Page 34 of Botched

I have my chin resting in my palm, when a mother ushers a little boy—I swear this kid is no older than four or five—up to the table toward Theo. My body tenses as I prepare for the shitstorm that’s about to unfurl.

Nathan gave me a rundown of Theo’s last convention, where he caught shit for being rude to a kid and defended himself by saying that the kid deserved it. My real job is to run interference and play the role of Theo’s handler.No more bad PR this year.

“Hi,” the kid says shyly. He won’t look up at Theo, his sandy blond hair falling across his forehead, obscuring his eyes slightly.

“Hi,” Theo responds and then waits.

The mom puts a hand on the kid's back, giving him another little shove forward. “Jacob, tell him what you wanted to say,” she urges.

Theo raises an expectant eyebrow, waiting, although I can’t say patiently. He taps his fingers against the table, keeping that bored, aloof expression on his face.

Jacob clears his throat. He still can’t look Theo in the eyes, keeping them on the plastic grey tablecloth. “I—I’m gonna be a wrestler one day, and then…then I’m gonna fight you for the championship.”

I suck in a breath as a faint flicker of amusement dances along Theo’s face. “Yeah? You gonna kick my ass someday, kid?”

Jacob’s mother doesn’t even seem bothered by the language as Jacob tentatively looks up at Theo. He nods in a slow, almost frightened motion.

There is nothing gentle about Theodore Abrams. He’s not a soft man who hides underneath the guise of a professional wrestler. He is hard edges and broken glass. You touch him and you will get hurt. He doesn’t sugarcoat his words. He doesn’t lessen himself to make people more comfortable.

In a way, I feel like we could all benefit from having a bit more of a toned-down version of him inside of us.

Not like I’d say that to his face.

When Jacob’s eyes meet his, Theo flashes him the barest hint of a smile. There one second, gone the next. “Get tough then,” he says. “I ain’t going down without a fight.” He stands up and puts the GRW championship belt on the table and taps his finger against it. “Touch it, kid. Closest you’re ever gonna get to touching real gold.”

Jacob reaches out and touches it gently, eyes going wide as his mom snaps a few pictures. Theo scribbles his signature on an action figure before his gaze lands on Jacob’s mom. “If you ever lose the kid, gimme a call,” he says with the most obnoxious wink.

I’ve done really well at minding my facial expressions thisentire time, butthat? That causes me to roll my eyes, and Theo notices. Of course, he does. It feels like he’s always watching me.

As Jacob and his mom walk away, Theo leans back in the metal chair and kicks his feet up on the table. “Jealous, baby doll?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Mm. That felt a lot like jealousy. Don’t worry, Roo. You’re always my first choice, but hey, until you finally give in, a man’s gotta get his needs met.” He smirks, lazily dropping his hand down onto my bare thigh.

His hands are rough and calloused and send a shot of desire straight to my core. Heat creeps to my cheeks, and I want to run, but Theo’s grip tightens on my thigh. He doesn’t move it higher but a part of me wants him to. Even in a room full of people, I want his fingers to slip underneath my shorts and sink into—fuck.

I’m totally fucked, aren’t I?

Chapter Twenty-Four

AURORA

Theo manages to keep me distracted throughout our small lunch break, asking me random questions to the point where I don’t get to call and check on Dad. It’s not until we’re leaving to head back to the hotel, preferably in our own rooms tonight, that I remember to call. I’m not sure how much longer I can be around Theo without giving in to what he wants. What I want.

I can’t admit that I want it. I can’t give in. Once I do, what happens? Theo gets what he wants. I’m a notch in his belt. I’m left as another girl who’s been used and discarded by the great Theodore Abrams. I deserve more than that. I know that.

But fuck, he’s tempting.

Before we get in his car, I pull my phone from my pocket again. “I’m gonna check on my dad,” I say.

“Roo,” Theo starts, shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “Why don’t—”

“I promise it won’t take long, all right?” I say. I step away from him, sitting on the opening of the parking garage, looking out at the city below us as the phone rings. Every ring makes my head poundquicker. I never take this long to call and check on Dad. What if something happened because I was too busy to make a phone call?

“Hello? Mission Health Rehabilitation. This is Jade. How can I help you?”

Weird. Janet always answers the phone in his room. Or Catherine. I don’t know a Jade. Whatever. It’s probably just a new girl.Not everything is weird and suspicious, Aurora.“Hi. This is Aurora Bennet. I was calling to check on my father, Tobias Bennet.”

---