Page 27 of Savage Devotion
“Yeah. Let’s do it,” I hear myself say, before I find a reason to close down and shut myself off from the very people trying to help me. “Fuck it. You’re here. I’m here. How about next Friday? That will give you time to read this.” I point to the book we are all holding. I feel excited for the first time about doing something that gets me involved with the community. Maybe I will extend my year lease after all. I make a mental note to call the owner later today.
Angel bounces on her toes and clutches her book to her chest. “We’re fast readers. How about tomorrow? It’s a Friday and we can discuss all the shit we love and hate about the alpha on the cover.”
I look over at Charli who looks smug and like she’s always right. From her spot leaning up against the front counter, her elbow propped up on the flat top.
“And all the sex scenes,” Jinx calls out. “I wanna talk about the dirty, raunchy sex and the size of his dick.”
Charli groans and I hold back a laugh at the way she presses a finger between her brows. Jinx has a one-track mind.
“Of course you do, Jinx. Of course you do. Wait until we get to the alien and monster romances.” I wink at Charli, who for the first time since meeting her, actually blushes.
Everyone insists on paying for their books despite me trying to offer them as a thank-you. The second the four leave I find myself smiling like an idiot and wondering if I have time to make fresh dildo-shaped cookies by tomorrow evening in my little countertop ovenandread the book.
“Good problems to have, girl. Good problems.”
I make my way to the back room and put on a new pot of coffee when I hear the bell over the door go off.
“Be with you in just a minute,” I yell toward the front. I make quick work of putting fresh grounds in the coffee maker and head toward the front.
It’s probably Charli or one of the girls. Maybe they forgot something. “Did you guys forget something?” The second I round the corner, my nose smacks into hard muscle.
I stumble back and crash into a shelf, its hard edge stabbing me in the back.
I grunt, fall, but quickly push to my feet. “What the hell?” Ire and fear force my heart into a rapid, uneven beat.
“You thought you could fuck with a Vulture and get away with it, you puny little ugly bitch? Grudge told me to get you on board with his proposal one way or another. Let me tell ya, I like women who fight if ya know what I mean.”
White-knuckling the edge of the bookshelf, I drag my eyes over dirty boots, jeans that haven’t seen a bar of soap in forever, and a black T-shirt hanging off lean muscle.
And red, irritated eyes.
The man I maced yesterday.
My heart stops and my mouth clicks on.
“You picked the wrong woman, fucker!”
10
ARABELLE
Ionly wish I could fight as well with my fists as I do with words. Either way, this man means to make me pay for the embarrassment I put him through in front of his buddies. And like hell I’m going to just let it happen.
An odd combination of adrenaline, protective momma, and pissed-off woman has me reaching for book after book and launching them into the deadbeat’s face. Lips peel back and if a man could look like a beast, this one seems more rabid by the second.
He stalks closer and the gap between us shrinks all too fast.
Shit.
“What the hell do you want? Reaper finds you here and he’ll kill you. The pepper spray will feel like water compared to what he will do.”
“Not before I kill you, bitch! Then I’ll take out your weak, little lover boy.”
I grab the ends of my skirt and launch forward just as he lunges. I am not fast enough. I learn quickly I should have gone for full carpeting instead of only in the back room. Polished wood flooring is slippery as fuck and hard on the body when you meet it face first.
Using my clothes against me, Douche Face jerks back, and I land painfully on the hardwood flooring.
“Ugh,” I grunt and roll.
