Dead Man's Hand: A Small Town Romance (A Good Run Of Bad Luck Book 1)

by Giulia Lagomarsino

  “You name that dog Princess, you get fucked hard by me.”

  I nodded quickly, totally okay with that. He pinched my nipple, pulling the fabric of my bra down. Then he leaned over me and drew my hard bud into his mouth. His cock slowly filled me as he sucked me further into his mouth. I gasped as he finally seated himself deep inside me. I thought he would move, fuck me hard like he had promised, but he was too busy fucking my nipples with his mouth. I gripped his hair, ripping him away from my chest.

  “Fuck me already,” I growled.

  He stood, pulling me up with him as he pulled out and thrust back in with just one harsh movement. I gasped, grasping the back of his neck as he pulled out and did it again. He grabbed my leg and wrapped it around his waist as he continued to fuck me hard. The table moved, the other drinks knocked over and spilled everywhere, the plate crashed to the ground. It was complete chaos, but every second of it was so pleasurable.

  His arm wrapped around me, holding me to him as he pounded into me relentlessly. There wasn’t a single inch of space between us as he frantically fucked me. My head fell back and his lips latched onto my neck. I cried out as I started coming hard. A burning pleasure swirled in me as he hit just the right spot that sent me over the edge.

  He cried out, swearing as he pumped his load inside me, not stopping until both of us were exhausted and fully satisfied. Panting, I slowly pulled back, releasing my tight grip on his hair as I looked into his eyes. They were still dark and stormy, but at least he looked satisfied now. Leaning back, I pressed my good hand to the table, only to snatch it back with a hiss when something jabbed me. Looking behind me, the whole table was filled with broken glass from where the cups fell over. The floor wasn’t any better.

  “Don’t move,” he grumbled as he slowly pulled out of me and pulled up his jeans. He was back moments later with a wet rag and a pair of tweezers, inspecting my hand. It wasn’t bad, but there was a small shard of glass stuck in there. I hissed as he dug it out, but when he placed the cloth over it, I could hardly feel it.

  Then he shocked me by grabbing me around the waist and pulling me to him. “Wrap your legs around me.”

  I did as he asked, not questioning why he was suddenly taking care of me like this. But as I thought back, he always had. It was just more obvious now. He walked into the bathroom and set me down on the floor. Stepping back, his eyes roamed over my body once.

  “Take a shower. I’ll clean up the mess.”

  And then he closed the door, leaving me alone.

  I sighed, sitting on the couch stroking the dog’s fur. Nights could get so boring around here. Antonio didn’t speak much, usually busying himself with something around the house. I just didn’t understand how he could be so content to live this way, with nothing around for even the slightest amusement.

  His footsteps stomped in from the other room and he tossed a paper down on my lap. “What is this?”

  “Apartment listings.”

  He walked into the kitchen as I frowned down at the paper. He had circled some that were in the area. They all cost more than I could ever afford. I didn’t even have a job.

  “You’re kicking me out?”

  “You can’t stay here forever,” he muttered, putting away some pans that had been drying in the rack.

  Mouth gaping, I stared down at the paper. “Is this because of the dog?”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Because I named him Princess?”

  He snorted derisively. “The dog is yours. Do what you want with him.”

  “But…I don’t have any money for an apartment. And nobody will hire me when I still have this cast—”

  “I’ll give you money until you can get back on your feet.”

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  He spun around, his jaw clenching angrily. “I said I’ll give you money. Is that so fucking hard to understand?”

  “Why would you give me money? I can’t pay you back.”

  “And staying here rent free is any different? Keep spreading those legs and you’ll more than pay for your share.”

  Tossing the paper down on the table, I turned and walked out of the room. I had never been so insulted in my life. At least, not that I could remember. How dare he say something like that to me. What an asshole. I hobbled up the stairs, pleased when Princess followed me. I wasn’t even close to being ready for bed, but there was no way I was staying anywhere near that man.

