Bella: Tag, you're it (Men of Steel Book 6)

by Mj Fields

  Tags

  I end the call with my girl and see Carly leaning against the wall across the hall.

  “You need help getting ice?”

  She nods, pushes herself off the wall, and says, “Sure.”

  “It’s just down here,” I say as I walk toward her and take the ice bucket. “How’s Isabella?”

  “Well”—she half-laughs—“she’s either passed out or pretending to be.”

  “The guys still alive?”

  “Mine or yours?” she asks.

  I laugh.

  She smiles. “They’re fine.”

  “Good. Bad timing. She didn’t mean to eat those things.”

  “You partake?” she asks.

  “Not this trip,” I tell her honestly. “Not gonna say I never have, but it’s been awhile.”

  “About four years?” she asks.

  “Would make me more likeable to say yes, but no.”

  “I don’t think you’re unlikable, but my husband, well, he heard you tell who we weren’t sure was Bella or not at the moment that she was done for the night. Then, well, you know the rest of the conversation. That led him to believe there was something fishy going on. He didn’t see the man with the cute little girl, so I’ll apologize for him.”

  I hold the bucket under the ice maker and push it against the release. When it’s filled up, I turn toward her.

  “But if I were you, I’d be real with him.”

  I swallow hard. “About what?”

  She shakes her head. “Anything and everything. He’ll flip shit, then he’ll chill.”

  “He’ll flip shit on a grown man?”

  “Um, hello, but was that you against the wall?” She laughs.

  I nod. “True, but he thought I was going to hurt Bella, so I get it. The thing is, I never will.”

  She’ll be the one to fuck me up, I think.

  “Why would she fuck you up?”

  “There are times, like just then, I think shit and don’t mean to say it. Could you do me a favor and forget I said that?”

  She shakes her head.

  “I didn’t think so.”

  “Spill it.”

  I lean against the wall next to the door. “She’s special, beautiful, real, says whatever she wants, kind to men like me and all the others. She’s not been really hard to fall for. The problem is, my life’s complicated right now. When I met her, I said see you in six to nine months. Then she shows up.”

  “Wait. You already knew her?”

  I nod.

  “From school?”

  I shake my head.

  “Well, how?”

  “Same way I know you’re love.”

  She covers her mouth and looks pretty fucking horrified. “Oh God, please forgive me for this but, if her dad finds out, he’s gonna hurt you.”

  I shrug. “Wouldn’t ask you to lie to your husband. I will ask you to do what’s best for Bella. I certainly plan to.”

  The door opens, and the guys all walk out.

  “You sure you don’t want to go—”

  “Grimm, dude, have fun.” I half-laugh.

  I hold the door for Carly. “After you.”

  When we walk in, Bella is sitting up and leaning against the uncle with the least attitude. Xavier, I think.

  I set the ice down, and she looks up. A goofy-ass grin spreads across her face.

  “Still not feeling straight?”

  “Look around, Tags. Right now, I’m wishing I had more of those gummies.”

  She’s serious as shit. She’s also acting like they aren’t even here.

  Xavier laughs. “Me, too, Little Bell.”

  “Xavier,” his wife scolds him.

  “Irish, we have a teenage boy; been straight for way too many years. We’re in Vegas, Momma Joe has the kids; let’s eat some fucking gummies.”

  Bella laughs, and Jase growls.

  “Daddy …” she sighs, “you do know that I am a twenty-three-year-old woman, right?”

  “You do know that I’m your father, right?”

  “Oh yes, and so does every boy I dated in college. Hell, your picture was sent from one asshole to the next with a warning.”

  “Good,” he huffs.

  “Not gonna say I disagree. None were worth a damn anyway.”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” he snaps.

  And I find myself siding with her father.

  She peeks up at me, bloodshot eyes through thick lashes, and shakes her head.

  “Bella, I asked you a question,” he demands.

