by J. M. Walker
“I feel bad for her,” Vince said, voicing my thoughts.
My heart stuttered. I did too. Not knowing exactly what Ainsley had been through, I just knew that she didn’t talk. She could hear perfectly fine but from what I had been told, she hadn’t spoken more than a few words in several years due to a past trauma. She knew American Sign Language and used it to communicate. She kept to herself most times but had always been nothing but nice.
“Queenie.”
I jumped, finding Vince staring at me. “Oh.” I laughed. “Sorry. Distracted.”
He chuckled, shaking his head.
Making my way into the office, I went to my bag and started looking through it for a specific item. I smiled when I found it. “The girls have one and so do the twins.” I turned, holding a key in my palm. “I want you to have one too.”
Vince frowned, his gaze dropping to my hand. “This a key to your house?”
“Yeah. The girls still have theirs even though they moved out. I figured since you’re coming over more, it would be easier for you to have one. Then you don’t have to wait for me to be home or awake.”
Vince took a step toward me, something flashing in his eyes. That familiar tick in his jaw, jumped.
My heart stuttered. Maybe I had read into this wrong. I went to pull my hand back, my cheeks heating over the fact that he clearly didn’t want a key to my house, when he grabbed my wrist.
I gasped, the key falling to the ground.
He crouched, picking it up.
“Vince,” I whispered, when he rose to his full height. “What is it?”
“The twins have a key to your house?” he asked, his voice rough.
“Oh.” Was he jealous? “Yes. There’s a bar near my place that they started going to. I figured it was safer that they crash on my couch. You know Aiden has problems.” But he wouldn’t admit it. “I’m just looking out for them.”
“You have a big fucking heart, Queenie.” Vince took the key from me and shoved it into his pocket, keeping hold of my wrist with his other hand. “I don’t like that they have a key to your house. I don’t give a shit that you’ve known each other forever. What if they come over and you walk out in those sexy as fuck panties and a tank top?”
“Well, if you must know, they always text me when they go out, letting me know that there’s a possibility that they could be coming over. So I always make sure to dress properly.” I pulled my hand from his grasp. “Not that I have to explain anything to you. They are family.”
“Ashton fucked your sister. That’s some fucking family.”
“Whoa.” I pointed at him. “I don’t know where this is coming from, but I can promise you that nothing has ever happened between anyone and me. Ever.” I should have told him that he had been the only guy that I had ever slept with, but his jealousy pissed me off.
A smug grin spread on Vince’s face. In a rough move, he pulled me against him and captured my mouth in a hard, bruising kiss. “Tell me I’m the only one you’ve let into your bed.”
I shivered at his deep voice.
“Tell me that I’m the only one who’s seen every inch of you.” He nipped my bottom lip.
I yelped, my eyes welling.
He smirked, licking the spot soon after. “Tell me.”
“You’re an asshole,” I muttered, pushing away from him.
He chuckled, tapping my butt lightly. “Thank you for the key, Queenie. I’ll stop by later. I have some things to do first.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
He pulled me back into his arms, placing a soft peck on my cheek. “I’ll see you later.”
***
(Vince)
I knew I had no reason to react the way I did but when I had been told, quite often in fact, that Gigi had been dating that Matt fucker, I was on edge. Now knowing that Ashton and Aiden could come and go from her house as they please, didn’t sit well with me. I wanted her in a spot that no other guy had been in. I knew that the twins wouldn’t touch her. I did know that, but it didn’t mean that the ugly beast called jealousy, didn’t rear his ugly head. She made me possessive to the point all I could think about was taking her from there and tucking her into my arms to keep her safe.
When I saw her fall from the ladder, my world flashed before my eyes. If something happened to her before I could tell her how I truly felt, I would never get over it. But her walls had been built up for a while. It would be hard to get through to her, no matter how hard I tried.
After I left Gigi at the center, I drove to my parents’ place. I was supposed to stay and help the twins and the other guys with some work The Dove Project needed, but this was more important.
