Hooked: A Dark, Contemporary Romance (Never After #1)(18)

But I’m not.

And maybe it’s because in the deepest parts of me, I already knew he was different. The hint of danger stretches out like tentacles and suctions to my skin like a dark caress. It’s exciting, even if I know it shouldn’t be. Even if I know my father wouldn’t approve.

But my father stopped listening to me a long time ago, so maybe it’s time I return the favor.

“What was that?” Angie asks.

I shrug, trying to stem the blush that’s rushing through my bloodstream and heating my cheeks. I hadn’t meant to give in. Had definitely not meant to agree to a freaking date, especially not in front of Maria, who’s been consoling herself for months with the knowledge that he’s “untouchable.”

But he isn’t.

He’d let me touch him.

Nerves erupt in my stomach, and as much as I try to ignore it, I like the way it feels to be the one who’s getting his attention. Like I’m special.

Maria downs her drink, placing it gingerly on the counter before she turns her eyes on me, her stare stinging as it rips through my skin.

“Look,” I start. “I didn’t know he was the guy you were talking about.”

She scoffs.

“I’m really sorry, Maria. He’s been... persistent.” I cringe, knowing I’m only making a bad situation worse.

“It’s fine, I’m fine.” She pauses. “I’m just surprised, is all. I can’t imagine him being into someone like you.”

My nose crinkles, her judgment drizzling on my body like rain. There’s never been a moment in her presence where she hasn’t found some way to cut me down, and I’m sick of it.

“Maria, don’t—” Angie starts.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I cut in.

She shrugs. “It just, doesn’t make sense. He’s a powerful man. One who could have any woman he wanted, and he’s stuck on you?”

My body instinctively curls in on itself. “Ouch,” I whisper.

She smiles, reaching over and patting my forearm. “No offense, of course.”

Her words hit their mark, bruising my insides and cutting me open just enough to let my anger bleed. It whips through me like a windstorm, but I push it back down with a few deep breaths.

It doesn’t matter what she thinks.

“I won’t lie, girl, he was pretty intense,” Angie pipes in. “How do you even know him? You’ve been holding out.”

My fingers play with a napkin, shredding the fragile paper to pieces. “I didn’t know who he was.” I look at Maria. “I swear. I literally ran into him last time we were here, and then he showed up to the coffee shop.”

Angie’s eyes widen. “He did? I’ve never seen him there before.”

Shrugging, I look down at the bar top, nausea churning my stomach from how badly I want to change the conversation.

“It’s no big deal.” Maria waves her arm. “There’s a million fish in the sea and all that. Besides, maybe he’ll come around more. You don’t mind if I snatch him up once he’s done with you, right?” She smirks.

She’s probably right and I’m just a passing thrill. Something unattainable that he’s eager to catch, but the vision that forms in my mind of them together makes my gut twist, green whooshing through my chest.

The feeling stays there for the rest of the night, long after I’ve switched to sparkling water and watched as the girls get wasted.

It’s there as we walk out the front door and flag down a cab, my insides sinking in disappointment because James never made another appearance.

One of my legs is halfway into the cab when a voice calls from behind us.

“Miss.”

I spin around, my heart soaring.

“You.” He points at me. “I was told to make sure you didn’t leave.”

When I turn back around, I come face-to-face with Maria and Angie, their eyes wide as they look up at me from inside the car.

It’s irritating that I waited all night, like he asked me to, and it’s only now he’s bothered to stop me. Well, not even him.

He begged me for a date and then just as easily pawned me off to his employees.

My jaw locks into place and I move to slide into the car with the girls, but the icy, drunken daggers of Maria’s gaze makes me falter, and I find myself replaying all of the words she said through the night—the thinly veiled insults striking harder with every lash.

The whisper of anger that’s been brewing in my gut finally boils over, and if I have to choose between being irritated with James or verbally assaulted by Maria, the choice is pretty simple. I lean into the car. “Go on without me, ladies. Thanks for a fun night.”

Maria’s eyes narrow to slits.

Angie laughs. “You sure, girl?”

I nod, and spin back around, walking toward the nameless man and waving my arm toward the entrance. “Well? Take me to your master.”

His grin drops into a sneer, but he doesn’t say a word, his hand pushes on my lower back to propel me toward the front door.





11





James





My office at the JR is the largest of all the back rooms. It used to be Ru’s, but I convinced him to switch, citing the need for the en suite shower. He doesn’t necessarily do any dirty deeds, so he didn’t put up a fight, but there are certain occasions which call for stains to be washed from my skin.