by E. L. Todd
Zack’s face turned red. “Why are you being a bitch right now?” His voice was still a whisper.
“Why am I being a bitch?” I asked incredulously. “It’s not my fault you have a small ship and you don’t know how to rock the boat.”
Now other tables were laughing at my cruelty.
Zack was starting to get angry. “Why are you acting like this?”
“Sorry, did I hurt your feelings?” I packed my bag and put it over my shoulder. “Maybe your pathetic moves and horrible lies work on Vanessa but they won’t work on me.”
His eyes widened at the mention of her name.
“I’m done with you, Zack. I’m going to find someone else to share my zillions of dollars with. Someone who actually knows what a clitoris is.”
The girls next to us burst out laughing.
Then I grabbed him by the throat, catching him off guard. I got close to his face, making the fear move into his eyes. “Come near me again, and I will emasculate you further.” I gave him a long glare before I walked away, shaking my hips and holding my head up high.
It didn’t erase the months I wasted, but at least the end of our relationship went out with a bang.
Chapter Thirteen
Cayson
“Why the hell are we meeting at ten o’clock at night wearing all black?” Conrad asked.
“Yeah?” Theo asked. “What’s this about?”
I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms over my chest. “Because we’re going to beat the shit out of someone tonight. And we’re going to enjoy it.”
“What?” Slade asked. “Who? Dude, you’re scaring me. You’re the Buddha of this group. Why would you initiate something like this?”
“You’re about to find out,” I said darkly.
Roland walked in, wearing jeans and a sweater. “This better be good because I have an exam tomorrow.”
“Like you studied anyway,” Slade jabbed.
“Actually, I did,” Roland snapped.
“Quiet down,” I said. “We need to talk.”
“What’s this about?” Roland asked.
“Zack.” I hated saying his name.
“My sister’s boyfriend?” Roland asked. “What happened?”
“I overheard him in the library talking to a friend. He admitted he was only with Skye for her money. He planned on seducing her into marriage so he could take everything from her. Allow my recording to explain the rest.” I hit the play button and set it on the counter. It played out the entire conversation. When it was over. I shoved the phone back into my pocket.
Roland’s back straightened and he had a crazed look in his eye. “He fucked with my sister like that?”
I nodded.
Roland and Skye weren’t extremely close. They hung out in the same circle but they didn’t confide everything to each other, or anything at all. But I knew he was protective of her, and if someone messed with her, he was livid. “He used her that whole time? I’m ripping this fucker’s head off.”
Everyone else was equally pissed.
“I say we kill him.” Slade had a serious look on his face. “I’m not kidding. We dump his body into the ocean—in pieces.”
“I say we beat him so bad he’s in the hospital for a week,” Theo said.
“Wait until my father hears about this.” Roland rubbed one knuckle with his palm.
“He already knows,” I said. “And he told me he would take care of him. But I’m not sure what that means.”
“I do,” Roland said. “My dad is going to ruin his life. Believe me, that fucker will regret messing with my sister.”
“I’m sure he will. But I want to get a few hits in myself.” No one used the girl I loved and got away with it.
“That makes two of us,” Slade said. “What’s the plan?”
“I know he has basketball practice for the alumni group tonight. It usually gets out at ten.” I clenched my fists. “I say we wait outside his apartment for him to come home then beat him senseless.”
Roland smirked. “I like that idea. A lot.”
“Then let’s go.”
***
We parked down the street then headed to his apartment building. Students were always out and about this close to campus. When he came home, there would be a crowd to witness it. And it would only humiliate him.
“Hoods,” I said.
Everyone pulled theirs up, concealing their faces.
When we rounded the corner, we were too late. A group of people were on the sidewalk, watching Zack get slammed into his Volvo.
“What the fuck?” Roland said.
A man wearing a black hoodie and dark jeans gripped Zack by the throat and threw him across the hood of the car. The man’s hood was up, concealing his face. We were all there so I had no idea who it was. Perhaps it was just a coincidence.
Zack fell to the ground, blood oozing from his face. He gripped his stomach, coughing.
The man grabbed him then slammed him back on the car with a strength that made me flinch.
“Oh shit!” The crowd stepped back, too afraid to do anything but watch.
“Stop!” Zack started to scream. “What the hell did I do?”
The guy dragged him back then threw him on the concrete. Zack’s face was so bloody he couldn’t be distinguished. He groaned and tried to crawl away, but his body was unresponsive.
The man gripped him by the throat then leaned over him. He said something undecipherable, something only Zack could hear. Whatever it was must have been frightening because Zack’s eyes were wide. Then the guy kicked him in the side, making Zack turn over.
The man stood up then spit on Zack’s face. The light from the street lamp penetrated his hood slightly, and I could see his blue eyes. I caught a glimpse of his face. He looked in our direction like he recognized us.
“It’s Uncle—”
I covered his mouth so he wouldn’t give away Sean’s name.
