Bull, page 4
He stopped when our waitress returned with our meals. We both thanked her and she rushed off without a word. I moved my face over my plate and inhaled deeply, moaning at the delicious aroma of hot food, and then my eyes met Bull’s. "Go ahead and try," I challenged.
He salt and peppered his fries and popped one into his mouth. "Easy," he said, talking around the food in his mouth. "Someone you can bring home to mom. He'd have to be safe, stable in his job, polite." His eyes ran over me as he spoke, lingering long enough on my breasts to cause my nipples to harden. "Someone who'd take his time with you."
He was good, but his last comment caused me to frown. "Take his time?"
Since he had taken a huge bite of his giant burger, I had to wait for him to chew and swallow it. I took a bite of my own and closed my eyes, moaning at the delicious juices that squirt into my mouth. I didn't eat burgers very often, but when I did I wanted a juicy one, and this one didn't disappoint.
Bull took a breath. "Someone who woos you, takes his damned sweet time getting you into his bed. Probably take him a month to steal a first kiss," he smirked.
What he was describing was slow, easy, and boring. Safe. God, he had hit the nail right on the head. "What's wrong with slow?" I took another bite of my burger.
He snorted. "Slow is too fucking boring for me, Sprite. When I want a woman, I take her in the moment. Might be an hour after we meet. Might be a week. If the attraction is there, and we're both on the same fucking page, why wait? It's all about naked, sweaty bodies and satisfaction."
A giggle escaped me as I took a sip of my beer. He made it sound so easy. "You do this a lot?"
"Do I look sexually frustrated?"
I shook my head. Not at all. "So you sleep around."
"I like variety," he defended. "I'm not a one-woman man."
His comment was telling, and I smiled, reminding myself that I was glad that he wasn't my type. He would be a heartbreaker for sure. "So, are you saying that you sleep with several women at the same time, or that you'll never settle down?"
"Both."
Oh. I had nothing to say to that. I found it kind of sad. I could never be involved with a man who wasn't faithful, but at least Bull owned up it. I had a feeling that the women he was involved with knew the score and accepted it. Silence followed, and I concentrated on finishing my meal.
"You got quiet, Sprite."
I noticed that he had finished his meal and was sitting back against his chair.
I smiled. "Trying to keep up with you, Big Guy.”
Bull glanced down at my plate with a crooked grin. "You're doing better than I thought you would," he noticed, and then he leaned over the table, closer to me, his face growing serious. "I'm not a good man, Viola. I like my life the way it is. Like fighting, drinking, and fucking. Women I fuck know the score. I don't play around with emotions, and I'm too old to change my ways."
Was he warning me? I chewed thoughtfully on the last of my hamburger, watching him relax back in his chair as if he were satisfied that he had got his message across. I wished that I had something clever to say in response, but nothing came to mind. I realized that I liked Bull, but that we were nothing alike.
Maybe it didn't matter.
Friends didn't have to be compatible.
You liked them for who they were.
Chapter 6
BULL
I couldn't help but notice how natural it felt with Viola sitting behind me as we headed back to Grinders. Almost as if she had been riding with me for a long time. I liked the way she felt snug up against me, her small hands splayed over my lower abdomen. Every once in a while I reached back and patted her bare thigh, resisting the urge to run my hand down the length of her leg. It was clear that she was enjoying the ride. Her husky laughter warmed my ear and caused my fucking dick to get hard, betraying me.
She wasn't my type.
I'd made that clear.
She had gotten quiet after I'd explained to her the kind of man that I was. I hadn’t gotten the impression that she'd been judging me, but that she’d been digesting my words. That was good. I liked women to know exactly where I stood when it came to what they could expect from me. My brothers thought the day would come when I would be taken down by a woman like most of them had been, but they were wrong.
Grinders’ parking lot was fuller than it had been when we'd left, and as I pulled into the lot I noticed that there was a fight going on outside. A circle of onlookers had the two men penned in as they went at each other hard, as if they were in a fight to the finish. I pressed my lips as I backed my bike into a spot and turned it off. Viola's gasp was against my ear as she leaned forward and peered over my shoulder.
