“Because it’s just another part of you that I’m going toclaim. Eventually, I’m going to pop that backdoor cherry of yours.I may not be able to claim that pussy’s virginity, but that ass isstill up for the taking. And if itwasn’t so much of aserious inconvenience, I’d kill the motherfucker who already stoleit from me.”
“He didn’t steal it. I gave it to him. A concept you seem tohave a hard time grasping,” I said as I missed my next shot. Fuck.Surprisingly, he laughed at that.
As Darren circledthe table, I tried to ignore the fact that he wasn’t just going toenter my back door; he was going to kick it open until there wasnothing left but a busted door hinge. God, he was going to ruinme.
“Ever experiment with drugs?” he asked after shooting the ballinto the center pocket.
“Yes,” I said.
Darren waited afew seconds then glared at me, obviously dissatisfied with myanswer. “These aren’t just yes or no questions, youknow.”
“Perhaps you should have specified that while explaining therules.”
Darren startedcharging toward me with that look on his face and words startedflying out of my mouth.
“Weed! That’s it!” I said, stopping Darren in histracks.
“Much better,” he growled, turning back around and aligninghis shot for the next ball. Missed.
I circled thetable and made my next shot quickly, pocketing that bitch like Iowned it.
“How about something serious for once. What would you havedone had you not gone into the ‘family business’? If it was allyour choice and your family played in no illegalactivity?”
He stood there fora second, almost confused by the question until he finally startedthinking, and shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t dwell much onwhat-ifs.”
“You don’t know? Come on. There must besomething.”
“No, Jaden. There isn’t. There are no what-ifs in my world.There is only now. There’s no changing the past, so there’s noreason to dwell on it. We keep moving forward because that’s allanyone can ever do. I can’t imagine doing anything else because Iknow this is all I was ever meant for. I was born for this life,and I don’t regret a single second of it.”
Well, that wasdeep, and I didn’t really have much of a response to that. So Inodded and lined up my next shot, sinking it in the cornerpocket.
“What’s the significance of the ring on your finger? I didn’tnotice you wearing it until a few daysago.”
Darren gave me hislittle shark-like grin.
“It was my father’s. He wore it as the head of the family, andnow that he’s gone, I wear it. It’s the symbol of our organization,the same one tattooed on my arm.”
“Oh,” I replied, not really knowing what else to say.“Interesting.”
“And the reason you’re just now noticing it is because I washaving it cleaned and repaired during our time at the warehouse. Sodon’t worry, your observational skills are still intact and assharp as ever.”
I nodded, nothaving much to add and attempted my next shot, missing. Damnit.
Darren then gotup, lined up his shot for the ball, and sunk itintothe corner pocket. Fuck, he was five deepnow.
“So what made you decide to go to lawschool?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I’mnot sure if you realize this, but I like to argue. Plus, I wanted acareer that would allow me to help people and potentially make somedecent money.”
“Noble.” He nodded and went to line up another shot, landingit swiftly in the corner pocket.
“I’ll make this one easy. If you could go anywhere in theworld, somewhere you’ve never been before, where would yougo?”
I blinked at thisone. Where would I go? I hadn’t been on vacation in years, too busywith my life to be able to take off anywhere. I stood there andthought about it for a second.
“I don’t know. I’d probably want to go somewhere withmountains. I’ve never seen mountains before.” Ishrugged.
“Nice answer.” He nodded and pocketed is next shot. And now hewas down to the eight ball. Fuck!
“Here’s an even easier one,” he said. “What’s your favoritecolor?”
Myfavorite color? Really? He could ask me anything and he wanted toknow my favorite color?
“Purple,” I answered.
“Fitting,” he said with a smile. I shook my head at him,trying hard not to roll my eyes.
Luckily the eightball was wedged right between my last remaining cue balls and Idoubted he would get it in. To my relief, he missed and I quicklywent around the table, analyzing my new possibilities, and lined upmy shot. I could feel Darren’s eyes on my ass as I bent over thetable, struck the cue into the ball, and sent it flying into thepocket.
“What did you mean when you said you were basically meant totake on the family business?”
“Because it was my job as thefirstborn son.”
“Your dad couldn’t just have someone else doit?”
Darren’s eyesnarrowed at me then.
“Fine! But I reserve that as my next question when I sink thisball.”
I made my shot andfucking missed. How the fuck?
Darren then got upand barely even lined up his shot before sinking the eight ball inthe corner pocket like he owned it.
Ah, fuck, Ilost.
“You were saying?” He smirked with that shark-like grin. Ijust glared at him and then smiled.
“I believe that was a question.”
“A rhetorical one.”
“Oh, semantics.” I rolled my eyes.
“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” hesneered.
“Did you just ask me another question?” I shot back athim.
“Oh, that’s it,” hesaidand shot around the table atme.
I moved quickly tothe other side, never letting my eyes waver from him as he stalkedme like an animal ready to pounce on its prey. We were on eitherside of the table, and he lowered his hands to the rim and leanedin dangerously.
“Running again, princess?”
“Don’t act like you don’t enjoyit.”
His low, deviouschuckle echoed in my ears and sent shivers down my spine. He reallywas enjoying himself.
“You’re right. I do love playing withfire.”
“You know what they say about playing with fire,” Iwarned.
“We’ll see about that,” he said andthen leaped acrossthe table at me.
I turned to run,but he was so much faster. I felt both his arms snake around mywaist and pull me back to
