Crave Me (The Good Ol' Boys #4)(133)

“This is the man that I am, Daisy. I won’t make any excuses for that. What you see,” he paused, “is what you get. I made you strong and resilient. I gave you the tools to survive, and I showed you the reality of the world. I wouldn’t change that for a goddamn thing. Tough love is the only way I know.”

I stood there in disbelief. He released my chin, and took a seat on the barstool.

“As much as I’d love to keep going down memory lane. This visit isn’t about me. That’s not why I’m here. Have you talked to Austin?”

I jerked back. “No. Have you? Wait… do you talk to him?”

“What I do is not your concern, peladita. You’re not happy.”

“I’m happy.”

“Being content is not happiness,” he simply stated.

“And you’re the expert on what happiness is?” I scoffed out. “I’ll take my chances.”

“Don’t confuse things. I live the life I f*cking want. I don’t give a f*ck what anyone thinks about that.”

“I live the—”

“You live the life you think you need to be living. You always have. Aren't you tired of being someone you're not?” He held up my brown hair, twirling it around his finger, taking in my appearance. “You’re scared to be alone, Briggs. Waiting for happiness to come to you. You want something then go after it, and if you can’t get it, you f*cking fight for it. Why are you with Esteban? I remember very clearly asking you if you loved him. I’m f*cking certain you said no. Tell me, are you with him because he stole your goddamn virtue?”

“He didn’t steal it. I gave it to him.”

“And here you are... still giving it to him. What about you? What can he give you?”

“I… well, there’s…”

He snidely grinned. “People make mistakes, peladita. No one is perfect, and sometimes it takes someone to get lost, to finally find their f*cking way back. From what I hear, absence makes the heart grow fonder, Daisy,” he said, walking to the front door.

“I’ll make sure to tell Esteban you said hello.”

“And I’ll make sure not to accidentally shoot the motherf*cker in the goddamn face. Then we both can pretend that we f*cking love him.”

Without another word, he left me there with thoughts of a love I once had.

Austin.





Chapter 41





<>Austin<>



“Half-Pint, I’m not going to tell you again. Stop setting me up on these f*cking dates! I don’t want to date anyone. This may come as a shock to you, but I actually want to be single. I don’t need a girl. I’m happy being by myself.”

She sighed. “She was a nice girl, Austin.”

“I wouldn’t know. I spent the entire f*cking time counting down the minutes before I could pay the bill and leave.”

“You’re so frustrating!”

“Mind your own damn business.”

“I don’t know how to do that,” she gritted out, making me laugh. “It’s been almost three years, Austin. Three years.”

“I can read a calendar, Alex. I’m fully f*cking aware of how many years have gone by.”

She rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips.

“Baby, give Austin a break,” Lucas said, coming to my defense. Slapping her ass for good measure.

“Half-Pint, he’s still getting f*ckin’ *, and he doesn’t have to deal with the emotional bullshit. Man’s onto somethin’,” Dylan added, making Aubrey reach over and slap him on the back of the head. “Suga’, you have a wonder *, and I f*ckin’ love you.”

“You’re so romantic,” Aubrey sarcastically stated, shaking her head.

“It’s a known fact that women are crazy. I’m only speaking the truth here. Austin has always been a master of getting laid. I taught him everything he knows. Alex, leave the man be.”

Alex threw her hands in the air, giving up.

“Austin, make sure you make up for the lack of sex Dylan won’t be getting until further notice,” Aubrey chastised, only looking at him.

“Until further notice? You mean until tonight when I put my tongue up your pus—”

Aubrey immediately placed her hand over his mouth. I laughed so hard that my head fell back. He was such a f*cking *, but it felt good to laugh with all of them again.

“Oh my God, Dylan.” She let go of his mouth. “I’m sorry my husband has no filter.”

“It’s part of my f*ckin’ charm, and you f*ckin’ love it,” Dylan reminded, pulling her to him by the nook of her neck, kissing her lips.

That was my cue to get up and man the food on the barbeque.

We were all hanging out at Lucas and Alex’s house. Shooting the shit like old times, grilling out with all the boys and their wives. I had become the seventh wheel. Which was what gave Half-Pint so much initiative to try to find me a girl. It didn’t matter how many times I told her I didn’t want one. She was a persistent little shit.

I already had my girl.

My soul mate.

I hadn’t been with anyone since. I’d f*cked enough girls to last me a lifetime. None of them would have been Briggs, so it didn’t matter anymore.