Page 45 of Beneath the Midnight Sky
“Swallow,” he growled. The taste of us slid down my throat, our gazes locked the entire time. He reached down and finished buttoning my jeans up. “You can sass me anytime you want, in front of whomever you wish, little angel. But never forget who you belong to. You’re mine. Always. Even if you aren’t ready to admit it just yet. Now, go finish your shift, then you’re mine for the evening.”
I found myself slowly nodding, unsure of how to respond because again, he wasn’t wrong. I was his, and no, I wasn’t readyto admit it yet. Not aloud, not to anyone but maybe my own subconscious.
I walked to the door and tried to open it, only to find it was locked the entire time. I glared back at him over my shoulder to find him smirking. He walked over and kissed my forehead. “I’d kill anyone who saw what was mine, angel. Don’t mistake me for someone unable to keep you safe.”
Swallowing roughly, I unlocked the door and forced myself to go back to work.
21
IT ALL HAD TO GO
Sam
Normally,I’d be scrolling my phone right now, trying to figure out what she was doing, where she was. Not that it did anything to help me. The bitch had somehow changed her number and disappeared completely–but not fast enough. Not before I’d found her again.
She’d left. She’d left everything we’d built together and ran like a stupid bitch. Set it on fire and bailed on what I thought was love. No—what Iknewwas love. I fucking loved her, and she treated me like some meaningless guy in her life. She abandoned me and everything we could’ve had together.
She had to go. Whether that meant she had to go homefinallyor simply cease to exist. She needed to pick me. I wasn’t sure if I actually cared what she wanted, but something inside of my chest was forcing me to do something—to act on those feelings.
Rage. That’s what it was. I enjoyed the rage.
I watched her get out of her newboyfriend'struck. Imposter. Maybe I’d drive him off the road, too. It felt like a solid option.He didn’t deserve to continue breathing for touching what wasmine.She deserved worse for allowing him to touch her.
“Dumb bitch,” I muttered to myself. I drank the last bit of my slushy, tossing the trash on the floor of my pickup truck. Being alone was making me a bit…unstable, it seemed. I was used to being surrounded by other people. Work, parties, the bar, the gambling halls.
People were always around me, spending time with me, doting on me. I enjoyed it. The attention. Thrived on it. That’s what my mom said before she cut me off. She was a dumb bitch, too.
I watchedmygirl walk into work—The Roadhouse. It was a nice place. The perfect place for her, really. Hopefully, she’d saved up money for us to get a new place together again. I’d kinda fucked ours up when she left…rage again. Unfortunate for our security deposit, it seemed. I wasn’t sure how that worked—Aspen handled all of that for me.
“Time for the next phase of the plan to get my girl back.” I started my truck and drove the few blocks back to her apartment, stopping when I was a block away. I probably could’ve just walked the entire thing, but I didn’t want anyone to see me that close to her work and then her apartment. Couldn’t be too careful these days.
I leaned down over the passenger seat for a quick inhale from the small baggy I had in my glove compartment. I’d have to hide this better from her. She wouldn’t like it one bit, but that wasn’t my problem just yet.Yet.
Hopping out of the truck, I jogged across the street, pulling out the key to her building. Up the stairs, another key, and I was in her apartment. I was almost ashamed at how much money I’d paid to have one of her low-life neighbors copy me a key. Her apartment key was a bit more complicated, but I was determined.
As I walked in, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but this…wasn’t it. The canvases were stacked in the corner of the room, her clothes hanging in the closet, her blankets a hideous shade that I never would’ve allowed her to bring home.
This was it—the truth was out. She was lost without me.
It all had to go.
22
LET HIM COME
Aspen
The restof the workday went by smoothly. My tables all tipped well, and by eleven, the only people left in the restaurant were Rowan and Theo. I was behind the bar helping Lucas clean up the glasses since I’d already cashed out all my tables and tips for the evening when I looked across the bar at them.
“Okay, boys, anything else for the night? We’re closing up soon,” I said very matter-of-factly.
Despite the mind-blowing sex and internal revelation earlier, I was still mad at him for trying to underhandedly deceive me.
“Well, that seems like my cue to head on out. Good luck, bro,” Theo muttered and clapped Rowan on the back in that very bro type of way.
“I don’t need luck, Theo, but thanks anyway,” he replied.
I let out a disbelieving laugh. “You’re going to need more than luck.”
