A Modern Love Story (34 page)

“I don’t know, man. Why don’t you just
tell
Robbie how you feel? How can you wait?”

“You didn’t hear her at the funeral. I
have
to give her space. I can’t be fucking around with her mind right now.”

“You’d know best.” Conrad tipped his head at a customer. “What can I get for you?”

The conversation dropped as they got busy filling drink orders. Business stayed pretty steady into the night, and Luc found it easy to keep up enough of a pace to render Conrad useless.

“Jesus, man. You going for the Bartender Of The Year award, or something?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

Conrad stepped back. “Nothing, man. Not a damn thing. Chill the fuck out, okay?”

Luc shook his head, trying to focus on the exchange but found it too difficult to follow. “Whatever.”

“Can I have an MDG, in a bottle?” a woman called out.

“Sure thing,” Luc said, reaching for a bottle and popping the cap off. When he set it down, their fingers grazed. She blushed and smiled. He leaned down on his forearm to smile back at her. “Anything else I can get you?”

Before she could answer, Lizbeth pushed through the crowd. “Oh, give me a fucking break, Casanova. Do yourself a favor and watch yourself. Robbie’s here.”

As the lady ducked away, he straightened and scanned the room. “She actually came here?”

“Yeah. So, if you care
at all
, don’t go chasing skirts around her.”

“Of course I fucking won’t.”

“You say that like it’s a given.”

He shot her a glare, then continued his search. “It is. I care about Robbie. I don’t want to see her—” He saw her then at the end of the bar. “Motherfucker,” he mumbled, rage suddenly rearing when he saw her talking to some guy. “Who the fuck is that?”

Lizbeth tipped forward and looked down the bar. “I don’t know. We came alone. But good for her.” Her chin jutted up when Luc stared her down. “Listen, slick. If she finds someone who makes her happy, then I’m all for it. Shit, I’ve been telling her to go back to San Diego. At least there she’d have a job and someone that loves her.”

“She barely knows Colin,” he huffed, trying to reign in the anxiety he couldn’t seem to get a handle on.

“I’m not talking about Colin, I’m talking about Scott.” Her smile turned evil when he froze. “Oh yeah, he’s been in love with her since college. Even calls her
my Irish lovely
. Isn’t that just the sweetest thing you ever did hear? But she turned him down.
She
was loyal. So, yeah, I wish she’d find someone who actually knows what they got in her, ‘cause you sure-the-fuck never did.”

Luc hands shook with his emotions as he looked back at Robbie. The guy had his hand on her arm, and was leaning in towards her ear. Something fierce ignited inside. All he saw was red as he stormed the length of the bar.

“Get the fuck away from her,” he growled.

The man looked up and scowled. “Get lost, man. Go find your own piece of ass. This one’s mine.”

Robbie’s mouth dropped as she shoved the man, and then Luc took a swing, connecting with the man’s jaw hard enough to leave him sprawled and bleeding on the floor.

Luc stood over him, fists still clenched and the muscles in his arms bulging from the pressure. “You’ll want to fucking stay down. Conrad! Get this piece of shit out of here!”

Conrad came over as Luc spun around. He grabbed Robbie by the arm and practically dragged her across the bar to the office.

“Let go of me, Luc!”

He did, but only after he got the door shut and then blocked it with his body, forcing her to stay.

“What the hell was that?!” she yelled.

“Me?! What about you?! Letting that guy paw you like a piece of fucking meat!”

“No way, Luc. No! You’re not allowed to get jealous or make me feel guilty over nothing. I had it handled! Besides, I can do whatever the fuck I want!”

“Use your brain!”

“Fuck you! Get out of my way. If I want to go out there and sleep with the first man I come across, that’s my business!”

“The hell, you say!” He stepped toward her. She stepped back. “You’re not gonna just throw yourself at some guy like that again. You deserve better! Jesus, have a little self-respect for once.”

She looked at him through narrowed eyes. “What do you mean by
again
? When have I ever thrown myself at anyone, other than you?”

“Bryan,” he seethed, his anger running rampant with the memory.

“Bryan?” she asked, genuinely confused. “You mean
attorney
Bryan?”

“You were wearing his boxers that first time, when I fucked you against the wall.”

She came at him swinging. He grabbed her arms and pinned her into the wall. “You sonofabitch! I never slept with Bryan. Those were
my
boxers!” She struggled as tears sprung to her eyes. “And
thank you
for referring to one of the most important moments of my life so crassly. I shouldn’t be surprised though. Of course
you
would look at it that way, wouldn’t you?! Nothing more than a fuck against the wall!”

Her words sliced through the din of the fury engulfing him. He was suddenly very aware of his body, pressed into hers, and wanted nothing more than to have his way with her. As the need coiled inside, he rubbed his groin against her, resting his forehead on hers with his eyes closed. He was gonna fucking burst if he couldn’t have her.