  “Asshole,” I muttered, pacing the room. “I can’t believe I thought he was going to help me.”

  I stared down at the dog, who was looking up at me curiously. He stuck by me as I paced the room, never letting his body even an inch away from mine. Finally, I sat down on the floor, letting the dog climb into my lap. Apparently, he thought he was a lap dog. Nobody told him he was too big for the job. I pet him, each stroke calming me slightly.

  What had I expected? He was going to leave me at the hospital. It was only a matter of time before he dropped me off somewhere else. And I definitely wasn’t sleeping with him again. Especially not as payment for giving me a roof over my head. I’d just have him take me into town tomorrow. I could stay at the women’s shelter. At least then I wouldn’t have someone using me for sex.

  I sank down into the blankets, letting the dog snuggle underneath with me. I didn’t care if he got hair everywhere. As Antonio said, he was my dog, and it wasn’t like the blankets were mine. Plus, his body was warm against mine, and he seemed to need to snuggle up just as much as I did. I slowly drifted off to sleep as I rubbed his ears, his wet nose rubbing against me as he settled beside me.

  I yanked at the car door repeatedly, but nothing happened. The damn door wouldn’t open, and as I stared out the windshield, I knew I didn’t have long before the car started sliding further. I climbed over the seat, pausing when the car groaned loudly. Moving as slowly as possible, I looked behind me, swallowing a gasp when I saw the thirty foot drop below. If I didn’t get out of here, I was going to die.

  “Hey!”

  A man was racing toward me, waving his arms at me.

  “Help! I can’t get out!”

  “Stay calm,” he said, trying the handle. “Do you have a window punch?”

  I shook my head wildly. “I don’t think so.”

  He pulled out a gun. “Stand back.”

  My eyes widened in horror as he pointed the weapon at the window. I ducked down in the backseat, waiting for the gunshot. It was louder than I expected, followed by the sound of breaking glass. I held back my scream, waiting for him to tell me to move.

  “Let’s go!”

  I stepped forward into the front seat, holding out my hand to grasp his. He pulled me through the window, both of us falling to the ground just as the car tipped over the edge of the cliff and crashed down below.

  My heart hammered in my chest as I looked at the wreckage below. That could have been me. I would have died. I glanced up at the man, my whole body shaking. “Thank you.”

  “Get up,” he said sternly.

  I was a little confused by his rough demeanor. But as I stood on shaky legs and watched as he lifted his gun, I began to think staying in the car would have been the better choice.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, my voice shaking.

  “Doing what I should have done, getting rid of you.”

  I saw a brief flicker of regret in his eyes just before he pulled the trigger.

  I twisted in the blankets, trying to kick them off. I was so hot, sweating like it was the middle of summer. Gunshots echoed in my head over and over again, but there was also the distant sound of barking. I couldn’t get the sound of the gunshot out of my head, or the feel of my body dropping to the ground.

  Strong hands clasped around my arms, shaking me hard. My eyes flew open and the most terrifying eyes stared back at me. I shoved him hard in the chest, then kicked out at him, catching him in the side. He scrambled backward as I stood on shaky legs, stumbling back into the wall. Princess w
as between us, growling at Antonio, ready to attack.

  “Call off the dog,” Antonio snapped.

  I opened my mouth, trying to do it, but I wasn’t sure. The remnants of my dream were so real. Did he have a gun on him now? Would he kill me if he had the chance? He couldn’t kill me now that everyone knew I was with him, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t get rid of me. I slid down the wall, my heart pounding out of control. I was on the verge of a panic attack.

  Princess came over and nuzzled against me, climbing into my lap like he was trying to soothe me. But his weight was too much, and between him and the panic, I couldn’t breathe. Antonio came over, practically ripping the dog off my lap as he sat me up and had me bend over.

  His touch made me shiver, but I didn’t know if it was from fear or from need. His hand ran up and down my spine, each stroke calming me slightly. Princess pushed his way back in, and I ran my hand over him, needing the dog for some reason. Just knowing that he was so protective of me helped to calm me.

