The Right Kind Of Wrong

by L. B. Reyes

  “I guess I shouldn't have told my dad after all,” Jenna grimaced.

  CHAPTER 37

  Nathan

  It didn't take me long to find her, especially not with the damn dress she wore. It accentuated all her curves and I knew that there was more than one man ogling over her.

  I saw the shock all over her face, her beautiful eyes widened and her lips parted with surprise. It was a fucking bad idea to ask David where she was, but the minute I knew she was going out, I knew I had to try to talk to her.

  I couldn't tell her the shit that was going on because she'd worry herself senseless for no reason. Even David couldn't figure out what the fuck to do. The betrayal Evelyn would face would be too much. It would truly fucking break her if she knew what her family was capable of doing.

  I stood there like an idiot for I don't know how long, and her eyes met mine. They were angry…and so fucking sad. I'd hurt her.

  Being a free man didn't matter, not when I was still chained to Hannah in many ways.

  Jenna squeezed Evelyn's shoulder gently and she nodded, turning around and walking away.

  Evie tried to act tough, like she wasn't in pain, like the wound wasn't raw and still bleeding. I understood it; she'd been through so much in the last few months that it was easier to pretend like this didn't hurt her. Deciding that giving her some room to think was the best option in that moment, I went over to the bar and asked the bartender for a drink.

  Soon the one drink turned into three…I rejected a fourth. If I wanted to even try to talk to Evie, I couldn’t be wasted. I needed to make sense.

  Suddenly, I felt a finger running down my arm and I flinched.

  What the fuck?

  A red-haired woman smiled up at me, bright blue eyes looking at me with flirtatious mischief.

  “This seat occupied?” she asked with a smile.

  It wasn't. “No.”

  She tossed her hair back, exposing her delicate shoulders. I laughed humorlessly. She had the wrong fucking idea.

  “You here alone?” she asked, biting her lip.

  “Not really,” I grit out, pressing my lips together.

  I glanced over to the other side of the club where Evelyn stood speaking to Jenna, eyes set in my direction.

  She was jealous.

  “You know I can make it worth your time.” Her warm breath tickled my ear. Finally, I turned around to face the woman that was so freely offering herself to me.

  “How is that?” I raised an eyebrow.

  “However you want,” she flirted, batting her long eyelashes.

  When I was just about to reply that I wasn't interested, Evelyn walked up to the bar, eyes sparkling. For a second, just for a fucking second, I thought she was heading my way, and she did; she stood next to me, but paid no attention to me.

  “Scotty!” she called out with a flirty smile.

  I shook my head, pressing my lips together.

  “Need something, Evelyn?” he asked, returning the smile. I didn't miss the way his eyes lingered on her cleavage.

  Bastard.

  My jaw tightened.

  “Just another vodka,” she smiled, resting her face in her hands.

  “What the hell do you think you're doing?” I hissed, taking hold of her arm. Evelyn raised an eyebrow, looking unaffected.

  “I'm getting a drink. You should pay more attention to your date. She looks quite lonely.”

  Scotty, or whatever the fuck his name was, set the drink in front of Evie and she downed it, setting the empty glass back on the counter.

  “You shouldn't be drinking,” I pointed out.

  “And you shouldn't be telling me anything,” she replied nonchalantly. Her gaze flew to the woman next to me and she added, “Enjoy your night and let me enjoy mine.”

  With one last glare she left but didn't approach Jenna, she went straight to the dance floor, closing her eyes and trying to get lost in the music.

  Furious, I asked for another drink. As if drawn to her, my eyes found her in the middle of the crowded club with no trouble. Her hips swayed and her hands were in her hair…and there was a man behind her. She didn't seem to mind. His hands were on her hips and his lips were near her ear, whispering God knows what.

  Nothing worse in the fucking world than watching another man's hands on the woman that's yours.

  She was trying to forget, I knew that much but this…shit, whatever she was doing was unbelievable.

  Sensing my thoughts, her eyes fluttered open, meeting mine. Her eyes were clouded by lust, anger…and I knew she saw the same in mine.

  She knew the look in my eyes.

  I saw her exhale before she pushed herself away from the man behind her, leaving him alone on the dance floor as she walked away. Her hand over her fast beating heart, she rushed past me not sparing me a glance and towards the restroom.

  Fuck it.

  I jumped off the stool and followed behind her. Impulsive, yes. But I needed to try something, anything for her to understand that I had no fucking choice when it came to what I had to do.

  When I opened the door to the restroom, she had her eyes closed and she was gripping the counter as if her life depended on it. I placed the lock on the door, watching how she tensed even further. She knew I was there.

  I approached her was like I was trying to help a wounded animal. I didn't how she'd react or if she'd attack instead of accepting my help. I stood behind her, watching her crestfallen expression through the mirror and touched her bare arm, hearing her shaky exhale. She shuddered as her eyes opened. My strong, brave woman was so broken.

  “Evelyn,” I whispered as I turned her slowly around.

  She didn't fight me and it wasn't until we were face to face that I realized how breathless we both were.

  There was no going back.

