Pretty and Reckless

by Charity Ferrell

  My heart galloped like a stampede when she slowly turned around to face me. My shoulders slumped, and I felt like shit as I stared into her resentful eyes. Her champagne wet lips were puckered into a scowl of hate, grouping me along with all of the other men who’d hurt her.

  I cleared my throat, trying to turn up the best words to express the feelings running through my mind before she turned around and left my ass in the dust.

  “Hey there, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I was beginning to think you bailed on me.”

  Fuck, another strike against me.

  I clinched my jaw when Wendy came to my side and looped her arm around mine. This wasn’t going to look good. I’d finally, possibly, had the chance to talk to her, and it was about to backfire in my face. I wanted to flick Wendy off my arm like a fly, but I slowly slid my arm out of hers and took a deep breath.

  I didn’t look over at Wendy. I kept my eyes on Elise, watching her straighten her stance at Wendy’s presence with her glare growing harder.

  “Oh, hi Elise,” Wendy greeted, noticing the face off between the two of us.

  Elise downed the rest of her drink. “Hey Wendy,” she said, tightly, refusing to look at either one of us.

  I coughed, hoping Wendy would get the hint that this wasn’t a good time. Thankfully, Wendy was smart. She clapped her hands together. “I’m going to go check on your mom or do … something,” she said, slowly and scurried away.

  Elise’s face reddened, matching the hue of her lipstick. “You sure moved on pretty quick, huh?” She shook her head, grabbing another glass of champagne from a waiter walking by. “Were you two dating the entire time you were playing me?”

  “Playing you?” I repeated, rubbing the back of my neck roughly. She didn’t say anything. “Wendy and I are nothing, I’m only here for my mom.” And her. “She’s divorcing my dad and having a hard time adjusting to life on her own. I haven’t been to one of these events in years, but I didn’t want to let her down. She’s going through too much. She needs to get out and start moving on with her life. She needs to forget about my scum-bag father.” My mouth tasted bitter. I hated even calling him my father. He was a piece of shit.

  “You came here for your mother, but you brought a date?” She asked, a sneer obvious in her tone.

  Wendy wasn’t even my date. She’d driven my mom to the event, and they’d met me here. She was coming as a supporter for my mom because she’d known my family for over a decade. She wasn’t there on my account.

  “I’m not the only one here with a date,” I fired back, saliva building up in the back of my throat. The thought of his, or anyone’s, hands on her made me sick to my stomach.

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but Vincent and I are just friends.”

  “Same thing with me and Wendy.” I lowered my voice and took a step closer. “Do you know he’s here?”

  She hung her head low. She wanted to look around for him, but she was either too scared or didn’t want me to know she cared. “I didn’t.”

  I noticed him the second I walked in. He stayed away, but I knew he saw me. I wasn’t sure if he knew Elise was there, but I didn’t want him finding out and coming near her.

  “If you want to go, we can,” I said.

  She crossed her arms, lifting her chin. “Are you telling me that so I’ll leave with you?” She shook her head. “I see you’re still a manipulative asshole. Using my weakness for your gain.”

  I threw my hands out to the side and exhaled a rush of breath. “Do you really think I’d do something like that?” I tapped the side of my head with my finger harshly. “You know I never used you.” And it pissed me off she’d even say something like that.

  “I don’t know that. I feel like I don’t even who you are. You sold yourself out to him, so pardon me, if I refuse to believe a word that comes out of your mouth now.”

  I shut my eyes for a second. “Everything I’ve told you, every goddamn thing, has been the truth. If you’d let me explain.”

  Her face crimsoned with more anger. “Omission is the same as lying.”

  “I wanted to tell you.”

  “Then why didn’t you?”

  “I wanted to wait.”

  “Wait until when?”

  My voice went soft. “Until you loved me enough.”

  She flinched, my words hitting her like a ton of bricks. “What does that even mean?” She cried out, grabbing the attention of people around us, but she didn’t care. She took a step forward to stab her finger into my chest. “Don’t you dare try that psychological bullshit on me.”

