Broken

by Jordan Silver

  “No celebration, just only the best for my girl.” She wasn’t sure how she made it to the table after that since her head was in the clouds and her feet didn’t touch the ground. The man was at his split personality crap again.

  Pat didn’t have much to say after that. But from the way she was in a hurry to get back to her post, Kerry was sure there would be a few phone calls being made in the next few minutes. Her gut started to hurt a little. She wasn’t sure she was ready for this…whatever this was, to make the rounds as yet.

  “I have no idea what you like to eat sweetheart. I’ve only fed you Lasagna and breakfast.” His head was down in the menu while he rubbed the fingers of one hand over her palm, which he had yet to let go.

  “Soup and salad is good.”

  “Is that what you usually eat or is this another one of your deals?”

  “What deals?”

  “You know, where you think you can tell me what I can and cannot do for you.”

  “That doesn’t even make sense, what’re you talking about?” For that she got a look. He’s good at giving out those. This one made her squirm around in her seat.

  “Soup and salad is the cheapest thing on the menu. Now I’m no good at this relationship shit, so work with me here. Either you choose something you like, or I’ll choose for you.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that in the last few months of her marriage when her husband did give in to taking her out somewhere, she was usually relegated to getting the cheapest thing on the menu. Apparently, they were saving up for a new car for her.

  Which she now knew was a lie. Jen had bitched about the money he was spending on her so he kept it to a bare minimum until they sprung the divorce on her…

  “You’re doing that shit again.” Was he a mind reader? How could he always know when Paul slipped into her head? “Look, I’m sorry okay. But I’ve known you all of two minutes, and this…thing that you keep saying I’m doing has been part of my life for most of it. So excuse me, if I still have residual feelings.”

  “No.” He all but growled.

  “No what?” She frowned across the table.

  “No I won’t forgive you if you have residual feelings. I told you, when you’re with me, you don’t even think about that asshole. I didn’t ask for this shit. But now that it’s here, we’re gonna do it my way-and my way does not include another man at the fucking table. Do we understand each other?”

  She swallowed and tried to figure out what exactly had happened to her life since the moment they met on that sidewalk. Was that only yesterday? So much had happened so quickly she was hard pressed to keep up. And his attitude wasn’t helping.

  He was acting as though they had known each other for a lifetime, and she was failing to keep up with some secret meter in his head. If she were brave, she’d ask him just what it was he wanted from her. But that set look on his face didn’t look too inviting. She thought it best to keep her thoughts to herself and hopefully, whatever was in his ass would crawl out and give her some peace.

  Kyle, for his part, didn’t know what the fuck he was doing. All he knew was that he was tied up in too many knots to count. For one-she was getting to him in a big way-and for another-he had no idea what the fuck he was supposed to do with what he was feeling. One day, one fucking day and already she had him bent. There was no guidebook for this shit, he was swimming in uncharted waters and she wasn’t helping with her shit.

  Now as he sat there, he was all but breathing fire. She was fucking with his life just by being her and all the while she’s comparing his every move to the man who’d screwed her over. To say he hated that shit is an understatement. He wasn’t about to play second fiddle to a fucking memory.

  When Lucille had first told him the story of her divorce, he wasn’t really invested. To him, she was just a pretty face who’d had a rough time of it. Even when he went to her place with dinner and then again for breakfast, he still had no interest in her life beyond the quick fuck he was after, but was sure he’d never get from the small town princess as he’d taken to calling her in his head.

  He just didn’t have enough time to wear her down and he needed to be out of here soon. That was yesterday and this morning. Too little time for shit to take such a drastic turn. He thought he was safe.

  Then she wrapped her arms around him and held on, like she trusted him to keep her safe. And that look on her face after he’d kissed her that first time. Who the fuck looks like that anymore?

  After he’d dropped her off, mad as fuck at her and the rest of the world, he’d gone back home to gramps who’d taken one look at him, shaken his head and hot footed it over to Lucille’s. “Probably going over there to plot my fucking life.” He was pissed as fuck and didn’t know why?

  He’d lain across the hammock in the backyard trying to make sense of it all, but kept coming back to the fact that they’d only just met. Still, he couldn’t get the feel of her in his arms out of his head; or that innocent look of pure pleasure on her face from a kiss.

  It was only after he’d calmed down a little that he realized his dick was still hard. “What the fuck?” He swung his legs over the side of the hammock with his head in his hands, and it was then he thought he felt his grandma beside him. He wasn’t one for fanciful thinking, but fuck if he didn’t feel her special presence like a soothing balm in the breeze.

  It took him a minute to get himself together but the feeling persisted and for some reason he didn’t try to fight it, just went with it.

  He was suddenly calm if a little spooked. But that calming presence had an affect on him. He started to think and feel. At first he tried to convince himself that he felt pity for her, for what her ex had done to her. The story Lucille had told him was a horror to be sure, who wouldn’t feel bad?

  But he knew he was lying to himself, when her face wouldn’t leave him the fuck alone. He stormed around the backyard cussing up a storm. Like he’d told her, he didn’t want this, wasn’t expecting it that’s for sure.

