Denying The Bad Boy (Tattooed and Pierced #2) (12 page)

“Do you feel how hard I am for you, Mary?” The way
he said her name was so hot, so heated, that she could have had an orgasm by
that alone. “Answer me.” The way he phrased those two words was so dominant,
like he expected compliance immediately, had her licking her lips and nodding.
“No, I want to hear you say the words.”

God, what was wrong with him? Did he get off on
embarrassing her further?

“Yes, I feel you, Alex.” Even her voice sounded
weak, but she watched in surprise as he briefly closed his eyes, as if her
words pained him almost.

“The way you stiffened in my arms, I knew you were
about to bolt, and I should let you, but you need to know something.” He opened
his eyes, and they seemed more green than brown now. “Make no mistake that I
want you.” He emphasized his point by grinding his erection into her, which had
a shocked cry leaving her. He felt so hard, so big, that she had no doubts he
knew exactly how to use the heavy length between his thighs. He took his hand
and slowly moved it down to rest on her hip. “Like right now I bet your pussy
is soaked.” His mouth was by her ear again, and the gentle, almost erotic feel
of his lips against that suddenly erogenous zone lit her on fire. She
was
wet, unbelievably so, and his coarse
presentation of pointing it out should have offended her, but all it did was
make her want more of it. “I also know if I slipped my hand between your legs
you’d let me.”

He was so cocky, but so right in everything he said.
Mary couldn’t speak, couldn’t even think clearly as he started moving his
fingers in a slow glide over her hipbone. He moved it around her body so he was
touching her bare back, and a surge of disappointment went through her that he
hadn’t followed through with what he said.

“But also don’t mistake who I am.” His words
confused her, but that might also have something to do with the fact he was so
damn close that if she leaned forward just an inch she would be kissing him. “I
was going to ignore the voice in my head telling me to leave you the fuck
alone, because I wanted you too fucking
bad
, Mary.”
His eyes were on her lips, and she licked them, not because she tried to
attract his attention, but because everything inside of her was on autopilot
now. “You’re so much better than this, than me, and the fact you want me just
as I want you makes this even harder.” He placed his hands on either side of
her head, creating a wall of thickly corded muscle. “I’ve fucked a lot of
women, Mary.
A lot.”
His words were like ice water
being thrown on her. She snapped her eyes to his and saw steely determination
in the brown/green depths. He was either being the biggest asshole imaginable,
or he was trying to push her away because he really did think she was too good
for him. “That’s what I like to do, and that’s what I’m good at. I don’t do
flowers and candy. I don’t go home and meet the parents, and I sure as fuck
don’t do relationships.” She flinched, but he stayed stoic. “Do you understand
me?”

She did, but her mouth had suddenly gone so dry she
couldn’t form a word. What had she been thinking, going after him, and thinking
Alex-fucking-Sheppard would give her more than one night with her?

“Yeah, you get it now.” He took a small step back
but still kept her caged in. “Now, if you just want a night of hard fucking,
that I can give you.” He let his eyes travel down her body, and she shivered
from the coldness of it all. Standing in front of her wasn’t the guy she had
just tutored a few hours ago, or the one she met at the sandwich shop, or even
the one she had wanted to desperately know. This guy was a Grade
A
asshole, and looked at her like she was some kind of piece
of meat. “If you’re looking for something more meaningful, like you’re special
or something, you’re looking in the wrong fucking place, baby.”

Her hands became fists at her sides, and her anger
rose. Her whole body shook from the force of his words, from the way he made
her feel like something cheap, dirty, and not worthy. She couldn’t control
herself, didn’t even try to stop herself from uncurling her hand and lifting it
to slap the shit out of him. His head cocked to the right, and she saw his jaw
clench. For several long moments she did nothing but stand there, and when he
turned back and looked at her, there was regret in his gaze. No fucking way was
he going to feel sorry. He had already spoken his mind, and it couldn’t be
taken back.

