Craving Vera (The Aces' Sons 4.5)

“Crazy bitch,” he snapped, his eyes widening. “You ain’t doin’ shit.”

“Maybe not now,” I said, fighting a wince as his hand tightened painfully. “But I’ll remember this longer than you will.”

“Oh, I highly doubt that,” he replied, smiling nastily.

“You won’t ever be able to take a drink without wondering if you’re going to wake up a eunuch,” I said, my voice still steady even though it took everything inside me not to shake with fear. “Did I lace it? You’ll always wonder.”

“The fuck is a eunuch?” he said in confusion.

“One day you’ll wake up,” I hissed as he pulled me forward. “And you’ll be down a pair of testicles.”

“Shut your fuckin’ mouth, cunt,” he ordered, giving me a shake.

“I’ll eat them,” I replied, smiling grimly. “Fry them up with some onions.”

His hand left me so fast that I stumbled backward.

“You’re a fuckin’ lunatic,” he spat. “The fuck is wrong with you?”

“Remember that,” I replied, edging my way around him. “And don’t fucking touch me again.”

I wanted to run back to Charlie’s room but I forced myself to walk calmly. Running in fear would shatter the illusion that I was in control of the situation, and I couldn’t let that happen.

As soon as I was safely inside the room with the door locked, I sank to the floor.

“Oh, my God,” I whispered. “Oh, my God. Oh, my God.”

I started to giggle at the memory of the goon’s face as it filled with confusion and then fear. I’d actually told him I’d eat his balls. I gagged, then laughed harder. That was how Charlie found me a few minutes later.

“You told Ham you were going to eat his balls?” he said, looking at me like I’d completely lost my mind. The words made me laugh even harder. “What the fuck?”

I just stared at him, trying to control my giggles. The guy was named after breakfast food. How appropriate. I laughed harder as Charlie stared at me in confusion.

How could I explain my reasoning to someone who’d clearly never had to worry about being the weakest person in the room? He was at the top of the food chain. He had weapons at his disposal that I would never have. No one would ever look at him and think he was easy pickings. They’d never force him to be quiet, or keep his opinion to himself, or share his body. He’d never understand.

“Is your fever back?” he asked, reaching for my forehead.

“I don’t have a fever,” I snapped, leaning away as I got to my feet.

“Then what the fuck did you say to Ham?” he asked in exasperation. “And why the hell did you leave the room? I told you to stay put.”

“I had to go to the bathroom,” I replied.

“You couldn’t wait?”

“I did wait. You’ve been gone forever.”

“Fine,” he said. “What the hell did you say to Ham?”

I straightened my shoulders and faced him head on.

“I told him that if he kept touching me I was going to cut his balls off and fry them up with some onions,” I said confidently, taking satisfaction in the way his mouth dropped open in surprise. “And then I was going to eat them.”

“You what?” he yelled, his expression a mixture of disgust and surprise.

“You already knew I said it,” I replied, throwing my hands in the air. “You asked about it when you came in here.”

“I thought he heard you wrong,” Charlie stuttered. “Jesus.”

“It worked, didn’t it?” I said, dropping gingerly onto the bed. The huge knot in my thigh was still sore, but Doc had assured me it wasn’t broken, just a bad bruise.

“They’re all out there talking about how I brought a fuckin’ crazy girl home with me,” he said, like I’d care what a bunch of unwashed losers thought.

“Good,” I snapped, crossing my arms.

“Good?”

“Yes, good,” I said, growing irritated. “If they think I’m crazy, they’ll leave me alone. If they think I’m crazy they won’t touch me. They won’t hit on me. They won’t even get close to me.”

Charlie stared at me for a long moment before his lips curved up. “You’re fuckin’ smart, you know that?”

“I’m aware, yes,” I replied, looking away.

I refused to acknowledge the way he was looking at me. I didn’t want to see it. I didn’t want to feel it in my stomach or my chest. At one point, I would have basked in that glow of approval. When we were together I’d lived for that look. I’d gone out of my way to get it. Everything was different now. I had to protect myself.

He walked toward me and I jerked in surprise when he stopped, his knees brushing mine, and used one finger to tilt my face toward his.

It had been a very long time since he’d touched me with anything beyond casual friendliness.

“Actin’ crazy worked today, it was smart, but it ain’t gonna work forever,” he said.