Under Locke

by Mariana Zapata

The snot-faced asshole that I only kind of, sort of hoped came down with an infectious illness in his private parts. But you know, something he could get medicine for.

Maybe he wouldn't be so mad at the world if his pubic hair wasn’t longer than his full-blown erection. God, I felt awkward thinking about what he had under his clothes, but it was the best insult I could come up with.

“I’ll try my best to put up with him, but if I get arrested for assault, you’re bailing me out of jail. I wouldn’t cut it in the pen.”

“No. I like to eat, and that’ll make guys think I like to give hugs with my mouth, you know what I mean?” I stated, matter-of-factly.

"I hope they're worth it." “You wanna find out?” Dex teased. What in the hell? Everything below my neck flushed at his question, but I steered away from it. There was no denying the hint of flirtation in his tone. Then again, I hadn't seen him with any other women since that morning at the auto shop. Though I doubted he was suffering from deprivation, you never know. Maybe he was. But probably not. “Babe, go choose a belly button ring,” Dex murmured at the same time fingertips brushed across the back of my neck.

"Babe, I've handpicked everythin' and everyone in here. I know what I want, and I get what I want," he breathed. "And I keep what's mine."

Her thin, pretty face pinched into a scowl when she stopped in front of my desk, looking at me through the dark tint of her huge sunglasses. “I need to drop this off for Dex.” “All right,” I told her, already extending my arms to take it as my annoyance factor went up about twenty degrees. “He left this at my house last night,” she added. Why she mentioned that, I had no idea.

“Sounds borin’ to me.” That large palm cupped the back of my neck. “And nobody else gives me hugs like this but you.”

The urge to fall to the ground, rip my heart out of my chest, and hold it out like a sacred offering was overwhelming. Take it! Take it all! I’d cry.

Something changed in his expression that I couldn’t pinpoint in the seconds before he dropped his hand from his mouth. Dex’s blink was slow and thorough as his jaw ticked. “I thought I had more time….”

“Look at you. I never stood a fuckin’ chance.”

“That shit made my chest burn. I hated it. You know what that’s like for me? Standin’ there thinkin’ to myself that I don’t wanna share you with anybody?”

“I can’t ignore this shit between us anymore, and I’m not gonna. Not when it makes so much sense.” Oh. Dear. God. I wasn’t sure whether to have a panic attack or run around fist pumping. But still, that fear crept through my bones, warning me, preparing me, making me wary. “Why does this make so much sense?” The question was hoarse. “Nobody’s ever made me feel the way you do.”

He stared at me for a long moment, his gaze hard. Then his hands were cupping my face. He tipped my head back to nip at my upper lip, sucking it between his.

But Lu’s got his shit together, and most of the time, he knows what he’s talkin’ about. Can’t help but listen to him when he says somethin’. Keep your shop separate from the Club. Keep your nose clean. Lock that sweet girl down before you regret that shit. So I pay attention.”