Wrong For Me

by Meagan Brandy

She’s begging me to lay off.

  Can’t do it.

  “Alec …” She reads me right, knows I can’t back down, and her nostrils flare, her nose growing red. “Don’t.”

  “If he takes you, I’ll follow, and then I’ll be right back in front of you when you step out. No point in all this. Do not leave here with him.”

  “And who would you have me leave with, hmm? You and your wife?”

  “This isn’t about her.”

  She laughs incredulously, her hands moving to hit her thighs as she shakes her head at me.

  “My dad is dead. Your mentor. And your wife, who is standing in front of the doorway, staring at us, posing like she’s on a fucking runway, might have had something to do with it. Or not. Who the fuck knows? It is taking everything inside me not to march right up to her and tear her fucking eyes out. Back. The fuck. Off.”

  “No.”

  Her head draws back, and it all becomes too much. Tears fill her eyes. She shifts her jaw and looks off, unwilling to cry in front of me. “I need to get out of here. Now. I can’t … I need to go.”

  Arctic-blue eyes meet mine, a dam building and ready to burst.

  I step forward, and anticipating my move, she steps back at the same exact moment.

  “Don’t,” I growl, the pressure against my ribs growing tighter, making it hard to breathe. “Don’t step farther from me and closer to him.”

  Rowan shifts his feet, catching my attention, and I cut my eyes his way to find his pinched at the edges as he stares at Oakley.

  I know he caught what she’d said in there. He knows I had her.

  Fuck that. He knows I have her.

  “Let me leave, Alec. It’s been a real shitty day.” She sniffs, glancing away. “And night for that matter.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  Her voice is much quieter when she speaks again. “Don’t add to it by making me watch her touch you.”

  Fuck, baby …

  I grind my jaw to keep myself still. I wanna fucking hold her, but Marissa’s steps are growing closer.

  “Go,” I force myself to say.

  Her eyes fly to mine. I see the suspicion in the way she’s slow to step back. It’s rightfully placed. She’s gonna hate me for a while, even more after the shit I’m about to pull, but I meant what I said to her dad. Once the move is made, there’s no going back.

  Not for me and damn sure not for her.

  It’s the only way, and it’s guaranteed to piss her off.

  She walks toward Rowan’s truck, and I let her.

  I shift, glaring at my brother over my shoulder, speaking low so that Marissa can’t hear, “Watch yourself, Rowan. I fucking mean it.”

  He scoffs, “You’ve got a lot of nerve, man. She’s not your woman to worry about.”

  I spin, getting in his face, and he stands tall against me, daring me to lay fucking claim, knowing damn well my words are limited with Marissa now right behind me.

  “Get out of here,” he growls. “Go back to where you came from and take your trouble with you.”

  “Oh, honey,” Marissa speaks now, her hand landing on my arm. She grins proudly, tilting her head as she looks from my brother to my girl as she slides into Rowan’s truck. “I won’t be going anywhere for a while.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Oakley

  She wants to see me break, right here, right now. At her hands.

  I would never. A woman who might have something to do with my dad’s death, who shares the last name of the man who played me, made me fall for him before I even knew it was happening. Never.

  The boldness she clearly has will be a problem. Coming up to me like that, making herself known to the daughter of the man she spoke to mere hours before his death.

  Hell, who knows? Maybe she had zero to do with it, and she really is the victim. I don’t know. But I have too much going on in my head to stop and consider it.

  I wanted nothing more than to hurl myself at her and demand answers she might not have and that the police obviously hadn’t gotten, but I can’t be arrested. Can’t risk losing all I have left by having a mental breakdown where others can see.

  I’ll cry tonight, by myself in the shower, not here in front of others who will either pity or earn power over me.

  I don’t need pity, and I’d never give them power.

  What I want is answers.

  I want my dad.

  Alec tries to catch my stare through the windshield, but I pretend like I don’t notice, closing my eyes as I drop against the seat.

