Page 173 of Reaper's Rival

I was a man who knew what he wanted. But what happens when the thing you want, you just can’t have? I threw back another shot of whiskey, just watching.

Abby and Kim.

Both were laughing at each other at the bar. Both were wearing tank tops too small for them, causing their breasts to look even bigger. They were even wearing matching black shorts. Twins. Right down to the clothing.

The only difference between them tonight was Kim was throwing down beers and Abby was throwing down soda.

Did they realize that every pair of eyes in this room kept moving toward them? Brad had, and he had made it his mission to redirect those eyes. Leaning against the bar next to Abby, but not joining in on their conversation. No, he was too busy giving people the ‘fuck off’ eyes every time someone stared too long.

But he hadn’t noticed me.

Kim was tearing me apart. Did she know what she did to me? She had me hot and sweaty with just one look. She had me on my knees just begging for her attention. But just because she had me mentally locked up didn’t mean I was going to be physically locked up by her.

No, I was keeping my distance.

Sure, the sex was better than great. And every time I thought she couldn’t get more appealing, she did. Every time I think I couldn’t fall harder for her, I sank to a new level.

I wondered if Reaper was as under the thumb as I was? Sure, he married Abby and now was having a kid with her, but did it kill him not to be able to touch her? To show to the world she was his every second of every day?

Every time a bloke looked at Kim, I was ready to smash skulls. She was mine. Maybe she didn’t know that. Maybe she thought what we had was casual. I was standing here thinking the bloody opposite.

I needed her.

I needed her now.

Was it fair that I just took what I wanted and then let her go again?

No.

But I couldn’t claim her. I couldn’t just tell her she was mine. She wouldn’t want that. She wouldn’t want to be locked down with a thug like me. She deserved better. Yet here I was thinking of all the ways I could tear that tank top off.

She had never said no to me. Not once. Whenever I couldn’t go any longer without her and gave into the temptation, she was there, waiting and willing.

So as I moved toward her from across the room, I knew the only problem I was going to have was to get her away from Abby.

She was in the middle of laughing when I approached her.

“Kim.”

Her head slowly turned around, and her smile dried up. Those eyes stared right through me. Could she see how badly I needed her?

“Hi, Trigger.”

“Can we talk?”

She knew what I meant by ‘talk'. There actually wouldn’t be much of it.

She looked back at Abby, and Abby shrugged her shoulders. “I’m fine. Brad’s here.” Abby glanced over my shoulder. “Stalker.”

“And you wouldn’t have it any other way,” Brad fired back.

“Ok then, we can talk,” Kim said before gulping down the rest of her beer and following me.

Her hand brushed mine, and that was enough to send a spark through me. I needed her. Now. Pushing the kitchen door open, it was empty.

She followed me in, closing it behind her.

“Lock that,” I said.

---