Page 97 of Nothing to You
“I didn’t want to hear it, to witness it.Last night was about Huddle Hope and I need your attention.I don’t want you getting distracted by supermodel putang.”
“Oh, my focus.”
“Yes, your focus.I don’t know if you remember what it was like to be with her, but you weren’t the most together.You were distracted.Always tense.Always on edge.”
“I wasn’t distracted.I couldn’t shout at her,” he said.“You got the heat because you could handle it.”
“You twisted yourself into knots for her.And you are not that guy.Every demand she made, you made it happen, even when it was totally unreasonable.Impossible.The business suffered.You suffered.”
“I took care of it.I took care of her.”
“And who took care of you?”she asked.“You deserve to be who you are, not who she wanted you to be.It’s okay to be over.It’s okay to quit when something is sapping the life out of you.”
Maybe she was biased against the leech, but beauty wasn’t enough for Rourke.He’d always need more than a pretty face.
“You,” he said, catching a section of her hair between his first two fingers to tuck it behind her ear.“You took care of me, Radley.”
And she wouldn’t shy from that responsibility.From that honor.
“That’s all I did last night,” she said, softening.“We’re good, aren’t we?Life is good.”He nodded.“So why do we need her?”
“You do things like that without telling me, I can’t protect you.I don’t give a shit about her hurt feelings or that she wanted to cause a scene.I mind you went behind my back.”
“No, you don’t.Because it’s exactly what you would’ve done if someone showed up to hurt me.What was it you said?I don’t apologize for who I am or the decisions I make.If it feels good, it’s allowed.And it felt good to get between you.She wanted to use you.And I won’t let anyone do that.Not anyone but me.”
“And if the cops take you away for it, who looks out for me then?”
“If I go inside, I’m taking you with me,” she said.“They wouldn’t be able to handle both of us.”
“Because of all the sex or all the arguing?”
“Alternative is you go into the corrections business.Build me my own prison.”
“That would look a lot like my bedroom and your mouth sewn shut.”
“You have uses for my mouth,” she said, cupping his cock through his pants.
“Good point.We’ll take your vocal cords or something.Keep you quiet.”Sly delight crept onto his face.“Ultimate fantasy.”
“If you’ll build my mother her own hospital, you’ll build me my own prison.”
“A lot of building going on for a woman who lives in my house.”
New York.Had no one told him?She hadn’t.
“Rourke,” Leon’s voice came from the doorway where he stood facing out.“This detective—”
“She’s naked already.Send him in here.”Despite the order, he went to grab her a robe from the closet.“All else fails, Rad, flash him.I’ll stand up in court and confirm he grabbed your boob.”
“Excellent defense strategy, baby.”
“Perjury,” he said, slinging an arm around her shoulders to lead her out past Leon.“Nothing I won’t do for you, Babycakes.”
“How do you know he won’t grab my boob?”
“You’re right!Maybe we can trade.No charges for a little DP.There’s two of them, right, Leon?This is shaping up to be a good day.I love LA!”
“LA hates us!”Jane exclaimed as they entered the living room.
