Dice’s POV

„Can I talk to you? Now?” He jerks me up, rudely interrupts my story telling hour and now his eyes are saying ‘please’? Okay, maybe it took a bit too long for him to just keep that arm held out oh-so patiently, but that didn’t mean he had to imply physical pain on me. Not that it didn’t make me a bit kinky. I sighed. Like I had a say in the matter whether I wanted to go with him or not, and right now I really didn’t, ‘cause I knew I’ll lose my cool around him in just a matter of seconds. Even now I had a very hard time keeping my head straight, it was simply the way he was, his whole being made my skin go up in goosebumps and press my thighs together just to keep the throbbing of my core from messing with my head.

„Is it about my car?” I asked innocently as he pushed me out of the room. Was he angry? Looked like it. And judging by the firm grip on my upper arm I’d say he was a lot more than angry. But for what? I did leave a whole sentence in MJ’s letter exclusively for him. What the hell did he want from me?!

The door of the back room slammed shut behind us and I couldn’t even come up with a witty remark of his bestial ways, before he pinned me to the wall, his hazel eyes having a dark bliss as he caught my gaze, the anger I saw in his eyes not letting me turn away. I just stared and tried to utter a word to cut the tension in half, but I couldn’t.

„Where were you?” He questioned in a low and husky voice, his eyes roaming my mouth. He really didn’t want to know that, he looked mad as it was. I couldn’t just admit I was living with a guy and for a considerable time length we were fuck buddies until I got bored of him. He’d kill me and then he’d find mister Jay the Humble and kill him too, although I didn’t see any kind of reason for actions of such. Wasn’t he oh-so deeply, madly, unconditionally in love with the blonde? Their photo’s were all over the web, for Christ sake! And yes, I had googled Matt.

I swallowed thickly, before forcing my frown to turn upside down. „And where do you think I was?”

„If I knew, I’d have dragged you back by these lovely curls,” He growled, his eyes inspecting the light pink tips of my hair. Oh I could imagine the view, call me weird, but Matt dragging me by my hair sounded really fucking hot. Just imagine those muscles of his arms tensing, the brutal force... I bit down on my lip, „Don’t.” He warned, sliding his thumb just where my teeth had been. „Not if you want me to ruin your clothes.” He growled, „I’ll ask again – where were you?”

His hand reached up to cup the side of my face and I couldn’t bare, but close my eyes and lean into his tender touch, my knees feeling week from the closeness. „Vegas...” I sighed.

When I opened my eyes, I saw uptake wash over him as he cursed silently under his breath. Was it that hard to figure where a person who goes by the name of Dice would go to? A person with a gambling problem?

„And now you’re back? For good?”

I took a deep breath and finally found the strength to look away, „No.”

„What do you mean ‘no’?!” He raged, pushing back from me, clear frustration and confusion in his face. I was surprised no one had came to check on us, or none of the patron’s who shot us a glance from time to time from the bar didn’t even react to Matt’s yelling.

„I mean I’m not staying! I’m here only to put MJ’s ex behind bars...” I brushed my hand through my hair, feeling quite confused with the racing heart in my chest and how intimidated Matt’s stare made me feel. Uhmm... hello? Me and intimidated? Not until now.

A deep wrinkle formed between his brows and his teeth clenched, drawing out his jaw line perfectly. He took a second, before speaking or more than yelling, „So you wish to tell me I mean nothing to you?!”

„Don’t go down that road, Matt...” I shot him a glare. Why did he have to complicate everything? I wasn’t even supposed to meet him here today. I was supposed to only see him in court tomorrow and not say a word to the guy and happily return to Vegas. Why did he have to make it so hard for me?

„Why not?” He raged, seemingly ready to kill me if I don’t give him an answer. An answer he was willing to hear. „I deserve to know... I need to know!”

He said he wanted to talk to me, but from where I was standing it seemed all he wanted to do was yell at me. Well I’m fucking sorry! I’m sorry for being a bitch and not willing to ruin his relationship with the blondie by jumping in his fucking life. „You need to chill the fuck out, that’s what you need,” I hissed, pointing a finger at him. Okay, relax, Dice, we’re not like that anymore, we can’t just rip his throat out. Breathe... come on, breathe...

„You owe me an answer!” It seemed like my words fell on deaf ears. I rolled my eyes in frustration. Great. „And don’t you fucking roll your eyes on me!”

„You know what? Maybe go chug down another couple of Patron’s, ‘cause it seems to give you the courage to step up and yell in my fucking face!” I screamed back, tears threatening to dwell up in my eyes. „Maybe next time you’ll have enough courage to punch me square in the face! That would be really fucking awesome!”

