Page 16 of Ravaged By the Dark (The Righteous 2)
She wanted to pat herself on the back for sounding halfway intelligent through the fog in her brain, but then he smiled a smile that practically dissolved her panties on the spot and sat back in his seat. He crossed his large arms over his chest and stretched out like a cat sunbathing.“Alright, I can wait.”
“You’ll be waiting until your dick turns to dust then.”
He chuckled, a sexy rumbling sound, and she wanted to punch herself in her own face. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t have sex, just that I’d wait until you’re ready.”
A flare of jealousy stabbed through her chest as she pictured one of the other girls at the club crawling all over him.
“You’re right. You really do like stepping in shit.” She turned and stared out the window, dismissing the man beside her.
Renee refused to speak to him the rest of the way. Every question he asked, she ignored. She should thank him for saying what he had. It was like having ice water poured over her head and allowed her to think about how stupid she was reacting. She had bigger things than a relationship or who this man slept with to worry about right now.
As the bus came to her stop, she grabbed her backpack and jumped off the to march down the street, Arek’s long strides easily keeping up with hers. Thank goodness, she only had a few more steps, and she’d be rid of him.
She stopped long enough to unlatch the small gate when he spoke. “Bambi, I…”
“First, don’t call me that. It’s not my name. It’s a persona for the club, nothing more than a sexy fantasy for men to drool over, go home and jack off to, or dream about while they fuck someone else. But it’s not me. Second, you’ve done what you said you would and saw me home, and we sorta had a conversation, although I’d suggest you brush up on your skills for the next woman you decide to stalk.”
Arek blushed, and she had to admit it looked sexy on him, but she clamped those thoughts down.
“I’m sorry for what I said.” At least he had the decency to look embarrassed, and she had the urge to lick her finger and score herself a point.
“No, you’re not. You were honest. I don’t expect you to not have sex with whomever. It just won’t be with me.”
He stuffed his hands in his pockets, and for a moment, he reminded her of a child being scolded. She had a feeling this was something that never happened to him, and why would it? Any girl would throw their hand up in the air to volunteer to have a night with this specimen, but she just wasn’t any girl. Well, she was trying not to be anyway.
“Can I at least know your real name,” Arek asked, all bravado washed away from his voice.
She chewed her lip as she thought it over. All it would take was for him to look up her address to find her name, so what would it hurt?
“My name is Renee.” The door opened behind her, and before she could tell Francine no, J.J. came running down the two stairs and short path like a runaway pony.
“Nae Nae!” he yelled, and she couldn’t help but smile at the look on his face. J.J. skidded to a stop at the sight of Arek. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing as J.J. marched forward, his hands on his hips as he mimicked a pose he’d seen her do.
“Who are you?”
Arek looked taken back, his eyes flicking to her, and she knew that look—he was doing the math in his head. Well, let him. If he thought she had a kid, all the better. He’d run for the hills, and this particular problem would be solved. Besides, they were a package deal, regardless of who birthed him.
Arek knelt and casually leaned on his bent knee. “My name’s Arek, and who are you?”
“J.J.”
Arek held out his hand for J.J. to shake, and she had to stop her stupid heart from skipping in her chest.
“J.J., it’s nice to meet you.” J.J. hesitated a moment and then smacked his small hand against Arek’s and then closed it into a fist, indicating he wanted a fist bump. Arek’s face lit up, and he returned the gesture.
As if satisfied with his manly inspection of the intruder, J.J. turned to her. “Come on, Francine made pizza for dinner, and I saved you some.”
“I thought I told Francine you were to be in bed by eight, mister?” She raised her eyebrow at her little brother.
She rubbed his mop of soft curls as he smiled a devilish grin and then took off back into the house. She shook her head and stared at the man in front of her.
“Look, Arek, thanks for seeing me home, but I’m not interested in anything else. Have a good night.” She left him standing on the sidewalk before she did something stupid like invite his sexy ass into her house. She closed the door, and Francine looked her up and down and then waved a hand at her face like a fan.
“Oh, stop it, there’s nothing going on.”
“Baby girl, when I was in my twenties, I would’ve been all over that. It’s obvious he’s into you.” Francine moved slowly due to her arthritis, wincing as she grabbed her jacket and purse.
“I can’t deny what he looks like—I’m just saying I’m not going there. I have too much on my mind and on my plate, especially with my mother gone and…well, you know.” She nodded toward J.J., not wanting him to think she ever thought of him as a burden.
