I gave her a firm nod, keeping my thought to myself. “Gotcha.” Then smirked. “No sex, except for planned mistakes that tend to happen.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Faith,” she warned.
I chuckled and rolled my eyes. “Okay-Okay. No penetration. Got it.”
“Good. Now get in there and try the rest on.”
I grabbed the stuff and shut the curtain as one thought ran through my mind. She might have decreed no actual sex, but nothing about fooling around. And with my extensive knowledge of absolutely nothing, except what I’d heard and read, there could be a lot of fun in fooling around. With the right guy of course. Or in my case, guys.
What about Sarah and Brady? Didn’t they want kids? Maybe they couldn’t? Was that something I could ask her or was that too personal? I mean we did just talk about me, but if I talked about her and Brady was that overstepping the line? I decided it was best to ask. If she wasn’t okay talking about it, I was sure she’d let me know.
“Sarah?” I called out.
“Yeah?”
I took a deep breath and casually asked, “Will there ever be any little feet running around the house from you and Brady?”
The silence was heavy; there was a long, awkward pause before Sarah answered. “We are blessed to just have you.”
I didn’t ask any more questions, and Sarah didn’t say anything else. With those words, I knew there would be no kids in the Brady household. At least, not by choice.
I finished up in the dressing room and handed Sarah what I liked. We ended up leaving the store with three knee length pencil skirts in denim navy, red, and black. Along with that we got several purple satin bras, typical cotton boy cut undies, and also a few thongs, per my request.
Hey, can’t knock it until you try it, right? Plus, I had plans for those. After I found out about Roxie.
We went to a few more stores and then ate lunch. It was when we stepped into a shoe store that Sarah ran into someone she knew.
“Hello, Mrs. Thomas!” she greeted the older woman with a smile. “I guess they let just anyone shop here, huh?”
The older woman laughed at that. “Oh, dear. I suppose so.” Then they started to chat.
“Sarah?” I interrupted, and they both turned to me. “Sorry, I’m just going to head over to that store over there, okay?” I pointed to the music store across the way, letting her know which one I meant.
She nodded, but brought her arm around me to hug me close. “Sure, but before you go— Mrs. Thomas, I'd like you to meet, Faith. She attends our college.”
“Hello, dear,” she said with her hand outstretched for a shake. I took it briefly before letting go. “They get younger every year it seems.”
I smiled. “Naw, I’m just smarter.”
She chuckled. I turned to Sarah with an expectant look as she shooed me along. “Go. I’ll meet up with you in a sec.”
I waved goodbye and headed across the mall to the other side where the music awaited. As I entered the store, heavy metal music pounded through the speakers welcoming the younger generation inside. While that type of music wasn’t my favorite, I was sure I would be more comfortable in there with my age group than in the shoes section where high heels were center stage. I loved my flip-flops. Sadly, though, when winter came, they would have to hibernate in my closet. The poor flops.
“Well, hello, Rella,” a familiar voice spoke, and I groaned, tilting my head back as if searching the heavens for my answer.
Why me? I silently asked the big man above as if he would respond. Was one day too much to ask? I sighed. And I was going to have to be a little more cautious with Tucker... just as soon as I gained some information that I wanted.
“Uh, Rella?” I closed my eyes and growled.
“Dude, did she just growl?” I heard one of his friends ask. Did I have to be leery of them? Were they some part of the biker gang Raina and Wendy were talking about?
“What are you doing? Are you high?”
I counted to ten then opened my eyes to look at Tucker. I glanced at the other two guys who surrounded him. They were both wearing the same black jacket. One had a scar lining his right jaw while the other one had a crook in his nose. “No. I’m counting,” I gritted out, turning back to Tucker.
He looked amused. He folded his arms as the friends tucked in close to him. “And why?”
“You,” I grouched back, seeing his friends snicker.
“Ouch,” said Scarface from Tucker’s right, bumping him with his shoulder.
“Crash and Burn,” Crooked-nose chimed in from the left.
