by Nora Cobb
“Because Natalie has him in her grip,” I reply earnestly. “You know what she’s like. I saw her tongue-kissing Troy last night.”
Anthony’s fist hits the couch hard, and I jump. He looks away, working his jaw, clenching and unclenching. His face is so tight that I’m surprised he doesn’t crack a tooth.
“I knew it,” he scowls. “I knew she wasn’t telling me the truth.”
I lean in, and the neckline of my robe slips down and displays the curve of my breast. My hard nipples are barely keeping it from slipping open. “We have to try again, Anthony,” I whisper, “To teach them a lesson for hurting us.” My hand rests on his cheek, and his jaw relaxes. He looks deep into my eyes as his lips part, but I have no intention of kissing him.
“What should we do?” he sighs.
“I need you to do something to Natalie that will make Lucas go to her aid,” I pout. “I need to prove to everyone that they’re together, and he’ll go to her if you’re around.”
Anthony pulls back. “So, you want me to get beat up so you can prove he’s cheating?”
“They won’t beat you up ... not in public.” I coo. “We’re not at Montlake, where those wicked bullies can lure you into an empty hallway and pay off Cromwell later. They touch you in Miami, and the police will get involved.”
“I don’t know, Arielle.”
I’m losing him, so I have to add bait to the hook. “Anthony?” I whisper, “If they hit you, I’ll kiss it and make it feel better.”
He turns his head in my direction, ready to say something scathing, but he freezes when he sees my bare breasts. My robe’s still tied securely, but I let the top half gape open. Silently, I pray that Lucas will stay away and not choose now to come back. It would be the worst time for him to finally decide to spend some time with me.
I stand up and kneel on the floor at Anthony’s feet. His long legs are splayed out, and I hadn’t noticed before that he’s wearing heavy biker boots. Who wears boots in a beach town? I sigh at his stupidity but cover it up quick with a sultry smile.
“You will forget her after a night with me,” I promise.
My hands trace the outline of his hard bulge, and slowly, I reach out, tugging down his zipper. He leans his head back on the couch, opening his legs wider. It’s tempting. I saw those pictures, and though he wasn’t fully exposed, I’m feeling needy and underappreciated. Damn Lucas and his whore. My hand slides along the waistband of his jockey shorts and his eyes flutter shut. I’m so tempted as my pussy twitches, ready to feel anything hard. But I stop and pull my hands away.
Anthony has to do what I want first. I’m not losing control of another man. He lifts his head and stares at me with a horrified expression on his face. He looks wounded as his brows furrow together, but I’m no cocktease, not like Natalie.
“Come back after you’ve finished, and then, I’ll finish what I’ve started.”
CHAPTER 15
Lucas
South Beach is what I need to forget my misery for a short while. The dullness of Montlake is left behind for the bold tropical fun of Miami. Bright shocking blues are above and below, as the sun shines down on pristine beaches. The sand is warm under my bare feet as Jacob, Troy, and I play an impromptu game of volleyball. I indulge in wearing my favorite footwear, which is none.
I slam another volley over the net into Troy and Jacob’s side as Natalie looks on from under a wide beach umbrella. She opted out after Jacob went ballistic with the ball. The man is an animal with any ball in his hands. He spiked it as Natalie dove out of its way. Afterward, he apologized profusely on bended knee, but Natalie wisely decided that it was safer to watch.
“Besides,” she winked above her sunglasses, “I like to watch men without tops flexing muscle.”
Like a lovestruck idiot, I smile in her direction several times as Natalie suns herself in a small black bikini. Man, I love a tanned blonde in black. The ball bounces off the top of my head and jolts me out of my fantasy. Jacob hoots with laughter as Troy runs under the net to grab the ball off the white sand.
“Eyes on the game, lover boy,” he teases me.
My lips press together as I yank the ball out of his firm grip. “Speaking of loving, what’s going on with you?”
Immediately, Troy’s cheerful smile becomes strained as he falters with a coherent explanation. Jacob goes under the net to join in our semi-private conversation, and the game is temporarily at a halt.
“Yeah,” Jacob chimes in. “What did happen last night?”
I’m sure that Jacob doesn’t know about Natalie and Troy’s kiss, but he found out from Beth that Anthony had crashed the party. Contrary to what Troy said, I guess Beth didn’t mind being the messenger after all. I know Natalie is eager to forgive Beth for posting her selfies, but I have my doubts as to whether Beth is on board for good.
“What was going on with Anthony?”
Troy frowns as he sits down on the ball, and we fall to the sand. “He was trying to roofie your drink, Lucas.”
What fucking shit toxic relationship am I stuck in? I fall back onto the sand and let it warm the sudden chill off my skin. I can’t believe it, but then I can, considering who is involved. My gaze goes to Troy. I want to cuss him out. This is his old move. But I have to remind myself that it isn’t something he’d do again.
“So, he’s hanging out with Arielle?” asks Jacob.
Troy meets his gaze. I guess it’s easier to deal with Jacob right now. “Beth saw him around the hotel. And he pretty much admitted it last night.” Troy looks at me again. “Natalie tried to warn him about her, but he won’t listen.”
