“It’s not his fault.” I defend Tate and his brown eyes widen in shock. “He doesn’t know everything,” I say looking away from him. But Braxton knows as much as I do that Tate knowing wouldn’t change anything.
He lets out a rough laugh. “When did you become one of those stupid girls?” he asks.
My head snaps up at him and my mouth goes slack. “What?” I ask quietly.
“When did you become one of those girls who defends the man who hurt them? Seriously. Do you have no self-respect?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer before he turns away and walks to his bathroom, slamming the door shut.
I wipe away the single tear that rolls down my face and then get out of his bed. I quickly get dressed and then leave while he remains in the bathroom. I’ve never seen this side of Braxton and I sure as hell don’t want to stick around to see any more of it.
******
I sit on my couch in my little, yet quiet, apartment as I think about my day. After I left Braxton’s, I went to lunch with the girls. They had all blown up my phone last night after I left Sam and Slade’s house. They were worried about me, I get that, but can’t a girl just want to be alone?
I look down to my lap when my phone vibrates signaling a message.
Kat: Hey girl. The boyfriend and I are going out of town in a few weeks. Can you come over and feed Boner? Please. I’ll leave him dry food outside but we are going to be gone for six days. I don’t think it will last him that long. If you could just come over on the third day and give him more, that would be great.
Me: Sure. I can do that. Just send me your address. Have fun.
My phone vibrates at the same time that my doorbell rings. So I place it on the couch and get up to answer it hoping it’s not the girls wanting to give me a Tate intervention or anything like that.
I sigh when I see it’s Braxton on the other side. I open the door just enough for him to see me. “Yes?” I ask.
He lets out a long breath. “I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you this morning. That was uncalled for. I know you’re going through some hard times.” He pauses. “I want to be a friend that you can lean on. Talk to. Please tell me that you forgive me.”
I hate that I keep pushing friends away. “I’m sorry,” I say opening up the door all the way and wrapping my arms around him.
He hugs me tightly before letting me go. “I have a present for you,” he says bending down to pick a box up off the ground next to my door.
“A present?” I ask surprised.
He nods. “That is if you are still planning on coming to my father’s party with me tonight?”
Crap. I had forgotten that was tonight. “Of course.” I had told him a while back that I would go. I won’t back out now.
He smiles and then hands me the box. I step back from the door allowing him to enter before I make my way back to the couch. He sits down beside me and watches me as I open up the oversized box. I gasp when I open it up to see what’s inside.
“Braxton…” I blink a few times looking at the beautiful red fabric. “It’s beautiful.” I look at him. “But you shouldn’t have.”
He shrugs shyly and then gives my knee an awkward pat. “I wanted to apologize for my outburst today. Like I said, I’m here for you and you didn’t deserve it.”
“But I did…”
He places his hands up. “No you didn’t,” he says once again, and I just nod my head in agreement.
I did deserve it. I don’t deserve any of my friends. I’m using them. I’m trying to hang on to anything that can keep me above water, but I keep letting them slip out of my hands. Before I know it, I’m gonna be too tired to fight anymore and just give in to the current and see where it takes me.
“I’m riding with my mother and father tonight,” he says, getting my attention. “What time would you like us to pick you up?”
Uh, I don’t wanna meet them. I mean, I’ve met his dad before but only because Slade is friends with him. Never in a situation where I’m wearing an expensive dress that his son bought me. “I’ll meet you guys there,” I say, trying to turn down the offer.
He frowns. “You want to drive yourself?” he asks confused.
I nod. “Yeah. I don’t feel like staying out late,” I say as an excuse, and he nods his head in understanding.
CHAPTER FOUR
TATE
“Do we even know what we’re looking for?” I ask Slade as I adjust my tie. I hate suits! Give me some ripped jeans, an old t-shirt, and my leather jacket and I’m good to go. A suit makes me feel constricted. It makes me feel like I’m trying to hide the real me. Although, with all the hiding I have done throughout my life, you would think I’d be used to that by now.
“No,” he responds. “Just keep your eyes open.”
“Why are we even here again?” Parker asks as he texts on his phone. “I could totally be getting fucked right now but instead I’m having to sext.”
“To make sure no one tries to hurt your father,” Slade answers, ignoring his talk about getting laid.
“No one is after him.” He looks up and rolls his eyes. “He is just being paranoid.”
“You never did say what the letter had said,” I mention, referring to what he told us in my kitchen before I got into it with Parker.
“Just that he knew what he was doing.”
“See,” Parker says, “that could mean anything. The guy is overreacting.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Slade shakes his head. “This is my job now. Are you guys gonna join me or not?”
I nod my head and Parker does too, reluctantly, as he places his phone in his pocket. “Then let’s go.”
I make my way to the center of the ballroom and look down to fiddle with the sleeves on my suit jacket when I hear the one voice I was not expecting to hear.
I look up and let my eyes scan the crowd that mingles about and then I spot her. She’s on the dance floor as Braxton spins her around. He leans down to her ear and says something that makes her laugh. A laugh that makes my heart hurt and my anger rise. I thought they broke up? Why is she here with him?
