Chapter 19 #3
She peered up at me cautiously, her eyes immediately searching mine.
“Losing is part of life. My father used to tell me that you could tell the true measure of a man by how he reacted to losing. Winning was easy, but when you put your heart and soul into something only to discover someone was just a little bit better, a true champion took it in stride. Learning tips or a lesson from the experience. When a man reacted poorly, you knew he’d stop at nothing to ensure he never lost again, including cheating. ”
Was she daring to be accusatory by telling me the story? When I lifted my arm, I thought she’d wince in fear. She didn’t. Neither did she flinch at all. But she was challenging me. Did she not already understand what I was capable of?
I took a deep breath while running my index finger through the string of sugar across her lower lip and jaw. The move surprised her, the corners of her mouth upturning. I slipped my finger into my mouth, realizing the taste wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d thought.
“Your father was a very wise man, although losing can also indicate weakness and in certain worlds, that’s unacceptable.”
“Certain worlds,” she repeated. “That’s very sad. Without loss, you can’t appreciate everything you achieve or something wonderful occurring in your life. You have to know the difference or all the wins won’t mean anything at all.”
In admitting even to myself she’d left me with something to think about, I was genuinely surprised. She had a way of unnerving me without trying.
“What about women?”
“What about them?”
“You mentioned men in the scenario. How do women handle losing?”
She decided to torment me further by running a finger down the side of my neck and against the thick cord before traveling to my chest. After pushing her finger through the buttons on my Henley, she took a step away. “Simple. We never lose.”
Her laugh floated into the air as she skipped backwards down the long line of game booths. I stood where I was, doing nothing but shaking my head. “Any hints on what to do, Miss Know-it-All?”
“Find a game there’s no chance of you losing.”
Hmmm… She had a good point. I checked the closest options, finding one that was right up my alley.
I pulled out a hundred-dollar bill since it was the lowest denomination I had on me. “Keep the change.”
“Thank you, mister. Let me explain the rules.”
Very slowly I turned my head. “I think I know what to do.” Even before she reached my side, I picked up the bb gun, pointing it at the targets.
Now I wasn’t playing to win. I was doing so to annihilate the imaginary competition.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
With every shot, I fell more into the zone, the activity a reminder of the days spent at the shooting range with my father. Long before I’d been required to ‘handle’ an enemy for him. He’d wanted to test both my skills and my loyalty.
He’d learned not only that I was a crack shot, but I was also a kid with no conscience. My future within the company as head of the empire had been set in stone that very day.
I’d been seventeen years old and proud of my accomplishments.
In winning.
With every shot taken, every shot hitting the bullseye, I felt vindicated. When I was done, I took a few seconds before lowering the weapon.
“Wow,” the young man said, still staring at the targets.
My masculinity was returned at that moment and would never be challenged again. “Hey, baby,” I said in a coy voice. “Which bear would you like?”
“Mister. You can have every single bear if you want them.” The poor guy was sweating, his voice cracking.
And how was my naughty companion reacting?
With a strange expression that perhaps only I could understand. She wished she had been the one shooting.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning no one but the military or assassins can shoot like that. Which are you?”
A perfect opportunity to draw a line in the sand. “Someone who doesn’t like anyone betraying me. I do mean anyone.”
There was no fear in her eyes as if hiding behind guilt. Only amusement. “One tough man.”
Even her stance was challenging, just like the woman. She was right in that very little impressed her. “Unimpressive?”
“No, very impressive. I cannot tell a lie. That was amazing,” she said in a low, husky voice. “Just amazing.”
“Would you like to try it? I’ll teach you.”
She debated my question and the odd expression she wore disappeared. “Maybe one day. I’ll take the big fluffy white one.” With her attention directed toward the young man behind the counter, I was able to adjust my aching cock. The desire for her only continued to grow.
“Yes, ma’am.”
As soon as she was handed the five-foot-tall cheap creation, she wrapped her arms around it, closing her eyes as she offered the inanimate object the type of hug that should only be allowed given to me.
How truly possessive I’d become.
“What’s next, circus master?” she asked.
“Circus master. Now I think I have heard it all. Something very special, but we need to walk for a little while to get there.”
When she shoved the bear into my arms, I made a sound as if she’d hit me. “Then you need to carry Mr. Bear. Don’t drop him. He’s very, very special to me.”
Very special.
I’d wanted the woman to drop to her knees, to worship me, surrendering her body without hesitation. Anything I craved. Anything I commanded. Most of which I still required, yet there was more.
For a fleeting few seconds, I also wanted her to surrender her heart.