Page 139 of Invisible String
“Does it irk you, knowing he wants nothing to do with you?” I’m poking the bear, but hey, she started it.
“No, it doesn’t irk me one bit. You’re only a temp cover for him. You’ll always be the memory he wants to erase. Once he figures it out, I’ll be here waiting.”
My lips purse. If she thinks I’ll fall for her trying to knock me down, she’d better try harder. I roll my eyes at her.
“It’s a good thing you spent years apart. Did he tell you how we fooled around?”
I laugh, slapping my knee. “Max hasn’t been with you or anyone else.”
“Ahh, is that what he said? What a lie to keep you. One night at our family party, he was so drunk I felt him, stroked him. Damn, he was hard. He moaned my name. Not yours, mine.”
“Fuck you. If you had to have him drunk, what does it say about you? You take advantage of men when they’re drunk? You’re pretty pathetic.”
Annette has an inch on me. I have a feeling she’s lying to get a rise out of me. She’s so close I can smell her stench of breath. Fuck. I look her right in the eye.
“I’ve known him longer,” she throws out childishly. “A man like Max only fits well with me. You’re not his type. I’m more of his type; we have so much in common. I’m pretty certain I can pleasure him so much better.”
“You should be worried. It seems like you knocked your head too many times.”
“My head works just fine, including my tongue?—”
“Enough, Annette!” Max bellows, his face fuming with rage. “Get the fuck away from her.”
Annette jumps back, startled. Her face goes pale.
“If I ever hear you talk to my future wife like that, I’ll find someone to mess up those hands of yours. Something could happen, and you never make it to fighting pro.” His voice is low,dark, and dangerous. “If I ever see you look her way, you won’t like the outcome.” Max reaches for me, and I sneak my arm behind his bare back. “Rainey is my type, the only type I need. There was never anyone before her, and there certainly will be no one after.” He points at me while Annette looks like she might shit her pants. Her face is full of shock.
“There will only be one woman warming my bed and only one woman holding my name, and you’re looking at the next Mrs. Cano,” he sneers at her. “Get the fuck out of my face…better yet, get out of the gym.” Max holds my hand as we walk past her.
I’m so tempted to turn and see the look on her face. But I don’t. I keep my head held high.
Every nerve in my body tingles with delight. Not that I needed Max defending me. I was doing a good job dealing with her. On the other hand, if it had gotten physical, I would have been thrown like a sack of potatoes.
“Max, I think I need you to train me to fight.”
He stops walking to face me. He tenderly grazes my chin with his index finger.
“Tesoro,did she hit you?” He inspects my body once again. His bright green gaze rolls over my figure.
I shake my head. “No,” I say over the loud hits behind me. “I just…well, it would be good to know next time one of your admirers wants to get all in my face.” The only thing I know how to hit is my dough when I knead it, punching the air bubbles.
His head falls back in a sexy laugh. “Eres tan preciosa para mi,” he says in Spanish. I think it means. “You’re too precious to me.” My heart melts.
“I will teach you anything you want. Although you don’t need to use your fists to fight, baby. That’s why you have me. I’ll fight every fight for you. I’ll defend you over and over.”
I stand on my toes to kiss him, and he bends to accept it. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For always having my back.” His nose skims mine. “Mrs. Cano?” I raise a brow at him. “Is that your way of scaring her away?”
“It’s the truth. You’ll have my name soon. Rainey Cano suits you perfectly.”
My name rolling from his lips sounds more than perfect. Pristine.
“Can’t wait.”
“Yeah?” He smiles boyishly.
