I furrow my brows studying her.
“What do you know about Savannah?”
“Your father never told you?” she asks amused.
“Told me what?”
“Ha, this is great! Get me the amount of money written in that envelope and maybe we’ll sit down and grab a coffee. I can tell you the nice fairytale that you ruined.”
“I want to know now!” I demand.
“I don’t have time. Get me the money. You have three weeks before this goes out. You can keep those as motivation. I have plenty of copies,” she says starting to walk past me.
“I’m not even with him anymore. We broke up. What makes you think he will give me money?”
“Do you see yourself?” she scoffs. “Get back together with him or find other ways. You’re my daughter, I’m sure you can figure out what I mean,” she winks.
“I don’t...I’ve never sold my body before, I’m nothin’ like you,” I snap.
“Sure you haven't. Like I said, three weeks.”
I can’t drag Nico into this, even if I’m still angry at him for that stupid bet, it isn’t his burden to bare. I need to turn this around, get in control.
“I don’t give a shit about him or Weston, sell the pictures,” I say throwing them to the floor and walking towards my front door.
“Liar.”
I turn around and see her crossing her arms, eyeing me.
“I’ll call the tabloids myself. Piece of shit only slept with me because it was a bet and Weston is an abusive asshole. Do it and don’t waste my time.”
I turn back to my door and her voice stops me again.
“Wouldn’t it be a shame if word got out about your drinkin’ habits?” she says amused.
Bingo.
“My what?” I snap turning around.
“You’ve been numbing the pain of that breakup a little hard the past few months. Drinkin’ problems lead to other problems, gamblin’, and debts. You did have a drug addict, stripper for a mother.”
“What the fuck are you sayin’, Kat?”
“I’m sayin’ find a way to get me the money or I’ll spin a story to make this debt be about you. Get these assholes off my back and make them come after you. God knows you probably have plenty of money workin’ at that stupid ass company. I know your reputation means more to you than any dick.”
I shut my eyes trying to channel all my nonexistent anger.
“You wouldn’t do that. You just said you cared about me.”
“Words Lacey. Three weeks for the money or your reputation goes poof.”
“No one would believe you.”
“I’ve been followin’ you, Blondie. I always have a plan B. Wish I did twenty-three years ago but hey, we can’t win them all.”
“You’re a weak bitch,” I spat. “Three weeks and I’ll never see your fuckin’ face again.”
I don’t have to channel my anger this time, it’s real. So damn real. How could someone who grew me inside of their body, felt me kick, heard my heartbeat and saw me take my first damn breath be so fucking cruel?
“Don’t worry your pretty little head about that. I don’t plan on playin’ mama anytime soon. Never have, never will. It was nice catchin’ up with you though, baby.”
She smiles and walks towards the sidewalk, walking down the block and out of sight. To where I have no clue, I just know I accomplished what I wanted to accomplish. Keeping Nico away from all of this. Now I just need to keep myself away from him. Impossible, so heartbreakingly impossible.
-----
I’ve slept in the guest bedroom of my parent’s house the past few days. Ever since Kat’s visit, I couldn’t bring myself back to my own house. Missing Nico, thinking about Kat and her words, trying to figure out how I will come up with $500,000. I’m actually debating on selling my house and crashing with my parents for the time.
I have a nice chunk of savings and I’m damn good at my job. I can add more events, pull more hours, but it will be close to impossible.
Nico has been texting me since baseball has ended to try and work this out, past the trust he broke making that stupid bet. He’s crashing at the hotel in town, but I can’t see him. Kat’s been watching me, God knows for how long and I can’t put him at risk. As if on cue my phone vibrates in the bed next to me and I grab it, seeing a text from Nico.
Nico: Happy Thanksgiving, Blondie. I want to see you.
I hover over the buttons to text him back, debating on what to say.
Lacey: I don’t want to see you, Nico. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the trust you broke. You should have told me from the beginnin’ about the bet.
Nico: This sounds like a break-up text which I know it’s not. Don’t fucking do this over text message, Blondie. If you wanna end things you better fucking say it to my face.
I grit my teeth wanting to scream at him that I’m only doing this for him because I love him. I would never take the cowards way out like that and I hate that he thinks so easily that I would.
Lacey: Happy Thanksgiving, Nico. I’ll see you in Vegas.
I throw my phone down on the bed and run my hand over my face. Dammit!
I walk downstairs as my mama is preparing for our Thanksgiving feast. I bypass the snacks and go right to the wine bottles on the counter. Maybe I do have more of Kat in me than I want to admit.
No, fuck her. If I’m forced to destroy the heart of the man I love, I’m allowed to drink wine! I walk over to the La-Z-boy chair in the corner and sit, ignoring a glass and popping the cork off, drinking straight from the bottle.
