by Liz Davis
It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep, and once his breathing grew shallow, Maya took the opportunity to gaze admiringly at her handsome man. Her eyes roved over his face, admiring his clearly defined cheekbones, and his nice, thick lashes. His long, dark hair was spread across the pillow, and his handsome face was a picture of both vulnerability and peace.
She loved watching him like this and often found it difficult to keep her hands off him, even while he slept. And as much as she would enjoy letting her hands wander, she wouldn’t do it now, because she knew that he needed to rest. The more sleep he got, the better he’d be able to perform later.
As she imagined his body on top of her, the space between her legs tingles in anticipation. The mere thought of him inside her was enough to dampen her panties, and she slid her fingers southward, moving them back and forth a few times across the moist fabric.
She didn’t allow her digits to linger for too long, though, as she knew that he’d properly take care of her once he awoke. Resting her face against the pillow, she threaded her fingers through his hair, letting the strands slide across the surface of her fingertips. Then she leaned in to give him a kiss, just barely brushing her lips against the surface of his skin.
She watched his chest rise and fall for a few minutes and then she allowed her eyelids to close, drifting to sleep with the feel of his breath ghosting against her skin.
Chapter 17
The sound of tree branches scraping against the bedroom window brought Maya out of her sleep, and as she sat up in bed, she noticed that the space next to her was empty. Glancing at her cell phone on the table next to her, she saw it was nearly 5:00 p.m. She also noticed there was a small piece of notepaper lying next to her phone, so she picked it up and read the message that was scribbled on it.
Hey gorgeous,
You looked so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake you. I went out to take care of an errand and pick up some groceries, but I’ll be back by six thirty. Keep the bed warm for me.
Xx Evan
Placing the note back on the table, Maya gave a yawn, then threw the covers back and headed for the bathroom. She knew he wouldn’t be back for another hour and a half, but she still wanted to freshen up. After emptying her bladder, Maya stripped out of her underwear and filled the tub with water. Cold gray days like these were perfect for taking long, hot baths, and as she sunk her body into the water, she released a sigh and rested her head against the tile behind her.
While she sat there enjoying her soak, her thoughts turned to Evan, and she wondered what he was doing. She wished he were here to enjoy the bath with her, but she knew he was out taking care of things. He’d said he was running errands, and she did believe him. Yet she couldn’t help wondering what type of errand could possibly motivate him to leave her and a warm bed behind. She didn’t think too much about it, though, as she knew how easy it was for her imagination to go into overdrive. She grabbed a fresh washcloth off the towel rack above her and began to soap up, pleasantly humming a familiar tune.
* * * *
As Evan pulled up to the gated apartment, he began devising a plan in his head. How was he to bypass the security door without alerting Dylan that he was here? The only way to get buzzed in was to call him, so that was definitely out. But what other way was there?
After putting his car into park, Evan got out and locked the door with the remote, then slipped it into his pocket. It hadn’t taken longer than a twenty-minute search on the Internet to find Dylan’s address. The information had been easy to find, and once he’d copied it down, he’d quickly gotten dressed and begun his hour-long journey. He’d hated leaving Maya behind and had longed to remain in the nice warm bed with her, but the pull to get revenge against Dylan had been too great to resist.
Evan had always been certain that revenge was nothing more than a terrible waste of energy, but since this was a matter that involved Maya, he was more than willing to go out of his comfort zone and see that things were put right once again. Dylan hadn’t just broken her heart and taken advantage of her, he’d also stolen her money, and Evan wasn’t going to let him get away with that. Maya was his woman, and he’d be damned if he allowed a lowlife loser like Dylan to keep what was rightfully hers.
So here he was, sauntering up to a fancy complex of luxurious condos, and externally, it probably appeared as if he didn’t have a care in the world, but internally, he was wondering how in the hell he was going to get to get past the security barriers. While he was formulating a plan in his head, he caught the eye of a tall blonde who was standing next to the front gate. She had a Maltese puppy on a leash and turned her head to give him a curious stare as he approached. Her lips curled into a flirtatious smile, and she slid her designer sunglasses up over her forehead. The expression on her face was of pleasant surprise, and as Evan came closer she continued to glimpse longingly at him. Stopping a few feet shy of the gate, he retrieved his cell phone from his pocket and pretended to dial a number. There was the sound of a buzz as the leggy blonde pushed the gate open and walked in, holding the door open as her Maltese puppy trotted behind.
“Excuse me, are you here visiting someone?” Her pink lips pulled back to reveal white teeth.
“Yes, a friend of mine lives here.”
“Well, you can come through if you like. You don’t have to worry about calling him.” She held the gate open for him, and he walked on through, offering her a grateful smile.
“Thanks, I appreciate it. He invited me over for dinner, but I don’t see his name on the list of residents here.”
“Did he just move in?”
“Yeah, he just arrived last week.”
“That’s probably why. It’s ridiculous how slow the apartment manager is about updating the list of new residents.”
