Worth It (Forbidden Men #6)(46)

He rubbed his jaw as I cleared his tray for him, tossing empty bottles in the trash and stacking the used mugs in the tray to be washed.

“Shit, man,” he said. “You really do have one hell of a hit. None of these other douchebags ever left my bell ringing quite this long after they hit me.”

“And trust me, we’ve tried,” Noel told me as he paused to add more used glasses to the tray.

“You had the most Nancy swing of all, Gamble,” Ten called after him as Noel moved back to his side of the bar.

Grinning, he turned back to me. I felt the need to apologize again, even though I’d already said sorry in Pick’s office. But I held my tongue.

He didn’t seem to mind my silence. “Seriously,” he said. “Did you box or something in prison, because shit... I’m impressed.”

“Something like that,” I said, figuring all that fighting to stay alive might as well be equated with boxing.

“Well, you should take it to a ring. I’d definitely put money on you.”

After he wandered away, I considered what he’d said. At first, I was deliciously tempted. It’d felt good to swing and hit things. But then I shuddered, thinking that feeding my aggression had to be bad. Not that it mattered. I was already f*cked in that regard, damaged beyond repair. Maybe I could use my ability to hit—since it seemed to be my only talent—to make money. I knew I couldn’t stay here long.

Felicity was going to find out I was around. I had no idea how she’d react, but I was pretty sure she’d eventually want a face-to-face. I dreaded it as much as I relished the idea of getting to see her again. As long as I was gone before she tried for some contact, though, I’d never have to worry about it.

A pair of tipsy girls slid up to the bar and ordered some pi?a coladas. I spilled some ice when pouring it into the mixer, so after they left, I knelt down to gather the stray cubes.

I wasn’t down there five seconds, before I was interrupted.

“Hey, Noel,” a voice called cheerfully from above me, tapping me on the top of the head. “Can you get me a—”

The woman jerked her greeting short when I looked up, startled by the contact. Piercing blue eyes widened and familiar lips parted in shock.

I froze, unable to breathe, unable to blink, unable to think.

With her perfect face wreathed in ringlets of red hair, Felicity Bainbridge gaped at me before pulling back and shaking her head slightly. “You’re not Noel.”

Unable to look away, I rose on unsteady feet. Air finally seesawed through my lungs as I took her in. She hadn’t changed at all, except to grow a few new curves. Otherwise, my sweet, flawless City was standing in front of me, a mere counter separating us.

My tongue decided to go on vacation.

Wrinkling her nose, she demanded, “Who’re you?”

Her gaze had long since left my face and was scrolling down my body.

Heat, and longing, and crushing disappointment rippled through me. I knew I looked different, but realizing the one person I’d shared more intimacies with than anyone else on earth didn’t even recognize me was kind of agonizing.

It was the last solid shred of proof that the boy I’d once been no longer existed.

I opened my mouth with no idea what to say when Noel saved me by appearing at my side. “Hey, this is Felicity. She’s a waitress here, so no charge. ’Kay?”

“Noel.” The relief in her voice as she whirled to him made me clench my teeth and restrain myself from flinching. But damn, it singed the old heart muscle to watch her turn away from me so readily in favor of another man. “What...who...?” Her gaze darted back to me briefly before she eyed him expectantly.

“Oh. This is the new guy,” he explained. “Apparently, he doesn’t have a name yet.”

“Uh...” Felicity’s eyebrows crinkled with confusion. Again, she spared me the barest curious glance before turning her attention right back to Noel. “O...kay. Since when do we have a new bartender?”

“Since tonight. What’re you doing here, anyway? Where’s Aspen?”

“Your wife decided I needed to drink my troubles away.” Felicity rolled her eyes but chased it with a smile. “She came in with me, except Mason waylaid her with some school questions so—oh! Here she is.”

When a small dark-headed woman appeared at her side, Felicity tugged her close and pressed their cheeks together as she grinned at Noel.

“Hey, you,” Noel greeted, reaching for the new woman as he leaned over the bar to pull her in for a greeting kiss.

As their mouths meshed, my gaze strayed back to Felicity. It was incredible how little she’d changed in six years. There was a bit more maturity to her face, and yeah, her body was no longer sixteen, but other than that, even her hair was the same.

My mouth watered and body tightened with a need I hadn’t felt in quite a while. I wanted to follow Noel’s lead and reach for my girl, tug her over the bar to me and devour her mouth. My fingers flexed, tingling with the need.

I still couldn’t believe she was right f*cking there.

And I wasn’t touching her, wasn’t even talking to her.

As if sensing my intent gaze, she glanced at me. She began to look away, just as quickly, but then darted back with one more quick frown my way, as if letting me know she thought I was a creeper for staring the way I was. When she moved fractionally closer to Noel’s woman, where she was still locking lips with Noel, the two pulled away.