No Prince

by Stevie J. Cole

“I’m not having—” Her gaze dropped to my chest, then lower—“sex with you.” “I don’t have sex, Monroe.” I leaned over, gripping the edge of the mattress while I inched close to her reddening face. “I fuck.”

This was not a fairytale. I was no damsel, and Zeppelin Hunt was certainly no prince.

“I’m gonna go to jail for something, Roe. Might as well be you.”

“Who doesn’t drink milkshakes? You really are a psychopath.” “And you really are hot.”

Zepp was insane, but I couldn’t help the smile or the little flutter in my chest as I watched Zepp Hunt do exactly what he did best: Be bad. For me.

“The first time I noticed you was two summers ago when you were washing some shit car in your drive. I told the guys you were off-limits.” He nudged me. “You’re welcome. Hendrix would have tried to screw you.”

“Depends on how much you want us to know about each other.” I tapped the book in her hands. “It’s not pretty.” “The truth never is. Anything pretty is always a lie.”

“You’re the only girl I’ve ever given a shit about.” I grabbed her hips and pulled her on top of me. Her hands went to my face. “Good.” And then she kissed me.

Her hand brushed my shoulder before her arms wrapped around my waist, her chin pressing to my shoulder. And goddamn, that broke me. I buried my face in her neck. Monroe was making herself a lifeline, and I was fucked. “That’s shit, Zepp.” “It’s just life, Monroe.”

Then it hit me like an eighteen-wheeler barreling down a road: She was a stripper and a virgin. How messed up was that, that we lived the kind of life where she was rubbing her tits in men’s faces and straddling their laps when she hadn’t even had sex. Something about that was downright tragic. Monroe James wasn’t at all what I had thought she was—what anyone thought she was. And she was so much better than I deserved.

“I don’t deserve you,” I breathed against his mouth. His fingers swept my cheek. “You deserve better.” “There is no one better.”

I had never given a shit about a girl before, and somehow, this girl had managed to break me apart without even trying. Because I was pretty damn sure I was in love with her.

“Maybe you should send him pictures of what I’m about to do to you.” “Poor kid would come in his batman boxers.”

“Everything I did was because I loved you.” “Then, I don’t want your love because it hurts.”

“I meant it when I told you I would never love anyone the way I loved you. Because I won’t love anyone but you.”