SIX (16 page)

I feel her shrug against me, and I want to unbury this man just so I can be the one to end him.

My grip on her tightens causing a little
“Oomph”
sound from her.

“Sorry,” I mutter, loosening my grasp.

She was so together compared to most people, I had no idea she had been through that growing up.

I drop a kiss to her head and inhale the flowery scent of her hair.

She was beautiful, clever as hell, happy, helpful, caring toward others, and so willing to, dare I say, love me…or at the very least want me—like me.

My brows crash together in thought.

Most women would be a fucking mess.

Shit, most men would be.

Anyone
who had a parent tear them down like that would be a fucking mess.

“You’re amazing,” I tell her with conviction.

Moving her body so I can see her face, her eyes sink to mine.

“Why?”

“Because I say so.” I roll her on to her back and keep her there until I make her forget her own name and that asshole she buried.

My skin smells of the generic shower gel in my bathroom and the fresh shirt I’m wearing feels like it’s suffocating me.

I don’t want to be dressed.

I hate that I’ve showered.

I like having Misty’s scent all over me.

Blood pumps in my veins with a new release of energy.

Tapping my hand on the steering wheel, I find myself singing along to the radio when the stations announce Justin Timberlake’s new song.

“Got that good soul in my feet. I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops—ooh. I can’t take my eyes up off it, moving so phenomenally. Room on lock, the way we rock it, so don’t stop,” I bellow along, in sync with the artist.

Who am I?

I’m energized even though I shouldn’t be after giving it to Misty all night long and twice this morning.

I couldn’t get enough of her, and every time she came around my cock, I felt like a king.

She’s got me smiling—and fucking singing.

She is something else—exquisite.

Why she wants me, I will never know, but she does and she made me feel it with every touch she laid on me.

I’ve loved before, but I’ve never known a power like hers.

She made me feel treasurable and idolized.

The look in her eyes as I entered her body was something in fairy tales and romance films.

Content is not a word powerful enough to describe how I felt being intimate with her. It was like I found home—I found myself at peace inside her.

As I drive down the road toward the shop, the only thing I can focus on is getting back to her and spending the entire day in bed making up for lost time. Like a fucking fool, I denied her for so long and now all I want to do is deny everyone else her time and presence.

I’m a selfish bastard and I want her to myself.

“Can’t stop the feeling…just dance, dance…dance.”

Pulling up at the shop, I find Lucky waiting outside, tapping down his pockets.

If he tells me he lost another set of keys to the shop, I’m going to pierce his ear with the keyring and make him wear the fucking thing.

“I have them!” he yells, patting his shirt pocket and then grinning.

Pointing a finger at him, I raise a brow and he pulls them from his breast pocket like they’re crack and I’m holding a pipe.

“Boom!”

“Don’t ‘boom’ me like you’ve got something to be proud of. You’re a grown man, you shouldn’t celebrate not losing another set of keys.”

He picks up a bakery bag from the ground by his feet and reaches in, grabbing a doughnut.

“Small victories, Six. I have to celebrate the small victories,” he blabs around a mouthful of sugar.

“Were you singing when you pulled up?” he inquires, dipping one brow over his eye.

“Do I look like the type of man who sings?” I deadpan.

I follow him inside, noticing the blood and mess still on the floor, and nose through the door to the bar. Parker is cleaning tables while her kid spins in circles on the dance floor.

She’s a damn cute kid.

I watch her practice her moves for a minute longer before feeling Lucky’s presence over my shoulder.

“Have you spoken to her yet?”

He stiffens behind me and walks over to his station.

“Nah. It was a one-night stand, what’s there to say?” He shrugs, but can’t look me in the eye.

He must think I’m a dumbass.

Anyone with eyes and ears knows there is more to them than a one-night stand. I’m riding my own high though, and don’t want to ruin it by trying to convince an idiot he’s in love.

“I’m not working today,” I announce, and his head shoots up, his mouth covered in sugar dust.

“What the fuck?”

“I’m the boss, I can do what I want, so stop sulking and wipe your face.”

“You got lucky.” He stands, pointing his finger at me. “You’re fucking blushing!” he shouts, coming over to me and searching my face.

“Fuck off,” I snap, pushing his hand away, but I can’t contain the shit-eating grin that spreads across my face.

His mouth opens wide and he points at me again.

“What the hell, who is it? I’ve never seen you smile like that—wait, wait.”

He walks over to the door separating the bar and shop and looks through the window.

“Where’s Misty? No you didn’t!” he bursts out, mouth agape and smacking his hands together in applause.

He’s so animated, it’s entertaining to watch.

“You sly dog! I knew it would happen, man.”

He comes over and throws his arms around me.

“I’m so proud of you, man. You finally stopped being a bitch and tapped that.”

I push him off me and he stumbles about three feet.

“Watch what you say. She’s not just some girl and you know it.”

Grinning, he shakes his head.

“We need to celebrate,” he beams.

“You need to open the shop,” I tell him before making my way out the door.

“Swix, Swix!” Emma calls as I make my way through the bar.

“Hey, princess,” I reply, reaching out to catch her as she runs to me.

I hoist her up so she’s resting on one arm and her fingers move to trace the patterns of my tattoo on the side of my head.

