Free Dirty by H.J. Bellus Page A

answering her question and am shocked when she takes it. I don’t even have a fucking shirt or jacket to offer her, so I pull her into my chest and wrap my arms around her.
    “You’re shivering,” is the only explanation I offer up.
    “Answer me, Zane. Is this why you don’t date?” Her palm spreads out on my chest and her cheek nuzzles in.
    “Part of it.”
    “Why…” Ava fights to finish her question.
    My gut screams to tell her the truth, but I don’t know if my soul can handle it. Holding her, kissing her, and hell even just looking at her twists me into knots and I know there’s something there. It could be the couch I fuck on the rest of my life and the woman I call my wife. My parents destroyed any hopes of being normal years ago.
    “I work construction during the day and do this at night to make money.” I throw my head up to the night sky praying like hell for some help here. “My grandpa raised me and is real sick right now. I’m just doing the best I know.”
    I lay it all out to her and if it’s not enough then I don’t what else to do. No one, but Rhett, knows the full truth of how I make my money and the demons I’ve faced growing up. Being labeled the child of killers in a small town isn’t a real easy pill to swallow.
    “I don’t like those women touching you.”
    Her reaction shocks the shit out of me.
    “I don’t care for it either, but at the end of the night, I need the money.”
    “Why did you pull your dick out tonight for those women?” Ava looks up to me, stabbing my heart with her deep brown eyes so full of questions.
    “To piss you off.” I raise one eyebrow. “I’m a dick, Ava. I have walls and a past. It was an ass move and I’m sorry.”
    She steps back and wraps her arms around her middle. “Did it piss you off when that blond was dancing on me?”
    I watch as she cranes her head to the side and stares me down, waiting for an answer.
    “It did and he’ll be paying for it.”
    “Why? I’m not yours; remember, you don’t date.”
    I run my hands back through the sides of my hair and feel my phone fucking buzzing in my pockets. “Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on here.”
    The tip of her boots kicks at some loose pebbles. “Well, when you find out, let me know.”
    She turns and heads for the door. I go to follow her, but hear her friends all call out her name and I know she’s okay. Pulling out the phone from my pocket, it’s lit up with texts from Sheila.
    “Fuck,” I growl into the darkness. I totally fucking forgot about her and the fact I need thousands more to take care of bills.
    Sheila: You’re late
    Sheila: Are you coming?
    Sheila: I have three ladies here for you.
    I don’t take time to scroll through the pictures of naked women before dialing her number.
    “Zane,” she purrs back in the phone.
    “Sheila, baby.” The fake persona I put on makes me nauseous. “Sorry, work at the club ran a bit late. Be over in five minutes.”
    “Sounds good, baby. Lots of wet pussy ready for you.”
    “Don’t worry, I have your back.”
    I hang up the phone feeling lower than the green scum on the bottom of ponds. This is all fucked-up, but I have no choice. By the time I make it into the dressing room, it’s vacant. My fists are fucking rearing and ready to go rounds with that fucking puke, Oliver. My dick has never been so limp knowing I’m about to fuck the shit out of four women all night long.
    I open Rhett’s locker and snag a few of his pills that he swears by. I’ve never asked what the concoction is. I’m pretty sure it’s all illegal anyway. The drive zooms by and before I know it, I’m in front of Sheila’s mansion on the outskirts of town. Her place stands out like a sore thumb. It’s not nestled in the valley with the rest of the elite homes. Oh no, it’s on the outskirts of town between grape vineyards and vast farm fields.
    She’s at the door waving in black skimpy lingerie. Her friends swarm around her back. I should