by L. Grubb
Mixing a spoonful of sugar into my mug, I take a blessed sip of the hot liquid. I wince when it burns my tongue but my taste buds ignite at the taste.
I grab the lone banana from the fruit bowl that sits in the middle of the table, I eat it as I wait for the coffee to cool enough so I can drink it.
Once again, I’m thinking about that life altering text, wondering if it’s the truth or if it’s another ruse from the psycho ex to get me back. Hell, even if the kid is mine, I’d still never get back with her. The thought itself makes me shiver.
I honestly have no clue what to do and its gnawing at my gut. Having not yet replied, I’m sure she’ll try visiting me next and the last thing I want to see right now, before even processing this, is seeing her heavily pregnant with my possible fucking baby.
The one thing that’s most certainly happening once it’s born is DNA. I am not paying a penny toward that baby unless I know one-hundred percent that it’s mine. Call me a heartless bastard but Jen is the kind of girl, she’s far from a woman, who will milk me for every last penny and I won’t let that happen.
I wonder if there’s such a thing as having the DNA done while the baby is in the womb? I’ll have to look into that, see if it’s possible and if it’s not harmful. It may not be mine but I would never wish harm on a defenceless baby. I put ‘researching’ on my mental checklist and drain the last dredges of my coffee.
Looking around the kitchen, I wonder where the fuck to start with this cleaning bullshit.
Starting with the plates, I place them in the dishwasher then my make my way around collecting all the used mugs. Thank fuck for a dishwasher because this would take me all fucking day if I had to do it by hand.
I have my back to the door when a gentle knock sounds. Slowly turning, I see Frankie in the doorway, her eyes going wide and her face draining of colour.
“Frankie?” I look at her, confused, what the hell is she doing here and how did she know I worked here?
“Um… Jase, I’m looking for my brother.” She’s looking anywhere but at me and after a few silent moments I remember with clarity. Shit, she’s Dan’s sister. Oh fuck.
“Dan is out on a job right now. He said he’ll be back in about an hour and to stick around.” The last thing I want after her doing a fucking disappearing act on me is to hang around my place of work, but I don’t really have a say in the matter. I can feel the crackle of electricity as she steps closer, I can practically feel her heat from the other side of the room.
“Okay, thanks.” She looks down, twirling a diamante ring on the middle finger.
“One question, why the hell did I wake up this morning to find you gone? Did I say something to offend you?” Blunt, honest and to the point. That’s my motto anyway. It’s the only way you’ll get what you want in your life.
Her brows furrow like she’s confused which makes her all the all the more cuter, carefully dissecting the words forming in her head. I raise a brow at her as I wait. I’m not a patient man and after the way she left, I couldn’t give a fuck if I was looking at her with a dirty ass look on my face.
“Last night… you said, ‘thanks for tonight’. Made me feel cheap.” She says this with a shimmer of tears in her eyes, a slight blush colouring her pale cheeks. She fingers her hair while still staring downward.
“I don’t remember saying that, and you are far from cheap. If you were, I wouldn’t have bathed with you if I thought that. And you really think I’m that fucking shallow?” I’m aware that my voice is raised and I take a deep breath to calm myself. “I would never treat you like that. You gave me a special gift and I couldn’t honestly wait to wake up with you this morning. When I woke and you were gone? I’m going to be honest, I was fucking gutted.”
“Really?” She tilts her head as she studies my face and for the first time ever, I don’t hide how I feel. “I thought…”
“Well you thought wrong, princess. I like you, I really do and I haven’t thought that about anyone in a fucking long time,” I reply, running a hand through my short hair.
“Really?” she repeats. I can tell she’s sceptical and I don’t blame her. My reputation with bedding and chucking woman is well known in that bar and I wouldn’t be totally surprised if she didn’t ask around about me.