"They're really going at it," she murmured with concern in my ear.
I released a harsh breath when I noticed that Jolly was one of the men fighting. I didn’t recognize the other one. "Go inside, sweetheart."
"What are you going to do?" Using my shoulders for support, she climbed off my bike.
I grinned at the worry in her voice. Was it for me? I glanced back at the fight. Both men were evenly matched, but the way Jolly was going at the other guy made me worried that he was going to do some serious damage, if not kill him.
"Gonna rescue my brother," I explained. Viola gasped, but before anything else could be said I watched as a third man joined in. And this one had a big fucking knife. "Fuck." I took off.
I was a big man and I used it to my advantage to break the crowd apart. People grumbled and snarled until they saw who was shoving them, and then they wisely quieted down and stepped back. I didn't take time to smirk, my eyes riveted on the fight. Jolly jumped back from the knife-wielding man, and as I got closer, I could see blood running down his arm. The man he'd been fighting snuck up behind him and grabbed him by both arms, pinning them at his back.
Oh, fuck no!
My target was the asshole with the knife, and I didn't hesitate to go up to him and grab him by the arm. His eyes grew round with fear when he saw me, and then he screamed in pain when I twisted the wrist that was holding the knife until he dropped it to the ground amidst the sound of breaking bones. Jolly pulled his arms free, swung around, and clocked the other man hard enough to send him to the ground.
"You broke my fucking wrist!" the guy in front of me screamed, spit flying from his mouth as he wrapped his good hand around it for support.
"Be glad your wrist is all I broke, asshole," I grated, my breathing barely elevated. "Leave the knife and get the fuck out of here. And take your friend with you." It was funny how fast the crowd broke up after that. I swung back to face Jolly, who was panting and bleeding. "What the fuck, Brother?"
He wiped away the blood on his mouth. "He made a pass on Trina."
Knowing Trina, she had probably flirted with the guy. Jolly overlooked that shit, but let someone make a move on his woman, and he flipped out. "Are you fucking kidding me?" She wasn't worth the hassle, but he would never see it, and I wasn't going to be the one to point it out to him. The poor sucker thought he was in love. Trina was a nice girl and all, but she thrived on the attention she got, and she didn't care how she got it.
"You'd better let me take a look at your arm."
Suddenly Viola was standing next to us, her brows furrowed in worry as she reached up and moved Jolly's sleeve away, and I realized that I’d forgotten about her.
"Thought I told you to go inside." I didn't like that she'd ignored my command.
"The only one I take orders from is my boss," she said smartly, winking at Jolly and drawing a snort from him. Her attention was firmly fixed on examining the knife wound, which looked superficial to me. Her next words confirmed my suspicion. "You're lucky. It doesn't even need stitches. Make sure you clean it and put a bandage on it when you get home. Until then, you might want to go inside and get a napkin to stop the bleeding." She began to look around the parking lot.
I frowned, following her gaze. "What are you looking for?"
"The other man. He needs tending to, too." Her eyes finally met mine, and they were filled with mild disgust.
"Forget about him, he's gone."
She opened her mouth to say something in response but didn't get the chance. Trina pushed through the door and made her presence known in typical Trina style.
"Baby!" she gushed, stumbling her way toward Jolly in ridiculously high stilettos. It was obvious that she had just finished a dance and hadn't taken the time to throw any clothing on. Her tits were on display and jiggled with every step she took. The miniscule thong she had on had disappeared between her pussy lips.
Trina's eyes darted to mine right before she hurled herself at Jolly. I knew that look, but I refused to be taken in by it. She'd made it clear on more than one occasion that she wouldn't mind hooking up, and I may have been tempted once, but that was never going to happen now. I would never betray a brother, especially with a bitch who had no problem cheating on her man. Once Jolly had made it known that he had a thing for Trina I'd written her off. Too many other women at my disposal.
