“Can you keep a secret?” I ask, making sure the coast is clear myself.
“Consider me a vault.” She zips her lips. “There’s no one for me to tell anyway. You’re the only one who’s nice to me.”
The only reason the other girls aren’t nice to her is because they’re jealous. Rory is the princess of the club, and those girls would give anything to be in her shoes. Especially Cherry. She’s dying for Ripper’s undivided attention, but right now, his one and only priority is Rory.
“I’m sorry for the way they treat you,” I tell her. “They’re just jealous.”
“I don’t know what for. They can do anything they want. I’m the one under house arrest for a crime my father committed.” God, I hate that for her. “Anyway, this is about you. So, what’s your big secret?”
“I’m in love with a man I can’t have.”
“Dagger?”
I don’t know why everyone thinks I’m interested in Dagger. He’s a good friend, but that’s it.
“No, apparently, I go for the rigid daddy types who like to tell me what to do.” It sounds ridiculous even to my own ears. Ishouldbe interested in a guy like Dagger. Someone nice who makes me laugh. Someone who compliments my outfits ratherthan telling me to go change. But apparently, I go for the heavy-handed type. I get off on the strict dominance, and those big, swift fingers.
“Link.” She hits the nail right on the head, and now I’m reconsidering that smoke after all.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Rory. It’s like I’m a glutton for punishment.” Literally. I want him to bend me over his lap and punish me again. I still feel the incessant need deep in my gut. I woke up replaying what happened and was hoping I’d find him in the mood to give me another reward. But he slapped me with rejection instead.
“I think we all want what we can’t have,” she says. “But I also think he wants you too. I’ve seen the way he watches you, tracking your every little move, always wondering where you are. The man isn’t immune, Shay. He’s obsessed.”
And yet, he wants to move out so he can get away from me. So he can forget what happened between us.
“He thinks I’m too young.”
She rolls her eyes. “The sweetbutts are barely of legal drinking age.” True. But none of the sweetbutts begged him to be their dad when they were little. It’s something he just can’t seem to get past.
“What do I do, Rory?”
I lie back and look up at the sky, wondering if my answer is up in the clouds. I’ve been lost my entire life and the only time I’ve ever felt safe and secure is when I’m with Link. But now… Now, everything’s a mess. He was right to tell me not to get involved with any of the men. I just pissed where I work, eat, and sleep, and I’m not sure how things are going to be for me around here anymore. I’m not sure how I can even look at him again.
“I think you stop following his rules.” She blows out a breath of smoke. That’s already been decided. If he doesn’t want me, hedoesn’t have a say. “And I think you wear the sexiest dress you own tonight and show him exactly what he’s missing out on.”
I turn my head and smirk. The girl is definitely a genius. “You want to help me pick something out?”
“Absolutely.”
It’s almost like clockwork. The deep voice comes barreling through the trees, startling us both.
“Rory. Time to go inside. We’ve got church, which means I need you in your room.”
She rolls her eyes, quickly hiding her smokes.
“I’m going to help Shay pick out an outfit.”
“An outfit for what?”
“For tonight,” I tell him.
“You got a hot date?” He cocks his brow.
I don’t, but that’s not a bad idea. Maybe I should try to get myself a date. Link doesn’t like when I flirt with Dagger. I think tonight, I’ll put on an extra good show for him.
10
Link