Skye’s father jogged away, leaving Zack on the pavement. A moment later, we heard the sound of a helicopter taking off. It was too dark to see anything but we could hear the blades spinning.
Roland nodded. “Damn. My dad is a fucking badass.”
I pulled my hood down. “Let’s get out of here before we attract unwanted attention.”
“Yeah,” Conrad said.
We headed to the car then took off, not wanting to be seen by the ambulance or the cops. When we were back in the apartment, we relaxed and spoke freely.
“Holy shit,” Slade said. “Uncle Sean almost killed him.”
“Don’t fuck with my dad,” Roland said. “That guy will fucking kill you.”
I still couldn’t believe that happened but I guess I wasn’t surprised. “Don’t tell the girls what we saw—especially Skye.”
“Why?” Roland asked.
“I doubt Uncle Sean would want her to know,” I said.
“She’s stupid if she thinks our dad would do nothing,” Roland said.
“She knows he would use his wealth and power to sabotage his life, but I doubt she thinks her own father would almost kill him,” I argued. “I think it’s better left unsaid.”
“Fine,” Roland said. “I’ll keep his secret.”
Slade shook his head. “Maybe it’s a good thing you and Skye never worked out. Could you imagine what he would do if you hurt her?”
That didn’t scare me in the least. “No. Because I never would.”
***
I went by her apartment the next day. I needed to stay away from her for my own safety but I also needed to know if she was okay. How could I turn my back on her right now when she needed a friend? I would never be so selfish.
I used my key to walk inside.
She was sitting at her kitchen table doing homework. She was wearing dark jeans and a red cardigan. A golden necklace hung around her throat. I spotted the vase of white lilies on her coffee table. I knew whom they were from without asking. “How’s it going?”
“Good. Ju
st finishing a paper for my business ethics class.”
“I’m sure it’s good with all your experience.” I walked to the table and sat across from her.
“My father refuses to do business outside the United States. Not because he hates foreign relations, but he refuses to employ slave labor just to keep the costs low. All his employees are Americans, including his buyers for parts and production. And I have the same viewpoint, which is what I wrote about.”
I nodded. “Very cool.”
She smiled then tucked her hair behind her ear. She seemed a lot better. She was in a good mood again. Her windows were open and a good vibe echoed in the walls of her apartment.
“I’m glad to see you’re doing better.”
“Me too. My dad put everything in perspective.”
“He’s a smart guy.”
“He is. He made me realize that this experience is actually a good one. Not only did I learn from my mistakes, but now I know how to find the right guy next time. I won’t be so easily fooled.”
Then why didn’t she realize I was the right guy? “Have you spoken to Zack?”
“Yes. I dumped his ass in front of everyone in the library. And I made sure every girl knew he wasn’t good in bed.”
I smirked. “That’s pretty embarrassing.”
“I hope it was.”
“Did you tell him you knew?”
“In a way. I didn’t give him any satisfaction or tell him how upset I was. I just dumped him and warned him not to come near me again.”
“Good. That’s the best way to go.”
She flipped her notebook over and looked back at her computer. “Zack was just a waste of time and I’m ready to move on and forget about it.”
I was glad she was doing so much better. Her father could comfort her in a way I never could and I’m glad he was there for her. My best wasn’t always enough. But then again, I hadn’t raised her.
If she was better, that meant I needed to distance myself again…which I wasn’t looking forward to. After I spent the night with her, I got hooked all over again. I watched her sleep, staring at her exquisite face and wishing I could kiss her again. I wished Zack never existed and that I was the man she deemed worthy of her heart. She never would have been hurt or betrayed. We’d both be happy.
But that wasn’t reality. Jasmine was my girlfriend, the woman I was fucking. Skye didn’t see me that way and she never would. “Well, I should go and work on some homework.”
“Do it here,” she said. “We used to do that all the time.”
That was a bad idea. “I’m taking Jasmine to dinner in a few hours.” That was a lie but I needed an excuse.
“Oh.” Disappointment came into her eyes. “Do you love this girl?”
I wasn’t expecting such a personal question. “No.”
She nodded slowly. “I was surprised when you didn’t mention her to me.”
I shrugged. “I was just busy.”
“So, you really like her?”
Why was she asking me this? “I enjoy her company. We have fun together.” What more did she want to know? I couldn’t tell her I was just fucking her to forget the person I was really in love with.
“Well, I’m happy for you, then.”
Actually, she sounded sad. “Thanks…”
She stared at me, waiting for me to leave.
“Well, I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah.”
“Let me know if you need anything.”
“Cayson, I’ll be fine.” She said it with confidence.
“Okay. Bye.”
“Bye.”
I shut the door and sighed, missing her the moment she was gone.
***
Jasmine was at my door when I arrived. And she looked pissed.
“What?” I asked.
“You’ve been blowing me off for the past week. If you don’t want to be with me anymore, just say it to my face. Don’t drag me along like this. It’s mean and cruel.” Emotion was heavy in her voice. Her eyes were teary. She was really shaken up about it.
