Throttle Me (Men of Inked, #1)(36)

Hearing the word “babe” come out his mouth when he spoke made me want to throw up on his shoes. Everything about him made me crazy and I knew that I’d never go on another date with Derek. On paper he seemed right, but in person he was a creepy mess that revolted me and did nothing to my libido.

“Okay, let’s go.” I grabbed my purse and walked on unsteady legs toward the door leaving Derek to walk behind me.

“You want to hold my hand?”

“Why?” I stopped and turned to face him, almost falling over. I had too much to drink didn’t realize it until now.

“Because you’re walking funny. Just hold on to my arm until we get to the car.” He held out his hand and waited for me to take it.

He didn’t grin or smile and I believed he was sincere in his offer. Clearly the alcohol had made my brain fuzzy. I didn’t hold his hand but snaked my arm through his and leaned on his body as I swayed through the parking lot thankful when we made it to his car.

Leaning against the car, I waited for him to open the door. I closed my eyes and soaking in the feel of the cool air against my warm clammy skin. The air inside the club had felt stagnant. My anger and hurt over City made my body feel flushed and caused me to sweat. I had done this. I pushed City away. I had been an idiot and I knew it when I saw him with her in his arms.

Derek’s lips were on mine before I could react. I pushed at him, hitting his chest as he trapped me between him and the car. My arms felt like jelly and I couldn’t gage how hard I was hitting him as the beat of my heart filled my ears. “Stop,” I mumbled between breaks in the kiss, but he didn’t stop crushing his body against mine harder. His lips moved over my cheek to my neck as he grabbed my breast and squeezed. “Derek, stop, damn it!” I yelled, hitting him in the ribs.

“You know you want it, Suzy,” he said against my neck.

“I don’t! Stop!” I pushed against him again but his weight was too much. I swung and connected with his face with a loud smack. My hand stung from the contact.

His face moved away from my neck, as he looked me in the eyes. He glared at me with his mouth set in a firm line. “You hit me. What the f*ck? I’m just giving you what you want, baby.”

Clearly I had sent the wrong signals or he was just a dumbass. “Get the f*ck off me.”

“You’re such a prick tease in this outfit tonight. You can deny it all you want, but I know you want me.”

“I do…” his lips were on me again before I could stop him. I struggled against him, bending my knee up to make contact with his balls, but hit nothing as his body flew backward.

City held Derek by the throat bringing him to eye level. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size motherf*cker?” City said with a look of pure hatred.

“This has nothing to do with you, man,” Derek spat in his face. “This is between the lady and me.” Derek clawed at City’s hands trying to escape his grip.


City turned toward me. “He your boyfriend?” His eyes moved over my body taking in my outfit. I shook my head, my hands gripping the car, not moving. “You want him to touch you?” He looked at Derek and then back to me.

Derek’s face had turned a deep shade of red on the verge of purple as City’s grip increased. “No! I told him to stop!” I said. “But, I work with the scumbag. Don’t hurt him.”

City growled as his chest heaved with the rough breaths he drew while deciding his next action. “Fuck,” he muttered before dropping Derek to the ground.

Derek gasped for air as he tried to stand but collapsed on his hands and knees. Air filled my lungs and I realized I had held my breath waiting for City to beat the hell out of Derek before my eyes. Did he deserve it? Hell yes, but I didn’t want to witness it or deal with the aftermath.

City stood in front of me, his fists clenched at his side as he stared at me. The hard features of his face looked more pronounced by his anger. His cheeks flexed, his nostrils flaring as he studied me. “What the f*ck, Suzy? I called you and you don’t f*cking answer and then you’re here with this f*cking prick and almost let him maul you in a parking lot.” Running his fingers through his hair, he turns and looks at Derek before returning his attention back to me.

“I’m sorr-ry.” I didn’t know what else to say. I didn’t have an excuse. “I didn’t know I had to answer to you. You seemed to have your hands full inside anyway.” I snarled as I spoke.

“What the f*ck are you talking about?”

“Brunette, red dress, almost dry-humping you on the couch. Ring any bells?” Who the f*ck was he to question my actions?

“Fuck.” His arms flexed as he clenched his hands into a hard fist at his sides. “Kaylee means nothing to me.”

“Neither do I, I suppose.”

“Woman, you have no idea what the f*ck you’re talking about.” He stepped closer and my body instantly registered his nearness, moisture pooling between my legs.

I swallowed, the dryness in my mouth made it hard to move anything down my throat. “I saw your hands on her ass as she kissed you. How the hell do you explain that? It seems women have no value to you.”

“Shut your mouth, Suzy. I followed you out here because I saw you stumbling out of here with someone I didn’t know. I came here to check on you. Kaylee is no one, hear me now, no one. I didn’t come here with her or ask her to sit on my lap. I was trying to be nice to her.”