I watch the fire crackle in the fireplace as I lay back, mesmerized by the orange flame and the different directions it goes in.
I lose track of time as I observe and drink and hear a soft voice from next to me, breaking me out of my daze.
“Hey Lace.”
I don't turn around because I really don’t give a shit who it is, although I think it’s Bella. I take a swig from the bottle, tipping it back, almost at the bottom and then place it back on my thigh, shaking my head.
“Nothin’ y'all say will make this better. Just let me be,” I say.
“Lace, we’re here for you. Please just talk to us,” Normani pleads with me.
They have no idea. My mother’s a wicked bitch, my reputation and job I love is on the line and the man I love thinks I’m a coward who no longer loves him.
“Yeah Lace, remember at the bar when me and Damon were goin’ through our shit? You told me I was stronger than that and so are you. Please just-”
“Just stop talkin’,” I snap getting to my feet. “You have no idea what is goin’ on, you have no idea what is happenin’ in my life.”
It may be harsh but drunk, bitter Lacey doesn’t care.
“Lacey,” Bella says shocked. “Then tell us. We tell each other everything, why are you pushin’ us away?”
“Believe me when I say it's safer for everyone. I'm not meant for that life,” I say motioning to Bella's ring finger.
I thought I was, that I was ready to start that life, maybe, not yet but I was open to it. I wanted it with Nico. I could have had it too. Maybe after all this is over and if he doesn’t hate, me we can start it again. Maybe not.
“That is bullshit!” Bella snaps. “Why is it safer? What is goin’ on Lacey, are you in trouble?”
“It has nothin’ to do with y'all, it’s just me. I was never meant to have a forever, it's not in my DNA.”
“Lacey, stop this, look at your daddy and my aunt! They're forever, they're so happy. That's your DNA not-”
“She is!” I yell, because right now, I’m drunk. I’ve been drunk more times than I want to admit for the past three months since we fought about that fuckin’ bet. She’s not going to have to make up stories about me, I’m falling right into her trap. “No matter how much I tell myself she's not, she is my mother, Bella. So if you don't mind I'm gonna finish this bottle of wine, eat some turkey and pass the fuck out. Happy Thanksgivin’.”
I push past her as I finish the wine, going into the kitchen and placing the empty bottle by the sink. Fuck the turkey, fuck Thanksgiving. I have nothing to be thankful for this year.
Nico
We're in Vegas for Bella and Damon's bachelor and bachelorette parties and Lacey’s been pretending I'm fucking invisible. I watch her reach for the bottle of wine across the table from me and pour herself another glass. This is what, three or four?
“Don't you wanna make it out tonight, Blondie? Hitting it a little heavy, no?”
“I didn't realize my father was with us?” Lacey says in a shocked voice. “Oh no, he isn't. It's his runner up.”
The table goes silent and I feel everyone's gaze on us, trying to figure us out, watching the show. I know I hurt her with that bet, but it was months ago. She’s acting like she didn’t call me drunk a couple weeks back, begging for me in her bed.
“That make you feel good, Blondie? Getting in that jab?”
“It's the truth. You just weren't good enough.”
“Lacey…” Bella admonishes.
“You're right, I wasn't,” I say taking my foot out of my dress shoe and running it up the inside of Lacey’s bare leg.
She wore that tight as skin black dress tonight just to torture me, that smart fucking mouth calling me out on my cocky ass attitude.
“I didn't need confirmation, Hulk,” she says through gritted teeth slamming her hands on the table as my toe connects with her warm center.
Her eyes close and I see her trying to breathe through my movements.
“You okay, Lace? You're looking a little flushed. Maybe you have had too much wine.”
She smirks and downs the rest of her glass, placing it back on the table.
“Maybe it has something to do with you toe fuckin’ me under the table. If you're soakin’ wet sock didn't give you the hint, I'm not wearin’ panties. Excuse me while I take care of this,” she smiles getting up from the table and walking towards the front of the restaurant.
I hear snickers from a couple people at the table and curse as I put my foot back in my shoe and walk towards the bathrooms. I wait in the hallway, wondering what the hell is taking her so long and Damon comes over, slapping me on the back.
“She's already gone man. Went up to the room then texted Bella that she would meet them in the front to go out. Come on, let's go have some fun, you can deal with her later.”
I shake my head knowing full well why she went upstairs. She's in for it.
-----
We get back to the hotel a few hours later, the guys trying to hit up some strippers and I escape, not wanting to fuck things up with Lacey more so than they already are.