Tucker shushed his friend, then took a step toward me to ask me a question that sent me reeling.
“Meet Roxie yet?”
“No,” I bit out, my eyes burning with annoyance “I’m starting to think you made her up.”
I saw anger flicker in his eyes and his mouth pressed downward. “I didn't,” he bit out.
I probably should have been nervous, knowing the kind of company he kept, but it was like my common sense was turned off and I was just willy-nilly with my cares. He knew who Roxie was. I wanted to know. Why hadn’t I met her? Where was she? Did she live close by?
“He’s telling the truth, Babe,” said Tucker's friend with a scar on his cheek as he took a survey of me, his eyes lingering on my chest. I folded my arms and his eyes flicked back up toward mine.
“Don’t call her, Babe.”
“Don’t call me Babe.” Both Tucker and I demanded at the same time.
I glared at Tucker. “I can defend myself, Tucker.”
“Sheesh,” he growled shaking his head. “Calm down, Rella.”
I glared at him. I was angry and almost scared to ask, but I did anyways. Not that I believe him or anything. “When’s the last time you saw them?” I demanded as I thought back to Friday and what Tyler and Kayden had been doing.
He shrugged looking out toward the mall. “I don’t know. Last week, maybe? I’m hoping to get her back. I want her back.”
My heart pounded wildly in my chest when I asked him, “How long have they been together?”
He started hard at me and a flicker of emotion passed. “How long?”
I steeled my heart and stared him straight in the eyes. With a harsh voice, I gritted out, “How long have Tyler and Roxie been dating?”
His lips pressed as he tilted his head to the side. Almost calculating.
“Dude, Roxie’s—” Scarface dude started but Tucker smacked his chest to shut him up. After a minute, he asked, “Why does that matter?”
“It just does,” I said coldly.
“About two years. He takes her to the same place almost every Thursday.”
“You’re lying.” I threw out, angry that he would even dare suggest it. “You’re just trying to rile me up!”
He step forward with a tilt of his lips and asked, “Wait, are you dating Tyler?”
Like he didn’t know. I didn't say anything. I just stood there with my hands clenched, trying to rationalize what he was saying. Tyler wouldn't do that. None of them would. Right?
“I’m sorry, Rella, but I’m telling the truth,” he murmured. His tone, which was supposed to be sincere, was like nails on the chalkboard to me. I didn't want his sympathy for something that I was sure wasn't going on. “Listen for calls and numbers. She has a ton of numbers.”
“Stop.” Tyler had called Kayden for a number not too long ago. No.
He stepped closer. “They go to the pond sometimes, and I’ve even seen one of his brothers have her at this restaurant uptown.”
I shot my eyes to his. “You’re sick. You follow them?”
He put his hands up defensively. “No, no, no, you’ve got it wrong. I’ve seen all of them with her. Downtown, a few times at the diner, at a few parties where everybody hangs out. I've even seen him and his brothers together. They take turns—” One of his friends snickered.
All my anger swelled up inside and exploded as I swung my still healing fist into the side
of Tucker's face. He didn’t even see it coming.
“Whoa-whoa-whoa.” The other friend that had the awful nose job stepped in. Apparently, he didn’t expect me to hit his friend. He separated us with a look of shock on his face.
How dare Tucker suggest that!
“Fuck, Rella,” he said holding his nose. “Damn, girl.” He stepped back as he pulled his hand away from his face to see if there was any blood. There wasn’t. At least not much. “Who taught you how to punch?”
His friend kept a hand out, warning me away, trying to keep us separate, but what he didn’t know was that I didn't want to be anywhere near the idiot and that my hand also hurt.
I glared at Tucker and his two friends as a store associate came over to us to see about the commotion. “What's going on here?”
“Nothing,” Tucker stated, glaring at me, while holding his slightly bloodied nose. “The girlfriend and I just had a fight.”
“I’m not his girlfriend,” I stated coolly, furious with what he had suggested and what he was currently proposing.
