Chapter Eight
“What the hell was that about?” Duke slid into his seat and I took the one facing him.
With my back against the wall, I had a clear view of the bar.
A clear view of Chloe, who had staggered over to the two men in tracksuits playing pool.
She was talking to them, swaying slightly where she stood, and I hated it.
They weren’t even touching her, and I still wanted to rip their heads off their shoulders.
“Don’t know what you mean,” I mumbled, but not once did I take my eyes off her. Jealousy was a new feeling for me.
“You totally blew her off. I thought you wanted to come here to see her.” Duke lowered his voice so no one else could hear our conversation. “You said you fucked up and needed to apologise.”
“It doesn’t matter.” On the worn table, my hands closed into fists. What the hell was she doing with those dickheads? “What the hell is she playing at?”
Duke swivelled in his seat, following my gaze. He turned back to me with a frown. “She’s learning to play pool, I think.”
“I can see that,” I hissed. I could see her clearly bent over the table with one of those tracksuit wearing knobs leaning over her back with his hands on her body.
“You need to calm the fuck down. She’s just having a few drinks and having some fun. It’s not like she’s with you, Pocket. You said it yourself. She is too young for you.”
I didn’t care if I had said that. I didn’t even care if it was true.
Watching her with someone else was rage inducing.
The only man she should be letting touch her was me, and she shouldn’t even do that.
She wasn’t mine. If she was anyone’s, she was probably Ghost’s. The thought was enough to make me sick.
“Ok, that’s enough.” Pushing myself up from my seat, I made a loud sound in the back of my throat, clearing it.
Chloe’s eyes widened as I approached and she straightened so suddenly that she slammed her head back against the guy pawing at her. He reeled back in pain. I grinned, hoping she had broken his nose. It would serve him right for having his lips so close to her damn ear.
“Pocket!” she squeaked.
“That’s enough, Chloe.” I growled, forcing myself to stare into her eyes and not let my eyes travel down her body. “You’ve proven your point. So come away now and stop making a fool of yourself.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Just go and sit down and stop the shots. You don’t drink.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” she retorted, and her voice was slurred. Frowning, I moved around the pool table to snag her wrist. She stared down at my hand for a second. When she finally lifted her eyes to mine, she was crying.
I did a double take. I had expected her to tell me to go to hell, to yell at me. No way was I ready for tears, but then what man ever was?
“Just come and sit down. Think about what Ghost would say if he could see you dressed like that and acting like a common—”
I didn’t get to finish. Twisting her wrist, she freed her arm and ran. The door slammed behind her.
Startled, I turned. “What the hell was that about?”
“Are you just going to let her run off like that?” Sy asked, her hands firmly on her hips.
“I’m not her babysitter if she can’t—”
Sy tossed the cloth she was holding on to the bar angrily. “I swear you guys lose all your common sense the moment you patch in. There’s a killer on the loose and she’s just his type. Fine, I’ll go after her. Duke, watch the bar for me.”
Shit. I had totally forgotten. Of course, it hadn’t registered that there was potential danger out there on the streets. It wasn’t me who the crazy killer was hunting, so I didn’t have to be careful. Girls like Chloe did, though.
“I’ll go.” Taking off at a jog, I headed out into the rain.
She was just turning the corner when I caught up with her. “Chloe, wait.” This time I didn’t catch her by her wrist. I trapped her hips in my hands and stopped her dead in her tracks, holding her against my body.
“Come back inside, love.” My fingers squeezed her hips. I couldn’t help it. Her body felt so good under my hands. “It’s not safe out here alone.”
“I’m just going home,” Chloe muttered and her voice was thick with tears.
“Why are you crying?” Turning her in my arms, I forced her back against the rough brick wall, keeping my hands on her hips to keep her locked in place.
“There’s no need for tears, Chloe. I’m just looking out for you. Getting drunk when you’re dressed like…” I let my hand slide up her body.
“What’s wrong with how I look? I thought I looked nice.”
“You don’t look like you. You look like you’re pretending to be something you're not. Dressed like you're on the pull and letting that man touch you. It’s beneath you, and kind of cheap.” My voice was rising. I couldn’t help it, she just drove me crazy. “And Ghost wouldn’t like it. Especially—”
“What has Ghost got to do with anything? I’m an adult. I can drink if I want to. I could even go home with those two guys if I wanted to.”
Rage flooded me, and I slammed my hand into the wall by her head. Chloe winced back, her eyes saucer round as she stared at me.
“Don’t say that!”
“Stop shouting at me,” she whispered.
“Then stop acting like a slut and—”
She slapped me. Her small hand connected with my cheek with stinging firmness. Catching her wrist, I forced her hand down and stepped into her space so she had to crane her neck up to look at me.
“You’re lucky you belong to Ghost, otherwise I would have—”
“I don’t belong to Ghost. I don’t belong to anyone.”
I froze, and it was like the air left my lungs in a whoosh. She didn’t belong to Ghost. That’s what she had said. And if she didn’t belong to him, then she could belong to me. At least for the night.
My mouth crashed down on hers. I took it like it belonged to me. Like I had kissed her like this before.
That’s what it felt like. Familiar and comforting, but at the same time excitement flooded me.
She sighed and her tequila scented breath flowed into my mouth. It didn’t matter. I would have still lost myself in the feel of her mouth on mine even if her breath smelt like ass.
Finally, she relaxed a little in my arms and her lips parted just enough for me to touch the tip of my tongue against hers.
Need erupted in me. I ground myself into her, pushing her further into the brick wall.
“God.” Breathless, I stepped back. “I’ve wanted to do that since the moment I saw you.”
For several long seconds, Chloe looked up at me, and then, bending at the waist, she threw up all over my boots.
“And there’s the tequila.” Shaking my head, I began to rub her back in slow, soft circles. “I knew you weren’t a drinker.”
Back in the bar, she had been playing up and acting out. I just didn’t know why she was trying to be something she wasn’t. Not when she was the most interesting and sexy woman I had ever seen.
“Come on, party animal.” Helping her up, I watched as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand.
“Let’s get you home where you can sleep it off.
” Easily, my arm went around her waist to help steady her.
“And let’s not mention the fact you just vomited after I kissed you, ok? My ego won’t be able to take it.”