Unraveled (The Monroe Family Book 5)

by Nicole Dykes

  He sighs heavily before he answers, “Alex, you are unlike anyone I’ve ever met before. When we first met, I had just finalized my divorce from Diana and she was just so proper. That’s the type of women I know; sophisticated, proper, poised.”

  Boring. I’ve only met his ex-wife once, but I would say that’s an accurate description. “What’s your point?”

  “You were wild and free. It was exciting.”

  “And now?”

  He looks defeated. “Now, I’m not sure. Now maybe I’m starting to think that I would be a better fit with someone like my ex. This promotion means the world to me, but lately I’ve been thinking about how dinners like tonight will be more frequent. I could tell you hated every second of tonight Alex.”

  He’s not wrong. Not about any of it. We have always been opposites, and they say opposites attract, but I think you still need to have the same core values. After tonight, I’m certain our values are as different as night and day.

  “Please say something,” he begs.

  “I know what you mean.”

  He looks at me puzzled. “You do?”

  I nod my head slowly. “I’ve only ever known men like Jax and Shriller. When we met, I was fed up because I wanted commitment and a serious relationship. You were exciting to me because you could offer all of that. Maybe we both overcorrected a little.”

  He nods his head as if this makes perfect sense. I slip the beautiful diamond engagement ring off of my finger and put it into his palm. His fingers fold closed over it. “I really do love you, Alex.”

  Tears well up in my eyes as I see the love in his. “I love you too, but it just isn’t right . It’s forced.”

  He agrees silently and then kisses my cheek softly before walking back inside the club.

  So, I was right all along. He isn’t cheating. He isn’t gay. He’s not impotent. We were both just looking for something different and trying to force the pieces to fit.

  I feel numb as I pick up my car and climb back behind the wheel. I contemplate where to go as I put the car in drive. I could go to Brooke’s, but she will make me examine every detail. Or I can take my chances and go back to my place and hope that Jax left and Shriller is in his room.

  I head toward my apartment deciding that I will just take the risk of running into Shriller and hopefully be able to climb into a hot bath to soak away one hell of a night.

  Chapter 20

  Shriller

  I

  sit on the couch with the bottle of whiskey still sitting on the table in front of me. It’s taunting me, wanting me to drink it, but the truth is I’m afraid if I start I won’t be able to stop tonight.

  I’m not an alcoholic per se, but one of the few things I know about my father is that he was. I’ve had my fair share of fuck ups when it comes to drinking and thank God, the two times that involved the cops, they took it easy on me because they recognized me. Now, I avoid alcohol when I’ve had a shitty day, with the exception of Billy’s funeral, but of course I almost crossed a line with Alex that night.

  Speaking of Alex, I can’t get her off of my fucking mind. She let that fucker buy her a dress for tonight. A dress specifically designed to cover every inch of her because he doesn’t like tattoos. Pussy.

  I stare at the full brown bottle in front of me. Fuck it. One drink isn’t gonna kill me.

  I unscrew the lid and just as I take a swig straight from the bottle the lock turns and Alex walks in the apartment.

  She tosses her purse on the table and walks further into the living room, examining me. “Seriously, Shriller, am I going to have to put your ass in rehab or some shit?”

  I look at the bottle, still in my hand. “Nah, I’m good.”

  She places her hand on her hip and gestures to the bottle with her other one. “You sure? This is the second time I’ve caught you deep in a liquor bottle this month.”

  I put the bottle back on the table and kick my good leg up on the coffee table to join my bad one. “I literally had one drink out of this bottle. I wouldn’t call that deep. What are you doing home anyway? Past Stephen’s bedtime?”

  She glares at me, “Don’t be a dick and I don’t want to talk about it. Bad day.”

  She has me intrigued now so I pat the couch next to me, “Well sit down. Join the shitty day club.”

  “That sounds like a fucking terrible club, Shriller.”

  “Yeah, but we have whiskey.”

  She smiles briefly at that. “You didn’t say anything about having a bad day earlier.”

  I shrug it off and joke, “Yeah well, I was too distracted by that hideous dress.”