  I took a deep breath. “I wanted to tell you when I knew you were completely in love with me. I wanted that love and trust to understand why I made that decision. I wanted you to love me so deeply that you wouldn’t leave, and you’d forgive me for making a stupid mistake years ago. I was waiting until you loved me as much as I love you.” My heart pounded against my chest at my admission.

  Her mouth fell open, all of the color draining from her face. “We’ve known each other for what, like a month?” She shuffled back a few steps. “There’s no love here,” she said, her voice scathed.

  “I know you were in love with me.” I took another deep breath of courage. “I know you’re still in love with me,” I added, taking a risk.

  “Then why? Why didn’t you tell me?” I was right. I could tell by her eyes. She loved me, and us being apart still hadn’t changed that. Even after everything that had happened, she still loved me.

  “I knew you were in love with me, but I didn’t know how much reach I had inside your heart. You were still healing from all of the shit he’d put you through. I wanted you to know me better so you wouldn’t think I was like him.”

  “But you are.”

  I shook my head. “I’m nothing like him.” I took a step forward to replace the ones she’d taken away from me.

  “Sure fooled me.”

  I took another step on precaution, waiting for her reaction, but she didn’t move away. “I would never purposely hurt you. I’ve risked for you. I’ve risked my career, my family, everything for you. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I’d choose you over everything and anyone.”

  “If you’ve had to risk everything for me, then obviously we’re no good for each other.”

  “You come first. I can always find another job. I can start over. I can make everything right in my life if I have you by my side.”

  “I thought you got lost in the bathroom,” Vincent said, approaching her.

  Great, now her date was interrupting us. Why the hell did either of us even have other dates?

  My face melted in horror when his arm curled around her chest and he tugged her into his side. Elise didn’t move away from him, but she also didn’t move any closer. I wanted to snap his fucking hand off of her.

  “I ran into an old friend,” Elise said, sending me a sarcastic smile.

  He looked up and noticed me. “Oh hey man, what’s going on?” Vincent asked. “I haven’t seen you around in ages.”

  I knew Vincent. We’d actually gone to the same private school together, but I left that life when Wale died.

  I scratched my neck. “Yeah, I kind of left this world behind me.”

  He shook his head in understanding. “I don’t blame you.” He signaled to Elise and me with his chin. “How do you two know each other?”

  “We met through my father,” Elise answered before I had the chance to tell him the truth.

  I clenched my teeth together. “Actually, we dated,” I corrected, looking directly at Vincent. I had nothing against him personally, but when it came to the woman I loved, I had a problem with anyone who interfered.

  Vincent released his hold from Elise, obviously getting the point. “Seriously?” He asked in shock.

  “We didn’t exactly date,” Elise said. “We went out a few times.”

  I shook my head. “No, we definitely dated.”

  “Alright,” Vincent drew, clearly u
ncomfortable, and not sure what to do next. He liked her, but was contemplating whether he wanted to fight for her.

  “And we’re in love,” I added with a punch, stressing the last word and glaring at him to make my warning clear.

  Vincent’s eyes bulged and he smirked. “I get it, I get it,” he said, nodding his head my way. “You two obviously have some shit to work out. I could compete with you anytime for a woman, Snyder, but not when it comes to love. Love makes people fucking crazy.” His mouth went to Elise’s ear to whisper something and she nodded.

  He pulled away and drew a finger my way. “If you piss her off and she wants to leave, I’m taking her.”

  “That won’t be happening,” I said, my jaw ticking.

  She stood still when he walked away. She could’ve left with him, but she didn’t. That gave me some hope.

  “Was that really necessary?” She snapped, crossing her arms across her chest.

  I shrugged. “People need to know you’re off the market.”

  She tossed her hands in the air and champagne splashed from her glass. “Newsflash, I am on the market.”

  “How can you be on the market when you’re mine?”

  “I’m not yours,” she said, around a huff. “I belong to nobody.”

