Brand Me (Imagine Ink Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

from you soon, I’ll call you.” He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until he heard the room door click closed. At least he lived in Florida, a far cry from Tennessee, so all he needed to do was change his number if she called. Doubtful a waitress in a microscopic town could afford a ticket south. Thank God.
    Michael showered as best he could in the compact space. Even after the water went cold and the hour changed, he still felt dirty. He couldn’t believe he’d finally gotten his groove back but had zero control over it.
    He ripped the sheets off the bed before plopping down on the bare mattress in his towel. Sleep played hide and seek with him for a while but eluded him in the end. Finally, when the sun hinted at rising, Michael jumped up, dressed, and left the room for good. He never wanted to see that room again, or that town for that matter. After his ninety days, he’d probably not see much of the cabins either. Richard wanted to sell them outright, but Michael wanted to run them as rentals and keep them in the family, maybe generate enough income to maintain them and pay a management company. Hell, the only reason he was staying now was so Richard didn’t get it all and throw away their inheritance for cash. It was all Michael’s dad had to leave them, and he’d be damned if he was giving it up without a fight.
    Being tied to the source of some painful memories wasn’t ideal, and now to this town, too, but he couldn’t just toss his hands up and say screw it all. He was an adult, and adults did things they didn’t like to do all the time. At least he’d had the forethought to have the cabin stocked and John would be around the airport at the halfway point to run in any fresh supplies he needed. The more he dwelled on it, the better his outlook became. He needed this time, now more than ever.
    He returned the loaner car to the lot and waited inside the airport. Before he knew it, John was greeting him and loading up the Bobcat. The ATV was decked out to handle the typical mountain snow; the piece of shit loaner car, not so much.
    Michael pulled himself together, or tried to. “When’s the wedding?” The minute the words fled his mouth, he wished he could take them back. The disappointment that overtook his friend’s face was unsettling. Mostly, it was because he felt bad for John. But at the same time, he was doing a little happy dance inside. Not that he’d ever see Tori again. Even if he did, she wouldn’t want a weak man like him anyway—one who took another woman back to a hotel room when in his head it had been her, then changed his mind but didn’t have what it took to stop it. Weak, weak, weak. A woman like her would desire a strong man, not him.
    “She’s got a boyfriend, meeting him for some romantic getaway out at the lake. If you ask me, he doesn’t deserve her. Asshole just stood in the door, waving her in. Didn’t step a foot outside to help with her bags, and the snow was already ankle deep up there. Finally, when I realized he wasn’t just getting his boots or anything, I grabbed her bags. Asshole was already in the other room calling for her to come see his new watch or something. Total d-bag man, anyway, how’d it go last night, killer? How many woman of this small town are now singing your praises?”
    Michael cringed, his already-sour mood now rotted. “It was fine, now, can we get this show on the road and cut the chit chat?” Michael hated treating his friend like the enemy, but he couldn’t bear to think about last night, much less talk about it. Or, hear about Tori’s boyfriend, or, anything else for that matter. Maybe, he should ask John about last night, hypothetically of course. Just for some peace of mind or…something.
    Ultimately deciding against it, Michael loaded his bags. It was impossible for a man to be raped, end of story. He wouldn’t embarrass himself by suggesting such a thing.
    “Sorry man, it’s just I didn’t get much sleep and now,