  After a few minutes, I finally calmed down, but then embarrassment hit hard. God, I had just totally freaked out on him. Now he really was going to kick me out. Would he take the dog from me too?

  I pushed myself up, stepping away from Antonio. That dream…it felt so real. Deep down, I knew when I looked at him that he had the capabilities of being a killer, but to see him pointing a gun at me was so real.

  “Sorry I woke you,” I mumbled, grabbing a blanket off the floor.

  “It wasn’t you. I didn’t even hear you, but the damn dog was barking like you were being murdered.”

  Clearing my throat, I tossed the blanket around my shoulders and headed for the stairs. “Well, it’s fine. You can go back to sleep. I’ll be fine.”

  I heard his sigh, but ignored it as I headed down the stairs. I went to the cabinet like I had the past two nights, then grabbed the tea bag, but paused, remembering that it was bad.

  “Well, at least when I move out I can have some decent tea,” I mumbled to myself.

  “What was the dream about?”

  “Nothing.”

  His hand slammed down on the counter, making me jump. “Goddamnit! Just fucking tell me what it was about!”

  I spun around, my temper flaring. “You want to know what it was about?”

  “I think I fucking deserve that considering you wake me up every fucking night.”

  “I remembered the accident. That’s what I dreamt about last night. But tonight, I dreamt about it again, only this time, you got me out of the car. Except, when you got me out of the car, you held a gun on me.” His eyes flickered in confusion. “You said you were doing what you should have done, and then you pulled the trigger.”

  Something flashed in his eyes that I didn’t understand, but then it was gone. “So, you remember. It’s coming back.”

  “No, I only remember the accident. None of the rest of it is coming back.”

  “But the other nightmares…the time I cornered you—“

  “They were just flashes,” I snapped. “I don’t know if they’re real or not. I don’t know if any of it happened or if it’s just my brain fucking with me.”

  He ran his hand across his beard, staring down at the counter. When he didn’t say anything, I went and sat down on the couch, the dog joining me. A few minutes later, Antonio reappeared, a glass of whiskey held out in his hand.

  “Is it drugged?” I asked, wondering if he would even tell the truth.

  “Not tonight. I’m not sure repeating that is a good idea.”

  I took the drink and chugged it, feeling the warmth spread into my belly. The fuzzy feeling was almost instantaneous. Not enough to feel drunk, but enough to know it was there, waiting to spread through me. Without another word, Antonio walked back to his room, slamming the door behind him.

  19

  Antonio

  I held the gun out in front of me, staring at the person that betrayed me. Her eyes pleaded with me, begging me to see that she wasn’t the traitor I was accusing her of being. But it didn’t matter. I knew deep down that she was going to betray me. It was better to get rid of her now. I pulled the trigger and watched her body flop to the floor. Blood spilled across the concrete, pooling under her head. I turned to my uncle, but he wasn’t there. No one was there. I was all alone.

  I woke the same way I always did, jolting upright in bed and heaving out long breaths. Except this time was different. This time, I dreamt I had killed Ciara. I couldn’t take any more dreams like this. Having her here was messing with my head. Now I was dreaming about her? I had to get her out of here, and the sooner the better.

  I threw off my covers and quickly dressed. I would take her into town today and we’d find a suitable apartment for her. I knew that it wasn’t very likely that she’d be able to move in today, but at least I would have a date in mind for when she would leave.

  Walking over to her on the couch, I shook her awake. Groggily, she sat up rubbing her eyes.

  “What?” she said, a slight whine to her voice.

  “Get dressed. We’re going to look at apartments.”

  The dog perked his head up, sitting up in excitement. I refused to call the dog Princess, no matter if that’s what she called him or not. Whistling to the dog, I jerked my head toward the door.

  “You should put him on a leash,” Ciara shouted as I walked out the door. I shut it behind me, not listening to her. The dog needed exercise, and we were in the middle of nowhere. He didn’t need a fucking leash. Besides, he was already attached to Ciara. He wouldn’t run off on her. The dog ran around, barking at trees and sniffing the snow, but eventually came back after going to the bathroom. Apparently, it was too cold outside for him.

