Damaged and the Beast

by Bijou Hunter

  “Must be nice,” I said, caressing the stick as if it might be my buddy and help me win.

  “Money makes life all kinds of nice. Oh, and the way you’re fondling the stick is making me super horny here. I also suspect you’re doing that on purpose. Now, who’s cheating?”

  Glancing back at him, I grinned. “You’re in a constant state of heat. I’m not taking the blame for that.”

  Throwing his head back, Cooper laughed. “Fair enough.”

  For the next few minutes, I made great shots until a creepy biker guy stood too close and I missed. Cooper took the stick and studied the remaining balls.

  “Don’t cry when I beat your ass.”

  “Hell yeah,” the biker said, laughing. “Some girls just love it rough.”

  Giving me a quick glance, Cooper glared at the guy. “Who the fuck are you?”

  “I know your pop.”

  “Good for you, but if you don’t back off and stop skeeving out my girl, my pop and I will be attending your funeral.”

  The biker opened his mouth to speak before changing his mind. Walking away, he cursed under his breath and I grinned at Cooper.

  “I like when you call me your girl,” I said, caressing his arm. “It makes me feel warm all over, but mainly in certain places.”

  “Fuck no,” Cooper grumbled even while grinning big. “I’m not getting distracted.”

  “Big baby,” I said, sitting down and crossing my arms over the prize. “Fine. I’ll let you lose the old fashioned way. By sucking more than me.”

  Cooper made the next two shots perfectly like he was trained from birth to con idiots like me into playing against him.

  “Tell ya what,” he said, having missed the next shot. “Why don’t we call it even and I’ll give you the hundred and you give me second base?”

  “So like you’re paying me for sex?”

  “Man, you’re negative. No, Farah, it’s a tie. We both get what we want.”

  “I want to win.”

  Cooper leaned down and glared at me eye-to-eye. “You just don’t want me getting what I want. I think you only agreed because you figured it was a done deal that you’d win.”

  Standing up, I pushed past him, grabbed the pool stick, and aimed. If I missed this shot, I would likely lose and Cooper would win. I really didn’t want him to win now. I didn’t want him anywhere near me either. With him glaring at me, I wished I’d eaten before the game so I could ask to leave once I beat his ass.

  “I want a burger,” Cooper said loudly at the exact moment I hit the ball, startling me and throwing off my aim.

  The final ball rolled towards the hole then stopped at the edge, having too little momentum to go inside. I’d lost! I’d fucking lost because he cheated and I never wanted him touching me. Anger rising up in my gut, I glared hard at the ball. I didn’t care about the money. I just never wanted the asshole putting his hands on me.

  Standing, Cooper hissed through his teeth. “So close.”

  Staring at the ball, I fought the tears and wiped angrily at my eyes when they fell anyway. Cooper stood next to the table and stared down at me.

  “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen some hot chicks before,” he said, crossing his arms before bumping the table with his hip. “There’s just something about you that’s special.”

  The bump was enough to knock the ball into the hole. I watched it fall then forced my wet gaze to him.

  Grinning, Cooper gave me a defeated sigh. “I guess I’ll have to find another way under your shirt.”

  “You’re a jerk.”

  Uncrossing his arms, Cooper leaned down to kiss me. “I’m hungry. Let’s order food.”

  As he turned towards where his siblings were seated, I grabbed his tee and pulled him to a stop.

  “Thank you,” I said, wishing Cooper knew how awful it would have been if he expected to touch me after he cheated. “I don’t want the money.”

  “Screw that. You won fair and square. Besides, I don’t want my girl going hungry.”

  Studying his face, I felt confused by how he bounced back and forth from asshole to gentle jerk. When he was sweet, I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anything. When he was an asshole, he represented everything I hated in the world. Cooper was a complicated guy, but my feelings for him were a million times more complex.

  Watching his brother and sister bicker, Cooper noticed my gaze on him. He focused his dark eyes on my face and stared hard like we were having a contest. I wasn’t sure what he saw on my face this time, but he blinked and let me win.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked softly. “We can go somewhere else if you don’t like the food.”