  A few seconds go by, and then Rowan’s door opens. He slides in, gently closing the door behind him.

  “Oaks,” Rowan whispers, and I roll my head his way, locking my eyes with his. “I’m gonna take you to get some food. Anything sound good?”

  As if I could eat right now.

  He’s only trying to help in the way he knows how.

  I look back to the road. “Surprise me, Row.”

  Rowan ends up running through a Taco Bell drive-through around the corner from his place. When he pulls up at his house, I don’t question it. I follow him inside.

  We get comfortable on the couch, neither of us eating more than a few bites of our food, but both soaking in the silence for a little while before he sighs and looks to me.

  “I don’t know what to do or say here, Oakley. What do I do?” His gaze drops to the floor before meeting mine again. “Do I ask if you’re okay when I know you’re not? Talk about your dad or ask what the detectives told you, if anything? Do I call and cuss out my brother for … for hurting you like I’m thinking he did? Do I hold you like I used to?” He takes a shuddering breath, shifting to look me in the eye better. “Am I even allowed to hold you anymore?”

  “You can do whatever you want, Rowan,” I tell him numbly.

  He frowns. He licks his lips and looks away. “Yeah, Oaks, I know. But what is it that you want? Do you want to talk about your dad? Do you want to lie here and cry in my arms? Or do you … do you want …”

  “Or do I want Alec?” I finish for him when his words die off.

  His gaze bounces between mine, and slowly, he nods. “Do you?”

  Do I?

  Does it make me sick if the first answer that hits me is yes?

  “What I want is to go home now, Rowan. Take me home.”

  “Is that a good idea? You shouldn’t be alone, especially now. And what if the threat is still out there?”

  “I had a live-in babysitter, and someone still got in my house. Someone got to my dad, wherever the hell he was. I don’t think we could stop anything if we tried.”

  His forehead pinches in remorse, and I sigh, reaching over to grab his hand.

  “Row,” I whisper. “Thank you for trying. I know you want to make this easier on me, but I need to be alone for a little while. It still doesn’t seem real. I don’t think it’s hit me yet, and I want to be in my home when it does.”

  “I don’t want to leave you alone.”

  “I know.” I offer a small smile. “But you will. Besides, you have class tomorrow. You need to get some sleep.”

  His face scrunches as his head slightly draws back. “I can’t go to class while you’re—”

  “Rowan, stop.” I pull myself up with the little strength I have left. “I’m serious. You’ve worked your ass off for this chance. I know you want to be here for me, and I appreciate that, but Blaze needs to come first right now. No matter what happens, I won’t let my dad’s program fail.” My voice grows quieter as sadness fights its way to the surface. “I need to make sure, if nothing else, the school isn’t affected. That’s something you can do for me. Stay focused and kick ass. And tell me if the stand-in instructors Hillock brings in ‘til I’m back suck,” I try to joke, but it falls flat.

  He knows as well as I do that I don’t want anyone else running my training courses. Especially people I didn’t vet myself.

  “Okay, Oaks,” he whispers. “Okay.” He nods, moving to stand wi
thout looking my way. “Let’s get you home, huh?”

  We make our way to his truck, and after what feels like an eternity, he’s parking in front of my house.

  He drops his hands from the steering wheel and says nothing, knowing I need a minute. I lay my head against the headrest, closing my eyes for a moment.

  My dad is gone. I have no idea how to go forward, but tonight, I’ve decided I don’t even want to think about it. I want to pretend like nothing happened and try to sleep. When I wake up tomorrow, I’ll figure out what happens next.

  I open my eyes and look to Rowan. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  He doesn’t speak, just nods, a deep crease in his brow. “Or tonight, if you need to.”

  With a flat smile, I pull my keys from my pocket, and I head for the door, waving at Rowan as I reach for the handle.

  He pulls away right as the knob is yanked from my grasp.

  My eyes fly forward as the door flies open.

  Alec fucking Daniels is standing inside my home as if he still has the right.

