Her eyes are earnest, her lips a straight line without a hint of sarcasm written on her face. But she can’t be serious…
…can she?
“Well, if that’s the case, maybe I should just kidnap you and make you mine.” I grin. “We’d both be a lot happier than we are now.”
I see a hint of a smile as I take her hand. So soft compared to my rough, stoneworn palms.
A slight blush comes across her cheeks, sending blood rushing between my legs. I scoot closer, closing the distance between us.
There’s something so attractive—so feminine about her that it makes me want to just lift her up onto the bar right here and now and fuck her. No woman hasevermade me this hot.
“Kidnap me?” she muses, biting her lower lip like she’s actually thinking about it. “You’re funny.”
“You think I’m kidding?” I ask. “I’m not. What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Ava. My name’s Ava.”
I nod, tasting her name as I repeat it. “Ava, my name’s Rick.”
I hear shouting from the door but ignore it. Nothing in the world matters right now but her.
We both just stare at each other like we’re trying to read each other’s minds. It’s hypnotizing. I came here for a beer and some relaxation, and now my whole world’s been turned upside down.
“And you’ve been married off, Ava?” I finally ask. She looks away, and I feel a draining sense of loss in my chest. Christ, what is this girl doing to me?
She nods, causing my body to flood with anger.
What kind of parents could do that to this sweet angel?
“My dad, he—”
“And what about your mom? She didn’t have anything to say about this?”
“My mom, right,” she scoffs as if my suggestion were ridiculous. “Let’s just say my mom cares more about her jewelry and what’s in her closet than my well-being.”
The clamor by the door rises. Ava looks past me in its direction, and her face suddenly goes pale as moonlight.
“Oh, no…”
“What is it?” I turn and see two men in suits, big, burly-looking bastards, marching toward us. Their eyes are fixed on her.
“My…husband’s men. They followed me!”
“I’ll handle them.” I’m on my feet in an instant, but she grabs my wrist and shakes her head.
“No, please. It will just cause more problems.”
I’m a man who acts. I don’t hold back. But I can see by the look in her eyes that the last thing she wants is me causing a scene. So I sit back down.
Every fiber of my being is screaming at me to defend her. Break the faces of these two stooges and take her somewhere safe.
But it’s not what she wants, and the last thing I want to do is make her life harder for her.
So I quickly pull out one of my business cards, scribble my personal cell number on the back, and hand it to her.
“If you need me. Call.”
Her eyes sparkle as the two men close in.
