Thunking my cup down on my plate, I got to my feet. “Like I said, I need to get to work.”
His hand came out hard and fast around my wrist, and he tugged me back down. “The fuckin’ bar can wait a few more minutes. This is important.”
I twisted my wrist out of his grasp. Luckily, he released it without a fight. “Make it fast,” I grumbled.
“You’ve been through a lot of stress, what with your old man fuckin’ betraying you like he did. You getting roughed up by Viper and his crew and endin’ up bought by the likes of me. I’m worried about you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Is this the conversation where you tell me that all I need is a man? That a little good dick will sort me out?”
He interrupted hotly, “No, it fuckin’ well is not what I’m tryin’ to say.”
“What then? Spit it out.”
Okay, I knew I was being rude as hell to my nice trafficker. But what the hell was I supposed to do? How was a woman like me meant to feel and act in this situation? I wished someone would tell me because I sure as hell didn’t know.
“This is what I’m worried about. You, flying off the handle all the time. You’re jumpy as hell, even on a good day.”
“If you think I have good days, you’re delusional,” I snapped back.
“That’s my point. You should be having good days. I got you out of a really shitty situation, brought you here, gave you a safe place to rest your head at night and found you work. You must know by now that nobody here is gonna hurt you. But you’re still actin’ like you’re in danger every minute of every day.”
His words slammed through my mind and I realized he wasn’t wrong about any of that. No one had threatened or harmed me here. But nonetheless, I did feel like living with a bunch of bikers wasn’t safe.
“I’m fine. I just need a minute to chill out,” I answered automatically, brushing off his concerns.
But of course, the handsome bastard wasn’t about to accept that. “Look, I know this shit’s been hard. You’re not bouncin’ back the way I’d hoped and that’s okay. A lot of women who’ve been through trauma don’t. That’s why I’ve arranged for a therapist to come to the clubhouse and talk to you.”
My anger rose hard and fast, exploding before I could stop it.
“I don’t need a damn therapist. You act like I’m some kind of broken watch that’s only right once a day. Well, I’m not.”
“Twice a day.”
“What?” I spat out.
“A broken watch is right twice a day. But, that’s not what I’m saying, I don’t think you’re broken.”
“You don’t get to decide if I need someone to talk to. I’m supposed to decide that for myself.”
“Then decide. You’ve obviously got some trauma. I’m offerin’ you a licensed professional to help you through it. She’s the same one that’s helped a lot of the old ladies with the unfair shit life handed to them. She’s good for you, she’s free. You gonna turn down the help you need, just because you’re too stubborn to accept help from me?”
“Yes,” I gritted out through clinched teeth. “I don’t want to keep getting in deeper and deeper with you. I need to do my job, earn enough money to get my life back on track and wait for the moment when you assholes decide to let me go.”
“I knew you were gonna say that. The therapist is coming tomorrow morning and you’re gonna talk to her.”
I pushed up from the table and stomped to the restroom. It was the only place I was certain he wouldn’t follow me to. I hid out in one of the stalls, crying all my frustration with Fuse out. Dabbing at my eyes with toilet paper, I didn’t care when the door opened and someone came in. I thought at first it was a club girl. Then I caught the scent of leather and saw Fuse’s arm tattoo through the crack between the door and frame.
Rolling my eyes again, I told him, “I can’t believe you came into the ladies room.”
There was a sigh and then he said, “There’s nothin’ I wouldn’t do to keep you safe. I’d raise an army of bikers, break down the door to Viper’s clubhouse, fight your battles, and stalk your enemies to the ends of the world. Whatever you need, I’m there for it. If you don’t trust nothin’ else, trust in that.”
This was everything I needed to hear. That he really saw me, understood what I was going through and would do anything to fix it. But could I really believe him?
I reached out to twist the lock and shoved the stall door open to look at him. “Why do you care so much? You didn’t know me. I was a complete stranger. Why did you drag yourself and your whole club into my fucked up life?”
He looked at me and said just about what I expected him to say, “Because you needed someone and no one else stepped up. No woman deserves what those fuckers were gonna do to you, least of all, a young innocent thing like you.”
I wanted to believe that he was different from my father, Viper, Vulture, and all the guys from school who would say anything to try to get into my pants. All the men I’d known were opportunistic and only had one thing on their minds. Maybe Fuse was different from all the rest.