“Fuck you, Alex.” She shoved at his chest, and fortunately
he moved away from her. Her hand stung and felt hot from the blood rushing to
the surface, but her tears were hotter as they slid down her cheek. She was a
damn fool, but she knew the consequences of going after a bad boy like Alex. She
was just glad he had showed his true colors now. And right now her whole
fucking body was covered in flames, but it was no one’s fault but hers, and she
deserved every painful, humiliating moment of it.

****

Alex had gone too far, he knew that with every fiber
of his being, but things between him and Mary had gone from nonexistent to
explosive in a matter of a week, hell, in a matter of hours if he was being
honest. He had wanted her since he first saw her, and seeing
her
on the dance floor had his control snapping. His self-control had gone down the
shitter after that, and once his hands had been on her he was fucking lost.

But then everything had gone down the shitter
because she had challenged him, tried to take control, and he had wanted to
show her that he was the one that held the reins. Even now he thought back to
her pressed against the wall, her breathing short and fast, and her breasts
right there for the taking. She would have let him touch her pussy, of that he
had no doubt, but as much as he wanted her, taking her against the filthy wall
at Tainted was beneath her. He also didn’t want any of the cloying effects of
liquor blinding her judgment.

Then something in him had snapped when she made a
reference to him and the other girls, and he had known right then he had to put
a stop to everything. Alex didn’t have to go as far as he did, and certainly
didn’t have to say the things he did, but he had, and she had reacted exactly
how he wanted her to. The slap was a surprise, because honestly he hadn’t
thought she had it in her, but he deserved it. Even now his cheek stung like a
bitch.

Alex turned and watched Mary storm away. Her ass
looked fucking fine as hell as she pushed through the dancing people and
stopped in front of her friend. The fact she was angry at him was like gas to
the already raging fire inside of him. He kept to the shadows, and even though
she knew where he was, he also knew she couldn’t see him. Mary and the blonde
turned in his direction, and both women wore scornful scowls. He leaned against
the wall and kept his gaze solely on Mary. He’d offended her, most likely made
her feel like she was a whore. And although that was the last thing he thought
about her, and the very last thing he wanted to make her feel like, that had
been the only thing he could think of to douse this intensity that sparked
between them.

The blonde looked back at Mary, but she kept her
eyes on him, as if she truly could see him through the shadows. He was the
worst kind of bastard, and he would have ruined her. This was for the best. He
could get another tutor, but of course it wouldn’t be her, and after only that
one session he wanted more. Fuck, he was an idiot and needed another drink,
preferably enough to have him passed out by the end of the night.

Chapter
Ten

Darcy had been pissed when Mary all but dragged her
out of the club, but that was the least of her worries. After they had gotten
back home she had lain in bed for a good portion of the night just staring at
her ceiling. God, she had been a fool to want anything to do with Alex, and she
had certainly paid the price for it. He was an asshole and had made her feel so
damn cheap. He was gorgeous and lethal, and everything inside of her had wanted
to submit to him. Damn him for being such a good looking prick, and still
causing her to want him. For hours all she had done was lie in the dark,
cursing her body for still being so wet, so needy for …
him
.

She had finally fallen asleep at four in the
morning, and now it was eight and she was wide awake. She also had no idea what
she was going to do. It was clear she would no longer be tutoring Alex, and
after only one session she should have been grateful. If that had been his true
self back at the club than she didn’t want any part of that, but what if it hadn’t
been his real self? It was possible he said those things to push her away. She
had certainly thought as much after he said them. Mary thought of that look she
had seen in his eyes when they had sat side-by-side on his bed, and when they
had been pressed so closely together that there hadn’t been an inch between
them. It hadn’t just been her imagination, not when he made her feel things
that no other guy had.

The sound of her cell going off had her closing her
eyes. She knew who it was, and it was too damn early to talk to her mom, but if
she ignored it there would just be another call in ten minutes, and then ten
minutes after that. She reached out, blindly grabbed for it, and slid her
finger across the screen without looking at it.

