Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 115186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
He didn’t need to wonder how much damage he did because he was damn sure he was about to find out. Only, not in Dick’s. Not in front of his brothers, any sweet butts or the couple of early customers sitting at the bar. Of course, the few sets of eyes in the establishment were already turned their way.
“In your cage? Or my place?” he suggested.
“You sure you don’t want to have this discussion right here?” She stabbed her finger toward the floor.
He lowered his voice. “Better we don’t. C’mon. Let’s go out back.”
When he steered her toward Dick’s kitchen, Sigh yelled out, “Should I send a rescue team if you don’t return in a half hour?”
“Gimme ten,” Romeo told him.
“He won’t need ten,” Maddie assured Sigh. “This will be quick.”
That could be good. Could be bad. He steeled himself for the latter.
Since it was too early for the kitchen to be open, it was quiet as they worked their way through and headed back outside. It was better out there than inside since less eyes and ears would be on them.
As soon as they stood behind the building, he asked, “What’s goin’ on?”
“What’s going on?” Her shrill voice made him grimace. “What did you do, Romeo?”
He pressed his lips together.
For fuck’s sake. This discussion was about to give him heartburn.
He quickly ran through some scenarios to see how he could get out of the hot seat. Though, he was pretty sure that would be impossible.
Her expression said it all.
“What the hell did you do? And why? I told you to stay out of it. I also told you this would happen if you didn’t!” she cried out, slamming him in the chest with both palms. The impact forced him back a step before he had the chance to brace himself.
He didn’t give a shit that she shoved him. He was more concerned that her voice was now thick with sadness and disappointment. Add in the betrayal on her face and she might as well have stabbed him in the heart.
He kept his voice low and steady to try to keep the powder keg standing before him from exploding and leaving behind scorched earth. “Tell me what happened,” he urged, even though he knew.
“I got fired.”
His head twitched.
“All because of you. He’ll have me blackballed.”
That motherfucker. “Bullshit.”
Her jaw dropped and her dark eyes went wide. “Bullshit? Do you think I’m lying?”
“No—”
“Do you think he’s lying?”
That question was so sharp Romeo was surprised he wasn’t bleeding out.
Before he could respond, she continued. “You fucked up, Rome. Big time. Now I don’t have a job and most likely my career will have a permanent black mark on it. Not only that, but my dream of working with the Steelers will never happen, all because of you! You made sure I didn’t even get a fair shot!”
Tears welled up in her eyes. As one spilled over, she swiped angrily at it.
“You do realize that I only put up with his abuse to help my career? A whole damn year and a half and it only took you a few minutes to screw that up. Whatever you did to him made my life and career crash and burn.”
“Was tryin’ to help, Maddie, not fuck shit up.” He reached out to brush away the now steady stream of tears rolling down her cheeks, but before he could, she slapped his hand away.
“No. Don’t act like you care, Rome. You don’t care about anyone but yourself. You’re no better than him!”
His head jerked back, and the knife jammed in his heart twisted painfully. “Was tryin’ to help you.”
He wasn’t sure how to undo his fuck up. Make Smith disappear before he had the opportunity to fuck up Maddie’s future?
Jesus.
“Well, you failed. I’m not sure why you’d think assaulting my boss would help! Who does that?” She lifted a hand. “Oh wait. Someone who can’t control their impulses, that’s who. Someone who doesn’t respect me enough to take what I say into account. I’m just a woman. What do I know, right? I need a big, bad biker to solve my problems because I’m not strong enough to solve them myself.”
He unclenched his jaws. “He fuckin’ didn’t respect you, Maddie. Even kept callin’ you by a name you don’t like. He treated you like shit. Who fuckin’ puts up with that?”
Fuck, was he digging himself a bigger hole?
“Me, the fool, apparently.” She shook her head and pressed both fists into her tear-filled eyes. “Just like I’m a fool for ever dealing with you. I thought you of all people wouldn’t get involved with my life. Boy, was I wrong, as well as stupid. You guys can’t help yourself, can you?”
Damn. “Made your point,” he murmured.
When she dropped her fists, her expression had turned hard. “I don’t think I have, but here it is, loud and clear… Leave me the hell alone. Don’t call me. Don’t stop by. Don’t even think about me. You’ve done enough and I don’t need any more of your so-called help. This was only supposed to be casual sex, Rome. That’s it. I didn’t want anyone trying to rule my life. Or even stick their nose into it. You did it anyway without my consent and now look where I’m at.”