Hit the Spot

by J. Daniels

  “Please,” I sobbed.

  My body broke. My hands went limp and I buckled, falling into him. Strong arms caught me and held me up. They wrapped around me and felt like a promise.

  I nestled closer, lifting my head off his chest and burying my face in his neck. “Please. I don’t want to feel him,” I cried with tears on my lips. “I don’t want to feel him anymore, Jamie.”

  “Baby, who?” he asked, cupping the back of my head and dropping his mouth beside my temple. “Who don’t you wanna feel?”

  “Wes.”

  His arm around my back tightened, squeezing me.

  “What the fuck? He do something to you?” Jamie’s voice vibrated through his body like thunder rolling. I felt it shake my bones. “Did he?”

  I closed my eyes and whimpered. “He came over. I—I thought he was you.”

  “Shit,” he mumbled, sounding fury-filled and something else. Regretful maybe. I wasn’t sure.

  “He wanted to come in,” I continued. “He wanted to fuck. He thought I did, too. He…he said I didn’t care he was married. That I wanted it too much. He was wanting to pick back up where we left off.” I shook my head against his jaw and wrapped my hand around Jamie’s ribs. “I would never do that. I wouldn’t.”

  “Motherfucker,” he snarled from above me. “He’s dead.”

  “I felt you and then I felt him, and I—”

  Jamie shoved me back, lifted my chin, and stared deep into my eyes, questioning with a low, grating, scary voice, “He touch you?”

  I blinked, studying his hardened face. I’d never seen Jamie look like this before. He looked like rage. He looked a little crazy.

  And he looked absolutely beautiful.

  “Babe,” he pressed, when I kept on studying and forgot his question.

  “Mm?”

  He dipped closer, punctuating each word he spoke. “Did. He. Touch. You?”

  I swallowed, staring back at blue eyes burning. “Not really. Just…” I slid my hand down his side and grabbed his smooth hip. “Like this. Where you did.”

  His jaw clenched. He exhaled through his nostrils, flaring them. “He do anythin’ else?” he asked, staying close and keeping his fingers on my face.

  “Just said those things,” I replied, my bottom lip trembling and my eyes filling up fast. “Those awful things that are not true. They’re not. I would never want him knowing he was married. I wouldn’t.” I started crying again. “I’m not like that. I swear I’m not. Even though I loved him, I wouldn’t. I never would’ve let him in. Never.” I dropped my head to his chest and sobbed, “I thought it was you. That’s why I answered.”

  Jamie’s body stiffened and snapped straight. He made a noise deep in his throat like he was in as much pain as I was, then he bent down, slid one arm around my waist and the other under my knees, and lifted, cradling me against his chest.

  “Should’ve been me,” he mumbled against the top of my head, turning us and then walking across the room.

  We started ascending the stairs.

  I held his neck with one hand and cried with my face tucked under his chin. My eyes were swollen closed. I felt exhausted. Heart and body. I had shed my weight in tears.

  Jamie carried me as if that were true.

  When we reached the top, Jamie took me six more steps and then he kicked a door open.

  The room was dark. He didn’t turn on the light.

  My lashes fluttered when I felt soft satin beneath me. It felt cool against the back of my calves.

  I was in Jamie’s bed.

  I turned my head on the pillow and smelled sunlight and water. I watched through half-opened eyes. I was crying much softer now.

  Jamie pulled back the covers, dropped his knee to the bed, and then leaned closer to peel the sheets down underneath me, wiggling them under my bottom and flipping them up and over my feet. Then he climbed in and lay on his side, facing me, tucked his arm under the pillow he was using and with his other pulled and rolled me away from him, putting us back to front.

  He pulled the covers over us both.

  It felt familiar, lying with him like this, even though we had never done this before. But I was too tired to question it or fight. And maybe I felt safe, cared for, protected, so I didn’t want to fight it. I had been fighting it enough. And this felt nice.

  Jamie kept his arm over me after he was settled and wrapped his hand around my wrist. He pressed his lips to the skin between my neck and shoulder.

