Page 2 of Sloth

The man stepped into the moonlight, revealing hisface. “It seems you’ve been busy, Bunny.”

A sour taste filled my throat over that stupidnickname.

When Arlo Rossi stopped a foot away from me, hesmirked, that single dimple in his cheek popping at the movement. His dark hairhad a wave through it, his bangs falling over his forehead.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded, crossingmy arms in front of my chest.

He caught the movement, glancing down at my tits.“You know, even in this getup, you’re still hot as fuck.”

I rolled my eyes. “The city is big enough forboth of us, so I’ll ask you again, what are you doing here?”

He ran two fingers across his full lips, thatsignature smirk growing the longer silence slid between us. “I want to play agame.”

I huffed, not having time for this shit. When Iwent to step around him, he blocked my path. “Get out of my way, Arlo.”

“No.” He nodded to the spot behind me. “It seemsthat you’re in a bit of a bind. You could use the excuse that it was self-defense,which I’m sure it was.” The smirk fell from his lips. “Fucker was a bastardanyway. You probably should have made him suffer a bit.”

“Probably, but instead he made the women andgirls he abused suffer instead. He tried doing the same to me, but he didn’tget that far,” I blurted before I could stop myself.

A growl escaped Arlo, a man I had known for mywhole entire life. A man who was my first everything. Literally. But afterfollowing up on a task my father had given him, he disappeared for long periodsof time. I only kept tabs on him through mutual acquaintances.

“He touch you?”

“He did but not the way he wanted. He triedthough.” I patted Arlo’s arm. “But it’s done. I’m a big girl. I’ll get throughit.” Unlike the women and girls Dante killed.

Arlo let me walk past him this time but notbefore he caught my arm. “Come home with me, so I can take care of you.”

“If you haven’t learned already, I can take careof myself.” I pulled from his grip and pointed a finger in his face. “Whotaught me that, anyway? Who taught me how to defend myself? And before you sayanything, tonight doesn’t count. He caught me off guard but he paid for it inthe end.”

Arlo sighed, the lines in his handsome tannedface, softening. “I wish you would have called me and told me that you would beout and about.”

“I don’t need a bodyguard.” But sometimes, Iwished I had one.

“Where are you going from here?” He reached formy hand and much to my own surprise, I didn’t pull away from him this time.

“I’m going home.” What else could I do? I made amistake but that fucker made an even bigger one. I knew I would pay for it inthe end. Maybe even with my life but I sure as hell wasn’t going to go downwithout a fight.

“Bunny.”

I spun on Arlo, jabbing a finger into his chest. “Stopcalling me that. I am not your Bunny. I am not anything to you.”

“You…” He grabbed my hand, pulling me against himroughly. “…are everything to me, Ginny,” he growled out my name even though hehated using it. Arlo Rossi was a tough man to crack and I had been the only onewho could ever do so. I had no idea why. He was nearly fifteen years older thanI was but we had a connection. Athingbetween us and it was annoying ashell.

“I shouldn’t be.” I struggled against him butwhen his hold on me only tightened, I glared up at him. “Arlo,” I bit outthrough clenched teeth, attempting to pull away from him.

“You can fight me all you want but we both knowwhere you’ll end up eventually and where you’ve already been.”

Placing my hands against his chest, I pushed. Hefinally released me, letting me take a step away from him.

Smart man.

“You know we can’t do this. Not again. Not everagain.” I pointed a finger in his face. “You are the one who told me that whenI was a little girl and told you about my little girl crush I had on you. Whatwere your words, Arlo?” I pinched my chin, pretending to think about my nextwords. “Oh I remember. ‘Ginny, you’re just a girl. You’ll find love when you’remeant to but it won’t be with me’. You have no idea what that did to my heart.”

His brows narrowed. “You were a child. I’m into alot of things but children are not one of them.” He lifted his hand when I wentto speak. “I’m not here to tell you what to do.”

I snorted.

He rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean, Bunny.”

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