by Shaw, Robin
I’d thrown Hunter’s business card in the trashcan at work and in my guestroom multiple times. I’d picked it back up. I would’ve torn the card to pieces and acted like he didn’t exist, but it wouldn’t take away from the fact that Hunter was Chase’s twin brother. I would’ve driven to Anderson’s and asked Mike for Hunter’s number if I destroyed his business card. It was sad, desperate, and wrong, but that was how much I wanted to hear from Hunter. I couldn’t be with Chase like I’d been before I learned that he’d told me a partial truth. And I couldn’t bring myself to kiss him like I desired to, or make love to him. I’d woken up in the morning and had fallen asleep with Chase in my heart. As corny as it sounded, that was how Chase had impacted my life and continued to today. But I wasn’t sure who he was. And if I had confided and been involved with a completely different person other than whom I thought Chase was, I’d be devastated. It’d make me such an idiot. I felt like an idiot.
Jake’s eyes sprang open when Hunter came into the shop. After we’d told Jake that Chase and Hunter were fraternal twins, he hadn’t seemed to care about Chase being a twin anymore, just Chase’s lying. Hunter headed straight for Jake and Mariska, introducing himself. Afterwards, he went to the counter, where Atagracia, the barista and one of the other employees greeted him. He was dressed like he’d been the other day, in an aged vintage shirt, worn-in jeans, and another pair of boots that made him appear like he was six-five instead of six-two or six-three. His hair fell down the either side of his face.
When Atagracia handed him a tall, steaming cup of coffee, he sat across from me. He didn’t have Chase’s straight posture.
“What were you doing in Franklin Parks?” I asked him.
“I did Brady’s ink. And as you saw, he works at the dealership. Why did you wanna meet me?”
“You asked me to meet you. You don’t remember that I was gonna back out?”
He stared at me with an unreadable expression and I shifted my gaze to Jake. I picked myself up and walked towards Jake and Mariska when Hunter’s big hand hooked around my wrist. In less than a second, Jake pulled Hunter’s hand away from mine. “My man, we got a problem here?” A frantic expression raced over Mariska’s face. Hunter released his strong hold on me.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” Hunter said in a small voice that made Jake narrow his eyes at him. “My bad. Sit back down.” He gulped what I saw was black coffee. “Please.”
“This dude isn’t jack like Chase,” Jake told me in a low tone, and maintained eye contact with Hunter. “Can’t believe he’s worse.” He nodded his head toward the door. Mariska and I followed him, but we didn’t get far from Hunter.
“I wasn’t gonna hurt you, Beth.”
Jake spun around. “Who’re you trying to convince of that? Yourself or Beth?”
“I am the one who fucked up his face,” Hunter announced. We all stopped walking. I didn’t look at Jake and Mariska. I marched over to Hunter and slapped him hard on his face. Honestly, I hadn’t known I’d done it until I felt the burn of my hit on my hand. I shouldn’t have slapped him. Hunter could’ve slapped me back, or worse. And as fit as Jake was, he was no match for Hunter. He’d marked Chase for life. His own brother. And I felt like he’d messed with me too.
“Fuck, Beth!” Jake yelled behind me with exasperation. “What’s gotten into you? Huh? You slap someone who cut his own brother’s face?” Motionless, Hunter looked at me with a blank expression. There wasn’t any rage or remorse in his eyes for what he’d just said. Why would he think that telling me that would make me return to the café and talk to him? Maybe he was warning me that he was bad news. That was not the way to start a conversation or continue one.
Jake and Mariska tugged my arms and I moved in time with them as if I had a choice. Their fury at me made them stronger than they would’ve been otherwise.
“If you look back at Hunter again, I think I’ll slap you myself,” Mariska cautioned.
***
With my guestroom shrouded in darkness, I lay on the bed wondering how many hours had passed since I’d tried to zone out from the world in the comfort of a deep sleep. I felt incredibly guilty for not telling Chase that I’d seen Hunter in Franklin Parks. Particularly worse for seeing Hunter this afternoon. My chest was tighter from learning that Hunter had scarred Chase’s face. Weeks ago, Chase had said that he had gotten into a fight in his youth. Could Chase and Hunter have been a part of a gang like Mariska had proposed? Or could Hunter have been and Chase had been targeted as a result?