  “Sleep, Legs,” he ordered.

  “’Kay,” I replied, blinking the darkness into view.

  I pictured Wes standing on my porch. I felt his hand press to my hip.

  “He won’t be botherin’ you again,” Jamie promised.

  I stopped blinking. The images in my mind evaporated and the only thing I felt was Jamie’s body. His mouth next to my ear and his fingers holding gentle pressure on my arm.

  He was steady at my back. He was strong. He was holding me like this mattered and meant something.

  And he was promising again.

  Knowing the history of Jamie’s promises to me and how he carried them through, each and every one, I closed my eyes and drifted with a clear head.

  I’d start thinking again tomorrow.

  Chapter Ten

  JAMIE

  Need you to swing by this morning before heading in. Bring Sunshine.

  What’s up?

  Got her girl here.

  She all right?

  Will be.

  Shit. This serious? Syd will want to know.

  Nothing I can’t handle. Just need to get some info from her.

  What’s this got to do with?

  You asking for you or your girl?

  It’s involving Syd. I’m asking for me.

  Tori’s ex showed up at her place last night. Upset her. She came to me.

  Fuck.

  Yeah.

  Know what all went down with them. Be there by 8.

  I set my phone on the kitchen island after reading Dash’s last text, then I walked over to the couch and snatched the towel off the back of it, rubbing it across my head and drying off as I made for the stairs.

  I didn’t want to get out of bed this morning. Not with the way Tori was pressing close and letting me hold her, doing that all night and not fighting it, just feeling. Rolling into me a few times with her hand on my chest or wrapping around my ribs, legs tangled with mine, head tucked under my chin and her breath on my neck. Or staying turned away but keeping a grip on my arm that was draped over her, locking us together.

  Not running. Not lying. But taking and giving it back. No layers. Just her.

  Tori Rivera.

  Fucking Tori Rivera. Jesus.

  Thought about how good that would be more times than I could remember. Nine months of fantasies building expectation she might not meet, building obsession, too, ’cause I wanted her hot ass in my bed and she was making that shit a challenge, then I get her there and Tori doesn’t just live up to what I’ve been pining for, but proves I’ve been underestimating her this entire fucking time.

  Shit wasn’t just good. It was really fucking good, even without the sex.

  She held on. Fucking held on to me. Legs was giving it back.

  Fuck. So good.

  And I wanted to stay there. I wanted to keep her like that, pressing close and open, but I was edgy. Alive with anger. I couldn’t stop seeing her crying. I couldn’t stop hearing her begging words while she broke apart.

  I wanted to find that prick and knock his teeth down his throat. I wanted to kill him. Rip him apart for what he did to her. It felt like a fever was running through me. My hands clenched around soft skin that burrowed against my side. I couldn’t stay in that bed. I needed to move.

  I needed to burn it out.

  Being on the water did that. It calmed my mind and cleared my head. There was nothing like it. So I texted Dash and made him aware, then I grabbed my board and paddled out.

  The water under me.
The power of it. Feeling the air. Hearing the break of the waves. Fucking heaven.

  I got some time in and I felt better. Not much. I still wanted to beat the shit out of this asshole, but there was a chance now I might not kill him. Slim, but it was there.

  After changing out of my board shorts and finding Tori still asleep, rolled on her side as if I was still behind her, I left her there, wanting her to get as much rest as possible after what all went down last night. I figured she needed it. Then I went downstairs, got the coffee brewed, and poured myself a cup.

  I stood at the island, drinking my coffee and flipping through a magazine while I waited. Noise of the front door opening lifted my head, and I watched Syd walk into the room wearing her blue hospital scrubs, her quick steps bringing her in fast and her anxious eyes scanning.

  She stopped halfway into the room. Dash followed in behind her.

  “Where is she?” Syd asked when she didn’t find Tori standing in the kitchen with me or sitting in the living room. “Is she okay? What happened? Did he do something to her? I’m gonna tear him apart and then light him on fire. I swear to God…” She curled her hands into fists and held them in front of her chest. Her face burned red.

