“Why were you trying so hard not to come?” Mumbling thickly, Bruiser rubbed my thigh with his calf lazily, and I cracked my eyes open. Taking a deep, leisurely breath, I hummed softly when my fogged mind couldn’t find any answers. “Nicole . . .”
“I can’t handle you.” Murmuring softly, I gathered my lingering strength to wiggle to Bruiser’s chest, and he slid his arm up under my cheek. His eyes sparkled when they met mine, and I blinked back the water to smile. “I didn’t want it to be over so fast.”
“Fuck me on a regular basis, and it’ll get easier.” Deft fingers tugged and played with my hair, and I sighed in pure bliss, surrounded by warmth and security. “When you wanna meet up again?”
“Hm-m . . . I dunno. I . . .” Trailing off, I shivered when Bruiser started massaging my scalp with his fingertips, and he smirked tenderly. “I’m . . . how’s Tuesday? I’ll be here t-to deliver . . . a painting . . . ugh . . . yeah . . .”
Chuckling at my groan, Bruiser continued rubbing my scalp as silence descended on us. My eyelids drooped, and I struggled to keep them open in the wake of this beautiful feeling.
“Tuesday, I can’t. It’s Spyder’s mom’s birthday. I gotta get her present while I’m in Vegas. She’s a huge geek, so it’ll probably be a superhero figurine or a gift card for her to use at Comic-Con or something.” Most of Bruiser’s explanation went in one ear and out the other, but I heard the keywords. Humming softly in acknowledgment, I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. “When’s your next day off at the restaurant? Even if you’re working on your painting, I’ll come by and spend some time with you.”
Oh, I like this a lot. Black spots closed in on my mind, and I loved this feeling. Satisfaction. Safety. Knowing that Bruiser wasn’t going to rush me. That, despite not having said so, he’d give me everything I wanted and more.
Chapter Sixteen
Bruiser
Staring down at my phone screen, I rubbed the back of my head roughly with my free hand and sighed. For a woman that really didn’t put herself out there, Nicole put herself out there. Scanning her last few texts to me, I pursed my lisp thinly as a flurry of emotions whirled in my chest.
“She’s too nice for her own damn good. No wonder that dick thought he could force her to accept his proposal.” Nicole was going to draw Spyder’s mom as a superhero; that in itself wasn’t a terrible thing, but she invited herself to the party and only had a few days to get it done. She deliberately put herself between a rock and a hard place to make someone she didn’t even know happy because of me. “That woman . . .”
“Bruiser!” Glancing up, I slipped my phone in my pocket as Davey and Rook shuffled across the lobby from the elevator. This hotel wasn’t the fanciest, but we weren’t here for the complimentary breakfast or pool. “All set?”
“Yeah. You look better, Rook.” He scowled nasty at me, and I rolled my eyes as I gestured them to follow me out of the hotel. “Hopefully, tonight will fix some of that attitude.”
“You still didn’t tell me where we’re goin’. I’m not gonna sit in front of a slot machine for—” I held my hand up, and Rook’s face reddened and twisted in irritation before he tore his eyes off me. Wandering down the sidewalk, I let the silence stretch and the tension build. I could feel him radiating frustration, but I could only imagine what Rook was thinking.
“You’ll figure it out when we get there. I gotta make some bets, myself, but that’s only gonna take ten minutes or so. Depends on the line.” The building next to the small hotel was nondescript and bland, with its only indication being a sign for a bar. Shouldering my way inside, I waved at Mack as he tended the bar, and he waved back. The place was cheap, already half-full despite it barely being noon. I grabbed Rook’s arm to haul his ass through toward the back.
The rumblings under my feet bulked up the noise of the bar, and I took my cousin down a slender flight of stairs as Davey brought up the rear. The stench of cheap beer was gradually replaced with something more metallic, and I stopped on the landing to cast a stern gaze on Rook.
“Whatever you do, don’t start mouthin’ the fuck off, Rook. You understand? If you talk shit in here ‘cause some guy looked at you wrong or mumbled somethin’ at you, you’re gonna get that pretty face smashed in.” For once, he didn’t glare at me, and I waited until he jerked his head in a nod. Pushing open the door, my gaze swung straight for the bookie table, and relief slumped my shoulders. Releasing Rook’s bicep, I pointed at the door on the other side of the small room. “Go in there with Davey. I’ll be right in.”
“What’re we doin’ here?” I ignored the question to head over to the table, and Mick shot me a sleazy grin. He and Mack had a good setup going on, and I eyeballed him as I pulled my wallet out of my pocket.
“You ever shake that P.I.?” Mick and Mack were twins identical twins, and his smirk widened at my probing. Pulling out a stack of fifties, I rocked back on my heels
