by Marie Wathen
“Glad you could make it tonight,” Nelson Kennedy says clutching Decks’ hand while reaching out with the other for the glass of champagne the bartender offers.
Nelson is in his mid sixties with thin salt and pepper hair. In his younger days he was probably a nice looking man. Today he looks old and haggard, but then again, it may be my hatred for him that distorts my perception. His eyes flick my direction briefly, but he dismisses me, and turns away just as fast.
“Hello Nelson,” Decks says before turning toward the woman Nelson left standing behind him.
“Hillary, it’s so good to see you,” Decks’ aunt says, placing a kiss against his cheek. She is a petite woman with dark gray hair swept up in a chignon. Her silver dress shimmers under the dimmed outdoor lighting. The smile radiating from her pale face completely outshines the exceptional dress.
“Camille, you look beautiful and Britny seems really happy with Hartley.” He winks at her before turning back to Nelson, “Adding an attorney to the family could prove to be useful.”
“Perhaps,” is all that Nelson retorts, as he shifts around, turning his back on Decks and greeting another couple. He completely dismisses Decks just as he had me.
“Camille, this is my date, Angel Johnson.” Undisturbed by Nelson’s complete disregard, Decks smoothly slips an arm around my back. “Angel, this amazing woman is the mother of the bride.”
“Good evening, Mrs. Kennedy,” I say flashing my real smile.
“It’s nice to meet you dear,” Camille says, smiling thoughtfully at Decks. “Hillary, she is quiet lovely.”
Decks pulls me closer against his side, smirks down at me and says, “I agree completely.”
“I’m sure we’re not alone in thinking that she is the most beautiful woman here tonight. Well, except for my baby girl, of course.” Leaning in close, Camille places a hand on Decks’ free arm and whispers seriously, “Lourdes must really hate this one.” I arch an eyebrow up at her comment. “Don’t fret,” she speaks to me through a soft giggle, while straightening her back. “The poor child envies everything that rivals her for attention.”
Surprisingly, insecurity is the problem with most beautiful women which makes them hate other women. It is interesting that Lourdes’ reasons for hating me could be because she feels threatened by my looks. If she wasn’t so filled with bitterness Lourdes would be absolutely gorgeous. However, nearly every time I’ve encountered her, the snarl eclipsing her face takes away from her beauty.
“She was a fat kid,” Decks chuckles before adding, “I think all of her anger comes from starving herself to death.” Camille shakes her head at his teasing so he continues. “And she’s color blind. She found out the hard way how to tell the difference between a ripe and ready banana.” I’m confused. “She can’t decipher between green and yellow. I may have mixed up the two colors one day when she asked for my help.”
“Ah,” I reply now that I get what the hell he is talking about. Brothers.
“Accidentally, of course. Best part is I’ve told her for years that yellow looks atrocious on her, when it’s actually green that makes her look like that little Mike creature from Monsters Inc.”
“Stop that, you rascal,” Camille scolds, and okay, I’ll admit that I laughed at that.
“Think nothing of it Nelson. It was an honor for me to stand in for her dad,” the voice belongs to the man I was hoping to avoid running into tonight.
I knew my luck would run out. It’s like karma can’t help but be a bitch to me. Both Decks and Camille direct their attention to Blues as he speaks with Nelson. I spin around to the bartender and order another whiskey after downing my first one. I squeeze my eyes shut tightly and begin chanting internally. Please just go away. I haven’t had nearly enough bourbon to deal with the lust that Blues will conjure out of my body so I slam back the second drink and request a double. The bartend winks and obliges me, making quick work of pouring the dark amber liquid over two chunky ice cubes.
“Ethan,” Camille starts. “I am the one who is honored. After Owens’ death, Britny wouldn’t open up to anyone except for you. Truthfully,” she chuckles, “I didn’t think she would ever find a man she’d want to marry who could compete with you. A teenage crush like the one she’s had on you isn’t easy to get over.”
“She’s happy now and that’s all that matters to me,” Blues deflects charmingly.