“I haven’t been blowing you off. I—”
“Don’t lie to me. I’m a big girl and I can take it.”
I tried not to snap at her. “I’m not a liar. I thought I already proved that to you by bluntly telling you I was in love with someone I couldn’t have.” I clenched my jaw while I spoke. “If I want to end this relationship, I’ll tell you. I won’t cheat on you and I won’t just drop you without a word. We’ve known each other for a while now, and I assumed you already knew all that.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. Shame was on her face. “I’m sorry.”
I stared at her, waiting for more.
“I’ve just been burned in the past. I admit I have trust issues.”
Pity rose in my heart. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I didn’t mean to make assumptions. I know you’re a good guy, Cayson.”
I opened my door then pulled her inside, not wanting to have this conversation in the hallway. “What happened to you?”
She wouldn’t look at me when she said it. “I was in a relationship for a long time but he was cheating on me on and off with his ex. On our two-year anniversary, he left me and went back to her. They were married three months later.”
That was a depressing story. “You didn’t deserve that.”
She shrugged and said nothing.
I cupped her face and looked her in the eye. “I can’t give you love. I probably never will. But I can give you my complete and utter honesty. I can give you my friendship. And I can give you my fidelity.”
Her hands moved to my arms. “I know…”
“Don’t worry about that stuff with me. I know that’s hard and I get that. But you’ll just waste your time.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Now let me explain what I’ve been up to this week.”
She waited for me to speak.
“Skye’s boyfriend was basically a con artist. He was with her just to steal her wealth. I caught him in the act and told her about it. The whole week has been a little crazy with that.”
She gasped. “He was using her the whole time?”
I nodded.
“What a fucking jackass.”
“I know.” I was glad Uncle Sean beat the shit out of him and put him in the hospital.
“That poor girl.”
“I know. She’s doing better. Her dad came down and made her feel better. And I spent the night.”
“You slept with her?” She raised an eyebrow.
“On the couch,” I said. “Nothing more.”
She didn’t question me further.
“I was doing a good job avoiding her until this happened. Now I have to start over. Seeing her cry and sleeping with her just put me back in that place. It’s so easy for me to fall for her again and again. I’m doomed.”
She rubbed my arms. “No, you aren’t. You will get over her eventually. It’ll just take some time.”
“Yeah.” I found that hard to believe.
“Cayson, there’s one thing I want from you.”
“Name it.”
She seemed flustered. “When you’re with me…I don’t want you to think about her.”
That was a reasonable request. “I don’t, Jasmine. I admit she comes into my head sometimes but I push her away.”
“You promise?”
I nodded. “I promise. I respect you too much to do that to you. But I admit I think about her in that way at random times. Sometimes I’m in class and I’ll imagine kissing her. Sometimes I’ll be eating dinner and I’ll have a sexy daydream. But that’s it.”
“Okay.” She didn’t seem pleased with the response but she wasn’t angry either.
“Can I take you to dinner?” I pulled a few strands of hair off her neck.
“Sure.”
“Then let’s go. I’m starving.”
“And let’s get dessert—and bring it home.”
I
smirked. “I like your thinking.”
“Moments of brilliance come every now and then.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for them.” I smirked then pulled her out of the apartment.
***
We headed to the sports bar to watch the football game on Thursday night. I brought Jasmine along because we spent a lot of time together. Plus, if Skye was going to be there, I needed a distraction.
We slid into the booth.
“Hey.” Slade winked at me.
I nodded then put my arm around Jasmine.
Conrad slid me a glass then poured beer from the pitcher. “Would you like a beer, Jasmine?”
“No, thank you,” she said.
“Can I get you some wine?” I asked.
“No, I just want water for now,” she said.
“Okay.”
Roland had his eye on the screen. “My dad and I have a bet going.”
“How much?” I asked.
“The loser has to do the dishes after Thanksgiving dinner.”
Slade cringed. “Man, that would suck to lose.”
“You’re telling me,” Roland said. “So I have to win. Plus, it’s my dad. I have to beat him anyway.”
“He probably paid the NFL to win in his favor,” Conrad said with a laugh.
Roland sighed. “I sincerely hope not.”
The girls came to our table. Trinity and Silke were in the front, and Skye was in the rear. I noticed all the heads that turned in their direction. They were all pretty girls, but Skye was exquisite. She looked at me and saw my arm around Jasmine. Then she dropped her look, watching the TV in the corner.
Roland slid out of his seat and went to her. “Hey, sis. How’s it going?” Roland had been particularly attentive to his sister for the past week. He normally acted like he didn’t care about her existence at all, but he obviously did.
“Good. You?”
He put his arms around her and held her. “You know you can talk to me, right?”
“Yeah…” She leaned her head against his chest.
Everyone watched their affection but nobody teased Roland for it.
“I really am better, Ro. Don’t worry about me.” She pulled away and gave him a smile.
“Okay. Can I get you a beer? Maybe some mozzarella sticks?”