  “Then you’ll get an answer you won’t like, but you’ll get it. Then I’m gonna go to sleep, because I ate some gummies that I didn’t know were …” She looks at me and smiles. “What did you call them?”

  I narrow my eyes. “Canna-bears.”

  “This asshole give them to you?”

  She whips her head around and scowls at him. “This asshole …” She looks back at me and cringes. “Sorry.”

  “It’s all good.” I nod.

  She turns back to him. “He didn’t, and neither did the others. I saw candy in a fridge after I sat at that desk and edited a film that I’ll never be able to use because his wife hates me.”

  Xavier breathes out, “Fuuuuck.” And four women stand in front of me.

  “The hell are you all doing?” Jase asks.

  Fucker looks crazy, like seriously crazy. Like he’s the bull, and I’m the asshole with the red flag kind of crazy.

  “They know how you are. They’re protecting the man who I am falling in love with—”

  “You’re what?”

  I do him a solid and keep my face unreadable, when inside, my heart is doing all kinds of shit. It’s a fucking party in there. A big fucking party. Looking around, I realize it’s the equivalent to someone finding out they won the lottery at a funeral of someone they don’t know but are attending to support a friend.

  She looks at me. “Have I said that yet tonight?”

  “Not tonight. Not in the past month. Not at all actually.”

  Carly whips around and looks horrified.

  I look at Jase as he looks between us, back and forth, back and forth, like a pendulum swinging as a countdown commences, before the bomb goes off.

  “She doesn’t know about us,” Bella says.

  This poor man is getting it from all sides.

  “It’s a long story.”

  “Can you tell it in the next ten seconds? Because you got about that long before I lose my shit all over you.”

  I force a smile. “I’m doing this for her, not you.”

  “You don’t have to.” Isabella starts to stand up then falls on her ass.

  “Pretty sure I’ll do a better job than you right now.”

  I look at Jase. “She needs me to explain myself, because you need answers. You need answers because you love her. That’s the only reason I’m putting my ass on the line, and when I say I’m putting my ass on the line, it should come with the realization that I know what you went through to get Isabella back in your life. I don’t want to be in the same boat ever. You may not respect me, but it’s not you I’m truly concerned with.”

  He doesn’t like that much. He loves his daughter, he’ll adjust.

  “Left home when I was sixteen. Wasn’t a good home. Got arrested for some stupid shit, went to juvy, and met some new friends. Got out and didn’t go home again. They never looked, still don’t look, and I don’t care. Joined a gang, had a threesome, got the girl pregnant. Yes, I know she’s mine. Before she found out she was knocked up, she and the other guy—”

  “Neo,” Bella interrupts.

  I nod. “They became a thing. I had no interest in her that way, so it was easy. He found out she was pregnant; she was too far along to do shit about it. Baby came out my color, not his. She said she wanted to get married. I was already in it for life with a kid—I could have made it work—so I was down.”

  “Then she left him and Luna when she was an infant, an
d they were homeless, and an old lady took them in,” Bella finishes.

  “You missed a part. She made me turn myself in for all the warrants—vandalism. Well, graffiti. She took care of my girl, and when I got out, she had a job lined up for me. She’s the one who pushed me to do this, and I’m going to win so I can make sure she’s taken care of like she took care of us.”

  Jase still looks pissed. The others don’t. Either way, I don’t care.

  As a father, the next part is what would bother me, so I’m ready for whatever.

  “The extra push was when I found out who Mara really was.”

  Bella interrupts, “When he was trying to get her to sign papers for their divorce.”

  “She’s David, the executive producers, daughter. She’s a spoiled, little, rich bitch who’s had no type of supervision. Her dad doesn’t know about Luna, or about me. She’s avoided me all she can, but I have papers for her to sign. My only fear is David will get wind of it and go after some sort of custody for Mara. She’s not mother material, and she isn’t gonna fuck my girl up. If I could avoid the shit for the rest of my life, I would. But I’m twenty-three years old and my girl deserves better. I’m the only one who’s gonna make that happen. Just got something to deal with first.”

