Damaged and the Outlaw (Damaged #4)

“Don’t act cute now. If you want to treat me like shit, that’s your right. I can give as good as I get.”


“Are we talking about fucking again?”

Raven’s expression ended my smile. In that moment, I remembered why she was abstaining. She had bad luck with men. They jerked her around and I was doing it now. When faced with their bullshit, she walked away and shut down her feelings. I was risking the same thing. Unwilling to end our new fuck buddies arrangement, I sighed.

“I’m sorry. I’m not used to this morning after chatting stuff.”

“Then, why did you want to chat?”

“You’re the first chick I’ve banged that was in the crew.”

“Banged?” Raven said, grinning. “Now, that’s the lack of romance I was looking for from our relationship.”

“I don’t want you getting clingy,” I said, throwing the blame on her.

Raven reacted just as I expected with a middle finger in my direction. Grinning, I took her hand and stroked the bruised fingers.

“Why the Thunderdome?”

“I have only a few skills and I’ve already tried stripping.”

“You were a stripper?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow and remembering her dance in the shower earlier. “Like with lap dances?”

Raven yanked her hand away. “Don’t judge me.”

“I’m not,” I said, kicking her foot under the table. “Don’t be so sensitive.”

“People think strippers are all whores and that’s bullshit. I mean, I’m a little bit of a whore and most of the girls I knew were too, but some weren’t. It’s a fucked up stereotype.”

“Maybe the non-whores were the exceptions to the rule?”

“Eat shit, jackass.”

“You’re sure protective of those non-whore strippers.”

Raven smiled a bit. “One of them was really sweet. She was taking care of her sick mom. You shouldn’t assume anything about people.”

“You assumed I was an asshole.”

“I didn’t assume shit. I knew you were an asshole. Everyone told me you were and they weren’t wrong.”

Laughing, I took her hand back in mine. “I don’t like seeing someone as hot as you bruised up, but I don’t judge you fighting for money. We all do what we can. Look at me and my work. Not exactly a dream job, but I’m big, strong, and don’t mind hurting people. Not a lot of jobs for a guy with my skill set. I was never good at school. I hate computers and have no patience with fixing things. I had the choice of being an enforcer or a gigolo.”

Raven smacked my hand away. “Stop being charming, you dipshit.”

“I’ll try, but it just comes so naturally for me.”

“Why not a gigolo?”

“I’m too shy.”

Raven laughed. “That’s too bad. I’d pay to fuck you.”

“Of course, you would. I’d totally pay to have you give me a lap dance.”

“You couldn’t afford me.”

“I don’t know. I’ve been saving up for something special. This could be it.”

Resting her arms on the table then her head against them, Raven smiled at me. “You’re such a pompous ass. Normally, I’d hate that, but I find it endearing in you. I guess it’s the friends crap.”

“Probably,” I said, stroking her lips with my finger. “How long do you think you’ll fight at the Thunderdome?”

“Until they outlaw walkers in the cage.”

“That long, huh?”

“If I keep getting my ass kicked, I’ll need a walker by twenty five. You fucking me will probably speed up the process.”

“It’s true. What I lack in creativity, I make up for by being a vigorous fucker.”

As Raven studied me with a heavenly expression, I was overwhelmed with the urge to hold her. I also had the urge to keep my balls out of her purse. It was a tough call, but my ass remained on my side of the table.

“So what happens now?” she asked when our food arrived. “Do we call each other when we’re horny then hook up and go our separate ways?”

“I’d need to keep you on speed dial.”

“Like do we hook up on weekends or what? Or do we just act like friends now?”

“Why act? Are you saying you don’t like me?”

Raven grinned. “Don’t force me to make you cry here, Vaughn.”

“Man, I love when you say my name,” I murmured. “I prefer when you scream it. Either way, it sounds great in your voice.”

“My truck stop waitress voice?”

“Your Demi Moore voice. It’s sexy.”

“Imagine my voice on a kid. Just weird.”

“Probably, but you’re not a kid anymore.”

“True.”

“So you grew up here in Ellsberg?”

“Off and on. My mom was always chasing some loser. Sometimes, the loser left the state trying to outrun her.”

Raven’s mom was a bitch. While Lark never said so, Bailey did often and loudly. I knew the stepdad was a fucker too and I’d enjoyed stealing his prized antique car and watching Aaron trash “Gloria.”

“You’re Cooper’s age. Did you two ever hook up in high school?”