Page 84 of Survival

I lined the cueball up and slammed so much force into the thing that it bustedevery single ball out of its perfect formation. Scattering them allacross the table, I managed to get a solid in. As I walked aroundto line my next shot up, I asked my firstquestion.

“So ... what gotyoustarted in martial arts?”

Darren chuckled.“I suppose you can thank my father for that. He wanted his sons tobe ultimate killing machines since he dealt in such a dangerousbusiness.”

Pfft…ultimate killingmachine,my ass.

“Hmm ..." I said, thrusting the poolcueintothe balland watching as it rolled into the pocket. “So, what makes you theultimate killing machine, huh? What kind of traininghaveyouhad?” I asked,still keeping my eyes on the table, determining my next shot, whichthere wasn't shit for now.

Darren eyed me fora few seconds before he finally answered. He did say I could askwhatever I wanted.

“I’ve trained in several different styles with privateinstructors from Ju Jitsu to Muay Thai to Judo, to name a few. I’vegone through extensive tactical weapons and combat training as wellas achieved an advanced automotive proficiency as a child. And, ifyoureallywant toknow, I also have an expertise in various techniques of torturethanks to my broad study of the human anatomy and a desensitizationto blood and gore.”

For a moment, allI could do was blink at him.

“Jesus,” I said, staring at him in shock. “You really didn’thave a childhood, did you?” I asked. He wasn’t kidding when he saidthere wasn’t much time for him to be a child. I lined up mynextshotbutmissed the pocket, probably too distracted by his latest answer.Damn it.

“I believe it’ll be my turn to ask the questions now,” Darrenrepliedwithagrin.

I leaned upagainst the bar and watched as Darren prepared his shot. Thrustinghis cue, the ball bounced off the side of the table and rolledright into the left corner pocket. Damn, that was a tough shot tomake. Apparently, he had some skill in shooting pool,too.

“How old were you when you lost your virginity?” he askedme.

Well, fuck, thatwas a personal question, and I furrowed my brows athim.

“Seventeen,” I said.

Darren rounded thetable and analyzed his next shot before lining it up and sendingthe ball right into the side pocket.

“Who did you lose it to?”

I raised aneyebrow at him again, but he wasn’t looking at me as he was alreadymaking his next move.

“I don’t know, some guy I was dating in high school,” I said,shrugging. I couldn’t even remember the fuck’sname.

Darren landedanother shot into the right corner pocket. Shit, he was beating menow.

“Has anyone ever fucked that perfect ass of yours?” he saidseriously, turning to look at me.

“No.” I furrowed my brows at him as I stared him downincredulously. What the fuck?

“Good.” He smiled. “That’s verygood.”

“Why?” I asked.

“I don’t believe it’s your turn to ask thequestions.”

“Fine.”

He lined uphisshotbut didn’t haveanything to go for so he missed. Ha. My turn.

I pushed off thebar and lined up the shot I had been eyeballing and landed thatmotherfucker perfectly down the table into the right cornerpocket.

“Why is it important that I’ve never let anyone fuck me in theass?” I was wasting my question on this, but I really wanted toknow while it was still fresh on thetable.

“Because it’s just another part of you that I’m going toclaim. Eventually, I’m going to pop that backdoor cherry of yours.I may not be able to claim that pussy’s virginity, but that ass isstill up for the taking. And if itwasn’tso much of aserious inconvenience, I’d kill the motherfucker who already stoleit from me.”

“He didn’t steal it. I gave it to him. A concept you seem tohave a hard time grasping,” I said as I missed my next shot. Fuck.Surprisingly, he laughed at that.