  “What the—”

  “Save it, Oakley,” he cuts me off, his tone bored. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “How dare you! Get out of my house!”

  I shove him, but he doesn’t budge. His large frame stays planted right in front of me.

  “This is my home, my father’s home! For all I know, this is all your fault!” I shout, angry tears building. “We were fine before you showed up! Now, he’s dead … and your wife might be involved!”

  “Oakley—”

  “Wife, Alec! You’re fucking married! All the shit you did to get my attention, the shit you said to me, the things you did with me?” My head pulls back, anger evaporating for heartache, and I hate myself for showing it. “Just … leave. Go away. Go back to your home, wherever that is, and forget these last few weeks.”

  “Can’t.”

  A broken chuckle leaves me, and I want to fight. I want to argue, but I’ve got nothing left in me tonight. I’m about to crumble, and I’ll be damned if it’s in front of him.

  “You know what?” I throw my hand up, my voice scratchy. “It doesn’t matter. Do what you want. You always do. I need to shower and sleep, and I can’t … I can’t even stand the sight of you right now.”

  This time, he lets me shove past him, and I hustle down the hall, but when I pass his room, I jolt to a stop and take the two steps back to glance inside.

  The air turns to stone, clogging my throat.

  Four-inch tan heels lie at the foot of his bed, flower-print luggage scattered across the comforter we messed up just last night.

  My chest grows tight, my knees weak, but somehow, I manage to turn my head when I feel him behind me.

  My brows pull in as his jaw sets tight, deep creases forming at the edges, eyes as dead as his soul must be to dare this.

  He wouldn’t … didn’t …

  The creak of the bathroom door has my head pulling right.

  Wearing a see-through satin-and-lace gown, she leans against the frame, her eyes raking over me in disdain before hitting mine.

  Marissa fucking Daniels is in my home.

  The corner of her mouth lifts as her head tilts mockingly. “Hey, roomie.”

  What. The. Fuck?

  Alec

  I force my expression to be neutral as Oakley stands there, frozen for a split second, before she continues toward her room.

  She looks unfazed, completely unaffected, but I can see it in her measured steps; she’s about to snap. And, truth be told, not sure what’ll happen when she does.

  I move forward, planting both feet in front of Marissa, who has stepped to the middle of the hall.

  She looks up, a small smile forming on her lips. “Husband.”

  “Marissa.”

  “Anything you’d like to share?”

  “I was ’bout to ask you the same thing. Quite a surprise, you showing up like this.” I pop a brow.

  She hums, stepping closer, her hands sliding up over my chest, and I force myself not to shove her off.

  “How about a bedroom surprise?” she whispers. “It’s been too long. I need my man to remind me what he’s capable of.”

  I grab her wrists and remove her from me. “We’ve got shit to talk about.”

  Her tongue pokes out to touch my lips. “We can talk in the morning.”

  “It can’t wait.” I go to push her through my bedroom door, but she jerks away, her eyes narrowing slightly.

  Her wheels are spinning, and the last thing I need right now is for her to look closer, so I grab her by the front of her nightgown and yank her to me, biting into my cheek when she moans. I bring my hands around her frame and scoop her up, carrying her into my room.

  The room where, just last night, I had my dream girl for the first time.

  I’m going to hell.

  “You’re right.” I toss her on the bed and walk back to the door to lock it. I turn to find a picture so fucked up I can’t even let myself stop to think about it. “We can talk tomorrow.”

  She starts giggling, and then her nightgown hits the floor, my conscience buried somewhere beneath it.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Alec

  When Marissa slips into the shower, I knock on Oakley’s bedroom door, but as expected, she doesn’t answer.

  “Open the door before I bust it down.”

  She knows I would, and that’s when panic kicks in because, still, there’s no sound coming from the other side.

  I stalk over to my room to grab the knife off the dresser, and I quickly jam it in her door, breaking the lock from the frame.

