Six

 

Enzo

 

 

“So, everything's been moved around, your bedroom is now downstairs, Paige has stocked up the kitchen, and...”

“Wait.” I hold my hand up to my brother. What the hell is talking about? I didn't ask anyone to go over to my place and start moving things around! “What the hell have you been up to?”

Instead of answering he rolls his eyes and continues, “As I was saying. Everything is all set. All we need to do now is wait for the doctor to come by with your release papers and we can get you home.”

And that shit can't come quick enough. I wanna be in my own home... where I can wallow like a pathetic old man. I'm not going to be able to do anything I want to do with my damn life until this cast comes off. I can't work, can't box, this is going to be a damn long two months of healing!

It isn't long before the doc comes by and discharges me. Sonny drives me home, helps me out of the car like I'm some kind of invalid. I wave him away and hobble on my crutches inside the house.

“You're here!” How can I keep a scowl on my face when Robyn and Todd are racing towards me? If there was anything that could make me smile it's my niece and nephew.

“I'm here!” I yell making them squeal happily. They wait patiently for me to flop down on the couch before diving all over me, much to their father's annoyance. Jesus, anyone would think I was damn incapable!

“Jesus Christ, Sonny!” The kids jump in shock. Dammit! I hate scaring them. I pull a funny face, they laugh out loud. Good. I turn back to my brother. “I've got a broken ankle, Sonny, nothing more.” Apart from the now healing cracked ribs, but I can push past that for a while.

“He's just worried about you.”

“I know that, Callie, but don't. I'm fine.” She shouldn't be here, she should be at home with her newborn son, not worrying about me.

I tickle my nephew and niece, avoiding the eye line of Paige. She shouldn't be here, I shouldn't've told her she has to stay with me for two damn weeks. How in the hell am I going to get through the next two weeks without wanting to touch her?

I see her through the corner of my eye, standing in the doorway, arms folded around herself, smile on her gorgeous face. I don't want to look too closely, but I can see she's wearing jeans, and no doubt they're tight as fuck.

She does that shit just to tease me. I know it.

Now is when I realize that's she's always done it. Now is when I realize how long she's been flirting with me, trying to get my attention. All this time I've ignored it while secretly lusting after her.

God, this is never gonna work. I have to make her see that lusting after me will only lead her to heartache. I have to make her hate me, it's the only way for her to move on, for me to save her from the pain of being with me in any way.

I can't risk so much as touching her hand, because if I did, I'd lose myself to her.

A man like me shouldn't be allowed around women like Paige. I ruin everything I touch. Autumn was proof of that. I'm a bastard in every way. I take what I want and when I'm done with it, I drop it like it was nothing to me. That's what I do with women, that's all I'm capable of. Fuckin' them and walking away just as quickly.

Don't get me wrong, I show women the time of their lives. I fuck 'em like no man ever has or will again. I ruin them all and I revel in the game.

Of course, I could indulge in a little bit of Paige. Give her one night she'll never forget. It would be all too easy to take her. Problem is, I don't for one second believe I could be satisfied with just one night. If I take her, I'll want more. Trouble is, I can't give her more. I'm not worth the heartache it would bring her. I'm not capable of giving her what she really wants. All of me.

Paige deserves so much more than a fuck up like me. She deserves the world, and I don't just mean material things, any jackass can give her that. I mean a man's, whole heart. She deserves to be his everything, his one and only.

That man ain't me.

I'm not a bad man deep down. I work hard in everything I do. Whether it firefighting, paramedic, hotel owner, cage fighting, I work hard. I've buried myself in work since my mother died, even more so since Autumn and Charlie died. What the hell do I have to keep my mind occupied now?

I don't talk to Paige even after Sonny and his family have left a few hours later. I forced Sonny to put my shit back where he found it, then he left.

I barely even talk to Paige as the days go on. I don't want her thinking it's okay to get too comfortable with me. I need to show her why she shouldn't want me. 

Trouble is, the more of a bastard I am to her, the harder she tries to please me. Seriously, what is it with this girl? Is she a fucking sadist?

Looks like I'm gonna have to step it up. Cruel to be kind and all that.