Almost Easy (Sinister Ascent Book 1)

by Brittany Clark

  “Hey Zane. What’s up?” He asked moving aside to let me in the house.

  “Nothing, I’m here to see Chloe,”

  “I figured, since you’re at her house. Let me go get her,”

  I grit my teeth when I saw the ease of which Blaze walked around her house. It was obvious that he had been there many times. For me, he was way too comfortable there. That’s when it hit me. Blaze was fucking shirtless, in Chloe’s house, and was at this very moment walking back to the bedroom to get her. What exactly had I interrupted by showing up here? Were they making love? The image of Blaze being in her bed, the same one that she and I shared for so long, had me losing my breath as my heart thudded hard in my chest. Blaze was going to have to learn to keep his hands off of my fucking girl.

  “Hey Zee. What’s up?” The most beautiful woman in the world asked me breathlessly as she walked out of her room towards me.

  “Did I interrupt something?” I hissed in response.

  I saw her start to say something, hesitate and then stop. Then she let out a little laugh and shook her head, “Don’t worry about it. We can finish later,”

  “Speak for yourself. Personally I was having a great time!” Blaze shouted from the bedroom with laughter ringing out in his voice.

  “Shut up babe,” Chloe shouted back, “So what’s up Zee?”

  “Can we talk Chloe?”

  “Sure,”

  “Alone?”

  Blaze walked into the living room, this time fully clothed, and made his way over to Chloe. His arms wrapped around her waist as he rested his chin on her shoulder before shooting me a look that said ‘she’s mine now dude.’ I met the look head on and shot one back that clearly shouted ‘over my dead body.’

  “He obviously needs to talk to you babe, and I have to take off anyway. Call me later tonight and we can go and do something,” Blae said leaning in and pressing his lips to hers in a heated kiss that pissed me off worse. Just as I was about to walk over and rip his fucking face off he pulled away from her. On his way out the door he slapped me on the back, “No trying to steal my girl while I’m gone.”

  “No fucking promises,” I responded instantly then waited for him to leave,” Are the two of you serious?”

  “I don’t know. But I think that we can be,”

  “No,”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I said no. I’m okay with the idea of the two of you seeing each other casually, and I will learn to deal with the fact that the two of you have had sex. But I will not let you get serious with him,”

  “And why the hell not?”

  “Because Chloe! You can’t, what happens if you marry him one day?”

  “Then I would be his wife?” She responded with dry humor.

  “No, hell no! you can never be his wife. The only person you will ever marry is me,”

  “Come again,”

  “You fucking heard me. We belong together Chloe. You’ve been telling me that for years and I’m finally listening. End things with him, I want you,”

  “It’s oh so fucking funny that now that you want me I’m supposed to drop everything and jump into your arms!”

  “It isn’t like that,”

  “The hell it isn’t. For years you tried driving my heart away from you. The only thing you kept close was my body. Now that I’m moving on you can’t handle it. Oh Zane finally wants me, I guess I have to give up this great guy who treats me right because of that,”

  “Damnit, Chloe. I fucking love you!”

  “Don’t say that to me!” She screamed dragging her hands through her hair, “You have no right to say that to me. You don’t mean it Zee, you will go to any fucking lengths to get me back. This is a new low even for you,”

  “Fuck, I know that it’s my fault you don’t believe me. You gave me the most precious gift and you think I don’t care. I swear that I mean it. I couldn’t lie to you about this. You know me well enough to know that I wouldn’t stoop that low. I love you and I want to be with you,”

  “It’s too late Zane,”

  “It’s never too late. I won’t let it be,”

  “You’re married,”

  “It’s over,”

  “What?”

  I slowly walked towards her then brought her into my arms. The entire time I was hoping that she didn’t pull away from me. She relaxed into my body instantly, earning a real smile from me for the first time in what felt like forever. I rested my chin on her head, as my hands tickled her lower back.

  “I saw my lawyer today. My marriage is over, and I will be single by next month,”

  “Oh Zane, why did you do that?”

  “I know you don’t believe me baby girl, but I will prove that I love you, and this was step one. If you don’t want to end things with Zane just yet I will deal with it. Just know that sooner or later you will be mine again,”

  “Zane…”

  “Don’t say anything. I just came over here to tell you the news. Now I’m leaving before I give into my carnal desire and back you into that room. Think about what I said. I will be letting Blaze know at every opportunity that he has competition,”

  With that I released her and walked out not giving her a chance to say anything to me. I knew how her mind worked. She would over think everything until it drove her mad, then she would do the one thing that she always did to clear her mind, head to the water and go surfing. I would be waiting for her out there in the water. I couldn’t give her the chance to drive me away. All I could really hope for was that Blaze gave her up gracefully.

  CHLOE

  I watched Zane go with my mouth hanging open. Just who the hell did he think he was? How dare he come in here and tell me everything I ever wanted to hear, only after I had gave up hope. What the hell did he think that I was going to do? Jump into his arms and leave Blaze behind all because he crooked his finger at me? I was beyond pissed off. What the hell was he thinking? Not only is he trying to now get me back, but he was getting a divorce? They had only been married for like two months. God, I wish Blaze hadn’t left me alone.