“Really.” I smirk at her and for the first time I notice what she’s wearing. Jeans that hug her hips and shape her legs and a crisp, white blouse tucked into her waist band. She looks classy, hot and fuckable. The glasses she’s sporting make me think naughty shit and my dick twitches in my pants. Jesus, not even Jen could make my dick so active just by looking at her, but she does look like a Barbie. Whereas Frankie is all class, she’s all natural, her breasts are full and soft and I can remember the feel of them under my hands like our activities happened mere minutes ago rather than last night.
She blinks a few times, still staring into my eyes and remembering kissing those full lips like they were an addiction I needed fixing has me groaning. She hears it because I notice her lips twitching, trying not to smile. “I guess I was wrong for leaving, but how was I to know?”
“Well, you could have just stayed and asked me in the morning like a normal person The need I’ve had for you today has been unbearable. Frankie, you’re the most beautiful…” I cut off my sentence when Dan grumbles his way into the room. His hardened eyes land on me and narrow with suspicion.
“Carry on that sentence, motherfucker, and it will be your last.” He thinks he can scare me but he doesn’t, I’ve fought bigger men than him in the ring.
“Dan!” Frankie squeals, not in a happy way either. “I’m old enough to fucking look after myself. I’ll see who I want to see and you have no fucking say in it!” I swear if she stomps her foot, I’ll have her pinned against that wall within milliseconds. She doesn’t and I feel slightly disappointed but the fierce scowl on her face that scrunches up her nose has me wishing I just bent her over to feel the globes of her ass under my palms.
“You’re not dating a guy like Jase.” The bloke doesn’t say long sentences and I have no idea why, but under the circumstances I think that’s a good thing.
“I think that’s none of your business.” Frankie crosses her arms over her generous breasts and stares up at her giant of a brother. I don’t think she’ll budge on this and that makes me like her even more.
“I’m your fucking brother and I’ll protect you in how I see fit!” His voice booms around the room, bouncing off the white washed walls.
“Unless you want me to cut you out of my life completely, then I suggest you fucking drop this crap. I’ve had enough of you shadowing me, beating up every guy I even fucking looked at. You’re worse than dad.” I can tell there’s been tension between them before, and I can understand why. Dan isn’t the easiest of blokes to get to know or get on with and I can just imagine how unbearable he is as a brother.
“You wouldn’t. Who would be there to pick up the pieces of your shattered heart after Jase is done with ya?” I don’t miss his sneer at her and I ball my fists, furious that he thinks he can speak to his sister like that. My jaw is tense as he eyes her with disgust. You have to be shitting me.
I go to say something that would probably send fists swinging but Frankie beats me to it. “Fuck you, Dan. Someone should drag your arse off that high horse because I’m fed up with you looking down your nose at me. I’m not a whore and I don’t sleep around. But all you care about is trying to be the big man when really you’re as little as the men that pay for sex to get a release!”
“Alright, break it the fuck up. Dan, you need to leave before my fist flies into your face. I don’t care that she’s your fucking sister, you should never treat a woman like that.” I barely manage to get that out as the anger swirls through my bloodstream, heating my body and the feel of erupting like a volcano is just under the surface.
Dan doesn’t say anything but instead stalks from the room like an angry bear. Why have I never seen what a douchebag he is before now? What g
ives him the right to treat Frankie, his own sister, like that?
“You okay, princess?” I walk over to her and take her in my arms. The anger from her parting in the middle of the night dissipates as I feel her shaking limbs against my own. How dare he make her feel this way.
“I’ll be fine. This isn’t our first row but to say I don’t want to see him again would be an understatement. I’m so fed up with him holding me back in life.” She pauses to take a few deep breaths and her arms curl around my waist. “I’m a productive manager of a law firm, and I nearly didn’t go for that because he kicked up such a stink about it.” I rub soothing circles on her back as she sobs into my shirt. A pang of something that goes through my chest makes me gasp quietly and the scent of her perfume drifts up my nose.
“Don’t worry about it, sugar. Seriously, do what you want with your life. It’s yours to run as you please after all.” I kiss the top of her head as I comfort her. He’ll be lucky if I don’t pummel my fists into his face. What a complete A-hole.