I’d given Jake and Mariska my word that I wouldn’t meet up with Hunter again, but it didn’t mean that I could keep ignoring his messages. He’d apologized in over fifty messages and had called me twice. But I owed Chase an explanation first. Yes, Chase had lied to me, but I’d been lying to him also. Yesterday, I’d told Chase that I wanted to spend time with Jake and Mariska today, and he had told me to tell them hello. He hadn’t asked if he could come with me, or questioned my preference. Brianna had worked the night shift at the Paloma, so I hadn’t had to exclude her. I wouldn’t have felt good if I’d told her that I was going to be with Jake and Mariska and not her as well, because she was becoming a good friend of theirs.
Sighing, I pulled Chase’s gray hoodie from underneath my pillow and slid my arms into it. Even though it’d been laundered recently, Chase’s scent lingered from the last time we’d been together—before I’d met Hunter. Hearing the shoosh of the bedroom door being closed, I rose from my bed with my cell phone clutched in my hand.
“Babe.”
“God.” Chase turned on the lamp on the bedside table. The light only illuminated Chase’s face and the top half of the bed where he was, and I shut my mouth. I came to the bed and his eyes flicked over the hoodie I had on. Relief visibly washed over him.
“I texted you all night,” he said, and took off his shoes and his pants. “But you didn’t answer. If you don’t wanna talk yet, fine. But I am gonna fall asleep with you tonight.”
Nodding, I fell onto the bed, craving to have Chase with me so much. I’d only gotten sleep this week from pure mental exhaustion. Chase hooked his arm around my chest, my breaths came fast and shallow as quivers ran up and down my hypersensitive body. He threaded through his fingers through my scalp. Lifting my head to look at him, Chase’s mouth smashed my lips. I thrust my tongue inside hungrily. As Chase pushed me on my back, I reached for his face. His scar looking more severe than it was. He stretched his hand out to turn the light off.
“The light stays on.” I said, staring at him. I’d never had sex with the lights on before, but I wasn’t about to just have sex. I was with Chase.
He pulled off his shirt and I made quick work of his shorts with my feet. A huge smile broke out over his face. He hoisted his feet up and grunted.
“No panties tonight?” He arched a brow. “Were you expecting another visitor?”
I shook my head as if I was trouble. I kind of felt like I was. What was I going to say? That I expected a tall dark, and handsome guy to come into my guestroom and fuck me senseless? I didn’t even think I could tell him that with my anger at Hunter for cutting his face so raw, and wanting Chase to make love to me. To delight in every inch of me, like he had from day one. I watched the muscles in his chest and arms tauten. My gaze locked to the depths of his hazel eyes and I blushed fast, forgetting all of the reasons I wanted to yell at him for lying to me.
Chase’s cock prodded against my core, moisture from his pre-cum wetting my inner thigh. “Fuck! I don’t have a rubber on me.”
“I am on the pill,” I told him, my voice cracking as I rolled on the other side of the bed and got a small case from underneath the bed. Most of my personal items were in it. I retrieved a condom for extra measure. “Thank God,” Chase said. I tore it open and crouched down. I rolled the condom on his length with my mouth, like I’d learned to do in a magazine. Looking up, Chase cursed and hauled me down again on the middle of the bed, my legs spread as wide apart as I could handle. He
captured my mouth and surged inside me, mimicking the force of his kiss. Twining our fingers, I squeezed his hands as I met each of his thrusts. The light made it so that I could see every pore, every tiny hair on his face and body. He was so available to me right now.
He jerked inside me as he continued to fill my core, stretching my tissue more than he had our first time together. I wailed as a rush of gratification flooded through my body. Tightening my core around his cock, Chase clamped his eyes closed for the first time tonight. He freed my hands. And with one final push against him, he slammed into me. His balls hit beneath the space between my core and my back entrance, the impact singeing my body with devastatingly warm sensations.