  “Asshole,” she says that, but she takes a seat next to me on the couch.

  “So, what happened at dinner, Alex? Why are you home so early?” I prod.

  She eyes the whiskey bottle and then looks me straight in the eyes with a sad expression. “We ended our relationship.”

  I stare at her stunned and knowing I need to tread lightly or I’m going to get my nuts cut off.

  She sighs heavily, “I don’t want to talk about it.” Her tone is commanding when she points at me, “Now you.”

  Oh, I’m getting that story, but I know Alex well enough to know that if I want her to talk, I’m gonna have to ante up first. “They switched me to a more flexible cast on my knee at my doctor’s appointment yesterday,” I start.

  Alex gets up and goes into the kitchen, “That’s a good thing, right?”

  I hear her rustling through cabinets as I continue. “It should have been, but today at physical therapy I couldn’t support much weight and it hurt like a motherfucker.”

  Alex rejoins me on the couch with two glasses. “It’s only been three weeks since you had surgery, Shriller. So far, I would say you are losing the shitty day contest.”

  She grabs the bottle and pours some into each glass, handing one to me. I sit it on the table, still not sure if I want to go there. “Just listen okay? They did an x-ray because I did a shitty job at hiding the pain. Turns out that fucking quack of a doctor was wrong about his skills and I’ll need at least one more surgery, if not two.”

  It still makes my blood boil. That douchebag looked me right in the eye and promised it would be one.

  Alex laughs, actually fucking laughs at me. I didn’t think she was going to pat my head or anything, but fucking laughing? Really?

  My expression must show how pissed I am because she just shakes her head. “Shriller, you can’t be that surprised. Your knee was fucked up. I’m no doctor, but I’ve seen the x-rays and it’s bad. He tried, but it was worse than he thought.” She shrugs and takes a drink of her whiskey. “So, what’s the problem?”

  I stare at her, dumbfounded. “The problem is, that’s another fucking surgery. More recovery time. More time away from racing.” I pick up my glass and take a drink. “I’m thirty years old, Alex. I can’t be away for a year. That’s plenty of time for some young punk to swoop in.”

  She looks like she’s thinking about it. Good. I hope she feels like an ass. She just rolls her eyes at me and then locks them with mine. “Big fucking deal. So, you have to have another surgery. Suck it up. How’s your collarbone? It’s not in the usual sling.”

  My eyes go to where the sling was. My collarbone is still sore, but healing well enough that I don’t have to constantly wear a sling. Though I have been encouraged by my physical therapist to use it often. “Better.”

  She nods her head triumphantly. “Exactly and your knee will be too. And you and I both know they aren’t going to forget about Shriller the Thriller anytime soon. So, toughen up buttercup.”

  I want to be pissed off. I want to tell her off for being a bitch. But the truth is this is why I love having Alex in my life. She could let me drown in self-pity, or she could make me snap out of it and realize I’m being a baby. There really isn’t anything else to say about that, so I counter. “All right, back to you. What the hell happened tonight?”

  She lets out a defeated sigh, knowing it’
s her turn. “We just weren’t right for each other. He wanted me to be someone else. Some Stepford Wife type.”

  “Ah, so your pal Shriller was right all along, huh?” I can’t help, but to gloat a little.

  “Shut up.”

  “So it’s really over?”

  She takes a slow drink and then cups the glass in her hand. “Yes. I can’t believe I was so blind.”

  I can’t believe she was either, but part of me gets it. She was looking for safe. She wanted a guy that wasn’t going to destroy her, who wouldn’t argue and would give her what she wanted. Marriage. Babies. No hair pulling drama. On paper, I’m sure that seemed great, but deep down she has to know she’s better than that. “So, I guess your day wasn’t all that shitty either.”

  She looks at me as if she’s stunned. Why, I’m not sure. She knows me. I’m not going to baby her any more than she babies me. “I ended a three-year relationship today.”

  “You dodged a fucking bullet today.” I say and take another drink of the smooth whiskey. Alex gives me a look of irritation so I explain. “You weren't even having sex, Alex. And when you did, I’m sure it was lame.”

