Dirty News (Dirty Network Book 1)

by Michelle Love

  She waves her hand through the cloud of smoke Rod just exhaled. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you smoking is very bad for you, Rod?”

  He laughs. “Yeah, Jenna just lectured the shit out of me about just that same thing. What’s up with chicks these days?”

  My eyebrows raise up high.

  He thought that was a lecture?

  Reed comes around and takes Pam by the hand and we all start walking in. “Are they going to let her in here, Rod?” he asks.

  “I’m a regular. They give me special treatment here. What I say goes, little brother.” He pulls me in tight to his side. “My woman is welcome anywhere I am. As long as I want it that way.”

  Reed moves up next to me and looks at me. “You come here a lot with him?”

  I shake my head. “This is the first time he’s brought me here. He always comes here alone.”

  Reed looks at Rod with a frown. “You leave her home and come out here by yourself, Rod?”

  “So?” Rod says as he pulls the door open and smoke billows out of it. We walk straight into the thick stuff and I cough again.

  A tall, skinny, blonde woman looks at Rod. “Four shots and four beers coming up, Rod.”

  He smiles. “See, they know how to treat me here.” He leads us to a table in a dark corner and in no time another woman is bringing the drinks on a tray. I wince as, after she places the drinks in front of everyone, she takes a seat on Rod’s lap and runs her arms around his neck.

  “It’s been a week. Where’ve you been, stud?” Her red lips touch his cheek and he smiles at her after he pulls back.

  He gives her a wink. “The holidays, girl. My old lady had me busy with domestic shit this week. No time for play. But this is New Year’s Eve and playtime is upon us.”

  The woman looks at me. “So this is the old ball and chain, huh?”

  He nods. “This is my woman, Jenna.”

  Reed clears his throat, and the woman looks at him. “And this is Reed Manning. The hottest motherfucker this town ever let go. How you been, college boy?”

  “Mona, nice to see you again. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen you on my brother’s lap.”

  Heat goes all through me as I look at her. “Are you one of his exes?”

  A smile moves over her face. Her very heavily made-up face with the tell-tale lines of a face which has sucked on its fair share of cigarettes and dicks. “I wouldn’t call myself an ex.”

  Rod pushes at her to get off his lap. “Mona and I never really dated, Jenna.”

  She laughs as she stands up, but leaves her hand on his shoulder. “No, we’ve never really dated. But does anyone date the legendary bad boy, Rod Manning?”

  “I have,” I say and pick up the shot of whiskey and down it as I look into her light blue eyes.

  Rod’s arm goes around my shoulders and his lips touch the side of my head. “Easy, baby. She’s not a threat,” he growls in my ear.

  I put the shot glass on the table and she smiles. “I’ll get you another, Missy.” Then she swings her hips as she walks away and I find Rod watching her.

  “Rod!” I say under my breath.

  His eyes move to mine. “What?” He takes his shot and downs it. Then he looks at his brother. “Well, what are you waiting for, boy? Drink up!”

  Reed looks at me and I see a little sadness in his deep blue eyes. He picks up his shot and raises it to me. “Here’s to the girl who got Rod Manning to settle down.” Then he drinks it, slams the glass on the table, and glares at his brother.

  Rod laughs and picks up his beer. “I wouldn’t say that.”

  Reed doesn’t laugh as he says, “Yeah, I may have spoken too soon.”

  The woman brings another round already, leans over Rod’s shoulder, and whispers something into his ear. He looks at her and then at me. “Someone has challenged me to a game of pool. You don’t mind, do you, baby?”

  “Of course I don’t.” I pick up the beer and take a drink to calm my anger.

  Rod looks at Reed. “Watch my woman for me, little bro. Don’t let any jackass bother her. Get me?”

  Reed nods. As Rod walks away, Reed looks at me and says, “You heard what he said. So when are you going to get smart, Jenna?”

  “What?” I ask in confusion. My eyes follow Rod as he walks up to yet another woman, and she falls all over him and kisses him right on the mouth.