My gaze met the amusement in Viola's eyes.
“I guess I'd better get inside to Lissa."
"Your friend?" Trina questioned, turning out of Jolly's embrace. "She's gone, honey. She took off with Frenchie. She said you wouldn't mind."
Viola released a resigned sigh, but it didn't change the smile in her eyes. "Her MO. I would have been surprised if she hadn't disappeared. Is she safe with Frenchie?"
Her question was directed at me. "Will he be safe with her?" I countered with humor.
Her laughter was low and husky. "I have a feeling they are well-matched. Still, if I don't hear from her by morning..." She let her words trail off ominously.
My brows lifted. "Sounds like there's a threat in there somewhere, Sprite."
She feigned innocence. "I would never threaten anyone! It's not in my nature. But I may become a nuisance."
I laughed. "Now that is a threat."
"She's my best friend," she stated, her tone revealing the extent of her affection for Lissa.
I recognized that she needed more than just a flippant response from me to squelch her concerns. "Lissa is safe with Frenchie, sweetheart." My eyes cut over to Jolly. "Go home and take care of that arm, Brother."
"I'm done for the night. Let me go inside and get my things and I'll go with you." Trina hauled ass to the door.
"Tell Yogie we're leaving,” I said to her retreating back. I pinned my eyes on Viola. "You got a way home?"
She nodded. "I have my car when I'm ready to leave."
I had started to turn away from her until the implication of her words caught up with me, and I turned back. "You're not leaving now?"
I could hear her husky laugh over the sound of traffic passing by. "I'm not ready to call it a night. I haven't even done any dancing yet."
"You're going to stay here without your friend?" I felt my brows dip with irritation. A lone woman in Grinders wasn't a safe woman.
"I'm a big girl, Bull. I've worked hard all week so I could unwind tonight. I'm used to Lissa disappearing with a new conquest when we go out. But that doesn't mean that I can't stay and have fun."
It was her comment "I'm a big girl," that made my eyes drop down the length of her body and back up again. The getup she had on camouflaged her shape and gave her the appearance of a young girl. I had to remind myself that she was a nurse. The smirk on her face revealed that she thought she knew what I was thinking.
"Not a good idea." That sassy smile on her face didn't even waver. "Grinders isn't the kind of place for a lone woman to be."
"But I'm a big girl," she reminded me with a sparkle of misplaced humor in her eyes. "And don't worry, Big Guy, if it will make you feel better I'll go somewhere else. This isn't our usual kind of place."
My relief was short-lived when I realized that she still intended to stay out alone. A woman alone out drinking and dancing—after a while she would let her guard down and miss the predator looking for an easy conquest. As tiny as she was, she wouldn't stand a chance. I didn’t know why I was letting it bother me, except that it did.
I would have preferred that she just go home, but I reminded myself that it wasn't any of my business if she wanted to hit a club or another bar alone. She was an adult, and until tonight she hadn't even been on my radar.
I shrugged. "Suit yourself." I turned and walked away, trying not to think of her in the arms of another man.
It shouldn't matter if she ended up with a strange man tonight anyway.
Except that for some reason it did.
Chapter 7
VIOLA
I was halfway to the Pink Pebble, a bar that Lissa and I frequented, when I made the decision to just go home instead. I parked in the spot in front of my door and reached for my phone. I sent Lissa a quick text explaining that I expected to hear from her in the morning, smiling when I thought about all the times I'd sent her the same exact message, thinking that she'd never had to send me a single one. Funny, but our differences were what made us such good friends.
Tossing my phone into my bag, I opened the door to exit my car. Despite the lights in the parking lot, it was dark. The air was warm and balmy, causing me to wonder if it was going to rain. Stars dotted the sky, drawing my gaze upward for a minute to appreciate the bright full moon. It was so big that it gave the illusion that I could just reach up and touch it.