  Breathing too fast, I wasn’t sure what to do or say. He was being too sweet and I started wishing he truly wanted me to be his girl. I wanted to be close to someone so badly, but Cooper was scary. Even looking at me like he was, I saw the tension in his jaw as if waiting for someone to piss him off.

  “A burger would be great,” I said, sitting at the table where his brother, sister, and Maddy waited.

  Cooper pulled a chair from the next table and sat an inch from me. He was watching me in the way he sometimes did at Denny’s. Like he was dissecting me, breaking through all of my barriers, and soon would know my every thought. Hating being scrutinized, I avoided his gaze.

  “I should give you your money,” Cooper said after we ordered. “I have a feeling you might freak out soon and I don’t want you storming off without your cash.”

  “Why would I freak out?” I whispered, hating to have everyone staring at me. “And I can’t storm off when I don’t know how to get home.”

  “I’d take you,” Bailey announced. “But first, we could drop by a frat house and party.” Cooper glared at his sister who grinned. “Find ourselves a few real men and get naked and…”

  “Gross,” Tucker muttered. “You naked is a real buzz kill. Now, Farah is someone I wouldn’t mind getting naked for a little fun.”

  Cooper looked ready to hit his brother, but Maddy got there first. Elbowing Tucker in the jaw, she stood up and threw her drink at him.

  “I’m carrying your baby and you’re trying to fuck this whore!”

  There were moments in my life when I wished I was invisible. Right then, I was having one of those moments.

  “Baby,” Tucker soothed, wiping his face, “you’re so hormonal and shit.”

  “Don’t blame this on hormones. You’re a pig and I hate you for wanting to fuck someone else.”

  “Not fuck,” Tucker said softly, hands out in a gesture of peace. “A blowjob at the most.”

  The next second everything exploded. Cooper punched Tucker then turned to punch another guy who did something I hadn’t seen. Bailey yelled for Cooper to kill the guy then she yelled for Tucker to kill another guy. Maddy slapped Tucker on his way to the ground then she ran to the bathroom, screaming about a mother protecting her young. I didn’t wait around to find out what happened next.

  Bolting out of the bar, I ran without looking back. Once I reached the road, I guessed which way we’d come. Everything was so green and nondescript out by the bar, but my inner GPS screamed for me to head left. I ran up the road, ignoring honking cars speeding by.

  I needed to get home behind a locked door so I would be safe. Growing up, how many fights had broken out with me and Tawny nearby? How many times had someone hit me trying to get to my parents? Tawny lost a tooth in such a fight. One minute, we were standing in a store. The next minute, Tawny took a punch to the face meant for our mom. I still thanked God we had dental insurance through the state. If not, my poor sister would be missing one of her front teeth. Like life wasn’t hard enough with her teeth intact.

  No more chaos of my childhood. No more madness. I needed free of my past. Free of danger and fear. The apartment I shared with my mother wasn’t fancy or even all that welcoming, but it was nicer than most places I’d lived in. It was as safe as I would find here and I hoped I was running in the
right direction.

  Past exhaustion with a bone dry throat, I whimpered when I heard the motorcycle. The rural highway had become residential and I believed I was close to my neighborhood. Even nearly safe, I couldn’t outrun a Harley.

  Cooper roared to a stop in front of me and let the bike idle. His gaze was angry and I noticed blood on his bottom lip. Standing there sweaty and thirsty, I felt glued to my spot much like I did when I got in trouble as a kid. My dad would tell me to come to him and I knew I would get the belt. Sometimes, I didn’t care. The few times I turned bratty, I didn’t mind a spanking because I hated our life. Those times when I hadn’t really done anything wrong and my dad just wanted to punish someone, I did care about the spankings. I would stare at him and wait for someone to save me. I knew no one would, but I couldn’t move towards my fate. Every time I panicked like that, Dad spanked me where I was glued to the floor.

  Now, I waited for payback from a pissed Cooper. Breathing too fast and with a violent look in his eyes, he gestured with his finger for me to come closer. I didn’t move though. I wasn’t walking over to him so I could be punished. If he wanted to do it, he could come to me. It wasn’t much of a stand, but I had learned to accept the small victories.

