Dared (Boneyard Bad Boy #1)

  I hop into the truck and head off to the airport. My flight for New York leaves in a little under an hour. I had not fully brainstormed my plan. I have worked up several scenarios. I can either show up at her door with flowers or call her and tell her to look out her window at me. Everything that I try to come up with just seems so insufficient. I figure the biggest step is just getting to New York and I will wing it from there.

  ***

  I am restless the entire flight. I have never been to New York and by the time I step off the plane and catch a cab, I am in sheer culture shock. Dallas isn't small by any means but New York is fucking crazy. The traffic is horrid, the noise of the busy city is significantly louder, and the diversity of people that litter the streets, buzz in chaos. It is not a far stretch to see how aspiring models would be enthralled by the limelight and dreams this place certainly breathes life into.

  My eyes take in all the sights that were familiar from the television. Times Square and Madison Square Gardens are so much more overwhelming in person. This city has a heartbeat. It is alive, vibrant, and mesmerizing. I can now fully see Summer fitting in here like this place were a second skin. The allure and magic of this place is undeniable.

  As the cab pulls up outside of Summer's building, my jaw drops and suddenly all confidence that I have vanishes. This building is breathtaking. The architecture and structure alone look way more expensive than anything that I could ever afford. If there weren't any insecurities before, there certainly are now. How could I compete with the lifestyle she has grown accustomed to all of these years? I could never give her these things. Could I really ask her to give all of this up for a low key and humble life set in the country so far from the expensive taste of the city?

  Pushing all of the self-doubt to the back of my mind, I get out of the cab determined that I would not allow anything to get in my way. I came here for the sole purpose of bringing Summer home and I was not going to allow myself to start questioning that.

  After knocking on her door for ten minutes, it becomes apparent that she is not home. I was just turning to leave when another woman opens the door. The crack in the doorway allows me a view of the expansive loft adorned with expensive and very modern furniture that probably cost more than I make in a year.

  “Hello. Can I help you?” the attractive woman asks obviously annoyed that I am just standing there staring into the space.

  I clear my throat and answer.

  “Yes. I am looking for Summer Montgomery.” I cast my eyes down to the little piece of paper that I had written the address on. Checking the number on the door once again, I know that I am at the right place.

  The woman rolls her eyes and taps her foot as she replies, “Yeah, okay and you are?” She is clearly not going to release any information until she is assured that I am not some kind of stalker. I didn't even give thought to how it might look to a complete stranger when decided to show up out of the blue, unannounced, looking for a well-known model at her apartment. I shook my head at the lack of thought I put into this idea and immediately felt like I was fifteen all over again being carted into the principal's office.

  “Um. Yes...sorry. I'm Damien. I know Summer from back home in Texas. I was...umm...in the area and wanted to stop in.” The lie rolled off of my tongue so easily, it shocked even me. However, the look of surprise and recognition on the woman's face, spoke volumes to the fact that she knew exactly who I was and she hadn't bought that lie for a single second.

  “Just in the area huh? Well sorry to disappoint you but Summer isn't here.”

  “Do you know when she might be back?”

  “Well that depends. Have a seat.” She motioned to the chair sitting across from her. I feel slightly uncomfortable.

  “Depends on what?” I do not have time to play this ridiculous game with this woman.

  “So. Damien. Can I ask what you are doing here in New York? I know you aren't just in the area stopping by, and yes before you ask, I know who you are. I know almost everything there is to know about you and Summer. What I really want to know is why a man who didn't have the balls to keep her when he had the chance, suddenly changes his mind and hops on a plane to come all the way here?”

  Okay, this chick was definitely not going to go easy on me. She isn't beating around the bush and she is eyeing me with a death stare that is all kinds of protective. A part of me can respect that she is obviously looking out for Summer's best interests. The other part of me wanted to tell this bitch to fuck off and that Summer and I were none of her fucking business, but I think better of it and play her fucking game of 21 questions.

  “I am not sure what answer you are looking for. I know that I fucked up but I want a chance to fix things. It's just that simple.”

  “And you what? Felt the need to try to break her down before you manned up?” This bitch was cutthroat.

  “Look, it was never my intention to break her down. Not that I have to explain a fucking thing to you, but I just wasn't ready at the time.”

  “So, what you are saying is that Summer is your plaything? Was she supposed to wait on you to be ready and decide she is worth the fight? What if I were to tell you she has already moved on? That she is making a new life with a real man, someone not afraid of commitment, who knows exactly what he wants, and is not the type of man to risk losing her to some douche bag who can't get his shit together,” Fuck this shit. This whole situation has my blood boiling by the time she finishes speaking. Who the fuck is the man? I will kill this mother fucker.

  “If she has moved on, then I have no choice but to respect that. Let me tell you a little something about myself. You don't know me and you have no idea the shit I have been through in my life. The only person that I care to explain myself to is Summer. Ever since we were kids, she has always been the only person in the universe to understand anything I do, I don't have time for these fucking games,” I have a few more choice words for her but the last thing I came here to do was show my asshole tendencies to someone obviously close to Summer. Who the hell did this bitch think she was to sit in judgement of me anyway?

