Page 34 of Bombshell

His entire body stilling was the first thing that registered in my lust-hazed mind. The fact he’d completely tensed up was the second. Then, he was gone. I was left panting against the wall, and he had moved away from me several feet.

I stared at him, trying to figure out what I’d said wrong and wanting to throw myself at him and plead for more.

“You’re a virgin?” he asked, and the horror in his voice was clear. A bucket of ice being dumped over my head wouldn’t have been more effective.

“Yes,” I replied.

“FUCK!” he roared, walking past me. He took five long strides, opened the door to my apartment, then walked out, slamming it behind him.

I couldn’t move. I stood there, staring at the spot where he had just been standing. Tears filled my eyes as humiliation began to settle over me.

Is that such a bad thing? Yes, it is, Dolly.

Men didn’t want unexperienced virgins. It was messy. There was pain and blood. Nothing passionate about that.

Sliding down the wall, I sat on the floor and wrapped my arms around my knees. I would cry. Get it out. Then pull myself together and move on. Forget it and never speak to Micah Abe again.

16

Dolly

I was still on the floor when there was a knock on the door before it slowly opened. Looking up, I saw Brick standing there. His gaze searched the room before it dropped to me. The pity in his eyes was a little more than I could take right now.

“Come on, Dolly. We got to head to the club. It’s getting bad out there, and it’s just gonna get worse. Don’t make this hard, darlin’.”

I didn’t move. “Why can’t I stay here?”

He walked inside the room and knelt down in front of me. “Because the hurricane is a big one. We have a secure place at the club, a generator, and plenty of food. I’ve been told to get you there even if I have to carry you out, kicking and screaming. And I really don’t want to do that.”

Sighing, I knew this was a battle I wasn’t going to win. The longer Brick had to stay here and convince me, the more danger he was going to be put in when he finally left.

I nodded. “Okay. Let me go pack a bag.”

He smiled then and held out a hand for me to take. I let him help me up, then excused myself to go get my things. I wasn’t sure how long we would be stuck there. It could be a week or more if it was a Category 4. Electricity would be out everywhere. I couldn’t just leave Jeremy here. I knew Mrs. Mildred would be taken care of, and I had been planning on going to see if I could convince Harold to come sleep in my apartment.

Once I was in my room, I grabbed all the essentials and several outfits. Folding them neatly, I worked at a quick pace because I wanted time to help Jeremy and Harold before we went to the club. Grabbing my cell phone off the dresser, I saw where I’d missed a call from Momma and two texts from Pepper.

Get your ass to the club. NOW!

And…

I swear to God, if you are not at the club when I get finished prepping the bar for the storm, I am going to be furious.

I typed back.

Headed there now.

Then, I tucked it in my pocket without calling Mom back. She would be worried, but I didn’t have time to reassure her I was going to be safe. I needed to think up a good lie to tell her too.

Brick was standing in the living room with his arms crossed over his chest, staring out the window at the rain and winds that were already here. He glanced back at me. “Ready?”

“I need to check on Jeremy and Harold before we go,” I told him.

“Already handled. Jeremy and his dad are gone. They went to a friend of his dad’s. Harold is at the Baptist church shelter.”

I frowned. “How do you know?”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Because Micah handled things before he left. He knew you’d want them safe.”

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