House Rules (16 page)

I ran a hand through my hair, walking over to the decanter that sat on a sideboard behind his desk, helping myself. “Who says there’s anything wrong?”

“Don’t pull that shit with me. I can see it all over your face. The last time you were this pissed, you said some pretty fucked up things to my fiancée and I’m not having a repeat. I’d rather not have to beat the shit out of you tonight.”

Ashton didn’t often threaten violence—it was one of the reasons why people preferred borrowing money from him. “I won’t say anything. Wait, did you say fiancée?”

A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “I did. It’s part of the reason Elena wanted to have dinner here, she wanted to tell you herself. You better not ruin that.”

I shook my head, unable to believe my ears. I walked over and pulled my brother into a hug. “Congratulations, man. And I promise, I won’t ruin the surprise.” I stepped back and picked my glass up off of the side table. “I thought you were worried Elena wouldn’t want to get married again?”

He took a seat on one of the couches against the wall. “I was. Didn’t stop me from getting a ring, though. A few nights ago she started talking about kids and families. When she said she wanted to have what her parents have, I knew she was ready and asked that night.”

“I’m really happy for you two.”

I sat there, rolling the glass between my hands, wondering about the one woman to set my blood on fire. I couldn’t keep my thoughts far from her. At night I dreamed about fucking her over and over again until neither of us could move, and every morning I woke, my dick hard as a rock, no relief in sight. Tess had thrown my suggestion back at me like I was some heartless bastard.

“Enough about our engagement. We can talk about that at dinner with Elena. You’re in a shit mood and I want to know why.”

“I haven’t gotten laid in a while.”

“What’s a while? Two days?”

“Try weeks.”

“Bullshit. You flash a smile at the bimbos in the club and they drop at your feet.” He leaned back in his seat, resting his arm on the back of the sofa.

If I hadn’t been so pissed off, I’d have seen the cunning spark in his eyes.

“I tried to take Tess home the other night, but she told me to go fuck myself.”

He shrugged. “It’s one woman. Find another. It’s not like you keep them around long, anyway.”

My head snapped up. “I don’t want another woman. I want Tess.”

The smirk rose up and I wanted to punch it off his face. Bastard had backed me into a corner until I admitted exactly what he said I would.

“Then tell her that.”

“I did. She told me to fuck off,” I growled.

Ashton narrowed his eyes at me. “She didn’t seem the type. Exactly what did you say?”

“I told her we were good together and we could meet up a couple times a week after work at my house for the night.”

“Jesus Christ.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You’re a dumb fucking asshole. You honestly believe she wants to run to your house a few nights a week for a quick fuck? You might as well have tossed the cash right at her. She’s not going to be your fuck buddy, or your whore.”

I stood from my seat and started pacing. “She made that very clear the other night. But I don’t have anything else to offer. I don’t do relationships.”

The deep bellowing laughter stopped me in my tracks. I whipped around to stare at the asshole sitting on the couch, laughing at my predicament. With an obvious effort, he pulled himself together. “You do now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve never wanted a relationship in my life.”

“If you want Tess, then that’s the only way you’re getting her.” He watched me for a moment. “But I think you already know that, and that’s why you’re pissed off. You’re not mad you haven’t gotten laid, you just don’t want to give up your lifestyle.”

There was a lot of truth in his words, yet my mind revolted against the idea of only one woman. It came down to two choices: I could have Tess and only Tess, or I could give her up and continue to sleep with different women.

My issue lay in actually bedding other women, though, because every time I compared them to her and ended up going home alone. Even if I didn’t want to recognize it, the decision had been made for me. I sunk back down onto the couch.

“I don’t even know how to be with only one woman.”

Ashton leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs. “You learn. You tell her upfront that you’re going to fuck up, and apologize when you do.”

She pushed up from the desk trying to move me off her. Lost in my thoughts, I moved back, letting her out from under me and watched as she reached for her clothes, trying to cover herself. Her shorts and underwear were destroyed. I bent and picked up my shirt, handing it over. She quickly took it from my fingers, hastily pulling it on, not bothering to button it, simply holding it closed.

“What did you say?” For all of the bravado she’d shown earlier, she looked lost, like she couldn’t trust her own senses.

I pulled her into my arms. If she was going to understand how I felt, she needed to see it first hand. At first she stood there stiffly, not moving an inch. I’d made her doubt me. God, Ashton was right. I was an absolute idiot. Being an asshole served me well in every business encounter I’d had, but it no way helped when trying to build a relationship with the woman in my arms. Instead it only pushed her away from me.

I placed my finger under her chin and lifted her face so her eyes met mine.

“I want to be so much more to you than an easy fuck at the end of a long day. I want to take you places and give you things. Don’t get me wrong, I want to fuck you in ways you’ve only dreamed of, but only after I’ve wined and dined you.”

Her eyes filled with tears and for the first time in my life, besides my mother and Elena, I felt bad for making a woman cry. I wiped the moisture from her face and continued. “I’m an asshole and I’m going to fuck up. To be honest, I don’t know how
not
to be an asshole. But I’m hoping you can stick around and put me in my place when I need it. You’re the first woman to stand up to me, and I want you to be the last.”

“What changed your mind?” she breathed.

“You . . . and one long-ass conversation with my brother where he called me every name in the book.”

“And you sure you’re not just doing this to get me into bed again?”

Her skepticism pissed me off at first but I pushed it aside, remembering I’d brought it on myself with my behavior. I was used to saying and doing whatever I wanted. This time the tables were turned. I’d lost control and given it up to her. It wouldn’t last. Eventually we’d have equal power in the relationship, but I’d have to earn mine back—but that didn’t include the bedroom.

“Can I take you to dinner to prove it?”