  Shit, those weren’t the best words to use. “You’re right, I don’t own you. I own your heart. You know it’s damn true, so good luck trying to give it to someone else because it knows who it belongs to. Your brain might try to think something different, it may try to tell you that you’ve moved on from me, but it all comes down to your heart. And that my love, is mine.” I grinned wide. “But don’t worry, you have mine, too.”

  She bit into her cheek. “You really need to stop saying things like that.”

  “I need to quit being honest?”

  “Please.” Her hand splayed out in front of me. “Just stop.”

  “Leave with me. We’ll figure this out. At least give me the chance to explain myself.” I needed to figure how to get her the hell out of there for two reasons.

  1. Her dad was lingering around, and I was sure he’d spot her through the crowd. I didn’t want him going to her.

  2. This was the wrong place to talk. We needed privacy.

  “Shit,” I hissed, spotting Clint coming our way over Elise’s back. I snatched her arm and pulled her though the crowd while ignoring her protests.

  She jerked, smacking at my arm to pull away from my hold, but I didn’t let up. I pushed through a door and we landed in an empty room.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” She shrieked, yanking away from me.

  “Text Vincent. Tell him you’re leaving,” I demanded.

  She looked like she was close to punching me in my face. “Absolutely not. I can’t just leave my date. Are you crazy?”

  I pulled out my phone from my pocket. “Hey Wendy,” I said into the speaker, getting Elise’s attention along with a cold glare. “Find Vincent Malone. Tell him you’re his new date.” I hung up.

  Her hands slapped to her sides. “Well that’s just great, let’s just hand every man interested in me over to Wendy,” she said, dramatically.

  I couldn’t hold back my chuckle, resulting in another glare. “Come on, we’re leaving.”

  “No.”

  I paced in front of her. “He’s here.” I smacked my hand against the wall. “So you have three options: We confront him. We wait for him to confront you. Or we leave. As much as you don’t want it to, one of those options are going to happen tonight. I’m here to support whatever decision you make, but he saw you. He was heading directly in our direction.”

  She darted towards the door and I prepped myself to stop her from running. She jiggled the doorknob and twisted the lock instead of opening it. “I’m not leaving with you. I’m going to call Vincent and tell him to come get me. Then I’ll leave with him.”

  “You’re not leaving with Vincent,” I said, relentlessly.

  “I am.”

  I unlocked the door, snagged her hand again and weaved through people to go outside. She calmed down, not fighting me off to avoid making a scene. She stomped her heels down the steps, keeping up with me, and I handed the valet my parking ticket.

  “I’m not getting in your car,” she said, while we waited for my car, her cheeks flaming with anger underneath the moonlight.

  “Yes you are.”

  Again, her actions weren’t matching her words. She could’ve easily gone back in, but she chose to stay with me. She was conflicting with herself, her brain ticking back and forth, but there was still a chance there. Her emotions for me were still alive and kicking, and she hated herself for it. I’d studied human behavior. I knew how it worked. Emotions always beat out the brain. Always.

  She crossed her arms. “Fine, I’ll leave with you, but you’re taking me home.”

  I nodded, ignoring the curious glances from the patrons around us. “I will.”

  “And I mean it.”

  I tipped the valet when he handed me my keys. I opened the door for her, waiting for her to slide in and get comfortable, before getting in the car. She leaned forward and turned the radio on blast as I drove.

  “I told you to take me home!” She shrieked when I turned down a street that wasn’t hers. She smacked the glove compartment and held her hands up in the air.

  I pulled into the parking garage. “I am.”

  “This is not my home.”

  “This is your home.” I got out and pulled open her door. I didn’t grab her. I waited for her to get out on her own. I wanted her to come upstairs, to come in, to come home on her own.

  “I hate you,” she spat, shooting me a cold glare as she stepped out.

  CHAPTER THIRTY- SEVEN

  WESTON

  She swayed her ass from side to side, holding up her dress carefully so it wouldn’t touch the ground while repeatedly telling me she hated me with each step up the stairs. I trailed behind her, matching every one of her flying insults with an “I know.”

