Page 88 of Property of Rattler

“They’re just whores!”

“They pitied me!” I toss back.

He leans forward, picks up his crutches, and awkwardly manages to stand. Then he comes toward me. I take a step back, the wall behind me prevents me moving further away. I would be scared, but he’s so off balanced, even a hundred and ten pound woman like me could topple him.

“Club girls are here to serve the members. They get their payback in free board and lodging, and spending money. Why should I invest my time giving them an orgasm when they probably fake it anyway? And as for showing them intimacy? What they want is a patched member to elevate their status and make them an ol’ lady, and that never happens.” He pauses, scrunches his face, then clarifies, “Except for Trixie.”

“You’ve been with her too,” I cry out. “And with all of them. How could I stay here with you knowing they know you better than I do?”

“They don’t,” he spits out. “Ames, I kissed you. I never let my lips touch theirs.” His voice lowers and gentles. “That’s something I only gave you.”

I don’t know whether to believe him. Even I, innocent as I am, have touched mouths and with a number of men. Until Rattler, I was never tempted to go further. Now? I get an icky feeling thinking every female in this club, well, maybe not Pippa or Bronwyn, has been with him. He’d always be comparing me to these experienced women, while I only have a theoretical knowledge of how to get a man off.

He won’t get a chance, I tell myself firmly. I’m leaving tonight. Straightening my back, I pluck up the courage to ask him again. “Are you going to lend me some money?”

His eyes stare into mine. I return his gaze unwaveringly. “You can’t leave. The Russian is still out there. At least give Bullseye some time to see if he can square him away. If you left now, who knows who may be watching.” He pauses, swallows, then emphasises, “It’s not safe. And where would you go anyway?”

I throw up my hands knowing I’m being childish. “Anywhere, just not here.”

“You‘re not going out of my sight. For all we know, the Russians are watching the compound, waiting to grab you as soon as you appear.”

“And what?” I push the palm of my hand against him. “Force me to marry this Volkov person?” Raising and lowering my shoulders, I muse out loud. “Perhaps Malachi was right, maybe he is good-looking. And maybe he knows how to fuck and satisfy a woman.”

Rattler growls, “You’re pushing me here, Ames. And,” he glances down at his damaged body, “I’m in no position to show you how wrong about me you are. But there’s no fuckin’ way you’re going to give yourself to the Russian. And aren’t you forgetting one little detail? You’re still fuckin’ married to me.”

“You’re just worried it puts a target on your back. You’re just thinking about yourself. Oh, actually there’s an easy way out. You’ve already signed the annulment papers. I’ll add my signature before I leave.”

Rattler’s whole body tenses, but I’m not afraid that he’s going to hit me. For a start he’d fall over before he laid a hand on me, and secondly, even when I annoyed him back in the cabin, words were his weapon, not his fists.

But I don’t expect him to manoeuvre his crutches under him, and take a step away from me, tossing over his shoulder, “There’s no fuckin’ reasoning with you in this mood.” He swings himself forward again, opens the door and exits out of it. Asecond later I hear a suspicious clicking. Running to test my theory, I find I’m right. He’s locked me in.

Damn it. Damn him.

I scream in frustration.

One thing’s for certain. As soon as he returns, I’ll push past him and leave. I already know I can run faster than him. And on crutches, he won’t have a chance.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

RATTLER

Fucking women. Fuck them all. Fuck Ames for turning on me, and fuck the club girls for exposing my secrets.How dare they speak of my sexual performance in front of her? Okay, I’m guilty in what they accused me off, but that’s what they’re there for. To service me, not the other way around. Surely even those bitches should be able to see I would be different with my old lady?

Should have fucked her back at the cabin.Then she’d have known they were talking shit. I’d been taking it slow, being a gentleman due to her inexperience. But fuck if that hasn’t come back to bite me in the ass.

I’m so angry, one of my crutches slides out from under me as I take the stairs too fast. The clattering draws attention as it bounces down and hits the floor. Heads spin around to look at me, while I’m ignominiously hanging onto the rail. Thank fuck they look concerned rather than laugh.

Quickly moving toward me, Paint picks up my crutch and hands it over. I take it, and make the rest of the way down more carefully.

“You alright, Brother?” he asks.

For an answer, I just glare.

“Uh oh.” He chuckles. “Trouble in paradise, yeah? She turned you down.”

I hadn’t even had a chance to ask her the question. She’d jumped in with both feet and had made it clear she didn’t want to be married to me. Ignoring him, I look around for one of my targets. The patching-in party is in full swing, music blaring, brothers drinking. I push my way through the throng, and then I spy her. My rage tints everything red, and all I can see is Trixie, laughing with one of the brothers as if she hasn’t a care in the world, acting as if she hadn’t just destroyed my marriage. Oblivious to anyone else, I launch myself toward her, getting right up into her face, and shouting so loud my voice can be heard over everything else.

“You fuckin’ whore. What the fuck business was it of yours to tell Ames what I’m like in bed? I regret ever touching your skank ass.”