Breaking Promises

by M. A. Lee

  He was collecting payment from a large man with several intricate tattoos spread across his arms and neck. It was clear the art tattooed on the man was completed by Smalls. Isaac liked to take the payments and keep the sales records updated. He was great at making business decisions and running a legitimate company, which made his illegal decision that much more ironic and confusing.

  When the man left, Isaac strutted over to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I have a surprise for you,” he whispered into my ear.

  I smiled and kissed him back. “Great, I could use a nice surprise,” I said.

  Isaac’s face dropped a little and I could tell my words had cut through him like a knife. I hadn’t meant for them to hurt him, but they did none the less.

  “Let’s go,” Isaac said as he led me out of the shop and into his truck parked in the side parking lot.

  We began to drive out of the city until we were away from the tall buildings and busy streets. As we drove, I began to see beautiful horse farms with lavish green grass and rolling hills. As we continued to drive I could see that we were escaping the world of tall buildings and replacing that scene with rolling horse farms. We were heading into the country, and I wasn’t sure why. Isaac had said he wanted to go for a drive, but he didn’t say where. The scene was beautiful though, so I didn’t mind. In fact, the silence and images before me allowed me to sit back, relax, and clear my head for once. I focused on the black fences that outlined several horse farms as luscious trees outlined the pastures. Several chocolate brown horses galloped through the rolling pastures of the Kentucky Blue Grass as we drove past. Their tails and manes flew in the wind as they galloped with such grace and speed, the movement alone caused my eyes to glisten with tears. The leaves on the trees were a lovely green and they seemed to dance like tiny flags in the slight wind. Everything about the scene looked like a painting with beautiful accent colors and perfectly placed objects. As much as I loved living and working in the city, the country was where my heart really belonged. I guess that is why I love Lexington. One minute you can be in a fast paced city lifestyle and the next minute you are driving down a one lane country road.

  The scorching July sun was beaming down on us like a spotlight and made all of the red, pink, and yellow flowers look majestic.

  Isaac turned onto a one-lane road that was lined with large trees with branches extending over the roadway and shading us from the summer sun. I allowed the wind from the moving car to blow through my long hair as I sat back and enjoyed the scenic country drive. I wasn’t sure where Isaac was taking me, but I knew it was going to be somewhere far from anyone else and that made me happy.

  Finally, Isaac made another right turn and we began bouncing along a small dirt road. We drove for another five minutes before he parked his truck along the river bank.

  The water was slowly rolling by as I stepped out of the truck.

  “I thought we could use some peace and quiet for a while,” Isaac offered as he took my hand.

  We walked to a grassy area next to the river and sat down. The sound of the water slowly flowing over river rocks provided a soothing tune that seemed to relax me instantly.

  “This is just what I needed,” I admitted as I sighed.

  “I know everything has been crazy lately. With work, the wedding, and...what I did, I just wanted to get you alone,” Isaac stated.

  I leaned over and kissed him, my lips softly brushing against his. “We really did need this,” I offered as I allowed myself to relax into his arms.

  I felt Isaac’s hands began to rub the inside of my thigh as we lay nestled together on the soft grass. My body began to heat as desire coursed through me. We hadn’t had sex since our argument and now with him touching me in such a caressing way, I didn’t think I could fight my need for him.

  In an instant, Isaac rolled me over and began to remove my sundress by slipping it over my head. Once the dress was thrown aside, he began to slip off my panties and bra as I worked my fingers to remove his shorts. With his lips and hands moving in unison all over my body, I allowed a loud moan to escape from my lips. I was more than aware that we were alone, without a soul around to see or hear us. I arched my back and threw my head back as his lips trailed down my neck and his legs moved mine apart. One hand continued to rub and tease my now aching breasts while the other slipped into the wetness between my legs. I could feel his hardness growing against my stomach and we both knew we were ready for one another.

