by C. A. Harms
Bitch had nothing to say because I think he already knew I was right. He got off on making others feel weak.
“I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I’ve picked up the rest of her things. I’ve also taken the liberty of gathering all the items her mother left for her.”
“That’s breaking and entering.”
“No.” Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out the key that Ruby threw away in my room weeks ago and placed it on his desk. “It’s not breaking and entering when you have a key.”
I turned around and walked toward the door, grabbing the handle and giving it a little twist. Looking back over my shoulder I had to toss in one last dig at this ass. “How long do you think she’s gonna stick with you? Two months? Two years? Maybe long enough to get you to support her shopping habits while she still goes around campus screwing all the young guys she’s drooling over? I think it was just last weekend I saw her sneaking out of the Alpha house carrying her red heels in her hands doing the walk of shame. A guy like you can’t keep up with a woman like her. But your pocketbook, that’s what she’s truly after. I think we both know that no little blue pill will ever make you man enough to satisfy a hungry lady like that.”
And with that I left him glaring after me, knowing without a doubt that he didn’t need me to tell him all the things I just did. He already knew.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Ruby
The year was over, my finals were complete, and I felt like nothing could bring me down. I felt accomplished and excited for the future.
I made a huge decision today, one that I didn’t regret, not even a little. A decision that would forever change my life.
I changed my major. It was scary but also thrilling. I would no longer allow myself to be led by my father’s expectations. I would be the person I always wanted to be. I’d spend years in school, many long hours of studying, and clinical hours that I was sure would be grueling but in the end I will be proud, because I was following my own dreams.
Still floating along on the high I’d felt all afternoon, I entered my room and freeze in the doorway. Looking over the comforter of my bed, I take in every little item. Picture boxes that I recognize immediately, the bright orange scarf that I used to sneak out of the attic and wear on the days I knew my father was not in town. There was even my mother’s housecoat and slippers that were both so worn, but it didn’t matter because my mother loved them.
Empty bottles that held her favorite perfume, a box containing journals my mom kept during her college years.
Tears pooled in my eyes, unable to peel my eyes off of all the items I thought I’d never see again and I couldn’t bring myself to move.
How did they get here?
Each breath I took I felt my chest burn more intensely as I tried to hold back the tears.
These were all the memories I had of my mother. All the items I’d loved and had always made me feel like a part of her was still here with me.
Finally able to make me legs move, I walked toward my bed and reached out to lift the locket that I’d admired so many times but was always terrified to wear. It was in the shape of a heart and on the inside was a picture of my mother holding me as a baby.
Falling to my knees, I allowed the tears to fall as I gripped the necklace tightly in my palm and held it close to my chest.
“He brought it all over about two hours ago.” My breath hitched and I turned to see Vera standing in the doorway of my room. “He was so sweet about it too, a little nervous but—”
“My father has never been sweet a day in his life.”
“Not your father, hun.” She stepped in closer, kneeling at my side. “Jay.”
The tears that were still pooling in my eyes ran over and a sob escaped me. Jay did this?
“He said that those things belong to you.” She placed her hand on my back and offered me a soothing rub. “And he was right, Ruby, they do. Your mother would have wanted you to have all these things.”
Unable to speak I nod, gripping my mother’s locket a little tighter. I felt so raw, so emotional.
“You were her greatest accomplishment.”
It was then that I broke. Leaning forward, I placed my face against the mattress and I let years of feelings go. All the times my father made me feel less than worthy, all the years I longed for my mother but couldn’t even ask him about her. I cried too because now, I could finally place all of that behind me.
***
The rain was falling heavily, and I sat outside the fraternity looking through the windshield of Vera’s Camry. I’d lost track of just how long I had sat there watching the rain pelt the glass. The sun had set, more lights came on inside the house, yet still I remained inside the car.
My phone rang loudly, filling the silence and my body jerked in surprise.
Jay’s picture lit up the screen and I smiled wide, feeling my entire body warm.
I lifted the phone, tapped the button, and then the speaker. “What are you doing?” I knew then that he must’ve seen me outside and when I looked toward the front porch there he stood.