  “Babe, take a breath.” Dash came to a stop next to her, looking at his girl. “Jamie’s got her. If she wasn’t okay, he would’ve called and had us coming over a lot sooner. You know that.”

  Syd lowered her hands and looked at me, face soft, asking, “She’s okay?”

  “She’s asleep,” I told her. “Crashed in my bed last night.”

  Syd’s eyes brightened, then her mouth twitched the slightest bit. She was upset and worrying for her friend but she liked hearing that. Liked it so much she gave that quirky look she was wearing to Dash and let him see it.

  He shook his head and mumbled something under his breath.

  I went on elaborating. “Slept good all night, but that cocksucker made her cry. She was pretty torn up when she got here,” I shared, not keeping the truth from Syd ’cause this was her girl and she deserved to know. I braced my hands on the island on either side of the magazine and leaned forward, keeping her eyes. “Showed up at her place sayin’ some shit about Tori wantin’ to keep what they had going even though she knew he was married. Like that didn’t matter to her.”

  “Jesus,” Dash mumbled at the same time as Syd flinched.

  “He said that?” she whispered.

  I jerked my chin and watched her shoulders pull back.

  “On second thought,” she began, raising her voice and lifting a finger to gesture. “I’m gonna light him on fire before I rip him apart. I want him feeling those flames.”

  “You can do whatever the fuck you wanna do with him. But that first shot?” I jabbed a finger at my chest. “That’s mine, babe. First person he’s seein’ is me.”

  Syd blinked, lowering her hand. She looked on the verge of tears. “You’re gonna defend her honor again,” she stated softly, not as a question but as if she already knew. “Just like you did when you messed up his car. You’re going for her soft.”

  “I’m goin’ for her what?” I asked, brow furrowing as I lowered my hand to cool granite.

  “Her soft. You want to hit it again.”

  “What the fuck is her soft?”

  “Her heart, Jamie.”

  I stared at Syd, seeing she was serious. Then I shook my head, laughing under my breath and looking to Dash to watch him give his girl the same reaction I was giving her. I looked back to Syd and shared, “Sunshine, like what you’re tellin’ me, appreciate it, too. I’m glad I’ve hit that spot in her. Means I got a shot at hittin’ it again. Straight up, that’s good to know. But right now, the only thing I’m thinkin’ about hittin’ belongs to one dead motherfucker.”

  “I understand that,” Syd replied. “I just want to make sure you’re aware of what this might mean to her since, you know, she might not tell you.”

  Syd knew her girl. That was for damn sure.

  I smiled. “I’m aware, babe. Thanks.”

  “Good.” Syd smiled back. “Now, Trouble said you needed some information from me. What do you need to know?”

  Syd always called Dash Trouble.

  “Everything you know about this piece of shit. Startin’ with where he lives,” I said.

  Her shoulders dropped. “I don’t know that,” she replied, sounding disheartened. “I never met him. I don’t even know what he looks like.”

  “Don’t know what he sounds like either,” Dash added.

  Syd smiled at him.

  That was how they got together; she called Wes to tear him a new one for hurting her girl and ended up dialing Dash instead.

  “Best mistake ever,” I heard Syd reply.

  Didn’t see it, though. My eyes were pinched shut and I was gritting my teeth. I was hoping to get everything I needed from Sunshine. I didn’t want to involve Tori, but it looked like I might not have a choice.

  Fuck.

  “You know anything about him?” Dash asked his girl, drawing my attention. “Last name? Where he works?”

  Syd nodded quickly, looking from Dash to me with brighter eyes. “His last name is Asher. And I know he sells cars. I don’t know where, though.”

  Dash looked at me, and at the same time we both said, “Asher Automotives.”

  “Motherfucker,” I grated. My hands curled into fists on the counter.

  “Shit. We might actually know this guy,” Dash stated, verbalizing my thoughts.

  “Really?” Syd asked, looking between us.

