by Maree, Kay
I thought that would be the time he would do something, but he didn’t.
He just sat at a table under a tree and shot death stares towards us for the rest of the night and as much I got a kick out of that reaction I knew he was just looking out for me.
Yep, you guessed it.
He decided long ago I was just like a sister to him and put me on a fucking shelf.
“I don’t need him,” I mumble to myself again, looking at my reflection in the mirror.
Seeing my bottom lip start to quiver, I want to slap the shit out of myself at being such a brat.
No wonder he can’t see the woman I am when I carry on like a spoilt child.
Flipping the cold water on, I wash my hands.
I'm tempted to splash my face, but I don’t want to ruin my makeup.
I flip the tap off, pulling some paper towel from the roll on the wall and dry my hands.
I take in my outfit.
Spiked black ankle boots, dark camo green jeans, small black belt matched with a sexy pentagram shaped hollowed out crisscross harness bra top with a beautiful khaki coloured plunged neck split Maxi shirt over the top.
The long sleeves are rolled up to my elbows, the hemline of the shirt at the back hitting just above my shins so when I walk it floats behind me.
I may look a little overdone for the local bar but I like getting dressed up and even being in the middle of bum fuck nowhere ain’t gonna change that.
Running my hands through my long dark hair, I fix up the little silver fox charm that hangs around my double black suede choker around my neck.
Something I made myself after my first visit here years ago when Lucas gave me the nickname Vixen.
God, I’m so bloody pathetic.
Pushing away from the mirror, I head back out to the bar, not needing any more time to dwell on my stupid decisions. I’m here now and I have to make this work, even if that means I do this without Lucas Knight.
Pushing through the hallway door I come face to face well not face to face cause like I said I’m a short ass even in heels.
So it’s really face to chest with none other than Jack Barnes, the male whore of Wallumbilla.
Don’t get me wrong he's not bad on the eyes at all with light brown hair, deep blue eyes, and a body that could make most women weep.
When he smiles, I’m sure it’s managed to knock the breath out of most women around here, but he has player written all over him.
“Well hello, there you pretty little thing.”
Even his words are slimy as hell.
Pushing back my natural reaction to tell him to get stuffed, I plaster a bright smile on my face.
“Hey Jack, how have you been?”
“Things are looking up now,” he winks and I want to gag.
“Oh, why is that Jacky boy?” I say, laughing when his face screws up at the nickname I gave him.
“I’m thinking we need to dance together,” he says.
“I’m working,” rushes past my lips.
“June you don’t mind me stealing our girl here for a quick dance do you?” he calls out.
Not even looking towards June and I want to barf when he says our girl cause I sure as shit ain’t anything to him.
“Sure,” June calls back, but I hear the displeasure in her voice.
Before I have a chance to decline the invitation, he takes my hand and pulls me towards the small bare space in front of the jukebox.
He throws a dollar in the machine and clicks on a song.
By the time the song Beautiful Crazy by Luke Combs registers I’m in his arms and he’s swaying me from left to right, swinging me out and pulling me back in, then in the blink of an eye, he leans me back against his arm and descends to kiss me.
I can’t even stop it.
His moves are so smooth, sleek and well-practised that I don’t get a second to breathe. His lips hit mine at the same time my hands hit his chest as I try to push him off me.
Then he's gone and I’m hitting the ground hard on my ass as I try to register what the hell just happened.
I snap my head towards a loud crash and that’s when I see Lucas pinning Jack to the wall by the throat, whispering something in his ear, looking all kinds of pissed off.
The muscles in his back strain, flexing and bunching against the white material of his shirt.
Tearing my ears away from the scene in front of me, I notice the tables are upended, chairs scattered across to the floor.
Strong hands loop under my arms, pulling me up so I’m standing and that’s when I feel them. Tears are sliding down my cheeks.
“Are you okay Lucy?” Jebson’s voice hits my ears and all I can do is nod trying to stop the tears from falling but it’s no use.
It wasn't the fall that caused them, yeah my ass is sore but no it was the fact that Jack just stole my first kiss.
“You asshole,” I scream.
Without thinking I storm up to the two idiots and with Lucas still pinning Jack to the wall I pull my arm back and punch Jack square in the face, satisfied when I hear a crunch.
“You just took something from me, I will NEVER get back,” I cry out.
The tears are coming faster now, and it just pisses me off even more.
Turning, I storm towards the back room to get my bag cause I’m fucking out of here.
No one sees me cry, that shit is not happening.
“Lucy,” June calls, but I’m too worked up and hurt to stop.
I hope I see that piece of shit walking down the road cause I will roll Elektra right over his ass and won’t fucking stop to see if he’s still breathing.
How fucking dare he do that.
Grabbing my bag off the shelf I rush out the back door not wanting to see anyone.
Coming around the front of the Steel Mare, practically running to my beast when I see her waiting in all her majesty for me.
My breaths are choppy, echoing in my ears.
My heart is breaking inside my chest.
That wasn’t his choice to take away from me.