  By the time I walked back inside, Ciara was ready. The dog practically tackled her, licking her face and practically climbing into her lap. It was like he thought he was a tiny dog, when he clearly outweighed the woman he was sitting on.

  “Are you ready?”

  She nodded, but didn’t look at me. “We should get this over with. I’d hate to be around any longer than I need to. Besides, I’m not sure spreading my legs for you is really worth the rent.”

  I ran a hand through my hair, feeling like an asshole. I hadn’t meant to say that to her last night. I just…I had no excuse. I wasn’t used to people being in my space. I wasn’t used to being challenged. Probably the worst part, I liked her, and that was dangerous for me.

  Stomping out to the truck, I didn’t bother to wait for her. The dog jumped in the backseat, and she climbed in right after him. I glared in the rearview mirror. “Seriously? You’re sitting in the back?”

  “Does it really matter to you?”

  Sighing, I started the truck and headed into town. The silence was unbearable, and I loved silence. But coming from her, when I was already so used to her smartass mouth, it was like the kiss of death. Pulling up to the first apartment building, I got out and made my way to the office. It looked nice enough, in good shape, but the moment the dog followed me in, he shook his head.

  “No pets allowed.”

  “What about an additional security deposit?”

  “No, not a chance. This is a pet-free building.”

  “It’s a service dog.”

  “Then go take the dog to a building that allows service animals,” the man said.

  Reigning in my anger, I turned and stomped out of the building, ignoring Ciara as I got back in the truck. I looked up the next address and headed over there, not saying a word to Ciara along the way. Not that she wanted to speak to me. Even the damn dog was on her side, snuggling up against her like she was his favorite person in the world. I was the one that insisted on getting him, yet he didn’t try and snuggle up against me. Instead, she was the one that got all the love from him. I shook my head. Now I was jealous of a damn dog.

  I pulled into the next apartment complex, but this one wasn’t as nice. Still, the outside didn’t necessarily reflect what it looked like on the inside. I was wrong. The
moment I stepped inside, the smell alone would have had me turning around and leaving, but the hooker that walked out of the downstairs apartment made it clear that she wouldn’t be staying here. I turned on my heel, jerking my head toward the door.

  “Aren’t we even going to look at it?” she asked as she rushed behind me to keep up.

  “Don’t need to.”

  “What do you mean we don’t need to? How am I going to get an apartment if we don’t look at them.”

  “You want to stay with hookers?”

  She narrowed her eyes at me. “Well, considering that’s how I’m paying the rent now, I would think you wouldn’t have a problem with it.”

  “Christ, I said something stupid, okay? I don’t actually think you’re paying the rent that way.”

  “Right,” she scoffed. “Because you’ve been so welcoming, right?”

  “You know…” She stared at me, waiting for me to finish. Instead, I whistled for the dog and headed back to the truck. We looked at three other apartments, all of them garbage. It seemed like every time I walked into one, I found a reason for her not to stay there. One had really old appliances that could be a fire hazard. The next only had stairs, and the fire escape was too far away. If she were caught in a fire, she wouldn’t be able to get out easily. And the third…well, I didn’t particularly like the color of the walls. Of course, I didn’t tell her that. I told her it was too expensive for what they offered. Which was true, but wouldn’t normally have stopped me from getting the place.

  We drove to the last place, and I prayed to God this one was decent. I was tired of looking. It was promising, very clean and a little more modern looking than the others we’d seen. Just as we approached, the door opened and the dog lady walked out.

  “Jo!” Ciara said happily. “Do you live here?”

  “Yeah, are you here visiting someone?”

  “No, I’m actually looking for an apartment.”

  “Oh,” she said, glancing between the two of us. “I thought…”

  “No,” Ciara said firmly, like it was offensive that someone would think we were together. “He was just helping me out.”