Collide (Two Hearts, #1)

by Melissa Toppen

  “I know Em and as much as I love you, yesterday was something I needed to handle without you. I need to start learning to heal and breaking out of the routine that holds me captive.” I say, reaching out to give her hand an encouraging squeeze.

  “I get it... But Grace, you've also been staying out a lot here recently. Are you sure everything is okay? I mean, you don't come home from work some nights or when you do it's way past the time that a bar closes.”

  Deciding I need to tell her something or she will never let this go, I opt for the lesser of two evils. “Okay so I have been keeping something from you. It's not a big deal, honest.” I say, holding my hands up when her expression immediately turns to frustration.

  “I am working at a bar, that part is true. But I'm not actually working the bar, rather the stage....”

  “You're a stripper!” The statement bursts out in complete disbelief hinted with a dose of panic.

  “Oh god no!” I exclaim, shaking my head adamantly. “I'm playing music. Four nights a week I get up on stage, just me and my guitar and I play.” I see her visibly relax in front of me. Her full lips turning from an 'O' into a slight frown.

  “Why wouldn't you tell me that Grace? That's amazing. Why did you feel like you needed to keep this from me?” She questions, not trying to hide the hurt in her voice.

  “I just didn't want anyone to know I was playing. I was kind of embarrassed about it at first. I mean, I never really thought I was that good. But playing at Vitos has given me so much confidence.” I say, realizing my mistake immediately.

  “Vitos? The little place down the street?” She asks, her eyebrows shooting up. “It's kind of run down and scary isn't it?”

  “It's actually a really cool place.” I say, trying to cover for the fact that I never intended to tell her where I'm playing. But now that it's out there, there's not much I can do about it so I give her all the details about the bar and tell her a little more about Becca and Jake, including how Jake's aunt and uncle own the place.

  By the time I am finished, she seems more at ease, having blamed my late nights on staying over to work on some new music with Becca and Jake. While she seems to have bought my story, a small part of me feels like she suspects that there is more.

  “I gotta get to work. If you are free tomorrow night, me and Carver are hitting up Serenity.” She says, standing to make her way towards my bedroom door.

  “Serenity? Isn't that place like impossible to get into?” I ask. I don't know much about New York in the way of the club scene but Serenity I have most definitely heard of. It's advertised everywhere and from what I understand, one of the hardest clubs to get into, especially on a Saturday night.

  “Carver's uncle knows the owner.” She says, her face lighting up in excitement. “So you're coming right?” She asks, pouting out her lips in a 'pretty please' face.

  “I'll be there with bells on.” I say, giving her a wide smile. She returns my smile and then twists around and practically skips out of my room.

  ****

  Serenity is everything it is said to be and so much more. An enormous dance club with sparkling floors and glowing lights, filled with employees who are not only impossibly attractive but are also wonderfully attentive. Dressed in matching black suits, the female's are more feminine, dipped low in the front to show off just enough cleavage to interest the male customers but not too much to be considered slutty.

  The entire top floor is wrapped in circular shaped rooms that oversee the main dance floor. Each room alternates between a blue light or a red light which gives the upper floor of the establishment an almost glowing effect.

  Carver had managed to snag us one of the private rooms but other than the first initial shots of the night, we have spent very little time in there. But after dancing to a good five songs in a row, I retreat back up to the comfort of our private bubble and collapse down on the circular red couch. Emma trails in behind me, tripping over the round white table in the middle of the room before finally plopping down next to me.

  She grabs the champagne out of the ice bucket and quickly refills both of our glasses before handing one to me. “A toast.” She says, holding up her glass.

  “Shouldn't we wait for Carver?” I ask, peering through the tinted glass wall and spotting him tangled up with a fiery red head on the dance floor.

  “Hell no. This is a girls toast.” She says, following my line of sight to where Carver and the girl are dancing. I don't know that I would even classify it as that. More like dry humping in a room full of people. “Besides, he looks perfectly happy to me.” She says, raising her glass again.

  “To you Grace Morgan. For being my very best friend and allowing me to be yours. I love you. And to me.... New York Theater watch out!” She exclaims, clinking her glass with mine and then draining the contents in one large gulp. I smile at my tipsy friend and then mirror her actions, pouring the champagne down my throat.

  A phone vibrates in front of me and in my drunken haze it takes me a second to realize that it's my phone dancing on the table. I reach forward to retrieve it, taking extra precautions to make sure my girls don't spill out of the strapless black mini that Emma convinced me to wear. With my wide hips hitching the dress up further than it would if Emma were to wear it, the hem sits just inches from my upper thigh.

  I unlock my screen and immediately feel the heat flush my face at the sight of Zayne's name on the incoming message screen.

  I miss you. Come over.

  I avoid Emma's gaze and type a quick reply.

  Wish I could. Out with Emma and Carver celebrating Emma getting cast

  His reply is almost instant.

  Where?

  “Who are you texting?” Emma asks just as I type in Serenity.

  “No one.” I say, locking my phone and tossing it back down on the table. She gives me a disbelieving look and then pins her brown eyes on me.

