“In case you didn’t see, I’m a civilian now. I don’t have to go and follow the rules. She’s completely in my league.”
“The mafia are closing in, Rix. They want answers to their shipment.”
“They can suck on my dick, that’s what they can do.” Rix’s anger started to rise. He was pissed off. Entering into any kind of deal with the mafia was a risk and he’d taken one because he liked the capo. It was the biggest mistake of his life. The bonus thing about being locked up, he got the chance to meet a lot of interesting people who had a beef against the same man who’d set him up.
The guns shouldn’t have been at his location when he got caught. It was a setup. He intended to lay low for now and keep the capo who had pissed him off on his toes. There would come a point when he reached out and when he did, Rix had something special planned for him.
Until then, he was more than happy to live the life of an ordinary guy. He had things in motion and so long as he played his part, he was going to have everything he wanted.
Pushing his way past the line, he grabbed two burgers, handing one straight to Anna-Beth.
“There you go, beautiful,” he said.
The guys around him groaned.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“A pretty lady should never go without food.”
“Tell that to my hips.”
“I happen to love your hips.”
“You’re a natural charmer, aren’t you? You’re used to having your way with the ladies.” She looked toward a group of five women. He followed her gaze and chuckled.
“Sweetheart, they chase the patch. Nothing more. I don’t have to work for their pussy.”
“Right, of course.”
Her cheeks were a delightful shade of red. “I like that I can make you blush.”
“I guess I’m not used to being around guys like you.”
“I’m not used to being around women like you,” he said.
“Really?”
He moved to stand behind her. Was it cherry he smelled? “Look at the women. They keep glancing over here and I can tell you right now they don’t see what it is that you’ve got. Their tits and ass are all on display and yet, I’d rather hang with you, eating my burger.”
“They want you.”
“Yeah, they do. They want the reputation that being with me gives them. Nothing more. Me, they couldn’t care less about.”
“You make it sound so cold.”
“It is. In my world, I’m the number one trophy. If they could land me as their old man, and I take them as my old lady, it’s the jackpot.”
She turned toward him. her brown eyes twinkling. “It’s like you live in a different kind of world.”
“I do. Where I go, there are no rules.”
“Then why are you living here and not with them?” she asked.
“Simple, sometimes your world invades mine and I have to deal with the consequences.”
“So, there is always a cost when it comes to your world.”
“Only when you have the right kind of people at your back. Tell me, Anna-Beth, who do you have watching you?”
She averted her gaze. He knew about her parents. Anna-Beth had no one. She was lonely.
“No one. I don’t need anyone to watch my back. I do everything by the book. I don’t break any rules.” She took a bite of her burger.
“Really. Well, I think it’s time you change your own rules.”
“What do you mean?”
He took the burger and plate from her, and without waiting, he shoved her hard, tipping her into the pool. She went in with a squeal. He knelt down, watching her as she broke the surface. “Why the hell did you do that?”
“Because I’ve got a bikini for you, and I think it’s time for you to let loose.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“But I want to get to know you. So how about we change that?”
****
Anna-Beth knew she should be pissed off with Rix for throwing her into the pool. Even more so for taking her upstairs and for her to wear this ridiculous bikini. It was completely obscene.
She wrapped an arm around her waist and gritted her teeth. There was no way she could go downstairs dressed like this. She didn’t look anything like those other women. Some of them even had fake boobs.
Pushing her chest out, she felt glad at least she didn’t have to worry about the fake boob department. She had more than enough to go around. There was plenty to share. Shaking her head, no, hell no.
Rix knocked and entered the room.
“Get out,” she said.
“It’s my room. My house. I get to go where I want.” He paused near the bed where she stood. She placed her hands in front of her stomach.
She wasn’t a small woman and had always embraced her curves, most of the time. When she was surrounded by women who were a lot smaller than her, insecurities started to come out.