Page 131 of See Me

We didn’t jump feet first into a full-blown relationship as much as we just continued where we left off. Actually, we may have even taken a step back. He went back to his apartment, Tuesday stayed with me. We have plenty of sleepovers, but we also have our nights apart. We both realized jumping into that fake relationship and living together did us no favors. We knew very little about each other and survived merely off our chemistry and physical attraction to one another.

It was a bad idea waiting to blow up in our faces and we both knew it. We kept on because we craved each other, each for different reasons. I don’t know where we would be without the pregnancy scare. Who knows how long it would’ve taken for us to get real, or if we would have at all. We may have taken that flame burning between us and eventually extinguished it all together with mistrust and toxicity.

We both knew Charles was no longer an issue but continued with the story to fill a void we both felt. It was unhealthy and stupid but damn did it feel good at the time. Getting to know him feels even better. And spending time apart, doing our own thing, finding our true selves, and thencoming together and sharing that part of us is more than I could’ve dreamed.

Cassie spots Jace at the end of the bar and signals she’s going to keep him company for a bit before he dips out altogether. Jess, Jen and I continue dancing while Alex chats with some hot viking in the corner. I realize Ashley isn’t with us and turn around to look for her at the bar.

“Good idea, I need a drink,” Jess says, lifting her long black hair and fanning the back of her neck. We find a few empty seats and cool ourselves with icy drinks.

The creak of the back door draws my attention and Luca strides in all hot and manly. He walks up to me at the bar all sweaty, oozing testosterone and I salivate at the sight of him.

I tug him between my legs on the barstool and pull him down to a kiss. “Having fun, my viking?”

He runs his nose along mine and smiles. “I’m ready to claim my prize. Did I tell you I won you in a duel? You can call me M’lord.”

“Won me, huh? Who did I belong to before you?”

“Enzo started betting all kinds of stuff. I think I own his car now.” He smiles.

“I’m glad you boys had fun.” I look behind him for Enzo. “Where’s the ringleader anyway? I haven’t seen him for a while.”

“I don’t know. He was on the sidelines setting up brackets but then he disappeared.”

“I haven’t seen him in here.”

“Hopefully he went to put on underwear.” He shivers and cringes. “It’s not easy going at someone full force when you know his weiner is hanging loose, ready to peep out if you knock him over.”

I shake my head and laugh. “You two are so different. It amazes me you’re related sometimes.”

“Eh, he was dropped on his head as a kid, I’m gonna blame it on that.”

I laugh and he smiles. “You got jokes today, M’lord.”

His eyes darken and he gazes at my lips. “Can you bat your eyelashes and say that again?”

I bite my lip. I look up at him through my lashes. “How would you like me, M’lord?”

“Fuck me.” He grabs me around the waist and lifts me off the stool. “Let’s go.”

The crowd around the back entrance is too thick, so he pulls me toward the front door. Enzo comes running in and almost plows us over.

“Call 911.” He looks frantic, no hint of amusement on his face.

“What?” Luca asks.

He tries to run past us toward the bar and Luca grabs his arm.

Enzo turns back. “Call 911, now. I hit Ashley with my car.”

EPILOGUE

I wadethrough the crowd looking for tributes. “Who wants to test their strength against the Mighty Luca?” Hands shoot up and I fight my way through the sea of bodies with a clipboard, ready to list enough names to keep this tourney going all night.

I knew Luca would fight me on it if I came to him with the idea, so I finagled this shit behind his back. Seeing the look on his face, seeing him back in the ring… totally worth it. I may have had to wound his pride and push him to the point I thought I would absolutely end up in the hospital, but he conceded and he hasn’t stopped smiling since. The man has a need in him to face off with an opponent and, if I can’t get him back in an MMA ring, this is the next best thing.

Besides, Blaze of course. The little spitfire worked hermagic on him,pussy sorceryI like to call it, and pulled him out of a decade-long spiral. I may have hit on her the first day, but once I saw her spirit and fire in action, I knew she could knock Luca down and pin him to the ground with her stiletto. And boy did she. They both put up a good fight, though, I’ll give them that. I had to make a fucking spreadsheet to plan some of that shit.

A bottle blonde steps in front of me blocking my path. She twirls her hair around a cherry red fingernail and smirks. “I’ll fight.”

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