Page 41 of Famous Last Words (New York Thunder #1)

CHAPTER 41

FRAN

I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling since I left Robbie’s apartment this morning. It’s still plastered on my face hours later while at work. Our night last night was something else, that’s for sure.

I’ve never experienced making love before. It’s always been just sex. But last night, while I looked into Robbie’s eyes as I fell apart, as he came inside of me, that was love making.I’m sure of it. Robbie and I made love last night. And then, after that, we showered together, and we did some unimaginably filthy things that fully negate the effects of a shower, but it was so hot. I’ve never had anyone eat out my ass before. It’s not something I thought I’d ever consider, let alone enjoy, but I’ve found myself squirming today with the need to do it again. It has to be said; everyone should enjoy ass play at least once in their lifetime.

After last night, there’s no doubt about it; things have definitely changed between Robbie and me. We both confessed that whatever this thing is between us is no longer fake. And I’m not sure what that means, or where we go from here, but this morning, when he stood behind me with his arms wrapped around my middle, chin resting on my shoulder, grinning at me in the mirror while I brushed my teeth, it was totally relationship-y, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it.

“Oh, fuck off… as if we don’t deal with enough Downtown dickheads,” Vera mutters.

“Hmm?” I’m pulled from my reverie, unable to look up from the POS system.

“Good evening, ladies.”

I grimace, my spine stiffening at the sound of the all too familiar voice coming from behind me. What the fuck? I slam the cash drawer shut and spin around, my face stony as I meet Tadd’s smarmy smirk from across the counter.

“What are you doing here?” I snap.

He guffaws. “What? A guy can’t enjoy a few drinks with his buddies?” He indicates the group of finance-looking douchebags settling into the table by the window.

I cock my head to the side, meeting his eyes again. Out of all the bars in all of Manhattan. I call bullshit. With an obvious roll of my eyes, I skip the niceties and ask him what he wants.

“I can handle this if you like?” Vera says, glowering at Tadd.

She’s already run off her feet with two tables. My table just left. I shake my head. “No. It’s fine. Thanks.”

“Well, if he starts anything, you let me know.” She flashes Tadd one more warning glance on her way back to her section.

Tadd gives me his order before slinking back to his buddies. I enter the order into the system before pulling my phone from the pocket of my apron and quickly texting Robbie.

Me: Tadd just showed up at work.

Robbie: He fucking what?

Me: Yeah. He’s never been here before. Not even when we were dating. I don’t like it…

Robbie: Who are you working with?

Me: Vera’s here. And Ronaldo, the bartender.

“Order up, Franny,” Ronaldo says, interrupting me before Robbie’s next message comes through.

I tuck my phone back into my apron and grab the tray of drinks destined for Tadd’s table. With my game face set, I begin toward the bane of my existence, forcing a smile, because the last thing I need is the six of them to know just how affected I am.

“Okay, here we are gentlemen ,” I say mockingly, placing the drinks onto the table in front of Tadd and his friends without a care, amber liquor sloshing over the sides that I don’t bother to mop up.

“Hey, Fran,” one of them grins up at me.

I think his name is Trent or something equally unremarkable. I manage a smile I know doesn’t reflect the disdain in my eyes before turning to head back to my post. But before I can get away, I’m stopped by a hand grabbing my wrist.

Yanking free of Tadd’s grasp, I spear him with a death-like scowl. “Do not touch me,” I say, raising my voice.

Like a bunch of loser high school boys, his friends chuckle between themselves, and Tadd laughs along with them, but I can tell by the way his jaw tenses that I just embarrassed him. And frankly, he’d best be careful because he doesn’t know what embarrassment is; he seems to be forgetting I still have the dick pics he sent me… the ones he forgot to crop his stupid face out of.I’m definitely not an advocate for revenge porn, but Don’t. Test. Me.

I take a deep, centering breath and remind myself of Andy’s offer last night. Not only is the opportunity amazing and everything I want, but it also means no more Tadd.

“Enjoy your drinks,” I sass with a saccharine smile before walking back to the counter.

“Everything okay?” Vera checks as I approach.

I nod, brushing off he r concern. “It’s fine.”

And honestly, it is fine. I have this newfound sense of strength when it comes to Tadd. Yes, he’s a creep, capable of literally anything, and I don’t trust him. And after last night and what I shared with Robbie, I can’t believe I was ever stupid enough to give a man like Tadd my body. He’s a trash human, and I hate that I didn’t see straight through him the moment he latched onto me. But now that I know Robbie has not only my body but my back and my heart too, I feel like I’m strong enough to stand up to all the Tadds in the world. There’s a lot of them in this city, especially in real estate, and I refuse to let them make me feel like I’m less. Not anymore.

Just as I finish settling a customer’s tab a little while later, I look up to see a familiar silhouette enter The Exchange. Tall and imposing, he’s cloaked in a long winter coat and a beanie pulled low, head bowed, but I’d know those shoulders anywhere. When he looks up, my insides melt at the sight of those dark whiskey eyes when they find mine across the way, and a smile blooms over my face.

“What are you doing here?” I hurry around the counter and all but throw myself at him.

Robbie’s arms wrap around my waist, pulling me flush against him, and with a kiss to my temple, he mutters, “Like hell was I just gonna sit around playing fucking Call of Duty with Dallas, knowing that fuckwad was here.”

As if he knows we’re talking about him, Tadd turns, his eyes narrowing the moment he spots me in Robbie’s arms.

Robbie casually lifts his chin at him, and even from here I can see the tic in Tadd’s jaw. He’s pissed. I’m ecstatic.