“Arielle is hard to ignore,” I sigh.
“What’s the purpose of drugging your drink?” Jacob asks.
I scoff. “It’s our honeymoon, but I won’t touch her.”
My gaze goes to Natalie, lying across the sand. Her beautiful body is stretched across her wide towel. Her graceful, sweet curves are covered by a suit, but I know what’s beneath, and it makes me want to lie beside her. I shake the thought out of my head as I notice where both Jacob and Troy are looking.
“So, what’s up with you?” I nudge Troy with my hand.
Troy whips his head around and stares at me as if he’s been caught stealing more than a kiss. He was Natalie’s worst bully, and now, he’s kissing her, but I guess that shouldn’t surprise me. He was probably trying to fight what we all feel for her.
“It just happened, you know,” he whispers. “I guess she feels the same way.”
Jacob’s eyes narrow on Troy. “You and I have to have a talk. I’m okay with Lucas, but you can be a real bastard sometimes.”
Troy punches Jacob’s arm, and Jacob grabs his shoulder. Troy must be one of the few guys who has a punch that Jacob notices.
“What’s that supposed to mean, Fleming?”
“You mess with her in the wrong way ...” he warns.
“It’s not like that anymore,” Troy replies. “I have feelings for her. And I’m just trying to figure it out. How she feels about me.”
I don’t need to look in Jacob’s direction to feel the tension coming off him in waves. We’ve been a different story, and in a way, Jacob and I are closer. Everyone has had their issues with Troy, and we have had ours. The crap he did to prove that he was the king of Montlake over us. I bite my lip to keep my uncensored thoughts from slipping out. It has been a while since I thought about it, but who is the king of Montlake now?
That isn’t the only point. I’m married, and in a way, forced off the market. I can only see Natalie on the sly, while Jacob takes her out on expensive dates in the city. I’ve noticed the heart necklace that she likes to wear plus the gold bracelets on her wrists. Jacob is pursuing her openly, and he can have her openly. And now, it seems like Troy can too. I’m the only one left out.
“So,” Jacob says, “I guess this means we might have to share her with you?”
Troy stares into Jacob’s challenging eyes. It isn’t a question, and though we’re seated on a wi
de-open beach, the air around us becomes suffocating.
“Is that a problem?” asks Troy.
“Only if it’s a problem with her,” replies Jacob.
Jacob looks away first, and Troy feels surer of himself, enough to ask me a question. “How often do you see her?”
I shrug my shoulders. “I’m married, so I can’t see her.”
Troy presses his lips together. He’s too shrewd to lie to, and I can tell his next question will be less diplomatic.
“Do you plan to marry Natalie after the divorce?” he asks.
Jacob and Troy pin me with hard stares as my mind reels to find a clear answer. We’re close, but how close will we remain if Natalie chooses one of us to marry?
“I’ll leave that decision up to her when the time comes,” I reply.
Jacob shrugs his shoulder as his gaze goes out to the ocean. The wind’s blowing his hair off his face as he becomes lost in his thoughts. I wait for his input. He has the reputation of a jock who doesn’t ponder, but that’s so far off the mark. Following his advice would be the smartest thing we can do.
“It’s her decision in the end,” he finally says. “Her opinion of what we do with our lives is the only one that matters. She loves us, and no one comes close to the love she feels for us.”
I look down at the sand as a breeze off the Atlantic cools my sweaty skin. The game of volleyball didn’t wring me out as much as this conversation. Being truthful about my feelings with the two men I consider the most important friends in my life is complicated. I hold out my hand, and Jacob grasps it, then Troy’s. We hold onto each other for a moment before letting go.
“I stand corrected,” Jacob smirks. “I do give a shit about what you two think too.”
“Hey,” says Troy. “Where did Natalie go?”
We look over to the beach towel, and it’s empty. I stand up, looking around the immediate area for Natalie, wondering why she didn’t say anything before she left. The beach is public, and the hotel maintains this strip, so it is relatively safe, but with Anthony lurking around ...
“Wait,” says Troy. “I see her. She’s heading for the bathroom.”
Relieved, I sit back down, but Jacob stands. He can be overprotective like a pit bull straining on a lead. He stares at the concrete block building that houses both facilities for men and women.
“Fucking A,” scowls Jacob. “Is that Anthony?”
I look and don’t see him, but I trust Jacob. I’m on my feet along with Troy, rushing toward Natalie. She walks along, completely unaware that there’s a problem. Her hands swing at her sides as her sun-streaked blonde hair blows back in the wind. Natalie turns the corner of the building and is out of sight. Jacob has the bulk, I have the moves, but Troy has the speed from years of stealing bases. He’s racing as though his feet are barely touching the soft sand.
We hear a shout as Troy reaches the building first, but we’re close behind. Anthony is doubled over, his hands between his legs, and Natalie stands beside him with her fists clenched. Her cheeks are flushed, and she shouts a string of obscenities at him that would make a biker cringe. I run to her while Troy grabs Anthony by his shirt and shakes him around like a saltshaker.
