“That’s cool. You don’t have to give up all your secrets in one sitting.” He leaned forward, glancing around quickly. “Although, if you have any tips for catching the eye of a lady who might be interested in the finer aspects of a man such as yourself, feel free to pass those along.”
“Because you think you could be a dark lord?”
Sitting back, he huffed out a laugh. “Well, I don’t want to brag, but I’ve got a few darker qualities.”
“Such as?”
“Well, I’m a rebel, and I think any good dark lord should have a rebellious nature.”
“A rebel, huh?”
“Oh, totally,” he grinned. “I never go to bed when I should. I like to leave the door unlocked, even though I live on a huge property where literally anyone could come in and murder me in the middle of the night,and…sometimes, when it’s laundry day, I just turn my socks inside out.”
I quirked an eyebrow at him, just catching on that he was just fucking with me. I wasn’t entirely sure at first. The man seemed like he might be a few screws loose, but now I realized he just liked to fuck with people.
“So, that’s what the odor is.”
“Anyway, it can’t all come down to being rebellious. You also have to have a way with the ladies.”
My eyes immediately shifted to Josie yet again.
“She’s too good for you,” he said, his tone suddenly shifting to something slightly more dangerous. And now I was very interested in this brother.
“I’m well aware.”
“I’m serious.”
I knew that also. It was clear as day when he looked at her that he didn’t want me anywhere near her.
“And why would I listen to anything you say?”
“Because you just moved to town not that long ago. You might not be aware of the shit that goes on around here, but I am, and I can tell you right now that she doesn’t need any more crap in her life.”
The rumor mill. So, everyone believed the story that Austin attacked Josie. No wonder she got pissed off when gossip spread. Of course, I was just as bad as Jeff. I’d pretty much yelled at her for not taking the threat seriously, not that I would go back on my assessment of how dangerous Austin was.
Walkingup the steps to her house, I knocked before I could think better of it. When she answered, it was nothing like the last time I came knocking.
She didn’t lunge at me, she wasn’t staring at me with lust in her eyes, and she definitely wasn’t letting me in. “What do you want?”
“To talk.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, giving me her best fuck off look. “JR, no offense, but you didn’t want to talk to me before. Why would I want to talk to you now?”
She was absolutely right. There was no reason she should ever want to talk to me, but there were things I needed to say.
“Look, I’m not here to get you back.”
That took her by surprise.
“I mean…fuck, that came out wrong. What I meant to say is that I’m not expecting anything. I know why you’re pissed at me. I was hoping I could clear up a few things.”
“You mean make more excuses.”
“No,” I said, narrowing my eyes at her. “You want answers, and I can give them to you, but I’m not gonna beg you to let me in. Either we discuss this or I walk away and never see you again. The choice is yours.”
I sounded like a dick, and I knew it. I had given her no reason to ever trust me or want to talk to me again. And while I knew she might slam the door in my face, I wasn’t gonna stand here and beg her to hear me out.
It would suck to have the door slammed in my face, but there were realities we both needed to face.