“Hi, Mom.”
Rubbing her hand across her face she listened for the next five minutes as her
mom talked about the wedding plans
again
,
and how it was only a couple of weeks away, and how she couldn’t wait to meet
the guy Mary was bringing.

“Mary, are you listening to me?” Her mom sounded
annoyed. “I don’t like the way you’ve been acting as of late. I don’t know if
it is the people you’ve been spending time with, you’ve grown disrespectful, and
I won’t tolerate it, young lady.”

Oh man, she brought out the “young lady”, which always
meant she was serious.

“I meant no disrespect, Mom. I’m just tired.” Mary
rubbed her eyes and pushed herself up so she was resting her back on the
headboard. Her head pounded, but it had nothing to do with having those two
cocktails last night, and everything to do with the face she was running on a
few hours of sleep and still couldn’t get Alex’s arrogant ass out of her head.

“You feeling all right, honey?” The irritation in
her mom’s voice changed to worry. The sound of china clinking together told Mary
her mother was probably getting ready for afternoon tea with her socialite
friends.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Content with that answer, her mom was once again in
wedding mode. “I just called to make sure you and your date will be here on
Friday evening after you are finished with your classes. We will have a family
dinner with Joe and Margo.” Just hearing Margo’s fiancé’s name had her
wrinkling her nose. Joe Barton was not only an attorney, but was renowned in
their community as a shark in the courtroom. That wasn’t a surprise to Mary,
not when everyone in that circle was always out for blood it seemed. He had a
very apathetic and bland personality, but Mary supposed he had to in order to
deal with his very strung-tight fiancée.

“Mom, I don’t think my date will be able to come.”
There was a beat of silence.
Wait for it.
Wait for it.

“Mary Sandra Trellis, we have already added the
extra head in the order count for the wedding, and your father and I were
looking forward to meeting this boy. I’ve already told
Marlen
to make an extra meal.”

Good grief. He mom was always using her full name
when she was trying to be stern and condescending all in the same breath.

“Mom, things come up. I can’t help it if plans
change, or if he has a life outside of Margo’s wedding.” The lie came from her
easily, although Mary supposed it wasn’t too much of a lie.

“We would really love it if he came, because we
would really enjoy meeting the boy that you’re seeing, honey.
 
Besides, you don’t want to be the only one
there without a date, right?”
God
.
 
She should have
just said no, that there was no way in hell she was bringing Alex or anyone
else, but she pursed her lips and went back to staring at the ceiling. Despite
the fact she was royally pissed at Alex, didn’t really want to see him again,
and hoped his dick fell off ... okay, maybe not the last part, but still, Mary
couldn’t help but image the reaction they would get if she brought the tattooed
bad boy with her. It would shut a lot of people up, and bring an immense amount
of pleasure to her.

“I don’t know, Mom, but I’ll see if he can rearrange
his schedule.” She should have kept her mouth shut, but it was too late for
that. The excitement and hopefulness in her mom’s voice were evident, and even
after they hung up she knew she had made a huge mistake. Alex had made it
perfectly clear what he thought about her, and what he thought she was only
good for, but here she was, actually contemplating still taking him with her.
And all because she wanted to piss some people off and say, without actually
saying it, that she didn’t give a fuck what they thought? Well, clearly
she
didn’t care about what she thought
either because she was actually thinking about going back over and speaking
with him.

Yeah, that pretty much summed it up, but in reality
bringing arrogant Alex with her was a hell of a lot better than going to the
damn wedding alone, or trying to talk someone else into going with her. It
wasn’t like she had a lot of guy friends, none really, and the ones she did
know were from tutoring, and they were in relationships. Dammit, she honestly
didn’t know what to do, because her pride demanded she never speak or look at
Alex Sheppard again, but another part of her wanted to take him because he was
such a prick he would scandalize all of the people that ever made her feel like
shit while growing up. But even if she was mad at him, and especially hurt for
the way he treated her at the club, like she was nothing but another piece of
meat he could thrust into, her body didn’t give a damn and still warmed at the
thought of him. She needed to get Darcy’s opinion and maybe work out until she
couldn’t walk anymore.