  Rubbing his fingers on my opening, Isaac began to taunt me. With one finger, he began an evil movement that caused my whole body to tighten. I was fighting my own release as I tried to hold back and enjoy the moment a little longer. Slipping two fingers inside me, Isaac began a fluid motion of moving in and out of me.

  “I have been waiting for you to be ready again,” he growled between kisses.

  His lips continued to trail to my bare breasts and as I reached my glorious climax, Isaac only smiled and offered a slight laugh. He wasn’t done with me yet and I reveled in that thought.

  I bit down on my lip as I suddenly became overcome with a painful desire. “I’m ready,” I breathed.

  Reaching out my hands, I slipped off his boxers, my fingers trailing along the sides of his tight skin and grabbed his waist as he slowly climbed back on top of me. Looking down at me with such love in his eyes, I knew that this moment was perfect.

  Slowly sliding inside of me, I felt my walls open and flex as Isaac’s cock entered me. Letting his head drop, Isaac found pleasure in being in me. It had only been a few days since we had last made love, but when you are angry and hurt, that can seem like an eternity.

  Every inch of him consumed me and I was sure he would thrust himself into me, in a rage of sexual desire. From the way he had just fucked me with his fingers, I was expecting him to be rough with me. However, he chose to take his time as he delicately moved inside of me. Each thrust filled me completely, but yet caressed me in a way that had me writhing in pure delight. I could feel him reaching deeper inside me with every inch of his rock hard and gloriously endowed cock and I could feel me reaching my second climax.

  The way our bodies collided and moved as if in synch brought me to another level that no high could ever reach. My hands tightened around his waist as I continued to pull him closer. I allowed my body to release and reach my climax for the third time.

  As he continued to move inside of me, I could feel him inching his way toward his own climax. Remaining inside of me, Isaac found his release. Placing soft kisses along my cheeks and lips, Isaac smiled down at me as we both tried to calm our beating hearts.

  We lay there, naked and consumed by each other until the sun began to fade behind the hills and the darkness began to take over. I knew that once we left this quiet hiding place we would have to face our lives once again. I just needed to prepare myself for whatever was going to come next.

  8

  Lauren

  One month.

  I had given him one month and today marked one month since Isaac had agreed to my terms.

  Smalls sat in a chair behind the front desk, his arms folded and a pissed off expression on his face. Cole came storming through the hallway, his hands balled into fists at his sides as he swiftly ran past me. The tension in the air was so thick, you could have cut it with a knife. Everything in this place was damaged and I had a terrible, sinking feeling that I knew what everyone was so upset about.

  “Are you looking for Isaac?” Kat asked as she popped up around the corner.

  “Yes,” I said slowly.

  Even Kat had a strange tone to her. Normally, she was always pleasantly bitchy but today she seemed cold and distant.

  “He’s in his office,” Kat pointed as she looked at me cautiously.

  “Ok,” I nodded as I began to walk down the long hallway toward his room.

  Another man who I had seen in pictures only emerged from the hallway too. I had heard Isaac, Cole, and Smalls tell stories about their best friend Jagger
who had taken off last year to find himself or something like that. He looked like a sexy James Dean with his black leather jacket and smoldering eyes.

  “That’s Jagger,” Smalls nodded in the man’s direction as he spoke.

  I smiled and offered a slight wave, but the awkward tension floating through the air had me feeling reserved.

  Waves of emotions flooded me as I suddenly felt sad here. The black walls glowed from the neon signs and electric paintings that scattered the space did nothing to cheer up my now sour mood.

  As I slowly opened the door to the room that Isaac used for his office, I spotted him sitting on his chair, his head in his hands.

  “Isaac,” I said as I stepped into the room.

  As he looked up, I could see his eyes were red and his face was flushed.

  “Your friend Jagger is here,” I stated as if he didn’t already know.

  Isaac only nodded his head.

  “Cole left looking angry,” I tried again, hoping this time he would face me and answer with words.

  Only, Isaac just nodded again.

  I was growing tired of his silence. It was clear that something was terribly wrong here and Isaac owed me an explanation or at least a verbal response.