  Her room is fucking empty.

  I go to the closet but can’t tell if anything’s missing, so I yank open her first few drawers, and they’re damn near bare.

  “Fuck!” I scrub my hands over my head, my knife still in my hand. “Fuck, fuck.”

  She’s gone.

  I rush back to my room for my phone and call my brother.

  He answers on the fourth ring.

  “What?”

  “Bring her ass home.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking—”

  “Don’t fuck with me, Rowan. I mean it.”

  “Hey, Alec? Fuck. You.” I hear him rustling around before he comes back on the line. “You’ve got nerve, asshole.”

  “So, she is there.”

  “Again, fuck you. Take your whore to Mom’s if you need to be somewhere, or better yet … fucking leave. But, whatever you do, get the hell out of Oakley’s house.”

  That’s confirmation enough. She’s there.

  I hang up, grab my keys from the nightstand, and head for the door.

  Before I reach for the knob, Marissa’s voice questions, “Going after the girl?”

  My fingers flex against the metal, and I glance over my shoulder at her. “Not now, Marissa.”

  My eyes shift between hers, and she nods slowly before moving back to the room. Then, I’m out the door.

  Not sure how I get here, as I was driving blind, but before I know it, I’m pulling in front of Rowan’s place. The second I throw the truck in park, his front door swings open.

  Good, he was expecting me.

  He storms out as I charge for the entrance, and like I knew he would, he swings. I let him hit me square in the jaw before I dip my shoulders, wrap him up, and drop his ass flat on his back.

  He coughs, grabbing his side, as I step over him and rush through the front door.

  I scan the kitchen and living room before heading down the hall. The bathroom door is open, so I skip right past it until I’m at Rowan’s bedroom door, which is also open. I step inside.

  Long blonde hair is wet and stuck to her neck and shoulders, a stained blue towel wrapped around her body. Missed beads of water trickle down her neck and chest, making my anger boil as my dick grows hard.

  She goes to open her mouth but closes it, shaking her head at me before dropping onto the mattress, and it all comes
to a head. The weight of the day, the thoughts of last night. The sight she saw and sounds she was forced to hear in her own home.

  She cries, her entire body shaking, as helplessness runs through her.

  And I can’t fucking move. I’m stuck, locked up hard as stone with no words to ease her in this moment.

  This is my fault.

  Rowan bursts into the room then, his hand coming to hit against the door, but he, too, freezes where he stands.

  My eyes connect with his, and I hate that he knows what she needs like I do.

  He moves to his closet, pulling out a blanket, and steps toward her. My hand shoots forward and clamps on to his shoulder, pulling him back. He spins to face me, his eyes narrowing in rage, but neither of us says a word.

  He sees it, knows I don’t want him near her, don’t want him touching her, but when another soft sound comes from Oakley, another break in her armor, I squeeze my eyes shut.

  My hands on her will only make this moment worse.

  When my eyes open again, some of the tension leaves Rowan’s shoulders, and he takes a slow step back before turning to her completely.

  I bite my tongue until that familiar metallic taste coats my teeth as I prepare to see his skin touch hers.

  When he gently brushes her hair from her face, she takes a deep breath and looks up, giving him a small smile, one I want for myself.

  Neither spares me a glance.

  I’m the bad guy after all.

  He nods, and she lowers herself onto his bed, still in a towel. He lays the blanket over her. She pulls it up to her neck and tucks her face away, closing herself off from the outside world.

  I force my feet to exit the room but stop just outside to lean against the wall.

  I can’t do this. Can’t go another day with her questioning everything that she’s come to learn about me.

  I’ve worked too hard, waited too damn long to allow her to see me, only to lose her overnight.

  I planned to delay us. I wanted it to happen at the right time, but putting me under the same roof as Oakley was like dangling a diamond in front of a thief. It was out of my hands at that point.

  Maybe, if she’d pushed back harder, I could have held off, but she wanted me just the same, even when she denied it to herself.