  “Bullshit Gracie! Look at you, you're blushing ten shades of red right now.” She says, gesturing to my face. “Now tell me who the hell you're talking to!” She demands, her voice remaining light.

  “Zayne.” The name slips from my lips without me really meaning to say it. Or maybe I did mean to. Maybe I am sick of hiding my relationship, or whatever you want to call it, with him from my best friend. Maybe I need to fucking tell just one person in this world that I am no longer a virgin.

  “What!?” Her response is once again filled with disbelief and her eyes widen in shock as I nod my head. “You didn't.... Did you? Oh my god you did!” She squeals. “You slept with the god that is Zayne Evans and you didn't even tell me? What the fuck Grace?” She stands, placing her hands roughly on her hips.

  “You officially suck as a best friend.” She says, taking two long strides towards the door before turning back around. “Oh fuck it. I have to know. Tell me everything.” She gushes, sliding back down in the booth next to me.

  I proceed to tell her every single thing that has happened between me and Zayne, starting with the week at the lake house. While I know he doesn't want me to tell Emma, it feels really good to just say it all aloud to someone other than myself. By the time I am finished, Emma seems more in shock then when I started.

  “Holy shit.” She breathes, fanning herself. “I can not believe you are hooking up with one of the sexiest men in all of New York, hell probably the world. Holy shit.” She repeats, shaking her head. “I need another drink.”

  “Me too.” I say and we both burst out laughing. Emma's anger over me not telling her fades away and is quickly replaced by absolute wonder and complete giddiness. We quickly make our way to the bar and do a double round of shots before heading back onto the dance floor.

  The minute my feet fall into rhythm with the pounding music, the world around me just falls away. My body moves on instinct and I close my eyes, feeling more free than I have in a very long time, five years to be exact. I don't question it when in the middle of the third song, a pair of strong arms wrap around me from behind. I
t's not the first time someone has just stepped in and starting dancing with me tonight so I don't really think too much of it. That is until I catch his scent and I know without a doubt that the man's arms around me at the present moment are none other than Zayne's.

  I whip around and squint through the tinted lights, trying to make out his face. “What are you doing here?” I blurt out, completely taken aback. I immediately start searching the floor for Emma and catch sight of her pretty quickly, wrapped up in a guy who looks like he just stepped out of a Calvin Klein underwear catalog.

  I take advantage of the opportunity to be close to Zayne. Wrapping my arms around the back of his neck, I pull his lips down to mine.

  “I missed you.” He whispers against my mouth, his eyes searching mine. “I couldn't resist the urge to steal at least one dance with you.” He winks and then his mouth is on mine hard and fierce. His tongue explores my mouth while his hand skates up the back of my thigh, coming to a rest just below my ass.

  “This dress is entirely too short.” He says, breaking away from my mouth. “But you look..... Breathtaking.” He sighs, taking a step back from me to trail his eyes from my face to my feet and then back up again. He pulls me roughly back into his chest, just as Katy Perry's “Dark Horse” starts a slow sexy beat through the speakers surrounding the dance floor. Zayne drops his hands to my hips and then starts moving his body against mine in time with the music.

  I don't question it. Loving the way his body moves against mine. I immediately lose myself to the alcohol swimming through my veins and the fire burning through my body as his hands trail seductively down my back, his erection grinding into my lower belly. His body moves effortlessly against mine and while I think I am a decent dancer, I have nothing on his flawless moves and the smooth way he works his body against mine.

  As the song winds down to an end, Zayne drops his lips to mine once more before peeling our bodies apart. “Satisfied?” I ask, referring to his previous comment about getting to dance with me at least once.

  “Satisfied, yes. Desperate for more, fuck yes. But I have to go.” He whispers the last part against my lips before pushing his firmly to mine once more. I melt into his body but before I can even think about it, he pulls back and with one final look over my body, desire simmering in his eyes, he turns and walks away.

  I watch him disappear into the crowd just seconds before Emma appears at my side. “Shot?” She asks, smiling widely at me.

  “Shot.” I agree, letting her lead the way to the bar.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  I spent most of Sunday nursing a pretty bad hangover but luckily had recovered enough to get through my set at Vitos. I've had to tack on quite a few new songs to my set list now that I am playing the whole four hour time frame, which after breaks equals to about three hours total.

  Surprisingly having a few drinks throughout the night, compliments of the bar, refreshed me and I finished with a bang. Wrapping up my set with “Poison and Wine” by The Civil Wars, Jake joining me for the duet.

  Working as a singer definitely has it's perks and being paid at the end of the month in cash is definitely a huge benefit. Having made a hundred dollars a night, four nights a week, for the last three weeks equals to a pretty nice chunk of change and I immediately decide that the first thing I am going to do is pay Alec back.

  Monday morning I make my way across the city to Fredrick Tower, the building that houses Zalec Developing. I think I laughed for a good ten minutes when Zayne told me the name that him and Alec had decided on for their company their freshman year of college. Apparently they knew immediately that they wanted to go into business together. Both men are attractive and incredibly smart, two things that certainly don't hurt when it comes to finding success in business. No man could ever doubt their intelligence or business savvy and no woman could ever resist, well them. Recipe for success, or so that's what Zayne had said.