When I pulled up in front of my parents’ home, I killed the engine and ran up the sidewalk just as the door opened.
Both Mom and Dad were coming out of the house.
“Hey,” I called after them.
“Vince?” Mom smiled. “What are you doing here?”
“I actually wanted to talk to Dad, but it looks like you’re both leaving,” I said, coming to a stop at the base of the steps.
“Nope.” Dad kissed Mom on the temple. “Your mom’s heading to the center. I’m staying here to do fuck all.”
Mom laughed. “Right. I’ll come home to a completely renovated backyard or something.”
Dad chuckled. “You never know.” He winked.
She shook her head. “Your dad’s been bored since he retired.”
“I’m a hands-on kind of man. You know that, baby girl.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Mom rolled her eyes, her cheeks reddening. “Yeah, yeah.” When she reached me, she cupped my shoulder. “Don’t let him convince you to help him renovate anything. Okay?”
“I won’t, Mama.” I kissed her cheek and followed my dad into the house.
“Something’s wrong.”
I sighed. “I wouldn’t say something’s wrong exactly.”
“Does it have to do with Gigi?” Dad went into the kitchen, pulling two beers from the fridge. He handed me one and leaned against the counter.
“Uh...I don’t turn twenty-one until tomorrow,” I reminded him.
“I won’t tell your mom, if you don’t.” He winked, taking a swig of his beer. “Besides. She wouldn’t care anyway. You’re home. You’re safe.”
I nodded, slowly taking a sip of the beer. I swallowed the liquid, bubbles popping in my nose. It wasn’t overly hoppy. It was light and fresh, good for a warm summer’s day.
“Tell me what the problem is.”
I didn’t meet my dad’s gaze and started picking off the label instead. “I’ve known Gigi my whole life.”
“And been in love with her just as long.” Dad tipped his beer to me, giving me a wink. “You can tell me I’m wrong. That’s fine.”
“My feelings don’t matter at the moment.” If I was going to admit to loving Gigi to anyone, it would be her. She needed to hear those words first. She needed to know that I was willing to do anything to get into her heart and make her mine. “I need advice on how to break down her walls.”
A dark shadow passed over Dad’s face. He finished off the rest of his beer and tossed it in the recycling bin before turning to me. “When I first met your mom, she had walls up as well. She had a job that her brother, your uncle, didn’t let her get out of very easily.” Dad paused. “Before you kids...” His jaw clenched. “Well...before you, it was hard. I had your sister, but I went through a period where I was doing everything I could to give her the perfect life. She stayed with your aunt while I did that. I met your mom, and the rest is history.”
But I knew it was more than that. They just never told us. I did hear Dad talking to Mom every now and again about Luna’s birth mother. She died when my sister was only six months old and it fucked Dad up. More than he wanted to admit.
“You’re wanting to make this work with Gigi?”
“Yes.” There was no question about it. No room for hesitation because it wasn’t needed. Gigi was mine. It ha
d always ever just been her. Only her. I wasn’t oblivious to other girls trying to get me to notice them, but it never mattered. Gigi was the only one I wanted noticing me.
“Vince.”
My gaze snapped to Dad’s.
He smirked. “You remind me so much of me. It’s unreal.”
“I hope that’s a good thing.”
“I like to think it is.” He chuckled. “But back to your question. The only thing I can suggest is to have patience but still be persistent. Has she hinted at all as to why she has walls up?”
“She doesn’t need to. Her accident messed her up pretty badly. But I haven’t done anything for her to be so guarded with me.” I wanted to be the one to protect her from her emotions. To take care of her. To be with her. To be the man for her. It was why I had gone off to school and finished faster than I needed to. I was doing everything I could to be the man she deserved.
“Maybe she’s scared to reveal her feelings because it would make her vulnerable. I don’t know but I do suggest having as much patience as you can.” Dad went to the fridge and pulled out another beer.
