Page 57 of A Hurt So Good

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think that changes how we feel about you?” I ask her once more.

“It should. I’m sure one of you at least wants kids,” she replies.

“I thought about that once. Thought about what it would be like to have a kid of my own. But the more I thought about it, the more I was against it. I’m not a good man, Arya. There’s no way I would make a good dad.”

“And the other two? Harlon? I can’t picture him not wanting kids,” she says.

“He may. He may not. You know, there are other options, right?”

“I know, but that’s not something we’ve ever talked about either. This is all so new and so quick.”

“And we don’t have to talk about right now, little bird. We have a whole fucking future for that.” She looks up at me, a smile on her face.

“When did you become like Harlon?”

“I’m nothing like Harlon.”

“I don’t know, War, you’re being awful nice right now,” she teases. I shove at her arm, reach for the bottle by her feet, and snatch it up.

“Shut the fuck, and let’s get drunk,” I tell her. She laughs before standing and climbing on the end of my lounge chair. She scoots herself up between my spread legs and lays her head on my chest.

“Thank you, War.”

“It’s all good, little bird.”

“You made my throat hurt,” she adds. I chuckle now.

“I sure as hell hope you don’t want an apology for that.”

“Never.”

“You liked it, didn’t you? You like when I hurt you?”

“I never really thought I would. I mean, obviously, I’ve heard about things like that, but I’ve never had them done to me.”

“You’re not answering the question.”

“You’re going to make me say it out loud, aren’t you?” Now I laugh.

“You’re goddamn right I am.”

“Fine. I like what you do to me, Warren. Happy now?” I grab her chin roughly and force her to look up at me before leaning down and pressing my lips to hers.

“Yeah. I’m happy now.”

Chapter 24

Harlon

I thought California was hot, but Miami is hotter. I don’t know what the difference is, but this place is like hell.

“I don’t like it,” Arya whines, thinking exactly what I was thinking.

“It’s so fucking hot, right?” I say. She nods her head, dabbing at the sweat dotting her forehead.

“Too fucking hot.”

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