Page 44 of Love Me

CHAPTER 13

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The week dragson as Graham and I focus on perfecting the mash bill for our straight bourbon whiskey. I pulled him to help give some advice to get it right. My new little buddy, who has still yet to be named anything other than Garbage, hasn’t left my side a month later. After taking him to the vet, getting him shots, scheduling his neuter, and finding out that he isn’t microchipped, I’m now the proud owner of a little mixed mutt. Charlie is beside herself with happiness, Hannah still hasn’t come around.

I haven’t stayed over at Hannah’s since the night she asked me to sleep in the bed with her. I knew she was going through something, and my guess was that she talked to Levi.

For some reason, he has a hold on her that I don’t know how to sever. She feels loyalty to him just because they share Charlie, even though time and time again, he has shown that he couldn’t care less about either one of them. Hannah is the happiest person you’ll ever meet, until she’s fucked with by that piece of shit, then she gets quiet and dejected, all of her fire doused.

I know he gets sick satisfaction from the little control he has over her, which is why he continues to fuck with her. What he doesn’t know is, that as soon as she’s my wife, that shit ends. He’ll go through me from now on. I’ll be damned if he causes either one of them harm again.

Hannah is so pure and full of life, I refuse to see her defeated and solemn. She’s going to find her strength when it comes to him and her parents, and I’m going to show her that she’s had the power all along.

It’s way past when I should have left for the day but when I’m on a roll, I tend to lose track of time. Good thing I can get ready fast. Every year the distillery is invited to a masquerade ball held by the sitting governor in Olympia, and this year Carter and I are the only two forced to go. Our other two asshole brothers are usually in attendance, but Sawyer won’t leave Ivy since she’s struggling with her pregnancy, and Dallas wouldn’t leave Blaire for anything right now—which I respect.

While I usually attend alone, asking Hannah to be my date was a much better option. I adjust my tie before opening the front door, walking into the little apartment she’s made a home. Hailey is sitting lazily on the couch, Charlie in her lap watching Moana for the millionth time.

“Hi, munchkin!”

“Bear!” she squeals as she jumps off her Aunt Hailey and runs into my arms. I snuggle my face into her damp hair, smelling her perfectly sweet green apple scent.

“How’s my favorite girl?”

“Great, thanks for asking. So excited to move home for good. Yippie,” Hailey drones on.

“You’re not his favorite girl. I’m his favorite girl,” Charlie tells her with all the sass she can muster. Hailey and I both laugh at her little ’tude.

“That’s right, munchkin, tell her. You gonna be good for your Aunt Hailey?”

“Yep! Mumma said I could have French toast for breakfast and then cotton candy for dessert if I’m good!”

“That’s my girl! Alright, I’m gonna go find your momma now, go lay down with Aunt Hailey and get nice and sleepy, okay?”

Charlotte gets back on the couch, snuggling into her aunt as I walk away to find my other girl. Hannah is sitting on the edge of her bed, messing with the clasp of a high heel as all the air whooshes from my lungs. She’s wearing an all-black, floor-length dress with no straps, the top making a tiny v between her breasts that are looking a helluva lot more voluptuous than normal. Her floral black and gray tattoos travel and twist up her entire arm, an accessory all on their own. Her shoes are gold and pointy and clearly frustrating the shit out of her.

“Fuck, Hannah, you look beautiful.”

Her eyes finally meet mine before roaming slowly over every inch of my body.

“Don’t think I’ve ever seen you clean up so well, Mr. Hayes. Borrow a suit from one of your brothers?”

“Like any of theirs would fit me. You do know I go to this event every year, right?”

“Yes, dork. But you literally wear jeans, boots, a baseball cap, and a T-shirt every day. I never see you like this. You look good.”

“Thanks for the compliment, Han,” I joke with her. “I actually don’t think I’ve ever seen you dress up either. I’m kinda at a loss for words here.”

“Yeah? Rendered your ass speechless? Wait until you see the back.”

My knees nearly give out on me as Hannah slowly spins in a circle, hands in the air like she’s fully showing off, swaying herhips side to side as she turns for me. Holy fucking shit. The back scoops all the fucking way down, exposingeverything, stopping right under the dip of her lower back before her ass.

“Fuck, Hannah. You’resofucking sexy.” The words are out of my mouth before I could even process the severity of them. But right now, it doesn’t even matter. She’s so fucking gorgeous it’s almost painful. “How is that even staying up?” I ask, because like hell will I be taking her out in that dress if there’s a chance she could slip a peek to every greedy-ass motherfucker that will be checking her out tonight.

“Tape,” she lilts, like that’s the most obvious answer.

“Of course. Tape. Duh.” I smack myself in the forehead with my palm to feign my ignorance.

She sits back down on the bed and starts to mess with her shoe again and I don’t think, I just react. Stepping into her space, I slowly kneel before her, grabbing her dainty ankle and stretching her leg out in front of me. Resting her heel on my knee, I buckle the little strap and because I can’t help myself, I lift her foot, placing a chaste kiss to the inside of her ankle with my eyes closed.

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