Buttons and Pain (Buttons 3)

The question caught me off guard and there was nowhere to hide. “It doesn’t matter if I am or not. It doesn’t change anything.”

***

After Jason and I had dinner, I returned to my apartment. When I walked in the door I almost collided with a concrete wall. “Shit. Can you just wait outside like normal people?”

He rushed me against the refrigerator then pinned my hands above my head. His grip was ice-cold and powerful, and his crushed me with his strong chest. “Did you end it with him?”

“Uh, hello to you too.”

He squeezed my hands.

“I didn’t end it with him because I didn’t have to.”

His eyebrows furrowed as his eyes narrowed. He pressed me further into the fridge. “What does that mean?”

“He broke up with me.” I twisted out of his grasp and moved away. I was suffocated against the wall and needed some air. I tossed my purse on the counter.

He didn’t rush me again but his eyes followed me closely. “Elaborate.”

“I asked him to do certain things in the bedroom he wasn’t comfortable with. So he thought it was best if we stayed friends.”

He clenched his jaw at the subject.

“So I didn’t have to do anything.”

“Did you tell him about us?”

“Yes. I said you were in town but you would be leaving soon.” The sooner he got out of there, the better. I gripped the edge of the counter and looked out the window and to the city beyond. Our conversation replayed in my mind and I couldn’t ignore the hurt it caused.

Crow watched me silently, reading the sadness in my eyes like a billboard. “You’re hurt.”

“Yes…”

He came closer to me but didn’t touch me. He stood beside me, his eyes burning into the side of my face. “Talk to me, Button.” His fingers moved to my cheek and he tucked my hair behind my ear.

“He said he couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I’ve…you know.” He didn’t look at me with genuine eyes. All he could see was the scars other men inflicted. I wasn’t desirable because I’d been used.

Crow wrapped his arm around my waist then steered me into his chest. He rested his lips against my forehead while his strong arms formed a steel cage around me. With his protection, he kept all the pain and suffering out. “He was never good enough for you, Button.” His lips moved against my forehead as he spoke. “A real man doesn’t think about the men before you. He erases them.”

I already felt safe with this man. He said the right things and touched me the way I needed to be touched. I already felt myself falling deeply into him, relishing the strength and power he constantly radiated.

“You know what I see when I look at you?” He fisted my hair and pulled my head back, forcing me to meet his gaze. “I see a strong woman who refuses to give up. I see a resilient fire that can’t be put out. I see the sexiest and most desirable woman on the planet. If he can’t handle your past, he doesn’t deserve your future.” He cupped my face and kissed me. “Don’t let him bring you down, alright?”

All I could do was nod.

“Because the woman I know doesn’t let anyone tear her apart—not even me.”

Chapter Ten

Crow

“Pack your things.” I tossed the empty bag on her bed.

She stood in the doorway with her arms across her chest. “Why?”

“Unless you want to be naked all the time, I suggest you bring a few things.” I opened her underwear drawer and took a peek. “But if you just want to pack some panties, I’m okay with that too.” I winked before I shut the drawer. I was finally getting what I wanted and I couldn’t contain my good mood. The last few months of my life had been hell without her. I finally admitted it to both her and myself. Now I wanted her underneath me, her legs wrapped around my waist. Her pussy tasted better than I remembered, and my cock wanted a taste too.

“Jason and I aren’t seeing each other anymore, so there’s no bargain to fulfill.”

I was her crutch when she lost her resolve, but the second she defied me I was her enemy. “You’re incorrect.”

“I’m not sleeping with him. So the deal is off.”

I walked across the room until I was face to face with her. She kept a strong expression on her face but I knew she was trying to hide her fear. I made her tense when she didn’t even realize it. Her body naturally reacted to mine, doing a quiet dance we both felt. “Work off your remaining debt and he doesn’t die. That’s the deal.”

“But I’m not seeing him anymore.”

“Does that mean you don’t care if I snap his neck?” I crowded her personal space and forced her back into the doorframe. “Because I will, Button. I’ll kill that piece of shit with a snap of my fingers. If that’s not what you want, then pack your shit. Now.”