I had chosen my corner apartment because of the trees that ran along the side and back of my unit, which provided me with the feeling of complete privacy. As I walked to my door, a slight noise alerted me to the fact that I wasn't alone. I ignored it, thinking that it was my neighbor, Millie. She was a professional pet sitter and came and went at all hours. I glanced to the side of me, expecting to see her walking up to her door, but no one was there. Before I could form my next thought, I was swung around and pushed up against my door.
I let out a squeak and then a grunt at the level of force that my back came into contact with the unyielding door.
"I saw you!" Nick spit with rage down into my face, pinning me. "I saw you with that biker!"
His hands were rough against my shoulders. My eyes grew round and I could feel my heart rate pick up as I looked over his shoulder and realized that we were alone. My mind raced with the thoughts of what an angry Nick could be capable of. "Are you following me?" It was out of my mouth before I could stop it.
He ignored my question. "I knew you were playing me! How many other men are you seeing? You're a lying bitch, just like the others!" It was frighteningly clear that he was drunk, and I could smell it on his breath. I winced with pain as his hands clenched into my shoulders with bruising force.
"Nick, please calm down," I said, keeping my voice calm. "You're hurting me!" I tried to pull away.
Apparently that was the wrong thing to do. Snarling like a rabid dog, Nick crushed me painfully against my door, using his full weight until I could barely breathe. "Are you fucking him?" he gritted.
Ohmygod! Was he serious? I had never expected that he would be capable of something like this. He had always been composed and levelheaded, in control of his emotions. Apparently he had a short fuse and didn't know how to deal with rejection well, and what he was doing now revealed to me that he also had violent tendencies.
I could barely breathe.
"Are you?" he snarled when I didn’t answer him.
How could he expect me to respond when I couldn't draw in air to talk? Somehow I managed to push him hard enough for him to take a step back. "Nick—" I sucked in air quickly, but it wasn't long before he was crowding against me again.
He punched the door next to my head, causing me to jump in fear. "I'll show you what happens to women who cheat on me!" The next punch was aimed at my face.
Unable to move, I squeezed my eyes shut and braced myself. Nick's fist covered my right eye. Oh, my God, that hurt! Pain exploded in my eye socket and spread out over my head in dizzying waves. When he reared back to hit me a second time, I found the strength to push him off me and knee him in the groin.
"Nick, stop!" I screamed, holding my arms out to keep him from getting close enough to hit me again. "Please stop!"
"Bitch!" he screamed in pain, grabbing his groin. He recovered quickly and reached for me with a look in his sharp eyes that promised retribution.
"Hey!" someone to the side of us yelled out.
Nick halted and stepped back, his head jerking to where the shout had come from. I recognized Millie's voice immediately and relaxed slightly against the door. Surely he wouldn't continue if there was a witness. Ignoring the intense pain that was radiating through my head, I turned to look in Millie's direction, where she had stopped in the middle of the walkway leading to her door.
Millie held up her phone. "I just called 911, jerk!" she said in a strong voice.
Nick's eyes swung back to me, and I could see the tightening of his mouth. He leaned in close. "You'll be sorry." With that, he turned and walked briskly away.
I watched his retreating back for a minute, still in disbelief at what had just happened. How could I have been so wrong about him? I prided myself on being a good judge of character, but his Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde persona had caught me totally by surprise.
"You okay, Viola?" Millie had walked across the small space separating our lawns and was now standing in front of me. I could see the concern in her eyes as she scanned the parking lot to make sure that Nick had gone. "Was that Nick?"
I had told her a little bit about him and how our dates had gone before I’d decided that he was not what I was looking for. In fact, it had been her advice about life being too short to settle for average that had decided it for me. I'd wasted enough time on the brand of man my mom had convinced me that I needed in order to be happy.
I nodded. "Yeah. He didn't take the breakup too well, and then tonight he saw me with someone else." I tried to smile. "He assumed that I'd been cheating on him."
"Jerk!" Millie said again. "Come on, let's get you inside."