I grab Robbie’s hand and lead him to a stool at the end of the bar, patting the counter. He removes his coat, revealing himself in a black hoodie and a pair of black jeans that are loose enough, yet fit him in all the right places. Definitely not typical attire for The Exchange, but he looks utterly delicious; I want to toss my apron on the floor and leave with him. Not only would I never do that to Vera, but my commission check from Carlton Myers still hasn’t cleared, so I’m kind of stuck.

“What can I get you?” I ask, putting on my most tip-worthy smile.

Resting his chin on his hands, a slow smirk tugs at his lips. “Look at you, all cute and shit.”

I lower my voice. “Don’t get me all hot and bothered while I’m on the job, Mason .” I waggle my eyebrows, and he chuckles.

“Just a Coke,” he says. “No ice, please.”

I wink at him and get to work making his drink, feeling his eyes on my ass the entire time. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t do things to me. It definitely does. One look from Robbie Mason and I’m as good as pathetic.

“O-kay,” Vera makes a point of announcing herself, hand on her hip looking from me to Robbie and back again. “Clearly Tyler needs to up his game if we’re now having boyfriend hour at the bar.”

I feel my cheeks heat at the boyfriend mention because… because I know Vera thinks he is, but is Robbie my boyfriend? Like, for real? I don’t know. We haven’t gotten that far yet. My gaze skirts to his and something passes between us, like he’s thinking exactly the same thing as me.

Robbie grins secretively, like he knows something I don’t, accepting Vera’s side hug as she passes him on her way behind the counter to me.

Vera sidles up to me, nudging me with her hip, and when I look at her, she doesn’t even need to say anything; the swoony look in her eyes says it all. I bite back my smile and get to work making Robbie’s soda.

“Waitress?”

“Ugh.” I throw my head back at the sound of Tadd’s patronizing voice ringing through the bar.

“Want me to go?” Vera offers.

“No, it’s okay,” I shake my head. “He won’t stop being a dick until he gets a rise out of me.”

“Boyfriend’s looki ng like he’s ready to throw down,” Vera whispers with a giggle.

I turn, finding Robbie glaring at Tadd over his shoulder, his jaw clenching as he one-handedly cracks his knuckles. I’ve never been into the whole caveman thing, but it’s surprisingly hot.

“One Coke. No ice.” I smile, placing the glass onto the coaster in front of Robbie.

He turns back to me, the murderous look in his eyes softening.

I grab a cocktail umbrella from the drink garnishes set up behind the counter and pop it into his Coke, and it causes him to bite back a laugh before lifting the glass and taking a sip.

“Duty calls,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. Grabbing my tray, I flash Robbie a wink and walk back around the counter, squeezing his arm as I pass him on my way to stupid-ass Tadd and his merry band of fuckwits.

I swallow the lump of dread and plaster on that same empty smile I use when I don’t feel like being particularly polite. “Another round?”

Of course, they all choose to be difficult this time. A few more whiskies, a gin, a scotch, a couple tequilas.

“Coming straight up,” I say tightly, just as a group of older businessmen stroll in.

For this late in the evening, it’s surprisingly busy. Vera is currently taking orders from one of her tables, so I invite the men to sit at the club chairs in the front, asking what they’d like. But as they’re giving me their order, from my periphery, I notice Tadd stand and skulk over to Robbie, and immediately my hackles rise.

The men are trying to decide, and while they bicker between themselves, I can’t help but glance over to where Robbie sits, his broad back to me, Tadd leaning against the bar, smirking directly at me as he says something to Robbie that I’m not close enough to hear. My pulse thunders in my ears because Tadd’s an asshole, but the last thing Robbie needs is to get caught in the moment, lose his cool, and break Tadd’s jaw like he did to Ben Harris.

“We’ll grab a bottle of the Macallan single malt,” one of the men says, interrupting my thoughts.

I look down to find him staring up at me, and I nod curtly, offering a polite smile before hurrying back to the bar. But before I can enquire into what the hell is currently going on between Tadd and Robbie, Ronaldo slides a tray of drinks to me, ready to be delivered to Tadd’s table. I glance sideways, trying to catch Robbie’s gaze, but he’s too focused on whatever bullshit is spewing out of the lanky jerk’s mouth.

Carrying the tray over to Tadd’s table, I start handing out the drinks by memory of who ordered what, ignoring the chatter between the men until one of them directs their words at me.

“So, a hockey player, huh Fran?”

I look at him. No idea what his name is or if I’ve ever met him before. I choose to ignore him because, frankly, it’s none of his business.

“I heard he’s a force to be reckoned with on the ice,” one of the other guys says.

“With some questionable antics off the ice,” another says with a derisive snort, grinning into his glass.

“Can I get you anything else?” I ask flatly.

“Why would a nice girl like you go for a hockey player?” the first guy asks, his gaze predatory as it rakes over me from head to toe. “Maybe Tadd wasn’t right for you, but I’m sure I could be.” He smirks and the others laugh.

I swallow hard, turning to ignore them, because I don’t want to be causing a scene here, especially not with Robbie so close by. They’re being obnoxious. And soon enough they’ll get bored and move on to another bar or some douche-friendly nightclub in the city. But as I walk away, I feel a hand grab my ass, forcefully and to the point of pain, causing me to drop the tray of empty glasses with an explosive crash.

Suddenly, everything in and around the bar comes to a startling stop. A deafening silence ensues, and it rin gs in my ears. I look directly at Robbie. His eyes meet mine, flitting to the asshole who grabbed me, his brows drawing together as a darkness comes over him like a threatening storm cloud. He stands with such haste, his bar stool topples over and clangs loudly on the floor. And then, without warning, he launches himself at Tadd’s friend right as all hell breaks loose.