Tainted Love (Book 1) by Ghiselle St. James Read Free Book Online

scowls at me and shifts angrily from the island. Grabbing his jacket, he curses, “You’re a real piece of fucking work, you know that?”
    He flies the door open and just before he slams it, lays the final “insult”, “Bitch.”
    I shrug my shoulders as he slams the door and resume making tea. Rachel finally emerges.
    “What’s with the slamming door?” she asks hoarsely.
    “Blonde Guy just left.”
    “Blonde Guy?” she pauses, trying to process what I’d said. “Ohh, Blonde Guy. Ok. Kicked him out?”
    “He overstayed his welcome,” I defend. “Dark and Mysterious still asleep?”
    “Yeah. I knocked him out,” she brags, hugging herself.
    “Oh, honey. He’s amazing!” she gushes, spinning and landing in the black couch. Looking up from it she speaks, “I think I like him.”
    “Rae, you don’t even know him.” I gawk at her. After overhearing that conversation, I really think she needs to step back a little.
    “We talked a lot last night. We like a lot of the same things. He’s gonna take me for a Sunday drive to see the Pennsylvania countryside today,” she tells me.
    “Today? Babe, don’t you think you should get to know him first before taking trips with him?” I try to reason.
    “Can’t I just have fun this once? Just go with the flow like you do and not have to worry about defining anything?” She stares at me with pleading eyes and I feel bad. She just wants to live, she just wants to have fun, who am I to stop that? I just don’t want my girl hurt.
    “But Sunday’s our PJs and romantic comedy lounging day,” I remind her, feeling a little sad.
    “Honey, we can miss one Sunday. Come on, please?” she begs, batting her long lashes. “Pwitty pwease?” She clasps her palms under her chin and continues batting those long lashes. I can’t turn down that pathetic face of hers.
    “Ugh, you know I can’t turn down that pathetic face of yours when you start begging. I hate you,” I give in. “You’re gonna have to make it up to me, you know?”
    “Oh, definitely.” She jumps up and runs toward me. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She throws her arms around me and kisses my cheek repeatedly. “I’ll definitely make it up to you.”
    “You owe me big time, Rae,” I tell her, a little bummed that she was gonna leave me alone. “And hey, no matter what, I love you and support you, okay? And I will protect you always.” I mean every word.
    “I know , babe, I know,” she agrees, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze before releasing me. “I’m gonna go wake Dark and Mysterious. His name is Ryan by the way, Ryan Baylor.” She skips to her room.
    “Ok sweetie, go wake your guy. Ryan Baylor,” I mock his name.
    I turn the stove off, not wanting tea anymore. Something about that guy just rubs me in the wrong way. He seems dark and mysterious in every sense of the word, but as long as Rachel is keeping him as an occasional fuck, I have no problem. Anything deeper and I may have to investigate.
    I prepare cheese and crackers with grape soda instead. Crossing my legs on our couch, I start flipping through channels and munching down c rackers. I stop it on cartoons. I love cartoons.
    As I sit on the couch watching Timmy Turner try to gain Trixie Tang’s attention, I can feel Dark and Mysterious’ presence.
    “Good morning.” I turn to stare up at his statuesque figure. He has his hands in his pockets and stands by the wall of the kitchen.
    “Good morning.” His voice is rough, matching his rugged appearance.
    He looks like trouble, I know it, and I know Rachel is clueless.
    “So, you’re taking Rachel out for a countryside drive,” I say, turning my attention back to the TV.
    “Yes, I am.” I can hear him shuffle into a different stance.
    “Keep her safe,” I command.
    I hear him chuckle and I cast a swift gaze upon him, my brows knitting in annoyance. “You’re laughing at me? You think I’m joking?”
    “I just think it’s cute how protective you are of