Chapter 8 #3
“To drive these out-of-towner bitches fuckin’ wild. So, when I get punched out, they’ll come to my rescue and put their sweet pussies in my face, and maybe I’ll get to put my dick in their asses.”
I lose my footing at his response and step on his toe, which he doesn’t notice. “Wait. Why would you get punched out?”
“Just rest your head on my chest, close your eyes, pretend I’m the hottest thing ever, and count to ten. Oh… and promise not to freak out.”
“That doesn’t…”
Viper stares into my eyes like he means business. “It’s gonna work. Just let it work. Be my wing woman here.”
Fine.
Sighing at his horn dogs’ idiocy, I fall prey to Viper’s wily ways and rest my cheek against his broad chest, close my eyes, and sway. The hands on my hips travel to my ass, but Viper’s right there, whispering to the top of my head. “It’s just me. You’re safe. I got you. Just don’t scream.”
“Why would I…” My words flutter to nothingness when I’m yanked out of Viper’s embrace by a red-faced, chest-heaving Josh, who shoves me behind him and clocks Viper in the face.
“Keep your fuckin’ hands to yourself!” Josh snarls, and Viper takes it, with a goddamn smile on his face.
He doesn’t even try to swing back when he trips and lands against the front of the jukebox.
Blood drips from his nose, and he flashes me a wink as the women from the table rush over to help him.
That crazy son of a bitch was right. They fawn over him as Josh whips around, cups my face, and tips my head back to force me to look him in the eye. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” Why wouldn’t I be?
Josh’s nostrils flare. “I’m gonna fuckin’ murder him.”
I cup my hands over his on my face. “He was just bein’ Viper,” I reason. He already punched the guy out. For no reason, I might add.
“Well, he can go be that with anybody else but you,” he snarls.
As Viper joins the ladies at their table, Deke, having overheard the commotion, approaches and clasps Josh on the shoulder. “You good, brother?”
Josh notches his chin at the green-haired menace. “He put his hands on Jade’s ass.”
Deke looks at me, then to their brother. “Oh.”
“I’m gonna pour salt in his goddamn gas tank.”
I pat Josh’s pecs to calm him down. “Let’s not do that.”
A vicious growl rattles up his throat. “He touched your ass.”
“Do I look hurt?” I arch a brow.
“No.”
“Am I angry?”
“No. But you should be.”
“Then maybe we should let it go,” I reason, keeping my voice level, when I’m more than a little taken aback by his outburst.
“Nobody gets to touch you, Jade. Do you fuckin’ hear me?”
Yep.
Loud and clear.
Gripping the edges of his cut, I nod slowly, eyes on his. “I hear you, but I knew when I danced with him, he’d do something stupid. I was prepared.”
Josh’s jaw ticks, and he swallows hard. “Did you want him to touch your ass?”
“No.”
“Are you attracted to him?”
What does that have to do with this? Does he actually think I’d want Viper? Gross. He’d be my last choice.
“I have eyeballs,” I reply.
One of Josh’s hands slides from my face down to my throat. “That doesn’t answer the fuckin’ question. Are you?”
Yes. But I don’t say that aloud. The anger emanating from Josh is sure to spark another fight if given the opportunity. I dunno what the hell the problem is, but I’m not about to poke the angry bear.
“Josh, I think you need to calm down,” I placate, slipping my hands into his cut to touch his chest. “I’m okay. I’m just sorry that broke up your thing with that girl.”
He scowls. “What girl?”
“The one flirting with you.”
“Who was flirting with me?”
“The brunette.”
“She wasn’t flirting with me. She was asking about things to do around here.”
He can’t be that naive, can he? She was practically humping him. Not that I care. It’s none of my business.
I pat his pec. “Josh. She was touching you. She was flirting. That was her trying to talk to you.”
“No, it wasn’t,” he growls.
“How do you know?”
“I-I don’t know,” he sputters in anger. “But I know I’m not attracted to her.”
“Is it ‘cause she’s not blonde?” I ask, not because it matters, but so I can get his mind off Viper.
“I don’t like blondes.”
What?
Now it’s my turn to scowl at him. “Yes, you do. Bitty is blonde.”
“I still don’t like blondes.”
Whatever.
Not wanting to escalate this situation, a sigh slips free. “You’re a confusing man.” That’s the understatement of the century.
“Yeah. Well, we need to go home.” Josh turns to Deke, who’s been listening to our conversation the entire time. “You cool to hang with Hunter ‘til he’s done, then take him back to the compound?”
Deke nods, offers me a polite smile, and says something to Josh I can’t hear as I cross the room to where Hunter’s shooting pool with one of the women from the table Viper’s schmoozing.
To keep the emotional mom stuff to a minimum, I hug my son goodbye, kiss his cheek, and tell him I love him. Simple. Easy. Then I meet up with Josh, who takes my hand and silently escorts me through the crowd and out the front door to his bike.
The ride home is oddly tense.
When Josh pulls into my driveway and cuts the engine, he doesn’t speak. Not even after we dismount and enter the house together. He tugs off his clothes on his way to the bathroom and slams the door shut.
Afraid I did something wrong, unease slithers through me as I slowly approach the door and quietly knock. “Josh, are you alright?”
The shower kicks on.
Alrighty then.
An emotional lump blocks my throat, making it hard to breathe, as I back away from the bathroom and slump my way to my room to try and get some shut-eye.
Today had been fun.
I slept, worked, and got out of the house. It was easy… and now… it’s not.
With a heavy heart and stupid tears in my eyes, I strip out of my dress and into a tank top and boy short panties with little black hearts on them.
A sigh escapes as I slide between my cool, silky sheets and rest my cheek on my pillow. I don’t even bother shutting the lights off. What’s the point? I won’t sleep anyway.
I wish I knew what I did wrong.
But that’s life.
All it takes is a moment to break your heart. For some strange reason, mine hurts, and I don’t know why.
As the first tear slides down the edge of my nose and another soaks into my pillow, they return.
“I love fucking, ugly, fat bitches,” he hisses in my ear. “How much will you scream today?”
At least they were gone for a little while.