Leaning his back against the bar beside me, Decks muses, “Even though Britny is family, I can’t believe Lourdes didn’t put her foot down and demand someone else give the beautiful bride away.” I sip slowly on my drink, hopefully blending in and going unnoticed while finally feeling the warming effects of my liquor.
“I can’t deny that she did become ridiculous briefly, but I shut it down after explaining that she didn’t have a say in the matter.” Blues states flatly.
“Camille, if you will forgive me dear, I must check on something in my office.” Nelson says before adding, “Ethan,” he pauses and I pray that he will ask Blues to join him, getting him the hell away from me. “I don’t know how long I’ll be, but in case I miss you before you leave, I have a meeting scheduled for Tuesday. I want you by my side.”
“Certainly,” is all I hear Blues reply, followed by heavy retreating footsteps and then silence. Please let him be gone too.
Something deep in my head screams at me to keep looking away, but maybe all the alcohol has impaired my intelligence because I say fuck it and glance over my shoulder anyway. It’s so unfortunate that I didn’t listen to the smart part of my brain. Those sapphire eyes light up as soon as I look back. Deep, rolling waves of passionate fire engulfs my soul when his lips curl upward revealing a hypnotic smile.
I am lust’s bitch. A loud clicking sound snaps within my brain. Everything I’ve been battling against locks me down as a wanton slut, eagerly slipping on heavy gauged handcuffs after just one freaking glance at Blues in a pristine white Armani tux. Gracefully, I swirl around and face the eye of my storm, feeling assurance that even though he is smiling he won’t recognize me.
“You remember Angel,” Decks says proudly, sweeping his arm around my waist and bursting my anonymity bubble. Fuck!
Blues’ sexy smile drops along with his eyes, glaring fiercely at the intimate connection between me and Decks. Barely able to stand from the combination of too much whiskey and my reawakened libido, I push out from Decks’ hold securing my hand on top of the bar for balance.
“Would you like some water?” a savior from behind me asks. I twist my head around finding the bartender smiling knowingly at me. I nod at him and turn my body his direction. Giving all of my attention to the sweet young tattooed guy, I blow out a heavy breath after accepting his priceless gift.
“Thank you.” Winking at him, I giggle and add, “You’re my hero.”
A little bit of naughty girl slips out when I glance over at Decks still leaning beside me. Proving a point to myself as well as Blues that I don’t want him, I glide my hand up Decks’ arm, once again draping loosely over the edge of the bar. I barely feel the material on the sleeve of his coat under my fingertips because apparently the heavy dose of liquid courage numbed my digits along with my brain.
Decks eases around, slipping one arm over my belly while his other arm wraps around my back so that I am completely encased by his large body. He nuzzles his chin over the top of my shoulder, breathing against my ear.
“Are you ready to go home?” he murmurs blowing around my loose strands and making them dance across my neck.
I giggle softly, and just before I can answer Blues says, “I believe Angel owes me a dance first.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
I can’t speak. Hell I can barely breathe. So when the twitchy movement of my head appears to be me agreeing to dance with him, Blues peels me out of Decks’ embrace and guides me inside to the ballroom dance floor. I sober up quickly when Blues snakes his right palm around my waist, gripping the small of my back and drawing me against him. His left
hand, warm and tender clasps around my right and lifts it, placing it snuggly against his chest. I feel like a lioness caged by his massive muscular frame. Unsure of my ability to maintain control if I look at him, my eyes zero in on the pearly button at the collar on his stark white shirt.
“My god you are stunning,” he whispers, squeezing my hand delicately. Do not look at him.
“Thank you,” I offer weakly and way too breathlessly, trembling slightly from the crush of our bodies and remembering how his flesh feels against my flesh. I force myself not to moan with bliss while need rages through my whole body.
“I spotted you before the wedding.” Releasing a heavy breath, Blues says, “I’ve never been so captivated by a single thing before. I had to force my smile and direct my eyes forward. I almost couldn’t escort Britny down the aisle properly. One glance at you before handing her over, and I wouldn’t have been able to keep it together.”