  ***

  Evelyn

  He was debating what to do. His gaze landed on my lips and then my eyes, searching for a protest. My name left his lips again as a breathless whisper and I looked at him, eyes pleading. For what I wasn't sure, I just knew that he would know what to do.

  No further words needed to be spoken, not when he brushed my hair back, and not as his mouth landed on mine with a passionate kiss. We moaned at the contact, reveling in each other’s taste. His hand traveled to the back of my head, as he slipped his tongue into my mouth and deepened the kiss.

  My senses were overrun with emotions. His hands were on my body, his mouth on me. As much as I tried to deny it, I wanted him. I missed him.

  I hated him yet loved him with every ounce of my being.

  So as he bunched up my dress around my waist and lowered my panties, I wasted no time in undoing his belt and zipper. He lifted me up and my legs wrapped around his waist as he carried me against the wall.

  He pushed into me with a groan, stilling and savoring the moment in which our bodies were united once again. Nathan's eyes were on me, full of longing and desire, desire that I was sure was visible in my own. Everything pointed to us being a certified disaster and perhaps this was nothing more than a drunken mistake, but my heart refused to believe that.

  It was too real.

  Too right.

  I moaned softly as he pulled back, then embedded himself back inside me, feeling every inch of him, our connection intensified by our unwavering gazes. In that moment I found it hard to believe that he didn't want me. The soft groans that left his lips told me that he felt at home with me, inside me. So what had gone wrong?

  This would only hurt me in the end, I realized that. However, I wanted to be with him, feel him easing my worries and concerns because ironically enough, even though he was the cause of my pain, he was also the only one that could take it away.

  His lips latched on to my neck and he ravished me, his thrusts deep and slow, making sure I memorized what he felt like inside me. He didn't realize that I'd never forget it; that I dreamt about being in his arms like that every night, wished for him every day.

  When his finger found
my clit, I bucked against him, moaning loudly as he flicked, working the swollen bud with one goal in mind. I tightened around him, throwing my head against the wall as the waves of pleasure washed over me without mercy.

  “Nathan,” I cried out, not giving a damn about who could hear us. He followed soon after, burying his face in my neck as he released inside me, his thrusts becoming short and erratic. Not wanting the moment to end, he leaned down and kissed me, desperate to prolong it as much as possible.

  I whimpered, not out of pleasure but because it was then that all the emotions decided to reappear. A single tear left my eyes and Nathan broke off the kiss, regret in his. He swallowed thickly, resting his forehead against my own.

  “I'm sorry, Evie,” he sighed, shaking his head sadly. “I—”

  “Just…don't,” I replied, forcing myself to keep it together, at least while in front of him. He lowered me to the floor and I immediately picked up my discarded panties and locked myself in a stall. I wiped away the evidence of what we had just done and put my underwear back on, eager to make a run for it if need be.

  Taking a deep breath I stepped out of the stall, only to find Nathan leaning against the counter with his gaze lowered until he saw me. There was no masking the pain he felt but I was far too hurt and angry and ashamed to care.

  “Evie, we need to talk.”

  “There is nothing to talk about,” I hissed, walking towards the door. He stopped me, placing his hand over it so I couldn't open it.

  “Yes, we need to talk about what just happened.”

  I shook my head, laughing humorlessly. “Nothing happened.”

  “Evelyn—”

  “It was nothing but a quick fuck in a dirty restroom in a bar,” I snarled.

  “That's what this was to you?” he asked with a pained look.

  No.

  “Yes.”

  He pushed himself off the door, his lips pressed together into a thin line. I half expected him to argue with me, to say something hurtful back, but he didn't and simply leaned back against the counter.

  It took me a minute to realize that he was waiting for me to walk out so that others wouldn't suspect of what we'd just done. He was protecting me.

  With blurry vision I turned around and walked out of the restroom, letting the door close behind me. A quiet sob left my lips as I took out my phone, typing a quick message to Jenna letting her know that I was leaving. I couldn't be there anymore. I was on edge, my emotions were all over the place.

  Some would call this running perhaps, but I didn't know what else to do. I never was one to run yet for the first time in my life, I had no clue what to do. I had no one to help guide me and my heart truly ached. I was heartbroken.

  I was so in love with a man that I knew from the start I would never have and now, well, now I was paying the consequences of my actions.

  CHAPTER 38

  Evelyn

  I fidgeted with my shirt.

  Dammit.

  How had I forgotten my flashcards in Nathan's car? I had arrived extra early at the university with the hopes of sneaking in to Nate's car without him seeing me get it. After our encounter in the restroom in the club, I hadn't seen him and didn't plan to.

  That had been unplanned, impulsive and a reminder of how weak I was when it came to him. Being in his arms once again was…beautiful. But I had cried all that night. He seemed like he had many things to say, and I had refused, thinking it was for the best.

  Now I wasn't so sure.

  I was still angry, angrier than I'd ever been, but the look in his eyes when I said that it was nothing than a simple fuck was forever engraved in my mind.

  Wanting him to feel pain was one thing but actually seeing it had hurt me even further. I never wanted to cause him pain.

  It's ironic how much someone can hurt you and how despite that, you can want only the best for them. I wasn't a vengeful person; maybe that was my fault. I should have more strength, care less. Not want him that much.