  “She’s freaking crazy, too. Hates me. So, she can’t know about him and me. She’d avoid signing to spite me.”

  “Or tell her father about my girl. I don’t have David’s money. I might never. Doesn’t mean I’m not good enough for her. I know damn well I’m the best she’ll ever have.”

  “You do that to my girl’s back?” Jase asks.

  “Still working on some of my issues.”

  He huffs, “She ends up ditching you—and odds are, she will—the next man that she’s with—”

  “The next man who bends her over will see she’s taken.”

  Carly whispers, “No, nope, nuh-uh, not something I’d—”

  “You and I need to take a walk.” Jase’s eyes are an interesting shade of amber.

  This is gonna suck.

  I push myself off the wall, and Bella jumps up.

  “No!” She points at him then at me. “Please don’t do this.”

  Jase sneers, “How the hell does he get a please and I get a no?”

  I smile at her. “She’s already got your love, and she’s just realized she’s falling in love with me.” I look up at the man whose eyes are murderous. “I’m assuming that will change when she hears those words from me.”

  “Might wanna say ’em now. Pretty sure he’s gonna bust your jaw.” Cyrus laughs tauntingly.

  “You want me to get a picture of the two of you before his face is fucked up, Little Bell?” Zandor’s laugh is lighter, but he seems serious to me.

  “Just go with it, man. No one wants to fight someone who’s not fighting back.” Xavier’s suggestion.

  I lean down, eyes on her father, and brush my lips across her forehead. “I’ll be back in a little while.”

  “No!”

  I cock my head to the side, lean in, and whisper, “We have two nights left here; you really want to deny me the right to get this out of the way?”

  She leans in and whispers to me, “I like your lips; don’t let him bust them.”

  I smile as I step back. “See you later.”

  “Yes, you will.” But she doesn’t say those words to me; she says them to her father.

  I step out first, and he follows.

  “Would like to do this in private? The hall’s full of cast, crew, and I’m assuming Mara.”

  “You think I give a fuck?”

  “Yeah, actually, I do.”

  He doesn’t respond as he follows me down the hall.

  Once I open my door, I see some of her shit laying around. When I turn around, he swings.

  I don’t block, and I don’t move. I let him hit me.

  “You got nothing to say?” he snaps.

  I shrug. “Nothing you wanna hear.”

  He swings again. This time I grab his fist.

  “Ask me what I did for money to eat from ages sixteen to eighteen?”

  “Don’t give a fuck.”

  I shove his hand away. “Fought. I’m pretty fucking quick. Ask me why?”

  He swings again, and I catch it and shove it away again.

  “Because I learned real quick how to avoid shit flying at me from a deranged mother from the time I was old enough to remember shit.”

  “You expect me to feel sorry for you?”

  “Not my point. My point is, she’ll be loved, she’ll be protected, she’ll be looked after.”

  “Like she is here!”

  “Not an answer you wanna hear, but yeah, she’s been well looked after.”

  “You’re damn right it’s not something I wanna hear.” His jaw muscles tense.

  “The guys on team Bella love that girl. She’s looked after even when I’m not around. That better?”

  “The ones who allowed her to eat fucking edibles?”

  “That was a fluke.”

  “So you’re telling me she works, and then you suck every bit of time out of her!”

  “No, she does whatever she wants to do. I just make sure I’m around.”

  “So you’re obsessed with my daughter!”

  “With all due respect, it seems like nothing I say is gonna make you happy, so why—”

  “Exactly.”

  “Wasn’t gonna say why bother. I was gonna say why fight it.”

  “You want your daughter with some man who …” He stops.

  “Right now, yeah. In twenty years, I’m not sure how I’ll feel. But when I get there, I’ll look back on this moment right here.”

  He looks between my eyes, trying to read me.

