Page 24 of Old Flame

Lick. Yeah, that was a match. I wanted to laugh. She sure as fuck wanted to be an old lady if she was brave enough to get messed up with that lunatic.

I shrugged, then picked up my drink from the table. “She’s not my property.”

Brick didn’t say anything, but nodded as his gaze stayed on his woman while she danced with Nina to “You Shook Me All Night Long.” The band was doing their normal set of ’80s rock hits, which couldn’t make those two any happier.

“The woman last time you were here—it was her, wasn’t it?” he asked. “The one who had you fucking wrapped up back in Ocala, then sent you into a spiral when she left.”

Don’t want to think about her, Brick.

I just nodded.

“Thought so. She hasn’t changed much. Her body is a woman’s now, but that’s about it. You see her again?”

“She’s married,” I said, not looking at him. I was watching a couple of the club sluts, trying to decide who I wanted to replace Amethyst with.

“I noticed the rings. But figured you’d still seek her out. Hadn’t seen you act that way over a bitch since. Those are the kind that stick with you.”

I’d like to fucking burn her from my soul. But it seemed that was impossible.

“Long time ago, Brick.”

He sighed. “Is it though?”

The scowl on my face was a mere fraction of my annoyance. “Yeah, it fucking is. Another life. We were different people.”

She belonged to someone else now.

“You grew up, but that’s about all that’s changed. At least for you.”

My back molars were sore from all the grinding of my teeth I’d been doing the past two weeks. Brick wasn’t helping.

I pointed at the new girl who was with the prospects and Tracy, one of our trashiest club whores. “Who’s she?” I asked.

She was blonde. That would make it harder for me to imagine Salem. Maybe that would stop this shit.

“Fuck if I know,” he replied, barely glancing her way.

She turned her head, and a pair of brown eyes met mine. Nothing like cornflower blue. Yeah, she’d be perfect.

I curled my finger for her to come to me, and she beamed as she sauntered through the others. Lots of leg. Tits weren’t real, but they were big. I liked that. Pierced belly button was sexy.

When she reached me, Brick stood up. He didn’t say anything, but I knew he wasn’t about to get caught at a table with a club slut. Goldie would lose her shit.

I set my beer down and patted my thigh for her to sit down. The short dress she was wearing might expose her pussy when she did. Another pro, in my opinion.

“What’s your name, darlin’?” I asked her as I checked out her nipples poking through the fabric.

She was already excited. Good.

“Nixie,” she said in a breathy voice.

Hell, if she was this worked up already, I’d take her out to my bike and let her suck me off now. Might take the edge off.

“Did you go by the art gallery or not?” Pepper’s voice interrupted me slipping my hand between Nixie’s thighs.

Why the fuck did she care? I didn’t want to think about that day. I didn’t want to think about Salem. Why couldn’t everyone shut the hell up about her?

“No,” I lied.

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