Page 4 of More With You

My own hand flies up in defense, my fingers curling around his before he makes contact, squeezing hard. “What did I just tell you?”

“Come on, Summer.” He licks his already wet lips. “I know you want me. I’ve seen you making eyes at me across the casino table. And I know you know that I want you. Why don’t we make tonight a win for both of us? I’ve got a tip for you that’s way bigger than anything you’ve ever had, and it’s all yours, babe. Just say the word.”

I level a scowl at him. “I see your one word and I raise you four—back the fuck off.”

“That’s okay,” he appears to tell himself, “I don’t mind the “playing hard to get” thing. The trouble is, you’ve been making me chase you for a hell of a long time, and I think it’s about time I caught you.” He leers: his eyelids blinking out of sync.

My stomach is full of snakes, writhing in disgust. “What fantasy world are you living in, Levi? I don’t want you to chase me. I want you to leave me alone. And the only eyes I’ve ever made at you are ones of dread, seeing you at my table you know damn well you can’t afford to be at.” I double down. “It’s embarrassing, Levi, and, right now, you’re embarrassing yourself more than usual.”

Anger flares in his glazed eyes, giving them a sudden focus. “The fuck did you just say?”

“I said, you’re embarrassing yourself.” I’m poking a bear here, and I can’t remember if you’re supposed to run or stand your ground when one charges.

Without warning, there’s no gap between us anymore. No safety net. His hands slam onto the car hood, either side of me, and I pray for a blaring horn to erupt. It doesn’t come, and he’s in my face, towering over me. His eyes narrow into a glare, but his lips curl up into a smug smile. He knows he has me pinned, but I don’t know what he plans to do with that information.

“You trying to get me to tell you the size of my assets?” Levi chuckles, puffing out gusts of breath so potent that they make my eyes water. “All you have to do is ask, babe. You want to know if I can take care of you? You want to know if I’m gold you can dig? You want to know if I can make life comfortable for you? I’ve got money, honey. What, you think I’d waste it at the blackjack table? I don’t even like blackjack, so don’t pretend you don’t know why I keep coming to your table.”

I clear my tight throat. “You’re right—I don’t know why you keep coming to my table, when you’re obviously not welcome.”

“Stop playing these games, Summer,” he coos, pressing against me. My lungs seize, suffocating in panic. “You don’t need to be proud. We both get what we want out of this arrangement.”

I squirm in the snare of his flanking arms, the rank scent and sleazy weight of him making my blood run cold, but he’s too big, too heavy, too intent on some daydream that he thinks he can twist into reality. And there’s a truck parked beside us, blocking my situation from anyone who might wander out of the bar. Still, I’m not giving up. There’s no way Levi is getting any encouragement from me—not tonight, not any night.

Breaths wheezing out of my panicked lungs, heart beating so fast I’m likely seconds from a cardiac arrest, legs trembling and stomach roiling, I brace my back against the car hood and push him in the chest as hard as I can. He grunts and stumbles backward, clutching at his stomach as if he might be sick. The guy is wasted, not that it’s any excuse. If anything, it’s an advantage.

“There’s no arrangement, Levi. You’re drunk and you’re acting like an asshole—like more of an asshole than normal, so quit before you do something you might actually regret.” Panting hard, I face him down with my fists up. I blink through a sudden rush of dizziness, my head pounding from the adrenaline. It’s dark but there are extra shadows in my vision, like motes of soot have flown into my eyeballs.

“I wouldn’t regret anything with you,” Levi replies in a strained tone, bending at the waist and spitting at the ground. “But you’ll regret not taking me up on this offer if you push me back again.”

“I’ll regret not punching you in the face,” I retort, darting away from the car so he can’t pin me again.

Drunk and clumsy and getting paler by the second, he carries on his weird grapevine, getting in my way. “Don’t think you’re better than me, Summer,” he slurs, lunging to try and grab my arm. “At least I can sleep at night, knowing I’m not drowning in bills. I can make a hard life very easy, so long as you keep me ha—”

“Say one more word, and I promise you’ll spend a night behind bars!” I hiss, completely done with his bullshit.

Certain I can outrun him, I make a bid for the bar, though it means running past him. Feinting around him, my heart thumping, I can see shadows in the windows of the Quarter Mile. One sprint with everything I have, and I’ll be in the safety of company, where I can let his gross attempt at flirtation fade into a bad memory.

Suddenly, I’m falling. The ground is coming up to meet me and there’s a sharp pain in my toes, ricocheting along my foot and up my shin. I must’ve tripped on some of the stupid gravel, creating a perfect storm with these equally stupid flip-flops.

My hands shoot out to break my fall, and there’s a bite of agony up my wrists as I slam into the ground. Already, my feet are scraping the dust, trying to urge me back into a run. I’m off-balance, and as I try to lunge forward, my palms meet the dirt again. Behind me, I hear cold laughter joining slow footsteps… and something else. A low drone, getting louder.

Levi’s hand closes around my wrists and he yanks me to my feet, his arm snaking around my waist. “Careful now. I don’t want you scratching up the merchandise. Though, I don’t mind kissing your scrapes better,” he murmurs, enjoying every moment of my misery. “You want me to get down on my knees? Anything else you need taking care of while I’m down there?”

“No thanks, I wouldn’t want to risk the infection.” I wriggle and squirm against Levi’s concrete grip, holding me in an unwanted embrace. He’s having trouble keeping hold, I can tell, and when he lets go, I won’t trip again.

Trapped in a battle of wills, the faraway drone builds into a roar, and as I push back against Levi’s chest, I see a dust cloud rising up in the near distance, pierced by two hazy headlights. Someone’s coming down the dirt road that leads to the bar.

A moment later, a motorcycle thunders into view, like a storm breaking. It’s sleek and mean and beautiful, lower to the ground than any motorcycle I’ve seen before, bearing a rider who’s hidden behind a tinted visor. The helmet glints in the moonlight like a beacon, as the motorcycle rumbles across the gravel and comes to a halt right beside me and Levi.

“Up to your old tricks again, Levi?” A gruff, deep male voice barks from behind the visor, as my savior kicks the stand onto the ground and swings his leg over the motorcycle seat. I can’t see him, but his voice alone sends a shudder of relief through my pumping veins.

Levi jumps away from me, as though electrocuted. A second later, I hear his body slam into the car hood, and a satisfying groan of pain slipping out of his vile mouth.

“Seriously, what the fuck are you doing?” the stranger’s voice speaks again, as a tanned hand pushes up the visor. Free from Levi, I stagger back into the neighboring truck, stooping to catch my breath.

“N-Nothing! Just… um…” Levi flounders, fumbling his words. “Butt out, Ben. We were just getting to know each other. Thanks for ruining the moment.”

The stranger, presumably Ben, snorts and removes his helmet. “Right. Having a real heart-to-heart when she clearly doesn’t want you touching her, or anywhere near her for that matter? You’re an asshole.” He moves up the gap between the cars, putting himself between me and Levi. I can’t make out the color of his eyes in the darkness, but they’re concerned and friendly as they fix on me. “Do I need to call the cops? I can call them right now.”

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