  “It wasn’t bad.”

  “Bullshit.”

  She finishes what was left in her glass. “It wasn’t. It was just maybe a little…what’s the word?” She snaps her fingers and says, “Mechanical, that’s it. And I always had to be the one to initiate it.”

  “Always?”

  She nods. “Yup. Always. Which is fine, but sometimes a girl just wants a man to be a fucking man you know? Just grab her and kiss her. Take charge.”

  I finish my drink and sit the glass on the table, taking in her words. “Oh yeah? You like that huh?”

  “What women doesn’t?”

  “Ballbusters.” I shoot back, trying to figure out just how much she likes a man being in control.

  “Yeah, well maybe that why I crave that. I’m always in charge.”

  Holy shit. Is she buzzed? because that’s a real confession from her and it seemed to come out easily. Maybe I should just call it a day and go to bed because this conversation is giving me crazy ideas.

  Alex sets her glass next to mine and sits up straighter. She’s sitting on the edge of the couch when she asks, “So, another surgery?”

  I nod my head, dropping my legs from their propped-up position so they are now on the floor, though I don’t let my bad leg bend at the knee. “Yeah. I guess I’ll be in your hair a little longer.”

  “No big deal, Shriller.” Alex stands up and I look up at her as she says, “It’s been a long day. I’m going to bed. Thanks for letting me join in your club.”

  She smiles and starts out of the room.

  Fuck it. I let my brain go ahead and totally check out, letting my cock step up and do all the thinking as I stand up, sans crutch. I try to ignore the pain in my knee as I catch up to Alex and spin her around to face me.

  I don’t give her a chance to tell me not to, and I crash my lips onto hers, pulling her body tightly to mine. I feel her hesitate, but I don’t let her think. I’m a possessed man as I kiss her lips, my tongue pleading with her to open her mouth.

  Alex gives in, her hands moving to my hair, gripping it tightly, pulling me into our kiss. Her mouth finally opens for me. I can’t get enough of her warm mouth, but way too soon I feel her hands on my chest as she pushes me back. Gasping for air she asks, “What was that about?”

  I’m not going to apologize. She doesn’t want me to, I can see it. “Taking charge. Doing what we both want,” I offer the simple explanation.

  She doesn’t say a word. For the first time since I met Alex, she’s speechless, so I take that as my hint and pull her back into a kiss, both of our tongues wrestling for dominance. I grab her ass and pull her up until her legs wrap tightly around me. I hold her mostly with my left arm, thankfully she’s light. The long skirt of her fancy dress is making it difficult and I can’t wait to rip it off. Again, I ignore my knee that is screaming in pain, but Alex doesn’t.

  She pulls back slightly, her arms still around my neck. “Your knee.”

  “It’s fine.”

  She shakes her head and starts to try to get me to release her. Not happening. “Shriller, you’re gonna fuck up your knee…”

  I kiss her full, fuckable lips again and pull back slightly, just so I can say forcefully, “Alex, shut up.”

  Surprisingly she does and I carry her to her room before tossing her on her bed. I stare at her and can clearly see she wants this as bad as I do. I grin at her.

  This is happening.

  Chapter 21

  Shriller

  H

  oly shit. This is happening. Don’t think, Shriller. We’re already here. Line’s been crossed, might as well go for the gold. Alex stares up at me as if we are both frozen in time.

  Fuck this.

  I pull my shirt off over my head in one quick motion, forgetting about my arm, but thankfully the pain is only slight. Alex bites her bottom lip as she sits on the edge of her bed, taking in the sight of my bare chest. The hunger in her eyes fuels me. I shudder when she brings her hand up, and I feel her finger tips trace the ridges of my abs.

  Her touch is feather light. I don’t take time to think that these are Alex’s fingers that are touching me. I’m going to devour her.

  I grab her hand and pull her up so she’s standing directly in front of me. I don’t say a word as I spin her around so I can figure out how to get this atrocity off her. There is a zipper, and I quickly slide it down her back. I go back and forth between wanting to take my time and wanting to get this fucking dress off her so I can be deep inside of her.

