FULL NOVELXO Unhinged Desires: Chapter 5
I’m seconds away from tearing this whole fucking bar apart. I have no doubt my cousin would enjoy helping me too.
“Okay, before you go and hulk out and shit, who is she?” Bree asks me.
When my phone alerted me that Lucy’s GPS was active, I watched the map as she drove to her friend’s house. Then I received another alert when she started driving, stopping at a well-known uni bar in the city.
“No one,” I tell Bree without taking my eyes off Lucy.
“No one, huh? Then why do you look like you want to murder the kid touching her?”
“How do you think your dad would feel about setting up a ranch down here in Melbourne? The area could use more pig farmers,” I ask instead of answering the question.
Bree laughs. It’s a well-known joke in the family. Except it’s not a joke at all. Uncle Josh will and has disposed of bodies with the help of his pigs.
“Maybe. Or here’s a thought, Dom, you could just go and talk to her yourself,” Bree suggests with a shrug of her shoulders.
I look at her like she’s grown two heads. Because, well, the idea of me approaching Lucy and just talking to her is absurd. Besides, beating the shit out of anyone who touches my busy little bee is way more fun. “I have no idea who you’re talking about. We’re here having a drink, catching up. It’s what people do,” I counter.
“Uh-huh, sure, that’s why you dragged me out of Unhinged, then forced me to come to this dive bar and have a drink when we had access to a fully stocked club with top-shelf liquor.”
“I’m a student. This is a student bar. I’m getting the full university experience,” I tell her, though I still haven’t taken my eyes off Lucy. I watch as she reads the message I just sent her. She’s looking around, trying to find the person watching her. She doesn’t see me. I made sure to choose the table in the far corner. Just out of her sight line, while she remains directly in mine.
Bree’s hand lands on my arm, causing me to finally look my cousin’s way. “Whoever she is, if you’re this worked up over her, sort out your shit, Dominic. Do not hurt her.”
“You think so little of me.” I grin and feign ignorance. Although, right now, all I want to do is hurt her. I want to mark Lucy’s body in so many ways. I want her pain. I want her to feel what I’m feeling right now as I’m forced to watch another guy touch her.
It feels like a thousand knives are stabbing at me, over and over again.
“Okay, if you’re not going to end your misery, I will.” Bree stands and I watch as she approaches Lucy and the walking corpse beside her.
There’s a split-second where I consider intervening. Breanna might be better at hiding her true self than I am. But that girl is crazier than the rest of us McKinleys put together. She just so happens to come wrapped up in pretty packaging, which my cousin uses to her full advantage.
Like right now. She plants her body between Lucy and the fucker at the bar, leaning in and whispering something in his ear. Then she turns to look at Lucy, giving her a once-over before walking towards the door. The bastard I was about to kill quickly tosses some cash on the counter and follows her.
What the fuck is she doing?
I glance at Lucy, get up, and follow Bree. I have no idea what she said to him, but I’m not about to leave her alone with some asshole. Pushing my way out the door, I find the guy already laid out on the ground. Bree is standing there with her hands on her hips and a giant smile on her face.
“You know, I really expected more of a fight,” she says while admiring her nails.
“Really? You had to start without me?”
“You would have done worse. He’s not an obstacle anymore. So either you’re going in there and getting that girl, or you’re coming with me and we’re going back to the club.”
“Give me five minutes,” I tell her.
“I’ll be in the car.” She doesn’t wait for me to respond before pivoting on her heel and walking away.
I hit the unlock button on my keys so she can open the door, then turn back towards the bar, where I find Lucy sitting at the table with her friend again. I pull my phone out and send another message.
ME:
Go home, Lucy. It isn’t safe.
Truth be told, she’s as safe here as she is anywhere else, because I won’t let anything fucking happen to her. The only real danger is me—though I don’t plan on letting her know that just yet.
Lucy picks up her phone. Her hand shakes a little and I get a twinge of guilt again. At the same time, my cock is fucking hard with the realization I do that to her. You would think I’d be bored with it by now. This game we play. But it seems the longer this girl is in my sights, the more I need to keep her there.
Lucy’s eyes dart from side to side, then she says something to her friend and they both get up and head towards the exit. She continues to scan her surroundings until her gaze locks on my darkened corner. There’s no way she can see me, but I swear she can somehow sense my presence. It’s like she’s looking right at me. She turns around and walks out the door. I wait a couple of minutes before I follow her out, catching sight of her just as she slides into her car.
