by Angel Steel
“So, are you going to tell me if anything happened between you two, or am I going to have to beat it out of you?” Nate yelled at him.
“Try your best, Nate. I am not telling you shit, especially when you don’t deserve the answer.”
Nate made a run for it towards him, slamming into the ground with Dom. Both of them rolled over, trying to get the upper hand, but they were equally matched in strength and combat. Nate had to get the upper hand on Dom so he could get this shit sorted out between them.
* * *
Clint pulled up in Skylar’s driveway. Jumping out, he walked around to Skylar and Chantal. Once inside, Skylar made her way to the kitchen, “Do you guys want a drink before we start?” Reaching the fridge, she pulled out a bottle of coke.
“No, we’re good,” Chantal answered.
Skylar walked over to her sink to grab a glass and heard a noise coming from outside. As she leaned over the sink to see what it was, she gasped, “What the hell?” she yelled.
Both Chantal and Clint came running in. “What?” Clint asked. Skylar pointed outside, and both Chantal and Clint came over to look out the window. Skylar made her way towards the back door, pulling it open to go out, but Clint stopped her.
“What the fuck is going on. Who the hell are they?”
Skylar didn’t know how to answer that.
“That’s Dom and Nate. Nate’s the one on top, the dickhead that got Skylar pregnant.” Both Nate and Dom were rolling all over the ground, trying to kill each other, by the look of things. Skylar stomped past Clint to stop whatever this was between the two of them.
“Skylar,” Clint yelled.
As she walked up to them, they were standing, breathing heavily, and glaring at each other. Before she could say anything to them, Nate spoke up.
“Did you sleep with her, Dom?”
Who the hell did he sleep with that upset him so much?
“Fuck you, Nate. I don’t do that shit. Not like someone I know,” Dom said.
Who were they talking about?
Nate started to walk towards Dom, “Really, that’s not what I heard.”
“Whatever. I wouldn’t do it to Skylar, and you don’t deserve her at all. And you especially don’t deserve to be a…”
“Dominic,” Skylar screamed.
Both of them swung around towards her. Why the hell were they talking about her? Clint came running out and pulled her against his chest with an arm around her waist.
“Who the hell are you?” Nate pointed at Clint.
“What do you think you’re doing fighting in Skylar’s backyard?” Clint asked him.
Nate started to walk towards them, but Clint snarled, “I wouldn’t even think about it.”
“Really.” Nate smiled at him.
“What’s going on, Nate?” Skylar asked.
Clint leaned down and asked, “Is this the guy you were talking about?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Well, by the look of things he doesn’t deserve anything from you,” he said.
“Don’t,” Skylar whimpered as her eyes filled with tears.
“Something going on between you two?” Nate answered.
Who was he talking about? Clint or Dom? Nothing was going on between any of them. “No, there’s not, Nate.”
She looked over at Dom. “You have no right telling him anything, Dom,” she said.
Chantal walked over and stood near Skylar and Clint. Once Dom caught his breath, he walked over and stood in front of Skylar. “I’m sorry, but he doesn’t deserve anything, especially from you.” Dom wiped her tears away with his thumb.
“Why were you two out here fighting?” she asked.
Dom hooked his thumb in his jeans and looked down at her tear stained face. “Nate thinks you and I slept together.”
“What?”
Dom just nodded at her.
Skylar looked over at Nate. Why would he think that? She hadn’t slept with anyone but him. Looking up at Clint, she said, “I’m all right, Clint.”
Nodding, he let her go and she walked over towards Nate. “Why do you think I’ve slept with him? He’s your best friend, Nate,” she said.
“You told me that you’ve spent time with him, plus Jack. He hasn’t really denied it, either.” He stared at Dom.
“You think me spending time with any male, that I would just sleep with them?”
“I haven’t been here for the last three weeks.”
Skylar gasped. He really thought she would do something like that? Shaking her head, she backed away from him.
“Well, you don’t know me that well then, do you?” she sobbed. “Good-bye, Nate.” Skylar turned around, heading for the back door.
Nate grabbed her arm to stop her.
“Don’t,” she growled at Nate.
Clint walked towards her, “Don’t push your luck.” Clint wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.
Nodding towards Clint, he asked, “You sleeping with him, too?” Before Skylar had a chance to say anything to him, Clint punched Nate in the face, knocking him to the ground.
“You’re really doing well pissing everyone off. Skylar and Chantal are the only ones left who haven’t hit you yet and, by the looks of it, they want to,” he said to him.
Nate sat up. “Skylar,” he groaned.
“Just go.” Skylar walked away and went inside. She couldn’t believe that he thought she would sleep with just anyone, especially after what happened with Lucas and his boys.
“You all right, Sky?” Clint asked.