  “Isaac, what is wrong?” I asked as I stood in the doorway, afraid to move any further inside.

  “Lauren,” he gasped. “I tried...”

  I didn’t need for him to finish his sentence to understand what his words meant.

  “It’s not over is it?” I asked.

  “No,” Isaac stated firmly. He hung his head low in defeat.

  “I can’t believe you would do something so stupid!” I cried out as I lunged myself at him. My fists made contact with his chest as I began screaming.

  Holding me close, Isaac didn’t say a word. He allowed me to scream and cry and take all of my anger and frustration out against his body. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but damn it, I couldn’t control the anger boiling inside me.

  I flipped over the desk where he had his pens and workbooks and laptop sitting. Everything scattered all around us as my anger took over.

  Pushing him away, I took a step back and looked at Isaac. Really looked at him. He was broken. I was broken. And now, we were broken together.

  “I can’t be with you anymore,” I whimpered as I wiped the tears away from my eyes and gathered my composure. I had to keep my crazy locked away until I was back home. I had to keep myself calm.

  “No!” Isaac screamed as he stood, towering next to me. “You can’t say that. We can’t be over.” He stumbled toward me but had to stop and regain his composure. Watching him in this wrecked state was more than I could handle. I knew in that moment I deserved better than this.

  “I can say that,” I argued my voice full of rage. “You did this. You broke us.”

  “Lauren, this hurts me too,” Isaac yelled back at me.

  “Hurts you?” I raged. “How the hell can you say that? You are the reason I am hurting. Don’t speak anymore. You have said enough,” I screamed.

  “Is everything alright?” Smalls and kat suddenly appeared in the doorway and their eyes observed the disaster in front of them.

  “No, nothing is alright,” I seethed. “Do you all know what he did?” I asked.

  Both Smalls and Kat shook their heads yes. “Cole knows too,” Smalls said as he looked over at Isaac.

  That made sense as to why he had rushed out of there so fast when I had first arrived.

  “I can fix it. I swear, if you will just listen to me. I have my reasons for what I did and I have a plan...” he began, but I had enough of his plans. His voice broke as he spoke and I knew in a few short hours he would pass out from exhaustion and only remember this moment as a bad dream.

  “Stop Isaac,” I shouted as I began backing away toward the front door. “I don’t want to hear your reasons. Nothing you can say can erase the damage you caused. I believed you when you told me you would stop. I trusted you. I love you, how could you do this to me?” I yelled as I inched closer to the doorway. Smalls and Isaac moved out of my way as they watched me with sadness and pity in their eyes.

  Jumping toward me, Isaac slammed his body against the door, almost knocking me to the ground. “You are not allowed to leave like this,” he yelled, anger and sadness fighting in his voice. “I have a plan to fix this. You just have to let me explain,” he tried again. His violent outburst only solidified that my decision was the right one.

  Stepping in between us and holding Isaac back, Smalls took charge of the volatile situation. “Stop Isaac, you aren’t thinking right.”

  “I hate you!” I screamed as I pushed him one last time away from the door and away from me. “I hate that you ruined my dreams. I hate that you ruined the plans we had made. I hate that I ever met you.” I screamed before taking off my engagement ring and throwing it at Isaac’s shocked face. His blue eyes looked dead inside as he watched my anger explode in front of him. Now, as I stood outside in the parking lot with my chest pounding rapidly, I wished more than anything that I could wake up from this terrible dream. I closed my eyes, praying when they reopened, I would be in my bed and this would all be a terrible nightmare like before.

  Only this time, when my eyes opened again, I was faced with the cold, hard, reality that this was my life.

  9

  ISAAC

  It’s all over.

  I am a fucking failure.

  I should have listened to Lauren. I should have listened to Cole. I should have listened to Jagger. I should have listened to Smalls and kat.

  I just wanted another taste of the money. I had made enough to pay off my house and almost enough to pay off the shop. Just one more time and I could have had it all.