I was saving that for the man that I was going to spend the rest of my life with.
I’m screaming inside my head and I know it was only a kiss, but it meant something to me.
A sob tears up my throat and it’s so fierce and fast I can’t stop it.
“Lucy,” Lucas's deep throaty voice shouts, but I can’t look at him right now.
With my hand resting on the door handle of my truck, my shoulders shake and all I want to do is head back to the Steel farm and crawl into bed.
Feeling the heat of his body come up behind me, I don’t turn around.
Not wanting him to see my face.
“Hey,” he says, softer now resting his hands on my waist but I don’t speak, not sure my voice will betray me.
“Let me drive you home,” he gruffs out when I don’t speak.
“It’s fine,” I manage to get out, biting my stupid lip when it quivers as more silent tears fall.
“You're not fine, Vixen. Let me make sure you get home safe,” he pleads.
Shaking my head, I pull the door open, throwing my bag onto the passenger seat.
“Just leave me alone,” I choke out and doesn’t that just tear the shit out of my heart.
Without looking at him I climb into my seat missing the heat of his hands against my sides, the skin there still tingling from his touch.
I push it away as I slam my door shut and flick the engine on.
Without looking at him, I pull out of my parking spot and onto the road.
My tyres kicking up dust as I take off down the street.
Invisible by Anna Clendening blasts out of my speakers and isn’t that just a kick in the teeth.
Wiping my eyes when my vision blurs, knowing I need to get my shit together before I have an accident.
I pull to the side of the road that so happens to be an empty lot.
&
nbsp; I put Elektra into park as I try to breathe.
The tears keep coming, but I feel like the space inside my cab is closing in on me.
Putting the windows down, I kick off my shoes then climb out of my window and onto the roof of my car.
Feeling like I can breathe for the first time in hours, leaning back on my hands.
My head falls back between my shoulders and I just stare up at the inky black night as the stars sparkle down on me like little diamonds.
“I miss you, Mum,” I murmur and it floats away on the cool breeze.
“I lost a small piece of me tonight and I broke,” I talk as if she is sitting right beside me.
“I feel lost and I don’t know what to do,” I speak until my heart feels a little less heavy.
“It’s hard loving someone that thinks you’re invisible, but it’s even harder to watch that one person you know you are supposed to spend the rest of your life with in somebody's else's arms,” I choke out, my heart tightening as if it’s strapped in a vice.
My mind flicks back to Kasey hanging off his arm as they laughed together.
Rubbing my knuckles over my chest.
I try to breathe through the new pain that’s settled there.
Turning my head when I see headlights off in the distance, the lights bounce off the trees, making shadows dance across the ground.
Looking back to the sky I try to make out different shapes in the stars knowing I just need a moment more to soak in the clean air and nothing around me but the night sky.
Everyone yearns for the light of the day; the sun signifies the start of a new beginning.
Deep down I crave when the night comes, the soft glow of the moon as the stars brighten up the velvet night sky brings something inside me alive and all I want to do is throw my head back and howl at the moon...
Fuck, what the hell just happened? I think, running a rough hand down my face.
When I saw that scumbag lock his lips around my woman’s I fucking lost it.
If Jebson didn’t pull me off him, I probably would have killed the sonofabitch, but the way my little Vixen broke his nose did some funny shit to my heart.
Two fucking weeks I have watched her and every fucking day I wanted to claim her.
Instead, I didn’t and now I’m fucking done.
Tonight I had it all lined up.
I would walk her to her car and make my move, but with Kasey hanging off me all night like a sloth, my temper was spiking.
I could see the way Lucy kept looking towards us, and it was like Kasey knew when she was looking because she would be hanging off my arm.
Tonight has gone to total shit.
“Are you going to pull your head out of your ass now, son?” my Dad says coming up behind me as I watch Lucy fishtail it out of the parking lot.
“What?”
“Anyone with eyes can see you like the girl, son, so why don’t you make her yours already?” he shakes his head at me like I’m a complete dickhead.
“It’s not that easy,” I ground out.
Not willing to tell him she is already mine, she just doesn’t know it yet.
“How isn’t it?” he looks confused; fuck I love my old man but he can be a pain in the ass sometimes.
“I’m a lot older than her to start with,” I breathe out, looking down at my boots kicking up the gravel.
“Age is but a number, my boy,” he chuckles.
“All I’m saying is if you don’t claim her and get your shit together. It’s gonna cost you a lot more than you have in that bank account of yours to fix the rest of the shit you are bound to break,” he chuckles, nodding towards the bar.
“Yeah, I’m gonna claim her, Dad,” I smile feeling lighter.
“Let’s head back in so I can help June,” I say even though all I want to do is jump in my truck and go search for my girl.
She was a mess and I know she shouldn’t be driving in that condition.
In all the years I have known her, I have never seen her cry, not even the summer after her mum passed.
Lucy has always had that same bright smile that sucker punches me in the chest and I hate right now it’s a distant memory.
Heading back through the glass doors, I growl seeing Jack still sitting at the bar with an icepack on his nose.
