Damaged and the Knight (Damaged #2)

“You might as well tell me since I’m going to find out anyway. No, scratch that. Just ditch him and go to dinner with me. It’ll save us all a lot of time that way.”


“I’m not going out with you,” I said, through clenched teeth. “Ever. You suck and I don’t want you.”

“You’re lying.”

“Not about you sucking. That’s a fact.”

“I fucked up, but you know enough to understand how that’s bound to happen. Just chill out and ditch this loser you’ve got lined up for tomorrow. I’ll take you somewhere nice. Do you like steak?”

Realizing he wasn’t backing down, I leaned forward and looked him in the eye. He was close enough that I could almost touch his lips and I wanted to so badly. Instead, I remembered how he left me that day and never looked back.

“I wanted you more than anything I’ve ever wanted before,” I said quietly while fighting to keep my voice steady. “I thought you were mine and would see in me what Cooper sees in Farah. Instead, you told me I was shit. You made me feel like nothing just like my dad and everyone else does. Now, you want me and I’m supposed to let you treat me bad because I’m a loser who can’t do better. Well, I can do better. I can be happy, so fuck off.”

Judd took my wrist and stopped me from leaving. “I fucked up and I can’t fix that, but we can start over now.”

“It’s too late,” I said, yanking my arm free. “When I look at you, I see the man who looked at me as if I was trash. I spent my life feeling that way and I want more now.”

“You’re not trash,” he whispered, giving me a pained look. “You’re good at reading people, right? That’s how you kept beating me at cards. Well, read me now, angel. What am I thinking?”

“That I’m your Arby’s and you can’t live without me, but it’s a fantasy and I’m the one who will suffer when you get bored and toss me aside.”

“My what?” he muttered, frowning darkly.

“I’m not talking to you anymore about this. I’m at work and you’re making me look bad. So order or don’t, but I’m pretending you’re just anyone else.”

“I’m not anyone else, am I?”

Staring into his sad eyes, I said the painful words, “No, you were the first man to break my heart. I guess that makes you special.”

Judd gave me a look full of regret then closed the menu. “Just bring me that fish and shrimp crap.”

Grabbing the menu, I walked away. When I served him the food, Judd only said thank you. Despite him looking so beautiful and feeling his presence even while I hid in the kitchen, my resolve held. Less than an hour after he arrived, Judd left me a nice tip then disappeared out the door. Parker left soon afterwards and I assumed Judd felt I was safe on my own without a bodyguard.

Nope.

Leaving work hours later, I found Judd leaning against his Harley and texting. When he noticed me, the phone disappeared into his pocket and a cocky smile lit up his face.

“Cooper said I should give you a ride home.”

“No, thank you,” I muttered, walking past him and towards the bus stop.

“It wasn’t an option.”

“Plan to tie me up and hold me against my will then?” I asked over my shoulder.

“If I need to.”

Ignoring him, I stood at the bus stop and watched the passing traffic.

“What did that Arby’s thing mean?” he asked, resting his shoulder against the bus stop enclosure.

“It means you want something because you think it’s better than it is.”

Judd nodded. “Why Arby’s though?”

Sitting on the bench, I hugged myself. His beauty taunted me with what I wanted, but couldn’t have. Despite his sudden interest, I remembered how coldly Judd looked as he said I was a whiny child who wasn’t good enough for him.

Judd nudged my shoe with his boot. “Why Arby’s? Is that code for something?”

Glancing up at him, I wished he hadn’t said those hurtful words. Why couldn’t he have said he wanted to wait until I was eighteen? Instead, he made me feel like nothing when he had the power to make me feeling like everything.

“When I was a kid, we didn’t get to eat out at restaurants. All the kids at school would go out to McDonald’s or nice restaurants, but we never got to go anywhere.” Pausing, I stared up at him, knowing he would make fun of what I said next. “I used to collect stuff. Nothing nice, just flyers and advertisements I saw in the mail. The manager at this one motel would let me go through the junk mail and keep what I liked.”

Staring down the street, I wished the bus would arrive, but knew I had awhile to wait.

“One of the ads was for Arby’s,” I said, peeking up at him and finding him listening intently. “The sandwiches looked so good and I would dream of eating there.”