Chapter 2
Anika
The room sways and spins, but I still down the next drink in my hand.
My friend, Ellie, sits close by, flirting with some man at the bar.
Not that it surprises me, but we’re supposed to be celebrating my latest breakup.
I left his ass. I left him to fend for himself, and this is my repayment.
I’m drunk as fuck. I feel nothing. I don’t even feel bad that he doesn’t have a place to stay. That isn’t my problem anymore.
I stand from my stool and try to make my way over to Ellie when I stumble and slam into someone at the bar. I can see their drink spill out of the corner of my eye.
“Shit. Sorry,” I slur.
“Listen, train wreck, this isn’t your station. Keep movin’,” the man tells me. My mouth drops open at his words. How fucking rude is that? I said I was sorry.
“That’s a little rude,” I tell him, slurring my words slightly.
“Is it?” He finally turns his head to face me, and I wonder if it’s all the liquor that has gone to my head or if he’s one of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen. It has to be the liquor. Nothing that good-looking would be in a bar like this.
“It is. I said sorry,” I tell him once more. He smirks and lifts his hand, brushing some of my hair out of my face before cupping my cheek roughly in his hand. I wince, thinking about what Alan used to do to me. He notices too, but doesn’t ease his grip.
“Sorry means shit. Some things in this life come with consequences, and I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t be able to handle my kind of punishment.
” Heat blooms inside me at his words. What the hell?
What kind of punishment is he talking about, because right now, I’m just about willing to take anything he has to offer.
“Which would be?” What the hell am I doing? It has to be the alcohol talking. Why am I asking that?
“The kind where I take you into the bathroom, flip your little skirt up, and fuck you until the whole bar learns my name.” My cheeks heat, my whole body heats. Is he serious? He couldn’t be.
“What is your name?” He chuckles now and leans in closer, his lips so close to mine.
“You won’t know until you’re screamin’ it.”
“Oh God,” I whimper as he smiles and licks his plump lips.
“It’s not God, darlin’.”
“Then what is it?” Why am I still talking to him? Why can’t I keep my mouth shut?
“Are you willin’ to find out?” he asks. I almost nod my head, but something registers in the back of my mind.
I just left an abusive asshole. I don’t need a rebound fuck.
Shaking my head slowly, he releases the grip he has on my face and lowers his hand.
Just like that, he dismisses me and turns back to his drink. Something about that pisses me off.
“What the hell?” I snap loudly. He turns his head to look at me over his shoulder.
“You can’t play with the big boys, darlin’. Take your train wreck to the next stop.” And just like that, he turns back to his drink and ignores me once more. I stumble down the line and grab Ellie by the shoulders, interrupting her little date.
“What’s up?” she asks with a smile on her face.
“That dude just called me a train wreck,” I tell her.
“What, dude?”
“The one down there,” I reply, pointing him out. He has to know I’m pointing at him because his eyes twinkle slightly in the shitty bar lights.
“Why did he call you that?”
“I tripped and slammed into him.”
“You’re drunk,” she tells me with a smile.
“Isn’t that the point of being at the bar?” I ask.
“It is. But slamming into guys isn’t. You just got rid of one. Let’s not attract another,” she tells me. I nod my head. She’s right. No matter how hot that man is, I don’t need him. I don’t need a man at all. I’m perfectly fine alone. Aren’t I?
“I’m so fucking horny though,” I whine as she laughs at me.
“So you’re trying to pick up men at a bar?”
“He’s hot, Ellie. Look at him. Rebound sex is the best,” I slur.
“Do you even remember where you live?” she laughs at me.
“I know where I live and I know what I need,” I whine.
“What you need is to go home. Let’s go,” she says as she slaps some cash onto the bar. I watch her smile at the man she was talking to before standing and grabbing my arm. She starts to lead me away from the bar and toward the door when the man turns to look at me once more.
“Leavin’ so soon?” he asks, his tone husky.
“You made it clear I wasn’t allowed at your station,” I tell him. He smiles, and damn it, my heart leaps a little.
“Is that what you took away from all of that?” he asks.
“What should I have taken away?”
“Let’s go, Anika,” Ellie says, tugging on my arm, but I’m not ready to go.
“That you can’t handle what I have to offer.”
“What are you offering?”
“One night, my way.”
“No strings attached?” I ask him.
“No strings attached.”
“He could be a killer, you know?” Ellie says, reminding me of her presence.
“Would you kill me?” I ask him. He shakes his head.
“I might choke you a little,” he admits with a shrug of his shoulders, and my heart beats faster.
“Anika,” Ellie calls my name once more, but I’m lost in those gorgeous green eyes of his.
“One night,” I tell him.
“Oh, for fucks sake,” Ellie snaps.
“One night,” he repeats.
“Deal.” I hold my hand out, and he slips his in. I notice the way his knuckles are bruised and broken, but that still doesn’t stop me.
“Anika!”
“What?” I turn to Ellie.
“This is stupid,” she tells me.
“It’s one night,” I tell her, whining a little as I do. She huffs out a breath before turning to the man.
“I know what you look like. I know there are cameras here. And if you hurt her, I will press charges,” she tells the man. He chuckles and takes down the last of his drink before nodding his head.
“Fair enough.”
“Don’t hurt her,” she warns once more.
“Only in a good way,” he says before standing and offering me his hand.