Four minutes earlier.

If Dana had walked into the shop four short minutes earlier, she would have heard me on the phone telling Natasha that I would be at her place after I left the shop for the night. For a second, I thought it was Natasha who I had heard walking into the shop, but no, it was Doll-face herself.

Dana in a little white dress and high-heeled boots. I didn’t know too much about women’s fashion, but I had two eyes, and both worked fine. She looked beautiful. All that gorgeous silky hair was hanging down around her shoulders. That hair which I held in my fist as she swallowed my cock down her throat.

Dana Weinstein. Doll-face Dana. Dana Sugar-Walls.

I had grabbed her before she had time to reevaluate the decision and leave. We had fucked, right there on the hood of a 1971 Pontiac. She had spread her thighs, and I’d felt heaven between them. Was it worth it? Hell fucking yes it had been worth it. It was the first time that I had seen her since the fiasco in the ladies’ room at The Bridge.

She had been crying then. In the auto shop, she had been moaning. Gasping. Panting like someone was chasing her. I wanted to look at her, watch her face as she felt me move inside of her. Her eyes had been shut, and her brow scrunched up like she couldn’t take it. She had bitten her lips, opening them up in this little ‘O’ shape. The only thing I had wanted was to see her perfect pink mouth around my cock, and like she had read my mind, she had slid off the car and… man, she was amazing. The sounds coming out of that girl had been incredible.

Fuck.

How the hell was I supposed to bang Natasha now?

Natasha fucked like she had a degree in it, but there was no comparison. There was no comparison with anybody I had been with before. I wanted Dana. I needed to see her again. Her specifically and her only. Even after she’d gone I could still feel her, feel myself inside of her. God bless that girl for not making me use a condom.

There was no way anyone else was going to get their hands on her. Not on my watch. Really, the only thing that had stopped me from going inside the house with her was… well, it was Natasha, calling me on my phone.

I had kissed her and watched her go into her house. Answering the phone, I had told Natasha honestly that something had come up, and I couldn’t go see her. Something had come up; that something being my cock, coming inside Dana’s sweet, pink mouth. Of course, I didn’t tell her all that, because it was none of her business. I didn’t ask her what she and Tommy got up to when they were together.

I knew I shouldn’t have, but I allowed myself to think about seeing her again. After that incident in the bathroom, I had been certain that she wouldn’t want me. But there she was. I just about loved her in that second. Just about.

* * *

The next day at work, trying to revive Dana’s Riviera, her ‘AARON’ number plate keychain pissed me off more than usual. This guy was obviously no longer a part of her life… or would stop being one as soon as we hooked up again. This dude would be history. Aaron who?

I had finally figured out what the problem was. I had wanted to be thorough without running up the cost for her too much. I didn’t want Dana to have to take her to another guy after me. It was the steering column wire harness. She just needed a few of the contacts replaced—two of the six total. That should do it. I hoped it would. I had a date Thursday; showing up with the fixed car might make her feel extra generous.

Lawson showed up late as per usual. I remembered the money that Anthony had given him. Was it better to ask the guy directly or just see with Hanley and Martin? Lawson was a lot of things, but he knew when his ass was toast, and he had the good sense to do things that were in the interest of his health and safety… most of the time.

He nodded at me, saying hey.

He looked well. Not tired. Not hungover or stressed. Shit, maybe he did pay his debt off. I decided to ask him.

“Hey, did you end up paying Hanley and Martin off?” I asked.

“What? Oh… yeah. Anthony gave me some money. I paid them a couple of days ago.”

I didn’t believe him.

“What did you do with the money?”

“I gave it to them, Adam.”

“Don’t lie to me, Lawson. You think those guys won’t come after you if you fuck with them?”

“Adam I swear to God. I gave them the money. The whole five grand.”

“So why do you still look like a man in debt?”

“They said it wasn’t enough.”

“They want more?”

“No. The money was enough. They wanted more from me… from, well… from you.”

I rolled my eyes.

“How many times do I have to tell you to keep my fucking name out of your mouth when you are playing with your little criminal friends, huh?”

“I didn’t say shit, Adam. They are the ones who brought you up. They want you to fight at the next fight night here in the city. Apparently, they have some guys who know you coming through.”

I shut my eyes cursing. Why did this shit keep following me? I was a taxpaying citizen. I had what, just over two years clean? Not a felony. Not a DUI. Not even a fucking parking ticket and now I was being hounded to take part in illegal fight clubs.

“Nope. Not doing it. I haven’t gotten into so much as a bar fight in years. I’m not getting in trouble again behind those two Bay Area goons.”

