Page 8 of Tyson (Ariel Kimber 4.50)

I couldn't keep the smile off my face if I tried.

Ariel was so going to love this place and I couldn't wait to show it to her.

Chapter Five

You’re such a bitch

Out of all the things I had envisioned myself doing today, this was certainly not one of them. I'd woken up this morning feeling like it was going to be a beautiful day and excited to reach out to my girl so I could tell her about the shop and maybe convince her to drive out there with me so she could see it for herself with her own eyes and I could see her reaction to it with mine.

Before going to bed I had almost texted her to tell her about our new building and the shop but I had refrained, not wanting to wake her up if she'd been sleeping and not wanting to keep her awake if she hadn't gone to sleep yet. Not when it could easily wait until the morning. So, I'd left it alone for the night.

This morning, I'd gotten up, showered and dressed for the day. Excited, I'd picked up my cell, intent on calling Ariel, only to come up short when I came face to face with an unread text message from Belle. A-fucking-gain.

After realizing I hadn't taken the time to switch out her name in the contacts I promptly set about doing that. She was now saved under Wicked Bitch and I thought it to be rather fitting for her seeing as it was now one of the many nicknames I had in store for her and Belle was certainly long since dead and gone.

But, unfortunately, the bitch was back and I had to deal with her.

Her text demanded I send her an address for our meet or she’d come to my house.

Without thinking too much about it, I texted her back an address. And immediately cringed at how stupid I'd been afterwards. I thought about texting back and changing the meeting spot but knew that'd be stupid because she'd never stop questioning over why I'd changed spots and what was so important about the first one that made me immediately change my mind.

I left it alone, consequences be damned.

***

I parked right out front of the semi deserted restaurant and immediately exited my vehicle. There was no point in sitting in there feeling miserable and sorry for myself, not when I could get out, go inside and be miserable but still get it over with.

After seeing her at the Motel in all of her hideous glory, there was no fucking way I was going back out there to meet with her and there was no way I was going to be alone with her in any place, not a park, not anywhere. At least here at the restaurant there would be other people who could be witnesses if I needed any, and with Annabell there was no telling if I would need witnesses after the fact or not.

The reason I'd picked this place was because Uncle Quint and I used to come here all the time. When he'd come to visit he would take me here to get a burger, just to go and do something with the two of us when he got annoyed with my dad bossing him around. It was before he'd taken on the responsibility of being my sole guardian, but he'd never been a happy go lucky easy person to deal with and had always been moody and bossy. It had just gotten worse after my dad died.

I had fond memories here with him, which is why I had originally chosen this place. With Uncle Quint, I always felt safe. This place was so full of memories of coming here with him that it felt like a safe place to meet the crazy bitch. We were on my turf now, not hers.

Believe me, I wasn't stupid enough to think that meant this was my game we were playing and not hers. I'd never be that stupid. But maybe I could learn what the hell it was she really wanted from me so I could figure out a way to get rid of her ass once and for all without it hurting my family any more than she already had.

Sounded like an impossible task to me but one I was willing to give my all to.

The hostess greeted me with a smile I could have cared less about and, as she deflated at my lack of interest, I almost took pity on her and told her I had a girlfriend who no one else could compare to and to save her smiles for someone else. I didn't because it was none of her business and didn't want to chance Annabell overhearing me saying anything about Ariel. The less she knew about her the better off we would all be. I could deal with her stringing me along, to a point. What I couldn't deal with was her fucking with Ariel. Then the gloves would come off and I'd take her ass down.

Ignoring the hostess, I walked around her and moved in the direction Annabelle's heat was coming from. I found her sitting alone at a table in the empty dining room. I sat down across from her and didn't take my eyes off of her as she looked up at me from underneath dark, thick, lush eyelashes.

I realized then my mistake. She thought she still had me and came here to seduce me, I could see it all in her big eyes.

Fucking bitch.

"Your waitress will be right with you both," the hostess murmured in a voice laced with hurt.

I didn't give a shit about her hurt or the fact she'd obviously been upset by not getting her chance to flirt with me. I was used to it because women were always flirting with me and they always seemed to either get pissed or be hurt when I ignored their efforts. Like their feelings were all that mattered.

I curled my lip in disgust.

Annabell was exactly that kind of female. Men were nothing but pawns in her game to her and I had stupidly been one of them.

Not ever again would I allow myself to be hurt by some evil bitch.

"What do you want with me, Annabell?" I growled at her from across the table.

She flinched at hearing my words and my jaw clenched painfully. The bitch actually flinched. Unbelievable. I had never seen her flinch at anything before, she'd always been a pillar of strength that I had found impressive, until I had figured out she'd used it against me. Now she looked hurt and it baffled me.

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