“We’re not playing, Reed. Remember? We can’t be anything.Youdon’t get to call me ‘baby’, but, maybe I’ll meet someone tonight who can.” With that, I walk into the lift and press the button for the lobby. “Have a good evening,” I call as the doors are closing.
Reed
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
I’ve been pacing the same floorboards of my apartment for the last hour. I’m trying to talk myself out of turning up at that club, throwing her over my shoulder and dragging her away. I can’t do that. If I do that, I cross a line — a line I may have already crossed when she sat on my lap and felt my erection. But, deliberately going after her? That is something else entirely.
My phone pings with a message.
Unknown number: You don’t know me but we both know Bella. You might not want her virginity but someone else will, and they might be man enough to take it
What the fuck?!
Who the hell sent me this? Who knows that I have — wait, Bella is a virgin? My Bella? My green-eyed, dark-haired goddess, is a virgin? And she’s out at the fucking meat market that is Riot?
Oh fuck, no!
I have never driven so fast in my life. I could have broken the land speed record for the time it took me to get here.
I pull up outside the club and chuck my keys and a hundred dollar bill to a bouncer. Pretty sure they don’t have a valet service here, but I figure a hundred dollars should guarantee my car being there when I leave. Just to be sure, I tell him he’ll get another hundred when I come back out.
Walking into the club, I’m hit by a wall of heat and the smell of sweat. I’m instantly reminded why I haven’t done this in years. However, she’s worth it. I’ll go anywhere, do anything for her. My mind is finally catching up with my body which claimed her when she first walked into my office over a week ago.
I make my way into the middle of the club, the music is so loud it’s like I have another heartbeat. I start scanning areas for her, I’m looking everywhere, all at once.
Fuck, where is she?
Why does everyone have to be wearing black? It’s so dark in here, the odd flash of a strobe light is in no way helping my search.
Suddenly, as if I’m Moses, the crowd parts like the Red Sea and a path opens up through the dance floor, my eyes finding her immediately. She’s dancing with someone else and is completely oblivious to my presence.
He leans down and whispers something into her ear. She nods at him and he places his hand at the small of her back, her bare back, and guides her towards the bar.
Oh, hell no.
My feet carry me to the bar as if my life depends on it.
He’s got his arm around her, pulling her into his side while he addresses the bartender.
“Get your fucking hands off her.” My voice is low, but they both hear it or maybe just the threat that carries to them. I don’t care what it is, all that matters is that they heard.
Fuck-face turns around and looks me up and down, paling when he catches sight of me, but to give him credit, he doesn’t back down.
“What’s it to you?”
“She’s mine.” Bella’s eyes fly to my own, her gasp of surprise loud even over the noise of the club.
That’s right, baby, I’m here.
I stalk towards her, pulling her out of the little jerk’s arms. “Now, move the fuck on or I will hurt you.”
“Reed! Stop it. What do you think you’re doing?”
“Finally doing what we both want,” I murmur only loud enough for the two of us to hear.
“You said no, Reed. You said we couldn’t be real.” Her words are barely audible, but I hear them, and they hit their target. I hurt for the both of us.