“What did he do?” shouts Jacob. “What did he do, Nat?”
“He tried to kiss me.” She glowers at Anthony, holding up her fist again. “Next time, it will be a fist in your face. What’s wrong with you?”
Troy pushes Anthony against the stucco wall of the building. Anthony’s head goes back, hitting the hard surface, and the blow shakes him up. This isn’t good. We’re too close to the utility road by the hotel, and I’m sure we can be seen from the glass lobby across the street. Before I can move forward, Jacob steps in and places a cautioning hand on Troy.
“Not here, Troy,” he says. “Cromwell isn’t here to bail us out. Besides, Natalie took care of him.” A smiling Jacob nods at her handiwork. “Why don’t we escort Mr. Lange back to the hotel?”
“Or a dark alley?” replies Natalie.
Jacob laughs. “It can wait until we get home. Right, Anthony?” Jacob pinches Anthony’s cheek roughly. “You behave for the rest of the trip, and we’ll let you off with a warning.”
“Fuck you, Fleming,” bites out Anthony.
“You know, I don’t think I’ll miss you when I graduate.”
***
It’s almost comical watching Troy and Jacob drag Anthony away. His boots drag along the pavement as Troy holds him on the left and Jacob on the right. They disappear into a service entrance, avoiding the main door. I hope they don’t plan to hit him out of sight. I’m sure the hotel has CCTV.
“You’re trembling.” I pull Natalie into my arms, and we walk away from the building and into the sun.
“I don’t know why.” Her voice is high. “I’m not afraid. I’m still angry.”
“It’s the adrenaline. You’re coming down.”
She rests her cheek on my shoulder as I stroke my fingers over her hair.
“I wish I could kiss you now,” I whisper. “I miss you so much; sometimes, it drives me crazy.”
Her arms wrap around my waist. “I miss you too. But I’ll wait, Lucas.”
She looks into my eyes as tears teeter on her lower lashes. I want to kiss them away, but anyone could see us now. Anyone could have seen Anthony. It was such a shit move to do to my girl. I brush the tear away with my fingertips. Natalie smiles gently, and her eyes never leave mine.
I hesitate and stare into those sweet brown eyes that warm my heart when I lose hope. She’s the one that I want. The only one I’ll ever love. The temptation is too great and I press my lips against hers.
My thoughts are interrupted by the low hum of a passing scooter. I wasn’t aware that tourists are able to use the smaller service road. Two men on a moped pass by us. The man in front rides precariously along the edge of the beach, sending sand flying up in the air where the front tire leaves the road. But the man on the back snaps pictures with a wide-angle lens. He smiles at us as he lowers the camera, and they race away.
Natalie pulls out of my grasp. But it’s too late.
“It was a trap.” She places her hand over her mouth. “It was a goddamn trap.”
It makes sense. That explains his ill-timed play for Natalie. Even if we weren’t there, too many people were around. He couldn’t get away with anything.
He wanted to be caught.
Natalie looks at me, tears filling her eyes. “It’s so unfair,” she whispers. “It’s not right.”
CHAPTER 16
Troy
As Jacob and I drag Anthony into the hotel by the service entrance, my sister Vicki wanders down the long hallway from the far end and approaches us. I can’t even imagine why she would be down here.
Vicki places her hands on her hips and looks at me in disgust. “Again?” she asks. “Why do you always beat people up, Troy?”
“Do you see me beating him up?” I ask defensively.
“You look like you’re going to.”
I toss Anthony into Jacob, and Jacob pushes him away. Anthony straightens himself up and tugs his T-shirt down. He glares at us, and I guess we’re lucky that’s his only defense. His gaze travels over to Vicki. He must wonder why I’m listening to a kid.
“You should be on your way home,” I scowl at her. “What are you still doing here?” We never had that talk. She talked to Dad after I found her, but she’s been avoiding me. Vicki keeps avoiding the topic or flouncing off behind Arielle.
“Mother wanted me to meet Connor Bouchard,” she says matter-of-factly.
Jacob scoffs and rolls his eyes. “Why that idiot? He can barely dress himself.”
There’s silence because we know why. Vicki’s bottom lip starts to tremble, and I grab her immediately. She wraps her arms around me and holds tight as if I’m her only rock. And in that moment, I’d do anything to stop my sister from crying.
Vicki wipes a tear away as she explains. “Our mother arranged a meet-and-greet betwee
n Connor and me. I was supposed to wear a nice dress for pictures, and have dinner with his parents. They wanted to sign a marriage contract, so I ran away. I went to Arielle’s to hide. She didn’t mind if I tagged along. I told her I was mad at you.”
My voice is hoarse. “Are you?”
I feel Vicki shake her head against my stomach that’s doing flips.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask. “About the meeting.”
“You were gone, big brother.”
I hug her tight and look to Jacob. Jacob shrugs his shoulders. His sister is older, and she ran away to avoid a planned marriage that she’s never mentioned. He pats the top of Vicki’s small head with his hand. Static causes her soft blonde hair to stick to his hand. He’s so awkward with my sister, but he tries. Soon her crying is replaced with ragged breaths.