  Blaze had came over here to help me fix my washing machine, which was why he was shirtless. It was a damn coincidence that he was half naked when Zane had shown up. I had almost told Zane that, so that he didn’t get the wrong idea about what was going on. But the opportunity was too good to pass up, and it made Zane think that something was actually going on between us. So I had put on my fake smile and laughed it off. He left way to early, I needed him here, especially when Zane started breaking down every defense that I had.

  He loves me? How dare he say that shit to me? I know he didn’t mean it, but I never thought he would stoop as low as saying the one thing he knew that I always wanted to hear. Would he stop at nothing to get me back in bed? Or was it possible that he actually meant it? That is what I always wanted from him. Not his undying love, just a chance to be with him. When we went to bed together we started fires, and when we were together as friends, we clicked better than anyone I knew. I knew that if we were together, we would be perfect for each other. Hell we knew everything there was to know about each other.

  But I gave up that damn dream a couple of months ago. Why the hell is he trying to stir all of this up now? He had got what he wanted, I let him go. It’s what he had begged me to do. I was moving on, or well attempting to. So why the hell was he now coming in here and trying to awake all those feelings that I was trying to let die? God, would he ever stop doing this to me? Fuck, I needed someone to talk to. I was almost positive that Blaze was going to get sick of dealing with me, but at the moment he was the only one that I could talk to about all of this. I pulled out my phone and dialed him before I could talk myself out of it.

  “I figured I was going to get a call from you. What did Zane have to say?” Blaze answered instead of saying hello.

  “I’m sorry, I feel like I’m bothering you,”

  “Chloe, don’t make me keep repeating that I’m trying to help. I want to be here for you. So z
ip it about being annoying, and tell me what the lovely Zane had to say. When I kissed you and left he looked like he wanted to stab me in the back,”

  “He told me he loved me,” I blurted

  “Holy shit! I can’t believe he actually did it,”

  “But don’t you see? He will say anything to get me back. How can I believe him? I don’t trust him anymore,”

  “Come on Chloe, he wouldn’t say something like that just to get you back. He isn’t that much of an asshole,”

  “This is Zane we’re talking about,”

  “Oh shit, you’re right. But I believe him on this. I’ve known for years that he’s been in love with you,”

  “I don’t know. It just seems too easy. I think he is just afraid that he lost me and is now trying to get me back,”

  “Seriously? He says all of this after thinking that you fucked me, and you still don’t believe it? Aren’t you the one who told me that if he thought that we slept together he would no longer want you? But he thinks that we’ve slept together, and tells you he loves you instead of saying get lost? Why don’t you believe him?”

  “I already said why. I don’t trust him. He’s said anything he could to get me into bed with him. He used me whenever he could, and always told me what I wanted to hear so that he could get his way. How the hell can I know that he isn’t doing the same damn thing now?”

  “You don’t. But you have to give it a chance. If you don’t take risks Chloe, then you will never get rewarded,”

  “I did take risks. I played every card that I had. And lost way more than my pride. I lost my heart and my hopes,”

  “Damn, I knew he fucked up, I just didn’t realize how bad he fucked up,”

  “That isn’t helping Blaze,” I laughed.

  “You’re right. You did lay everything you had down on the line. It isn’t your turn now,”

  “What does that mean? It’s his turn?”

  “Exactly. This is Zane we’re talking about. He’s used to you giving in the second he wants you to. This time you didn’t. He told you the one thing that he thought would fix everything with you, but it didn’t. You didn’t run into his arms and sleep with him,”

  “Which means what?”

  “That he is going to either have to give up, or he’s going to try harder,”

  “I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think this is all because he is enjoying the challenge,”

  “That’s what I’m trying to suggest. It’s his turn to lay it all on the line for you,”

  “I’m scared. What if he doesn’t, oh god, what if he does?” Blaze chuckled over the line earning a smile from me, “I’m being ridiculous,”

  “No, you’re being human. Did he tell you anything else?”

  “He’s getting a divorce,”

  “Holy Shit! Why the hell didn’t you lead with that?”

  “What difference does that make?”

  “Um, a fucking big one,”

  “How?”

  “Think about it Chloe. If he was just trying to get you back into bed then why the hell would he need a divorce?”

  “Because he knows that I won’t sleep with him if he’s married,”

  “That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have tried. He’s actually getting a divorce. That’s huge,”

  “Fuck, I’m so confused,”

  “You don’t have to figure anything out right now. Take time to figure everything out. That way when you make a decision, you will know you made the right one,”

  “What if I never know?”

  “You will. Hell, Chloe, you’ve wanted to be with him since we were kids. Honestly I’m surprised you aren’t jumping on this,”

  “What if I do and lose everything?”

  “What if you do and get everything that you’ve wanted since you were fifteen?”

  “Shit,”

  “Perfectly said,”

  I laughed feeling some of my tension ease. Blaze had a way of making me feel better, as well as making everything make sense.