“Ah, babe. I haven’t seen you in four long-ass days.” He opened his eyes. “You’ve fucking ruined me.” Still joined, he raised my hips up. I sank on his length while he pinched my stiffened nipples. The force of Chase’s hand crushed me down, so I took him to the root as he palmed my tender breasts. Quivering, I squeezed him in and out of me. The pulsing sensations greatened. Chase’s hands traveled from my breasts to the middle of my back. My abdomen clenched as a tremor ran from my nipples to my clit, unleashing an orgasm that made me contract around him. Throwing me on my back again, Chase cupped my fists, and with one hard surge, his semen spilled inside me. The feeling was unreal. What he didn’t know was that I was ruined for other men. As much as I loved Gregory, I loved Chase with everything I had. Before Chase, I’d only had room to love Cindy, Jake, and Mariska, but Chase had taken a permanent spot in my heart, in my consciousness. I couldn’t let Chase go. He’d have to leave me also. Cindy knew that. I hadn’t been strong enough to let her fly on her own, so she’d made empty promises to pacify me.
Sometime afterwards, the air conditioner made the hairs on my body prickle. Chase drew me into his arms like I’d hoped he would. “I love you. That won’t change. That’s the one constant in my life.”
And when I was about to tell Chase that I loved him even more, he pressed my head against his chest, almost as if he didn’t want to hear me utter a sound.
***
Chase
At the kitchen table, Gavin sorted the sections of the newspaper he read in order of importance. I drank some of the freshly brewed coffee. I shifted my gaze to my computer screen and read the comments my new boss Maxwell Dobbs and his partners had about the layouts I’d sent him for his skateboarding company. It was sweet to redo all of their branding for their nationwide launch. Their skateboards were hot, but their logos, brochures, and portfolio were too busy. It worked for the skateboards and some of the bicycles they designed, but their investors weren’t going for it. That extra course in digital layout and drawing came in handy. If Pierce hadn’t given my information to Mr. Penverick, I wouldn’t have been commissioned for a job and Mr. Penverick wouldn’t know to recommend me to Mr. Dobbs.
There was a knock on the door and Gavin answered it.
“Good morning, Mrs. Pruitt.”
She smiled at him and gave him a rounded container covered in aluminum foil. He placed it on the counter. “Good morning, Gavin. I am…just making an unannounced visit.”
“You haven’t done this in years,” he said with an amused tone, and gestured for her to come inside.
“But you haven’t forgotten about them.”
“No. Pierce liked them the most. You should go to Rylan’s too.”
“Oh, I have,” she said with emphasis. “And he was overjoyed that I kicked that girl that he’d had in his room out!”
Gavin snickered. “Can I get you a cup of coffee?”
“No, thank you,” she answered him. “I came here to talk to Chase.”
Gavin snapped his fingers. “My car could use a cleaning.” He took his keys from his jacket and left.
“You were more than welcome to have breakfast with Beth this morning.” She joined me at the table. “I apologize for not coming to you after Anton kicked you out. I know how much you liked him.”
“He was a great boss and I learned a lot from him.”
She huffed. “At every age, men can be so hard-headed.” She fell silent for a moment. “Thank you for not speaking ill of my family. I didn’t defend you like I should have. I knew that nothing had happened between Cassidy and you.”
I closed my laptop. “Mrs. Pruitt, I don’t need defending. It’s all in the past. I had myself a good stay in your home. And I left.”
She put her hand on top of mine. “I think Anton forgets that he used to be like you—working hard to be a man, to keep his head up.” She removed her hands. “You’re hungry, ambitious, and respectable. Those qualities never go out of style.”
***
After Pierce finished work on Saturday night, he had a small party at his penthouse. There weren’t any elaborate decorations like there had been at his last party. Tables in the corners of the room provided finger foods, cheap cans of beer, and plastic cups.