“Adam, if you don’t they are going to come after me.”

“Why would they do that? They know where I live.”

“They also know how to get to you. Think about it, Adam.”

I wanted to dismiss Lawson as being dramatic. It wasn’t that serious. It couldn’t be. I had nothing to do with these guys, but I knew better than to believe that they wouldn’t make themselves my business quick enough if they wanted to. Besides Lawson, who would they target if they really wanted to get to me? I was estranged from my mother—hadn’t seen or talked to her in years. I didn’t have a fucking dad. Mom’s boyfriend that used to beat on her was either dead or in maximum security somewhere. Who else could they come for?

I shuddered when I thought about Dana.

No way. Not her. They wouldn’t. They didn’t even know who she was. Did they? She was new in town. She hadn’t done anything to anybody. I thought about her dad and her roommate, about that bookshop she was opening up downtown. She had people who cared about her. My jaw ticked as my ire rose.

There was no way they would try it. Not if I had anything to say about it.

As if this was national ‘everyone get on Adam’s nerves day,’ who slid their way into the shop but Natasha. She hugged me in the usual fashion, affectionately, pressing her tits into my body. I shrugged her off.

“I missed you last night,” she purred into my ear.

Natasha was so sexy she made blind guys turn and look when she walked by. My body always responded to her, except now. I swear to God, she could have popped a tit out right there and I would have been stone cold.

“Tash, I have a lot of work to get done today,” I said dismissively. She frowned as I walked to the driver’s seat of the Riviera to test the engine. She opened the passenger side and hopped in so she could talk to me.

“Get out of the car Tash.”

“Why won’t you look at me? Are you mad?”

“I already told you. I’m busy.”

“Can I see you tonight?”

“No.”

“When are you free?”

I sighed and looked at her.

“I won’t be. We have to stop this, Tash.”

Her face was pure astonishment like I had just told her I was pregnant.

“Why? Is this because of Tommy? He doesn’t need to know. He won’t actually shoot you if he catches us together again.”

“Natasha. I can’t talk right now. I have shit to do.”

“You never cared that I had a boyfriend before,” she challenged.

“And you never did either. I’m sure there are tons of guys who won’t hold it against you who aren’t me. Get out of the car.”

I climbed out of the Riviera.

“You can’t break up with me,” she said petulantly, still sitting in Janie’s passenger seat. I walked around to the passenger side and leaned into the car.

“You’re right. I can’t break up with you; I’m not your boyfriend, remember? Stop acting like this wasn’t just casual sex, Tash. Get out of the fucking car.” She hopped out, and I shut the door. I walked away.

“Your dick is little anyway!” she yelled at my back.

“You still choked on it every time,” I replied without looking back at her. This was my place of work. Really, she needed to have more respect.

“You think Blondie wants an ex-con like you? Girls like that don’t date felons.”

I stopped dead. Turning, I walked back towards her. She had this smug look on her face like she had really landed the insult. I grabbed her by the upper arm and led her firmly out of the shop—her complaining the whole way. Once outside, I released her.

“Tash. We’re done. Don’t come here anymore. We were nothing, and we will continue to be nothing.”

“It’s that girl, isn’t it? The one who was crying in the club the other night.”

Why did she sound hurt? I sighed.

“Look. We can’t be together. That was never the deal.”

“Just tell me whether it’s her.”

“Yeah. It is her,” I said. I didn’t know whether I had said it so she’d leave me alone or because it was true.

“Watch out for that one Adam. She’s a princess. She might want a guy like you for a night or two, maybe to upset her parents, but she’ll marry a Silicon Valley millionaire, and you’ll be left high and dry. Here. With me.”

“No. Not with you.” I turned and left her, going back to work.

* * *

Lawson wasn’t particularly talented. Well, he was good at evading the law, tricking women into putting up with him and lastly, ruining my day. He showed up that night on my doorstep, bloody and bruised.

“Do I want to know?” I asked him. It was rhetorical. I knew.

“I fucking told you, man. I told you what the fuck would happen.”

I got him into the house and ordered him to get into the shower so he’d stop bleeding on everything. It was gross. There was blood pooled at the front door and a droplet trail up to the bathroom. Fuck. Hanley and Martin weren’t playing. I picked up my phone and texted Martin that I wanted to see him the next day. This was getting out of hand.

Lawson was fine-ish, overall. The blood was from his nose which was well and truly broken, but the rest of him wasn’t irreparably damaged. He’d be fine. I handed him a beer and joined him in the living room where he stretched out on my couch.

“Sorry about showing up like this,” he said.

“You’re not sorry,” I scoffed.