  I turn her back around and pull the sleeves of the dress down before finally lowering the whole dress to the floor. Alex steps out of it and kicks it to the side, leaving her in a plain strapless black bra and a matching cotton thong.

  My eyes take in every inch of her. Fuck. Me. She’s perfect. She’s small, but the girl has curves. I notice every tattoo, from her arms to her hips. All the way down to her left ankle and the top of her right foot. She isn’t covered in ink, but each one is a masterpiece as far as I’m concerned. I smile when I look at her stomach and see that she left the piercing in her belly button tonight. I like to think that was a big “fuck you” to Stephen.

  I pull her to me again, letting her skin touch mine. I kiss her lips with a need I’ve never felt before and move her back toward the queen-sized bed. When her legs hit the edge, she pulls me with her and we land on the bed.

  Unfortunately, when my knee hits the mattress I hit my threshold for pain and groan loudly. I freeze in pain and Alex looks up at me in horror and then looks down at my knee as if realizing what’s going on. She smiles confidently up at me and puts her hand on my left shoulder, encouraging me to roll off of her.

  I roll so I’m on my back, but I take her with me. My cock is aching with her firm thighs straddling me, leaving her warm pussy lined up perfectly.

  She grins down at me before dipping her head to my neck, gently sucking and driving me wild. I feel her tongue as she slowly explores my chest and stomach with her mouth. Tracing over my many tattoos.

  Her lips leave a trail of kisses as she reaches my jeans and her hands quickly unbutton them. My dick is aching to be free, but I grip her wrist with my hand, stopping her from doing just that. She wants a man in control? I can do that.

  She looks up at me with a puzzled expression, and I shake my head at her, pulling her face back up to mine. My voice is full of gravel and I barely recognize it, but I’ve never been more turned on in my life. “Strip.”

  She bites that bottom lip again. She’s nervous? That’s cute.

  She looks like she might back out of this, but then a look of determination comes over her. Like I challenged her. She slides her body down mine and slowly moves her body off of the bed so she is standing at the foot of it.

  “So you finally get to see me naked, Shriller?” She asks, teasing me. Just standing there
.

  I nod. “Stop talking and take your bra off.” I say hoping I’m coming off more domineering than desperate.

  She moves her hand to the back of the bra. “You want to see my tits?”

  Since I can remember. I nod my head, trying to stay in control and not jump up and rip the fucking thing off of her. She smiles and turns around so I can watch as she undoes one of the two hooks.

  Damn, could she move any slower? The woman is gonna kill me. “Now the other one.” I choke out, huskily.

  Her nimble fingers undo the other clasp, but her other hand goes to the front as she turns back around to face me and I see she’s holding the material to cover her chest.

  “Fuck me, Alex,” I groan.

  “Oh I intend to” she says with that sexy confidence I knew she had in her.

  She slowly drops the material finally revealing her perfect full tits, making my mouth water. God, I want her.

  “Now the thong,” I order. Please don’t let it be slow.

  She must feel the heat because she swiftly pulls them down and makes her way back onto the bed, and back to straddling me as I lie flat on the comfortable mattress. I only catch a glimpse at her trimmed pussy, but I know I want to taste her.

  Now how the hell can I get around my bum knee? I grin to myself as I solve that problem and pull Alex up so her glorious pussy is right in front of mouth.

  She’s wet and ready for me and I don’t waste any time before using my tongue to explore her.

  “Ah, shit Shriller,” Alex hisses as she leans forward, and her hands grip her wooden headboard above my head.

  My hands cup her firm ass as I pull her tighter to me and run my tongue along her slit before I find the sweet spot. I suck her clit in my mouth and hear her gasp, “Holy shit.”

  I massage it with my tongue and it doesn’t take long before her thighs have my head in a vice and her back arches. She lets go in a sweet release, and the sounds coming out of her mouth will never be forgotten.

  She’s panting as she lets go of the headboard. I help her move back down my body to straddle my thighs once again.