I let my eyes run up and down her small figure and my dick starts to swell. She looks fucking beautiful! She has on a red dress that hangs off of her shoulders. It fits like a glove as it makes its way down to her red matching heels. It has a slit up the side exposing her creamy leg and thigh. The back hangs low showcasing her upper back.
She continues to smile as he spins her around once again. The music comes to a stop and he places a kiss on her cheek before she turns and walks off in the opposite direction of where he heads.
Anger… Jealousy… Hatred… are just a few feelings that I’m feeling at the moment. She belongs to me! Did I just say that?
I should be working, keeping an eye on the mayor as he dances with his wife, but I find myself following her. Needing to get some answers. I just can’t let her go! I can’t have her, but I don’t want anyone else to have her either.
I catch up to her as she starts to enter the women’s restroom. I storm through the door right behind her and kick it shut with my foot. I grab her arms and spin her around before shoving her back against it.
“Tate,” she squeals once she looks up at me. “What are you doing here?” she asks, breathing heavy, totally frightened and caught off guard.
“Funny. I can ask you that same question,” I snap. “Why the fuck are you here with Braxton?” I demand, and her eyes narrow.
“That is none of your business,” she says and tries to pull her arms out of my grasp. I hold on tighter.
I lean my face down to hers and stare into her blue eyes. “Are you still fucking him?” I have no right to know that. And in all honesty, I don’t know if I could allow him to live if she says yes.
“Screw you,” she yells, her face heating up with her anger. “Who the hell do you think you are?” she demands.
I’m not proud of the thoughts that run through my mind at that question, but I’ve never done anything that has made
me proud of myself before. So I say what I feel at that moment.
I let go of her arms and place one hand up above her head on the bathroom door. The other wraps around her waist and pulls her into me. Once she feels my erection press against her, she tries to fight me but her fight is useless against me. “I’m the first man who ever touched you. I’m the first man who fucked you,” I say, and she gasps at my words. I bring my hand off the wall and place it on her face. I let my thumb slide against her red glossy lips. “Tell me, Missy. Was I also the first man to kiss you?”
She’s quiet but I watch the anger leave her beautiful face. Her hard eyes soften and her lips part slightly. Her body softens and I hold her tighter, holding her up.
“Tell me, baby.” I say softly lowering my lips to hers. “Tell me what I already know.”
“I just don’t know what you want from me,” she whispers. “I’ve left you alone. I’ve stayed away. And now….”
“And now?” I want her to say it. I want to hear her tell me that no matter who she is with, I will always be the first one. My dick throbs to be free and inside of her.
She swallows hard before speaking. “And now all I can think about is that you said you missed me.”
Bingo! “I wasn’t lying.” I take a step forward, pushing her body back; capturing it between myself and the door. “I do miss you.” I lean my head down and inhale her scent. “I’m going crazy, Missy,” I admit shamelessly, and she inhales sharply. I pull back and look down at her. “Tell me you don’t miss me. Tell me you don’t think of me. Tell me that you don’t wish it was me that you’re here with and not Braxton. And I’ll walk away.” This is her last chance. If she says she doesn’t miss me then I won’t continue to play this game. I’ll walk away. But if she says she does…I’m going to take her. I’m going to give into my darker side and be selfish. I’m going to ruin her for any other man.
Her blue eyes search mine. Her pause shows me her hesitation—she wants to tell me she doesn’t—but her eyes give her away. They show me that she doesn’t hate me. And that’s all I need to know. They drop to my lips and she stares as she slowly licks her glossed lips.
I place both hands on either side of her face and her eyes snap up to mine. “You wanna kiss me?” I arch an eyebrow. She blushes at my question and I take that as an answer. I lean down and close the small space between us, pressing my lips to hers.
There’s no softness, no hesitation, as my lips meet hers and she kisses me back with all that she has. She throws her arms around my shoulders. This is it! I just stepped over that imaginary line that I swore I wouldn’t cross with her again. But where is there left for us to go? I can’t go back and change the past, and I’m not a hundred percent sure I would, even if I could.
She pulls away too quickly and breathes heavily. “Tate…” She closes her eyes and I wrap my arms around her pulling her into me. I can feel her heart beating fast against mine. “What are we doing?” she asks and her voice cracks.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly, and I don’t care. I need her!
She looks up to me with the saddest look on her beautiful face. “What do you want from me?”
I let my eyes roam her soft features and blue eyes. I get so lost in her face sometimes that I forget she asked me a question. “What?”
She places a hand on my face. “It’s just you and me, Tate. For once be honest with someone. With yourself,” she adds softly. “What do you want from me?”
“Everything!” I hear myself saying before I can stop it. But it’s the truth. I truly want everything from her. I want her to show me the softer side of the world that I’ve never known. I want to know how beautiful life could be if I wasn’t so surrounded in darkness. If I didn’t hate everything so fucking much!
I watch as she blinks a few times as if she didn’t just hear what I said. “I said I want everything from you, Missy.” There’s no going back. I’ve played my hand now I wanna see what cards she holds.