  I shouldn't have fallen as hard for him as I did. It was too late now though. I had finals to take and I couldn't be worried about anything that didn't pertain to my future.

  I knelt behind a large Dodge Ram, watching Nathan step out of his car. He was wearing jeans and a one of those dress shirts he always wore, fitted and tight around his biceps.

  Why did he have to be so damn handsome?

  Taking out his briefcase, he closed the door and locked it.

  Fuck, fuck.

  He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, his shoulders tense and his face tight, like he would rather be anywhere else than there. Nate sighed and headed towards campus.

  It was finals week and I knew that he'd be busy as I would be. Typically, before every test or class really there would be a lot of encouraging words and good luck sex but for now, that was gone. I missed his encouraging words. The good luck sex. I missed everything about him.

  Once he was out of sight I rushed to his car, trying to figure out how the hell I was going to open it. My heart raced and my hands shook. Other than underage drinking I'd never committed a crime and was pretty sure this was one.

  I took a bobby pin from my hair, stupidly thinking that it would be enough to open it when I had no fucking clue as to what I was doing.

  “Open up, dammit,” I hissed. “Please, you like me you beautiful Mustang. My relationship with Nathan is over but not with you, hm? Open please.”

  I had no patience.

  After the third time without success, I cursed, slamming my hand against the window of the driver's seat.

  And setting off the alarm.

  “Oh no, no, no, no, no.” Color rose to my cheeks as the sound of the car echoed throughout the garage, curious onlookers searching for the source of it. I held on to the car as if that would make it shut up, but when it didn't I covered my face in embarrassment.

  How the hell does this stuff happen to me?

  “Are you trying to break into someone's car?” a curious guy asked.

  “Are you?” Nathan's voice came from behind the man. “I got this. It’s my car,” he said, giving the guy a pointed glare. The guy raised his hands as a sign that he didn't want trouble and walked away, leaving Nathan and me alone.

  I shifted on my feet under his amused gaze, a slow smirk forming on his handsome face. For the first time in the days since we had broken up, I saw an expression other than sadness and desperation on his features. I could try to lie to myself as much as I wanted, but seeing him relax in front of me made me happy.

  “I understand you're pissed, but isn't breaking into my car a bit too much, Evelyn?” he asked, pressing the alarm button on his key chain.

  Narrowing my eyes on him, I shrugged and crossed my arms over my chest. “I don't think it's enough.”

  A genuine smile covered his face and he leaned against his car, eyes studying my face for a moment before he spoke up. “What do you need from the car?”

  “I left an assignment there and need to get it out.” I felt my cheeks heat up; his nearness always affecting me even if I didn’t want it to.

  He extended his hand, giving the keys over to me. “These won't set it off,” he smiled teasingly.

  “Screw you,” I glowered, unlocking the car. It was lying on the passenger seat as if he already knew that I would eventually come looking for it.

  “Is that it?” he asked, not losing the amused look in his eyes. I nodded, biting my lip, a nervous habit he just loved. “It would have been easier for you to just tell me, you know? Instead of putting on a show in the university garage,” he teased.

  “I didn't want to talk to you,” I replied.

  Instead of arguing with me, his smile turned into a full blow grin, one that met his eyes. My heart soared. “It's good to see you're still in there,” he said. “You can still turn to me for help, Evelyn. We may not be together, for now, but that doesn't mean I won't help you if you need it.”

  “You've said you would be there before and look where we
ended up,” I said, lowering my gaze.

  He tilted my chin up, his fingers caressing my face with tenderness. I let out a shaky breath and his eyes, they softened, looking at me with so much love that I couldn't be mad at him.

  “I know I went about things the wrong way,” he said. “But if you give me the chance, I can explain to you, at least in part, what happened.”

  “In part?” I asked, tears flooding my eyes.

  Go away, stupid tears.

  “I don't want half-truths, Nathan, I need the whole truth.”

  He swallowed thickly, cupping my face in his hands. “Okay,” he whispered. “Let's go to lunch today, I'll tell you everything, hm?”

  “Nathan, I don't—”

  “Please, Evie,” he implored, not bothering to hide his sorrow. “Don't you think we owe that to each other at least?”

  “Can I even trust you?”

  The thought of giving him that trust once again and then being betrayed was almost too much to bear.

  “You'll understand when I tell you. I'm only trying to protect you, Evelyn, I promise. You can decide afterward if you want to stay mad, it's your choice. I won't force you, but please, give me a chance to explain.”

  I turned away and Nathan got the message, and let me go.

  “Fine,” I said. “But Nathan, if you lie to me one more time about even the color of your underwear, I swear to God I'll cut—”

  “Hey,” he chuckled, raising up his hands. “I promise, I won't lie.”

  “Fine. I'm serious, Nathan. You hurt me too much and I don't know if I can forgive that. Not after what you said. Not after everything.”

  “I know, Evelyn.” Regret covered his face but he didn't try to touch me again. “Just give me a chance to explain, that's all I'm asking.”

  I nodded and walked past him, sighing in relief when I realized I had been able to handle being in front of him without having a breakdown.