“You’re right. I’m being stupid,” she mutters, not very convincingly either.
“You’re not being stupid. The way he just treated you is appalling and you shouldn’t have to put up with it.” And I’m right, she shouldn’t have to deal with anything like that from any man, let alone a member of her immediate family. I can’t image what her dad is like, I heard her mention that Dan was just like him and the disgust was dripping off that statement. “Let’s do dinner tomorrow night, yeah? Do this properly.”
“For real?” Her head lifts up and her blotchy face from her crying makes me wants to punch the nearest wall.
“Yeah, I’d like to take you out on a proper date.” I smile a megawatt Jase smile at her and her eyes soften at me.
“You’re not doing it out of pity though, right?” She has every right to be sceptical, I am me after all.
“Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.” I smile down at her before placing my mouth gently on hers. The taste of her salty tears coats my lips and I pull her tighter against me. Pulling away, I say, “I’ll pick you up at eight. Give me your cell.”
She gives me a quizzical look before digging her phone out of her monstrous bag and handing it over. “Why do you want my phone?”
“To punch in my number and save it of course. I’ll need you to text me your address.” I type in my number, prank call my phone and save it under ‘Jase Hot Stuff’ and hand it back over, our fingers zinging as they brush against each other. I hear her sudden intake of breath and I don’t try to hide the smile forming on my lips. “Make sure you text me before tomorrow. You better go before Jake finds you in here.”
“Okay.” The awestruck look on her face makes my balls tighten painfully and I have to hold back the groan that’s clawing at my throat. “I’ll text you then.”
“See you tomorrow, princess.” I kiss her one more time and smack her ass as she passes by. Her body jolts and she shakes her head but she doesn’t turn to confront me.
Going back to cleaning, I have her beautiful face on a slideshow through my mind. My day just got fucking better and I can’t wait to see her tomorrow.
“What do you mean you’re out already?” Beast grumbles over the phone. He doesn’t seem to think I have other friends bar him and Roofie and it pisses me off that he even thinks that.
“I’m having a few beers with Jake and some guys from work. You lot can double date or whatever.” The thought that we’re drifting apart doesn’t escape me and it saddens me deeply.
“Okay, have a good evening, buddy.” He hangs up and I scowl at my cell, deciding whether to throw the thing across the dingy bar that Jake dragged me to or scream at it like a teenage boy finding out his crush is dating the popular guy. That’s how much Beast frustrates me lately. Whether it’s the honeymoon period of his relationship or the fact he’s been through a shit lot over the past few months, he seems to be pulling a blind eye over the fact that I’m being pushed out.
“Who was that that’s made your face look like a grumpy old man?” Jake jokes as he brings the beers to the table. There’s only four of us guys, minus Dan, and it feels weird hanging out with so many dudes. This bar is a proper bore as well, there’s no women dressed in skimpy clothes stalking around looking for their next meat feast, all the ladies here are old, middle-aged or just plain ugly looking that no amount of beer will change.
“None of your business, Jake. But I do need to speak to you about something that happened earlier with Dan.” I don’t want to have this conversation but Jake is Chief and he needs to know the situation just in case it escalates as time goes on. Especially now he knows I’m pursuing Frankie.
“I’m all ears, bro.” Great thing about Jake? He treats us all as equals even though we’re inferior to him.
“Earlier, his sister showed up to see him and he asked me to make sure she waits. I bedded her last night. That sounds wrong but whatever.” I wave a hand in the air dismissing it. “We had a heated discussion and he overheard. Man, the way he treated her… I’m surprised he never hit her if I’m totally honest.”
“Dan the man? Big dude that makes too much noise? The one who doesn’t talk a lot?” Jake furrows his brows in confusion.
“Yeah, seeing as that’s the only guy named Dan that works there, dude.” Shaking my head, I twist the beer on the placemat on the table and run my thumbs through the condensation. “He’s a loose cannon, Jake. And I certainly don’t trust him.”