He seemed taken aback, well he fucking should. I was done with playing games and as for now? I just wanted to get out of this place. Maybe I had changed, maybe this was just my upcoming period talking, but I didn’t want to spend another minute in this fucking bar. I turned to head over to the bar, where I saw Gates sitting on the bar stool I had earlier warmed, before MJ came attacking me with her wet boobs. He was sipping on his scotch – as per usual – and surprisingly guarding my bag. Once MJ’s eyes met with my features, her face dropped from whatever giggle she was having over the conversation with mister Haner.

„Dice? Dice what’s wrong?” She moved her way around the bar to get as close to me as possible. Thank god it was packed and she couldn’t get out of the bar as quick as she wanted to. Brian shot me a frown, a sigh, and after our mutual understanding stares – he handed me my bag.

„MJ, call me after your shift!” I shouted over the crowd and quickly disappeared, heading for the exit, everyone, surprisingly giving me my way. And either this was my lucky day or what, but there was a cab waiting outside Johnny’s. For no one in particular. I frowned... „Huh... must really be my lucky day...”

Before I could make a step forward, I was pulled back and crashed in that oh-so familiar scent of his aftershave, Patron and danger. His hands took my face and forced me to look up at him. The dark glimpse was now gone and he looked genuinely sorry.

„Don’t go...” He whispered, guiding his thumb over my lower lip. „I.. I need you...”

I took his wrists in mine with an apologetic smile on my face as I stepped away. „No...” I whispered and started shaking my head, „You don’t...”

As I was about to turn around and walk away the second time in the last fifteen minutes, I felt his hand catching mine. „Yes, I do.”

I looked back at him, clear disbelief in my face from the seriousness of his words. My mouth opened to say something, but in the end I just shook my head, „My cab’s waiting,”

I couldn’t miss the sorrow in his eyes even if I’d be blind when I pulled out of his reach and walked away, heels clicking against the pavement. The whole walk to the cab I was fighting with the urge to cry my eyes out, because once again I was running from my feelings. I was running from my happiness.

„Where to, miss?” The driver said once I got in the taxi, my eyes still on the broken Matt Sanders. His shoulders fell as he let out what it seemed a heavy sigh and pushed his hands in his pockets, attempting to get back inside. I had to bite down on my lip, to keep myself from falling apart.

„Fuck it...” I whispered, taking off my heels and jumping out of the cab, running the fastest I ever had. No, this time I will not say ‘no’ to something I want. I lost my shoes and my bag somewhere along the run and simply crashed into Matt, forcing him to stumble back in the brick wall. I raised on my tip-toes and pressed my lips against his in a firm kiss. His response to it was a mere surprised gasp at first, before his strong arms wrapped around me and his lips started moving hungrily against mine. I felt tears running down my cheeks and I couldn’t control them anymore. I loved the guy. With every inch of my heart and soul. And it started to hurt of how much he meant to me.I pulled back just to breathe out a rushed, „Come to the hotel with me...”

I looked at Matt only to see his eyes now holding my gaze. My heart sunk to the pit of my stomach, seeing that dimpled smile.

Brian’s POV

As I sat there by the bar and watched MJ roll her eyes a couple times too many at the new chick, I couldn’t suppress the light chuckle. I remembered how it used to be when MJ started working here and Dice had been going on a smoke break every fifteen minutes. Back then I didn’t know they both were childhood friends, so you can imagine my surprise when I saw how tolerant Dice was towards MJ. Of course in her own little way. She figured it was best to take out her frustration on the customers rather than MJ. For what’s worth – I was grateful Dice started working here, because if it wasn’t for her, I’d never have met the most beautiful girl anyone had ever laid their eyes upon.

I gave MJ a reassuring smile when she came up to me sighing heavily.

„You think if I begged really hard, I’d talk Dice into coming back?” She asked, a slight glimpse of hope in her warm blues. I shrugged, not believing I actually considered the thought. If I knew one thing about Dice- she doesn’t like to repeat herself, and when I mean repeat herself, I mean she doesn’t like to do something she’d done previously. Like living in Huntington Beach or worked at Johnny’s.

„Very unlikely. But what do I know, she’s your best friend,” I chuckled on the view of MJ collapsing over the counter and letting out a wild growl.

„I just... I can’t simply take her anymore...” She whined against the sticky counter. Who was she talking about? Amber?

„Come on, she’s figured how to open the beer bottle so it’s something, right?” I attempted to joke, but in return just received a glare from MJ.

