Page 62 of Bad For A Weekend

I sit down on her mattress, suddenly feeling exhausted. “Do you remember what it felt like when that man had a gun to your back and was walking through an abandoned hallway in the dark? Because I remember what it felt like for me, and I’ve never been more terrified in my life. If something like that ever happened again”—I close my eyes and shake my head—“I can’t even think about that.”

She steps between my legs and places her hands on my shoulders. “I remember. Trust me, I remember. But over the last few weeks, I’ve let that fear control me. I’ve let it stop me from doing the things I used to love to do, and you know what? It sucks.”

I shouldn’t reach out and rest my hands on her hips. I clarified our relationship this morning and need to stick to it. But she’s still in her swimsuit, and her bare skin is on display, begging for my touch. So, I do it. I place my hands on her hips and look up into her blue eyes.

“I want you to have a life. I want you to have the best fucking life anyone has ever had before. But I’m terrified whoever is behind all this wants to take away your chance at that.”

“If you want me to have the best life, then why are you fighting this thing between us?” she asks. I try to speak, but she covers my mouth. “I’ve never had a day of misery. Even when I’m fighting the bad thoughts, I still know I’m privileged beyond compare. So imagine my surprise when I found someone who made me even happier.”

I remove her hand, keeping it clasped in mine. “I’m not having this discussion again. You’ll find someone else who will make you happy. Someone you can be proud to have at your side.”

“What if I don’t want someone at my side? What if I want the man who stands behind me so nothing bad happens?”

“It’s too messy and neither of us needs any more messy than we already have.”

She takes a step back, shaking her hand free from mine. “I was ready to fuck my entire life up for a man who doesn’t think I’m worth it.”

I jump to my feet because that’s not what I meant, and I’ll be damned if she thinks for one second she’s not worth every fucking thing in this world. If it could make our story end in anything but disaster, there’d be no length I wouldn’t go to.

“You can’t see it, but I’m doing this for you. Ever since the day I saw you on Ziggy’s back, covered in bruises, everything I’ve done has been for you.”

“That sounds like a bullshit excuse you use to ease your conscience.”

“Baylor, I—” Ziggy stops short as he walks into the room. Whatever he reads from the situation isn’t good, judging by the look on his face. “You’re busy. I’ll come back.”

“It’s fine.” I breeze past him. “You want to put your life at risk to dance and have a few drinks, that’s on you.”

The club is a nightmare. Hundreds of people piled into a building with loud music and low lighting. Even with the roped-off VIP area Corey secured on the rooftop deck, it’s too much for me to process. And Baylor isn’t fucking helping.

She looks hot. More than hot. She looks like every man’s wet dream, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed. I see the men circling our little corner like vultures, just waiting for the opportunity to swoop in and take what’s mine.

Not mine. Who I’m protecting.

“Are you gonna stand there scowling all night, or are you gonna have some fun with the rest of us? I promise I won’t tattle,” Brandy says with a wink.

I thought it was a good thing when she decided to join us, but after two tequila shots and a bucket of punch, she’s more of a liability than Baylor.

“I’m good.”

“Oh, come on.” She turns her back to me and bends forward, shaking her ass in a way that I can help but appreciate. How does she make it circle like that?

“Barking up the wrong tree,” I say with amusement. I dare anyone to not smile when Brandy is around.

“Can’t blame a girl for trying.” She saunters off, catching the eye of a man at least ten years younger than her. “He’ll do.” She slips past the ropes and drags the guy to the dance floor.

Poor fucker. He doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into.

I glance over at Baylor, who’s sipping her punch and having what looks like a heated conversation with Ziggy. I don’t know how much he heard or what she’s told him, but I have to trust that Baylor will smooth things out and not let word get out over what happened between us. I have no other choice. If I stepped in, I’d only make things worse.

Sara was drunk an hour ago and is dancing by herself way too early in the night. She’s gonna be trouble; I can feel it.

Baylor stands and walks over to me, sending a sudden rush of warmth to my cock. Her dress is made up of white lace daisies, but it’s sheer in between the flowers, exposing her nude panties and bra underneath. She might as well be naked.

“We’re going to go dance,” she says, pointing to the dance floor just beyond the ropes.

“Stay on the outside,” I warn.

She rolls her eyes. “We’ll try.”

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