Crushing Beauty (Harbingers of Sorrow MC): Vegas Titans Series Read Online Free Page B

eighteen. He was
legal. This time could land him in prison. He would take Britton and flee the
scene.
     Jagger took a step forward and crumbled to the ground.
His leg was broken. There was no way he could carry her. He had to leave her
there, alone. It would be the hardest decision he ever had to make, but there
was no other choice. Jagger laid her down on the pavement, clearing away the
shards of glass. He lowered his face to hers and lightly kissed her goodbye. He
choked back an audible sob. He would call the cops as soon as he could get to a
phone. He would make sure she was safe, even if it was from afar.
     
    As he sat in front of her, Britton could see the confusion
in his eyes. Did he recognize her? Had he been with so many women in the past
ten years that he would forget his first? She wouldn’t have been surprised,
especially having read his file. He was a womanizer, always surrounded by
beautiful, leggy, big chested women. She didn’t let this shake her. She was
there to do a job.
     
    “Place your bets.”
     
    Jagger put down a hundred dollars. While this was a hefty
amount for a single bet, she didn’t think it gave him the right to confine
himself to the high roller room. She placed a 7 and a 2 in front of him and, in
front of herself, she placed a 6 up-card and a hole-card face down. They stared
at each other. He put down another hundred dollars to double-down on his bet,
his 9 against her 6, a sound bet to make. This, surprisingly, was cautious for
him, Jagger was known to play $500 minimum hands, but he still wasn’t sure
about the situation he was getting himself into tonight. He knew nothing about
her anymore, and he didn’t think she knew anything about him. For the first
time in his career, since the last time he saw her, he felt ashamed. He didn’t
want to tell her what his job description entailed, or that he hadn't changed
for the better—only gotten worse.
     
    “Double.” His voice rattled her.
    “Good move.” She was able to hide the shaking in her voice.
    He nodded, looking her square in the eye.
     
    She handed him a third card, and he smiled. She flipped over
a 10, adding his cards up to nineteen. She flipped her hidden hole-card,
revealing a jack and totaling 16 for the dealer. She still had to take another
card.
     
    “Monkey, monkey, monkey. ” He chanted, excited by the 16
laying in front of her.
     
    She pulled a card swiftly from the shoe and flipped over a 5
to make 21. The House won. She reached forward to collect his offering just as
he shot his hand out and grabbed hold of her wrist. A pain shot through her
body. It was worse than she remembered. Britton had forgotten how much she
yearned for him. She ached for him. This touch made her want to scream out. She
quickly inhaled and innocently stared into his eyes.
     
    “Where did you go?” he queried.
    “I’m sorry?” She said, feigning confusion.
    “Britton. Where did you go when you left Nevada eight years
ago?”
    “I went to college. Now let go of me.”
     
    Her tone surprised him. No one spoke to him like that. He
wasn’t quite sure how to take it. He felt his blood boil; it had been so long
since anyone dared to defy him. He felt the sickening urge hit her, the way he
hit anyone who spoke out of line, but the feeling quickly passed. He stood up,
towering over her. She had forgotten how tall he was. At six feet and five
inches, he was practically a foot taller than her. She'd once felt safe around
him, but now, with the look of rage gleaming in his eyes, she couldn’t help but
feel frightened.
     
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to grab you.”
     
    She continued to deal the cards, and he continued to bet.
Sometimes he won, and sometimes the house claimed its edge.
     
    “Why did you come back?”
    “I had nowhere else to go.”
    “And you’re working here now?”
    “It pays the bills.”
     
    He didn’t want her to work. He wanted to take care of her.
He wanted to support her the way he always dreamed