„Can I have a Jack on the rocks, darlin’?” A dude yelled from behind me and MJ just nodded curtly, taking a whiskey glass and making the order, but once the glass landed on the counter with a mild thud, the guy had somehow squeezed through me and a guy sitting next to me and now was frowning over his order.

„What’s this?” He asked, pointing to glass.

„It’s your order,” MJ returned his frown.

„I didn’t want it with ice,” I couldn’t miss the ‘are you fucking kidding me’ look on MJ’s face and to be dead honest, it was amusing to see her all worked up like this, since I knew she usually took out the frustration of the night in the position where she was on top of me and screaming my name.

„You didn’t—you ordered Jack on the rocks!” She glared at him, leaning over the counter, looking like she’s about to punch the guy. The dude said nothing just looked at her. She took a deep breath then sighed and just fished the ice cubes out the glass with her hand and threw them in the direction of the sink. „Here you go,” She made her best make believe smile, my shoulders shrugging lightly as a silent laughter shook my insides.

„I’m not paying for that,” The dude protested on which MJ just shrugged and raised the glass to her lips, shotgunning the drink, before returning to me and ignoring the guy completely.

„I see you’re going in Dice’s footsteps.” I laughed on how pissed off she looked. „And I have to say Dice has never pulled a stunt like that,” At least as far as I knew.

„You’re right, she hasn’t. And she wouldn’t. She’d simply splash the liquor in his face and jump him, before Frank would be forced to pull her off him.” She smiled triumphantly, before continuing, „So he could consider him lucky, ‘cause Dice’s not working here anymore.”

„She seemed different, you know...” I said thoughtfully.

„Yeah,” She smiled, propping her elbow on the counter and resting the side of her face in her palm, looking dreamily somewhere behind me.

„What are you thinking about?” I rested my forearm in front of her, sipping on my scotch.

„Shush,” she shushed me, still with the same goofy smile on her face. „I’m plotting.”

„What on earth are you plotting?” I cocked my eyebrow. Plotting? Really? Was that even MJ’s scene?

„I may have come up with a diabolical plan,” She smiled satisfied, before her eyes landed on me.

„As in...?”

„Well, if I told you, it wouldn’t be that diabolical,” She rolled her eyes, pushing back from the counter.

„Roll those eyes again and I’ll be sure you’ll receive a good spanking,” My smirk turned into a dirty grin, imagining her laying over my knee and my hand slapping the soft skin of her ass. Made my dick twinge in my pants. Good thing I was guarding what MJ told to be Dice’s briefcase so no one could see my raging boner. Thank goodness for that.

„Maybe I’m going for it,” She said mischievously, shrugging her shoulders, „You can never know,”

„You know I’m not very thrilled about hitting a girl, but you’re really pushing it,” I swirled the scotch, the liquor licking the walls of the glass, before I raised it to my lips, hiding my grin behind it.

„You’ve hit Johnny haven’t you?” She laughed.

„Who, dipshit?” I nearly choked on my drink from the laughter threatening to rip my insides, „That’s actually true,” I said in between the laughter, seeing MJ’s eyes travelling somewhere else and her face dropping.

„Dice! Dice what’s wrong?” I heard her shout over the loud chatter, before the pink haired girl walked up to me with a stern look on her face. Oh hell, had Matt messed up everything? I fucking told him only to talk to her. What was so hard about that? My eyes connected with hers and I knew exactly what had happened. He had pushed her too far, too fast and too hard. My frown was replaced with a sigh as I handed her the black leather briefcase. She looked sad and for Dice that was a new emotion for me to chew on.

„MJ, call me after your shift!” Dice shouted over the crowd and disappeared in the next few seconds. I looked at MJ and saw her anxiously brushing her fingers through her hair as she tried to spot Dice in the crowd. Matt bolted past me just a single second after MJ had sighed in defeat. I guess so much for the diabolical plan. Somehow I thought her plan simply consisted of getting her drunk, kidnapping her and tying up to a chair so she can’t run away. At least that’s what I would do.

„Now she’s never returning!” She exclaimed, folding her hands an handing out angry glares at whomever.

„Relax,” I downed the remainders of the scotch, before pushing the empty glass towards her, „And make me another.”

She looked at me with a patient stare, „No.” She mouthed, „You’re driving today.”

When had that ever stopped me? „Look, let Matt figure this mess out, okay? I came around, didn’t I? Dice will too.”

That seemed to calm her down. With a loud and heavy sigh and another roll of her eyes, she took my glass and reached for a bottle of Laphroaig.

„That’s two spanks. Keep it up, babe, I have absolutely no problem touching your ass.”

Notes