by Angel Steel
“You can tell me, Sky.”
“That night, Lucas came home drunk. I didn’t think much of it, and we started to get pretty heated, and that’s when I noticed two people standing in our doorway. I had no clue as to who they were. Lucas got up and closed the door, inviting them in.” Skylar didn’t want to relive that night, but she had to tell her. “He told me he wanted to watch them take me, then he would do the same. I didn’t want any part of it and tried to get away. That’s when they all started beating me, and when I couldn’t move Lucas threw me on the bed, and I just watched as one of his friends crawled up on the bed towards me. After that I blacked out,” she sobbed into her hands.
“That fuckin’ asshole.” Chantal growled. “Did they…” Chantal couldn’t finish.
“No, they didn’t rape me, James came in before they had the chance to,” Skylar told her.
Chantal wrapped her arms around her. “What the hell is Nate’s problem? He promised me he would never hurt you, and then he goes and does the exact opposite,” she growled. “There’s something I need to tell you too.”
“What is it, Chan?”
“That morning after we were at the pub, I told Nate what you told me had happened. He asked why you were acting the way you did, so I told him, I’m sorry, Sky. He needed to know.”
“It’s fine, Chan. I told him the version I told you from our date, but I should have told him everything,” Skylar said.
Chantal knew he had never hurt a woman, but that was all out the window now; he had really hurt Skylar. She had heard the whole story from Craig. He phoned her the night it happened after Skylar went to bed. Everyone knew that she had started organizing the parties; there was no harm in it for crying out loud. Why would he call her a whore when she wasn’t one at all? Seriously, it wasn’t hard to figure out that she worked for an adult shop; you would have to be stupid not to see that.
“Can I stay here for a while?” Skylar asked.
“You know you don’t have to ask, Sky. You’re welcome any time, this is your second home,” Chantal told her.
“I just need to think things through, without Nate around,” she whispered.
“You can stay as long as you want to,” Chantal smiled.
As she rubbed Skylar’s arm, Chantal said, “Let’s order some pizza for dinner. We’ll have a girls’ night, watch some movies, pull out the wine, and have fun. And we won’t think about anyone but ourselves. Deal?”
“Deal,” Skylar answered her.
Chantal stood, picked up the phone and dialled the pizza place. “Let the fun begin!”
Both Skylar and Chantal laughed. As Skylar swallowed half the glass in front of her, she was determined to have a good time and not think about anything to do with Nate.
Chapter 16
A week went by and Nate never got even one glimpse of Skylar; he only saw Craig and Alex coming and going from her house. Was she hiding out in her own home? He really wanted to see her, but if both Craig and Alex were there, he had no chance. He had tried ringing her, but it only went straight to voice mail. He couldn’t think about anything but being with her. He missed everything about her; the way she laughed, that sexy smile she would give him when she wanted something, the way she walked. Jesus, just watching her do that gave him an instant hard-on, and the little noises she’d make and how she screamed out his name when they… God, he wanted her. He missed her so much. He couldn’t picture not being with her again. She was everything he ever wanted and now he had royally fucked it all up with her. Why couldn’t he just listen to her and trust her when she said she would never, ever cheat on anyone? If he never met Natalie, he wouldn’t have had a problem doing that, but since Natalie did the dirty on him he now had some real trust issues. But he believed her now, after Dom confirmed that she never cheated on him.
Dom walked in. “Hey, man. How are you doing?”
“All right,” he answered.
“You look better than you did a week ago.”
His bruising was starting to heal. He only had very light bruising around his eye now. “Yeah, but I’m not feeling any better about it all. I haven’t seen her at all. Only the boys. And I’ve tried calling, but it goes straight to voicemail,” he said.
“The reason you haven’t seen her, Nate, is because she’s been staying at Chantal’s place. But I know she is coming back home sometime this week,” Dom said.
Well, at least she wasn’t cooped up in her house because of me, he thought. “Has she been staying there because of me?” Nate asked.
“I don’t know. Chantal only told me she was staying with her for a while,” Dom answered him. “But a word of advice, don’t try to talk to her or see her, Nate. Let her come to you if she wants to.”
It was hard enough as it was not talking to her, but he did get what Dom was saying. Nate just nodded at him.
“So do you want to get out and do something tonight?”
“What do you have in mind?” he asked. He really wasn’t up for it, but he knew he couldn’t wait forever for her to decide whether or not she wanted to take him back.
“We could head to Joey’s for a round of drinks. Jack and Greg will be there. Haven’t seen them for a while.”
“Sure, sounds like fun. Let me finish up here, and then we’ll head out.”
“Okay,” Dom answered. Maybe he needed one night out to forget what happened and have some fun with the boys.
