Harrison
“YOU HAVE TO GO,” I tell her, slapping her ass.
She pouts, looking too fucking tempting in her school uniform. The knee-high socks are killing both me and my cock. “I could skip class,” she suggests, her brow arching and her lips turning up wickedly.
“No, woman,” I growl. “Get your sexy ass to class before I do something that’ll get you suspended.”
A few students walking past us do a double take.
“I hate that you get to have fun all day and I have to do boring stuff,” she groans.
“One day, when I have my own shop, you can stay with me all day. Until then, I don’t need you distracting me,” I tell her, smirking.
She smiles shyly at me as she grips the front of my hoodie and stands on her toes to kiss me. “You’re going to keep me that long?”
“I’m going to keep you forever.”
Her eyes shine with happiness. “You should do it.”
“Keep you?”
“That too,” she teases. “I mean, you should get your own shop. You really love what you do. I could tell when you showed me around last night.”
“One day.”
“One day,” she agrees. “Until then, I’ll go do this boring shit. Try not to miss me too much.” Her palm grips my dick through my jeans. “I know your cock will.”
I shake my head at her. “You’re ten kinds of evil, Cat Lincoln. How’s a man supposed to drive down the highway with a ten-inch boner in the way?”
She laughs. “Ten inches, hmmm? You think highly of yourself.”
“You’re testing me, woman.”
Her smile lights up the world. “I like to keep you on your toes, man.”
“Be good and when I get off work, I’m going to show you once again that I can back up my claims.”
She pats my dick and steps away. “I mean, you’re hung, stallion, but ten inches?”
Before I can argue, she wiggles those cute fingers at me and then blows me a kiss. I watch her ass bounce as she runs toward the building. The bell rings. She’ll be late. And my girl doesn’t care because she stops to wave from the doorway.
As soon as she’s out of sight, my smile falls and my chest feels hollow. This girl fills my soul up with her. I’m falling so hard for her and I’m unable to stop it. I don’t want to stop it.
A party.
Theo threw a fucking party.
“Seriously,” I groan. “Nobody better fuck with my shit.”
“I’m sorry. It was my idea, but then after all the crap that happened, I asked him to call it off. He didn’t.” Cat sighs into the phone. “He’s too busy being king of the party. I told him to make everyone go home, but he ignored me. I couldn’t handle him anymore tonight and bailed. I’m painting my toenails in my room.” She yawns. “If I’m asleep when you get here, wake me up.”
“I’ll be home in an hour or so. I’m going to go talk to Violet.”
She’s silent for a beat. “Violet, huh? Stripper Violet?”
“That’s the one.”
“Tell her I said to keep her dirty claws away from you and we won’t have a problem,” she snips out.
“You’re such a little badass, aren’t you? Little Cat the cheerleader is gonna beat some stripper’s ass to defend her boyfriend’s honor?” I tease.
She laughs and I love the breathy sound of it. “I am a little badass. Glad you’re finally learning. And she’ll meet my kitty cat claws if she even thinks about throwing herself at you again.” I can hear her shuffling around and then she says, “Boyfriend, hmmm?”
“Yep,” I tell her.
“Good. I like it. A nice pretty label on what we’re doing.”
“I’m not pretty,” I grumble.
“Oh, you’re pretty. Super pretty,” she says with amusement in her tone.
“I think you meant ‘fuck hot.’”
“Potato, po-tah-toh,” she sings.
“Bye, woman. I’ll see you soon.”
She laughs. “Bye!”
I hang up on her, otherwise we’ll do this all day. I love verbally sparring with her. But I’d rather do it with my hands roaming all over her body. I exit the break room and snag my keys and helmet.
“Where you headed out so early?” Damian asks as I start for the door.
“To get answers,” I grunt.
“This have to do with the woman I saw you all over in the video feed last night?”
“You’re a fucking stalker,” I tell him.
He shrugs. “I don’t deny it. The girl with the Mustang? Is she the reason why you’re at war with that skinny twerp who can’t drive his Porsche?”
“You really are a stalker.”
“Again, I don’t deny it. Spill, boy. If I’m going to let you slack off and get out of here early, you have to indulge an old man.” He scratches at his wiry beard. “Besides, I need to know she was worth blowing out of here and leaving my shop open with no one inside but a skanky stripper.”
“She’s worth it,” I growl.
“I figured she was. Never seen you act this way before. You’re in deep.”
“My girl, Cat, has a dipshit cousin who thinks he can fuck with what we have,” I grit out. “I’m going to find out for sure and then I’m going to deck his ass.”
“Hope she’s worth going to jail over,” he says, laughing.
“She’s worth everything.”
He grows serious for a moment. “You don’t remember Wanda because you were just a little kid, but she took a liking to you before she died. Miss Helen and she were close at church, before breast cancer took my wife. She told me to look after you. Said, ‘He doesn’t have a proper daddy and he needs a little love and guidance, Dame.’ And hell if I didn’t want to take you under my wing. It was like serenfuckingdipity when you came strutting in here when you were a fifteen-year-old grumpy bastard with one helluva chip on your shoulder. I did as Wanda asked and took you in, even though your attitude was rotten as hell. But I did and you got tolerable. You were a quick study too. Weren’t a happy thing at all, but you loved any job I threw your way. So to see you finally smiling, I gotta tell you, she must have known something I didn’t. I feel a little proud like I’m sure your dad would have if he were still around.”
I playfully punch his arm. “Don’t go getting soft on me, man.”
“I’m just saying it’s good to see you not be such an asshole. You’re growing up. I’ve been waiting for this day for years, kid.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah,” he says, grinning. “I was just about to give you a promotion, too, but you left my shop wide-open.”
“She was worth it,” I tell him with a wink.
“The good ones always are.”