  I look away and Reed turns back and sees what his brother is doing. “I remember you were a smart girl. Weren’t you even a Sunday school teacher for a while there, Jenna? What the hell happened?”

  “I had no idea you knew a thing about me,” I say and turn my chair so I can’t see Rod head-on anymore.

  “What the hell are you doing with Rod?” Reed taps the table in front of me to get me to look up at him.

  “He’s been after me since I was sixteen. I guess he wore me down.” I take another drink and, out of the corner of my eye, I see Rod lean over the pool table with the woman in his arms to make a shot. His dick is pressed up against her and my blood is boiling.

  Reed and Pam turn back to look at Rod and his antics and they look back at me. The girl looks at me with sorrow in her dark eyes and Reed looks at me like I’m an idiot.

  I feel awful and would love nothing more than to go back home. And now that I know this is what happens when he goes out, I know I’ll get a knot in my stomach every time he does from now on.

  Before, I pictured Rod as hanging out with other men and shooting some pool and drinking, and not once were there women in the picture.

  How wrong I was!

  Reed and Pam finish their drinks and he takes one more look back at his brother, who’s kissing the woman. His hands are gripping her ass as he grinds his dick into her.

  “Come on. We’ll take you home, Jenna. This isn’t cool at all.” Reed gets up and Pam does too.

  I sit still. “I can’t go with you guys. Thank you, though.”

  Pam looks at me. “Come on. If you want, we can drop you off at your parents’ or even Rod’s parents’, if you’d rather not go back to your house. I wouldn’t if I was you.”

  “It’s okay. Thank you. I have to stay and go with Rod.” I pick up the shot and drink it.

  Reed comes to me and places his hand on my shoulder. Despite the numbing effects of the alcohol, I feel the current of electricity flow through my body and my insides pulse.

  I look up into his dark blue eyes as he says, “Jenna, just come with me.”

  The next thing I know, Rod’s head pops over his brother’s shoulder. “Hands off my woman, little bro.”

  Reed removes his hand and turns to face his brother. “I wasn’t really touching her, Rod. And maybe you should stop the bullshit and pay attention to her, since you brought her here and all. The thing with the sluts is a bit much, and I really don’t like to see someone as good as Jenna is treated the way you’re treating her.”

  “Mind your business, little bro.” Rod reaches around him and takes my hand. “Let’s dance, baby.”

  He pulls me around Reed and, as our bodies graze past each other, I feel the current again and my knees go kind of weak. “Bye. Thank you,” I say as Rod pulls me along behind him and I look back at Reed.

  The edges of his eyes droop a little and he and Pam walk out of the bar as Rod pulls me into his arms and holds me tight. “Did you like watching me with that girl?”

  “No,” I say very fast, and then realize I’ve said a word that will get me punished.

  He stops dancing and looks at me. Then he laughs. “For that, I want you to follow that slut into the bathroom next time she goes and beat the fuck out of her for what she did to me.”

  “You did that to her. It wasn’t exactly her fault.” He starts moving us again with the music. “It’s up to you to curtail that kind of thing. Isn’t that what you tell me about other men?”

  “I’m a man with needs, and she was in the right place at the right time. If it makes you feel any better, your body is better than hers, and I l
ike grinding my dick against you much more.” He twirls us around, and then his mouth is on mine.

  I feel like pushing him away, but I know that will get my ass beat, most likely right here in front of everyone. He stops his hard kiss and lets me out of his arms. “She just went in. Go in there and teach her to keep her cunt away from me.”

  He spins me around and smacks me on the ass. I walk away, not sure what to do.

  I’ve never been in a fight, much less provoked one. The woman has to be at least five or six years older than me. And she looks rough.

  Pushing the bathroom door open, I turn and lock it behind me. When she comes out of the stall, I look at her, reminding myself of what will surely happen to me if she doesn’t look kind of roughed up when she walks out of here.

  I take in a deep breath then say, “I don’t like what I saw you doing with my man, bitch!”