* * *
“Hey, Skylar,” Chantal called out.
“Yeah?”
“Tanya and Bella called, they’re going to Joey’s tonight. Do you want to get out of the house for a couple of hours?” she asked.
“Why not,” Skylar answered. It would be good to get out of the house. She was starting to get bored, just sitting around and doing nothing.
“I’ll jump in the shower now,” she yelled.
“Okay,” Chantal called back.
Running into the bathroom, she quickly undressed and stepped in.
“What do you want to wear?” Chantal asked from the door.
Getting out, she dried herself and headed back into the bedroom. “Can I wear that new red dress you bought?”
Chantal reached in and pulled out the one she wanted. “This one?”
“Yeah.”
“The only dress you have ever worn was that black one of yours.”
She really wasn’t into wearing dresses, but tonight she wanted to. “I want to feel sexy tonight.” Grabbing the dress, she reached into her bag and pulled out a strapless bra and a thong. Once she put on her underwear, she pulled on the dress, and walked over towards the mirror. It was a blood red halter neck top that ended at her knees.
It clung to her body in all the right places, and there was just enough cleavage showing. She smiled. She really did feel sexy in the dress. Chantal curled her hair for her, and it flowed over her back. She finished her makeup and then waited until Chantal was ready to go.
* * *
Chantal and Skylar walked into the bar an hour later.
“Hey, girls,” Tanya called out, waving to them. She stood up and hugged both Skylar and Chantal. “How have you been?” she asked Skylar.
“Better now that I’m out here with all of you,” she laughed as she sat down.
“Well, let the fun begin,” Tanya said lining up shots for each of them, and handed them out. All four of them threw back the shot of tequila.
“Holy crap, that stuff burns,” Skylar coughed.
“It gets better after the first one,” Bella whispered to her.
“So, are you seeing anyone at the moment?” Tanya asked.
“Nope. You?” Skylar asked.
“No, I’m looking for my next bit of fun, if you know what I mean,” she said with a smile.
Skylar nodded. She understood completely. If she could do it right now she would, but she was still thinking about Nate. They all decided to get up and have a dance with a couple of the locals. After what seemed like forever, Skylar and Bella headed ba
ck to the table to grab a drink, leaving Chantal and Tanya on the dance floor. Bella leaned in and whispered to Skylar, “There’s a guy at the bar, checking you out.”
Skylar put her drink down and turned in her seat to have a look. The guy was hot with muscles in all the right places, blond hair, and a smile that could kill. Jesus Christ. She smiled shyly back at him. He lifted his glass and toasted it towards her as he took a sip.
“He is definitely gorgeous,” Bella said.
“Yes, he is,” she answered. “I’m just going to go to the ladies’ room.” Skylar stood and walked towards the bathrooms.
How could she check out some guy when all she could think about was Nate? It wasn’t right, but they weren’t together anymore, and it hurt just thinking about it. Getting herself under control, she walked back to their table. She was ready to order another drink.
“This is from the two guys at the bar, they said enjoy.” The bartender was dropping off drinks for all of them.
“What two guys?” Chantal asked.
The bartender pointed to them at the end of the bar. Now there was another guy with the first one she saw earlier. Smiling, she lifted the drink and toasted both of them, then slammed back the shot. Chantal and Bella did the same.
“Whoa,” Chantal yelled.
All of them started to laugh and Skylar really was starting to have fun. “Let’s go and have a game of pool.” As she walked over towards the table, she said, “Whoever loses has to buy the next round.”
“Okay,” Chantal and Bella said simultaneously.
“Have you got room for one more?” Skylar spun around. The guy from the bar was standing there, waiting for her answer.
She smiled. “Sure. I hope you don’t mind getting your ass kicked by a girl,” she said, laughing.
“We’ll see,” he said.
He reached out his hand, “I’m Jack.”
Skylar placed her hand in his and shook it. “I’m Skylar. Ready to get your ass kicked?”
“Do your best, sweetheart,” Jack answered her.
Nodding, Skylar racked the balls, and took the first shot. Now the game was on. She smiled.
* * *
Nate and Dom strolled into the bar. “Hey Joey. How are you doing?” Dom called out.
“Good, what are you after tonight?” he asked them.
“Two beers.” Nate said. As Joey handed them the beer, he added, “And keep them coming, Joey.”
They walked down towards the end of the bar where Gary was sitting. Slapping him on the back as he walked past him, Nate laughed, “Long time no see.”
“Yeah, it’s been a while,” Gary said, as he took a sip of his beer.
Nate sat down beside him.
“What’s been happening?”
“Not much, been working hard as usual. What about you?”
“Got married three months ago.”
