Taking my eyes off of her was way harder than it should have been. She kept her distance as we shopped, lurking in the background and checking her phone. Six guys had checked her out while she ignored me from across the store. The fact that I took a step toward her every time a guy showed interest should have been a red flag for me to get a grip.
That aggravated eye roll came every time she caught me staring.
The ache inside of me threatened to unleash what I wanted to do, but I had to keep myself together. I wasn’t there to start something, and I wasn’t the kind of man that started something I couldn’t finish. Hannah had to be my first priority. After I bought some jeans and a few shirts I texted Dante.Me: I’m here. Meet me at the bathroom in fifteen.
I shoved my phone into my pocket and started toward Neveah. She pulled her purse higher over her shoulder. “Can we eat now?”
“Let&rs
You’ve got to be kidding me. I yanked my IPod from my ears, stared ahead, and watched as the side of his lip pulled into a grin. “Good morning.”How did he —Aunt Shelly. It’s always Aunt Shelly. Lifting my chin, I shut the back door, stepped off the stairs and faced him straight on. I didn’t know if I’d see him or not, but I was definitely wearing workout pants that hugged me like a second skin. And my bright purple sports bra fit me just right. The most delicious look was on his face, and it started a tsunami in my stomach that threatened to make my life miserable if I wasn’t underneath him soon. His shirt was off, showing me every reason I was bitter toward him. Showing me what I couldn’t have. Each ridge in his stomach was hard, his skin pulled tightly over every perfectly formed muscle.Damn him to hell!Instead of answering because that would be too matur
With my forehead pressed against the shower wall, I stroked myself harder, undressing her in my mind like a fifteen-year-old boy until I released into the tornado of water at my feet. I groaned as the vision of Neveah in my mind flooded my every thought. I couldn’t stop my eyes the night before. When Chase had hit her, I felt a primal instinct to knock him on his ass, even though it was an accident. I didn’t care. I hated to see her in pain, on the ground with a black eye. Why was this happening to me? She was the dangling meat in front of a starving dog. It was almost nine when I shrugged into my T-shirt and buttoned my jeans. My head had been so wrapped up with thoughts of Neveah that I hadn’t even thought about my sister. That was what frightened me. My phone buzzed against my nightstand, Dante’s number flashed across the screen. I swiped the call, pressed my phone to my ear and asked, “Any news?”Dante si
The sweat from my hairline skimmed down my face, dripping from my chin before landing on the concrete floor of the gym. The Texas summer started to rear its horns, but it would only get worse. Counting the beads of sweat that dripped from my chin had been my distraction from Dec—Rage. Rage. What kind of person is named Rage? My body hummed at the thought of the night before. His rough callouses pressed against my most personal place, his fingers bringing me to the highest of highs. And yet, he still backed away. I knew he felt that connection when his mouth met mine. Warmth cloaked my cheeks, but I swallowed the shame. No one watched me in the corner of the gym, scrubbing the floors like Cinderella. Dad hadn’t asked me to do it. I just needed something to take my mind off of him. It didn’t work. Rage spent the morning laying gravel in the parking lot before jumping right into practice with the other boys. Dad talked for an hour about an upcoming me
Wes stood in the middle of our semi-circle in the guest locker room. “Okay guys, let’s give it the best we have but have fun. This competition isn’t for points, just a practice match for this season.” All the guys around me were stone-faced, their backs straight and eyes focused. And all I could focus on was Neveah in the corner of the room in those shorts. And I thought the yoga pants were bad. Those little things rode up every time she bent over for something. Her white polo fit snug to her breasts and waist. Wes’s Boxing Gym printed over her right tit, drawing even more attention to the two un-buttoned buttons down the center. Someone elbowed me. I sat up straight and noticed everyone staring my way. “What’s up?”Wes frowned. “Are you okay? You seem a little distracted today.”I was. When Neveah punched her ex-fiancée, something switched inside of me. There wasn’
Those dark eyes didn’t waver from me, even when I stepped through the threshold of the small cabin, I felt his eyes on my back. The door shut quietly behind him, but I kept forward, afraid to look too soon. There were too many emotions coursing through me. Half of my brain screamed for me to run while I had the chance and the other already pulled off his clothes. “Neveah,” he whispered behind me, his breath sent chills up my spine. “You’re shivering.” I was, bad. It should have embarrassed me, but I knew he was the only person that would cure the ache. Slowly, I turned to look up at him, his grey eyes were dilated, a look of primal need on his face. “I want you,” I bravely whispered. “I can’t take this anymore.” The corner of his mouth lifted. One hand rested behind me, pinning me against the nearest wall, and the other rested on my waist. “You don’t have to take anything anymore, because I can’t wait another damn minute for you.” H
Uh oh. I woke up with my body warmer than usual. Sweat built on my upper lip and hairline. The box fan in the corner of my room must have gone out. I’m drenched—oh crap. Everything from the night before slammed into my memory at once, reminding me of the reason I was so hot. Rage was curled up beside me, his palm rested against my stomach. What time is it? I snuck a look at the old wall clock in the corner. 9:00. Oh, God. Dad would come looking for us soon. Carefully, I slipped from Rage’s grasp and stood up. I noticed Rage was naked beforeI realized I was. But I had a feeling no one would blame me for staring. His hip poked through the thin white sheet, one leg hung half-way off the bed and his mouth parted. Tip-toeing, I tried to pick up my clothes that were conveniently all over the place. When I slipped on my T-shirt, I sighed in relief. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“We’re going to drive the short bus to the match,” Wes called out over the gym. I hadn’t been able to hear anything else he’d said, my head was too messed up to think straight.A week had gone by quickly, and Neveah hadn’t said one word to me. She’d disappeared every time I’d walked into the same building as her. She stood in the corner of the gym in those stupid short shorts and polo shirt. Not once had she looked in my direction, and the primal instinct inside of me was fed up with it. “If it’s the short bus, Neveah needs to ride with us,” Chase yelled out from the other side of our small semi-circle. I clutched my hands on my knees. Neveah rolled her eyes, and still avoided my gaze. “Let’s get moving, guys,” Wes gestured for everyone to exit. “We don’t have enough seats for everyone, so Rage you’ll have to ride with Neveah to Dallas.”S
Call me what you will but I went. I stood staring at the closed wooden door of the guest house. Confusion, anger, fear, want, it all suffocated me. The fact that I stood at his door should have told me I needed help, that I was desperate for him. He’d told me he’d been in prison—in prison. That made sense of the six digit number tattooed on his back, the blank phone and picture of his sister. My stomach lurched as I knocked three times. This was stupid, I was stupid. Despite my inner voice screaming run, I stood on the porch determined to find out why, or how. I needed to know everything. The door swung open two seconds later. Rage’s hair looked like he hadn’t gotten any rest. Both hands were shoved down into his sweats, showing me the sexy V of his hips and the flat plane of his stomach. After several minutes of staring at each other, his eyes tracing me like it was the last time he’d see me, he opened the door wider. &ldq