He should have one on his eye after the hit I threw at him before dropping his ass to the hard floor.
Feeling like shit all over again, knowing that when I took him to the wall by the throat, Lucy hit the fucking ground.
“You piece of shit,” I growl, pointing at him.
“You ever touch my woman again I will bury you so fucking deep nobody will ever find your body.”
“She ain’t fucking yours wanker,” he spits out like the fucking smart man he is, pushing up from the seat at the bar like he’s ready to go for another round.
My anger spikes charging forward, ready to lay him out again.
But several strong arm's grip me from behind, holding me back.
“Jebson get him the fuck out of my bar,” June shouts pointing towards Jack.
“Yes, ma’am,” Jebson calls, heading for the fucker, making me smirk.
“Baby, come sit with me,” Kasey says, pulling on my hand.
“Seriously woman, leave me the hell alone, I ain’t yours. Did you just not hear me say I have a woman?” I growl and it rumbles deep in my chest.
Her eyes widen and begin to glass over and I feel like a total prick but fuck I don’t need Lucy getting any more wrong ideas in her head.
It’s not like I haven’t told her before that nothing will ever happen between us.
Tonight is so fucked up.
“Easy son,” Dad says from my side.
“June, I’m sorry about the mess, but I need to go find my girl.”
“Finally,” June smiles, winking at me.
Making me chuckle.
Who fucking knew all these people would be okay with this.
Not that I would give a fuck if they weren’t, but it’s good to know.
Pulling my keys out of my pocket, I wave goodbye over my shoulder and I’m out the door. Jogging towards my truck and jumping in, cranking her up, flipping it into reverse, I tear ass out of the parking lot and onto the road.
Sitting in my truck, I let it idle as I watch her lean back against the roof of her truck, just staring up at the stars.
My heart does some funny shit seeing the silhouette of her body under the glow of the moon.
Lucy is naturally fucking gorgeous, but right now I have no words.
She looks so peaceful, a soft smile kissing her lips, and all I want to do is hold her.
Turning the truck off I try to make noise so as not to scare her but she doesn’t even look over but I notice the slight stiffening in her shoulders.
“Little Vixen,” I whisper, not wanting to break the silence too much.
“Please go away, Lucas,” her voice is so soft and flat it breaks my heart.
“I gave that to you earlier, but not now,” I gruff out.
Opening the back door, I throw my boots on the backseat then hoist my ass up onto the roof.
Sliding slowly towards her there’s plenty of space beside her but I’m sick of fucking fighting my attraction to her.
I slide my legs on either side of her hips, looping my arm around her waist.
I pull her back into my chest, she stiffens but slowly relaxes back into me when my thumb begins to rub small circles over the exposed skin of her belly.
“What are you doing?” she whispers.
“Holding you,” I lean down burying my nose into her hair, drawing her sweet cherry scent into my lungs.
“Just that simple huh?” her tone is sharp but soft and it totally contradicts the bite I bet she wanted it to have.
“Yes,” I say simply kissing the top of her head.
We sit just like that for a long time, just taking in
the night.
It’s the most relaxed I have felt in a long time.
Having her in my arms just feels so right and I kick myself for fighting this for so long.
Rolling over in my arms, I let go and lean back against my hands as her elbows lean against my stomach, her beautiful evergreen eyes shine up at me.
The black smudges under her eyes give away to the fact she has been crying.
Those sexy as fuck glasses perch on the end of her nose, making my gut twist.
“You’ve done a number on my soul, Lucas Knight, and I will never be the same again. I have cried millions of tears over you and I still feel invisible to you. I don’t want to feel that way anymore. I came here to show you the woman I have become, but you shelved me years ago. I understand that but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt and I can’t keep doing this, it isn’t healthy so---” I don’t let her get another word out.
Each one of them shredding me from the inside out.
Instead, I slam my mouth down on hers growling when she opens for me, gripping the back of her neck I slide her up my body turning her head to the side needing more and taking total control over the kiss.
I moan as her body melts into mine, giving me everything I crave.
Her taste drives me crazy as it explodes across my tongue.
It’s like the sweet taste of one of those Daiquiris she loves to drink, but there’s a bite to it that has my body needing more.
Before I realise what I’m doing, I turn laying her under me, making a fist in her hair at the top of her head making her whimper.
I draw that sound into my soul, ghosting my other hand down her side, my fingers flex against her hip.
Her body begins to push into mine, making me groan, pushing my hard cock against her.
One of her legs slides up the back of my thighs and fuck do I wish she had those fucking heels on.
Tearing my mouth away from hers, we’re both panting heavily.
Tensing my body trying to stamp down my need to be buried deep inside her knowing right now is not the time.
Looking down my eyes widen seeing the black strappy top she’s wearing in its full glory but it ain’t a fucking top it’s some weird strappy bra.
My cock pushes against the zipper of my jeans.
Dipping down I run the tip of my tongue between the gaps feeling goosebumps break across her skin, she moans her body arches up as if chasing my tongue.