“Really, who’s the lucky lady? I might have to have a chat with her,” he said, laughing.
“Fuck off.” Gary smiled. “Her name’s Tiffany. We met two years ago and hit it off straight away.”
“Well, I’m happy for you, man. Really.”
“Thanks.”
“So, where is Jack? I thought he was meeting us here,” Dom asked.
Gary spun around in his chair. “What else does he come to the bar for, other than to drink? He’s over at the pool tables with some girls.” He pointed to the first table. Nate and Dom turned around in their chairs to see who he was trying to chat up this time.
“Hope he has better taste this time around,” Nate laughed. He noticed a redhead playing. Nice-looking girl, he thought. He heard Jack laugh and looked his way. The girl he was trying to chat up looked better than the first. She was wearing a red dress, showing off really nice curves. He couldn’t see what she looked like with Jack standing in her way.
“Fuck.”
Frowning, he looked over towards Dom.
“What?” he asked him.
“Be nice, man,” Dom said.
“Why?” he growled.
Dom looked back towards the tables again. Nate followed his gaze. What the fuck… The girl Jack was chatting up was Skylar! She was laughing with him, having a good old time. Goddamn it! Why of all nights did she have to be here, especially with one of his mates talking her up? And she looked sexy as hell in that dress she was wearing that hugged her body perfectly. There was no way he was going to watch Jack try and get a piece of her.
“There is no harm in what he is doing, let it go,” Dom told him.
“There is no way she is leaving here with him, Dom,” Nate said gruffly.
“You two aren’t together anymore. You can’t stop her, Nate,” Dom answered him.
Maybe not, but he’d sure as hell try, he thought. At the end of the game, Skylar gave Jack a hug and moved back to her table.
He watched as Jack made his way to where they were all sitting. As he sat down he smiled, “Jesus, that girl can play pool. And she is one fine lady.”
Dom rubbed his hand over his face, shaking his head.
“What?” he asked.
“That one you’re trying to get is Nate’s ex. They broke up last week.”
“Damn, why would you break up with someone like that?” Jack asked.
“I didn’t.”
“Well, it sure looks to me like she has.” Jack couldn’t keep his mouth closed.
Nate stood up ready to grab him, but Gary stopped him. “We are not here to fight anyone, or over anyone, understood?”
Breathing out, Nate nodded.
“Good. Let’s get a round then.”
Nate lifted his hand to let the bartender know they were ready for their next lot of drinks.
* * *
Skylar had the biggest grin on her face when she arrived back at their table.
“So, what’s he like?” Tanya asked.
“His name is Jack and he was very nice,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. She couldn’t remember ever having so much fun playing pool as she had with Jack.
Taking a sip of her drink, Bella said, “Well, he is absolutely gorgeous.”
“I have to agree,” Chantal answered, and they all giggled.
“I’m going to the bar to grab some more drinks, be back soon,” Tanya said with a wink.
Bella giggled. “You should dance with him, Skylar. From the way he moved around the pool table, I bet he would do the same on the dance floor.”
“If he comes onto the dance floor next time, I’ll dance with him,” she replied with a wicked smile. She thought the same thing about him. God, he could move. If those moves were any indication of other ways he could move, he would be even better on the dance floor, and possibly even in bed. Skylar giggled at the thought.
“What’s taking Tanya so long? I need another drink,” Bella whispered. They all looked towards the bar and soon realized why she was taking so long. There were four guys now, including Jack. Tanya was laughing seductively towards one of them while rubbing her hand up and down his thigh.
“Is she always like that?” Skylar asked.
“Yeah, pretty much. Every time she does that, she gets what she wants,” Bella blew out a breath.
Skylar turned around and sipped the rest of her drink.
“You got to be kidding me,” Chantal said.
“What is it, Chan?”
Chantal was shaking her head towards the bar. Skylar turned around slowly to see what she was looking at.
“Oh, God,” Skylar sobbed. “What is he doing here?”
“Looking for a bit of action by the looks of it,” Chantal growled. And Tanya was all over him. Jesus. Out of all the guys here, why him? She could have her pick of anyone here. She had to remind herself that she couldn’t think like that; he could do whatever he wanted. Still, she really didn’t want to see it tonight. Standing up, she looked over at the bar. Well, if he wanted to move on that quick, then so be it.
Skylar waited until Jack looked at her; smiling seductively towards
him, she pointed towards the dance floor and made her way there, swaying her hips more than normal. Although Nate was the one who fucked up this whole thing, he obviously wasn’t going to wait to see what she said. If he could do it, so could she.
* * *
Jack watched as some girl was all over Nate. If he wasn’t allowed to play a game with his ex because he still had feelings for her, why the hell was Nate flirting with some random girl?
