CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Brick
Her words hitme in the gut with the weight and force of a ton of bricks. Haven’t heard those three words since I was a young kid. She’s confused. Besides her husband, I’m the only man she’s ever had sex with—I understand how an inexperienced woman could misconstrue lust for love. Regardless of the truth, I need to let her down gently because I don’t want anyone to love me, especially Starlet. “You can’t love me, sweetheart. I’m an asshole and don’t deserve it.”
Her face twists. “I’ll probably never see you again, Brick. I don’t expect you to feel the same way. My words were more for my benefit than yours.” She wanders back to the main room, and I follow.
I scratch my head, wondering what it would be like to have her in my life permanently. As an old lady. I sit on the edge of the couch, then immediately shoot up. “Shit. Creeps me out that my naked ass made contact with Shorty’s furniture.” I locate my boxers and put them on before returning to the sofa.
Starlet laughs, a sound I’d never get tired of hearing—if she was mine.
“We have great sex,” I offer.
“And?”
“I like you.”
She shakes her head.
“A lot.”
“Nice to know.”
“More than most people—more than any woman I’ve ever known. You’re cool as shit, Starlet. Beautiful. Smart…”
She kneels in front of me, folding her hands over mine. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Trying to save me.” She squeezes my fingers. “Means something to me.”
She’s so fucking wrong. I didn’t try to save her—just the opposite, I reported her to my prez. Then all these scenarios start playing out in my head.Break the rules, I think.Pay for a plane ticket anywhere she wants to go. Get her out of the country. Give her freedom. Sacrifice the patch.“Christ,” I say out loud, catching a concerned look from Starlet.
“There it is again,” she points out. “That faraway look. Where’d you go just then?”
I pull my hands free. “Get out of my head, woman.” I stand and walk to the front door.
I open it and step into the fading sunlight. Can’t believe I thought about sacrificing my patch. That’s crazy. Scrubbing my face, I can feel her behind me. I turn around. She’s standing in the doorway watching me. The streaks of gold in her red hair sparkle in the light. Maybe there’s magic inside her, dark magic that gives her the ability to invade my mind.
“You should take me home,” she suggests.
Impossible. She’s supposed to stay with me until her old man picks her up. “Can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“My job to keep an eye on you until the Crusaders show up.”
“Fuck,” she screams. “I can’t believe Eagle would do that.”
“Nothing personal, sweetheart,” I toss at her, hoping for more distance between us. If she hates me she won’t miss meorlove me.
“You’re an asshole, Brick.” She whirls around, steps inside the cabin, and slams the door.
***
Starlet
My emotions takeover and I collapse on the floor. I weep like a baby. I really thought I had a chance in Shreveport. Giving it up isn’t going to be easy. As for Brick…I do love him. Not hard to do when all you’ve known is pain. I swipe the tears from my eyes and look around the cabin. I’d hoped we’d make love all night, cook breakfast together, and say goodbye in a special way. No chance now, he’s purposely pushing me away and I don’t have the strength to fight back. To convince him that we’re good together. It’s a stupid fantasy anyway.