  “You think I’m full of shit? Some punk who just wants a good piece of ass? I can assure you that’s not the case. Something sparked when we met. Something I’ve never felt. And even though I haven’t said the words to your daughter, and I’m not about to tonight, I loved her the minute I saw her. I will love her until she tells me to fuck off. And I will bust my ass to make sure that never happens. And if you think love at first sight is a joke, man”—I sigh—“I’m sorry because it’s not just a game changer; it changes your heart’s rhythm.”

  Silence, and then I laugh. “Isabella, I can feel you from here.”

  Jase begins, “You’re fucking cra—”

  “I’m pissed at you for hitting him,” she spews as she hurries into view.

  “You’re not alone.” Carly walks in and, yeah, the rest follow her.

  “Your lip’s bleeding.” She runs her thumb over it. “Come on; let’s clean it up.”

  Twenty-One

  He Loves Me

  Bella

  As soon as we’re in the bathroom, I shut the door behind me. “I’m so sor—”

  He kisses me hard, running his hands up my back. With one, he pulls me closer, and then grips the back of my skull with the other.

  I taste him, and copper, and him. When he pulls back, taking my lip with him, his eyes are different. They smolder.

  I finish my sentiment, “ry.”

  “You feel better?”

  “You’re asking me if I feel better when my ASSHOLE father just punched you?”

  “Prolly gonna hit a few boys, too, Bella. I get it; he’s being protective. He loves you.”

  “And you love me.”

  He smirks. “I like you a whole lot.”

  “I heard you say it to my father.”

  “Yeah, pretty fucked-up kind of confessional we got going here.”

  “Carter …”

  He kisses me again, this time harder, and then he pulls away quicker. “Fuck.” He turns around and takes a few deep breaths. “You gotta give me a couple minutes to get my shit straight. Make that less straight.”

  I laugh. “Such a waste of a perfectly good—”

  Bang, bang, bang!

  “Doesn’t take that long to clean up a scratch, Isabella.”


  “Your father?” He jokes.

  “Is that who that is?” I act all surprised.

  “Go. Give me a minute.”

  “I’ll give you whatever you want.”

  “Not helping the situation, Isabella. Get the hell out of here.”

  Laughing, I walk out the door and shut it behind me. I look around. It’s just Dad and Carly. Not good.

  “Where’d they go?”

  “They went to get ready for dinner. We have reservations. You should go get ready, too.”

  “I’m not going anywhere like this.” I shake my head.

  “You can get cleaned up. We’ll wait.”

  I look at him like he’s crazy, because he is. “I may still be a bit buzzed, but I’m not leaving you alone in here.”

  Tags walks out. “Bella, I’m fine. Go have fun with your family.”

  “But—”

  “Go,” he insists.

  I walk over and grab my dad’s hand. “Let’s go.”

  “I’m gonna wait here until you’re ready.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Isabella,” Tags says on a sigh. “It’s fine. He and I will be fine.”

  Dad mumbles, “One of us will be.”

  “Jase Steel, I will —”

  “Carly Steel,” he cuts her off, “you will go help Bella get ready and take her pile of shit with you. Then you will—”

  “You mind if I stay with you tonight?” Carly asks me. “Your father has lost his damn mind. Maybe we should find those gummies, give him a couple to help him relax, and maybe then he’ll be able to see past the wall he’s built in front of you. See that you look happy. See the little birdies chasing hearts in a halo pattern around your head.”

  Dad sighs. “C, baby, please just—”

  “I remember that feeling. Do you, Jase?”

  She hooks my arm in hers and swipes a pile of clothes off the bed. I cringe when I see the underwear,

  “Those are clean,” Tags tells her, and we both turn around. “You had shit to do. I was doing a load anyway.”

  “That is very thoughtful of you,” Carly says as a dig to Dad.

  “Thanks. I’ll do yours next time.”

  He gives me a millisecond wink, and I smile with my whole heart.

  Once in my room, Carly tosses my stuff on the bed then wraps me in a big hug. “He’s beautiful.”