As they strolled past a large water fountain, Evan asked, “You wouldn’t happen to know which direction apartment one-twenty-six is in, would you?”
“Oh yeah, sure. You’ll just keep going straight, and then make a left, and it’s the third apartment down.”
“Hey thanks.” Evan gave her a charming smile.
“No problem. So if you’re ever around again, maybe I’ll see you.” Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she jutted her chest out, proudly showing off her natural cleavage.
“Yeah, maybe I will.”
“I live in apartment two-twenty-two, just for future reference.” She gave him a wink.
“Thanks, I’ll remember that. But I really should be going now. My friend is probably wondering where I am.”
“Right, well, see you around. My name’s Samantha, by the way.”
“I’m Evan. Nice to meet you Samantha.”
“Likewise. Bye, handsome.”
He walked a few feet before he got the urge to look back, not because he was trying to flirt, but because the intensity of her gaze was just that strong. So giving in to his curiosity, he glanced back over his shoulder and saw that the blonde was indeed still staring at him. He began to feel as if he were some sort of rare bird in a zoo because the woman’s blue eyes were intensely trained on him, not wavering from his retreating form for even one second. He gave her a little wave, which she returned with one of her own, and then he swiftly rounded the corner, heading toward Dylan’s apartment.
As he arrived in front of door one-twenty-six, Evan gave a sharp knock, physically readying himself for the moment when Dylan would open it. He heard the TV volume being lowered, and then there was the sound of feet approaching the door. Then the lock unlatched, and the door came ajar.
“About fucking time you got—” Dylan’s voice was abruptly cut off as he caught sight of Evan’s face.
Pressing his palm against the door, Dylan tried to close it, but Evan barged inside, slamming the door behind him and then locking it. Dylan backed away from him and quickly made his way over to his cell phone, which was sitting on a table next to the TV.
“Get out of my house, or I’m calling the cops.” Keeping his eyes focused o
n his adversary, Dylan continued to back away, nearly tripping over a stack of magazines in the process.
“No, you won’t. Not unless you want to get busted for having that stash of pot in your house.”
Evan glanced toward a coffee table, where there was a bag of marijuana sitting next to a can of beer.
A curse fled from Dylan’s lips. “Look, I didn’t do anything with Maya, okay? Nothing happened between us.”
“I know that.” Evan continued walking slowly toward Dylan, enjoying the look of primal fear on his face.
“You do? Then why are you here?”
“I’m here because you took something from her, and I expect for you to give it back.”
“What? I didn’t take anything. And if she says I did, then she’s lying.”
“So now you’re calling my girl a liar?” Evan quickly advanced on him, rapidly closing the distance between them. Seizing Dylan by the collar of his T-shirt Evan glared down at the shorter man, his eyebrows furrowing together.
“Get your hands off me.” Dylan pushed his palms against Evan’s chest, trying to wrestle out of his grasp.
“Say you took her money. Admit it.” His jaw visibly tightened.
Dylan wasn’t exactly a runt, and his well-developed pecs and solid body suggested he kept up a regular workout routine, but Evan had at least five inches of height on him, and overall, had a nicely toned, intimidating form.
Dylan gave a dry swallow. “Okay, I took the money. But I didn’t plan on keeping it, and I was going to pay her back.”
“Yeah, right.” Releasing the collar of Dylan’s shirt, Evan sneered in disgust. “You’re a pathetic excuse for a man, you know that? What kind of a guy steals money from a girl, and his ex-girlfriend at that?”
“Dude, calm down. I said I’ll return the money. Just give me a few days, and she’ll get it.”
“Uh-uh, she isn’t waiting a few days. She needs it back today.” Evan glowered at him.
They stood in silence for a few moments, each staring the other one down, until finally Dylan averted his gaze and headed toward the hallway.
“Fine. The money’s in my room, so I’ll go get it. Just sit tight, and I’ll be back in a few.”
“No, I don’t think I’ll sit tight. I think I’ll follow your little weasel ass back to the bedroom to make sure you don’t try anything stupid.”
Evan’s eyes narrowed in distrust as he followed Dylan to the back of the apartment. Once they were there, Dylan headed over to a desk and pulled open a drawer, pushing papers and pens aside until he found the money he was looking for. After retrieving the bills, he walked over to where Evan stood and placed the money in his hand. Evan counted it to make sure the full amount was there, and then stuffed it into his pocket.
“So do you generally treat all women like crap, or do you just get off on screwing around with Maya?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about. You treated her terrible and took her for granted. She could have just left your ass stranded, but she went out of her way to give you a ride home.”
“Look, that’s between her and I, so it’s really none of your business.”
“She’s my woman, and if somebody does her wrong, it most definitely becomes my business.”
“Why are you still here? I already gave you back her money.”
“Because I’m sick and tired of you trying to worm your way back into her life. And I want to make damn sure you never come around her again.”
“I think you should be more concerned with Maya at this point. She’s the one who can’t let me go, not the other way around.”