  She washes her hands, then grabs a paper towel and looks at me through the mirror. “That guy is the biggest whore, baby girl. If it wasn’t me, it would’ve been some other woman. As a matter of fact, he’s most likely fucking around with another woman out there as we speak. Don’t take it personally. Rod Manning is just a dog who likes to stick his dick into any woman he can.”

  And just like that, I snap. Her hair is in my fist and I’m banging her head against the porcelain sink.

  Blood splashes on my arm as her forehead splits open. I let her go when I see the blood and my body starts shaking. “Keep your filthy cunt away from my man, bitch!”

  I unlock the door and hurry out. Rod is wrapped around another woman and I walk right past them as I go outside.

  The next thing I know, he’s grabbing me up and carrying me through the parking lot. “Is that blood?”

  I nod and feel the sting of tears in my eyes. He puts me down as he unlocks the truck and opens the door then looks back at me. “Get in, Rocky!”

  Getting inside the truck I start to cry as he gets in and starts it up and hurries out of the parking lot. He looks over at me with a big grin. “Don’t you fucking cry!” He frowns as he sees the tears. “I’ll fucking take every tear out of your hide. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, Master.” I wipe the tears away and suck it up.

  “I’m proud of you. That’s one of the first womanly things I’ve seen you do. You’re taking those steps to being the woman I need, a tough bitch who doesn’t take shit from any other woman. If it was the other way around, I’d beat any motherfucker’s ass who laid a hand on my woman.”

  “But you told me I had to accept you being with other women. I don’t understand, Rod,” I say as I look at him in confusion.

  “Maybe once in a while, I’d like to see you stand up for yourself. That’s all.”

  And now I’m thoroughly confused by this man …

  Chapter 4

  JENNA

  Rod and I have made it another year, and Christmas Eve has us back at his parents’ home for their annual party. This is my first one. Sue picked me up earlier and Rod is going to meet me here a little later.

  I have no idea where the man is, as he didn’t have work today, but he’s off somewhere and texted me to go with his mother. Hopefully he’s somewhere buying me a present and not doing anything bad.

  Sue spins around with powdered sugar on her cheeks after closing the oven door on her last batch of sugar cookies. “Jenna, would you be a dear and watch these and take them out for me when the timer goes off? I have to shower and get cleaned up before the guests arrive.”

  “Sure thing, Sue. I’ll handle this.” I take a seat on a barstool and pick up the food magazine she has laid out on the counter. “Take your time.”

  She gives my cheek a kiss as she floats by me and I smile at her.

  Sue’s been just like a mother to me. She’s the sweetest thing, and it kind of aggravates me how Rod is about her. He calls her meddling and tells me not to talk to her too much.

  I like her though and don’t see her like that at all. The back door opens up and my heart stops as Reed comes inside. He looks at me. “Hi, Jenna. I didn’t know you were here. I didn’t see Rod’s truck outside.”

  “Your mom picked me up.” I look back at the magazine that my hands suddenly hold very tightly to.

  I knew he was coming in today. I have no idea why I’m reacting like a school girl with a crush.

  Reed walks right up to me and holds out his arms. “It’s customary to give Christmas Eve hugs in this family, Jenna. And if anyone catches you under the mistletoe hanging in the living room then you have to accept the kiss. Even if it’s stinky old Uncle Lou.” He laughs and continues to hold out his arms.

  I climb off the chair and let him hug me. I try to think of anything else as our bodies touch and all I can do is take in a deep breath.

  He smells like pine needles and nutmeg. It’s awesome, and I shouldn’t love it so much. I also shouldn’t never want to let him go, but that’s exactly how I feel.

  I pull away anyway and find him gazing down at me. His hand runs through my blonde waves and he lets out a sigh. “I’ve always thought you had the most beautiful head of hair in town, Jenna.”

  I smile and blush. “Thank you. I have to admit I’ve always thought your hair was a nice shade of blond, myself.”

  He sits on the barstool next to mine as I get back on it. He takes the magazine and pushes it away so I can’t reach it and have to talk to him, I suppose. “So, how’s everything been going? Have you jerked a knot in my brother’s tail yet?”

  I laugh. “I don’t think that’s even possible. He’s pretty bull-headed.”