  I saw myself out biting my tongue. What the fuck am I supposed to do now? I am still no closer to learning when Summer was going to be home and I was willing to bet that my attitude did not win me any points in getting closer to finding out.

  As she starts to close the door she speaks to me one last time, “She is on her way back to Texas to see you. And if you hurt my friend, I have connections. That is all I am saying.” The sassy brunette slams the door in my face without another glance. Yes, Summer and her have some of the same traits and I can understand how these two probably click as friends. Clearly, neither one of them bother to hold anything back when it comes to whatever is on their mind. I smile to myself at how much this infuriating woman reminds me of Summer.

  Now I am curious, what in the hell is Summer doing in Texas and why is she coming to see me? The last time we spoke, she made it abundantly clear that she was not going to make this easy for me. Now I am more curious than ever as to what has changed her mind or is she coming home to tell me I didn't have a chance in hell and to make it clear that she wants me out of her life for good?

  I need to get back to Texas and I can't get there fast enough. I toss another forty bucks at the cab driver as soon as I duck back into the cab.

  “Airport. Take the shortest route and get me there as fast as possible.”

  The conversation with Summer's friend played over and over in my head. Had she really already moved on? Where would I go from here? I am in no way willing to accept that she has chosen to move on and has forgotten what is between us. Our entire lives have led up to this moment. Life couldn't possibly be this cruel, to tease me with a chance of love and then take it away, the moment I remove the blinders to see what has been there all along. I lost her once and I am not capable of surviving losing her again.

  She has always been my destiny. I may have taken the long road around to get to this place but there is n
o longer any reservation holding me back from the fact that this woman owns me body, heart, and soul. I fight against the sick feeling creeping its way through my body. I struggle against the emotions that are threatening to consume me and swallow me back into the darkness that is all too familiar.

  The ride to the airport forces me to reflect on all the ways I have taken her for granted. How could I assume that she would wait for me? For the first time in my life, I began to pray that I was not too late to reach her and convince her that no other man in this world could ever possibly love her as much as I do. I refuse to believe that what we have could be so easily replaced as if I were nothing more than a mere memory of all that was supposed to be.

  If she wants me to fight, she will see that I will until I have exhausted myself. This love is not going to slip out of my grasp and if it takes my last breath to convince her of all the reasons we belong together, that is what I am prepared to do. Summer Montgomery belongs to one man and that man is prepared to wage a war to claim her.

  I make it to the airport in record time, thanks in part to the cabbie who drove like a maniac to get me there. I settle into my seat on the plane after all the boarding security bullshit. My thoughts wander to Summer in Texas. She went back for me. That has to mean something, right? Knowing this, becomes my new motivation to get my girl.

  It is the longest flight ever back home. I constantly check my watch. I can't get to her fast enough. The Dallas airport comes into view and my mind is focused by the time we shuffle off of the plane.

  I pull out my cell phone and place a call to the shop. After a brief conversation with Cash, I am able to confirm that Summer hasn't yet been by the shop. He has been instructed to stall her and to purposely fail to mention that I was in fact in New York looking for her at the time. This will buy me some time to pull myself together.

  Mentally, I still need to prepare what I am going to say when I come face to face with the one woman who has brought me to my knees.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Summer

  As soon as I landed back on my home turf, I headed out to see my mom. She has taken the day off to meet me at her house. My pregnancy is definitely not agreeing with me as most of the flight was consumed with constant trips to the bathroom to puke. If I throw up one more time, I am afraid I will have to curl up into a ball and cry my eyes out. It has been two whole days since I have been able to hold down any food in my slightly growing stomach.

  Pregnancy definitely needs to come with instructions on how to make it through the roughest parts that overshadow any joy one could possibly experience knowing that an innocent life is growing inside of them. I have only known for a week that I am carrying Damien's child and in that week, it seems this kid is already showing signs of being a pain in the ass like his or her father.

  “Oh my baby! Look at this belly. I wasn't quite expecting to see you showing so much quite yet,” Mom says as she ignores me to go straight to rubbing my belly. In one week, it seems my stomach went from being a little pouch to showing a clearly defined bump. Not that the bump is huge, but if someone knows what they are looking for they will see it. Fortunately, I have taken to wearing baggy shirts and loose jeans that, for the most part, hide my situation enough not to arouse suspicion.

  “Yeah, well, I wasn't prepared for it to almost double in size in just a week. I already feel like I am waddling and none of my old clothes fit. I need to sit down because my feet and back are killing me.”

  Thankful for small blessings, I have come to terms with the shock of everything. My pregnancy, although unplanned, is something I have now come to embrace as a gift. I try to think of how excited my pops would be if he were here. He would make the best grandfather. The days following the news I was a complete wreck. I didn't know if I would get to the point of accepting this much less get to the point of being excited. Then one morning, I woke up and made my way to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of orange juice when it happened. I had just put the carton of juice on the counter and went to reach for a glass when the baby kicked.