Patience.
I had all sorts of patience when it came to her but even I knew that it was wearing thin. I just prayed that both of us were ready for the moment it disappeared.
If the bruises and bite marks on her skin from the other night were any indication, I would say neither of us had the control we liked the other to believe.
Gigi
“You gave my brother a key?” Luna asked from the video on the computer screen and stared at me with wide eyes.
“That’s what she said, isn’t it?” Meadow snipped from the video in the top right corner.
We had been video chatting for the past hour. I had used the excuse I needed the distraction when really, I just wanted to kill some time while I waited for Vince to come over. I was sore from practicing my routine at the studio and needed to do some stretching but was too wired to focus on anything but the man I was sleeping with.
“All of you still have your keys and the twins have them too, so I just thought it made sense for him to have one as well,” I explained, taking a sip of my wine.
“Did you tell him that the twins have keys too?” Piper asked softly. She had initially said that she wouldn’t join in on our video chat. She was missing Jaron and wanted to mope around the house but with Meadow’s persistence, she finally agreed.
“I did.” I looked up when no one said anything. “What?”
“Girl, are you fucking insane?” Luna laughed.
I was momentarily shocked by her outburst. I expected it from my sister but not Luna. “What?”
“Gigi.” Luna sat forward. “My brother is obsessed with you. Has been for as long as I can remember. Remember when he bought you that necklace? He was gloating for weeks how he saved the money to buy it for you.”
“If he was so proud, then why didn’t he make his move before he went off to school?” I fingered the necklace around my neck, my heart stuttering at her words. “And besides, it’s just a necklace.” But even I knew it wasn’t.
The girls laughed.
“I think he was trying to grow up for you,” Luna told me. “I’m not sure but I know my brother. You are all that he’s wanted. The only thing. But when he heard that you were dating Matt, he asked me to tell you that he was dating someone, but I wouldn’t.”
“I never even dated Matt. That was a rumor.” That I never corrected but that was beside the point. We were friends. That was it. He was too much of a controlling ass for me anyway. But every time Vince saw me with him, jealousy reared its ugly head and as immature as it made me, I enjoyed making him jealous.
“You two need to talk,” Luna said, taking a sip of her own wine. “You’re worse than the rest of us.”
“We’re fine,” I mumbled.
“Right.” Meadow rolled her eyes.
“Oh, girls. I have some crazy news.” Luna took a deep breath. “I got some crank calls the other night and I thought Zach was going to lose his shit. He called up his dad and wanted someone to hack into my phone to see who was calling me. It was a bit extreme.”
“Wow,” both Meadow and Piper said at the same time.
“Did they say anything to you?” I asked, knowing the way Zach reacted was probably not as extreme as Luna let on.
“No but they kept calling over and over. From different phone numbers too.” Luna shrugged. “It was weird, and Zach hasn’t let me out of his sight since.” She sighed. “I love him but he’s a little intense at times.”
“Our guys would do anything to protect us,” Piper pointed out.
“True.” Meadow laughed. “I remember a few weeks ago when someone just looked at me weird and Shade went off on them. I have to say, as annoying as the overprotection can be, I like it as well.”
Luna and Piper nodded in agreement.
“Now, Gigi, back to you and my brother. Have you talked about things yet?” Luna asked, taking a sip of her wine.
“Not exactly,” I mumbled.
Meadow waved a hand in front of her face. “You really don’t see it, do you? You don’t see any of it.”
“Remind you of a conversation we had back when I was trying so hard to deny my feelings for Zach?” Luna raised an eyebrow. “Huh? Does it?”
I laughed then. “Okay, well...I told Vince that the twins have keys so they can crash if they drink too much. There’s nothing wrong with that. Is there?”
“There isn’t. If you were sleeping with a guy who wasn’t my brother.” Luna tapped the screen. “Come on, Gigi. I love you. We all do. But you’re so damn oblivious. Probably worse than I was.”