  But now as I stand outside of the highrise glass building, I can't help but be anything but extremely proud of my big brother and of Zayne. They had a dream and they went for it. I envy the courage that takes and hope someday my own courage will pay off and I will get to achieve the one dream I have had for a very long time, to see my book in print. To hold it in my hands and know that I created it, that a piece of me lives within the pages.

  I quickly make my way up the ten step, wide, cement staircase leading to the entrance of Fredrick Tower. I push my way through the revolving door and side step a large group of people exiting the building before turning my attention to the reception desk sitting in the middle of the most enormous and elegant lobby I have ever seen.

  White columns line the main walkway and open up to two large staircases on either side of the reception area, both starting on opposite sides of the desk and then rejoining in the middle of the second floor.

  My heeled feet click against the shiny marble floor as I approach the beautiful woman working behind the desk. She's dressed in a light blue business suit with a frilly white top peaking out from under her jacket. Her dark hair is pulled back in a sleek ponytail and her bright red lips smile widely at me when I reach her.

  After showing her my drivers license and signing in, I am given a Visitors badge and directed to the nineteenth floor. I straighten my black wrap dress in the mirrored elevator walls, having decided a more conservative look would be the better choice for visiting my brother at his office.

  When the elevator doors slide open, I step into an equally beautiful lobby as the one downstairs only to a much smaller scale. There are no columns or fancy staircases but other than that, everything is spot on. From the silver and black décor, to the shiny floors, everything is uniform. I make my way to the left where a reception desk sits in the center of the lobby.

  “Alec Morgan.” I say to yet another beautiful, dark haired receptionist, dressed very similarly to the one downstairs. What is with this place? I swear it must be required that all of their receptionists are insanely gorgeous. My self esteem plummets a little at the thought of Zayne working with women who look like the one in front of me on a daily basis. What could he possibly see in me when he has this to look at all day?

  “Name?” The woman asks with a forced smile. Her reaction seems snippy to me but deciding it's probably just the way she is, I ignore her obvious annoyance.

  “Grace Morgan. I'm his sister.” I say, not missing the way her smile stretches across her face at the news. Suddenly her previous reaction makes perfect sense. She either has a thing for Alec or is having a thing with Alec, which one I'm not sure and honestly I don't want to know.

  “Oh, okay. He's in.....” She quickly scans a planner in front of her before meeting my eyes again. “Conference room E. Through those doors, hallway to the left, last door on the right. His meeting is in ten so if you hurry you can probably catch him before it starts.”

  “Thank you.” I say before giving her a brief nod and making my way to the set of double doors directly across from the desk. I push my way through the heavy wood and then follow the hall that leads down the left side of the building. Unlike the lobby, the floors are covered in a light gray carpet and the walls are just a couple of shades darker. Well the inside walls anyways. The outside walls are the same glass as the rest of the building.

  I pass a couple of middle-aged men in suits on my way down the hall but other than that, the floor seems relatively empty. I can't imagine that Alec and Zayne have that many employees. I know that both of them are the 'do it yourself' kind of people and I can't imagine that they would give up much control of the hands on work.

  I find Conference room E at the very end of the hall just as I was told. The door is partially open and I pause before entering, making sure that I am not interrupting anything. I don't hear anyone talking so I push my way through the door, my eyes immediately landing on a couple locked in a passionate kiss. The man is sitting in one of the chairs that surrounds the large oval table in the middle of the room. A lean woman with long blonde hair
is straddling his lap, her face hovering over his.

  I start to back away, embarrassed to be imposing on such a private moment but then the man unlatches the woman from his lips just as I turn. I catch a brief glimpse of his face and then do a double take. My heart immediately picks up speed and my insides twist.

  “Zayne?” The word comes out unintentionally and causes his blue eyes to shoot in my direction. I can see the emotions as they flicker across his face. Guilt, shame, panic. But then just like that, the mask slips into place and his lips pull into a tight line.

  The blonde seems to have no idea of my presence until Alec's voice causes her to swivel on her heel. I catch sight of her face for only a fraction of a second but it's enough to see that the woman is beyond beautiful. I quickly turn to face Alec, a sick feeling knotting in the pit of my stomach. I do my best to push through the emotions, mainly jealousy, seething through me and plaster on a smile.

  “Gracie. What a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?” He asks, wrapping me in a tight hug.

  “I wanted to drop something off to you. Do you have a minute?” I ask, gesturing towards the hall.

  “Sure, yeah.” He says, before peering over my head to speak to Zayne. “Give me five.” He says, before wrapping his arm around my shoulders and leading me into the hall.

  I don't look back at Zayne. I can't let him see how affected I am. I don't want him see how badly he's just hurt me. But more than anything, I don't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing I care enough to be hurt.

  “What's up baby girl?” Alec asks the moment we are out of earshot of Zayne and the woman.

  “I just wanted to drop this off.” I say, extending a white envelope to him. He eyes me curiously before peeling back the flap. When he catches sight of the cash, he looks back at me even more confused.