Always Yours

by Kari March

  "Really? That's strange. He's so easy going," I said shocked as I grabbed the beers and started sticking them in the fridge.

  Tapping her fingers on the counter she looked at me. "Do you think he's..." She trailed off, a look of panic and fear clouding her features.

  "Do I think what? That he's cheating on you?" My brow furrowed at her and she nodded her head slowly. "Not possible. You know Kyle would never do that to you. Not after what his parents put him through." She smiled the weakest, most half assed smile I had ever seen. "It's true, Shay, and deep down you know it too. Maybe he's just stressing about the gym. It's a huge gamble for him and it opens in, what, a month?"

  "Yeah, I guess you could be right. I mean, he has been working a lot lately. I'll try to push through until after the opening." Her normal upbeat smile returned to her face. "But if he is still acting like this after the opening then I am kicking his ass!"

  We continued stocking the bar, getting ready for the evening when there was a loud knock on the door. The employees always just came in if it was after four pm and seeing as how it was now 4:15 I couldn't help but wonder who it was. Walking over I swung the door open to find Nolan Brooks, our liquor distributor, and a group of scandalously dressed women behind him.

  Nolan had been supplying Maggie's Place with all things alcohol for over three years and we had become surprisingly close for having a business relationship. When I first started working at the bar he knew I was Royce's daughter so he stayed clear but it didn't last long.

  Nolan was an endless flirt and as soon as I was behind the bar the real him emerged. He had asked me out a few times a couple years ago but I always said no. I wasn't about to deviate from my plan of 'no men' for just anyone. Don't get me wrong—Nolan was attractive, quirky and charismatic—deep down I think I always had a small thing for him but I was always scared of getting hurt.

  "Hey, Cara, where do you want us?" he said as he pushed past me, his arms full of marketing materials.

  "Umm, hi," I uttered, confused as hell.

  An unsettling feeling washed over me—the last time I saw Nolan, Cam had followed me home from the bar and accused me of sleeping with him. It was also the night Cam fucked me silly on my kitchen table—the night he owned my body and stole my heart. I felt my cheeks flush as the memory haunted me—my heart breaking all over again.

  "You forgot, didn't you?" Nolan asked as the five women in white, skin tight pirate shirts and black, way-too-short-their-asses-were-hanging-out skirts, walked in with huge fake smiles plastered to their faces.

  Trying to focus I searched for any recollection of what was going on. Searching my brain, I remembered the last conversation I had with Nolan.

  "The Captain event! Oh, shit, it's tonight?" I felt like a complete idiot for letting it slip my mind. He raised his eyebrows and nodded at me like I was beyond stupid. "Crap, Nolan. I'm so sorry. I've had a lot going on this week." My head tilted down as I looked at him through my lashes.

  "When you look at me like that, there's no way I could be mad at you." He brushed the back of his fingers across my cheek and I smiled, grateful that he wasn't mad at me. "But I hope you're fully staffed. We've been promoting this event for a month and you're going to be packed tonight."

  I looked back at Shay and she shrugged her shoulders at me. I was so relieved she was here tonight. Smashing my thumb between my teeth I grimaced at her as I silently pleaded for her forgiveness. Reaching under the bar she grabbed my stash of Cinnamon Bears and threw them on the bar top. "I'll go get more beer and liquor from the back," she conceded and I released the breath I'd been holding.

  Lexi sauntered through the door and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the group of women. "What's going on?" I knew I was going to have to pull Lexi from her last night of training but I wasn't worried. She caught on quickly and handled the customers beautifully, even the overly egotistical ones. The female patrons seemed to adore her southern charm as much as the men and I knew she was going to do just fine.

  "Tonight is the Captain Liquor Event," I said, trying to sound optimistic.

  "Sounds fun," she exclaimed.

  "Oh, they are, but they also mean we get crazy busy," I warned her. "Which also means you're no longer in training. Welcome to the world of serving, Lexi." I put my arm around her and she grinned. "Come on, I need help getting set up."

