Page 36 of Reputation (Toronto Royals #1)

“Don’t leave so quickly,” the guy said, standing between the chairs so she couldn’t leave. “How ‘bout I buy you a drink?” He gave her a sleazy smile—one that only men who thought they were entitled to whatever they wanted wore.

A flippant retort rose up her throat, but she bit her tongue, knowing better than to provoke him more than she already had.

She hated having to deal with guys like him.

Unfortunately, it was something that she wasn’t unused to.

She was vain enough to know she was beautiful, above averagely so, but it didn’t mean she was comfortable with it or the attention it brought her.

Sitting back down to keep as much distance between them as possible, she kept her face impassive and her tone calm. “I’m fine, thank you,” she said politely.

He stepped closer, and her heart flipped with fear. She drew in a sharp breath, very uncomfortable with him so close. Glancing toward the bar, she looked for the bartender, noting his position a few chairs away. Maybe if he looked in her direction, she could signal for help.

Behind her, she felt someone take up the chair on her right. Without looking to see who it was, she hoped they might also be willing to assist her if she needed it. Whoever it was couldn’t be worse than the drunk idiot in front of her.

“Come on, sweetheart. I only bite if you ask me to.”

Her eyes flicked back to him. “I’m not interested,” she said, holding onto her calm with a white-knuckle grip. “You should probably get back to your party.”

She hoped that would be enough to make him walk away, but the asshole was persistent. “Rules of a bachelor party,” he said. “Hoes before bros.”

Her mouth dropped open as her eyes widened in shock. Did he just call her a hoe?

Before she could say anything, a low, dangerous voice spoke behind her. “I’m pretty sure the lady told you to fuck off,” he said.

His voice sent a shiver down her spine, and she couldn’t entirely suppress the reaction.

A concoction of emotions flooded her as she recognized Jax’s deep timber.

Relief speared her even as her heart raced for an entirely different reason.

The cadence of his voice held the promise of a threat as he directed the comment toward her unwanted companion.

The guy looked past her. “I didn’t hear her say those words,” he sneered.

Jax chuckled without humor. “You’re right,” he answered. “She was much more polite. But since you can’t seem to take a hint, I figured I would make it clear for you.”

Still trapped facing the guy, Eavie watched him narrow his eyes. She didn’t dare move as the silence stretched around them. She assumed Jax was staring the guy down as the one in front of her considered his choices.

His face transformed as she felt Jax stand behind her, closing the distance between them until she felt the brush of his chest against her shoulder blades.

The guy scanned Jax, taking in his size and evident strength for the first time.

Swallowing, he dropped his gaze down to her, his face twisting in contempt.

“Whatever. You probably aren’t worth the quick fuck,” he shot at her before he stomped away like a toddler.

The words were probably meant to hurt her, but she could feel nothing but relief as he disappeared from her sight.

She closed her eyes and spun her chair the other way, facing Jax’s imposing form as he stood before her. Opening them, she tilted her head up, her body instantly relaxing in his comforting presence.

“Thank you,” she breathed, lifting a shaking hand to brush some loose strands of her hair back.

His gaze slowly dropped down to her, raking over what felt like every inch of her face.

His one hand lifted, the pad of his thumb brushing her cheek as he held her chin.

The touch was so gentle and so at odds with the fierce look on his face.

He tilted her head back farther as he captured her eyes with his.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low and gruff.

She swallowed at the intensity of it. The concern and possessiveness she read there had her softening toward him.

Her lips lifted in a dry half smile. “It’s not the first time I’ve been called a whore,” she said.

His eyes darkened to an intense storm that had her heart racing.

Quickly, she added, “I’m okay.” She hoped it would help calm the rage she could see.

His thumb brushed her cheek one last time before it dropped away, leaving her skin feeling cold. She swallowed as he sat back in the chair, trying to slow her racing pulse from the small touch.

“I saw you talking earlier, and I didn’t like how he looked at you. When he followed you here,” he paused, racking a hand through his slightly disheveled hair. “I don’t know. I just had a bad feeling.”

It had been him watching her earlier. She should have known. The feel of his eyes was becoming an increasingly familiar sensation. The anger she had felt in it as it tracked her hadn’t been directed at her, but at the scene.

