Page 6 of Born Reckless

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Page 6 of Born Reckless

My stomach does a little flip of excitement and ick at the same time. I shake my head. “This is something I really don’t like talking about, that’s something you’ll have to learn about me. Money has always been a touchy subject. That tends to happen when you grow up without any of it.”

I see the gears turning in his head for a few moments. “What if it was Elena’s birthday present from me? Would you come out if I covered it, for Elena’s gift?”

My eyes slowly rise back up to his and something in me hesitates. “You really want me to come to Chicago that much?”

Mason shrugs and then shakes his head. “I don’t know. I feel kind of crazy right now. I just… You’re not what I expected, Juliet. It’s been a nice night.”

He’s not wrong. It has been a nice night. A great night.

I’m always hesitating when it comes to men. I can’t say I trust many of them.

But being here with Mason, I’m looking inside myself, searching for any of that wariness. And I’m not finding any.

Elena’s birthday is next month. That would give me enough time to arrange the time off.

“If it’s for her birthday,” I say, a small smile beginning to pull on my mouth. “I guess I could deal with it for that.”

Mason’s face breaks out into a grin, and he looks up, his eyes sweeping the crowd without really seeing anything. “I’ll arrange it all. I’ll get your contact info from my sister.”

“Oh my gosh,” I hear a voice call from behind us. “There’s a donut truck two blocks down, and I amstarving.”

Elena grabs my arm and starts pulling before Mason and I have even let go of each other. I stumble to the side, barely catching myself as Elena beelines for the doors. “You coming?” she calls to Mason over her shoulder.

Just then, his phone rings. He pulls it out and looks at the screen. “I’ll catch up with you two in just a minute. I need to take this.”

But he holds my eyes for a moment, and a cunning smile starts pulling on his lips at the same time it does mine. It’s a promise. That there will be more of what’s happened between the two of us to come later.

“Bye!” Elena yells, pulling me with an insane amount of strength out the door.

“Have you taken something tonight?” I ask with a laugh. “Because your energy is…”

“Come on, Juliet, I’m acting my age for once,” she says with a laugh as she swings her purse. “Can we just make stupid decisions for once? I’m pretty sure you and Mason will be in bed together before the sun comes up.”

“And you’re okay with that?” I ask doubtfully.

“I’m the one who introduced you two, remember?” she declares like I’m stupid.

I laugh with her and shake my head. Arm in arm, we head down the sidewalk.

I should have been more aware. I should have been paying attention to my surroundings. I’ve lived in this city for years. I know what can happen after dark.

But I was having a good night. For once. And for once, my guard was down.

A man steps out between buildings as we pass, and instantly, he gets in Elena’s face.

“Just hand it over,” he says, growling in a low voice. Between them, his hand clamps down on her purse.

When you have as much trauma as I do, it doesn’t take too much to get triggered. I’m instantly back to every man who ever thought he could take advantage of me. I’m back in that trailer park with low lives visiting every night with small packets of white powder and money being exchanged or bodies being offered up if there wasn’t enough of that. I’m watching guns fire off and women screaming.

I see red.

The entire world turns a bloody shade. Even Elena’s eyes seem to flash the color.

“Back off, asshole,” I say, stepping between my best friend and the man. I shove his shoulders. Hard.

“Juliet, don’t,” Elena says, her voice sounding alarmed.

“No, I’m sick of people like this,” I say as I shove the man once more. I’ve caught him off guard. He actually staggers back one step. “Climb back into your dark hole and stay there.”




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