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Against my better judgment, I reached for him, running my fingertips along his stubbled jaw. “I feel it, too, Bane. But Jesus, I need to find another way.”
“Why?”
“Because giving myself to you for two weeks to pay off my brother’s debt is messed up.”
Bane looked away at something over my head. My words had affected him.
“I don’t know of any other way to do this,” he replied roughly. When his eyes returned to my face, there was such anguish in them. “I don’t know if I could do it any other way.”
I frowned at that statement. “Relationships aren’t a transaction. Would you rather I come to you because I want to instead of being forced into it.”
He shook his head and pushed off the counter. Putting more distance between us, he started to pace. “I’d rather you do as I want. Most women would jump at the chance to have access to me for two weeks.”
I folded my arms under my breasts, watching him stalk around like a caged tiger. “I’m not most women,” I reminded him.
That statement gave him pause. “I know you aren’t, Wren. You’re something else. I knew it the moment you walked into my club and demanded mercy for your brother.”
Slowly, so I didn’t frighten him off, I walked toward him. I had a feeling this was a side of Bane Rivera very few people got to see. His vulnerability was bared to me in this moment, a bubble of weakness that wouldn’t last beyond the walls of my shop. I opened my mouth, but he stopped me with a finger against my lips.
“Come to dinner with me tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because I fucking want you to,” he growled. “Jesus, why can’t you do as I say?”
I smirked, and it looked like he wanted to bend me over his knee again. “Is this like a date?”
He shook his head. “No. I want to show you something. I need you to see that I’m not some sex-crazed drug dealer without a heart.”
“I already know you’re not those things.”
“Then you need to learn that my word is my bond. Come to dinner at my sister’s house tonight, and you’ll learn all you need to know. Maybe then, you’ll give me two weeks of your life in order to save your brother’s.”
15
Bane
What in theactual fuck was I saying? I wanted her to come to dinner with me, but that I had to go and fuck it up by bringing business into it? I hadn’t lied when I said I didn’t know how else to do this. I fucking wanted her like I needed the air in my lungs, but ever since I was a kid, my idea of relationships had been fucked up. Somehow Bianca had survived what very little of our father’s lessons in love and devotion showed us, but I had borne the brunt of his lessons.
Along with patricidal modeling, Wren was in my head too, scrambling my thoughts and making shit fucked up.
Looking at her now, covered in dog fur, I shouldn’t be attracted to her. I should head back to the club, call some of my Dolls, and have a fucking orgy off the clock. Screw the no-fucking rule. I needed some pussy, and I needed it now. Since Wren couldn’t—orwouldn’t—give it to me, I’d have to go elsewhere.
But that thought was like a fucking bullet to the chest.
I wanted her and only her.
When the fuck did I become such a pussy?
“Will you come?” I asked harshly.
She nodded, clasping her hands in front of her. “I will.”
Relief flooded me. “Good. I’ll pick you up at six.”
With that, I unlocked the door and strode from her shop. Andy was waiting at the open rear door. I slid inside the car and let out a breath once the door was shut. I turned to find Wren standing just outside her shop, her brows drawn down like she was trying to figure out a problem. Well, good luck to her because even I didn’t know what the fuck was wrong with me.
Shit. I have to get my head on straight. I was Bane-fucking-Rivera. I never let pussy dictate to me. I never let pussy interfere with my business. What I needed to do was remember who the fuck I was and how I’d gotten here. Mooning over Wren had made me soft.