As I peered at some people relaxing on the bed and others resting on the furniture, I didn’t think I could stay in this room myself for more than a day. This was certainly a party pad. The room at the hotel in Miami where Beth and I had had our first time was grander, with cantilevered glass balconies, floor-to-ceiling bay windows, and minimalist décor in the room. On the other hand, Pierce’s penthouse had two bedrooms, which were always locked, so they often fucked in the bathroom, got a room here, or did it in a car. The furniture and entire design of this room appeared to be impersonal. I hadn’t asked Pierce why he had gone to Rylan’s house instead of staying in this penthouse, since he worked here. It was probably because he didn’t want a reminder twenty-four-seven that his dad owned the Paloma. Pierce did like his job, but I thought he was uncertain of himself sometimes as an employee of his dad’s.
As Bri and Beth came into the party, a majority of the dudes perused them. Beth killed it in a semi-sheer black and dark purple dress with a button-down placket that that suggested she was demure, even though some of her cleavage showed. The skirt flattered her hips by being fit, but not too tight. And when she hugged Joel and Rylan, they rested their hands on the bare area of her sleeveless racer back and I put one foot in front of the other.
I swung my arms around Joel and Rylan. “Hey, Bri,” I said, and she grinned at me.
I felt like Beth’s cerulean gaze luring me in. Joel stepped to the side with a wide smile. That fucker just wanted to see how long it’d take for me to get to her. Bri went to dance to a rock song Joel liked. They sounded like Tainted Virtue, but their lyrics didn’t hold the same weight.
Beth smoothed her fingers along my cheekbones and her eyes brightened as she felt the stubble on my face. I slid my hands down her back and cupped her ass. “No grab-ass!” Pierce said from behind Beth. A flush started from her breast and darkened to crimson as it traveled up to her nose.
“I don’t know what got into him.” She feigned innocence and Pierce quirked a brow at her poor attempt at playing down our flirting .
Bri hooked her arm with Pierce’s and dragged him away from us. Pierce began dancing with her. The new song was more sensual. It seemed to have affected everyone, and as my gaze returned to Beth’s, her eyelids flickered. She lifted her arms up to my shoulders, her fingers pressing into my muscles. Despite being in a pair of heels, I still hovered over her. I kissed her and she glided her sweet, damp tongue against the tip of mine. I met her challenge. My oral caresses became more ravenous. Kisses truly set every look and every other touch on your skin ablaze with the right person. I was always starving for Beth.
After dancing and taking some breaks on the couch, Beth and I almost split the front of her dress, and I nearly suckled on her nipples.
“Chase,” she said against my mouth, and then whispered in my ear. “I’ll be right back.”
“Babe, don’t take too long. Your dress should be fucking illegal.”
Giggling, she shook her head and strode to the bathroom.
I went to the water machine and filled our cups with wa
ter. A girl on her phone opened the door and Mona came inside looking like a starlet with her classic Chanel sunglasses, painted face, and unmoving waves in her hair and a glittery off-white beaded dress. She headed towards Bri and Pierce. I watched Mona say something and Pierce ignored Bri. The moment that I met Bri halfway, Beth was out of the bathroom, her eyebrows drawn together.
Bri’s eyes were threatening tears and it hit me that she wanted to continue dancing and talking with Pierce. And now he was with Mona. Beth and I accompanied Bri out of the penthouse.
“Didn’t you say that Aunt Deborah came yesterday with fresh mantecados that Nancy made?”
“Gavin hid some from Joel.”
Bri attempted to smile, but her face was red from crying. Sniffling, she wiped her face with her hands. “How can I ever compete with Mona?” she asked through a sob. “For once, just once, I thought that he felt something else for me. It’s been the longest Pierce has gone without Mona after a breakup.”
***
Beth got up from the bed and groaned the next morning. She’d had only two hours of sleep, and she looked miserable. But if we didn’t talk today, I thought I’d lose my mind.
“I don’t think I should’ve had ice cream with the mantecados.”
“Babe, go to the bathroom and I’ll get you something to help you with your stomach.”
She looked at me and complied. As I picked up my shirt and put it on, Beth’s cell vibrated repeatedly like it had when she’d come to my guestroom. There was a message. The name “Hunter” was in the upper left-hand corner of her phone.
Hunter: I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself.