  “And a complete ass,” Reed says with a laugh. “Is he still going out without you?”

  I nod. “I don’t like to go out anyway.”

  “Bet you don’t when he pulls the kind of shit he does. So when do you think you’ll have enough and come to your senses?” His fingers tap the countertop and I watch them.

  They’re long and lean and look strong. Not that Rod’s aren’t, but Reed’s are well manicured.

  “I love the man. What can I say?”

  “Love? So when’s the big day? Has he asked you to marry him?” He gets up and goes to look in the fridge for something, then takes out two bottles of water and brings one to me.

  “Marriage is not a thing he wants. He doesn’t believe in it,” I tell him as I try to open the water.

  But it’s proving hard to open, and he takes it from me and opens it, then hands it back. “So what’s the plan, then?”

  “I suppose this is it. We live together.” I take a drink as I notice him watching me.

  “You, Jenna, are wife material. Not shacking up material.” He takes a drink.

  My faces heats, and I know I’m blushing. “Thank you, I guess.”

  Setting the water down, he looks me over. “So about college. Have you thought any more about going? I recall you made very good grades in school, young lady.” His hand moves over my shoulder and I freeze with the zing of the sparks that shoots through me.

  “How would you know anything about my grades, Reed?” I get up so his hand can’t do that to me anymore.

  The timer goes off, and I pick up the pot holder and get the cookies from the oven. When I stand back up I catch him looking at my ass with his head cocked to one side.

  “So, my grades, Reed? How would you know about them?” I ask, making him look away from my ass. But secretly it pleases me to no end that he would do such a thing.

  “I helped grade papers for a few teachers and yours were always very good. So, college? Tell me what kinds of things you’re interested in, Jenna Foster.” He gets up and comes to pick up a hot cookie off the tray fresh from the oven then quickly drops it back down on it. “Ow! It’s hot!”

  “You think?” I ask with a laugh.

  His lightly tanned cheeks go pink and I have to look away because I want to run my hands over them so damn bad. Placing the tray on the stovetop, I turn to find him kind of hovering around me.

  So I pic
k up my water and go to the living room. “That was the last batch of cookies.”

  He follows me and when I take a seat on the sofa he takes the place right next to me. “So, what kind of things might you want to go to school for?”

  “Reed, I honestly don’t know. And what are you doing out there in California? Rod never talks about it.” I sit back and see his eyes light up.

  “I’m actually doing very well selling real estate there. You know, if you wanted to go to college, my real estate firm could give you scholarships to go. It wouldn’t cost you a dime.”

  “Your firm? Like the one you work for?” I ask as he runs his arm over the back of the couch and his fingertips are near my shoulder. And I swear I can feel sparks coming from them.

  “I own it,” he says. Then his fingertips touch my shoulder and I go all hot inside. “And I would love to use some of that money to put you through college. So what is it you’d like to do?”

  “Teaching little kids was a thing I always thought I’d like to do. When I was a Sunday school teacher for the little kids at our church, I loved it. But Rod doesn’t want me to work,” I say, and his fingers leave my shoulder and the heat inside me dissipates.

  “Well, Rod can get the fuck over it, can’t he?” He smiles, and I frown.

  Rod doesn’t get the fuck over anything!

  The front door opens and in walks Rod. His face goes frozen as he looks at us. “How fucking cozy is this shit?”

  Reed gets up and walks to him, holding out his arms. “Come on, big bro, Christmas Eve hugs!”

  Rod looks over his brother’s shoulder at me with a bit of a glare on his face. Then he looks at his brother. “When did you get here?”

  “A little while ago. Jenna has been keeping me company.” Reed turns around to walk back and my heart stops as Rod looks hard at me.

  “Get me a beer, baby,” he barks, and I jump up and move fast to get it.

  I freeze as Reed grabs my arm as I try to hurry past him. “Hold up there, Jenna. No reason to run. I’ll grab him one. I am closer to the kitchen.”

  I look at Rod, but he gives me no clue as to what he wants me to do. Reed lets me go and walks into the kitchen. I go to sit next to Rod.