Page 16 of Love is Blind

Not until I get my fill.

Releasing her mouth, I watch her eyes flutter open. She untangles her fingers from my hair, sliding her hands down until they rest over the patches sewn to my kutte and licks her swollen lips.

“Don’t be too long,” she orders breathlessly.

My thumb makes a pass over the brash red marks my beard has left around her lips. By the time I’m done with her, she’s gonna be all marked up and I ain’t got a lick of remorse for that.

Steadying myself, I drop my hands from her face and step away from her. I drag my fingers through my hair and release a ragged breath. Tearing myself away from a woman has never been this fucking hard and I don’t know what to make of that. I want to say it’s because she’s vulnerable, but that would be a bald face lie. The girl comes off stronger than any fucking woman I’ve been with. Maybe that’s it—maybe I’m attracted to her strength. Maybe I’m envious of it.

I make my way to the bar and Emmy—sweet, respectful Emmy—fixes me with a murderous glare. Clearing my throat, I divert my gaze to the bar and reach into my pocket for some cash.

“What do I owe you?”

“Ghost.”

Lifting my chin, my eyes lock with hers. One cold hard stare is usually all it takes for a person to second-guess their original decision to come at me, but Emmy makes herself the exception and tosses a rag at my chest.

“I get I answer to you, that you and the club have a hand in this place, and while I like you, I do not like you for my cousin.”

Mildly impressed with her boldness, I raise an eyebrow.

“That’s fine, darlin’ but I didn’t ask.”

“Birdie is fragile, Ghost. She puts up a good front, likes to pretend like she isn’t vulnerable but—”

I cut her off.

That’s bullshit.

Ain’t a fucking thing fragile about that girl. Far as I can see Birdie has no problem using her mouth to defend herself. She says what’s on her mind and goes after what she wants, disability be damned.

“She ain’t made of glass just because she can’t see, Emmy, and you’d be wise to remember that. You don’t have to like me, but you got to respect her wishes and right now your cousin wants to take a walk on the dark side.” I pause, pulling some bills from my pocket. Slapping them on the bar, I give her my eyes. “She’s in good hands.”

I don’t know how much truth there is to that last sentence. I like to think I’m capable of taking care of someone for one fucking night, but my track record would say otherwise.

Emmy continues to stare at me with wary eyes, then sighs and leans back, crossing her arms against her chest.

“One shot,” she warns. “You fuck it up and I’ll poison your drinks.”

My lips quirk.

“Noted.”

“And, Ghost?”

“Yeah?”

“She’s not good at navigating foreign places without her cane, make sure it’s always in her reach.”

“She won’t need her cane with me.”

She raises an eyebrow and I realize if I don’t pacify her, I’m never getting the fuck out of here.

“I’ll make sure it’s close by,” I say. Tipping my chin to the bills on top of the bar, I add, “That should cover Birdie too.” I pocket the rest of my money and glance at her one more time. “Anything else?”

She reaches under the bar, grabbing a pen and paper and starts to scribble something down. I sigh and shake my head. I’ve never taken a woman who comes with a list of instructions to bed before. Ripping the sheet of paper from the pad, she passes it to me.

“That’s my address and my phone number. She’s staying with me, but I haven’t had a chance to get a key made for her yet.”

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