He offered a snort. “You may think you still have power over her, but she’s finished with you. Whatever feelings Maya used to have are gone now. That little stunt you pulled last night made her realize just how much of a loser you really are. You’ve truly shown just how pathetic you are, and now she wants nothing else to do with you.”
“Well, that’s great, because I don’t want anything to do with her either.” Dylan made a move to leave through the bedroom door, but Evan blocked the way.
“I’d better not catch you anywhere near her ever again, you understand?”
“Get out of my way.”
“No.” He firmly stood his ground.
“I’m not scared of you.” He straightened his body so that he stood a little taller.
“Well, you should be, because I could knock you out right now.”
“So what are you waiting for?” Dylan backed away a few steps and then stopped, positioning himself into a fighting stance. “You want another fight, well, you got it. So let’s go.”
“You’re challenging me?”
“Looks like I am.”
A light chuckle passed his lips. “Nope, think I’ll pass.”
Dylan blinked in surprise. “What?”
“I already fought you last night, Dylan. And besides, now that I know I truly have Maya’s heart, what’s there left to battle for?”
Dylan’s mouth remained closed as he silently waited for Evan to continue.
Leaning against the doorframe, Evan fixed the other man with a thoughtful look. “People often fight out of fear, Dylan. They worry they may lose something that’s precious to them, or maybe they’re just trying to prove something to their opponent.”
Evan’s lips curled into a little smile as a mixture of confusion and disappointment swept across Dylan’s face. He could see he’d been gearing up for a fight and was obviously upset that Evan had chosen to crush him with his words, rather than with his fists.
“That’s not to say I’m not tempted, because I am. But since I don’t have anything to prove, and I’m certain you no longer pose a threat to my relationship with Maya, then there really isn’t any reason for me to waste my time or energy on you. I’ve got a beautiful woman at home, and I’d much rather conserve my energy for her.”
Dylan scoffed. “So that’s it? You’re not even going to try and set things even?”
“Oh, everything will be set square soon enough. It’s the natural order of things. And considering all the dirt you’ve done, I’d say there’s a lot of bad karma just waiting to teach you some very important lessons. But I honestly can’t think of any worse fate than having a wonderful woman like Maya and then losing her due to your own stupidity. She was too good for you, and you know it.”
Lowering his eyes to Dylan’s clenched fists, Evan continued, “I understand you wanting to fight me, though. You’re still angry about last night, and you desperately need to reclaim your manhood.”
“I’m as much of a man as I was before.”
A small chuckle came from his lips. “You weren’t working with a whole lot as it was.”
Dylan’s body tensed, and his face flushed with anger. “I can still have her, you know. It probably tears you up inside, but Maya still loves me.”
Evan shook his head with a little smile of amusement on his lips. “Not anymore, she doesn’t. Give it up, man. You lost her for good. Pushing himself away from the doorjamb, Evan offered some parting words. “Oh well. Your loss, my gain, huh?”
Turning his back to Dylan, he headed down the hallway and made his way toward the front door. He was only a few steps away from reaching it when he suddenly felt the energy change in the room. Halting his steps, Evan turned to look behind him and was met with the sight of a bat swinging toward him.
Chapter 18
Quickly ducking, Evan narrowly missed being hit in the head as the weapon whooshed through the air. Dylan followed it up with another swing, and this time it connected solidly with Evan’s torso, withdrawing a grunt of pain. Dylan tried to hit him again, but Evan caught the bat in his hands, halting it midswing.
Snatching it out of his hands, Evan threw it aside, causing it to connect with a glass that was sitting on an end table. There was a crash as the cup was knocked off the table, sending shards of glass across the hardwood floor. Grabbing his opponent by the scru
ff of his neck, Evan slammed him face-first into a wall. As Dylan’s eye smacked against the unyielding surface, he released a loud curse.
“What are you, a masochist? How many times do I have to kick your ass before you give up?” Evan asked in annoyance.
“Fuck you. You can’t keep me away from her. Just know that,” said Dylan, “sooner or later, you’ll have to be apart, and then she’ll be alone. And there’s no telling what could happen when you aren’t around.”
Twisting Dylan’s arm behind his back, he responded, “You lay a hand on her, and I’ll come after you.”
Dylan released a snort of laughter. “Is that fear I hear in your voice? Are you actually feeling threatened that something will happen between us? You must be, because there’s an awful lot of anger in you.”
Gripping his adversary’s wrist in his hand, Evan gave it a sharp, sudden twist, withdrawing a sharp cry of agony from Dylan’s mouth. In a dangerously low voice, Evan began to speak.
“I’m only going to say this once, so make sure you listen good. You won’t threaten, harass, or stalk Maya. You will not cause her any harm, and you will most definitely not show up at her apartment or hang around her workplace. If I ever find out that you’ve done any of those things, I will make it my personal mission to destroy you. And I’m not just talking physically, here. Now that I’ve been inside your apartment, I’ve taken note of a number of things that could get you into some trouble.”
Dylan’s eyes flitted nervously to the coffee table, where the stash of pot was located, and he gave a nervous swallow.