I closed my eyes because being this close to her, her breath on my lips, was torture.
Her car-ride confession replayed in my head. If she thought that she was a bad person, I couldn’t imagine what she’d think of me if I told her the truth of who I was. She was scarred by a mother who left her with a man who didn’t care about anything but where his next drink came from. The only other man she loved seduced her into a life she never wanted. A panic rose in my chest. There had been moments dancing with her when something bigger than me grew and bloomed in my chest but now I clamped that down.
“Damn, Ford.” Cold rubbing alcohol dabbed another cut on my cheek.
“What?” I rasped through my raw throat.
“You took down two grown men. Bikers.” She clicked her tongue.
“I’m not proud of that. Resorting to violence makes me no better than them.” I didn't remember much from what happened. I came outside and Suzie was gone from the steps. Two men were holding her and she was fighting with the wild strength of total fear. One of them was yanking up her beautiful skirt when red began to bleed across my vision. It wasn’t a decision. I attacked. I didn't stop until Suzie was safe.
“Maybe,” she said with a smile when I squinted one eye open to look at her. “But it was still pretty badass.”
She cleaned a spot on my forehead that burned. I sucked in a breath.
“Sorry,” she whispered.
“That person out there wasn’t me.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” I was going to argue with her but then she let out a breath that heated my neck. “I like you, Ford.” I opened my eyes and she was right there in front of me, looking back and forth between my eyes. She said the words like they surprised her.
“I like you, Suzie.”
She raised her eyebrows like she never expected me to say it back. “Oh.”
I swallowed. I wanted to say more. I liked her so much. I liked everything about her. I liked her dangerous, scary amounts.
She blinked a few times. Her gaze moved over my face and she nodded. “Okay, I think that’s as good as it’s going to get.”
“Are you okay?” I gently examined a red mark on her cheek.
“It’s nothing.” She nuzzled into my hand and shrugged.
She went to stand but I tugged her back down.
“It’s not nothing.” I studied her green eyes for the truth. “Are you okay?”
“I am now.” Her smile was shaky.
We watched each other. I stood and took her with me. I hugged her again. Once I started touching her freely, I couldn’t stop. I liked her so damn much.
“Oh,” she said surprised again but wrapped her arms around me. “I know it was tense. But usually, I can handle myself.” I leaned back and she shrugged under my skeptical look. “Well, normally I can. I don’t know. I just…I can sort of check out. This time—”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you know when things are kind of out of control. You sort of need to retreat into your brain. Detach from your body. When I was partying a real lot I would do that sometimes if the guys got a little too crazy.”
She laughed it off. I was so drained from the fighting, but anger seeped back anyway. How do you tell someone they didn't have to live like that?
“You like partying with those guys?” I asked.
“I used to. I dunno. I thought I did.” She collected the soiled towels and debris to dump in the waste bin. “It was easier than being sad.” She smiled. I watched her closely. She was so broken and abused. Her whole life she had been made to be nothing more than an object—a means to an end.
Sort of like I was using her.
“Anyway. You gonna tell me what happened back there?” She locked her gaze on me.
She leaned back against the counter. I stood inches apart from her.