  But then he thought of her all alone in that hovel of an apartment and her little face when he’d dropped her off and it tore at his heart. The heart he’d been accused of not having too many times to count.

  It was then he decided that if she were going to fuck with his life then they’d do that shit on his terms. So he decided to come at it the way he did everything. Hard and fast! Take no prisoners.

  No one in the little town would believe that the tattooed, bike-riding hedonist as his mom was fond of calling him was actually a high-powered businessman who demolished anything that stood in his way. He liked it that way. Liked giving people the wrong impression so that when he sprung what the fuck he really was on them it was too late.

  He was known for his cutthroat ways when dealing with the enemy and that could be anyone from a rival company CEO to a newspaper reporter. He’d spent the better part of the last ten years building up his portfolio to what it was today

  and he had the bank account to prove it.

  He hated to lose at anything and always took pride in the fact that he never entered the ring unless he had all the ammo he needed to win the battle. But this shit had sideswiped him and he didn’t know the first thing about treading these particular waters.

  He wasn’t prepared, hadn’t been looking. He’d let his fucking guard down and look what happened. He was more used to fighting in the boardroom and was always ready to face down the enemy in that arena. It was like breathing to him.

  He moved in a world of wheeling and dealing where you had to be constantly on the lookout for the other guy. Competition was tough in the real world, and it’s where he’d lived for the last little while.

  This little hiatus was his first in too long to count. He thrived on the kill, needed it to get through the day or he’d be bored out of his fucking mind. Now this one seemed to be a challenge of a different kind. One he had no experience with, one that if he were honest, scared the shit out of him. He wasn’t too fond of that sh
it.

  “I asked you a question.”

  “Yes, I understand.” She spoke through gritted teeth. If Kerry had any idea of the turmoil that was going on inside him, she might’ve took pity on him, but all she saw was a very angry man whose anger seemed to be directed at her.

  It was kind of unsettling to think that she had that kind of effect on the opposite sex, seeing as how

  she’d already lost a husband. Somehow Kyle’s anger cut a little deeper.

  Then the crazy man changed up on her again. “So what are you having? The fish looks good.” The fish was almost twenty dollars; she balked.

  “Um, I think maybe I’ll have the chicken.” He looked up at her but didn’t say a word. Chicken was always the least expensive thing on the menu, and since he wouldn’t let her have the soup and salad special she figured she was safe with that.

  Kyle ordered for them both and even threw in the salad as a starter for her and the soup for him along with glasses of sweet tea. He still had ahold of her hand and had graduated to rubbing his thumb over her palm.

  He was staring at something over her shoulder but she decided it was more like when you get caught in one of those mind freezes where you’re not really seeing what you’re looking at and left it alone.

  In the meantime, she was trying her damnedest to ignore the stares from everyone around them, but that wasn’t easy when they started coming up to the table. Dammit, she wasn’t ready for this, especially not in front of him.

  “Hey Kerry, it’s nice to see you out and about. How’ve you been? Haven’t seen you since the divorce. We all thought you’d skipped town under cover of night.” The smirk that accompanied that greeting said it all.

  Sarah Cummings was Jen’s best friend and was once part of Kerry’s inner circle. She was one of the first to abandon ship, since as she’d said, Jen fit in more with her lawyer husband and their crew than she, Kerry ever did.

  “I’m, okay thanks.” She was anything but, but refused to give the other woman the satisfaction.

  “And who’s this?” She turned her attention to Kyle who had yet to look at her. Sarah was one of those bottled blondes with silicone in her tits. She wouldn’t have kids because she didn’t want them to destroy her figure; you know the type. Kerry had never felt threatened by the other woman before, but for some reason she didn’t like the way she leaned over as if trying to give Kyle a better view of her inflated tits.

  Something must’ve given her discomfort away or maybe it was the fact that Kyle, unlike most men, paid attention and had picked up on the slight. “Are you always this catty?” You could’ve blown Kerry over with a feather. He said it so calmly he might as well have been asking about the weather.

  “I beg your pardon?” Sarah’s hand went to her chest and her face took on that hard look that Kerry remembered only too well. It’s the one she used when she was getting ready to tear into someone. “Pretty sure you heard me, now why don’t you take your fake tits and your even faker attitude back over there, where you came from? And tell the others at your table they can fuck off too.”

  “Well, I never…” Sarah puffed up like a bullfrog ready to spew her special brand of venom, but she was cut short by the master before she could.

  “And you won’t.” He didn’t even spare her a glance as he picked Kerry’s hand up from the table and kissed her fingers again, sending shock waves through her. It was a dismissive act and the other woman got the message as she stomped off back the way she came.

  “You’ve had to put up with a lot of that?” He went back to looking over her shoulder at someone or something and she couldn’t resist taking a quick look. She was just in time to see Sarah join a table of most of her former friends and gesture in their direction.

  She swung her head back around quickly and snatched up her glass of water. “Um no, I haven’t really seen anyone since the divorce.”

  “Too busy hiding huh.” It wasn’t a question so she didn’t bother to answer just sipped on her water and wished for the moment to end.

