I’m so fucking embarrassed. I can’t believe he came here and pulled that kind of shit—and around my boss! I need this job but if what he’s done makes Charles change his mind about me in anyway, I will be done with him. No more fucking my arrogant neighbor.
My life is more important than being with him.
I get home and hurry in the house. I know he’s on the way to the neighborhood too. He can’t be too far behind. I don’t want to see him.
I lock the door behind me and then press my back against it, but that’s when I notice Justine sitting on the couch. Her eyes are wide as she looks me up and down.
“Nessa? Are you okay?” she asks, standing.
I nod and wave a dismissive hand. “I’m fine.” I tuck my keys in my purse and push off the door, going toward her. “Why are you up so late? You’re usually sleeping by now. No breakfast date in the morning?” Ugh. Just thinking about Sunday makes me nauseous. Sundays are—were—our days. Me and Axel’s.
Fuck him.
“Actually,” she grins. “I waited up on purpose.” She holds up her hand and flashes a diamond ring. “Preston asked me to marry him!” she squeals. “I’m engaged, Nessa!”
“Oh—wow! Holy crap, Justine, I’m so happy for you!” I reel her in for a hug, pushing my issues aside.
“I know I haven’t been around and that I’ve been spending a lot more time with him. I’m so sorry. We need to hang out,” she declares.
“Oh—please,” I sigh. “Stop it. We both have our own lives.”
She chews her bottom lip. “There’s something else...”
“What?”
“I’m moving in with him. Next week.”
That really surprises me. “Next week?”
“Yes—but if you want me to stay here a little longer, I can! Seriously, it’s no big deal. I know the bills can get crazy.”
Who is she kidding? Bills will always be bills and they will always get paid, but getting the opportunity to live with her now fiancé doesn’t come around often.
“No—you should go, babe! Go with him! He’s your fiancé now. I know you’ve wanted to stay with him in that bachelor pad for ages.” I laugh but deep inside it kind of hurts. It only hurts because I’ll miss her. A lot. I’m so happy for her—so happy—but it kind of sucks.
If Charles changes his mind about giving me the position as assistant manager, I’ll have to get another roommate eventually so that I can take care of the house.
“I have,” she giggles. She hugs me again. “I just needed to tell you before I fell asleep. I was so nervous but you took it way better than I thought.”
“That’s what best friends are for, right?”
“Right,” she breathes. Just as she says that I hear the familiar rumble of Axel’s Mustang outside. My throat thickens with emotion but I keep my focus on her.
The look in her eyes is one I haven’t seen before. She’s so happy. Since she’s leaving I might as well tell her the truth…the secret I’ve been holding on to. Not that it will matter now anyway.
“There’s something I should tell you,” I start, bringing her to the couch. “I’m so tired of holding it in.”
Her eyes stretch wide. “What? Tell me,” she pleads.
“Well, I know how much you can’t stand Axel. I know he gets under your skin like no other—”
“Yeah, tell me about it. He’s been kind of chill lately, though. No parties or anything. So surprising!”
“Yeah,” I laugh. “Well, that’s because I made an agreement with him a few weeks ago.”
She scrunches her nose. “What kind of agreement?”
“I agreed to sleep with him for two months if he agreed to stop the parties.”
Her jaw drops, eyes wide again.
“But after tonight we probably aren’t going to be doing much of that anymore!” I assure her rapidly. “It was harmless. Just sex, you know? Plus he’s moving so I won’t have to worry about the noise at all anymore.”
“Wow, Nessa. I’m…”
“Let me guess. You think I’m an idiot. A backstabber? You hate me for not telling you sooner?” I wince, preparing for her backlash.
She laughs. “What? No! I’m just…well, I kind of knew all along!”
“Seriously?” That catches me off guard. “How?”
“There was one time, like two weeks ago, where I saw him touching your waist when you were on his porch late at night. You weren’t fighting him off much. I figured you enjoyed it, but I didn’t want to say anything because…well…he’s Axel. Our annoying, ignorant as hell neighbor.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Well then,” I laugh.
“Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed. Hell, as long as you are happy, I don’t care. And it stopped the parties and the noise. I guess he really likes sleeping with you.” She nudges me with her elbow.
I can’t help but laugh.
“So you aren’t mad that I didn’t tell you?” I ask.
“Not at all, Nessa. It’s your life. I love you.”
I’m so happy to hear that. Too bad she found out when I’ve considered wanting to stop being with him. He’s too childish and has a lot of growing up to do.
We play catch up for about thirty minutes and then Justine takes off for bed. I decide to eat a bowl of cereal but in the middle of eating, I hear a knock on the front door. I go numb, knowing it’s him.
Axel.
Placing my bowl down, I walk to the door and unlock it. When it’s open, he’s standing there, a sweat-dampened shirt on and khaki shorts sitting low on his hips.
“I’m tired, Axel. What the hell do you want?” I snap at him.
“Look, Vanessa. I—shit, I was just a little fucking drunk. Wasn’t thinking clearly back there.”
“No, you’re damn right you weren’t.” I start to shut the door but he presses a flat palm on it, stopping me with a strong arm before I can. I scowl up at him. “Look, Axel, it’s almost five in the morning. I need sleep. I don’t have time for your childish games right now.”
“Childish? That’s what you think of me?” he asks, voice gruff.
“It’s the truth, isn’t it? After the way you acted back there, it’s clear you aren’t ready to be an adult. You know you might have cost me the job! He probably thinks I’m some stupid woman now, dealing with a guy like you!”
I want to go on more and more, rant and shout and push him away from my door but I can’t do any of that because in a flash, he picks me up and tosses me over his shoulder. I yelp as he shuts my house door behind us and then turns, walking across the street to get to his house.
“Put me down, Axel!” I yell.
“You think I’m childish, huh? I’ll show you childish, firecracker.” Before I know it, he’s hauling me into his house, storming up his stairs and into a bedroom. His bedroom. I remember it quite well. It’s so bland. Only made up of a king sized bed with a navy-blue bedspread, a dresser, a night stand, and a flat screen T.V. mounted on the wall.
He drops me down on the center of the bed, climbing on top of me before I can get up. He presses his hard body down on me, pinning me down and clasping his hands around my wrists.
“Fuck off, Axel. I’m so over you.” I struggle to get out of his grip, but he holds me tighter. He uses one of his forearms to hold me down over the chest, his other hand working his shorts down.
“That’s bullshit,” he says against my lips. “Skirt on, no panties. What the hell was I supposed to think with you going to work like that and that guy all over you?”
“You don’t own me, Axel.”
“No?” He shifts up and before I can breathe again he’s fully inside me, feeling so big that I can’t even fight it anymore.
It feels too good. It always feels so good.
I gasp and whimper. I hate myself for this. I really do.
He wraps his hand around the back of my neck, smashing my lips with his, and our skin claps as he fucks me. He’s so relentless, his body heavy on me. He hitches my leg up with
his free arm, thrusting deeper until I feel him deep in my belly.
“You know I own your pussy, Vanessa. Just admit it. You fucking love my cock. Can’t go a day without it.”
“Screw you,” I pant, and he strokes harder.
“I own you and you own me. I don’t want any other woman’s pussy but yours.” He sucks on my bottom lip and I clench around him. He groans when he feels it. “You know how hard that is for me to admit, baby?”
“You’re still an asshole,” I breathe, and then I squeal when he hits a tender spot that makes my toes curl. I wrap my legs around his waist, guiding him deeper. Veins pop up on his neck as he tries to keep control, but I know he’s about to cum. I know him.
He’s close. Weak for me. Good.
“Keep fucking me, Axel,” I breathe. “Like this. Like you own me, and you won’t have to worry about us ever stopping.”
He thrusts faster. I cry out, arching my back, so close to climax too.
“We’re never fucking stopping,” he says on my lips. “Your pussy is like fucking gold.” He sighs, burying his face in my neck. I feel him tense up and then throb, and he lets out a loud, intense groan. “Fuck, Vanessa. I love coming inside you.”