“I’ll look into it, alright? I won’t let shit happen at work that shouldn’t, you know that.” He takes a sip of his beer, the foam coating his moustache. “Don’t worry your pretty little had about it.”
I nod at him as I sit there, not really wanting to really be there if I’m totally honest. It doesn’t feel right sitting with colleagues and not friends. “I’m only staying for one beer. I’m totally wiped.” That was total bullshit. I’m not that tired, but I don’t feel comfortable.
“No worries, Jase.” We chat about the week and the guys talk about the rota for the next week. I’m fucking happy to have a week off, a much needed break and plenty of time for Frankie.
Frankie. She hasn’t left my mind since my mouth reunited with hers earlier. I don’t know what this is but I won’t throw it away. She’s beautiful yet doesn’t know it and that’s the most endearing thing about her. She doesn’t flaunt herself around like the bitches from the MMA ring side or from the bar I usually frequent. She’s curvy, sexy and her body syncs with mine. Just thinking about the night before has my dick hardening painfully behind my zipper. Tomorrow evening can’t come soon enough cause right now I want to be balls deep in her heat.
“I’m going.” I don’t even finish all my beer but I can’t sit here and listen to the monotones of these guys talking shop. I leave that shit at work for a reason. I also need to figure a way of sorting this shit out with Jen. I groan at that and Jake gives me a funny look. “My back clicked as I stood.” I play it off with that. Jake is gullible and will believe about anything he’s told.
“See you in a week, mate.” I salute and walk out the bar faster than my legs can take me. The smell of the late evening air is a stark contrast to the air clogging the inside of that pub. I relish in the scent of pollution that hangs over London and enjoy the sounds of the distant honking of horns as angry drivers fight for space on the busy London roads.
I make the small walk to my car that I managed to park down the road a little, shoving my hands in my pockets and head hangs down.
I’m not immune to the looks women give me, or some men for that matter, I know I’m pretty good looking. Fuck, I’ve known women to fight over my body as well. Call me big headed, egotistical, but I work hard for the way I look.
But I’m not interested in other people now that I’ve had a taste of Frankie. I can still feel her soft curves under me as I plow into her liquid heat. I can still see her the look on face as she comes undone under my hands. I rearrange myself discreetly and unlock my car with the
remote. Climbing in behind the wheel, I feel how uncomfortable the drive home is going to be and I grit my teeth as I start the car and start toward my home.
“Girl, after the day I’ve had…” I don’t finish my sentence because remembering how Dan treated me in front of Jase has tears prickling the corners of my eyes.
“What’s happened, chica?” Isabella asks from over the phone. We’ve been best friends since we were still in nappies, we went to the same schools and have stuck by each other through everything.
“It’s Dan.” I have to take a deep breath to stop the tears falling. I concentrate on the swirling wine in my glass until I know the tears have surpassed.
“What’s that knobhead done now?” Isabella has never liked my brother and I can’t say I blame her. She’s seen everything, was there as a shoulder to cry on when he pushed me around to try and stop me taking that job.
“Come over? We can start at the beginning over a bottle of wine.” I’m not short of begging but there’s no need as she tells me she’ll be right over and hangs up. I’m left with my thoughts and the throb that’s aching my vagina.
Jase sure knows how to fuck a woman into oblivion, and he definitely did that to me. To say my first time was surreal would be an understatement and I’m still gobsmacked that he would want to take me out on a date. I mean, I’m hardly a skinny Barbie doll and I don’t have that duck face down pat like a lot of women. I look constipated when I try it which makes Isabella laughter uncontrollably each time.
The knock on my door startles me from my thoughts and I check my watch. Fucking hell, she was quick. She loves anything gossip so I didn’t think she would take long but five minutes? I’ll be surprised if she didn’t just come over in her PJ’s with no make-up on.
Heaving myself up from the sofa, I walk to the front door and open with a smile on my face. And there she stands; hair messy around her face, no make-up and thumper PJ’s. Her dark Latino skin makes her emerald green eyes stand out and I always wonder if she’s wearing contacts, though she swears blind that they’re not.