“I will be. Would you be able to stay until tonight? Alex and Craig won’t be back until later.”
“Sure, I’ll ring Lizzy and let her know.”
Skylar walked to her room and sat on her bed. She’d let Nate calm down and then tell him about the baby sometime tomorrow. Or she could surprise him with the pregnancy test as a present under the Christmas tree. She just needed to get it over with.
Chapter 32
Nate woke after having the worst night of sleep. His head was pounding from the bottle of jack he drank after leaving Skylar’s place yesterday. Rubbing his face, got up, got dressed, and decided to go and talk to Skylar to sort everything out. Christmas was only in three days. The tree was set up and presents were underneath it for family and friends. The only reason it was up was for his nephew, who still believed in Santa Claus.
He wanted everything to be good between him and Skylar. Her main present was in his bedside drawer. He bought it two months ago and knew it was the perfect thing for her. He smiled. He knew he made a good choice and couldn’t wait to give it to her. The rest of the presents were under the tree.
He knocked on the door and waited. “Hey,” Craig said while opening the door for him.
“Hey, is Skylar here?” he asked, walking in.
“Yeah, everyone’s still asleep here. She’s in her room.” Craig closed the door behind him.
“Thanks, I’ll go and wake her up then.” He guessed Craig didn’t know what happened yesterday as there would be no way he would have been let in, and especially allowed to go and see her in her room. Knocking and opening the door, he sucked in a breath at the sight in front of him. Skylar was sprawled out on her bed in panties and a singlet. God, he loved the way she looked. Closing the door softly behind him, he removed his boots and climbed in beside her. Skylar moved closer to him; a natural reaction, he thought. Smiling down at her, he moved a strand of hair out of her face and put it behind her ear.
“Baby, wake up,” Nate whispered.
“Mmmm.” She rolled over and stretched her arms above her head.
“Baby,” Nate repeated.
Skylar’s eyes shot open and she screamed. Nate slapped his hand over her mouth to stop her and pinned her to the bed. What was he doing in her room, let alone in her bed? Skylar struggled to get away from him, pushing at his chest and thrashed around.
“Stop,” he whispered.
Skylar froze, breathing
heavily.
“I need to talk to you. I’m going to leave my hand where it is, so you listen to what I have to say, okay? Nod if you understand.”
Skylar nodded.
Breathing out, he started, “I’m sorry for leaving you in the hospital. I shouldn’t have done that at all. When I looked at you in bed, all I saw was what they did to you, over and over again. I couldn’t get rid of it. Even when I tried to sleep it was the same.”
Skylar felt her tears on her cheeks. She knew what she went through and even though now it was a little bit easier, what he went through was hard, too.
“It’s taken me this long to realize that it wasn’t like that at all. I honestly thought that’s how it happened, that I couldn’t stop it or help you.” Skylar watched as a tear ran down his cheek and landed on her chest. Nate removed his hand and sat back.
Skylar took several breaths and sat up facing him, “Nate.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. I just couldn’t tell you. I didn’t want to upset you more by talking about it. Also, I’m sorry about yesterday and what I said about you and Dom sleeping together. I know you wouldn’t do that and I’m grateful you wouldn’t,” he said with a grim smile. “But Dom’s been acting weird and after you said that you spent time with him and Jack, I wouldn’t blame you if you did.” Nate put his hand up to stop her from replying. “But something has really gotten to him; I have no idea what it is.”
She couldn’t help the tears falling down her face. She knew part of the reason Dom lashed out at him, but not the rest; maybe she needed to sit down and talk to him. She didn’t want to tell him now. Skylar crawled over and sat in Nate’s lap and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her there. “I don’t want anyone else but you, baby. I can’t live without you. I can’t stand it if I can’t touch you, or feel you or make love to you. You’re my whole world, Sky. My last breath, my everything. I want you to be the last person I see when I go to sleep and the first I see when I wake up, and you’re the only one I want to dream about, too.” Nate whispered in her ear, running kisses down her neck. He turned her to face him, and held her face in his hands. “I love you, Skylar. I have since we first met.”
“Really?” she whispered.
Nate smiled at her and nodded.
“I love you too, Nate. You have my whole heart, body and soul.”
Nate crushed his mouth over hers, pushing his tongue in her mouth. Skylar sucked his tongue in further and Nate groaned at the feeling, then wrapped her legs around his waist. Nate moved his hand down between their bodies and lightly stroked her belly with his fingertips. Gliding up towards her breast, he slowly pushed up her singlet and pinched her nipple. Skylar moaned at the sensation, moving her hips against him. He ripped off her singlet and sat up slightly so he could see her perfect breasts and placing his hand over one, massaged it. Skylar shivered, making her toes curl. She worked the buttons on his shirt so she could feel the heat of his body on hers. She ran her nails down his chest watching as he hissed in a breath when she went over his nipples. Moving lower, she rubbed his cock through his jeans, loving how it got even harder at her touch. Undoing the buckle, she slid her hand in and wrapped around it, loving the feel of the hard and smooth, cock growing harder by the second.