  Cooper shut down his bike and climbed off. Watching him move towards me, I wanted to run. Just like when I was kid waiting for my spanking though, I had nowhere to go.

  Before he reached me, Cooper lost the rage in his expression. His dark eyes softened and he sighed. “Why did you run?”

  Shaking my head, I just wanted to go home and be safe. What if I said the wrong thing to Cooper and he hurt me? No one would care. No one would help me. He was rich and powerful. I was poor and nobody.

  When I said nothing, Cooper frowned a little, looking more confused than pissed.

  “Tuck needs to watch his mouth,” Cooper finally said. “Pissing off his pregnant girlfriend is stupid. Like she doesn’t have enough stress. Then, he’s talking about you like you’re a whore. Then, those fucks get in on it, making those gestures. I might not respect many chicks around here, but you and Maddy are solid,” he said, stepping closer. “Why did you run?”

  “I was afraid,” I whispered.

  “Why didn’t you run into the bathroom like Maddy?”

  The answer in my head wouldn’t make him happy so I didn’t say it. Cooper glanced around and flipped off a honking car. When his gaze returned to me, he let out a long sigh.

  “Let’s go eat.”

  “I want to go home,” I whispered, terrified of his reaction.

  “Why?” he muttered, no longer confused. He was just angry now.

  “I’m scared and I want to go home.”

  “Why would you be safer at home than with me? No one fucks with me and walks away from that.”

  Willing myself not to cry, I looked at Cooper and he finally understood. Showing his unhappiness by saying “fuck” ten times, he glanced around like someone might help him out if he cussed enough.

  “Screw this shit!” he yelled, walking back to his bike. “I don’t need to chase an uptight bitch, just so she can turn around and think I’m an ass! Fuck you, Farah!”

  I cried then. In the restaurant, I had really wanted Cooper to like me and had hoped much of his roughness was for show. It wasn’t though and he was ditching me on the side of the road. Would he get me fired now?

  “Get on,” he barked, revving the engine. “Unless you want to throw another fit and walk yourself home?”

  Exhausted, I needed to get home. Somehow, I was certain if I reached my apartment I would feel better. He offered me the fastest way to salvation so I climbed on behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist.

  When I leaned into him, Cooper sighed in a weird way. Was he remembering how we teased each other when my arms were last wrapped around him? Was he wishing we could go back and change courses? I wished that too, even if I knew I’d still end up terrified while he hated me.

  Crying the whole way home, I felt like the old Farah’s bad luck had infected the new Farah’s life. I still couldn’t seem to find my way. I wished for the billionth time that Tawny was there with me. I would have someone to talk to. Someone who loved me. Someone I didn’t have to pretend with. Someone who knew my dirty secrets.

  When I got off the bike at my place, Cooper took my hand and stared at me. “I could pick you up later and take you out to dinner. Somewhere nice.”

  I wanted Cooper so badly. When he looked at me, I felt beautiful and special. I had never felt that way before and I craved it. Even unaccustomed to feeling special, I was familiar with fear. I desperately needed a life where I didn’t worry constantly about my safety. With Cooper, I would always be one step away from danger or embarrassment though.

  “I’ll see you Monday in class,” I said, sliding my hand slowly out of his.

  Cooper’s expression changed. For a painful moment, I saw regret and longing. For a painful moment, I saw the man I wished him to be. Then, his expression hardened and he exhaled loudly.

  “One day, you’ll be old and look back at how you pissed away fun shit. You’ll wish you took chances when you were young. You’ll be full of fucking regrets, but I won’t.”

  Even as I nodded, I saw regret lurking behind his anger. He wished things had gone differently. He might have even wished to take me somewhere besides the bar. What Cooper hoped would show a sign of his genuine interest in me had turned into a clusterfuck.

  “I had fun,” I mumbled.

  Rolling his eyes, Cooper shoved a wad of twenties into my hand. “Bullshit.”

