Page 5 of Bound by Wreckage
2
Carsyn
This isstupid and a sure-fire way to piss off Buck more and get my ass beat. But I can’t let him go without seeing him one more time. I don’t even know his name, but I really don’t care. There is something familiar about him. Something I’m drawn to and can’tshake off.
When I walked up to the table, his broad shoulders were on display and the ink trailing his arm had me curious. Never had this happened before.
Ever.
None of the men here interest me in the slightest. If anything, I hate them—every damn one of them.
With the stranger, though, a peculiar pull came over me, and it was why I wasn’t thinking when Buck kissedme. His mere presence threw me off my game. It was a critical error on my end. Normally, I just do it the way he likes to get it over with, but this time my senses went haywire, which is not a good thing when it comes to Buck. The power of the man at the table caught me off guard.
Keeping on my toes with Buck has been my priority for the past nine years, and I just didn’t think. It wasa moment that will come with swift punishment, of that I have no doubt. My cheek still throbs, but it’s nothing compared to what I’ve endured or what I will endure. His hit to my face was a warning of what’s to come later, when the strangers are away.
I’d rather be punched than anything else. Some scars never go away. Never heal. Never release you from their grip. They’re the kind not visibleto the eye, but rather, that cover your soul and blacken it more by the day. The physical eventually heals, but the shit on the inside lingers, never releasing its hold.
The door slams shut, and I hear him before I see him. Standing in the shadows of the building, I carefully peek around the corner. Both men with Buck are talking in hushed tones, but their facial expressions tell me they’repissed off. The one with the broad shoulders and tatted arm looks familiar, but I can’t place him. He’s not from this club though, because I would remember him.
Hearing his deep, sensual voice is arousing in a way I’ve never experienced. The actual tingles and throbbing comes in waves. It’s like being a teenager again. Like going back in time before… well, before my life crumbled.
Living here has been about survival. Never about any type of pleasure—ever.
My heel slips on a rock, and the sound of it is so damn loud. I move quickly, pressing my back to the concrete wall and closing my eyes tight.He can’t see me. He can’t see me.
“Hey.” The deep bark tells me who it is, and nerves flutter all around me. Slowly, I open my eyes only to jump back further into thewall as a gun is pointed directly at my face. His gaze bores into me as I shake off the surprise.
So what if he shot me. It would be better than the life here and dealing with Buck day in and day out. Really, at this point, I have nothing to lose. Buck and his crew won’t ever kill me, that’s for sure. Mystery guy either kills me and puts me out of my hell, or he lets me live and I dealwith it. Just like every other day.
“Hey.” My voice comes out a bit raspy, making me clear my throat. Nerves spark in warning of getting caught.
The man puts his gun down and then puts it behind his back, his gaze softening just a touch. Those deep brown depths have swirls of gold near the irises standing out. “You okay?”
Sucking in a deep breath, I answer, “Of course.”
“Nox,” he introduces and then points to the other guy. “Green.” I only nod in response.
Nox. Nox? No. It can’t be. There’s no way. That can’t be him. The familiarity sinks in further, and I blink trying to wrap my head around it. The boy from my past, the boy who I knew before… It just can’t be him. Can it? Taking another look at his eyes it hits me, and I try to keep my breaths even.
“Wanna tell me what that was about in there?” Nox asks.
“Not really.”
A small smirk tips his lips, and the breath swooshes from my lungs. “At least there’s some life in ya.”
“Pardon?” My heart beats wildly in my chest. Everything spins in my mind; it’s hard to think clearly having him so close. Inhaling, I breathe him in. The smell is stronger than any drug, taking mehigher than I’ve ever been before.
“You sure you’re okay? You’re gonna have a hardcore bruise.”
I shake off his concern. No one ever has concern for me. The only one who does is me. It’s been me for a very long time, and he really doesn’t mean it. I can’t fall for a trap. I won’t fall for a trap. “I’m fine.”
I bite my lip, needing to ask him, but fearing it at the same time.What if it really is him? And he saw me like this? Buck kissing me and then punching me. What a mess my life has turned into. But I have to know. I won’t be able to go back inside there and regret never finding out the truth.
“Lennox Cruz? Right?”
His eyes become sharp like knives digging into my soul. The anticipation of his answer has me wanting to bounce on my heels. My handsfidget and start to sweat. His intensity on me is different than Buck’s. His is a mixture of emotions, but I can’t tap all of them.
“Yeah. And you are?”