“You’re right, but shit, it’s still polite to apologize.” I looked at him.

“You? Polite? Since when did you have any manners?”

“The guys must have beaten some into me tonight,” he said, laughing. “You staying in for the evening?”

“Yeah.”

“Is Thomas in town?”

“Nope.”

“Do you know where he is?”

I shrugged. “Not here.”

His eyes widened.

“And you aren’t at Natasha’s? Is she home?”

“Don’t know. I broke it off with her today.”

“I know, I was there, but you don’t just ditch a piece of ass like Natasha Nadal. She really let you go?”

I shrugged. I had been avoiding her calls, but she hadn’t shown up tonight, so she likely had gotten the message.

“I told you. I’m done with her.”

“Dude, if you don’t go to her house and fuck her, I will.”

I shrugged.

“Be my guest.”

Lawson gawked at me.

“Fuck. I never thought I’d see the day you stiffed Natasha Nadal. What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing. I just don’t want to see her anymore. Too much drama.”

“Uh-huh. It’s Blondie from the bar the other night, isn’t it?”

I swallowed and felt my abdomen tighten.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, you don’t remember, huh? I guess that means you don’t care if I go after her.”

I glanced at him.

“Knock yourself out.” Shit. My voice definitely betrayed me on that one.

“You sure you don’t remember her? She was sexy. Green eyes. Long blond hair. Short little dress. Nice tits.”

I breathed deeply calling on the strength of the Lord to stop me from knocking Lawson’s teeth out.

“Lips that would wrap nice and tight around a—”

“Shut up Lawson,” I snapped. “You aren’t hurt bad enough to need a hospital but if you want to end up in one keep talking.”

“Okay, okay,” he said holding up a hand. “It’s okay that you like her, y’know. Nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I don’t like her,” I sighed, taking a swig of my beer.

“Sure you don’t. It’s fine if you do. She’s hot. I’m just surprised is all.”

“Why?”

“She’s not your type.”

I looked at him.

“My type? What is my type?”

“Well, you tend to go for dark haired ones for one thing. Tig ol’ bitties. A little whorish but in a fun way. Natasha types. You tend to go for girls like that.”

“And what type is Dana? Your type?”

“Is that her name? Dana? No,” he said. “I mean as far as looks go, sure, but she’s your girl. You can have Dana. I have my eye on her friend.”

“Mimi? Isn’t she dating your brother? Your twin brother?”

“Is she? I could have sworn that his girl was called Amanda. Mandy.”

“Nope, I’ve met Dana’s friend. They’re roommates,” I said, remembering the severe cursing out she had given me—both of them. “Her name’s Mimi.”

“Sexy blond one, blue eyes. Ass you could bounce quarters off of. Yeah. Her. Whatever her name is. There was a time when she wasn’t dating him in the past, and there will be a time when she won’t be in the future.”

I laughed, admiring his ambition. Anthony was a suit. I didn’t know Mimi beyond the few times she had yelled at me, but she looked like the kind of girl who dated suits—or at least would date a suit over whatever it was that Lawson is.

I left him downstairs. He’d probably still be there in the morning, but he could leave if he wanted to. The beating had been bad, but there were no sharp objects involved. He didn’t need a hospital or extended bed rest.

But then the doorbell rang.

I panicked, thinking it was whoever had jumped Lawson. He was still on the couch, dozing. Opening the door, I saw two green eyes and a cascade of gorgeous blond hair.

“Dana?” I said surprised.

“Hi. I’m sorry for not calling,” she bit her lip. “I wanted to surprise you.”

It was like having a whole cake in front of you that you couldn’t eat because you were on a diet. I opened the door and stepped outside to join her. She wasted no time in leaning up and kissing me. I slid my tongue in her mouth because fuck if I didn’t want to let her in.

“Can I come in?”

I winced.

“Now isn’t really the best time, Doll,” I tried to say gently. Her face looked quizzical but then settled. She took a step away from me.

“You have company?”

My eyes widened, figuring out what she meant.

“What? No… I mean, yes but it’s not—”

“I should have called before I came.” She turned and started to walk away. Had she walked here? Her house couldn’t have been that far away, but it was night time. I didn’t want her out there alone.

“It isn’t a woman. I don’t have anyone over,” I said, going after her.

“Fine. It’s fine Adam. I believe you. I’ll just see you on Thursday,” she said. I stood looking down at her. Her face was completely still. Scary still. I leaned down to kiss her, but she turned her head a little, so it landed on her cheek—sort of the corner of her mouth rather than square on her lips.

“Have a good night,” she said.

And then she was gone.