  “No, some parts were really good.”

  Cooper held my gaze and the longing shoved aside the irritation. “I know a nice place we could have dinner. Quiet and the food is really good.”

  I think he knew how much I wanted to say yes, but I shook my head and stepped back. Cooper was beautiful and amazing in many ways, but he scared me and I needed to be safe. With him, I never would be.

  Chapter Seven

  Arriving at class before most students including Cooper, I found a seat in the front. I licked my lips and prayed there wasn’t toothpaste in the corners. Just as I thought to run to the bathroom to check, Cooper appeared at the door. Clean shaven and wearing a white tee, he looked younger and softer than I remembered. He looked almost harmless, yet his dark eyes and tattoos reminded me how behind his beauty lived a raging beast who thought I was a bitch.

  Cooper strutted to the seat next to mine, sat down, and pulled out a notepad. I smiled at him, but kept casual. Scribbling down the lesson on the board, I tried not to make a big deal out of Cooper joining me. Before I could speak, he leaned over and kissed my neck as if Sunday never happened and we were dating now.

  “Want to copy my stellar notes?” Cooper asked, scooting his desk closer.

  Glancing at his notes, I shrugged. “You do have very nice penmanship. Dainty even.”

  “Bitch.”

  “Jackass.”

  “Gorgeous.”

  “Stud.”

  “You have no idea.”

  Rolling my eyes, I noticed Nick and his friend enter. I smiled at the guys then glanced back at Cooper who watched them as if he was a lion about to snag baby gazelles.

  “Do you want to sit with your boyfriend?” Cooper asked with his gaze on Nick even as his fingers caressed the nape of my neck.

  “Maybe, but first I’ll copy your stellar notes.”

  “Bitch.”

  “Asscrack.”

  “Nerd.”

  “Hotstuff.”

  “The devil disguised as an angel to trick me into losing my heart.”

  “That one was too long.”

  Cooper grinned. “Want to get something to eat after class?”

  “I have to study then go to work.”

  “Blow off work and study with me then I can show you my stud moves,” he said, wiggling his brows at me.

  “I need my job.”

  “Not really.”

  “Ho
w do you know?”

  “I know everything.”

  Rolling my eyes again, I wished the instructor would arrive. Instead, I was stuck with Cooper who focused more on Nick than anything else.

  “I barely know him,” I said.

  “Good.”

  “I don’t like possessive guys.”

  “Of course you do. After all, you like me and I’m possessive. If that guy touches you, I’m breaking his fingers.”

  “You’re being a dick.”

  Cooper sighed loudly then shoved back into his chair, nearly snapping off the seat. “If you want the douche so bad, go sit over by him,” he muttered, shoving my chair towards Nick.

  “Fine,” I said, embarrassed as I grabbed my backpack.

  “No, not fine. Sit.”

  “You just said.”

  “Sit,” he growled, glaring at me. “I will kick his ass if you sit by him.”

  “But you said,” I pushed, just to annoy him since he was annoying me.

  Expression shifting into horny stud, he tugged at the seam of my shirt. “I like this on you. Clingy.”

  Unsure what to do, I stood another few minutes. Cooper finally convinced me to sit by patting on the chair as if I was a dog he was training.

  “So where do you want to eat after class?” Cooper whispered as Manuel entered.

  “I’m not eating with you. I have to study and go to work.”

  “We can study together and you can call in sick.”

  “I’m ignoring you now.”

  Cooper spent the next forty five minutes glaring at me in the most obvious way. In fact, I was certain class ended a little early because Manuel wasn’t comfortable with Cooper’s behavior. Maybe he hoped to allow me to get away. Or maybe he knew who Cooper was and wanted to let the hotshot chase me.

  Whatever the reason, class ended early and I walked out quickly. Cooper said nothing while walking next to me until I disappeared into a bathroom. When I exited, he was gone and I felt an odd mix of disappointment and relief.

  Driving me home, Skye announced she met a guy named Tyler who was black and had shoulders like an ox. The ox thing made her giggle as if Tyler’s beauty had sent Skye into heat.