Page 64 of Ruthless King (Mount Trilogy 1)
“I’m sure it’s not.” Again, the Formica becomes fascinating, and Magnolia snaps a finger in front of my face. “We don’t have long, so you better spill whatever you’ve got to say.”
I press my lips together until I’m sure they’re white and bloodless. “He’ll punish me if I fight back.”
Her dark eyes go wide, and rage burns within them. “You saying he hurts you? Because I might not survive killing him, but I will go down swinging if he hurts you.”
“Not like that,” I say quickly, shaking my head. “You know . . . like . . . sexually.”
Magnolia reels in her mama-bear instincts a hair and runs her lip over her top teeth. “And he makes you like it.”
It’s not a question, but I answer anyway. “I can’t help it. It’s—” I cover my face with both hands. “It’s too intense. He has this way of making me so crazy, I want to kill him, and then I lose my goddamned mind.” I jerk my head up to stare at the ceiling for the final admission. “I begged him to fuck me last night.”
Magnolia’s only response is silence until I meet her gaze again. “There are no rules, no right or wrong, and no shame when it comes to what happens between a man and a woman
if they’re both enjoying it. So, cut yourself some slack. Just because he’s into control doesn’t make him a monster. Plenty of guys like that shit.” She pauses. “But you still have to be smart, girl, and we both know you’ve got that in the bag.”
I’m about to disagree with her, because I feel like an idiot when it comes to all things Mount, but I don’t have a chance. The restaurant’s door opens and my stomach, already in a precarious position, twists into more intricate knots than even my dad, the former Eagle Scout, could manage.
Scar’s footsteps thud against the floor as he comes directly toward our booth, not stopping until he stands a foot from the table.
“I think that’s your cue to exit, Ke-ke,” Magnolia says.
Scar shoots her a dark look that makes me fear for her safety, and I rise, snapping my fingers in his face like Magnolia did to me a few moments before. When his eyes cut back to me, this time they’re widened with surprise. It doesn’t take much to assume no one snaps at him.
“Don’t you dare take this out on her. And you tell Mount if he does, I will find a way to make sure he regrets ever laying eyes on me.”
The surprise in Scar’s expression morphs into something else. I’m not sure if it’s him thinking I’m a complete idiot to be threatening Mount, or something entirely different. It almost appears to be an expression resembling respect.
He jerks his head toward the door, and I force myself to maintain the boldness that protecting my friend dredged from deep inside me.
I roll my eyes before looking at Magnolia. “He’s never said a single word to me. At this point, I’m pretty sure he never will.”
I slide out from the booth and she does the same, nudging Scar aside with her generous hip to wrap me in a hug. I expect her to say she loves me and to stay smart, but instead she whispers in my ear.
“They say Mount cut out his tongue for questioning his orders once. Be safe. But even more important, be smart, Ke-ke.” Her words hit me like a sucker punch to the gut as she squeezes and then releases me. “Love you, girl.”
“Love you too.”
Scar turns toward the door, and I’m pretty sure if he could talk, he would say, “Follow me, and no more bullshit.”
My trepidation grows with every step I take away from Magnolia and toward the car that will deliver me back to Mount. I disobeyed his direct orders, and I have no doubt I’m going to pay for it.
Scar opens the back door of the sedan and I slide inside. It’s pointless to fight, like Magnolia said. All I can do is be smart and reinforce my defense with steel and attitude.
The hood is on the backseat. I want to toss it in Scar’s face, but what will that earn me? Another punishment? Probably.
He starts the car but doesn’t put it into drive. It takes me several seconds before I meet his gaze in the rearview mirror and get the message loud and clear. He’s not moving until I put it on.
“You’re an asshole too, in case you were wondering.”
I’m not saying it directly to Mount, so I consider it a loophole.
I shove the hood aside. “I’m not going back to him yet either. He said six o’clock, and I still have work to do. Take me to the distillery.”
Scar’s expression changes into one of shock at my demands. When he shifts the car into drive and pulls out of the parking lot, I’m not sure which way he’ll go.
Much to my surprise, he takes me back to work. I tell myself it’s a victory, but inside, I know I’m just delaying the punishment that’s sure to come later.
Keira