  “Thanks for listening,”

  “Anytime babe,”

  I hung up the phone with a mind that was a little clearer than before. Although there was still so much for me to think about. I was so damn tired of being the one that put everything I had on the table. My feelings had meant nothing to him before. So why the hell should his matter to me now? The answer to that was so damn easy and I hated it. I loved him, and I never wanted to hurt him. If he had thought that way about me then we wouldn’t be here. So how the hell could I believe that he loved me?

  If he had he wouldn’t have been able to do those things to me. I understood that he was trying to make everything alright between us. But would it ever be enough? I would always love him, and I would always want to be his friend. The idea of not having him in my life was painful. We had been so close for so damn long, that I didn’t have a single memory that didn’t involve him. But they weren’t all good. Most of my painful memories involved him. Just like that my mind was as confused as ever.

  I was so damn scared that I would give him a chance and he would ruin it. I was in a different place now. The things I wanted before weren’t what I wanted now. He had to be all in to get me to give him another chance. Hell there was only one way for me to clear my mind enough to think straight. First thing tomorrow morning I was heading to the water.

  15

  ZANE

  I let the waves rock me back and forth on my surf board as I lay on top of it with my eyes faced towards the sky. I had been out here for about an hour and was just about to call it a day. I was almost positive that I knew Chloe enough to know that she would have been driven to the ocean for some peace of mind. But it seemed that I had missed my guess, because she had not shown up. Right when I was about to rethink just how well I knew my best friend, I was splashed in the face with a huge wave of water. I gasped and was sputtering the water out of my mouth when I heard a cute little chuckle that I would recognize anywhere.

  “You’re going to pay for that,” I warned as I leaned forward and pushed my way towards Chloe.

  “What brings you out on the water?” She asked

  “Just trying to clear my head,” I replied lying through my teeth, “Things are rough at home,”

  “I’m sorry. But Zee are you sure that you want a divorce?”

  “I’m not getting a divorce. I’m getting an annulment,”

  “But how can..” She stopped herself and put her head down blushing which earned a huge laugh from me. Could she be any cuter?

  “How can I get an annulment?” I asked using my hand to push her head up so that her eyes could meet mine, “I haven’t fucked her since we said ‘I do’ so our wedding was never consummated,”

  Chloe’s mouth dropped open as her eyes went wide. I could practically hear her thoughts, ‘This was Zane, I had to have misheard him. This man couldn’t go more than a day without having sex. How the hell had he lasted this long without sleeping with his wife, let alone why the hell did he chose not to have sex?’

  “Why the hell not?” She shouted in her confusion voicing everything I had thought.

  “Because she wasn’t you. I’ve tried telling you Chloe. I regretted everything right away but it was already too late to do anything. So I just haven’t slept with her. I’m waiting to sleep with you again. Not to mention that I couldn’t get hard with her. I had to think of you just to get it up,”

  “Zane..”

  “I know, you’re with Blaze and blah blah blah. It won’t last. You’re mine,”

  “The hell I am,”

  I narrowed my eyes at her, and at this moment was happy as hell that she was now strong enough to push me away. But I hated that this was happening now, because now I fucking needed her to forgive me and she was strong enough to tell me no. Although I was pretty sure it was pretend, she might be acting strong to put on a front with me in an attempt to keep me at arm’s length. I was going to test that theory right now. I leaned forward but right when my
lips were about to press against hers Chloe pulled back and succeeded in knocking herself off of her board. By the time her head surfaced from the water I was cursing up a storm.

  “Did you really need to get away from me that damn bad?” I hissed as I leaned forward to grab her hand. I was trying to pull her out of the water, but she tugged me hard pulling me off my board and into the water with her.

  “Don’t curse at me Zane. What you’re doing to me isn’t fucking fair,”

  “I know that. I just can’t fucking let you go,”

  It came out as a whisper but I know that she had heard me. That was when I saw the weakness in her eyes. She was giving in, and now was my shot. I had her back against her surf board with every inch of my front pressed into hers. Her eyes went wide when she felt my shirtless body pressed into her skin, she was only covered by a bikini so we were skin to skin. I let out a small moan when I felt her and brought myself closer to her urging her to wrap her legs around my waist. I wrapped my arms around her and placed them on the surf board to keep us above the water.

  “Chloe, please don’t turn away from me,”

  “Zane,”

  “Let me kiss you,”

  My lips were already skimming hers, when she moaned into my mouth I knew that she wouldn’t push me away. I pressed my lips to hers firmly and she opened to me instantly as she shoved her tongue into my mouth. I moaned into her mouth and brought her closer, holding her as tight as I could. My tongue darted out and met hers this time earning a moan from her. By this time I was hard as steel. Since she was only wearing bikini bottoms, she was able to feel me intimately. I rocked my hips forward once and she gasped and let her nails drag down my naked back.

  “Fuck yes, mark me Chloe,” At my words she gasped and pulled her hands away as if she was burned

  “Oh shit, Zane I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to..” The fear in her eyes crippled me.