Page 42 of Prince Charming

“I don’t know why. Why do you want to help me, Tag? I’m no one. You have done so much already.” When her voice warbled like that, he wanted to shoot everyone in her life who hadn’t given her an inch of what she deserved.

Even trash like Tag, with a not so good IQ, could recognize she lacked care, and someone giving a shit about her.

“Friends do shit for each other.” He argued.

It wasn’t going to put a dent in his funds to buy her things and put her on his phone and internet plan.

If friendship was all he ever had of her, then his life would be richer than without her. He’d have her in his life, in whatever way he could get. He wasn’t proud.

The more time he spent with Marianna, he wanted to tell her the truth. That he was playing the long game, waiting for her to be ready for a man like him.

Somehow, he didn’t think that shit would go down well.

He loved to see her flushed face. It was the only sick pleasure he could derive from this fucked up relationship of theirs by making the color rise on her high cheekbones.

In the end, she gave in with a long exhale.

Tag came the next day to make sure they hooked up the internet. And then she cooked Pelmeni for dinner - meat dumplings - he devoured in minutes. Damn, the woman was the full package, even when she chastised him for trekking slush into the hallway.

“Thanks for dinner, darlin’.”

“Thankyoufor everything.”

There was stuff to do at the club, see Arson for one, who’d been AWOL again. He was done with his shit. He’d promised months ago he was gonna get dry and stay off the booze. This was Arson’s M.O. If Tag didn’t at least try to do something now, it might be too late for his buddy.

Seeing her try to hide her emotions after Facetiming the kids, he made a decision. And that was to put someone else first before his club.

Getting her snuggled into his side in front of a movie.

“It’s not always gonna be like this, Anna.” He told her.

“Isn’t it? It feels impossible.”

“I promise.”

The club and his brothers were important to Tag, so it wasn’t lost on him how valuable Marianna was to him when he chose her over the club.

Arson was probably in need of a lifeline, and Tag was playing heart games by holding a woman who didn’t have those feelings for him.

While she watched her movie, practicing unfamiliar words out loud—so damn cute, he texted a prospect to look for Arson and to report back.

When nothing came in the next few hours, he put a sleeping Marianna to bed, leaving her with a kiss on her forehead. Dog tired, he let himself out and headed across town, but he couldn’t rest until he at least laid eyes on his reckless fucking friend.

* * *

I want to poison his coffee.

I want to strangle him with his buttery-soft leather jacket.

Marianna wanted to do physical harm to this overbearing mountain.

Only a little.

She wouldn’t let his beautiful smirk persuade her otherwise.

His full lips were not displeasing.At all. Every time she glanced at them, he emitted a low-powered growl.

“You’re being bossy again.” God, she loved his commanding tone.

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