“Stay there.” I didn’t wait for him to respond, I end the call and open the door, stepping out into the rain. Tucking my phone and keys into the pocket of my jeans, I began to walk across the lawn toward him and he remained where he was just like I’d told him. When I stopped at the bottom of the steps he tilted his head just slightly as if silently asking if I was okay.
The rain felt amazing and I remembered a time when my father was out of town and my mom and I played in the rain for hours. It was one of the best times I’d shared with her. She was so happy.
“Get out of the rain, you goof.” The way he was smiling at me, like even though I was crazy he found it adorable, made me feel completely safe.
I climbed the stairs and stopped in front of him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him closer. My hips covered his and he accepted my kiss, placing his hands on the small of my back. He didn’t let the fact that I was soaked stop him from holding me close.
Pulling back, I made sure his eyes were open and he was looking at me when I said the words I needed to say. “I love you.” Tears clouded my vision once more. “Thank you for being so unbelievably sweet and good to me.”
“I love you too.” His thumb glided along my jaw and brushed over the edge of my lower lip. “And please don’t thank me for being sweet to you, baby, you deserve someone who is good to you. That should never be a rarity.”
“I don’t want to know how you got my mother’s things, I just want you to know that you’ve given me back a part of my mother I’d thought I’d lost and that alone I can never thank you enough for.”
He started to say something, but I kissed him once more to make the words stop. Thanking him was still not enough, but right now it was all I had. Jay had become my rock, though in the beginning I thought he was bad for me. I allowed my father and even a scorned friend to lead me to believe that guys like Jay were nothing good. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Jay was, is, and always would be my saving grace.
Pulling back from our kiss once more, I looked up at him and smiled. Taking Jay by the hand, I gave a little tug. At first he resisted, pulling me tighter against him, but I refused to give up. I needed this moment. Again I gripped his hand and began walking backward down the stairs, refusing to let him hide under the awning of the porch. Finally he stopped resisting and joined me, stepping out into the rain.
Once we were both fully exposed to the rainfall I released his hand and held my own out to my sides, spinning in a circle with my head tilted back and the rain hitting my face. I laughed, not caring that I looked like a fool. Reaching up high, I twirled and twirled and then stopped, facing him once more. My hair was plastered to my face, I was more than sure my makeup was smeared, the mascara had left dark lines beneath my eyes, but again I didn’t care.
I smiled a full blown, wide cheeks aching smile and Jay smiled right back at me.
His sh
irt was so wet from the rain that it was sticking to him like a second skin.
Then he stepped closer, hooked my waist, and pulled me close. For a split second I was worried that the moment had passed and that he was about to drag me back to the porch. But that fear was quickly squashed when he kissed me instead, the rain still hitting us both in the face, moistening our kiss.
I felt him smile against my lips, taking my hand in his and then without warning I was twirled out away from his body then pulled back toward him.
As if that wasn’t surprising in itself, he then begin to move his body with mine and there we stood in the center of his front yard, dancing without music in the falling rain.
“You amaze me, Ruby,” he whispered so close I knew that if we weren’t alone I would still be the only one to hear. “And I will never let anyone dim your light, baby. I will dance with you in the rain anytime.”
Somehow without even having to tell him he just knew. He knew I needed this and in Jay fashion he gave it to me.
Epilogue
I stretched out my legs, they felt weak like I’d spent hours doing leg presses, only I couldn’t remember the last time I hit the gym. I had a lingering taste of something sweet, like strawberries, or maybe it was cherry on my tongue.
Feeling something lacy against my hand, I lifted it out in front of me and was met with a barely there scrap of material. A woman’s thong, baby blue, and I smiled proudly because damn.
I heard something crash, and I jerked upward, looking around the room for the cause of the crash. All I saw was the backside of a blonde. When I said backside, I meant a bare naked ass, bent over at the waist, trying like hell to pull on a pair of jeans in a hurry.
“You forgetting something?” The girl froze and I smiled, holding her thong up in the air and let it dangle from my finger. “I could keep them as a souvenir.” Because she has a killer ass.
I might actually break my don’t ever hit it twice rule and give her another go.
I watched and waited for her to react. Slowly standing tall, shimmying her hips and continuing to pull up her pants, snapping them in place, she kept her back to me for a few more seconds.