“Don’t say that,” I whimper, but somehow find strength and add, “You know that isn’t how things are between us, Mr. Sloane.”
“Angel,” Blues growls low, “for fucks sake, call me Blues. I can’t stand to hear that name coming from your perfect mouth.” I snap my gaze up to him, seeing a contained hostility deepening the frown lines around his heavenly blue eyes. Clearly he has issues with his name, but I don’t need to know anymore about his personal problems. I just need to get this damn case over. Silence builds between us for a few moments after that uncomfortable bit.
“What happened back there doll?” Blues purrs, tilting his mouth down, brushing it against the edge of my face. His hot breath grazes my cheek and my body temperature ratchets up, doubling the already scorching degrees. I fight the overwhelming desire to nuzzle into him, and instead I turn my head away to glance over his shoulder.
My voice comes out thick and raspy when I answer, “I’m not sure what you mean.”
A sexy as fuck chuckle precedes his response. “I believe I just witnessed an angel become the devil right before my eyes.”
The crowded room is filled with total strangers, but I feel like everyone of them are onto my charade, and they are all watching, and waiting for me to give up of my disguise. Being in Blues’ arms makes me feel like I am on display; the man is larger than life and commands attention. A tiny voice whispers in my head that I need him and that I can use him for that need. It also reasons that he doesn’t want me for anything other than a good fuck, which really is absolutely fine. I mean, that is what we’re talking about here, right? Wait, no, I can’t. Holding back from him is what I must do to prevent a stupid mistake from destroying everything I’ve worked so hard for.
Finding the proper words, I defend with what I hope comes across as conviction, “Decks and I are together now, and I just can’t keep my hands off of him.” I pat myself on the back for getting through that fat ass lie without stuttering and giving myself away. Stay strong, I encourage myself, hearing the end of the song we’re swaying to approaching.
“Even more than with Rad, I damn sure don’t see you with Decks,” he growls deeply again, sliding his hand up to the middle of my spine. Tingles zip along the path, surging my need along with it. Automatically my breast thrust forward into his unyielding chest. He dips his mouth lower, lips pressing against my ear and while tightening his grip on me, Blues groans, “Fuck...”
Forcing myself to focus on the couples dancing around us instead of his filthy mouth and the tightening in my belly, I go for the jugular and counter, “I was thinking the same thing about you and Lourdes. I don’t get it.”
Blues growls deeply, his body heat coming through his suit rolls in waves as true anger appears for the first time. “Not everything is as it appears,” he offers sadly, schooling his aggression and catching me completely off guard with that admission. Glancing up at him, I see honesty in his beautiful blue eyes affirming his statement. He must be with Lourdes because of a debt or an arrangement with Nelson.
I sigh, “I figured as much with you screwing my brains out the first night we met.”
“I didn’t lie to you that night, Angel. I needed you.”
I swallow hard. His words feel like tiny threads weaving around my heart, reaching a part of me that no man has ever touched. An unusual hysteria commences in my brain, warning me that I am stepping into something that will consume me fully. Admitting to Blues that I need him just as much would be the easiest thing in the world, but I am Samantha Walker and I don’t ever take the easy way out of a damn thing.
“It was a mistake,” I whisper, lowering my eyes to our joined hands, wishing that I could take the words back as soon as they slip passed my lips, but no truer words have been spoken.
Releasing the enthralling hold on my hand, Blues slips his fingers under my chin and brings my face up so that I’m staring into his eyes. For the first time, I see a deep need surging through them matching mine.
“I have made many mistakes in my life” he admits, stroking his thumb along my jaw line, “You will never be counted as one of them.”
A shiver runs down my spine, taking my sanity and making me naive. My mind becomes cloudy with an urgent desire for Blues to flub up again, but instead of saying that he needs me, he would confess that he wants me. That doesn’t make sense and it will never happen.
