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I nod, peeking out at the sudden audience we have. “Hyde?”
“Yeah. It’s what people call me when I fight.”
“Hmm,” I hum, positioning myself in front of him and arching a brow. “Dalton. Rooster. Hyde. Any other names I should know about?”
He smirks. “Well, you’re forgetting handsome, baby and whatever you want to scream when I’m balls deep inside of you.”
“Oh?” I sputter out a laugh, shocked by how bold he’s being. “You’re very confident about that last part, are you?”
He shrugs. “No. Just speaking it into existence or some shit like that.”
“Do you believe in manifestation, Dalton?” I ask and he barks out a laugh, shaking his head.
“No.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”
“Although,” he says, pulling me closer as his gaze heats, tracing the contours of my face. “I can be into whatever you want if it means I have a better shot with you.”
Shaking my head, I drape my arms over his shoulders. “You know what I want you to be for me?”
“Tell me.”
“Real,” I say and he stares at me, his gaze so damn intense that I can feel it throughout my body. “I just need you to be real with me.”
“I can do that,” he says. Then, his lips are on mine again.
God, I can’t get enough of this.
Every time he kisses me, it’s better than the last.
“Hyde,” someone calls and I’m physically jerked out of the kiss. A man is standing next to Dalton and his hand is on Dalton’s back. “You fighting tonight, man?”
Dalton’s eyes flick over his shoulder to where the man’s hand is still on him before he turns a look so lethal on the poor guy that even I can feel it. But he doesn’t say a word. From the one look alone, the man realizes his error and takes a step back.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt anything.” He backs away slowly like he’s retreating from a predator and when Dalton turns his gaze back to me, I arch a brow in question. He releases me but doesn’t step back.
“I did say I have a reputation,” he offers, scrubbing the back of his neck with his hand and letting out a surprised laugh. I shake my head at him. It’s odd. The man I’ve gotten to know over the last few days is gentle and kind but when that man approached us, I saw it.
Hyde.
The monster lurking under the surface.
Maybe that should scare me.
Maybe I should run in the opposite direction but for some reason that makes absolutely no sense to me, seeing that side of him and seeing how well he keeps it locked down, only makes me trust him more. If anything, I feel more safe now because I understand better what he’s capable of if anyone ever threatens me.
“I’m starting to see exactly what you meant,” I tell him, stepping forward and gripping the sides of his t-shirt. He looks down at my hands and surprise flickers in his eyes for just a second before he meets my gaze again.
“It doesn’t bother you?”
I search his face and there is an ache in my chest. He was so certain that one little peek into this side of him was going to send me running and he can’t quite figure out why I’m still here. Shaking my head, I lean up on my tiptoes and steal a quick kiss.
“No,” I whisper against his lips. “It doesn’t bother me. Although, your reputation may have just taken some damage with all these people watching you kiss and flirt with me.”
He grins. “They’ll only make that mistake once.”
A shiver races through me at his words and I imagine that power he holds, to keep that side of himself on a leash until the moment it’s time to let it out.