Nate moaned when she did that, and when she pumped up and down, rubbing her thumb over the head. “Baby I can’t wait…” That’s all Nate got out when her door flew open.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Looking over his shoulder, she saw Clint, Craig and Alex standing in her doorway. Nate turned to hide her and eyed all three of them. Clint walked in, ignoring Nate, and the other two followed, blocking the doorway.
What were they doing in her room? Craig and Alex both knew the rules; if her door was closed, it meant someone was with her or she needed time to herself. Skylar caught movement in the corner of her eye and watched Clint move closer to the bed. What was he doing?
Clint looked at her, “Are you all right? We heard you scream,” he asked.
“What the fuck are you doing in here?” Nate snarled. He pulled Skylar closer to him to shield her body from their prying eyes. Nate knew Craig and Alex had seen her naked before; Clint had, too, but Nate didn’t know and she wasn’t going to say anything about it now. Clint ignored Nate again, and she knew that was pissing him off.
“I’m fine, Clint,” she said with a smile.
Nate looked down at her. “Who the hell is he, Skylar?”
“That’s Clint, he’s…”
“What are you doing here, Nate?” Craig asked. All three were near the bed now.
“I came to talk to Sky.”
“If I knew what had happened yesterday, you wouldn’t be in here right now,” Craig answered.
Nate grabbed Skylar and moved off the bed, pushing her behind him. Skylar tried to get in front to tell them everything was good, but he kept pushing her back. She had enough of this, she moved quickly in front of him. “Craig, it’s all right. We’ve talked, and everything is fine.” She looked at all three individually, making sure they understood what she was saying.
Alex moved from where he was, “So what about…”
Skylar shook her head, knowing full well what he was going to say. As Clint moved closer to her, Nate grabbed her and pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arm across her exposed breasts, so he wouldn’t see.
Skylar looked up at Nate, touching his arm, “Nate, I’m fine. You can let go.”
“I’m not letting you go; you’re naked.”
“Nate, Jesus they’ve seen me naked before,” she hissed.
“Skylar,” his voice was firm and unnerving.
“It’s not like I haven’t seen it all before,” Clint smiled.
Why was he tormenting him with this?
“What?” Nate said.
Skylar ripped out of his grip and faced him. “Nate, Clint is my brother-in-law.”
“I don’t care who the hell he is, you’re naked and that’s that.”
Removing his shirt, he wrapped it around her to cover her up.
“Whatever.” Skylar stormed out of the room and towards the kitchen.
“Skylar,” Nate yelled, but she kept going.
Why did men always act like that in front of each other, she could never get why they did that. Leaving that thought alone, she decided she needed caffeine, and badly.
* * *
All four of them were still standing in Skylar’s room. After a moment of complete silence, Nate spoke up, “Skylar and I have sorted everything out, so no need to worry.”
He watched as Clint sat down on the bed and both Craig and Alex stayed at the end of the bed, not looking happy. “So, you spoke about everything, did you?” Craig asked.
Nate slid down the wall onto the floor. “Yeah, we did. I told her why I left and I apologized for doing that and everything else I’ve done, too,” he said.
“So, why did you leave?” Alex spoke up.
“Do we really need to have this conversation now? Skylar has just accepted my apology, and I want to spend some time with her, if you don’t mind,” he answered. Getting up, he started towards the door, but was stopped.
“Sorry, but we all want to know why you left and until you tell us, you’re not going anywhere near her. I think you have done enough to upset her, and we all want to know your intentions now to make sure you’re not going anywhere any time soon,” Craig said.
Nate groaned. “I really wasn’t expecting this right now, maybe in a day or so. But I get how you guys feel.”
“Well?” Clint said.
“We aren’t leaving until you tell us, Nate,” Alex interjected.
He walked over and sat on the bed, ready to tell them what he had to. “The reason I left is ’cause I couldn’t handle what she went through, after seeing it happen. I keep reliving the incident everywhere I looked and every night in my dreams I saw myself standing there helpless. She was asking me to stop it from happening and help her. She kept calling my
name and I couldn’t do anything. It took me a while to realize that it didn’t happen like that, and I explained that to her,” he said, waiting for what they had to say.
“Well, that explains why you left. I do get where you’re coming from, Nate. It was hell for all of us to see that, but you should have told her or me or Alex,” Craig said.
“I know, I just couldn’t tell what was real or my imagination.”