“Can you dwaw on me?”

“How old are you?” I question.

“Thwee.”

“Three? I thought you were two, did I miss birthday cake?”

She just giggles up at me.

“I suppose that’s old enough,” I tell her and jump back from a swatting hand.

“Like hell it is,” Parker pipes in, taking her from my arms.

Tapping her on the butt, she shoos her behind the bar.

“I’m sorry, my sitter let me down again. I have her dad coming for her before we open.

Don’t die of shock that he’s actually coming to see his own kid,” she waffles on.

Grasping her cheeks in my palm, I hold her face up to look at mine.

“You don’t need to ever apologize for bringing her here. You’re a mom and shit happens. She’s no problem. Now, do what you need to and I’ll go make her some breakfast.

“Can you cook?” I ask Emma, holding up a carton of eggs.

She shakes her head. “I’m thwee, silly.”

“You’re right, I am silly. Cereal it is.”

Grabbing a bowl and spoon, I pour her cereal and watch as she makes a mess feeding herself.

When she’s done, I finish what’s in her bowl and take her back through to her mom who’s wiping down tables.

A pounding at the main door grabs all of our attention.

“They know what time we open. God, we should charge them stool rent and just let them stay the night,” Parker sighs angrily.

“I’ll see who it is,” I laugh, placing Emma on the ground and ruffling her hair.

“You’ll ruin mwy cwown,” she huffs, straightening her crown.

“I’m sorry, princess.”

Unbolting the door and swinging it wide, my smile falls from my face and my heart leaps into my throat.

“Hey.” Golden hair falls over a heart-shaped face. Haunted eyes glaze over with huge pupils swallowing the color.

A broken smile with a scar tugs down the right side.

Haley
.

She looks so thin—breakable if the wind blew hard enough.

It’s been so long, I’m struck speechless.

“Are you going to invite us in?”

Us?
Standing over her shoulder is a tall, muscular guy.

His clothes suggest early twenties, but the faint laughter lines around his eyes betray him.

Neat hair spiked on top and short at the back and sides tell me he’s groomed recently.

An array of patterned ink splays up his forearms now resting on Haley’s shoulders.

“Should I have not come?” she asks, her voice meek, and I feel like a cunt for leaving her standing on the porch of the bar.

Shaking myself out of the haze, I shush her and pull her toward me out of his grasp.

Wrapping my arms around her tiny frame, I lift her into me.

She weighs nothing and my arms could go around her twice, no problem.

First thing I’m going to do is feed my girl.

She smells like a chemistry lab and her hair is coarse against my chin.

Fucking remorse scratches at my insides.

Guilt is to the spirit what pain is to the body, and my spirit is in agony holding this shadow of the girl I once knew.

Home could be anywhere as long as I was holding her back in the day, but this just feels like I’m holding a memory that’s tainted and ruined.

“You look beautiful,” I chime, releasing her. She rolls her eyes at me.

“Liar.”

“Who is that?” I ask, trying to keep the aggression from my tone.

I’m not sure whether I succeed, but she doesn’t mention it, so I assume I did fine.

“Taylor, Max. Max, this is Taylor, my family.”

He holds his hand out and I take it roughly and firmer than necessary.

“Good to finally meet you. She talks a lot about you.” He smiles what appears to be a genuine smile and there’s no hint of jealousy in his tone.

“Well, I can’t say the same. She’s never mentioned you,” I tell him bluntly while looking him up and down.

He only grins bigger and nods his head at me.
Prick.

Haley’s small hand taps my chest.

“Play nice,” she warns, walking past me into the bar.

I follow her inside and feel the heat on my back from Max standing too fucking close.

“Wow, this place, Tay…is it really yours?”

“It is. You want a drink?” I ask, but I’ve lost her attention.

She’s dropped to her knees as Emma’s made her way over to us and hands Haley something.

“Is this for me?” she asks, emotion tight in her throat.

She takes what looks like a piece of candy out of Emma’s hand and Emma reaches out, stroking over the scar on Haley’s lip with the tip of her finger.

My breath gets stuck in my lungs.

“Why you sad?” she asks, and I don’t know what to do.

It physically hurts my chest to see tears build in Haley’s eyes.

“Emma, come here,” Parker calls out, coming up behind her and scooping her up. “Did she give you candy?” she asks, worried.

Haley swipes away a tear and holds up the candy.

“Oh God, don’t eat it. She found it under a table. God knows where it’s been.”

She bounces Emma on her hip before holding her hand out.

“Hi, I’m Parker. I work here.”

“Haley,” she offers, taking her hand.

“This is Max.” He nods his head in greeting, then walks over to where I’m standing and pats his hand on my shoulder.

“So, about that drink.”

“I didn’t offer you one.”

“Oh, don’t be like that. We should be friends.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s what Haley wants.”

I hold in my growl and get to making drinks.

“What’s your poison?”

“Just a coke for me and lemonade for Haley.”

A fucking coke, what is he five?

“I’m in recovery,” he beams at me, as if reading my mind.

This is one chipper guy and I don’t like it.

Why would he be friends with Haley?

Was she with him, with him? Questions swirl around in my head, giving me a headache.

Haley is still talking to Parker, so I hand him a coke and use the moment to decide whether he gets to see my dark side.