Page 21 of Ignite
“Ali…”
“You’ve been avoiding me.” The alcohol had gone straight to my head, and my filter was malfunctioning. “Two weeks of ignoring me and now you want to talk? I saw you giving me side-eye and taking the long way around, youknow.”
He shrugged and sat beside me. “Can’tlie.”
I didn’t ask him why. To me, the answer was obvious. I wasn’t the right kind of girl—I still referred to myself as a girl, and I was twenty-eight years old—and I didn’t know the first thing about oral sex, let alone knew what it felt like to do it doggystyle.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, watching me closely. “You’re upset, and I’m not arrogant enough to think it’s aboutme.”
“I quit my job today,” I replied, wondering if I could learn a little MMA and sign up for the women’s league at The Underground. “I’m still a little shocked, to be honest. Then there’s you, you asshole. I just want todrink.”
He ignored my name calling and focused on the job part. “By the look on your face, I’m not sure it wasvoluntary?”
I shook my head, my skin crawling. “Far fromit.”
“Whathappened?”
“My boss offered me apromotion…”
“That doesn’t sound bad,” Liam began, but Isnorted.
“To seal the deal, he demanded I give him ablowjob.”
“You’re kidding me?” hebellowed.
“It seems a makeover to give me a little more confidence also made me into a slut.” I rolled my eyes. “Put a woman in pretty clothes, do her hair all nice, and suddenly, she’s nothing more than a glorified hole.Sexistpig.”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t see you as a hole,” Liam declared, a vein pulsing in his forehead. I watched it throb, wondering if it was going to burst. “What are you staringat?”
“You’re angry,” I replied. “Join the club. Membership’s wideopen.”
“Of-fucking-course, I’m angry. There’s a difference between a bit of fun and being forced. It’s called consent,Ali.”
“Is that why you bailed me out withMountain?”
He ran his hand over his face. “Yeah.”
“Is that why you treat me like shit when I ask you about personal stuff?” I rolled my eyes. “Should I ask you for your consent to be your friend before we go any further? Because I’ve had it up to here with being steamrolled.” I held my hand up over my head. “If you’re going to be a bastard, then just leave me the hellalone.”
“Ali, stop it. You’re a fucking lightweight.” He took the cider from me and finished off the last quarter in onego.
“Hey!” I swiped uselessly athim.
“Do you need money?” he asked, slamming the empty onto the bar. “I can give you some. I win more than Ineed.”
“You’re offering me money?” I scowled. “You want to buy me for anight?”
“Shit, Ali,” hecursed.
“You’ve known me for what? A month or whatever… And now you want to give me money? No one ever wants to give anyone money fornothing.”
“Stop,” he said, grasping my shoulders. “Listen to me for a second,okay?”
I stilled, staring into his eyes. My anger still bubbled, and my head was swimming, but I put a lid onit.
“Honestly, I feel a little responsible,” he began, and I snorted. “Listen. You were this shy, little mouse a few weeks ago, and with a little encouragement, you’ve come out of your shell. Look at how far you’ve come already. I can’t shut you up now, and you’re borderline drunk. Imagine what you could do in a few month’s time. Imagine what you could do in a year.In a fucking lifetime. There’s more inside you than all this.” He ran his hands through my hair, brushing away all the frustration and fear I’d been holding inside. “This is your armor. We all have one. It helps us grow what’s underneath until it’s strong enough to stand on its own. I can see it, that’swhy…”
“You don’t even know me,” Icomplained.