  By ten o'clock the bar was packed full. Lexi was kicking ass with the customers, Shay and I were kicking ass behind the bar, and Nolan was being...Nolan. He had flocks of females around him, all laughing at his eccentricity as they threw themselves at him. And as usually, Nolan didn't even notice.

  Maybe that's why I'd always been attracted to him. He wasn't smug or arrogant. He was humble and respectful towards women. It was like he didn't know what he did to the opposite sex.

  I watched him as he interacted with the women and I couldn't keep the dopey grin off my face. He smiled at something and even from across the room, I spotted a faint dimple appear on his right cheek. I never noticed it before, and my interests were piqued. Looking him over, I admired the man I had blindly overlooked all these years. His russet colored hair was cut short on the sides and spiked up in the middle where it was a touch longer. His smooth skin gave the impression he was younger than he actually was; especially when he smiled and the light caught that barely there dimple. Thick, black, retro glasses framed a set of intense eyes that matched the color of his hair and his sharp jaw line was covered in a prickly layer of dark stubble. His tall toned frame towered over six feet tall and he gave a new meaning to tall, dark and handsome.

  He looked up from what he was doing and caught me staring at him. A benevolent smirk touched his eyes and heat filled my face as I quickly looked away.

  "I like it better when you're staring."

  Cam's rough, profound voice engulfed my head like a tsunami making landfall. In an instant he was everywhere, flooding my senses.

  His strong, blue eyes.

  "Relax, don't deny it, just feel it."

  His powerful, obsessive hands.

  "Tonight, this is all mine and I will do whatever I want to it. Do you understand?"

  My whole body began trembling from head to toe and I inhaled a sharp, jagged breath as electricity shot straight through me.

  "Don't give up on me yet, firecracker."

  The last words struck me like a fist of realization straight to the gut.

  Squeezing my eyes shut, I gripped my head in my hands. The bar went silent as "I Never Told You" by Colbie Caillat began playing over the speakers. The lyrics said exactly what I was feeling.

  I had to see him. I had to tell him the truth. It was going to eat at me until I did.

  "Cara?" I heard Shay say and her arms were instantly around me, comforting me.

  "I have to tell him, Shay. I have to tell him the truth. Even if he hates me afterwards, I have to tell him." My voice was cracking now as I held back the sobs.

  "Go," she said wholeheartedly with a slight nod of her head. "We'll be fine here, go."

  "Thank you." I hugged her quickly, grabbed my purse from the office, and left.

  Only two things kept my mind free from Cara—alcohol and physical exertion. Having to be sober when on shift, I was hauled up in the workout room until we got a call. Kicking, punching, running, lifting—it didn't matter as longs as I was moving.

  On my day off, I stayed home like a hermit, scared if I left, I would see her. The liquor ran endlessly like a college frat party and even sleep was hard to come by. Every time I closed my eyes I saw her.

  The last three days had drug on like a bad movie. Only I couldn't turn it off to escape it. When my shift finally ended on Friday morning I swore I had aged ten years.

  Looking in my bathroom mirror after a scolding hot shower, I hardly even recognized the pathetic, fucked-up man before me. I hadn't shaved in almost a week and the stubble on my jaw was long enough to classify as a full on beard. The dark circles under my bloodshot eyes made me look li
ke a damn zombie and the mixture of intense workouts, not enough food, was throwing my body into survival mode.

  But I didn't care. I didn't give a fuck about anything anymore. I was back to barely living.

  Beep....Beep

  My phone loudly alerted me to an incoming message. I unlocked it without even looking at the screen.

  Don't forget 9pm tonight Club Bliss. Can't wait 2 see u.

  Amber.

  I glared at the message. Did I really want to see her? I knew she wanted to talk to me and when I agreed to see her at Matt's party it was basically to shut her up. I never planned on actually meeting up with her. This whole mess was her fucking fault. All I wanted to do was stand her up—let her get a taste, albeit, a small taste, of her own fucking medicine.

  But since then, everything had changed.

