Page 8 of Tarnished Hands (Chained Hearts Duet #7)

Chapter Eight

EZRA

H er laugh! Fuck, it makes me hard. Who knew I could repeatedly want to hear something so simple from this woman? It’s just like the way she comes. Fuck .

My brother asks her questions, and she gives him short answers.

She clutches her vodka like it’s armour.

Her fingers wrapped too tightly against the glass.

Her shoulders haven’t dropped since she arrived.

Standing next to Piper, I can’t take my eyes off her, but she doesn’t look at me.

Not fully, but now and again, she flicks her dark eyes to mine, quick and sharp like she feels the weight of it too.

We’re three drinks in when I pull her to me, my hand going around her waist, and I lean my chin on her shoulder as Tony tells her about medical school.

I swear he could talk under wet cement. I slide my hand to sit just above her jeans and slip my finger inside, running my fingers across her smooth skin, following the goosebumps that arise from my touch.

“So, you two are a thing?” Lydia asks a little too sarcastically for my liking. She’s been quiet with her friends since Piper arrived. I feel Piper tense beneath my hand.

“No,” Piper answers before I can. It’s the truth, but her words blister angrily across my skin.

“Looks like it,” one of Lydia’s friends adds.

“Does it matter to you what we are?” Piper asks Lydia.

“Was curious since, you know, Ezra doesn’t do anything serious and tends to fuck them and leave them.”

I pull my hand away from Piper, not sure exactly how I plan to tell Lydia to keep her opinions to herself, or she’s gone for good, but Piper speaks first, yet again. “Does it bother you that you aren’t the one he’s fucking?” she asks.

Lydia blinks, caught off guard. I bite down a grin, watching Piper work.

“He’s kissed me, just so you’re aware,” Lydia sneers, and I have to fight off rolling my eyes.

“Do you want a medal for that?” Piper asks.

Lydia’s face goes red, then she says, “You seem like a real bitch.”

“I am,” Piper replies proudly.

I bite back my comment and let her handle it herself, even though I want to stop it. But, apparently, nothing I have been saying to Lydia has sunk in. So, she deserves what she gets.

“Lydia,” one of her friends says. “Let’s go, this party is boring.”

Lydia glances back at us. “It won’t last. He doesn’t know how to do relationships,” she throws out.

“You have some real fucking issues,” Piper says.

“Oh, how so?” Lydia steps closer.

Tony goes to say something, but I shake my head at him.

“I mean, clearly, you’re angry that your boss doesn’t want to fuck you and are annoyed because he wants to fuck me.”

“I could have him if I wanted.”

“Could you?” Piper asks, then looks over her shoulder at me. “Do you want to fuck her?”

“No,” I answer, looking Piper dead in the eye.

I want to fuck her .

And no one else.

“You sound like such a whore,” Lydia says, and before Lydia can turn to leave, Piper lifts a gun and points at Lydia’s head.

The fuck? Where in the hell did that come from?

Everyone around us goes silent.

“Say I’m a whore again, I dare you.” Piper’s voice is calm, but I have a feeling that’s just her when she’s angry.

Violent.

Fierce.

Intense.

And I love it. But I’d prefer her to take that anger out with her fists and put that gun back where she drew it from.

“Piper. Play nice.” Lucas’ voice comes from behind us.

“Why should I when you don’t mind cleaning up the mess, Lucas. Maybe this time it will be a blonde’s mess,” Piper replies, never taking her gaze off Lydia.

“Fine. As long as it doesn’t spray all over the top shelf, then go ahead and shoot her for all I care,” Lucas calls before he walks away again.

Yeah. No. That’s not going to happen.

“Piper,” I say her name, wanting to reach for her. Afraid that if I touch her, it’ll fuel her anger more. I truthfully don’t think Piper would shoot Lydia, and it’s a turn on for me watching her completely unafraid, but Lydia is scared to death.

Of course, she doesn’t pay me a lick of attention as she smiles at Lydia, and her hand doesn’t falter or shake in the slightest. “No words now?” she taunts.

“Y-you’re c-crazy,” Lydia stutters as one of her friends starts to cry.

“You would do best to remember that in the future.” Piper pulls her gun away and tucks it into the waistband at the front of her pants.

“Man, she is badass,” Tony says, while I shake my head.

Lydia looks at me with unshed tears in her eyes before she hurries out the door, basically running, her friends following closely behind.

I pull away from Piper.

“If you follow them, I won’t be standing here when you return,” she warns me.

“She could call the police,” I remind her.

“Fuck her. I dare her to.” Piper steps away, and no matter how much I want to listen to her, I can’t.

I need to check on Lydia. As of now, she still works for me, and she’s had a few too many drinks.

The last thing I want is for her to do something stupid.

Well, more foolish than opening her big mouth about something that’s none of her business.

Despite everything, though, I don’t hate Lydia and hope for the best for her, but that’s just not with me.

I reach up and grab the back of Piper’s hair, fist it, and slam my lips to hers. I kiss her fast and hard, and she opens her mouth, kissing me just as fiercely. I pull her closer to me so our bodies are touching, and then I feel the gun, the reminder to move my ass and check on Lydia. I pull back.

“Stay,” I tell her before I turn and walk out the door. I catch Lydia at the front, her hands waving everywhere. Black streaks down her face. I wanted her to get what she deserved, but fuck, she’s clearly, and rightfully distraught.

She spots me and stops. “Go away, Ezra.”

“Are you okay?” I ask, ignoring her.

“Am I okay? Your crazy girlfriend had a gun to my head!” She screams so loud that someone in the street stops and looks our way.

“Go home. You’re fine. I’m sorry.” I wave her off, hoping she’ll get pissed, shut up and storm off.

“I’m not going home. I’m going to the police. I need to put a restraining order on her. She can’t come near me again.”

Shit.

“I’d suggest you don’t do that.”

She spins on me. “Why? She’s just a whore.”

“Don’t call her that.”

“Okay, she’s a bitch who doesn’t work.” Lydia turns and storms off, and I watch her go and hope to God she doesn’t go to the police station.

Opening the door and walking back inside, I find my brother sitting at the bar, his phone in hand as he plays some game. Scanning the bar, Piper’s nowhere to be seen.

“She left, told me to tell you to have a happy birthday,” he says, looking up from his phone. “She’s hot, that one.” He smiles.

Lucas walks out, cigar in hand, as he approaches. He hands the cigar to me. “Happy birthday, and thanks for the show.”

“Where is she?” I call out after him.

“Oh, she’s long gone. You pissed her off.” He chuckles. “I like it.”

I look at the cigar, and back to him, accepting his lighter when he offers.

Happy motherfucking birthday to me.