He collapses after coming, breathing hard and deep, his cock lightly pulsing inside me.
When he pulls his face up, I slap him hard enough to catch his attention, and his gray eyes spark, like I’ve just pissed him off and turned him at the same time. “If you ever come to my job trying to pick a fight again I will do worse than slap you next time!”
He chuckles. “I won’t. Trust me. It’ll never happen again.”
“It better not, Axel. I’m not kidding.”
He grabs my wrists again, pinning them to the mattress. “But if you slap me again I’ll have to start spanking that ass of yours. Understand, firecracker?”
“Yeah, whatever.” I push him up with my legs and he lets go willingly. I adjust myself, looking out of his window and at my house. “Justine is moving in with her boyfriend next week.” I don’t know what possesses me to tell him that. Maybe I’m afraid to be alone. Maybe so he can visit more often.
“Finally,” he says, picking up a lighter and the carton of cigarettes on the nightstand. He pulls one out, pops it between his lips, and sparks the end of it with the lighter. After he takes a long drag, he asks, “Gonna get a new roommate?”
“Maybe.” I sigh. “I’ll need help with some of the bills.”
“You know there is an easy solution for that, right?”
I look over my shoulder. “Yeah? What?”
“Let me move in.”
I scoff. “Yeah, right. Like I would let that happen.”
“Why the hell not? You need someone to help with the bills and I need a place to stay for a while. I’m tired of fucking looking. I’ll still be in my neighborhood. We get to fuck whenever and wherever we want. It’s a win-fucking-win, baby.”
“No, Axel.” I shake my head. “No offense, but no. You can’t be my roommate. You just can’t.”
“So you’d rather struggle than let me move in and occupy a room?” He seems annoyed by that.
“It’s not about struggling. What you did tonight was unacceptable. What if I get tired of you—or you get tired of me? What if you want more than just sex one day and I don’t want that? It wouldn’t work. We’d probably end up strangling each other.”
He’s quiet for a long time with his eyes on the floor, taking another long pull from his cigarette like he’s deep in thought. “You know what? You’re right. Wanting more than just sex from me wouldn’t work because, to you, I’m just the annoying as fuck neighbor that only comes in handy when you need to get yourself off.” He pushes off the bed and walks to his bathroom. I hear the shower start up and then he returns to the bedroom. “Go home and get some sleep, Vanessa.”
“Wait—Axel, I didn’t mean it like that—”
“No. I know exactly what you meant. Like my uncle said, I’m a waste of space. Apparently I am to you too. It’s cool.” He shrugs. “I’ve been disappointing people my whole life. Why stop now, right?”
My chest feels heavier now. Guilt crushes me like a ton of bricks. “So…this is it?”
He shrugs. “That’s up to you. I don’t give a fuck either way. Plenty of pussy out there. Pussy that’s better than yours.” I notice he doesn’t look at me as he says it.
“Wow,” I scoff, storming for the door. “Fuck you, Axel.”
Ten
Vanessa
Justine’s move out day has arrived.
“I think I’m all set, Nessa.” We’ve just packed a few small things in Justine’s trunk and now she’s fiddling with her car keys, standing beside her car. She’s so torn and I love her for it.
She wants to stay, but she also wants to go. What kind of friend would I be to ask her to stay? There will be plenty of chances for us to hang out. Life has gotten in the way, but she will always be my best friend.
I grab her and reel her in for a tight hug. “Go have fun with your lover man,” I say as I squeeze her tight.
She giggles. “You sure you don’t need me to do anything else?”
“Yeah, I need you to get in your car and hurry over to Preston’s before he starts blowing up your phone and wondering where you are!”
“Okay.” She laughs. “I will call you every day!”
“I’ll be doing the same.” I wink.
“Yes. And remember if you need anything at all, tell me!”
“I will.”