  Before my brain even registered what was happening my fingers were sliding across the phone.

  I'll be there.

  What am I fucking doing here?

  Shifting my weight from foot to foot I became restless standing outside Club Bliss. The hollow feeling in my stomach led me to believe I was fucking insane for being here. I glanced at my watch—8:58pm—two minutes left to escape.

  The street was littered with bodies coming and going, each one on their way to a different club or destination—every single one of them happy and smiling. They wanted to be here. I, however, didn't. The one place I wanted to be was the only place I wasn't welcome.

  Fuck it! I'm out of here.

  I started up the street to my car. "Leaving me so soon?" Amber's haughty voice drifted through the air as I passed the entrance to the club.

  Shit, too late.

  I stopped and took a quick look at my watch—9:00pm. Rolling my eyes and taking a deep breath I slowly turned to face her.

  I never should have come here.

  "Holy shit! You actually showed up," I exclaimed, my voice heavy with sarcasm. "I guess people can change." I folded my arms over my chest and glared.

  Her blond hair was pulled back in some sort of bun thing and the red, low cut dress she had on was scarcely covering her breasts.

  She walked down the fancy, rounded steps of the club, her red stilettos clicking annoyingly on the hard concrete. "Not even the devil himself could make me late for this night," she purred into my ear. She kissed my cheek softly, purposely pressing her tits into my chest.

  She pulled away slowly when I didn't react to her but she didn't break our contact. "How's Cara?" she asked suspiciously. "Is she upset that you came tonight?"

  Just the mention of her name sent my mind into panic mode. I needed a fucking drink and fast.

  Needing to change the topic, I bit out the first thing I could think of to make Amber shut the hell up. "Don't fucking know. Don't fucking care."

  The evil grin she produced was like watching The Grinch as he devised his diabolical scheme.

  She linked her arm around mine and pulled me towards the club. "Come on, baby, let's get inside. Everyone's waiting for us."

  "What do you mean everyone?" I asked, my tone uncertain.

  "It's my welcome home party, silly."

  I stopped when the word 'party' fell out of her mouth. Rolling my neck, I felt trapped.

  "Are you fucking kidding me, Amber?" I said through my teeth with forced restraint. "I don't want to go to your fucking party."

  "Come on, Cam, please," she begged, tugging on my arm. "You came all this way. Can't you stay for just one drink?" She looked at me with pleading eyes. "Plus, I really do have something I need to talk to you about."

  Shaking my head I tried to control my anger. She knew exactly what she was doing and she was fucking good at it. "Fine, one drink." I held up my finger firmly at her.

  She rose up on her tiptoes and kissed the side of my face as she gripped my arm tighter. She loved getting her way and somehow she usually did.

  Club Bliss was the most pristine club in Denver where sexy gold diggers and rich CEO types came together. With its high-end clientele and sophisticated decor, it was way beyond my comfort level being here. Not to mention Amber reserved the VIP section for her little self-centered party.

  "Alright, Amber." I held up my empty glass and shook it back and forth in front of her face. "My one drink is gone, I'm going home." I pushed myself up off the black sofa. "Welcome back to Colorado," I said matter-of-factly as I turned to leave.

  "No, wait. I didn't get to tell you the good news," she pleaded as she grabbed my hand.

  "Well then, tell me," I said, looking down at her.

  Leaning her body to the right, she peeked around me. Her eyes widened with anticipation before she looked up at me, her bottom lip between her teeth.

  What the hell was she up to?

  "There's my beautiful, daughter," a proud male voice said from behind me.

  "Daddy!" Amber squealed, jumping up from her seat.

  Amber's father, Troy, pushed past me and wrapped his daughter in a huge hug. Shit! Her dad was here. Amber watched me over his shoulder as she returned the gesture and I just shook my head at her disapprovingly.

  Troy had never liked me, actually, he detested me. When Amber and I were dating he made that very clear. I couldn't believe Amber pulled this shit.

  Amber's eyes shifted behind me again and I rubbed my forehead. I didn't even want to know who was behind me.

