suddenly, they feel wrong. Like flames burning my skin. Everything grows heavy.
“Is everything alright?”
I swallow hard, “I-I have to go.”
Concern flickers across his face. “Why?”
“Because my ride is here.” Is the only excuse I can come up with. He’ll understand. Once he sees Garret.
“Where––”
“Times up, Loverboy,” Garret cuts in, his tone sardonic.
Leo looks between me and Garret. “Oh, hey man.” His tone is easy, but his eyes stay on me. “She doesn’t need a ride. I can take her home.”
“You want to come to my house?” Garret muses. Leo’s brows pull together. “Because that’s where she stays. It’s where she sleeps.” Garret pulls a joint from his pocket, lights it, and blows smoke in Leo’s face.
“Garret…” I warn.
He holds up his hand. “Not yet, my little Darkthorn.”
Leo swats the smoke away. “Is there something I should know?”
“Depends,” Garret says, smoothly, the joint dangling from his lips.
Leo squares his shoulders. “On?”
Leo is about two inches shorter, but Garret but Garret is more intimidating More muscle. Tattoos. Darkness. More power.
“On what she wants to tell you.” Garret grins. “I’ll let her decide.”
Bastard.
He’s forcing me to walk away because we both know I can’t tell Leo the truth.
“I’ll see you later,” I tell Leo.
He studies me. He must see it, that I have to go. That nothing he says will change my mind. “I’ll call you.”
I nod. gave him my number earlier, when we took a break to grab some water. We talked about his family in Texas. The ranch he grew up on. How is father is into oil. He offered to show me sometime. Even if I knew that would never happen it was nice to imagine I could. Then Garret had to show up and ruin it.
“Alright,” I say weakly, knowing I’ll probably never see Leo again after tonight. I’m pretty sure Garret will make sure of it.
Leo leans in, aiming for a kiss on my cheek but Garret shoves him back.“Let’s go.” He grabs my hand, tugging, dragging me toward the exit.
“You didn’t have to be such an asshole,” I snap, yanking my hand free.
“I was saving you from heartbreak.”
“How would you know? You don’t have a heart.” I pause, remembering I came with Amy. “My friend––”
“I ordered her a ride.”
I blink.
”Told her she had to leave.”
“Why?”
He shrugs. “Because I said so.”
We step outside. I freeze. His car is inches from the first step. “Are you insane?”
He opens my door. “I think you figured put what I’m capable of.” His voice lowers. “Even had glimpse with my friends.” He holds the door. Waiting. Now, get in the car.”
I fold my arms. “Or what?”
A shadow of amusement crosses his face. Then it disappears. He steps forward. His body cages mine.
I tilt my chin up. The back of my neck hits the edge of the door.
His eyes burn into mine. “I’ll make sure our audience knows how wet you get when I press my cock over that hot cunt of yours.”
Heat spikes up my spine. “You wouldn’t.” I challenge him. He smirks “I disgust you, remember?”
His eyes don’t waver. They pin me in place. “Get in the car, Rose.” Then he walks to the driver’s side.
I don’t move. I don’t get in the car. Not until my pulse slows and my hands stop shaking.