She averted her gaze. “I need money.”

“Don’t fucking bullshit me! I have plenty of money, and I can pay you to be my whore if I want to. Now, answer me truthfully!” My voice thundered inside the room. My eyes narrowed when she still didn’t meet my gaze.

“Look at me for fuck’s sake. I know I was your first. I saw blood on the condom. So why the fuck would you choose to work here when you haven’t had sexual experience?”

My chest constricted when she chose to remain silent.

Why do I fucking suddenly care? “I want your honest answer!”

“You will hate me if I’ll tell you.” Tears fell down from her eyes, and that made my throat thicken.

“And why the hell I care?” I growled.

Seconds stretched until it turned to a minute, and my patience was running out.

I let out a shaky breath. “Five minutes or else you’re on your own.” I strode out of the room and readied to flee out of this shitty place.

The manager was saying bullshit at my back, but I didn’t give a shit to turn around because I already got what I wanted.

What I just did back there seemed that I didn’t know myself anymore. I couldn’t help to not think her life with different men every night forcing her to do whatever that pleased them. Dread and anxiety filled in my stomach as I reached the parking area.

Those innocent eyes were pleading for something.

After sending a confirmation message to our client, I rechecked the time on my phone. It was four minutes and fifty seconds had passed. I started my bike and wore my helmet.

She was not coming.

Great!

I did my part as a good citizen.

Disappointment suddenly settled in the pit of my stomach, but that was her choice. Still—

Shit! What’ is the fucking wrong with me? She’s a whore, Cain!

I was kicking off the stand when someone poked my shoulder.

When I turned around, it caught me off guard. I quickly hid the smile that quirked at the corner of my mouth. It felt like a burden lifted off my chest.

She was wearing a white shirt and a red leather jacket with tight jeans that was impossible not to admire those long-toned legs that wrapped around me a while ago.

“Leaving without me?” She smiled shyly. There was no more hint of makeup on her face. She was younger than inside that room, and one thing I was right was her eye color. It was indeed violet.

I pulled off my helmet and tossed it to her, replying with disinterest. “You’re late.”

“You should be nice to me if you’re gonna adopt me, you know?” she said with a tease.

“Who said of adopting you?”

She hitched at my back like she used to do it. “Well, I may be gonna be your slave, but you still have to feed me, and offer me a couch to crash in. And if you don’t want my presence, your majesty, still, I need to find a job. So, be nice to me for the meantime, do you think you can do that?” She chained her arms around my waist.

“What’s your name?”

“Elizabeth.”

“That tells the eyes.” I snorted. “Do you happen to have a surname, Elizabeth?” I turned to her as she leaned on me. “Pull off your helmet.”

She did and said, “Taylor.”

“Don’t shit with me, woman.” I grabbed the back of her head with my free hand and gave her a punishing kiss. “Lie to me again, and you’ll get a spank.”

Instead of getting scared, she grinned, “I knew you recognized me earlier, Tyke James Cain.”

“Christ! I’ve just started a war against Vikings. This time, for good.” I sighed deeply. “Now, wear your helmet before your brother finds out I took you away from that shithole.”

“I’m willingly coming with you. And he won’t be looking for me, Tyke, because he sold me to a gun lord from Mexico in exchange for a few weapons. That’s how I ended at Gero.”

“Hmm. The apple doesn’t fall far,” I mumbled under my breath.

“I know, and I heard the story of your father. I’m so sorry.” I could feel the sincerity in her voice that I haven’t heard from anyone in years.

“That was a long time ago. Don’t worry, Elizabeth Taylor Abel, as long as you’re with me, I won’t let him get near you. That’s a promise.”

“I was right about you after all. Thanks for saving me.”

I huffed. “You think I saved you? We’re bound to meet, sweetheart, just in an unexpected place and time. You’re mine now, Elizabeth.”

“Why’d you go there?”

“Shut up.”

She didn’t say anything anymore, instead, she possessively tightened her arms around me.

The wind blew my face as I rode away from that shithole with a woman who just blew my mind for the first time in my twenty-six years. Whatever tomorrow might bring us, I never regretted a single moment that I chose that deal. In return, I met a woman who just changed my life forever. And it was my lady number six.

And my view on Feb-fucking-ruary the fourteenth had just completely changed.

***

The End