Robbie’s gasp and whimper had him peering down through passion-ladened eyes. Her tear-soaked gaze stared up at him and he saw the conflict within. Going from one extreme to another, he jolted back and stumbled into retreat. What the fuck?!

He scrubbed his hands down his face and realized he was actually crying, rubbing the moisture across his cheeks. He just stood there, staring at his wet, shaking hands, and wondering if this was what it was like to lose your fucking mind.

“Luc?”

He jerked and twitched, then backed into the wall. She had to get out of there. She had to get away from him. “Go.” He fisted his hands and hung his head, waiting for her to leave.

“What’s wrong with you? You’re acting crazy.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what got into me,” he whispered. “I scared you. Jesus Christ, I’m so sorry I scared you. I’d never hurt you, Robbie. You have to believe me. I’d never—”

“
Shh
,” she murmured, coming close enough to tip his chin up. “Just take a deep breath. Something’s wrong. This isn’t you.”

He did as he was told, and felt more soothed by her presence and voice than what the cleansing breaths could offer. “I’m better. You should go.”

“Not until I know you’re fine.”

He felt like a damn chick as he held back more tears. “I really don’t deserve you in my life, Robbie. My behavior… There’s no excuse.”

“There’s something going on with you, Luc. What is it?”

His emotions swirled painfully as he battled with wanting to do what was right versus his misguided instincts. He shook his head.

“Are you…” She made eye contact. “Are you on something?”

“Of course not!”

“Okay, okay. I had to ask.” She guided him to a chair and rubbed his shoulders. He felt like he was turning into jelly under her hands. “You feeling any better?”

He nodded numbly, no longer sure what the fuck he was feeling anymore. “I better get back out there.”

“Just give yourself a minute, okay? I’ll go out and tell Conrad you’ll be there in a bit.”

“Thanks.” He
propped
his elbows on his knees, burying his hand in his hands. He heard the door click shut behind her.

After about ten minutes, Luc felt centered enough to go back out. He caught himself scanning the crowd, but didn’t see Robbie as he went back behind the bar. Conrad nodded at him as he came over.

“There you are.” He tossed a rag in the sink. “Wanna do me a solid?”

“Not especially,” Luc grumbled.

“Tough shit. You owe me one.” Conrad tipped his head towards Lizbeth at the end of the bar. “She’s finally agreed to talk to me. We’re going upstairs. You got things covered?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Luc blinked hard, and refocused on his surroundings.

“Hey,” Conrad said, slapping a hand on Luc’s shoulder. “You okay, man?”

Luc shrugged him off. “Yeah. Go. Smooth things over with your girl. I got this. Hold up. Is Robbie still here?”

“
Naw
, man. She split.”

Luc nodded as he turned to get the next order being hollered out. The night droned on after that, one customer blending into the next as their voices rang eerily through his head. Once everyone had gone, he reveled in the silence as he tidied things up.

Thoroughly exhausted, he finally sunk into a booth with a bottle of water, still trying to get his bearings. His phone beeped in his pocket, indicating he had a text message. With a sigh, he dug it out.

Hope you’re feeling better. Sleep tight. Rob

He smiled as he read the message, wondering what the hell
sleep tight
meant and knowing she had the answer. The simple thought had him missing her even more. He tipped his head back, letting his love for her flood through him. The impact was staggering, and he took the time to really study what he was feeling. Robbie always made him feel complete and alive. There was nothing like it in the world, and he knew he would do anything to feel that with her again.
  

Folding his arms on the table, he laid his head down and decided he would sleep right there. And then, first thing the next day, he would go over to Payten’s and put an end to everything. God fucking help him for kicking her when she was down, but Robbie was the only one that truly mattered. And then he could focus on making sure Robbie
knew
, without a doubt, what she meant to him.

It was the last thought he had before he passed out cold.

*****

The morning brought Luc a headache that rivaled all others. Begrudgingly, he dragged himself out of the booth and onto his feet. He swayed a bit as he stretched his long frame out, then dug in his pocket for his keys. There was no way he was putting this off over a fucking headache.

Luc rang the bell at Payten’s place and waited for her to answer. When she did, he could plainly see the fury behind her cold, blue eyes. It was obvious she was trying to hold it back, but it was definitely there. It actually made him feel a little less guilty about what he was about to do. If she was already strong enough to be pissed at him, what was a little more fuel to the fire?

Luc cringed at his mental reference. He glanced toward the office where construction workers were already scurrying around. That was where her father had burned to death.

Payten led him into the living room, then turned on him. “Where were you last night? I tried calling.” She crossed her arms, tapping a finger on her bicep to belie her calm.

“Yeah, I heard the phone, but I was sleeping so I ignored it.”

“You weren’t at home. I checked.”

He raised a brow, but let it slide. “I slept at the bar.”

“With who?”

He shook his head. “We are
not
having this conversation.”