She steps back and opens her door. She jumps inside and I watch her crank it up and then pull out of the driveway. She waves one last time when she’s on the street and then she takes off. I watch her go from where I stand, until I can’t see her taillights anymore.
My eyes swing over to the house across the street. There is a for sale sign in the front lawn now. I saw the Sheriff put it in himself a few days ago.
I feel bad for Axel and about what I said, but he hasn’t contacted me and I refuse to drop my guard and run to him. He took what I said so offensively though and I feel awful.
He’s not a bad guy.
Does he do bad shit? Yes. But he’s not bad.
Not bad in bed and not a bad person either.
We had a lot of fun together.
I walk into the house with a sigh, shutting the door behind me. The house feels so vacant now, even though Justine left the furniture for me to keep. She did take all of her movies though, like I knew she would. That girl loves her movies.
I slouch down on the couch. It’s getting late and I should sleep before my shift at Harlow’s. It will be my first night as assistant manager and I’m excited about it.
There’s a knock on the door as soon as I start to doze off.
I perk up, hoping it’s him. Shooting to a stand, I rush for the door and pull it open, but my smile fades in an instant. It’s not him. It’s the…Sheriff?
“Uh, hi,” I say, folding my arms as he takes his hat off.
“Hello. Vanessa, right?” he asks and I nod.
“Yes. Can I help you?”
“Yeah, you can. I’m looking for my nephew. Haven’t heard from him in a few days and since you live across the street from him, I was just wondering if you’d seen him?”
My breath stalls a bit. “I—I haven’t. Not for a few days.”
“You haven’t seen his car in the neighborhood or anything?”
I shake my head. “No.” Now that I think about it, it’s been at least three days since I’ve seen Axel or his car. “Do you think he’s okay?” I ask quickly.
“Oh, I’m sure that boy is fine,” he sighs, looking at the house he put on the market. “He’s just probably throwing one of his fits. Hiding somewhere and trying to get me to change my mind about selling the house.”
“Yeah,” I force a laugh.
“Well, if you see him at all, will you give me a call?” He digs in his front pocket for a business card, offering it to me.
“Y
eah. Sure.” I take it from him and he puts his hat back on, turning and walking away. I shut the door and go to my room, but I can’t help my worry. I feel like his disappearance is somewhat my fault. I hurt his feelings. I cut him deep. I shouldn’t have said what I did.
I know it’s dumb to do, but I grab my phone off the nightstand and text him, asking if he is okay. I don’t get a response, and because I don’t, I can’t sleep. When it’s time for me to get ready for work, I panic a little more, but I get dressed and go because I can’t be late tonight.
God, why does it have to be tonight when my head isn’t clear? Fucking Axel.
The club isn’t too busy, which is good. I need things to be easy for now so that I can get into the swing of things. It’s going to take a while to get used to walking the whole club, making sure everything and everyone is accounted for, but I’m not complaining. It doesn’t beat making drinks all night, though.
As I check off a few things on the clipboard for supplies, one of the waiters comes to the back. “Hey, Vanessa, there’s some guy asking for you out back.”
I look back at Reba, eyebrows dipping. “Did he say who he was?”
“Nope. Just said to ‘tell the redhead firecracker to come out.’” She laughs at that and I don’t know why, but I instantly fill up with relief.
I nod and place the clipboard down, walking past her. “Yeah, I know exactly who that is.”
I walk to the back and the music fades more and more the closer I get to the door. Pushing it open, I step out but I don’t see anyone at first. Not even his car. But then I smell a cigarette burning and I look to my right.
Sitting on one of the broken stools from the bar is Xander. His hair is a mess, but in a sexy way. He’s wearing all black and the stubble surrounding his mouth is thicker.
I walk his way and he turns his head, but doesn’t meet my eyes.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, doing my best not to sound too thrilled about it.
“Wanted to see you,” he responds.
“Why? Need another quick fuck?” I roll my eyes.
He stands up, tossing the cigarette and stepping on the tip of it. “That would be fucking great, but no. That’s not why I’m here.”
Crave: The Nora Heat Collection Page 15
