Pawned Virtue - #wattys2015 BK4 TPBS - Completed 1st draft

-22-

Lucas looked at Tara and for the first time since he'd met her he saw an unbridled passion in her eyes. This was something she wasn't going to let go of... and he didn't know if he wanted her to.

As she sighed and went to get up from the table he reached out and grabbed her hand. Instantly he saw her whole body stiffen up but as much as he might regret it later he didn't let go. Instead he tugged on it slightly and she sat back down properly.

"I'll tell you about Maria but can you answer a question for me?"

Her nod was hesitant but if this was how she was going to get answers then she knew what she had to do.

Lucas smiled before his face frowned as she tried to pull her hand away.

"Please don't... I know I have no right but..."

He reached over with his other hand and while holding hers in the first he used the thumb of the second to trace circles over her hand. The expression on his face was one of hesitant fear, a look she didn't expect him to have and it was one she truly didn't understand.

"Lucas?"

He looked up "mmmmm?"

"Are you ok?"

He let out a hesitant laugh "yeh. I'm good."

Tara simply nodded her head once and didn't believe a word he said.

"What did you want to ask me?"

The hesitant fear was replaced by firm lines and an almost line mouth.

"What happened?"

"What?" she was confused.

Lucas looked back down at their hands.

"We were getting ok... well I thought we were. I know we weren't close as such but we did laugh a few times and I thought... well hoped really... that we might be finally putting everything behind us but then after the day you dumped coke on me" he raised his head to look at her with mock scorn "thanks for that by the way" he stopped as she started to laugh and put her hand to her mouth trying to stop herself.

"You were so damn annoying!"

"Hey, I bought lunch didn't I?"

She shook her head with an amused look on her face.

"You see, this is what I mean. We're laughing together. We started to talk and then after that day you get putting me off with things you had to do. What happened? Did I really upset you that much?"

Tara looked at him surprised. He really thought that?

"It wasn't that. Sure I wanted to kill you" Lucas chuckled at her words "but..." she wasn't sure how to say the truth. She had been eavesdropping after all. She scrunched her nose up before rubbing a hand across her forehead.

"What Tara? Talk to me please." Lucas was basically begging.

"I overheard something and.." she shook her head "it got to me."

Lucas sat back taking her hand with him with such a jerk he had to sit back up quickly so her body wasn't in a position that looked like he was pulling her over.

"What was said?" Lucas was all business.

She tried again to take her hand from his.

"Don't." A single word  she knew not to disobey so she held her hand still.

"Explain. Now. If someone's talking shit about me then I want to know." So I can kill the fucker.

Tara was really starting to get nervous but she started this so she had no option but to carry on.

"It wasn't about you directly."

"Then why am I in shit for this?"

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