Page 43 of Invisible String (The Underground #1)

Moving to the side to view Rainey, I need her in my line of sight.

I respond. “No, she doesn’t know for…reasons.

” Too many reasons, of course. I didn’t want Rainey to see how damn fucked up I was then.

How could I have given her me when I didn’t know who I was?

Annette knows very little about my life, only that I went to foster care.

“What’s the other reason?”

“Not one you need to know.” I know I sound like a dick, but it’s none of her damn business.

Rainey’s gaze goes back to mine. My smirk grows seeing how Andrew has kept his hands to himself.

The downturned corners of Rainey’s mouth and how she’s peering at me amplifies just how much she still cares.

I saw it in the parking lot, too. Rainey stands and walks to the bar alone. “If you’ll excuse me.”

On my way toward Rainey, I fist-bump a couple of pro boxers.

I’m only five steps away, but I stand to view how her hip pops up against the bar.

Her silhouette accentuates the hourglass figure of her body, creating a beautiful curve.

I can’t help but admire the way her dress hugs her perfectly round ass.

It’s delicious to look at. The open back of her dress tempts my fingers to run along her skin.

The bartender, flirting with her, talks to her over his shoulder as he fills her a glass. He winks, and she laughs at what he says. Hate and fury flare hot in my gut, molten and burning.

Not happening.

She gets out her card. Before he takes it, I slam my hand on the counter and fix my murderous eyes on him. “Add it to my tab,” I say to the dude behind the bar giving her “fuck me” eyes.

Rainey presses her lips together in a straight line. The look she’s giving me is just as lethal as the one I’m giving him.

“Let’s dance.”

“No.”

“I didn’t ask, sunshine.” My hand is out, waiting for her to take it. Stubborn ass.

“You should ask your date.”

“I don’t have one, and I’m asking you.” The tension between us wraps around us like an invisible ring.

“Is everything okay? Is this man bothering you?” the bartender asks, his gaze volleying between Rainey and me.

“Yes—”

“Mind your damn business before I dunk your head in that barrel of ice and leave it until you turn blue in the face.” His bewildered gaze bounces to Rainey. “Don’t fucking look at her. She’s not yours to look at.”

“Max,” Rainey snaps. She takes my hand as if I’m twisting her hand in doing so. “I’m not yours either. I belong to no one.”

Well, that’s a relief. I’d rather it be no one than that fuck, Andrew.

“We’ll see about that.” My hands grip hers in a gentle pull, leading her onto the dance floor.

“You’re acting beastly.”

“Just how you like me,” I retort.

“Fuck you.” Her nails dig into my wrist.

“We’ve done that, and I’d gladly do it now if you’d like.

How about in the car like that one night?

” I pull her to my chest, securing her tightly, eating up the space between us.

She gasps, fingers brushing her back, softness underneath my fingertips.

Goosebumps spread all over her. She’s warm and has the familiar closeness I missed so much.

We sway to the music. “When you rode me in the backseat of my car, fogged windows, you milked me dry; you screamed my name so loud as you came on my cock, leaving your handprints on my window.” I lean close to her, my lips grazing the shell of her ear.

Her heavy breaths indicate she remembers the sensation.

“Relax,” I whisper to her when she goes stiff.

A handful of people dance to “This is What You Came For.”

“I never pegged you as a dancer. To my surprise, you know how to move,” she mumbles.

A tangible laugh erupts in my chest. The anger in me somewhat tames, having her in my arms. “I’m surprised myself. I had a friend teach me how to dance when we were kids. She was an excellent teacher. Dancer too.”

She frowns and peers over my shoulder. “Annette?”

“No.” I shake my head. “She used to say dancing is a cure to patch up a bad day. Whenever I or we were having a bad day, we would dance. We always erupted in giggles.”

A small, barely noticeable smile curves across her lips. “How old were you two?”

“Eleven.”

“Was she your neighbor? She sounds like a sweet girl.”

“Something like that. We kinda lived together. She was nice. She was my best friend.” The rhythm of the song picks up, and the lights start flashing in sync with the beat.

Multicolored strobe lights dance across the floor and walls.

I spin her around, and she gasps and lands with a thud on my chest. Temptation to lower my hands to her ass is torture.