“I don’t care,” the associate spoke sternly, her eyes narrowed. “Take your problems out of our store.”
Still glaring at Tucker and holding my right hand, I spoke. “Just leaving... Ma'am.”
Not wanting to hear any more of Tucker’s lies, I turned and walked far, far away from him. He was wrong. I knew it, but I couldn’t deal with that at the moment. My hand throbbed, but not as much as my heart. Doubts clouded reason. I felt worse than he did. What he said couldn’t possibly be true. The McGuire brothers were with me, right? I needed to talk to Tyler.
“Rella! Wait!”
You’d think after I just punched the guy, he wouldn’t seek me out, but he was like a bad penny that kept following me, and I was not in the mood to carry unwanted change.
“Name’s not Rella,” I called out as I power walked out and toward the shoe store where I had left Sarah.
“Stop. Stop, Daniels.” His hand grabbed my arm, tugging me to a standstill in the middle of the mall’s walking area.
I turned and saw the desperation and fury in his dark eyes. How messed up was this guy? In a harsh whisper, I asked, “Why? Why, Tucker?”
His eyes narrowed as he stopped just inches from me. “Why, what?” he growled.
“Let’s not play that game,” I growled back, getting into his face. “Why follow me? Why harass me when you know I’m not in favor of your company? I punched you, Tucker. Are you that desperate for female attention that you go after someone else's?”
His dark eyes turned black as his lips twisted angrily. He was furious. I stood still as he leaned in and whispered, deadly quiet, into my ear. “He lied to you, Daniels.” When he pulled back, his lips brushed against my cheek making me jerk away. If looks could kill, I would be gone. He studied me, then elaborated. “Not everything is as it seems, and I’m inclined to change the game.”
“Game?”
“Tell him. Tell Tyler, the game has now changed. If he doesn't watch out, he just might find Roxie’s not the only thing that will be taken from him.”
I took a step back, “That sounds a lot like a threat.”
His mouth tilted into a smile, but looked more like a dog’s snarl. “I’m not one to threaten. I only make promises I intend to keep.”
With that, he turned and signaled to his friends that they needed to leave. I reached up and wiped away the unwanted kiss from my cheek as I watched them go. All the nonsense Tucker spouted out left me uncomfortable, scared, and with more questions. He liked to talk in circles.
“Faith?” I heard Sarah from behind me. “Are you okay? I thought I was going to meet you in the music store?”
I watched Tucker’s retreating back, his loyal friends following in his wake. My voice was not quiet when I spoke. “I was, but then my fist ran into some bullshit—”
“Faith, language.”
“—and I decided it was hazardous to my health, so I walked out.” I continued, seeing them turn the corner. “Plus, he deserved it.”
“Who?”
I pressed my lips and glanced toward her, “The Bullshitter.”
“Faith,” Sarah warned.
“Can’t change the facts. Once a bull—”
She grabbed the shoulder of my jacket, tugging me along, halting what I was saying.
“Stop,” she whispered desperately, seeing that we had onlookers. “I think it’s time to go.”
As we walked out, I saw the girl from the clothing store. She was staring at me with a phone up to her ear. She probably saw the whole thing. I glared, and I dismissed her. I was worried. Tucker was up to something. Causing trouble for me. It was time to have a very real grown-up conversation with Tyler. I was walking around blind. I needed to know what the playing field was, since I was caught in the middle of all of it.
I sighed as we made our way to Sarah’s car. I realized I must have embarrassed her by my outburst.
“I’m sorry, Sarah, for acting like that,” I told her as soon as we got in the car. “It’s just, Tucker keeps following me and saying things.”
“Tucker’s the same guy Tyler fought that one time, right?”
“Yeah. Something went on with the two of them a while back, and I think I’m now caught in the middle. And I just... I just don’t know what to do,” I let out, frustrated. “I don’t know. Then there’s this girl, Roxie. She has been, I guess, hanging out with Tyler, and I’m the one that's supposed to be dating him!”