  "What, Cam? Are you too good to say hello to your old man?"

  Taking a deep breath, I squeezed my eyes shut at the sound of his voice before spinning on my heel to face him. "Hey, Dad," I said, extending my hand to him. He looked down before taking it then pulled me forward into an awkward embrace.

  Mitchell Greer was not an affectionate man. At least with me he wasn't. He had been a good dad though, considering he was a single parent most of the time—he was always there for my sisters and me, and supported us no matter what we wanted to do.

  "What are you doing here?" I asked him as he released me.

  "Didn't Amber tell you the good news?" he said as he stepped around me. Standing next to Amber, he draped his arm around her shoulder like they were best friends.

  "No, but I would appreciate someone filling me in," I said as I glared at Amber.

  I could feel Troy's eyes on me and I shifted my gaze to him. "Hey, Troy, good to see you again," I lied as I stuck my hand out for his.

  He hesitated for second. "You too, son. I hear you're a firefighter now, congratulations." He gripped my hand firmly as he assessed me.

  I nodded my head at him and then returned my attention to Amber. "So, what's going on?" I asked, my eyes shifting between all three of them looking for answers.

  "Well," my father began. "Amber here is now the Chief Marketing Director for GTA."

  A rush of adrenaline spiked in my chest and my mouth fell open. I didn't know what to say. I looked at Amber, my eyes thinning as the information sunk in.

  I need another fucking drink.

  "This was the job offer you received?" I asked her.

  "Yeah, isn't it great? I heard your dad was looking to revamp his marketing department so I gave him a call."

  Heat rushed through me as my pulse increased and I hadn't even noticed that my dad and Troy had given us some space. "We need to talk, Amber. Now." I grabbed her by the arm and led her away from the VIP area. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me you were working for my father?" I scolded.

  "I thought it would be fun to surprise you," she said, pulling her arm away from my grasp.

  "Why the hell would you want to do that?" I was practically yelling at her.

  "I guess I thought you would be excited." She rubbed her skin trying to ease the pain from my grip as she bowed her head.

  "Jesus, Amber, do you know how crazy you sound?" Her head jerked up and she glared at me. "You act like we're still together. Well, news flash, princess...you broke up with me four fucking years ago, remember? You took off for California making damn sure I didn't come along."

  "Yeah, but I'm back n
ow." Her face softened as she took a step towards me. "I want to be with you, Cam." She trailed her perfectly polished red nail down my chest seductively as her arm wrapped around my neck. "And you know I always get what I want."

  The whole way to Cam's I thought about what I was going to say when I saw him.

  What if he was mad? What if he hated me?

  I had to try and keep those thoughts tied up in the back of my mind. I had to stay positive. I had to believe he was always mine and I was always his.

  I pulled up to his house around 11:30 and everything was dark. I figured he wasn't home but I knocked on his door anyway, just in case, by some off chance, he was sleeping, but there was no answer. I wasn't leaving, not until I told him. Getting back in my car I anxiously waited for his return.

  Three hours later he still wasn't home. Maybe he had picked up a shift and was at the station. Deciding to drive by to see if his truck was parked there I reached for my ignition as two headlights turned onto his street. As they got closer I could make out the KC lights on the top of the truck and I knew it was him.

  He turned into his driveway and parked his truck. I opened my door to get out but pulled back when I saw a wave of blond hair and a pair of red stilettos climbing out from behind the wheel. My heart took an express nose-dive straight for the ground.

  Amber.

  Cam stumbled out of the passenger side and sauntered over to Amber. Wrapping his arms around her waist he embraced her, shoving his tongue down her throat. My chest heaved at the sight of them and my breath choking me as I fought to inhale. When he was done with his onslaught, he slung his arm around her shoulders as he led her inside. The door closed and my heart finally crashed, exploding into a million pieces that burned with jealousy and regret.

  Without even knowing it, he had destroyed me and it was my fault. I lied to him, I told him I didn't care about him and I walked away from the man that I loved.