“I know you’re probably going to say you can take care of yourself,” he continued, giving her a crooked smile that did funny things to her insides.

“But I would rather you yell at me for overstepping than leave you alone with him.” His gaze flicked back over to where the blond guy had disappeared, face turning to stone.

She couldn’t help the smile that stretched her lips. Despite her turbulent feelings toward him, she could only feel grateful for his stepping in.

“Normally, I would say you’re right,” she said, nodding. “But the way he had me trapped, I didn’t really have many options.” Thinking about how powerless she’d felt made her throat thick with tears.

His face grew darker again at the reminder of how he’d cornered her in the chair. Reaching forward, she placed her hand on his arm, finally drawing his eyes back to her.

Leaning forward, she stared into his intense gaze. “Thank you, Jax,” she said sincerely.

His eyes swept over her again, the look on his face transforming as he took her in from head to toe. Unlike the bachelor creep, his perusal of her left her feeling hot and fidgety. Shifting to squeeze her legs together against the sudden ache there, his eyes shot back up to hers.

“No one gets to pin you down except me,” he growled, his breath fanning her face. Heat blossomed on her cheeks as her entire body reacted to the promise. “And only when you beg me to.”

Fuck me .

Only when he chuckled, the sounds close to a growl, did she realize she’d said the words out loud.

Sitting back, she looked around, embarrassment intensifying the heat in her cheeks. She looked toward where she had last seen Molly, spotting her at the next table over, playing blackjack while chatting with the man beside her.

“I should—” she began, thinking she should get back to her as Jax said, “Can I—”

They looked at each other, smiling. Eavie bit her lip. “You go,” she said.

“I was going to ask to buy you a drink.”

In a heartbeat, she was back in that dark hallway with him at The Spot, asking if he could have her number.

She blinked as the memories from that night flooded back.

Goosebumps rose on her arms as his scent hit her again, making her want to draw closer.

Despite everything, all her internal conversations and denials, she found she couldn’t resist the enigmatic pull of him.

Dragging her tongue across her lips, she said, “Sure. A drink would be nice.” She thanked the fates that her voice remained steady.

His smile widened, triumph flashing in his steel eyes. “What can I get you?”

Her lips parted to ask for another gin and tonic as a memory stirred from that night.

Remembering how his voice had been like bourbon when he’d called her a good girl, her lips pulled into a wicked grin.

She took great satisfaction in watching his eyes drop to them as she did, hunger flaring between them.

“Bourbon neat, please,” she asked.

The look he gave her was somewhere between amused and predatory. Her core ached as her hormones made her want to jump into his lap.

He lifted his arm, flagging down the bartender. “Two bourbons, neat,” he ordered.

Eavie watched him for a moment before peeling her eyes away to look at the crowd outside the bar.

Watching the sea of people milling about, she resigned herself to the knowledge that if she just stopped fighting and accepted this attraction for what it was, her life would probably be easier and far more pleasurable.

Not wanting to sour her night with the Rubik’s Cube that was her relationship with Jax, she pushed the issue to the back of her mind—at least for a few hours. The clink of glass on wood had her looking back at the bar. Jax lifted both glasses, handing one to her.

As she took it from him, their fingers brushed gently, the sensation of the rough pad of his fingers against her skin making her belly clench. Now she knew how he’d gotten those calluses.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice husky.

She took a sip to wash the roughness away.

The strong, sweet liquid slid down her throat, warming her stomach as she turned her attention back to the casino floor.

She could see Jax still watching her out of the corner of her eye.

It was cowardly, she knew, to avoid looking at him, but the way she reacted whenever she gazed into his eyes had her ready to throw her resolve out the window.

“I’m surprised to see you here,” she said, changing the subject. “I thought you were going to a club.”

He smirked. “I never said I was going,” he answered.

The teasing in his tone had her shooting him a dry look. He just stared at her, that stupid smile on his face. Oh, he just loved to annoy her.

When she couldn’t stand it any longer, she said, “It’s quite a view from here. I bet it’s a good spot for people-watching. You could see all kinds of things going on if you wait long enough.”

“I think my view right now is better,” he replied.