Water’s Edge (A Series of Sharp Edges #1)

4. Ripp

CHAPTER FOUR

ripp

H er mind’s running a million miles a second behind those pretty green eyes. She’s calculating her next move. What a clever little human, trying to decide if she wants to give me her real name or a bratty comeback. I almost laugh out loud watching her. I should tell her to choose wisely, because her response is going to determine how this all plays out. We can do this all the easy way, or I can draw it out of her with less pleasurable methods.

I shouldn’t play with my food, but she’s caught my interest, and I’m unwilling to let her out of this snare she’s found herself in. Come on, little bug. This part is easy. Just give me your name. It’s one little word, and you won’t even realize its power until it’s too late.

Her lips part, and she’s about to speak when a perky blonde comes crashing through the door behind the bar. Fuck. She’s my girl’s opposite, with generous curves, curled hair, and a face full of makeup. The contrast between the two would be amusing if wasn’t for her interruption.

“Mattie,” she squeals, giving her a side squeeze. Pleasure rolls through me at the sound of her name.

Mattie .

Her eyes never break contact with mine as her lip curls in a sneer.

Got her.

The blonde rubs Mattie’s arms, fussing with the escaped strands of hair from her ponytail. Her friend is completely unbothered by anything happening before she burst into the room. If looks could kill, this blonde broad would be dead from the daggers Mattie just threw her way. That look tells me she wasn’t planning on giving herself away so easily. I tilt my head and continue to examine their interaction. Humans are normally more trusting than she is. I wonder what else she’s hiding—you know, besides our dead friend in the lake.

“I’m so happy you made it in tonight,” the blonde continues, not reading the room. “He looks tickled too.” She giggles, a high-pitched noise that stings my human ears. She flips a hand towel towards me in what I’m sure is supposed to be a flirty gesture, but I only have eyes for my prey right now—prey that’s getting visibly more annoyed by the second. I can smell her agitation rising and see the blood pulse through the vein in her temple. My little bug has a temper.

I nod, one corner of my mouth pulling up in a half smirk. “Mattie,” I purr, popping the ts. I savor the way her name sounds, a name so light and innocent, no one would suspect the darkness lurking behind it. A woman after my own heart, if I had one.

I hold my empty glass up to her in a ‘cheers’ gesture and nod my head. Will she notice I don’t give her my name in return? A normal human would. I’ve watched their interactions enough times to know the few civilities of their culture. However, something tells me Mattie doesn’t care to know my name just yet.

“Tally, why don’t you take this one? He thinks the sun rises and falls on his hind end.” She rolls her eyes and shifts her weight to move towards the other side of the bar, but I grab her tiny wrist. My hand easily circles around it. Mattie halts as she meets the resistance, like a dog reaching the end of its chain. I bet she’d turn around and bite me if she could. My need for her swells at the thought of her teeth sinking into me. I grin and rub my thumb over her small wrist bone that wiggles each time she struggles in my grasp.

Tally’s eyes widen, her scent a blend of curiosity and fear. She’s concerned I placed a hand on her coworker, but the drama of it all excites her. Predictable . Her reaction forces a chuckle from my throat, which only angers Mattie more.

Mattie’s eyes turn to embers as she stares at me. She could burn holes through a soul I don’t have with those fiery green orbs. Her nostrils flare, and the yellow fluorescent lighting reflects off her nose ring. She tries again to jerk her wrist free, but my grip is ironclad, my cock rock hard. Her unwillingness to back down or shy away from me heats me the fuck up. Flames of hunger flicker, burning me from the inside with need.

“I’ll be seeing you later,” I laugh again, releasing her wrist. I’m playing the long game, and I’ve got all night. I have nothing but the rest of her existence to wait. She turns and walks down the length of the bar without a second glance, but I see the muscles in her back tighten. I’ve gotten under that pretty skin of hers.

I lean over the bar top, propping myself up on my elbows and adjusting on the stool. The zipper of my pants painfully presses into my cock, hard with the excitement of this game I’ve started. My magic races wildly through my veins, begging to be released, yearning to know what the inside of her feels like.

I wet my lips and turn my head to fix my gaze on Tally. “I’ll take another whiskey, thanks.” I clip each word short so she knows I’m not interested. Tally flips her ponytail with a huff but makes the drink anyway. I know she thinks I’m just another rude asshole here to hit on her and her coworker. I have zero interest in her big tits or her attitude, though. I have my sights set on only one little bug tonight—Mattie.

The hours pass, and I continue to sip on the whiskey Tally keeps flowing. She’s generous with her pours, and if alcohol affected me, I’d be falling off this stool by now. This part of my game, though, requires that I have enough drinks for a normal human male to be drunk. Mattie needs to think my guard is down and that she’s once again the hunter.

I watch Mattie work on the other side of the bar, making small talk with customers and giggling with Tally. She laughs like she didn’t just dump a body in a lake a few hours ago. There’s something about all her interactions that feels forced, like she’s wearing a mask. There’s a darkness behind all that light she’s struggling to give off, and I’m ready to peel her layers back to find it. What else are you hiding, Mattie?

The roadhouse is fixing to close for the night; I can tell by the shuffling feet of the drunk locals as they head out the door and the girls starting to clean and put away all the glassware behind the bar. Mattie strolls up to me, leaning over the bar top enough to give me a peek at her tanned, perky breasts. She’s not wearing a bra under that little black tank, so she’s using her arms to push them up. My coy little bug wants me to look, wants me to take the bait, and I’m more than willing to let her think I’m on her hook.

“I should have kicked you out hours ago, but it’s time to leave.” She smirks as her fingers trail across the bar top in a little dance. “You don’t have to go home, baby, but you can’t stay here.”

“Where do you suggest we go?” I retort, raising an eyebrow. Mattie has fallen into my trap now. She doesn’t know it yet, but I have so many delicious and terrifying things planned for her.