  She groaned when we reached my apartment, opened up her clutch and pulled out a keychain. I grinned like a schoolboy watching her cram the key into the lock. She’d kept my key, and I hoped the reasoning was because she knew there was still a chance with us, and not because she was discreetly planning to come in one night and kill me in my sleep.

  “I hate you,” she screeched, flipping on the lights and throwing her clutch across the room. I snagged her keys still in the lock as she circled around to face me. “I fucking hate you, you lying, sell-out asshole.” Her voice was flooded with hurt.

  I blew out an anguished breath. This wasn’t going how I’d planned. “No, you don’t,” I ground out, grabbing the door handle from around my back and slamming the door shut. “So please, quit fucking saying it to try to convince yourself otherwise.”

  I stalked towards her, erasing the small gap between us, and ran my fingers along the smooth silk of her dress before latching my hands around her waist. Her head tilted up to look at me, her breath hitching, as she waited for my next action. She didn’t fight me, but she didn’t move.

  “I hate you,” she whispered, her wine-stained lips parting.

  I grunted, inhaling the floral scent wavering around her neck and lightly spreading kisses along it as she pressed her body into me. I needed to pull away. We needed to talk. She needed to hear me out, but when I opened my mouth to tell her that, my throat froze up.

  Pulling away from her neck, I looked down at her, watching her teeth tug onto her bottom lip. Her eyes smoldered, impaling mine with hunger. My skin shivered underneath my suit, my body heating up, when she reached out and brushed her hand along my arm.

  My heart leaped into my chest, causing my blood to boil, and I slid my hands down to her ass, gripping it firmly.

  “Then fuck me like you do,” I whispered, holding my mouth just inches away from hers.

  Her eyes came alive, taken aback by my response, but she didn’t unbind us. My words doused her like propa
ne and ignited the fire already burning deep inside of her. Her hands pressed against my dress shirt, roaming down along the opening, and the quiet air was interrupted at the sound of my buttons scattering along the tile. I shivered, her palms planting on my bare chest, and she pushed me in reverse until my back bumped into the wall.

  Her hot fingers gripped my wrist, dragging my arms up and pinning them above my head. I threw my head back in ecstasy at the feel of her jagged teeth tugging on a nipple.

  “I hate you so much,” she muttered against my flesh. I shuddered, my entire body convulsing at the feel of her tongue licking me down and stopping at the buckle of my pants. With a snap, my pants fell to the floor and her hand wrapped around my cock. No teasing touches, no build-up, just straight to my aching dick.

  “Do you want to talk?” I asked, like a fucking idiot. I wanted her mouth around my cock and she couldn’t do that if we were talking.

  “If I wanted to talk, I wouldn’t have my hand wrapped around your cock,” she said, her eyes flashing up at me deviously as she fell down to her knees with a thud, careful to not mess up her dress. I jerked against the wall when her mouth slowly came into contact with my cock and she licked her tongue down my length. I braced myself, feeling her electrocute my nervous system with only the power of her tongue.

  I tilted my hips forward, meeting her while she took me in her warm and willing mouth. I jumped, my cock pulsating when she reached for my balls to massage them. I pumped in and out of her mouth, maintaining a nice rhythm, until she suddenly stopped. I huffed, peering down at her when I fell from her sweet mouth.

  “Come on,” she said, grabbing my legs to push herself up, and seductively itching her finger towards her.

  I gulped, tugging my pants back up my waist and obeying her command as she led me into the bedroom. I was letting her call the shots. I was bowing down to her pussy tonight, letting her make the rules. She could act like she hated me, loved me, or wanted to kill me, and I’d take it all from her.

  “I want to get this for you,” I said, soothing my hands over her shoulder, and then slowly unzipping her dress. I let it slide down her body inch-by-inch; waiting for it to crush around her feet then sluggishly lifted each foot for her to step out of it. I folded it up carefully, placing it on my dresser, then turned back around to look at her. I licked my lips, my eyes swallowing her in as she stood in front of me in only her bra, panties, and fuck me heels.