Page 93 of Rawley

There was a story there, but I didn't want to think about it at the moment so I pushed the memory to the back of my mind and locked it away behind a mental steel door.

I had other things to think about. Like how to get my tea and get out of there without making a fool of myself.

"Are you ignoring me?"

The words were almost growled into my ear, sending shivers down my spine strong enough to make my knees grow weak.

"I don't like being ignored. I may have to punish you."

I sucked in my bottom lip and chewed on the corner of it as I turned and glanced—Holy shit! I gulped when I found those deep brown eyes staring back at me with an intensity that almost sent me to my knees.

Was he talking to me?

"Would you like me to punish you?"

Oh, god, yes.

Wait.

My brow wrinkled. "Are you talking to me?"

One dark brown eyebrow arched on his tattooed head. "I'm not talking to anyone else, beautiful."

Oh, now I was even more confused.

"But you..."

I didn't think I could say it. The smirk that crossed the man's lips said it for me. He knew exactly what I was talking about. A cold chill took a hold of me when I saw the amusement twinkling in his eyes.

He was laughing at me.

It wouldn't be the first time someone laughed at me. In fact, it was pretty normal in my life. I had learned to live with it over the years. I had also learned how to avoid it.

I pressed my lips thin and then turned and faced the other direction. I was starting to debate whether I really needed my cup of tea or not. I should just leave and get away from this guy before he started making fun of me.

It would happen. It always did.

I felt a heavy presence behind me as the guy leaned into me to whisper, "Would it help if I told you that you are the sexiest thing I have seen in years? Maybe ever?"

See?

I had tried ignoring him because no one liked to be made fun of, not even me, but apparently that wasn't good enough. I narrowed my eyes as I turned to glare at the man who thought it was amusing to bully me.

"Look—"

Whatever I was going to say was lost in a scream as something outside the coffee shop blew up and glass was sent flying as the window and the front part of the coffee shop exploded.

I cried out as I was tossed to the floor and something heavy came down on top of me. Hands the size of dinner plates covered my head as debris rained down on us. The noise was deafening, the screams of the other patrons and windows breaking shattering my ability to not panic.

I clutched at the man hovering over the top of me, my fingers digging into his white tank top. My heart raced so fast, I thought it might race right out of my chest. I started shaking.

I was terrified.