“Don’t be shy, darlin’.” Not that I remembered, but with how weak my legs were feeling I had a strong feeling she and I went several rounds last night. “In fact, if you want to take those pants back off and climb back beneath the sheets with me, I’d be up for another round.”
I’d hit a sore spot or so it seemed because this gained a reaction. The girl spun around, her mouth hanging open in disgust, and instantly I felt like I’d collided with a brick wall.
“What the fuck?”
Jade, Jay’s sister, crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowed into annoyed slits. “What, suddenly you’ve got nothing more to say?”
“Did we?” I paused, my heartbeat sped up as I imagined how pissed off Jay was gonna be.
“I don’t know, genius, what do you think? You’re in your bed, naked, holding my thong on your finger. Do you really have to ask if we had sex?”
I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out.
Jade sauntered across my bedroom, snatched her thong from my hands, and turned toward the door.
“What are we gonna tell Jay?”
Looking back over her shoulder, she rolled her eyes. “Nothing, you idiot. We had sex…it was…” She paused as if thinking it over for a minute. “Interesting.”
Interesting. What the fuck did she mean by that?
“There is no reason to tell anyone that this,” she motioned with her finger between us, “happened.”
I felt like she was verbally kicking me in the nuts over and over.
“Bye, Isaac, it’s been real.” She grabbed the handle, jerked open the door, and there just on the other side stood Jay, staring at his sister. Her hair was a wreck, her shirt hanging off one shoulder, and in her hand was her fucking thong.
He looked past his sister and locked eyes with mine. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?” His voice was a growl, and in all the time I’d known Jay I had never seen him this fucking mad. I was a dead man.
He stormed past his sister, I jumped from my bed, and almost fell over my sheets as I grabbed Jade and used her a shield to block her brother.
“My fucking sister!” His voice echoed out into the hallway where I now stood buck ass naked, still holding Jade in front of me. “Of all the girls you had to screw my sister.”
“In my defense, I remember nothing.” The very second the words fell from my lips I knew I’d made things worse.
“You motherfucker!” It all happened so fast. Jay launched himself at me, Jade moved quickly, and I was on the floor with Jay on my chest, holding me by the neck.
And all the while my dick is out there for the twenty plus people―guys and girls―to see. I knew one day the honey bastard would get me in trouble. He really went for broke this time.
Acknowledgements
THE CHARMED GIRLS, YOU ARE all amazing. The continued support you show me is something I will never be able to express just how much it means to me. Thank you all for sharing my work and for just being you. You are all the greatest bunch of ladies.
Thank you, Lydia, because you are a true friend and motivator, always making me laugh and smile. We are an amazing team, and your friendship means the world. Thank you for being one of my biggest cheerleaders.
Beta Team, you know who you are. Thank you all so very much for taking this journey with me. Your feedback and encouraging words along the way made this story mean so much. Without you all, it would be what it is now.
To my husband and children, thank you for being the best part of my days. For tolerating me when I get lost in the world of fiction and understanding that sometimes dinner may be a little late. Jayden and Tayler, no matter how many books I write, you two will always be my best creations.
My readers, I am always so humbled by your support. Those random messages I received after you read my books, whether it be something big or small, I truly love them. Hearing what you think, in my eyes, is one of the greatest things about releasing a new book. I am never too busy for you.
About the Author
A LITTLE ABOUT ME, LET’S see where to start.
I love HEA stories, as long as they come packing a little heat. I need some excitement, some angst, and moments that make me fan my face, those are always good too. I am an Illinois girl, born and raised. Simple and true, it honestly doesn’t take much to make me happy. I love the little things, they truly mean the most. I may have a slight addiction to my new Keurig—oh my, that thing is a godsend. And so fast too. I have two children who truly are my very best friends. Their faces never fail to put a smile on my face. I have been married to my husband for sixteen years, and even though at times I want to beat him with a stick, I would never change the years we have had. We have learned and fallen, only to pick each other up, dust off the aches, and help each other make it right.
I am one of those authors that adore my fans. I love to hear from you. After all, it is because of each one of you that I continue to write. I look forward to you feedback.
Be sure to follow me to stay up-to-date on all my upcoming releases.
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