I frowned, pulling at the bottom of my dress to make sure my legs were covered. I didn’t like that he was paying that much attention. “Your observations skills surpass most in this city,” I stated blandly. “Why do you want to know more?”
Another shrug as he leaned over the counter. “Maybe I think you’re better off without that guy,” he nodded towards the curtain. “Maybe I just want to get to know a pretty lady.”
I studied him carefully, my heart fluttering. Butterflies, they had told me when I was younger. Later I learned that it was just anxiety, but butterflies made it sound romantic. Made it sound like we should do everything in our power to pursue that feeling.
Nope, just anxiety. Plain as day. But, I suppose, it was good anxiety, because I never felt them with Steven anymore. Not in any situation.
Was there good anxiety? If there was, butterflies had to be classified as good anxiety, right?
And anyways, Jake was kind, and what was the harm in letting him flirt a little? It was more than what Steven did these days. All he wanted was to get himself off and move on. I had to take care of my own self after he left, which was fine. From my very limited experience, there weren’t many guys out there who could get a woman off anyway.
Or maybe there was just something wrong with me and physically being with a guy just didn’t do it for me.
Who knows?
Not me.
I ran my tongue over my lips and straightened. “I recently gave up coffee,” I told him.
He rose a brow, his eyes flicking to my lips and back. “Oh? Why is that?”
“Bad side-effects,” I said easily. “I like sushi.”
His face twisted. “Do you know how far we are from theocean?”
I frowned. “I said I liked it. I didn’t say it was safe to eat. I go on runs.”
He smiled brightly then, his eyes shining. “Maniac,” he said, straightening just enough to lean over the counter a little more, and I found myself drifting towards him. “Training for that serial killer?”
“Gotta stay in shape,” I replied with a shrug. “Although I don’t know what good it would do if they broke in, seeing as how I live on the sixth floor.”
He gasped. “A successful woman like you living on thesixthfloor? Blasphemous.”
I rolled my eyes, a smile touching my lips. “Modesty is an attribute.” He was right though, even if he didn’t realize exactly how successful I was, but it was the first place I had found available when I had moved to the city. I wasn’t picky at the time, I just took what I could find first. It was a nice place though. Beautiful. Brand new when I moved in. It was enough.
He chuckled and flicked my nose, which caused my cheeks to warm and my eyes to widen in slight shock. “A good one,” he told me just as a hand appeared out of nowhere and ripped my drink from my hand.
I gasped, heart racing, head whipping around to see Steven gulp down my drink and set the glass down. “I need whatever money you have in your wallet,” he told me glancing to Jake and back.
Fuck, he had seen that. He had seen Jake flicking my nose as if we were old friends. I could see the chill in his eyes, the hatred. The betrayal.
He was right. His anger was not misplaced. I deserved it. I deserved whatever punishment I got from it.
I nodded numbly and fumbled for the wallet in my purse. I fished out whatever was in it. I had no idea how much I had, Itried not to carry cash around.
He took the bills from my hand and counted them out. A few hundreds, I think.
Steven nodded, grabbed my jaw, and pressed his lips against mine violently. His tongue assaulted me, spit dripping from his mouth into mine, forcing me to hold back the gag I felt as it slid over my lips and across my tongue.
After a few seconds, he pulled back and shot a glare at Jake before heading back to the curtain.
I felt humiliated as I turned back and picked up the napkin, wiping my lips. My head spun, and my skin felt red hot, and without looking at Jake, I tapped the rim of my glass, letting my hair fall around my shoulders, covering my face. I was going to throw up. I could feel the bile creeping up the back of my throat. I needed that drink. I needed four of those drinks. Eight. I didn’t care. Anything to erase that taste from my mouth.
The drink appeared in front of me a moment later and I gulped it down, nearly choking on it as I willed the feeling of his spit out of my mouth. The alcohol hit almost immediately this time, a warmth spreading over my body, my limbs tingling.
I set the empty glass down and tapped it again.
“Liv—”