“That’s not the picture you painted earlier,” she said referring to the conversation we had in the dressing rooms. “The way I see it, Tyler is fair game until you pick between those brothers.”
I grumbled, sliding down in my seat with my arms folded, conflicted. Secrets sucked. Relationships took trust. Tonight I was going to get my answers, even if the truth hurt.
“Sarah, can we stop off at the drugstore?”
She gave me a quick sideways glance, then changed lanes. “Sure, why? We have stuff for headaches at home.”
“Chocolate, but I’ll probably need that too.”
And I might need to talk to Brady about that restraining order, I thought to myself. If I took anything of what Tucker said to heart, I’d definitely need one.
Chapter 8
I had just finished putting away the clothes that Sarah and I had bought earlier, when a text message came in. I wanted to throw my phone when I saw it. Four words that just made my night hell. Four freaking lousy words that made it worse. I fell back on my bed, frustrated and upset.
Tyler: Sorry, Baby. Can’t come.
My mind flittered through millions of thoughts as to why he was unable to make it, but one stuck out like a sore thumb. Was he with her tonight? Was Tyler really the kind of guy to string me or someone else along? No.
I shook my head and got up, grabbing my phone to call him. I shouldn’t even consider it, because he wasn’t that type of person. So either the idiot Tucker had planted the false idea in my head to make me paranoid, or Tyler was on his way to an early grave. Thinking of Raina and what she had said in the car yesterday also made me pause. She did confirm that there was, in fact, a Roxie, and that they hung out. Maybe Roxie was a co-worker or an old friend? Maybe even a cousin that used to date Tucker? Those seemed like plausible explanations. Those were ones that I could handle, but what was taking up so much of Tyler's time that he couldn’t come to a simple dinner with me?
I pushed my thoughts away as I dialed Tyler’s number, but it went straight to message. I hung up and called the other two McGuire brothers but got nothing. Tossing my phone on my bed, I looked toward my family photo.
Life was too short to be waiting for answers. If they wanted to date me, spend time with me, they needed to show it. Tomorrow morning I wasn’t going to ride in with Tyler. If he wanted me, he was going to have to find me. I didn’t like to play ‘games’ in a relationship, but maybe this time, he needed one. I needed to know if I was still important enough. Did I matter, or was it
just jealously over Tucker seeking me out.
***
Early the next morning, I had Brady drop me off at the college. I hoped I could keep hidden. Really late last night, I had sent Tyler a text message saying that I had a ride in tomorrow so I wasn’t an inconvenience to him.
At seven thirty-two, my phone dinged.
Tyler: You’re mad, aren't you?
I snorted as I turned my phone off and shoved it into my bag, hurrying to my first class of the day.
Overachiever. Got it on the first guess.
I hoped Kane and Wendy weren’t here today. I could seriously use this day without them. Luck was on my side when class started, and they were not present. I guessed they were pretty sick for them to not be in today. My luck, their misery, either way I was content with how things were already going. I groaned when I realized I had already broken a promise to Lincoln. I hadn’t told them yet that I ran into Tucker again or about his threat. I was so mad about Tyler not showing up for dinner that it completely skipped my thoughts, but I had a choice now. When class was over, I gathered up my stuff and pulled out my phone, dreading the text that I was about to send. Lincoln didn’t say who I had to send it to, just that I need to tell one of them. So I contemplated texting the lesser of the two intense brothers. Plus, if I texted Kayden soon enough, I’d have some time before the message got over to Tyler.
I turned on my phone and it dinged— thirty times in a row. It seemed Tyler wasn’t happy with my non-response approach. There were a whole bunch of “call me,” “I’m sorry” and “let’s talk” messages along with a few from the other guys. I was sure, though, after I sent my message over to Kayden, the messages would be very different than what I was getting now. It was best to leave it on so, if the texts became serious, I could respond.
Gaining Ground Page 7