Reese. I'd had so many reasons to want to believe in him.

“Even if he saved her, that doesn't mean he gets to treat you like shit,” he said urgently. There was anger in his piercing greens.

“I know that now. But at the time, with everything... Huck, I was terrified she was going to die. When they told me how hurt she was, that she would need special treatment to even have a chance at recovering fully... I went with my gut.” A harsh chuckle escaped me. “My gut said Reese could be trusted. That he loved me. That he cared. And that was why I let him take me to meet Nehro.”

This was the memory I loathed most.

Understanding flashed through Huck's face. He let me go, staring around the place he now recognized as a special care facility. “Your debt. This is what it paid for.”

Tasting bile, I said, “Correct. This is why I'm doing everything. This is what Nehro has over my head.” Turning towards the room behind me, I lowered my voice. “He knows where she is. He could kill her if I tried to run away, and he knows I know that. It's my fault. All of this. And that's why I have to keep her safe. I'll pay off that loan... and I'll do it any way I have to.”

“That contract is bullshit.”

My memory burned, thinking of how Huck had tossed that man, Kit, onto Eliza's front lawn. 'Look—it's just how it is. Okay? She owes me the money. She has to pay, or else.' Kit had said that.

Huck had stood proud and declared otherwise.

“That day, my birthday party,” I whispered. “I think... I saw you stand up for Eliza and wondered if it was possible someone might do that for me.” Looking into his eyes, I wanted to touch him. I didn't. How could I ask for more from him? “I have to fix this. I'll endure the pain... and if no one else will stand by my side, I'll accept my fate. I'll do what Nehro wants. It's my sacrifice to make.”

I was so tired of being someone who constantly needed saving.

His fingers trailed to my neck, clasping gently, then pulling me against him. I gasped, wondering how he'd known I needed him to do that. “Zoe,” he growled, sending my goosebumps jumping. “How many times do I have to tell you?” Forcing my face near his, so that I saw the flecks of ebony in his eyes, he whispered, “I will fight for you. Me. Stop treating me like I'll disappear any god damn second.”

I stuttered. “What? I'm not—”

“You are. I can see it when you look at me. The edge of your sad smiles... you still think I'll abandon you like Reese did. That I'll see through you and hate what's there. Well,” he said, brushing his nose on mine. “I see all of you. I know the truth. And I'm still right fucking here, wanting to kiss you and hold you and rip apart the men who have made you cry.”

Reaching up, I rubbed at the wetness near my eyes. “I don't cry.”

Huck grinned, his tone husky. “I've heard you cry out, that's close enough.”

The shame inside of me was crumbling, stampeded over by my throbbing heart. Huxton Blake was filling me up so that there was no room for self-hate.

What had I done to deserve a man so wonderful?

I didn't have that answer, but I did know one thing.

When Huck said he would rip apart the men who had made me cry, he had never been more serious.

- Chapter Fourteen -

Huxton

Nearly a week went by before the next phone call came. I was sitting beside Zoe when it happened, and not so innocently. Her head was on my inner thigh, and I was wrapping her hair around my cock, just enjoying the look and the feel.

She heard the ringing, reached for her jeans. Digging the phone out, she scowled at the number, giving away the caller. “Hello?”

Sitting against my headboard, I stretched my arms over my head. Nehro was on my bad side already. Interrupting our fun just made my distaste for him grow.

Zoe nodded her head, glancing at me. “Fine, we'll be there.” Not saying goodbye, she ended the call. I motioned for her, and she got the hint, crawling back into my lap. “Nehro needs us to come by tonight, eight on the dot.”

“Isn't that a little early?”

Wrinkling her nose, she wrapped her arms around my waist and nuzzled my chest. “Yeah, but look on the bright side. It means we can get out of there and do something fun.”

“Fun?” I asked, trailing a finger over her bare shoulder. I moved lower, enjoying the soft curve of her hip. Tiny goosebumps lifted where I went. “Isn't this fun?”

Her eyes twinkled with heat. “I meant like a movie.”

“I'd rather watch you for hours, that's almost the same.” Pushing her over, I bent in, stealing a kiss that went on so long that my lungs burned. Breaking away, I reveled in how dazed she was. Those pink lips were slightly open, tempting me back for more. “You're amazing, babe,” I chuckled, tracing the edge of her ear. “I never thought one woman could be so captivating.”

Blinking, Zoe watched me with new interest. “Can I ask something?”

“Anything.”

Adjusting on the bed, she rested on her side, giving me a view of her delicious, naked tits. “Your clients... did you like being with them, the way you do with me?”

My wince ran right over my mouth. I couldn't hide my reaction. Shit. “Zoe, I don't think you want to go down this road.”

Digging her nails into the sheets, she smiled coyly. “You think I'll get jealous.”

“Weren't you jealous when you thought Eliza and I could be more than friends?”

Gently, she gave me a shove. “That's not the same. And it wasn't really jealousy, I was just weirded out about you guys knowing each other and only telling me after my party.” She pursed her lips, and I wanted to kiss her again. “Escorting, is that how you two met?”

Laughing, I gave Zoe a once over. “Sort of. She was friends with another girl that I played security for. One night, this guy wanted two girls at once... so she called in Eliza.”

“Huh, and you just hit it off?”

“Not quite,” I said, smiling at the memory. “I think she didn't like me at first. Weird, right?” I winked, and Zoe just made a face. “Anyway, the dickhead got too handsy with them. I heard them scream, but by the time I got inside the room, Eliza had knocked the guy out with her shoe. After that, I had to get to know her. Once I bought her a drink, she warmed up.”

Zoe giggled, her fingers slipping across the bed to graze my shoulder. “Sounds like Eliza. Did any girls ever do that to you?”

“What, hit me with a shoe?”

“Get too handsy,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Smirking devilishly, I climbed over until she was under me, my hands on either side of her face. Already, she was breathing faster. “No, not my clients. No one could ever be too handsy with me. I only give them what they ask for.”

She licked her lips. “What do they ask for?”

Hesitating, I watched her closely. “You're really sure about this?”

“I'm fine. I don't care what you did with them. Beyond being curious, I mean.”

With new appreciation, I let my eyes eat up the girl in my bed. Zoe had a past full of wildness and excitement. She'd been with men similar to me... except entirely fucking different.

I was much better.

She knew the kind of man I was—that I could be. It was why she gorged herself on my tattoos and my foul mouth.

And, from what I'd seen, she didn't shy away from my insatiable side. My roughness. Was she really not unsettled by my stories?

Zoe. Whenever I thought I understood her, I found another layer.

Holding her wrists, I nuzzled her cheek, my breath hot on her skin. “You want to know what they asked for, what they begged me to do to them?” I licked the smooth corner of her throat, felt her rush of heat. “You want to understand why they paid me as much as they did just to get a taste of my cock?”