  She had no doubt that Paul and Jen would be getting an earful in the not too distant future. The thought made her tummy hurt. “She’s not gonna like that.” Sarah was a known troublemaker and because her husband was such a successful attorney, most people steered clear of her venom. She’s been queen bee around these parts for quite some time, and Kerry knew she wouldn’t soon forget this slight.

  “Who, the blonde? Fuck ‘er.” She guessed that was okay for him to say since he was going to be hopping on that bike of his soon and heading out of town for parts unknown, while she would be left here holding the bag.

  She was about to say just that to him when the waitress came over with their starters. Of course she eyed his potato soup; they made the best here. But she lifted her fork to dig into her salad greens.

  Kyle saw her every move, it was as if somehow he was attuned to her or some shit. It was spooky. Like the way he’d honed in on the table of women across the room earlier and knew that he needed to protect her from them.

  Normally he wouldn’t have been that unpleasant to a complete stranger, not without much provocation, but something about the way his Kerry had reacted to her mere presence had tipped him off that today wasn’t the first time she’d been at the end of that wasp’s tongue.

  He guessed that was going to be part of his responsibility now too, figuring out who the fuck the enemy was, and breaking them down. Fuck! Like he had time for this small town bullshit drama.

  But since she was involved, he guessed he didn’t have much of a choice. He hadn’t dug too deep into the mechanics of the town. Mostly, the people he ran into were friends of his grandparents when he went to the pharmacy to pick shit up for gramps, or went to one of their old hangouts on some errand or other for the old man. No one had ever mentioned her or what had happened to her in his presence. Why would they?

  He’d learned all he did about her from Lucille, but it looked like he was going to have to do some digging on his own. Now she was sitting there

  eating her little salad and eyeing the steam from his soup.

  “Open.” He held the spoon up to her lips until she opened her mouth and accepted his offering. “Fuck Kerry, it’s soup.” She had that look on her face again. Not quite as intense as the one she’d worn after the kiss, but close enough.

  His dick was pressing against his zipper and his mouth was damn near dry. “I know but it’s so good.” She licked the residue from her lips and he groaned. Of course he fed her damn near the whole bowl after that, like his ass was in some kinda trance.

  It was in the middle of lunch, while he was sneakily feeding her the fish he knew she’d wanted while he ate bits of her chicken that it hit him. She was a sensual being, one of those people that felt things on a whole other level. He doubted the little innocent even realized it. It shocked the shit out of him that’s for sure. How the fuck had she managed that?

  People like that, were a rare breed, and it would take someone with great strength and a whole lot of fuck power to keep up with her. Now a lot of things made sense. “What?” She’d caught him looking at her, just staring as she chewed her food.

  “Nothing, love!” Her heart tripped. Not only at the endearment, but also at the way he reached out and ran his thumb along the corner of her lips. She wondered what the hell was wrong with her when her body reacted so strongly to that innocent little touch.

  Was she so desperately deprived of human affection that the mere touch of a man’s fingertip against her skin made her break out in goose bumps? She couldn’t help herself. Her tongue came out to taste his finger before she drew it back in. Her eyes widened in mortification, but before she could make an excuse, he leaned over right there at the table and kissed her.

  Merciful fuck, she almost inhaled him. He’d only meant to test her-well to test his theory, but the way she went under and pulled on his tongue-the sounds she made in her throat-fuck he was a goner. He was ready for that look this time when he pulled away
and took in every aspect of her.

  Her eyes were glazed, skin flush and those nipples of hers were pressing hard against her shirt and bra. Then he got pissed for another reason. Did she react this way to that asshole she’d been married to? He’d ring her fucking neck if she had.

  Uh-oh, I wonder what burr got under his butt this time? Kerry kept her eyes averted as soon as she sensed the change in him. Unlike down by the water, this time he kept whatever was bothering him behind his teeth, but she could see that tic working away in his cheek again. Why did he insist on kissing her if it was just gonna make him mad?

  As much as she enjoyed his mouth on hers, his tongue playing with hers, she was going to have to put an end to it. What a shame, she was really starting to enjoy this kissing stuff. Something she hadn’t had nearly enough of in her married life.

  Paul had always been too tired either from studying in the beginning, or from getting his practice off the ground later. Their encounters were usually of the stick it in and roll over five minutes later kind. He’d be out, snoring, while she was only just getting started.

  You better not think about Paul, not even in an unfavorable light around this one. He seems able to scent blood. “Are you done?” Kyle had just decided where he was going to start his digging expedition and couldn’t wait to get the fuck outta there so he could get a move on.

  “Sure, thanks for lunch.” She felt shy and unsure of herself all of a sudden. They didn’t seem to be too good at parting, and she didn’t know how this would end.

  “We’re not friends who ran into each other, you don’t have to thank me for feeding you. It’s my job.” He says the weirdest things. It was her only thought as she grabbed her purse and headed to the restroom while he took care of the bill.

  This time as they left he put his hand in the small of her back as he led her from the restaurant. She dared one last glance behind her at the infamous table and wasn’t at all surprised to see all eyes on them. She tried not to let it bother her too much as he led her to the truck and repeated his earlier actions. She did feel a little special at the way he took care of her. If only his moods weren’t so mercurial, maybe she could relax and enjoy it.