A light wind blows through the open double doors pulling me out of the trance Blues is navigating my soul into with his words and touch. Although it feels like my heart is breaking, I shake my head, denying there could be anything more than a bad decision between us. No more pretending. The song ends and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I slip from his embrace without looking back, immediately spotting Decks strolling into the ballroom toward me.
“Angel,” he smiles brightly. “One more twirl around the room with me then I’ll take you home and tuck you safely into your bed.”
Craving anything that will erase the memory of Blues’ touch, I nod and Decks takes possession of my body, moving us effortlessly around the dance floor.
Like a stupid girl, I glance over my shoulder needing to see him one last time, but Blues is gone and Lourdes is also MIA. Feeling that it’s for the best, I cling onto Decks and when the song ends it brings with it the finale of this whirlwind night. We have a story, but I’m making Blues a short one and rewriting the ending. We will never happen again.
Decks drops me off at Natalie’s, and still behaving as a true gentleman, he kisses me on the cheek at the front door before making his escape. It’s well after midnight so this sweet little family has probably been asleep for hours. I rush up to my room without disturbing them and change into street clothes. Meeting Russ for the intel he needs to pass on will help clear my head of all things Blues. At least I hope like hell it does.
Chapter Twenty-Five
After backing my motorcycle down the driveway silently, I hit the ignition and streak through the dark suburbs in Peachtree City. When I arrive at home, I pass the empty driveway to park around the block. Keeping up with his charade of being in lockup, Russ’ GTO still sits at the other house, and if I know Kris, she’s at her parents this weekend. Skulking around the backside of my neighbors’ houses, I finally reach my back door and after fishing the spare key out of the small gardening box, I slip inside undetected. Casually walking through the kitchen toward the muted television flashing in the living room, I spot Russ passed out on the leather sofa.
“Hey sleeping beauty,” I growl next to his ear before nuzzling my boot against his knee, draping off the edge. “Wake up Russ.”
“What?” Russ moans all sleepy eyed. He scrubs his palms roughly over them and then pushes up to sit on the side of the sofa. “What time is it?” he asks around a yawn.
“Around three in the morning,” I say plopping down beside him. “Tell me what was so important that you risked blowing my cover by calling me on my work cell.”
“I tried your other one for two hours before I gave in and broke policy.” He yawns again and stretches his arms above his head
.
“Come on, let’s get some coffee going and you can tell me what’s up.”
“Okay,” Russ follows me into the kitchen and drags out a chair from the table to take a seat. “Did you have a nice time at the Kennedy mansion? God, do you know how long I wanted to get inside that big bastard?”
“It was extreme, that’s for sure.” I shrug, switching on the coffee pot. “I met Nelson. Well, actually I saw him and met Camille. I got lady woody watching him be so comfortable and free, completely unaware that the one who will bring his fucking ass down was sitting only inches away from him.”
Russ chuckles while running a hand through his messy hair. “I have no doubts that you will do it too.”
I pour the steaming hot coffee into two large mugs and pass one to Russ before taking the seat beside him. He glares at me for a brief moment and I notice that maybe he really is a little jealous that I’m on the inside where he wanted to be for over a year. I know that if the roles were reversed I would be madder than a motherfucker.
“I was set up,” he states matter-of-factly.
“What?” I choke, sipping on my drink. “How? Who?”
“After the bust one of the DA’s came to see me in lock up and told me that there were two uniforms on scene that were suspected to be tied to Kennedy.”
“No shit?”
Bobbing his head, Russ continues, “Yeah, another one of the guys overhead one of them say that he picked me up just after crossing the state line. The guy he spoke to was the shift Sergeant who called for the shutdown of the eastbound side of the interstate about twenty minutes later.”
“Okay, so who would set you up like that? It had to come from the inside. You didn’t tell anyone other than me about the transport, right?”
“Nope,” he confirms, taking a big gulp from his cup. “After you gave me Blues’ card, I called him immediately. He had me come to his office in Atlanta and then I left from there to meet you. What doesn’t add up is why Blues’ would intentionally sabotage a shipment that big? Was it simply to get me out of the way?”