Adversaries by T.L. Hodel

One year ago.

“Riley, have you seen the–” I stopped dead in my tracks.

Whatever I was going to say didn’t matter because there was a goddess in my shop. A golden-haired, green-eyed goddess. Was she here for a tattoo? I sure fucking hoped so. Hell, I’d happily do one of those stupid butterflies or flowers all chicks asked for. Anything she wanted, so long as I got to mark her perfect skin.

“Seen what?” Riley’s voice rang out from somewhere in the back of my head, but I had no idea what she was saying?

Whoever this girl was, she had me stunned by her beauty. I couldn’t stop staring. Her red dress hugged her curves while highlighting other assets like her mouth. Full, pouty lips painted the same color. My gaze trickled down to her full breasts, pushed up and proudly on display. I had never wanted to fondle a pair of tits so much in my life.

I could practically feel them warming my palms. Bet they’d be the sweetest tits I ever sucked on. My chin tipped down to her long shapely legs.

Not as sweet as what I’d find between those thighs.

Fuck, I came out here for something. What the fuck was it?

My heart flipped when the blonde noticed me. I was transfixed, watching her eyes shimmer like polished emeralds as she took me in. That right there was the kind of woman that turned brother against brother and brought down nations. Hell, I’d kill a motherfucker just to see her on her knees.

“Hello,” Riley called out, snapping her fingers.

Pay attention fuckwitt.

I cleared my throat and answered Riley, “Have you seen my coils?”

This girl was probably close to Riley’s age. I should not be gawking at her like some sleazeball. Then again, she was the one that waltzed in here, looking like that.

Fuck, I really needed to stop gawking at this teenage girl and get back to work. What if she wasn’t a teenager? She could be in her early twenties– then it would be okay that my dick was jumping for joy. Not that that particularly mattered.

I woke up next to an eighteen-year-old last week—still a teenager, but also an adult. No matter how drunk I got, I never crossed that threshold.

“They’re in the back,” Riley threw her thumb over her shoulder, “in the supply closet.”

Right the coils. I really should go get those. Or…

I once again slid my gaze over the blonde’s hard body.

She curled her lip back at me. “Can I help you?”

Yeah, honey, you can fucking help me.

“Sorry,” I grimaced and gave my head a shake. “Don’t get many girls like you in here.”

And if I did, they sure as hell wouldn’t still have that dress on. Girl was lucky Riley was here. My niece thought I was an upstanding guy, and I preferred to keep it that way.

“That’s because it stinks of sweat,” she sneered and shrugged off a shutter. “I feel dirty just being in here.”

I see. So the chick was a bitch. Made sense, I guess. Based on the jewels in her ears, I assumed she had money. Wouldn’t be the first stuck-up princess I reigned in.

“Not much for manners, are you?” I said, crossing my arms.

Entitled princess lifted her chin as if she was daring me to challenge her. “Not when it comes to docksider trash.”

Scratch that, chick was a cunt.

“Watch it, Princess,” I warned while reminding myself that Riley was right there. “I don’t put up with mouthy bitches.”

“What did you call me?” She snarled as if no one had ever called her a bitch to her face before. Which I found really fucking hard to believe. “Listen to me, you little insignificant piece of trash…”

Her heels clicked on the floor as she sauntered over to wave her hand in my face and fuck me if she didn’t smell as good as she looked. If her voice wasn’t starting to grate on my nerves, I might’ve found an inventive way to shut her up.

It’d been a while since I’d had a good hate-fuck. At least I think it had? Most nights were spent lost in a bottle. It was the only way I could get some peace. Who the fuck knew what I did to the random chicks I woke up beside?

My eyes narrowed on the cunt’s flapping lips. She was still spewing out bullshit. I tipped my head and eyed the stuck-up way she lifted her chin. She seemed kind of familiar. Did I know her? Oh shit, I did. She was the idiot mayor’s daughter. Nikki or something? What the fuck was her name?

“Scum like you aren’t fit to lick the dirt off my shoes.”

Cunt. That’s what her name was.

I arched a brow down at the finger she was jabbing into my chest. Has no one bothered to teach this bitch a lesson?

“I eat men like you for breakfast.”

Uh-huh, we’ll see about that, Princess.

Enough was enough. My arm shot out, fingers wrapping around the back of her neck as I folded her over the counter and smacked my hand on her ass. The loud crack vibrating through the room was almost as satisfying as her squeal.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

“What your daddy should’ve done,” I grunted and delivered another swat, this time flicking my wrist to add a little extra oomph.

She yelped and lifted up onto her tip-toes. “You can’t do this to me!”

The hell, I can’t.

Watching her struggle had me tempted to punish her in another way. Anal wasn’t necessarily my thing, but Goddamn, that was one fuckable ass. I hit her again, this time to see her wiggle.

Then again to hear her squeak, and again, because… fuck it, who cared why? My dick sure didn’t. It throbbed with every strike I delivered and twitched along with her hips. I’d never been more turned on in my life.

Might’ve considered shoving my fingers in her cunt, until I noticed Riley staring at me. And not just her. That stupid jackass Mason Kessler had the dumbest smile on his face. Prick knew exactly what I was thinking. Not that I gave a shit what he thought. Riley, on the other hand…

One look at the shock twinkling in my niece’s dark blue eyes, and I took a step back.

What the fuck was I thinking?

Not sure why, but I thought that would be the end of it. Nikki, however was not letting that shit go. She shot up the second I released her and took a swing at me. Smug little bitch wasn’t fast enough to catch me off guard. I grabbed her wrist before she could make contact.

A chick with attitude was okay. Hell, the feisty ones were fun to fuck with. But this bitch was challenging me in my parlor. That I wouldn’t tolerate. She wanted to be a bitch, fine. I’d shove that shit right back down her throat.

“The next time you come in my shop running your mouth,” I bent down, getting right in her face so she’d see how serious I was, “you’ll get my belt.”

I could feel Riley watching me. But I was so far past giving a shit.

Nikki’s eyes narrowed as she tore her arm out of my grip. “When my father hears about this–”

“You’re running your mouth again.” My brow arched, silently daring her to give me a reason.

One twitch, word, hell even a snide look would do. That’s all I needed to take this shit to the next level. She stomped her foot, pursing her lips together, and I had to hold back the smirk threatening to break out. For half a second, I thought my wish might be granted.

Instead, Nikki flipped her hair over her shoulder and spun for the door. “Screw this; I’m calling an Uber.”

“That’s right, Princess,” I called out while sauntering back to my office, “go running back home to daddy.”

Prissy little bitch better hope I never see her again.