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“Okay, I got another one.” I make an attempt to recover myself.
“Shoot.” He shrugs.
“No fighting.” This one I know is gonna hurt him. I’ve seen Cole throw more punches since I’ve been here than I’ve seen anyone else do in my entire life.
“I can’t promise that.” He shakes his head. “If someone comes at my family, they’re getting dropped.”
“And what about if they’re coming at me?” I ask far too quickly.
“Darlin’, if they’re comin’ at you, they ain’t gettin’ back up.”
“Very defensive for someone who ain’t gonna be catching no feelings,” I point out before taking a sip of my drink.
“Just because we ain’t gonna be feelin’ shit, don’t mean I won’t get territorial about what's mine.”
“So I’m yours now?” I cuss myself for the giddy little smile that I allow to creep up onto my cheeks.
“I thought we covered that the other night after you came all over my tongue.” Cole takes out a packet of cigarettes and places one between his lips.
“Isn’t this a no-smoking establishment?” I glance to the other side of the room where there’s a no smoking sign and Cole shrugs his shoulders carelessly.
“So is that the rules dealt with? Can we actually get to the having fun part?” I check.
“Almost.” He tilts his head away from me so he can blow his smoke away from my face.
“This one is the most important one. So you listen good to it, and if you can’t adhere to it then this…” He waves the fingers he’s holding his cigarette in between us. “It ends right here.”
I hold my breath curiously while I wait to hear it.
“If I tell you something or somebody ain’t safe, you take my word on it without hesitation. If I ask you not to do something, you don’t question me. Things in L.A may have been too safe for you, Red, but that ain’t the case here. Can you do that for me?” I nod my head, taking in what he’s telling me and the fact it contradicts all he’s said about us not falling for each other.
It almost sounds like this man who vows he will never love again cares for me.
“Okay, so we’re set?” I feel that longing in the pit of my stomach when I think about how close I am to getting what I want.
“No, I also wanna know why you haven’t asked me about it yet?” He looks down at the table.
“Asked you about what?” I think I have an idea but I want him to confirm it before I give him my answer.
“That night in the bunkhouse when I got out the shower and you were waiting for me. You’d have seen the scars on my back. You can probably guess what caused ‘em too. Why ain’t ya asked me ‘bout it?” He doesn’t seem ashamed or embarrassed, just curious.
“I figured if you wanted to tell me, you would.”
Cole says nothing, just nods his head gratefully before he gets up and excuses himself to the bathroom.
“What are ya doin’?” I ask my reflection as I stand in the bathroom. “What the fuck are you doin’?” I scrub my hands over my face and growl. This is a bad idea. It’s only gonna end in hurt and yet now, at the point where I could stop it from happening, I’m about to leap in feet first.
“Cole.” The door slams against the wall and when I look back into the mirror I see Zayne standing behind me. I didn’t even notice he was here and I can tell from the expression on his face that whatever he’s got for me ain’t good.
“Look, Kid, if this is about Dalton takin’ out Leia’s sister…”
“What. Dalton took out Karina?” The way his eyes widen has me assuming this is news to him.
“Yeah, or summit like that.” I turn around and move past him to get to the door.
“Wait, it wasn’t that I needed to speak to you about. It’s about that girl.”
“What fuckin’ girl?” I ask, getting frustrated.