I walk down to the girl’s suite and knock on the door. I hear giggling on the other side and Lacey is smiling but it quickly drops when she sees me.
“What do you want?” she snaps.
“You,” I growl pushing through the door and grabbing her face in my hands.
I smash our lips together and I taste the wine on her tongue, the sin on her lips and kick the door closed with my foot.
I spin her so her back is against the door and push my body into hers, moving my lips down to taste the salt on her neck.
“No other man better have touched this body tonight, Blondie,” I growl.
“Like I said at dinner,” she pants. “You're not the boss of me.”
“You think a slab of silicone measures up to this?” I laugh taking her small hand and pushing it onto my crotch.
She moans, squeezing me through my dress pants and slowly shakes her head.
“Tell me. Tell me you turned down every asshole that attempted to dance and touch what's mine.”
“I'm not-”
“You are. Answer the question, Lacey.”
Hey eyes snap open and her brows are drawn together.
“No one touched me,” she says with more attitude than I needed.
“Good girl,” I whisper, running a hand down her cheek.
She fists my collar in her hand and pulls me towards the bathroom, bypassing remarks from Bella and Normani.
She slams the door and locks it, reaching for the hem of her dress and pulls it over her head in one swift motion.
“What the hell are you waitin’ for?” she asks annoyed.
I laugh and unzip my pants, dropping them to the floor as I unbutton my shirt. She walks over, her hands working the buttons with me then rips open the shirt, buttons flying all different directions.
“Payback for my favorite thong you shredded to pieces, asshole,” she smirks.
I shake my head and turn her around, bending her over the counter as I drop my boxers and slap her ass, hard.
I fist her hair in my hand and pull her up against me, gripping her chin with my hand.
“How do you want it, you little brat,” I whisper.
She slaps my hand off her chin and grips my erection in her hand turning towards me, our lips barely touching.
“Hard and rough. Fuck me like I let another man touch me tonight,” she smirks.
I lift her in the air and slam her back into the wall and push myself inside her without warning.
“Uhhhh,” Lacey groans.
“That better be a lie, Blondie,” I say my hand gripping her throat lightly, my thumb running down her neck.
“How about we bet on it, Hulk?” she says through gritted teeth.
I drop her to the floor and pull her back to the counter, bending her over and slapping her ass again.
“You runnin’ that mouth again, Lace?” I growl.
“Maybe you need to keep it busy, Hulk.”
“Too close. I want this pussy. I want my come dripping down your leg tonight if you go back out.”
I grip her shoulder and line myself up again thrusting inside her.
“Ohhhhhh Jesusssss,” Lacey moans loudly gripping the faucet.
“Shit, Lacey,” I groan, fisting her hair in my hand again.
I pull it back, gripping her waist as I slam inside her, over and over, my frustration and tension seeping out.
“Fuck, Nico!” she yells, her body shaking underneath me.
I can't hold out and I feel her channel strangling my erection, pulling everything out of my body and taking it for itself, coating her walls with my release.
She drops her cheek down to the counter, her hands falling off the faucet. I release her hair slowly and pull out of her, a soft whimper falls from her lips.
“Come back to my room with me,” I say softly. running a finger down her back.
She lifts herself off the counter and turns to me, a sad smile on her face. Her hand goes to my cheek and she pulls my neck down, kissing me softly on my lips.
“You're an amazin’ man, Nicholas Johnson. I want you to know that.”
I put my hand over hers and close my eyes.
“Why are you doin’ this, Lace? Stop punishin’ me, please. Give me a chance to earn your trust back.”
She takes her hand off me, reaching down to grab her dress off the floor.
“I'm only doin’ this for you, Nico. Please, just believe it's better this way.”
I go to reach for her, but she reels back, her eyes devoid of the love that was just there.
“Fine,” I snap. “Don't think I'm givin’ up that easy though. Whether we like it or not, we're gonna be seein’ a lot of each other for the rest of our lives. Bella and Damon saw to that and I'll be damned if I ever have to show up at a family event watching another schmuck touch what's mine.”
“I'm assumin’ you were a shit sharer when you were a kid,” she smirks while pulling her dress back over her head.
“Damn right I was. Drink some water and pop two Advil tonight. Don’t go out again. Text me if you need me. Don't be a stubborn ass.”
She rolls her eyes and I open the bathroom door, walking out of the room and back to my own. My heart getting left behind in Lacey's hands.
Chapter 8
Nico
I land in
Miami, but my head and heart are still in Louisiana. I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder, heading to my apartment. Ryan, one of the guys on the team, invited me to karaoke tonight so I shower, get dressed and head out, deciding to drive. I’m done drinking for a long, long time.
Walk Off (Double Play Series Book 5) Page 9