“I’m looking for Violet,” I tell the bouncer as I enter the club I’ve been to more times than I’d like to count.
The fat guy laughs and his belly quivers. “A crowd favorite.”
“I want to ask her some questions.”
His brows furrow. “You a cop?”
“You’ve brought your piece of shit truck to me at the shop on the corner. You know I’m not a cop.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbles. “She’s working the bar tonight.”
I give him a nod and stalk into the smoky club. Violet is bent across the bar with her cleavage hanging out talking to a balding old man. When she sees me, her eyes flare with appreciation until realization sets in. She groans when I take a seat on a barstool next to the old man.
“What can I get ya?” she asks, smacking her gum. The flirty act she put on me last night is gone.
“Answers.”
“I guess it doesn’t matter,” she huffs. “It’s not like he paid me anyway. I did my job. The asshole held out on me.”
I arch a brow in question. “Who?”
“Heath’s new kid. I guess he isn’t new, but you know what I mean. Theo. He was supposed to give me five grand.”
“Five grand?” I growl. “To do what? Fuck me?”
The old man chuckles. “Baby doll, get me another vodka tonic. I feel like there’s a story here and I need another drink.”
She smiles sweetly at him and shoots me the bird before setting off to make his drink. Once he’s settled, she puts a hand on her hip and glares at me.
“Not to fuck you,” she reveals. “To make her think we were fucking.” Her brows furl together. “For the record, we did fuck. You don’t even remember me?”
Vaguely.
Maybe I remember her voice. I don’t fucking know. They all blend together.
“I know you’re Violet,” I say with a grunt.
She rolls her eyes. “You didn’t last night. It doesn’t matter. I failed, apparently. Theo’s a dick like his dad. At least Heath tips well when I do my job.” She pops her gum. “He certainly doesn’t whine like a little bitch when we fuck.” A fake smile forms on her lips. “And I’m at least memorable enough that he knows my name.”
“Don’t worry,” I grumble. “I won’t forget your name after this.”
“Tell Theo I hope his dick rots off,” she calls out after me.
“Gladly, Violet.” I look over my shoulder and frown at her. “And if you know what’s good for you, stay away from fucking Heath of all people. He’s bad for the soul.”
She smirks. “But he tips well.”
Cars are everywhere and my blood boils. This idiot is going to get his ass handed to him when Heath gets back. But first, Theo and I are going to have words. I want to know why the fuck he thought he could throw an obscene amount of money at some chick to try and break up Cat and me. If he gives me any lip, I won’t be in a talking mood. I’ll be in a I’m going to whip your scrawny ass mood. He better tread lightly.
As soon as I open the door, the stench of marijuana assaults my senses. It grates on my nerves that he’d allow drugs in the house. His cousin is fairly innocent and I don’t like the fact he exposed her to this shit. A couple of girls giggle when they see me and I tip my head at them before rushing to the stairwell. I reach the top of the stairs and start for her room when I see someone go into mine.
Oh fucking hell no.
I stalk down the hall and yank some blond asshole from my room, scaring the shit out of him. “Leave,” I snarl.
His girl squeaks as she runs from my room after him. Thank God I got here before those two fucked on my bed. I smell like an ashtray from the club, so I hurry and take a quick shower. Once I’m clean and dry, I pull on a pair of loose sweats. I slip out of my room, run off a couple more people, and then make it to Cat’s room. When I open the door, it’s dark inside.
A small whimper makes me take pause.
A familiar whimper.
Fire explodes within me as I swat at the light switch. Light bursts around me, exposing the source of the moans. Cat is facing the wall and her fuckwad cousin is behind her, rutting against her like a fucking barn animal.
“What the fuck?” I roar, my hands curling into fists.
Cat jolts and swivels her head around. Her face goes from confused to horrified.
“You liked it,” Theo slurs. “I heard you moan.”
She shrieks and slaps away his hand from between her thighs. “Theo! You idiot!”
Stalking forward, I grab the twerp by the back of his neck and jerk him from the bed. I send him careening into the armoire. He cries out and holds his side.
“I thought it was you, Harrison,” Cat cries out. “Ew! Theo, ew!”
He tries to stand, but he’s drunk as shit. The kid can barely get up on his knees without swaying. I kick his chest and he falls back, knocking his head on the floor.
“Stop,” he whines. “You fucking brute!”
“You touch what’s mine,” I snarl as I approach, “and I’ll touch yours.” I give him a swift kick to the balls and he howls. “Touch her again and I’ll do a lot worse than that.”
The little asshole is such a weak bastard that I don’t even feel right about kicking his ass. Fuck him for being a pussy. If he were a real man—like his father—I’d take him out to the barn and go at him fist to fist. But this dickhead is so drunk, I’d probably kill him with one punch to the throat.
“Harrison,” Cat says, gripping my elbow. “Get me out of here.”
“Fucking gladly,” I growl. I nudge Theo with my foot and glower down at him. “I want you to get your ass downstairs and send them home. Then, tomorrow, I want you to apologize to my goddamn girl for touching her.”
“You’re a bully,” he cries, writhing on the floor, still grabbing his nuts.
“Me?” I seethe. “You tried to get my girlfriend—your cousin—to break up with me because you wanted to fuck her. If I were a bully, I’d tie you up and drag you behind my bike for acting like a damn idiot. Stay the fuck away from me and Cat. Got it?”
“Fucking fine,” he snaps.
“I’m telling your dad,” Cat says, digging her own knife in.
“Cat…” he pleads.
I grab her hand and haul her out of her room. From the top of the stairs, I yell down, “You have ten minutes to get the fuck out of my house or I’ll call the cops.”
We don’t wait to see if they obey or not.
I take my girl to my room where she’s safe and lock us inside.