up, but the clock distracted her. She frowned, disappointed that she couldn’t prolong the meal any longer and a little mad at herself for wanting to.
“Well, I have an appointment with Dr. Pierce at ten. I have to go.” She stood, and as she turned to leave, she found herself smiling and wondering why he was there. Nearly everyone wore street clothes, so unless someone asked, who knew why anyone was there? Hopefully, he wasn’t some boob ogling head case or recovering heroin addict.
“Kinsley—?”
She twirled back, catching his eyes as he promptly withdrew his gaze from her rear-end.
“Be careful with Pierce. He’s a dick. Oh, and all that …” Playfully, he waved his finger though the air, outlining her body. “… won’t get you anywhere with him.”
His comment elicited a breathy laugh. “Don’t underestimate me.” She returned his once over, making sure he noticed.
He smiled. Full grill this time. “Okay … thanks for the warning.” Before resuming his meal, he flashed a seductive wink.
She felt like a teenager as she walked away, stomach fluttering. The unwanted sensation bugged her, but his in-your-face manner seemed refreshing and honest. This little distraction had gone on long enough, though. Because Max needed her, and she wouldn’t let him down again. As soon as she was discharged, she was getting away from Wayde. He had a distorted take on their relationship. There was nothing between them, but a twenty-year age difference, lies, and his constant threats against Max’s safety, which made leaving him terrifying. There was no way of knowing how valid his threats were. Whatever she had do to keep Max safe, she’d do. But first, she had to figure out how to get the hell away from Wayde and she had to get some money together to make it happen.
Chapter 2
Nick lay flat, eyes to the ceiling and naked, on the rumpled designer sheets of the king-size bed in the guestroom of his and Kinsley’s home. He’d spent most of his nights in that room since she left town. It’d been over six months since they were together. Catching sight of the picture of them on the bedside table, his face fell flat. The empty bottle of scotch that lay beside it dripped the remaining amber liquid onto the cream-colored carpet.
With dull melancholy eyes, he lightly swatted the picture down and returned his attention to the big breasted someone or other he hooked up with the previous night. She rode his fully impaled member with a smile. He grabbed her hips and ground himself into her hard a few times, finishing.
“Yeah, yeah baby, that feels so good.” Her voice sounded like a squealing pig. She leaned down to kiss him, and he gave her his neck. “You’re something else, handsome. Tell me your name.” She ran her fingers through his shiny black curls and tousled them playfully.
From age fourteen, he was far too handsome for his own good. Women both older and younger were captivated by his tall, athletic appearance and dark Greek characteristics descending from his mother’s side of the family. Sadly, if not for the admiration of the women who desired him and the men who were envious, it’d be questionable if he’d see himself as a man of value at all.
He slapped the woman on the ass and pushed her aside. As he sat up, he braced his arms on the side of the bed. His face screwed up in the same way it would if he’d accidentally swallowed a big gulp of sour milk from the carton. The booze was getting to him. On her knees, the woman crawled from where he’d dumped her and wrapped her arms around him. They hung from his neck, and her huge breasts pushed against his back as she babbled on.
“I’ve got to get ready for work. Just see yourself out.” After removing her arms from his neck and tossing the used condom into the trash, he stood, snatching her clothes from the floor and tossing them to her. He fished his wallet from his pants lying beside the bed and handed her three hundred dollars.
Her mouth dropped open, and her face contorted. “Hey asshole, I’m no whore.”
His eyes narrowed as he assessed her. Lifting his chin, he delivered a flippant dismissal. “Of course not.”
She looked at the money, gave him the finger, and left. She kept it. They always kept it. And it cleared his conscience.
When the resonating slam of the front door subsided, he sat hunched over on the side