  “Got our Jeeps from there,” he shared. “Jamie special ordered his. He worked with a guy for a few days getting that set up.” Dash jerked his chin at me. “You remember his name?”

  I shook my head and straightened, bringing my arms across my chest. “Nah, but he had to be pushing sixty. He was old.”

  No fucking way was that dude Wes. Unless Tori was into dating men old enough to be her dad.

  “I think Wes is in his thirties,” Syd shared.

  “Younger guy helped me. Could’ve been him,” Dash said, lifting his shoulders.

  I looked at my phone on the counter, then I snatched it up, checking the time. It was too early to call and see if that asshole was working today. After dealing with them when I was buying my car, I knew they didn’t open until nine.

  “What are you thinking?”

  Dash’s voice lifted my head.

  I rubbed at my mouth and along my jaw, shrugging. “Call ’em up in an hour and check if he’s workin’,” I said, dropping my hand. “He is, I’ll be takin’ my lunch there.”

  Dash lifted his chin, hearing me, then he looked at Syd and told her, “Can’t meet up with you today, babe. I gotta handle this with him.”

  Syd was nodding before he finished speaking. She turned into him and touched his arm. “Sweet of you,” she said.

  Dash bent down and kissed the top of her head.

  I heard water running upstairs, meaning Tori was up, and hearing that, I remembered the other thing I needed Syd for.

  “Her parents, you know where they live?” I asked her.

  Syd turned her head and then tilted it, looking confused. “Yeah, they live in Raleigh,” she replied, eyes searching for understanding.

  “You know the address?”

  “Why?”

  I took that as a yes and rounded the counter with my phone, pulling up my notes app.

  “Here.” I held it out for her to take when I stopped in front of her. “Put it in there for me. I might need it.”

  Syd blinked up at me. She looked ready to throw a shit-ton of questions my way that I didn’t have time for and didn’t feel like answering, but that look slowly evaporated into one I’d seen on her a handful of times.

  Typically stuff involving Dash, but she gave it to me the day I asked what type of flowers Legs was into.

  “This has to do with Tori’s soft again, doesn’t it?” Syd asked, taking the phone and fighting a smile.

&nb
sp; I wasn’t going to answer that. Planned on ignoring Sunshine and her probing, but it turned out I didn’t need to.

  Footsteps on the stairs lifted my head and turned hers. I watched Tori move through the entryway.

  Her hair was pulled back now and messy at the top of her head. Strands of yellow fell into her eye. She tried tucking them behind her ear as she stepped into the room, flushed face and bright eyes bouncing between the three of us. They settled on me.

  I straightened and pulled in a breath, chest expanding as I looked at her where she stood.

  Had all that beauty in my arms last night.

  Jesus. Why the fuck did I ever get out of bed?

  “Here,” Syd whispered. She pressed the phone against my chest and then turned, moving toward her girl. “Sweetie, are you okay?” she asked, wrapping her arms around her. “Jamie told us what happened. I can’t believe that jerk did that to you. God, I want to kill him.”

  Tori was hugging Syd back but she was keeping her eyes on me.

  “Gonna give them a minute and then head out,” Dash said, his voice lowered as Tori leaned away and talked quietly with her girl. Syd’s hands cupped her face. “You know how you’re gonna handle this today if he’s working?”

  I turned my head and looked at him. “Just gonna talk,” I answered.

  “Yeah?” he asked, brows lifting. He didn’t seem convinced. “You hit him and he presses charges, you know what’ll happen.”

  Dash was referring to my sponsors dropping me. He knew the risks I was taking confronting this asshole.

  I knew them, too.

  “Good thing I’m just goin’ to talk then,” I returned, tucking my phone into my back pocket.

  That was the plan. I wasn’t bullshitting Dash. How this would happen to play out, I didn’t know.

  If I thought Wes was hearing me, we’d only be talking.

  If I didn’t…

  “Shit,” he muttered, shaking his head as if he could read my mind. He turned and looked at the girls. “Kinda wanna knock his ass out myself for working Syd up.”

  “Anyone hits him, it’s me,” I shared, voice unforgiving.