“I feel the same way, Tate,” she says softly, and I can’t help but smile on the inside.
I grab her hand and intertwine our fingers together. “Come home with me,” I offer and immediately regret it. She probably just thinks I want to fuck her tonight. After all, that is all I can give her, right? That is what I dream of. And that is exactly what I want from her.
“Okay.” Her breathless answer surprises me but I smile before I lean down and give her a soft kiss on her lips.
“I’ll meet you at your house later,” she says before she spins around, grabs the door handle, and runs out of the bathroom, leaving me alone.
I turn around and face the mirror. I turn on the sink and splash cold water on my face to help clear my mind. What did I just ask of her? And what did she just agree to?
Sex. Plain and simple. I asked her to come home with me and she accepted with no hesitation.
I place my hands on the countertop and hang my head as I give my dick a pep talk to calm the fuck down. I have a few more hours here before I can even leave, and I’ll no doubt have to watch her with Braxton the rest of the night. I lift my head and smirk at myself in the mirror.
Doesn’t matter that she’s here with him. She’s coming home with me.
******
Just like Parker had suspected, his father is not in any type of danger as of tonight. The only excitement I had was in the bathroom with Missy.
And I was also happy about her and Braxton. They had not arrived at the party together, she had driven her own car. Things seem to be going my way for a change.
“I want to thank you guys for helping me out tonight,” Mr. O’Hare says as we stand in the back room.
“No problem, Sir,” Slade says as he reaches out and shakes his hand.
“What exactly were you expecting to happen?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
He shakes his head as he lets out a sigh. “I think that there is something going on up at the precinct.” He looks over to Parker. “And I think you’re involved,” he says narrowing his eyes at him.
“What the fuck?” Parker hisses with the accusation.
He point his finger at him. “Don’t speak that way in front of me,” he says as his voice rises. “I am your father and you will show some respect dammit.”
“The hell I will,” Parker throws back at him, his light brown eyes hardening. “You just accused me of being a crooked cop,” he snaps.
“I didn’t say that.” He shakes his head. “I said I think you’re involved. Do you honestly think that no one suspects you of lying?” he asks and I can see Parker’s face harden. “I know you falsified evidence for your friends.”
“Mr. O’Hare…” Slade says stepping up to him. “It wasn’t his fault…”
“I know everything that goes on,” Mr. O’Hare interrupts him.
Parker lifts his hands and pushes Slade back so he can get closer to his father. “Then you should know what all my friends went through. And those crooked bastards deserved more than what they got,” he spits in his face. Then he tilts his head to the side and cocks a dark eyebrow. “Tell me, Father, what all did you do to get to where you are today? Hmm? If you’re receiving threats, it’s because of something you did. Not me,” he states before he turns around and walks out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
He goes to speak, but his wife picks that time to walk in. “Richard,” she greets him with a frown. “What happened between you and Parker? I watched him storm out. He didn’t even tell me bye,” she adds.
He waves off her concern and faces us once again. “Thanks again, boys. I’ll call you if I need help.” With that he grabs his wife’s hand and exits the room as well.
******
MISSY
“Are you sure you want to go home?” Braxton asks as he stands by my car in the parking lot of the fancy hotel that hosted his father’s party. I wrap my jacket tighter around myself.
I nod my head. “I’m tired,” I lie once again. When did my life turn into lies?<
br />
“Will you text me tomorrow?” He reaches up and pushes a blond strand of hair behind my ear that the wind is whipping around. “Maybe we can do lunch,” he offers.
“I have to work tomorrow,” I remind him, and I’m actually thankful. How will I face him tomorrow after what I plan on doing tonight at Tate’s?
“Okay,” he says, leaning in and kissing me on the cheek. “Drive safe. And I’ll call you tomorrow.” He then turns and walks off to his father’s car that awaits him at the other end of the parking lot.
I take a deep breath before I sink down into my driver seat of my red Honda Civic and close my door. I watch them drive off before I start my car and leave as well. I make a quick stop by my apartment and change my clothes. I might not be making the best decision of my life tonight but I’m sure as hell not going to show up over at Tate’s dressed in a dress that Braxton bought me.
Once I change my clothes, I pull out my cell and text Tate.
Me: On my way!
I haven’t spoken to him since earlier in the bathroom. I tried to stay out of his view once that happened. I know he was jealous with that situation, and I didn’t want it to escalate more than it already had. But the reaction that he had seeing me with Braxton has me giddy. He really was jealous.
I make my way to his house and pull up in the driveway. I sit thinking maybe I should back out and go home—my giddiness turning to fear. There are no lights on and he never did text me back.
Did he go somewhere else?
Did he already fall asleep?
Just as I place my car in reverse, I see the front porch light turn on and then the door opens. Tate stands there staring out into the driveway in a pair of basketball shorts, and my heart starts to pound as my hands get sweaty. I should have had a few shots to loosen myself up before I drove over.
I take a deep breath before placing my car back into park and turning it off. I get out of it slowly and make my way up the walkway, into his house. He closes the door softly behind me and then places his hand on the small of my back as he guides me to his room.
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