Page 38 of Complete Me
Enjoy.
Kins
Fuck. This damn woman is going to be the death of me. After checking on everything and grabbing my tablet to work on a design for a client, I lock up and head back outside toward my bike with Kinsey’s book tucked into my leather jacket. Ishould work tonight, but I know I won’t. I’ll be lost to the words Kinsey chose for me to read. I know this can’t go on any longer, but curiosity has the best of me. This pull I feel to this woman is fierce, but I need to make sure that we stay in the friend zone.
For everyone’s sake.
CHAPTER 9
kinsey
The rain beats heavilyagainst the large window of my apartment. I love the rain, and we don’t get nearly enough of it here. People often mistake Washington State as being the rainiest place in the country, but they’re confusing it with our constant cloud cover. Rain gives a perfect excuse to snuggle up with cozy blankets, coffee, and a book, which is exactly what I’ve been doing all evening.
It was just what I needed to rest my brain from thoughts of the giant, sexy man that have consumed me lately. I sit up from my spot curled up on my bed, surrounded by pillows, pulling my EarPods out, when a loud noise echoes from downstairs.
I’m startled back to reality, pulled from the book Ivy begged me to read, that I clearly cannot come up for air from. I pull out the other one, set my Kindle down, and listen, unsure if I was hearing things or not, but then it happens again, the distinct sound of something crashing downstairs.
Could Reid have tripped on something? Knocked something over? He doesn’t typically tattoo on Tuesdays, but maybe he had a late client? Wanting to know if he’s okay, I throw apink tank top over the sports bra I’ve been lounging in and gently pull open the interior door that leads downstairs to the back of the shop.
Creeping down the stairs with my baseball bat, I hear more slamming around, and fear starts to settle in. All of the air evaporates around me, everything slowing down and moving in slow motion. I’m not prepared for the sight I find as I slink around the corner. My hands shake like a leaf as I take in the sight in front of me. Rogue is destroyed. Furniture flipped, his artwork torn off the walls. I’m suddenly deeply regretting not calling anyone first and coming down to check this out myself. I know better.
My heart stutters, then lurches into overdrive, beating so rapidly it almost hurts. I should turn and run, I should go back upstairs and call for help, but for some reason, fear holds me in its clutches, rooting me to the spot. My ears pound, my pulse a steady thump between them, blocking out any other sound.
I try to grapple with what’s happening. Two men continue to destroy the shop, kicking things over, tossing around paperwork and products. They are both wearing battered old T-shirts with thick leather vests over them, a bright red wolf on the back with words I can’t make out from here.
“Who do we have here?” one of the men says as he leers at me, causing terror to slither down my spine. He has creepy fucking eyes and a shaved head, a missing front tooth, and a light dusting of facial hair. The way his eyes travel up and down my body clears my head of the fog, and I know without a doubt, I’ve never been more scared in my life.
I try to grasp onto the reality of what’s happening as I sway slightly on my bare feet. This can’t be happening. I’m in downtown Aspen Ridge for fuck’s sake, there’s no way no one will hear all the banging around, and all I need to do is scream and someone will surely come. Right?
“Who the fuck are you?” I snap, doing my best to turn my terror into rage, even if it’s only half of what I’m currently feeling. Call it pure shock, adrenaline, or stupidity, but I’m struggling to grasp the fact that this is happening right now—in Aspen Ridge, no less.
“Ooh, we got a snarky one, Roach.”
“Roach? What kind of fucked-up name is that? Your parents must hate you.”
Roach just chuckles as he walks toward me. I hold up the baseball bat, ready to swing if he gets too close.
“Aww, what are you gonna do with that, sexy? Don’t want you to hurt yourself with it. Why don’t you put it down and let me and Slug here make it up to you.”
A deep, dark laugh bubbles out of me, half sardonic, half fucking petrified of these two creeps touching me in any capacity.
“I don’t think so. How about you get the fuck out of here?”
“Why don’t you tell us where he is, then, huh?”
“Who?” I ask, playing dumb. It’s obvious they’re looking for Reid if they’re inside his shop, destroying the place.
“Rogue.”
Rogue?
“We’re standing inside Rogue, you fucking greasy-ass nut jobs. Get the hell out before the police arrive.”
The one who looks like he hasn’t seen the effects of a shower in this century looks back at me with his big, bug eyes and tsks. “I don’t think so. We need Rogue. Boss’ orders. And we don’t piss off the prez.”
This gets more and more confusing as it goes on, but I’m doing everything I can to fight the adrenaline coursing through me right now. I’ve got this. They’ll leave. They have to.
“Whelp. Sorry to disappoint, but ‘Rogue’ isn’t here right now. Try again, oh, I don’t know. Never! Get out!”
