Topsy Turvy Kinda Love
rule.”“I’m sorry.”
“Just… Give me a fucking chance to prove to you that I’m not that idiot. The one that broke your heart. The one that got you so fucked up that you lost all hope in men. I am not him, and I guarantee you I will never treat you the way he did. I just want one chance, Mia. One single chance. It’s going to be up to you, though. None of this wishy-washy shit. So when you decide, better make damn sure you stick to it because there are no take-backs.”
“Okay. I get it.”
I nod. My heart is on the line, and the cards lay in her hands. She’ll decide where this goes from here on out. She slips behind the bar and starts getting her station set up.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting set up. I work tonight.”
Great.
It’s been three hours since we talked. Now, she’s clearly avoiding me. Every time I try to talk to her about earlier, she walks away or magically finds another customer to help. I’ve watched her laugh and flirt with every single guy here tonight, and I know she knows I’ve been watching because her eyes always trail back to me.
Mia’s head tips back in a laugh as she brings a table their food. It’s not busy tonight, but sometimes she runs food. Like she’s running food to the man I’ve thought was dead for years. I still can’t truly wrap my head around the fact that he’s been on the outside this whole time. A part of me is mad that he didn’t take me when he left, but that was years before I realized I wanted out. He’d been one of my few friends on the inside, and I always wondered what happened to him.
Some of the guys she’s been delivering drinks to are getting a little wasted and handsy. I’ve been keeping my eyes on them every time she meanders past. One of the guys at the high top across the way keeps staring at her with a look that I know all too well. I’ve found myself giving her that same look time and time again. She evades his arm for the first time but isn’t as lucky the second time. He reaches for her again, successfully looping his arm around her waist.
I hear his words as they slur from his mouth. “Come on, sweets, let me touch you. We could have such a good time together.”
My blood boils. Only it’s more anger than jealousy. Although, the little green monster sits just below the surface.
She smiles and tries to step away from him but his grip gets tighter. Rage lights my veins on fire as I watch her face go from a smile to something else. There’s a fucking line that you just don’t cross when it comes to women, and he’s coming bouldering across it in flying colors. I saw too much violence against women back home. I won’t stand for it here too. I drop my glass on the bar top, not even waiting for it to shatter before I hop over the bar, my fists balled in anger.
She escapes his arm right as I get to the table. Mia looks over at me with wide eyes, not sure what to do next. She moves farther away from him.
“Brooks, don’t.”
I pull her behind me and stare down the idiot that dares lay a hand on a woman, mine. She’s mine now and forever. I don’t care if she sees my angry caveman or not. Woman or not, if she says no, you back down.
“Apologize to the lady,” I say, staring down at Captain grabby hands.
He holds up his hands. “Look, man, we were just having a little fun. Didn’t mean any trouble.”
“Didn’t look that way to me. Looked like you were touching her without her permission, and last time I checked that’s not okay. It’s never, ever okay.” Mia touches my arm, but I jerk away.
A brief turn tells me that Matt- eh, Donatello—is here for backup if I need it. It’s a small show of solidarity. It gives me peace knowing he’s got my back. He nods at me, standing behind Mia.
“It’s fine, Brooks. It happens.” She reaches out to touch me, trying to soothe the anger writhing within.
“No, Mia, it’s not. It’s never okay to be disrespected. ” I go in for a kiss before she can stop me. My lips press against hers roughly, and she gasps at the force of it. “You are mine,” I whisper gruffly.
A soft “Oh” falls from her lips at my command. Then my lips are back on hers, kissing furiously. Both of us grabbing for each other trying to pull ourselves into each other more. She melts into me.
“Damn, Brooks. Get a damn room.” I see a grin split across Donatello’s face.
I shake my head, looking back at Mia’s gorgeous face and cotton candy hair. “We’re leaving.”
“But… I’m not done with my…” She points back to the bar.
“Doesn’t matter. Not important. We have issues to discuss and makeup sex to be had.”
“How do you know about makeup sex, Brooks?”
“I’ve been researching just for you.”
“Lead the way, handsome. I’m down for whatever you want.”
I want to pick her up like a caveman, swat her ass, and leave the building but there’s a couple of things I need to do first. Like, make sure Zara can keep covering for me. Luckily, when Eddie told her to go home earlier, she decided to just stay. I probably have Donatello to thank for that. He’s been chatting her up all shift.
I walk over to the bar but don’t even have to ask when I see her.
“Go get your girl,” she whisper-shouts, looking to Mia over my shoulder and winks. I nod once, not taking another second to think it over. I grab Mia by the hand and rush to the door like I’m walking on hot coals. Eddie shakes his head and tries to seem angry, but