Am I out of my comfort zone? Hell yeah, but I’m doing this for her. The whole time she was sitting with Andrew, she seemed unhappy. No smile, no glow.

Her jaw is tense. “What was her name?” She yelps when I gracefully tilt her in my arms. So close to kissing those red-stained lips. Her chest rises and falls, the dress showing the valley of her large breasts.

“Sol,” I breathe in her ear, inhaling her perfume.

Her eyes go into slits. “Do you still talk to her?” Her gaze darts around the room, avoiding my eyes. Her clenched jaw betrays her jealousy. She’s jealous of Sol. As I watch her, my heart swells with hope that maybe, just maybe, she could fall in love with me again.

“No, it’s been years.” I spin her around in my arms, then bend her at the waist. Rainey lets out a faint giggle.

Her dress, a deep silver silk, swishes and swirls around her body with each graceful step.

Rainey’s cinnamon curls bounce and fly through the air as her laughter rings softly.

She commands every gaze as she glides across the dance floor, her movements fluid and electric.

Each step crackles like a lightning strike. Fucking beautiful.

The song ends, and unfortunately, so does her smile.

It plummets to the ground as if I had not just held her in my arms. Her hands drop to the side, and I notice a tattoo on her wrist. How did I not notice when I was holding her hand?

Probably because I was too busy feeling up her body.

She watches where my gaze is fixed. She covers it and rubs it, closing her eyes.

Awkwardly, she steps back. I catch Andrew and her brother watching from a distance.

She sways to the side. I hold her steady. “How much did you drink?”

“Too much, apparently.”

Worry lines crease between my brows. “Let me take you home.”

“No, I’m here with Andrew. He’ll take me back.”

I’m back to being pissed. “Are you two in a relationship?” My teeth grind, waiting for her reply.

“Not that it would be any of your business. But no.”

The strain in my chest lessens a little. It doesn’t mean they are not fucking. Just the thought makes me feral. “Good.”

“Good?” She cocks her head, all cute and shit.

“He’s off the charts. Unstable.” I glance Andrews’s way. “And a complete dick.”

“And you’re not?”

“Not saying I’m not a dick. I am to those who act like one toward me or someone close to me. As for being unstable, maybe I am, but I’m a different type of unstable. I’m a fighter.”

She rolls those pretty eyes. “I thought you were going to say I’m a lover, not a fighter like most men that talk bullshit.”

My lips curve into a smile. “I can be both. I fight for love.” My tone is soft for her only.

She fixes her eyes on me, and the hard stare that she’s been holding softens. “Good luck with that… I better go.”

Gingerly, I grip her elbow. “Let me take you, Rainey. I would feel better knowing you’re home safe.

” Andrew’s messy blond hair falls to the side as he sips on a drink.

He’s scowling at me, but he’s too chicken to do anything about it.

I point at Andrew. “Besides, he’s been drinking.

I only had one. I’m training, so I can’t get wasted.

” She looks over at Andrew giving her a displeased look.

“Umm…” She sighs. “Okay…let me go over and let Andrew know.”

I nod in complete victory. Baby steps. My gaze trails her every step, mainly on her ass.

She whispers something in his ear. His hand placement on her waist has me fuming.

My blood pressure spikes. He nods at her, and she gives him a look that has him obeying.

When she walks back toward me. I give the bastard a wink.

“Ready.” She swallows hard, and her face goes back to stone.

Rainey’s eyebrows bounce, taking in my car. “Is this the same car?” She gasps.

Unlocking the door for her, I nod. “It is. I had it restored.”

Although I had intended to sell it once I returned from Tahoe to make some quick cash, the thought of Rainey stopped me.

I clung to each memory of her, determined to use them as motivation to become a better person when and if we ever reunited. I no longer wanted to be the man who felt lost, half a man for her and myself. She has always been my undoing.

“It’s beautiful.” Her voice is sweet, just how I remember it. With the palm of her hands, she strokes the hood, then steps back to look at the rims. “Badass.”

The passenger door is open, and she dips her head in. The cream leather interior was a suggestion she made years ago.

“Nice,” she says, slipping into the seat.

Fuck, I wish I could take her to the back seat so she can remember how good we were. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. I unbutton my jacket, slip it off, and get in.