“It’s true,” Piper and Meadow said at the same time.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” My face burned.
“Yeah.” Piper laughed. “And the father of my unborn baby isn’t currently in jail either.”
“I bet he’s the type that loved the fact that he got you pregnant. It probably turned him on, and I bet money that you’re in for it when he gets out of jail.” Meadow sighed. “I miss when my husband was like that.”
“He liked it.” Piper laughed.
“I bet he did.” Meadow waggled her eyebrows.
While the girls talked about their guys liking the fact that they got them pregnant, I checked my phone.
Vince: Hey, Queenie. I’m going to be late.
I checked the clock. It was almost ten at night.
Me: Okay.
My phone rang then, Vince’s handsome face showing up on the small screen. I quietly excused myself and went into the kitchen to answer the phone. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself,” came his deep reply. “What’s wrong?”
“You know I never dated Matt, right?” I figured there was no point in beating around the bush and just came out with it.
“This is not a conversation I want to be having over the phone,” Vince said, his voice curt.
“Your sister said that you wanted her to tell me that you were dating someone too. Listen, Vince—”
“No, Gigi. You listen to me,” his deep voice sent a shiver down my spine. “I wanted to start that damn rumor because I heard about how that fucker was all over your pretty little body, so yeah, I wanted my sister to lie to you.”
“Why?” I whispered, gripping my phone tight in my hand.
“Because I was jealous.”
“Oh.” I wasn’t actually expecting him to answer honestly.
“I’ll be right there,” he said, his voice muffled.
“Who are you talking to?” I asked, frowning.
“I’m at a friend’s place trying to fix their plumbing issue. Because I work in construction and renovations, they get me to do all the nasty shit.”
“Oh okay.”
“Vin, you coming?” came a female voice.
My body stiffened. A feeling slid up my spine. It was something foreign to me. Something I had never felt before and I wasn’t sure if I liked it.
“Yeah, one sec. Gigi, I have to go.”
I swallowed hard; my throat suddenly dry. “Oh.” I coughed. “Okay.”
“What’s up?”
“Nothing.” But something was up, and I couldn’t figure out what it was.
“Gigi.” His voice took on a warning that told me not to lie to him but how could I tell him the truth when I didn’t even know what that truth was?
“I’ll let you go and see you when you get here. Or if you want to wait until tomorrow, that’s fine too. Either way, I’ll see you tomorrow for sure.” I disconnected the call before he could question me further. I didn’t like this feeling sitting in the pit of my stomach. Whatever it was, it hurt.
I couldn’t get the female voice out of my head. And she called him Vin. I rolled my eyes at that.
She could just be a friend. Or a friend’s girlfriend. There was no harm in that. I had guy friends. It made sense. And I trusted Vince. But if I trusted him, why the hell did this uneasy feeling start poking at me, putting all these thoughts in my head?
I sighed, grabbed the bottle of wine off the counter, and went back to the living room.
“There she is,” Meadow said, a yawn rippling through her. “I have to go. I’m getting knocked on my ass and not in the good way either.” She laughed at her joke.
“I should go too. Zach wants some mommy time before Benjamin demands my attention again.” Luna waggled her eyebrows.
“That sounds like a whole other kink I’ve never explored.” Meadow laughed. “Yet.” She winked.
“You’re disgusting.” I giggled.
“Night girls.” Piper blew us a kiss.
We said our goodbyes and I shut down the laptop. That killed another ten minutes but what would I do while I waited for Vince to show up? If he even decided to come over tonight.
My phone rang again, my stomach twisting when I saw that it was Vince calling me. “Hey.”
“What was that about, Gigi? I’m now in my car, on my way to you because I keep thinking my girl is pissed at me for shit I haven’t done.”
My heart warmed that he called me his girl. “It’s stupid.”
“Nothing you say, or feel, is stupid. Tell me.”