Page 78 of Takedown

But just like every other time I thought I had something good, it would end. He’d realize I wasn’t worth it, and he’d walk away. Or worse, this entire thing between us would have been about the chase, and the minute I give in, he’d claim victory and disappear, leaving me a defeated mess.

“Let’s go, Mel.” His command takes me out of my own head, and I stare at his face again. “Last chance.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you giving me an ultimatum?” I stand. This I can do. I can fight. I can argue. But I don’t do vulnerability. I don’t like to be seen, and no one can look at me the way that Adam does with those incredible ocean blue eyes.

“It means if you don’t want me, someone else will. I’ve been chasing you for two years, Mel.” He looks into my eyes and down at his hand again.

“I don’t do well with ultimatums. What did you think? I’d want to jump into bed with you now that we’re in Vegas.” He drops his hand and sighs in disappointment.

“I’m asking you to spend time with me, not fuck me.” For the first time since we’ve met, he sounds agitated. That puts me off balance, and I don’t know how to react to it.

I purse my lips and stare into his eyes, not saying a word. I take the extra step of crossing my arms.

“Fine. Have a good night, Mel.” He walks away from the table and I take the seat Ananda vacated, giving me a clear view of the bar. I expect him to walk out. I imagine he’ll leave only to come on stronger tomorrow, but he only gets as far as the bar.

He turns away from me to order a drink. I can’t help but stare at his broad back standing there, taller than everyone else. I smile, knowing that he’s only getting a drink and will be back. No way will he leave me sitting here by myself.

But when he gets his drink he doesn’t return. He doesn’t turn around. He leans against the bar, and I must will myself not to go over there and put my hand on his ass. And what an ass it is. I remember grabbing it on New Year’s Eve just as the clock struck midnight and his mouth landed on mine.

A tall platinum blonde in a skin-tight leather dress squeezes between him and the bar. She pretends to trip and ends up pressing her fake boobs to his chest. I can’t hear them, but I can see her exaggerated smile from here. I hold my breath and wait for him to look at me and walk away from her. Walk right back here to our table, but he doesn’t do any of that.

He flags down the bartender and the blonde bimbo orders something. A few seconds later, she’s handed a glass of white wine. She holds her drink up, and Adam has the fucking nerve to clink his beer with her glass.

My nostrils flare and my stomach practically drops to the floor. She leans into him, and he bends down so she can whisper something in his ear. Whatever she says makes him smile, and like the predator she is, she moves closer and presses her body to his. Her hand lands on his chest, and he says something that makes her throw back her head and laugh. I pray her hair extensions fall out. She starts to feel his pecks and from my seat, I can see the bastard flexing for her. But that’s not even the worst thing he does. He puts a free hand on one of her bony hips. That’s when I’ve had enough.

I stand up so abruptly, my chair almost falls to the floor. Without thinking about it, I stomp across the restaurant to the bar. I know he knows I’m there, but he doesn’t look at me.

“Excuse me,” I say. He says something to the bimbo, and she giggles like a hyena on acid. She whispers something back to him, and he raises his hand and puts a piece of her bottled dyed hair behind her ear.

I imagine snatching her by her hair extensions, but I grab Adam’s hand instead.

“I said excuse me.” I try to pull him away from her, but of course, the giant won’t move.

“Hey,” the bimbo says, eyeing me up and down. She holds her empty wine glass and waves it in front of my face. “Can you get me another?” She dismisses me and turns back to Adam.

“Do I look like I work here?” I take a step closer. She pretends as if she’s just now seeing me for the first time. No way did this bitch mistake me for a waitress. They’re all dressed the same, and I’m in distressed jeans, heels, and a kimono top. “And get your skanky whore hands off him.”

“Who is this, Adam?” She pouts and pretends to wipe some nonexistent lint from his pristine white polo.

“That’s just Melanie.” He never calls me Melanie. It’s always been Mel, even though I’ve told him a million times that nobody calls me that.

Bimbo eyes me again, chuckles, and turns back to Adam. “Why don’t we get out of here?” She closes the sliver of space between them and whispers something in his ear. When she’s done, she pulls away, looks him in the eye, and seductively bites her bottom lip.

“I said get your skanky hands off him!” I step between them, and she’s forced to take a step back, bumping into the man behind her. Adam reacts and quickly grabs her to prevent her skinny ass from hitting the linoleum floor. As soon as his hands make contact, I pull them off.

“What the fuck is your problem?” bimbo asks. “Have some class.” She crosses her arms and looks at me up and down again. “Of course, I wouldn’t expect someone like you to know how to act in public.” She puts a hand on my shoulder and digs her fake fingernails into my skin. I pull away and elbow her in the ribs. She stumbles and bumps her body on the bar.

“Bitch,” she hisses. “Did you see what this whore did to me?” she asks Adam.

Adam starts to say something, but I hold a hand to his face silencing him. “Not another word out of you, Adam,” I hiss before turning back to the unwanted guest. “And all you need to know about me is that I’m the one who’s going to take him from you.” This time, when I take Adam’s hand and start to walk away, he follows. I don’t stop until we walk through the lobby, out of the front door, and into the dry heat of Las Vegas.

When I stop and turn to him, he crosses his arms and arches an eyebrow.

“What the fuck was that? You and that casino cunt.”

“Language, Mel,” he says with a laugh. “Her name’s Cassidy.”

“I’m Mel again? And I don’t give a damn what her name is.” I turn to catch my breath. He moves closer to me and the look he gives me reaches all the way inside my soul. Now that we’re outside, I don’t know what to do with him.

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