Should she be driving? How many drinks did she have?
I pull out my phone and order a town car, then I send her another message.
ME:
There’s a town car on the way to collect you. DO NOT drive after you’ve been drinking.
I see the three little dots pop up—the ones that tell me she’s reading my message and typing out a response.
BEE:
Whoever you are, fuck off and leave me the hell alone.
My blood boils as I read her response. Nobody in their right mind would ever tell me to fuck off. Not that she knows it’s me. Though something tells me even if she did, it wouldn’t change a damn thing. My Little Bee is only afraid of what she can’t see, what she can’t sting. I wonder how long it will take her venom to hit my bloodstream. Or will I squash her before she ever gets the chance?
As much as I want to go over there and drag her ass out of her car, I know I can’t. It wouldn’t end well for either of us. Maintaining my distance is the only thing keeping us both alive. Because I know the moment I get my hands on her, I will destroy her. Unlike Midas, everything I touch doesn’t turn to gold; it turns to dust.
I’m so focused on Lucy that I don’t see Bree approach until she’s standing right next to me. “Are you attempting to kill her with your stare? Because as much as you like to think you are, you’re not a superhero, Dom,” she says with a smirk so wide it must be painful.
“You’re also not a comedian so stop trying to be,” I tell her, my eyes zoned in on the town car as it pulls into the car park.
ME:
This is your ride, Little Bee. You’ve been drinking. You can’t very well drive yourself home.
The fact that she’s still just sitting in her Mercedes talking to her friend gives me hope that she’s listening and will comply with my demands without much more effort.
Her response comes immediately.
BEE:
Look, psycho, go and find someone else to bother. You have the wrong girl.
I read her text but don’t respond. Instead, I wait and watch as she gets out of her car, only to slam the door behind her. However, rather than doing as I instructed, she and her friend appear to swap places. Lucy climbs into the passenger seat and the friend gets behind the wheel. I don’t know if the other girl was drinking or not. I wasn’t watching her. Fuck. I’m about to find out when the Mercedes reverses and then pulls out of the lot.
“Let’s go,” I tell Bree.
“Finally. As fun as it is to watch you fall, Dom, I do have work to do. Drop me back at the club,” Bree huffs.
“Fine,” I agree, even though I have every intention of following Lucy’s car until I know she’s made it home. Once I see her Mercedes disappear into the parking garage of her building, I turn around and drive to the club.
Walking into Ash’s office, I find Chase and Hope. Chase is my cousin Hope’s husband, also Ash’s best friend. I’m still not used to seeing them together, but Hope is happy. And as long as she stays that way, Chase gets to keep his head.
“Where have you two been?” she asks.
“Out,” I say.
“Dominic has a crush,” Bree singsongs like we’re children at the playground. Her smile drops when I glare at her. I didn’t take her with me so she could go and gossip with the rest of them.
“On McDonald’s nuggets,” Bree adds, in a weak attempt to cover her tracks.
“You went to McDonald’s?” Hope’s eyes bounce between us.
“Why are you here?” I ask her.
“Dad called and said he needed me to come and teach his self-defence classes for a while, something about how his instructor went missing.” She shrugs, and I blink.
Hope is going to be teaching Lucy’s classes?
A huge sense of relief washes over my body and has my tense muscles relaxing slightly.
“I don’t know why you couldn’t just do it. I mean, you already live here and I know you could teach that class with your eyes closed,” Hope continues to ramble on.
“Why the fuck would I want to teach self-defence?” I ask her.
“I don’t know. But the fact that you’re infatuated with a girl taking the class might be a good motivator.” She smiles.
“Fucking hell, does anyone in this family know how to keep their fucking mouths shut?” I curse out before stalking towards the bar. I grab a bottle from the top shelf and pour myself a whiskey.
“I think it’s cute. I never thought I’d see the day someone actually got to you,” Hope says.
“And you won’t, because no one’s got to me,” I insist.
“It’s a little ironic, don’t ya think? The idea that you’re going to be teaching the girl defence skills to ward off your own cousin,” Bree muses.
“Yep, I’m going to make sure that girl has at least half a fighting chance.” Hope nods.
“Right, well, since you two are here, I’m going home. Ash doesn’t want Bree alone, so don’t leave her,” I direct this part to Chase.
He doesn’t say anything, just offers me a dip of his head as I walk out the door.