She glanced down at her outfit and back up at me. “I guess, but there is no way I’m going out there like this, even if it’s to go to the locker room to grab my bag. My clothes are in there.”

“I’ll get it.” I walked over to the closet and pulled out another button down. Even in my own place I wasn’t walking around shirtless. The last thing I needed was getting compared to all of the stereotypical idiots on TV. I also didn’t want Tess to feel more uncomfortable by taking mine back.

“I’ll be right back.”

I shut the door behind me. I’d been so pissed seeing her flirt with the asshole that I’d forgotten to lock the door. Luckily everyone knew to wait for an answer before coming in.

I’d gotten to the bar early with the intention of surprising her. I never expected to walk in on that shit. No more.

Starting tomorrow, she’d be working behind the bar where they wore black T-shirts and jeans. That was, unless I could get her to agree to stop working.

Somehow I knew she wouldn’t go for that. She was determined to not be dependent on anyone, and damn if that determination wasn’t attractive. I was used to people wanting to be with me for my money. It would be a novelty to spend time with someone who wanted nothing to do with it.

The women’s locker room was empty. I ran in, grabbed her bag, and went back to the office. Tess stood with her back to me, staring out the window.

“I got your bag.” She turned, a smile lighting up her face, but it didn’t reach her eyes. I knew she still didn’t trust me. Shit, I wasn’t sure I trusted myself. The only hope I had was that Tess would call me out when I was being too much of a dick.

“Thanks.” She took the bag from my hand and I showed her to the bathroom in the office. While I waited for her to change, I cleaned up the mess we’d made. She stepped out in a pair of tight jeans and a light pink tank top that only accentuated her curves. “I’m not really dressed for dinner.” She shrugged.

“How about we pick dinner up and eat at my place instead?”

“I’m not sleeping with you.” The words were past her lips before I finished my question.

“Fair enough, but I want a chance to get to know you. We learned a lot about each other that first night. I want to pick up where we left off.”

A spark of interest flared in her eyes and I knew I’d chosen wisely. That was what Tess had been looking for from the beginning. From me. From Wasden. We’d both been stupid enough to take advantage of it. Not anymore. I’d tell her whatever she wanted to know.

“What should we order?”

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I noticed Dean’s name. “Hold on. Let me see what Dean wants then we’ll decide.”

She nodded.

“What’s up?” I answered, skipping the formalities in my haste.

“I found out more about Wasden’s debts with Marcello. I’m heading over to you now.”

“We’ll be here.”

I hung up. Something told me if Dean needed to tell me in person, it was worse than I’d originally thought. Little bastard could rot in hell for all I cared, but there was no way in hell I was letting Tess go down with him. I glanced up and noticed her staring at me, her brows drawn together. 

“He’s on his way over to talk to us. I had him get more information about Ray’s debts with Marcello.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Why?”

My blood pressure rose simply thinking about the man. “Marcello’s a dirty fucker who doesn’t play by the rules. He gets his money any way he can, even if it means going after the people you know and care about.”

Her eyes widened. “But wouldn’t he know by now that Ray and I aren’t together anymore.

I clenched my teeth, wishing to God that Wasden was there for me to take out my frustrations on him. “Not if he thinks you’re still important to Ray. It only matters how Ray sees you, not the other way around.”

She slumped down onto the couch and buried her face in her hands. Her whole body trembled and I felt a burn in my gut that was unfamiliar. The only time I wanted to see a woman tremble in front of me was because of my hands on her body, not from fear. I sat down next to her and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, bringing her body back against mine.

“Nothing is going to happen to you because I won’t let it. Let’s wait and see what Dean has to say.” Just one look at her tiny body all curled inward and I vowed to myself that tomorrow I was letting Dean and Charlie hunt that bastard down and break his other arm.

We sat there for a bit, Tess shivering in my arms as I ran my hand up and down her back, trying to offer as much comfort as I could. I may not know about relationships but I knew enough from my watching my parents, and Ashton and Elena, to know when to offer comfort. I wasn’t entirely heartless.

There was a knock on the door and I called for Dean to come in, not wanting to move Tess. She’d finally stopped shaking but I didn’t want to leave her alone. She lifted her head and the sight of her red swollen eyes had my temper flaring again.

Dean noticed Tess in my arms immediately. Like Ashton, he smirked, knowing he’d been right all along.

“Knock it off and tell me what you found out.”

Dean laughed and poured himself a drink before sitting down across from us. Charlie, Dean, and I had been friends since middle school. We were inseparable. When they found out what my father actually did for a living and that I was going into the family business, they were more than willing to come on board. I finished college with a degree in business, Dean in computer science and programming, and Charlie in accounting. It had worked out perfectly for when my father retired. When his employees were ready to go, too, we’d have replacements in the wings. My dad was thrilled with having them as part of the business. He saw them as part of the family.

They’d also become more to me over the years. As my dad handed more and more responsibility for running the dealership over to me, they helped keep the bar and club running, but they were also there when I needed a little muscle. All three of us enjoyed a good fight, but there were times that I couldn’t take care of things on my own.

At first they used to volunteer for the job, until it became obvious they would do it without being asked. Now when I told them what needed to be dealt with, they did it. Besides being my friends, my father paid them handsomely. Way more than they would get in the private sector, even for their advanced set of skills.

He reached out a hand to Tess. “Since Miller apparently lost his manners, I’ll introduce myself. I’m Dean.”

She giggled and the sound traveled straight to my balls.

“Tess,” she answered, taking his hand.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.” He gestured in my direction. “And nice to see you’ve pulled him out of his mood. He’s been an absolute dick lately.”

“Enough, Dean, before I decide to kick your ass.”

“Your mother will have your ass if you do that.”

I groaned. He was right. Didn’t stop me from wanting to plant my fist in his face to shut him up, friend or no friend. “Dick.”