“Real fucking shame, but you win some you lose some. Few of the girls mentioned pooling together to raise some money to help her out while she’s down. Though I told her some men are into that shit. Hell, who am I to judge?” He shrugs. “We’re going to have a good night. Go home and clean yourself up. Come back in an hour or two.”
“I will.”
“Good girl.” He pats my ass. Total slimeball. “See you tonight.”
“Later.” I hurry out and text Jackson.
Hazel: Hey, found my car. All good. Your truck is parked at Night Moves. What do you want me to do with your keys?
Jackson: I’ll text you when I get off.
Hazel: Okay. Thanks again.
I lock up Jackson’s truck and don’t read his reply. That’s one road I’m not looking to travel again no matter how cute his dimples are. I’ll figure out how to get his keys to him later. He’s probably using them as an excuse to see me again. I’m sure he has a spare. I give my car a once over, everything seems okay. No new dents or scratches.
I get in and secure my seat belt. Today has literally been fucked up the ass with no lube.
I’ve thought about it. I’m done with all this unnecessary bullshit. I can’t do this anymore. I’m going straight home to pack my shit and get the hell out of town. If it makes me look guilty then so what. I’m not ready to see Beni and who knows what kind of trouble Bruno and Crystal will drag me into. We may be friends, but they have a history our friendship can’t compete with. They have a pattern of fighting and making up. The other woman is always to blame. Not that I’m the other woman, but she’ll take his word over mine any day of the week. The hold he has on her is that strong.
I’m not stupid enough to get tangled up in that. Or I wasn’t until today. I’m not mad at Crystal. It’s not her fault Bruno is or was a dirtbag. I should’ve known better. Anywhere I try to settle in and plant roots ends up bad. I’m poison. Beni will be better off if he forgets all about me. I’ll be doing him a favor if he never lays eyes on me again. Jackson too. Even if he is a lying prick.
I arrive at my apartment. I’m frazzled and not paying attention or else I would be better prepared for what I walk into.
Holy. Benicio. My Beni sitting in the dark waiting for me smoking a cigarette. All sexy and brooding. Dark and mysterious.
“The game you’re playing is fucking stupid.”
I blink at his words. “Don’t call me stupid.”
“Never said you were. This game you are playing —you keep on gonna win some stupid fucking prizes, babe. Need someone to tame your wild pussy the way you run around playing men. Teasing and taking their money. Fuckin’ dumb. Dangerous. Gonna end up dead the way you’re headed.”
“I can take care of myself. Always have.”
“That was before.”
“Before what?”
“You tried to play me. Before I found you.”
I flip on the light and suck in a breath. How did he get even sexier since last night? His dark hair swoops over his forehead, hanging right above his brows and my fingers ache to run it back out of his face so I can stare into his eyes. Those gorgeous dark brown eyes, so dark they are almost black. “I don’t have time for this. You need to leave and forget you ever found me.”
My brain tells me to push him away. Not to be stupid. My heart though. My heart remembers everything about him. My heart is stupid.
“Can’t do that.”
My stupid heart swells. I want to cry. “I don’t remember giving you an option.”
“My little Honey Bee always buzzin’ in my damn ear for attention. Now you’ve got it. Followed you today. Took care of that mess you made. That your friend’s man or your pimp?”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “What?”
“Laid him out pretty good with that lamp.”
Bruno coming at me flashes in my thoughts. I heard something and fled the scene. “It was you? You came through the back door.”
“Yeah, what I said. Now get your ass over here.”
“Why?”