Page 47 of Luck of the Draw

Brennan wasn’t any different from Jesse and every other piece of shit man who’d had her under their thumb. He’d been nice enough that it tricked her about what kind of person he was, and she fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

Of course he was just using her for sex. Of course he didn’t actually care about her as much as he’d seemed like he did. Had she really expected him to be that much different than everyone else?

So fucking stupid.

But oh fucking well. Skye was using him, too, and at least Brennan hadn’t raised a fist to her. At least he hadn’trapedher. His dismissive, callous words stung, but that was only because she had allowed herself to stupidly hope and believe that he was different. Deep down, she just wanted to believe that good mendidexist.

But good men didn’t need to exist for Skye to get herself out of this mess. Brennan was just a means to her end of getting out of New Orleans.

Surprisingly, the silver lining of the humiliating scene was Brennan’s friend Liza. Liza was kind and compassionate. She mostly seemed like she was trying to keep Brennan from looking bad, but Liza’s concern reminded Skye that men didn’t matter. The silent sisterhood of caring women in the world mattered.

It had always been the sisterhood of women, usually those suffering exactly like Skye was, who reminded her something better was out there, and they all just needed to grab onto it somehow.

Liza had unknowingly given Skye the courage to keep her feet and walk away from a mortifying situation. That’s what mattered.

Liza’s kindness mattered. Brennan didn’t.

Skye wiped her face and tilted her head back to rest against the side of the building. This section of St. Peter functioned as a side street to the bustle of Royal, and there weren’t a lot of people traipsing up and down the sidewalk. And thank God for that because at least she didn’t have to try to pull herself together in front of gawking strangers before going back to the restaurant to find Brennan. After all, she wasn’t done using him yet. She still needed that free bed and ride out of town the next day.

Being at the mercy of a man with money still sucked, but this really was the last time.

And at least he hadn’t hit her. At least he hadn’t raped her.

Skye took a deep breath in preparation to stand up and go back when the sound of shoes on concrete caused her to turn her head. Brennan was approaching her.

He crouched in front of her, and she turned her head in the opposite direction.

“I don’t care, Brennan,” she said before he could open his mouth. “I really don’t.”

“I do, Skye.”

“Buu-uull…shii-iit,” she drawled, lazily turning her head toward him and looking at him with a bored expression. “You don’t care about me, and I couldn’t care less that you don’t.”

His expression made him look like a kicked puppy. It looked fake as fuck, and like it was a result of all his friends seeing how much of an asshole he was.

“I do care about you, Skye,” he countered. “What I said was wr—”

“Did you not just hear me?” Skye raised both eyebrows and stuck her neck out. “I don’t care. I’m not here for your drama. I don’t care what you really think of me. I don’t care what you say to your friends about me when you think I can’t hear you.” She tilted her head back to rest against the side of the building and cast him a sardonic look. “I’m here for a good time. I’m here for you to fuck mereallygood, and you’ve done a great job at that.” She lifted a shoulder flippantly. “It’s pretty clear you’ve enjoyed that too, so I think we have an understanding. Don’t we?”

He opened his mouth to say something, but she spoke up before he could.

“So why don’t we just put this awkward shit behind us and go back to your place, baby?” She winked sarcastically. “I’ll even suck your dick again just so you know there’s no hard feelings.”

Fuck him and the way he just flinched at her candor.

The muscle in Brennan’s jaw flexed and released. “I don’t want you to do that.”

“Yes, you do,” she snapped. “You’ve got me eating out of the palm of your hand. You’re using me to your advantage. Right? I don’t know how much more of an advantage I could offer you than that.”

He wiped his palm down his face before clasping both hands between his bent knees. “I didn’t mean any of that, sweetheart.”

“No, you didn’t mean for me tohearany of that. A person’s true character comes out when nobody’s watching. You didn’t think I was watching. You have no reason to lie to your friends. You told them the truth.”

“I didnottell them the truth. They cornered me and were giving me shit about stuff that has nothing to do with you. I threw you under the bus because of my own insecurities. That was shitty. It also wasn’t true. I shouldn’t have said any of that. I didn’t mean it, and I’m sorry.”

“Wow, you’re sorry.” Sarcastic as Skye was, it was kind of surprising that Brennan actually apologized. Nobody ever apologized, and most people had done way worse than toss out a few demeaning words that they believed she couldn’t hear. Still, fuck him. “That’s really so moving, Brennan. I’m getting the damn vapors right now.”

A couple of empty beer bottles sat next to the concrete steps, and Skye picked one up. She lobbed it onto the sidewalk next to them, and it shattered on impact.

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