Love-Blocked – Charity Parkerson Page 0,2

guilty. He lifted one delicate shoulder in a careless shrug. “You don’t really want me. You just don’t want Nino to be with me.”

Derreck’s temper snapped. He was fucking enraged at the idea of Jett running back to Antonio. Jett was his. His fist shot out, connecting with the wall beside Jett’s head. Jett didn’t as much as flinch as Derreck’s knuckles split. Nothing could have spoken louder to him, cutting through his rage more than Jett’s accepting expression. He expected Derreck would hit him—like everyone did. Derreck’s hands shook as he cupped Jett’s face. He shuffled closer, crowding Jett’s space.

“How can you not see that I’m the one who wants you for you? No games. No chains or collars. I just want the real you. The you that you keep hidden. I’m not afraid of the damage everyone else has caused.”

A tear spilled from Jett’s lashes. “You don’t want that.” Jett’s voice was barely a whisper.

“Derreck. Table ten needs you to count them out.”

Derreck blinked, coming back to reality as the memory disappeared. He nodded the waitress’s way and got back to work. Deep in his chest, Derreck ached. He still had an hour left on the clock. All he could think about was watching Kirill walking away with Jett. From his spot in the bar, he hadn’t been able to see where they had gone. It had taken every ounce of his strength to grab a seat, order his lunch, and pretend nothing happened. Goddamn. Jett looked good. Truthfully, he probably looked exactly the same, but Derreck hadn’t seen him in so long. Jett’s beauty had sucker punched him. He was unlike anyone else. His sweet brown eyes screamed innocence, but his full lips begged for the dirtiest acts. When he focused on men, Jett made them weak. Derreck couldn’t blame Kirill for pursuing him.

Bitterness welled in Derreck’s throat. His gaze slid Kirill’s way. When Derreck’s best friend Antonio had sold the hotel casino to the owners of Luna, he had worked a deal for Derreck. On paper, the offer sounded amazing. They had to keep Derreck in his position as pit boss at a considerably higher pay than he had previously made. Or they had to offer him a minimum of two hundred thousand in severance pay. They had easily agreed to Antonio’s terms, which should have been the first red flag. No one had thought about them making his life hell, so he willingly left, forfeiting his severance deal. That was where Kirill came in.

The day after Antonio’s departure, Kirill had swept into the casino. Things changed immediately. No longer was Derreck’s job the happy home it had once been. Kirill watched and criticized his every move. Whereas Antonio had been warm and welcoming, Kirill was cold and calculating. The bastard had been all smiles while chatting with Jett. Goddamn. It was like Derreck was cursed when it came to Jett. First, Antonio had swept Jett off his feet while Derreck watched. Now, it seemed, Kirill would do the same. Derreck was just some guy. He was the one who loved Jett, but he was just some guy, nonetheless. Jett could have anyone.

“Do you want to talk about the angry looks you’ve been shooting my way all afternoon?”

Derreck kept his expression blank by force of will alone as Kirill materialized beside him. He wouldn’t give Kirill the pleasure of letting the man know he had gotten under Derreck’s skin with Jett. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’m sure I haven’t looked your way all day.”

The deep satisfaction that settled into Kirill’s features had Derreck mentally holding himself back. “Ah. You are angry over Jett.”

Damn. Derreck really wanted to punch him in the throat. He said Jett’s name with the perfect amount of caress—like he had already tasted him. “Why would I be angry about Jett? That boy is punishment enough all by himself. He’ll make you sorry for chasing him.”

Kirill grunted. “That’s funny. I found him lovely. He’s gorgeous and has a good job. I would think he’d be a true prize for anyone strong enough to catch him.”

Derreck ground his back teeth to a pulp at the subtle jibe. “Good luck to you, then.”

For a moment, Kirill’s unusually light blue eyes seemed to stare into Derreck’s soul. When he spoke, he sounded entirely too knowing for Derreck’s peace of mind. “I find it odd that you act as if you don’t want him. Yet you refused to move from his path when he showed no