  Instead, I lost it all.

  Watching Lauren explode on me was like living in a nightmare and experience hell all at the same time. The anger that flashed through her eyes told me she wouldn’t forgive me this time.

  The last time Cole had been upset with me, wasn’t even a big deal. It was the night of one of my parties and Lauren was drunk.

  I HAD BEEN WATCHING Cole for weeks trying to find the courage to tell Melanie how he felt about her. Everyone could see he was in love with her, well everyone except Mel. Lauren had tried to tell Melanie, but her efforts were futile. Finally, at our party, Cole decided to tell Melanie how he felt. He lifted Mel and placed her on the kitchen counter so that her feet were dangling over the edge.

  Cole sighed and gently shook his head, a few strands of his luscious black hair dangling over his eyes. “I wish, just for one night, that you could see what I see. I wish that you could feel what I feel. I wish...”

  I stood around the corner, my breathing paused as I anxiously waited for Cole to take the plunge and tell Melanie once and for all how he felt about her. Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Lauren, who had obviously had one too many drinks as she stumbled into the kitchen. I had tried to keep her from getting drunk, but she can be sneaky at times and escape my view. My heart had been racing, anticipating Cole’s next words, but now I was just frustrated.

  Cole had asked me to make sure Lauren stayed away from them, he didn’t want her telling Melanie first. I had failed him. I hadn’t watched Lauren like I had promised. I could see the anger and frustration flash across his face as Lauren bombarded their moment.

  “What is going on in here?” Lauren asked, poking Mel in the side. She was too drunk to notice their awkward silence or the loving way Cole had just been holding Mel.

  Anger briefly flashing across Cole’s face, he stood straight and backed away from Mel. I watched his eyes as they filled with a solemn expression before he met eyes with me. Our exchange was brief, but I could see the disappointment in me and the situation.

  “We were just talking,” Mel quickly added jumping off the counter and grabbing Lauren’s hand. “I think you may be a little drunk,” she said as she guided her to a small chair in the corner.

  Sighing, I tr
ied to intervene, but I was too late.

  “You might be right,” Lauren giggled, as she plumped down onto the seat. “I may be drunk, but I can still see clear enough to know you two are so in love.” She began, smiling and laughing.

  “Lauren, stop...” Mel began, but Lauren cut her off.

  Waving her hands, Lauren sort of shifted in her seat, almost toppling over as she talked. “Everyone can see you love each other. Melanie, you are just too afraid to let Cole in because some asshole broke your heart once. And Cole,” she said, awkwardly pointing in his direction, “You love Mel, but you think if you tell her, she will get scared and stop coming around you.”

  Pleased with herself, Lauren smiled again, her eyes half closing.

  Having enough, I walked in and surveyed the scene. “What is going on?” I asked as though I hadn’t been watching the train wreck.

  “I think Lauren is drunk and needs to go to bed,” Mel said, glaring at her best friend. Lauren was lucky Mel and everyone else loved her so much, because in that moment, I was pretty sure Mel wanted to punch her right in her pretty little jaw.

  “No, I am fine,” Lauren stated, almost falling off the chair again. “Cole, I heard you telling Isaac how much you love...”

  Again, I had let my friend down. Cole didn’t want anyone else knowing how he felt about Mel. I was ruining his moment for him by letting Lauren spill his secret.

  “Okay, I think you need to go to bed,” I quickly interjected as I rushed over and picked Lauren up as she slid out of the chair. Thankfully, I caught her before her body completely hit the ground. As I carried her to my room, I slowly gave Cole a look that said I was sorry.

  Cole just shook his head and I knew in that moment I had hurt him and ruined something for him.

  LOOKING BACK ON THAT night, I would have given anything to take that back. And, right now, I would give anything to take back the hurt and pain I had caused not only to Cole and Lauren, but to everyone else I loved and who had trusted me. See how distracted I was by my thoughts, Kat sighed before she began to speak.