  There are no words to describe the way your heart swells the moment you feel your child move inside of you. It was a profound moment that put everything into perspective. Ever since that moment, I have been elated. Watching my body change to accommodate this tiny life inside of me, is a wonder that I do not think I will ever understand or truly appreciate.

  In a matter of months, I will be bringing a life into this world. I try to imagine what it will be like to hold him or her for the first time. All of the love in my heart staring right back at me. I try to imagine those tiny fingers wrapped around my big ones. Hands that will hold her whether they are mine or her daddy's. Damien and I are responsible for picking her up when she falls and providing the shoulder she will lean on when she is hurting. Imagining this little life who will depend on me for everything, brings instant tears to my eyes. I am already in love with this child.

  Although, it is still too early to find out the sex, the doctor has assured me the baby seems to be healthy and strong. In my gut, I feel like it is a girl. To be honest, all I could hope for is a healthy baby.

  “Well, you haven't seen anything yet. Just wait another two months. Have you reached a decision on the offer that I mentioned on the phone last week?” she asks cautiously not to make me feel pressure in deciding anything before I am fully ready.

  “Actually, yes I have. I am going to take you up on the offer if it still stands.”

  “Of course. Oh Summer, I am so excited. I really do think this is the best thing for you. When are you going to handle everything?”

  “Well, no time like the present. Let's face it. I am not going to want to go back to modeling after the baby comes and I know that the city is not where I want to raise this baby.” My hand instinctively goes to my stomach.

  My mother has agreed to let me buy the rental property that I lived in for the few months I was here before. I am going to do a few renovations over the next few months before the birth of the baby.

  “I have already given the keys to the loft to Michelle and she didn't waste any time moving in. Most of my belongings are packed and I have a moving company scheduled to drive everything down later this week.”

  “Have you talked to Damien yet?” she asks as she refills her cup of coffee.

  “Not yet. I wanted to come here first, talk to you, and get a little rest after that awful flight. I think I will go by the shop this afternoon or tomorrow. I haven't figured out what to say yet. This whole situation has blindsided me and I need to work through how I am going to break the news to him. I guess I am just afraid that he is going to bolt. This is a lot to take in and I wouldn't blame him if he isn't ready to handle it.”

  She clasps my hand into hers and smiles.

  “Baby, I am sure that Damien might surprise you. You never know until you give him the chance. Just know, that no matter what, you can do this with or without him. You are very strong and you are going to make a wonderful mother.”

  “Thanks, mom. I did have great role models for parents so I am not worried. At first I was doubtful, but now there is just a peace that I can't explain. Do you mind if I just go lie down for a bit and get some rest. I am struggling just to keep my eyes open?” I yawn through the words. I feel exhausted. Every part of my body is weak. My emotions are all over the place and my nerves are beyond stretched.

  I fell asleep playing all the different scenarios of how my conversation with Damien will go. A part of me wants to wake up and redo the past four months.

  A couple of hours later, I wake to my cell phone ringing incessantly. I glance at the caller ID to see that it is Michelle calling.

  “Hello.”

  “Hey girl. I was hoping to catch you in time. Damien was here earlier. He knows you are in Texas.” Struggling to come out of my slumber, it isn't quite registering what she is saying.

  “Damien was where?” I ask Michelle.

  “Here.”

  “Like as in New Yor
k?” I ask. What is Michelle talking about? None of this makes sense.

  “Yes. He came by the loft and asked for you. I let him in and kind of gave him the third degree. As he was leaving, I broke down and told him where you were. I didn't know what else to do. I hope you aren't mad.”

  “No I'm not mad. I am just trying to figure out what the hell he was doing in New York and how the hell he knew where to find me. Never mind. I'll call you back.” I hung up the phone and couldn't have been more pissed off. My mother. It had to have been her. Why the fuck would she give him my address? I toss the blanket off of me and storm into the living room where she is sitting on the couch.

  “How could you? And furthermore, why the fuck would you?” I yell at her.

  “What are you talking about? What did I do?” I have never raised my voice at my mother in my entire twenty six years much less curse at her. The shocked look on her face clearly tells me she is surprised at the anger in my voice.

  “Don't. You do not get to do that. That was Michelle on the phone who told me that Damien was there earlier. Why the hell did you give him my address? It is one thing to give him my telephone number without asking me but my address is crossing a line. Did you tell him I am pregnant too?”

  The thought makes me nauseous. I can't believe she betrayed me like this. My own mother. She has gone too far and right now I don't know if I can believe anything that comes out of her mouth. What else has she done behind my back?

  “Of course not. I wouldn't do that, Summer but you were being stubborn and Damien needed you. You think that you can just walk out of people's lives because you can't put your big girl panties on long enough to give people the time that they need. Not everything runs on your time and you don't just get to walk away and leave everyone else to do damage control. You weren't here to see what walking out did to that man. You are so selfish sometimes and you think everything is always about what you want, when you want it. I raised you better than that and you will not talk to me like this. I was trying to do you both a favor.”