Rainey gives her address for the GPS. She’s quiet and surviving the crowds of people on the strip and the flashing lights of the casinos, driving down Las Vegas Blvd.

There are so many questions I want to ask.

I keep my mouth tight. I know I’ll be pushing it if I do so too soon.

She doesn’t owe me anything. I was the one who left, and I need to prove I’m not the same guy.

I fought my way to become someone worthy of being in her life—literally, no pun intended.

“You look stunning tonight.” The heat in my gaze could erupt into a blazing fire with the way I’m scrutinizing her. She twiddles with her finger, and her cheeks go pink.

“Thank you.”

Her dress falls open, revealing her gorgeous leg at the slit. Man, do I want to lay my hand on her thigh and squeeze it.

We made it to her house in under thirty minutes, and now I wish I had taken a longer route to her house. She opens the door quickly, as if she’s afraid I’m going to lock her in. I jump out as fast as she does. She didn’t give me a chance to open the door for her.

“Nice area,” I compliment.

She nods curtly, fixing her dress, and her heels click on the cement sidewalk.

“Thanks for the ride,” she throws over her shoulder, fleeing from me as fast as she can.

I jog toward her.

“I’m fine. You can go. You don’t have to walk me to the door.” Her voice rises as she digs into her purse.

“Hey, I just want to make sure you’re safe inside.

” The light on her door reflects on her, and now I can see under her wrist while she is holding her purse.

My heart palpitates too damn fast because she has a tattoo marked on her soft, creamy skin.

She didn’t forget about me all this time .

“ Tesoro mío, ” I whisper under my breath.

Her head lifts, meeting my shocked stare. Her eyes grow to slits. “You want to make sure I’m safe?” she scoffs. “When you haven’t been in my life for the past four years and left me outside in the rain? Go fuck off.”

My eyes are still on her wrist. “Did you get it to remember us?” My brows jut at the tattoo.

Bad fucking question to ask. Her face turns different shades of red.

Angry veins pop from her neck. The smart thing to do is to take a step back.

I’m not afraid of anyone getting in my face.

I’ll size anyone up and fuck them up, but Rainey, this woman, is my weakness and the one person who can oblige me to do anything.

“Remember us? There was never an ‘us.’ This…” She presses on the ink with her finger. “It’s a remembrance of how much I hate you and how you left what we could’ve had. A reminder never to fall for you again.” She shakes her head. “I get it?—”

“Rainey.” My throat constricts. The pain and anger in her voice are a thousand knives to my chest.

“Shut up and let me talk, Max.”

I snap my mouth shut.

“I know you said in the beginning that you didn’t want love or relationships, and that’s on me for falling for you.

But I thought we had something. I thought maybe you’d say it at some point.

” A small, maimed laugh falls out of her lips.

“We spent the whole summer together, tangled in each other’s arms. My father hated the idea of us, and I didn’t give two shits what he thought.

Do you know why? Because I loved you, everything about you, even the parts you kept in the dark, because it’s you.

I kept you like an oath, and you left me crumbled on the ground without a backward glance.

You didn’t want to keep in touch and wanted nothing from what we had.

” A lone tear forms and tries to escape, but she catches it before it falls.

“God, I told myself I would never shed another tear for you.”

My entire world falls at her feet at her words. My shoulders sag with agony. She lifts her head, staring into my pained eyes. My throat works. I don’t have the right words. She won’t believe me if I tell her how I truly feel, and every secret I have.

“I loved you once. God, I loved you, but that was once upon a time.”

A feathered, cool breeze passes us. Her hair blows under the bright light. I shove my hands in my slacks to keep myself from wrapping her in my arms.

“I know you don’t want to hear it. An apology is not enough. I can sit here and tell you how I truly feel, but you won’t believe it. It’s not what you need. You’re right. What we had was special.” She looks anywhere but at me.

“Give me a chance, tesoro . Give me a chance to make it up to you. To make it all right.”

Her sharp nails dig into my shirt. “You asked if I’d fall in love with you again if we found one another again, and I said no. I. Meant. It.”

She unlocks the door and adds, “I buried us long ago, and I’d like to keep it that way, regardless of how I feel.” The door slams behind her.

A painful breath leaves my lungs. Every aching word echoes in my mind.