Blaine (West Norton Boys Series Book 2)

by Dawn Doyle

I groaned and threw my head back against the soft gray fabric of my couch. “Still an idiot for gawking at him like that in front of everybody. Well, at least he didn’t see me staring at his ass, that could’ve been so much worse.” I burst out laughing at the same time Ella did.

  “If he comes in again, text me right away. I wanna get a look at this guy.”

  I raised my brows. “He’s been in once in the whole time I’ve worked there.”

  “Are you sure?”

  I nodded quickly. “I would’ve definitely remembered him if he’d been in during my shift.” And I really would have. There wasn’t one part of that five-second interaction that I hadn’t taken in, and if I’d come across that face before, I was sure it would’ve been permanently etched into my mind.

  “Take a picture, too,” she added quickly, her eyes lighting up as though realizing something. “We can look him up on social media. Post the photo and find out who he is.” She bit her lip while her eyes darted side-to-side in concentration. “We could post it on a Thursday, and call it, Thirsty Thorsty.”

  I swatted at her arm. “No, we can not!” I squealed. “I’m not taking a picture, and you certainly aren’t posting it all over the internet.” God, that would be the worst, and also so fucking cliché that I swear my eyes rolled three times in a second. “I don’t even know who he is. I spoke about five words to him, and that was a miracle because I almost swallowed my tongue.”

  Ella shoved me again. “Then get to know him, girl.”

  Easier said than done. However, I knew there was a good chance I would speak to him again, because I had a shift at the cab company tonight, and I would be there at the same time he’d called previously. All I had to do was make sure I picked up every call that I could.

  “So, what about the voice guy?” Ella asked, and my eyes snapped to hers.

  “What?”

  “Voice guy? Bob? The one you called me to talk about. Over him so soon?”

  Just like that, my usually pale skin turned beet-red thinking about Blaine. What the hell was wrong with me? “I like to keep my options open,” I replied, then reached over to pick up my glass of orange soda. I took a sip while Ella stared at me, her mouth hanging open as though trying to catch something. “What?”

  “Who are you, and what have you done with my friend?”

  I chuckled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yeah, you do. You went from no guys to two in a couple of weeks. You’re either slacking off from whatever you’ve been focused on, or you’ve finally gotten over your drought.”

  “I never had a drought, if that’s what you’d call it,” I fired back. “I just haven’t dipped into the well in a long time.” That was my own choice.

  “Then I think it’s about time you got your feet wet,” Ella said with a thin smile and her brows raised. “Because from the way you’re reacting to this guy, I’d say you’re suffering from serious dehydration.”

  That guy—Blaine. Just one look at him and I was about to grab the largest bucket I could find, haul a giant pail out of there, and drink myself to oblivion. I just had to find a way to let him know I was the same girl he’d flirted with over Greg’s call system without looking like I was chasing him.

  Shit, there is something seriously fucked up going on with me.

  Blaine

  Fuck me sideways, backward and forward; she was smoking hot! The second I’d laid my eyes on the woman on the other side of the counter, I knew it was her, I just fucking knew it.

  I was taken in by the brunette coming out of the back room, holding onto two metal containers, setting one on the side. She never turned around, though from the way she looked up and down, irritation seemed to take over the longer I stared at her profile.

  The weird guy next to her gave her my order, and she got to work, her hands moving around quickly, and I could only imagine how good they would feel on my dick. My second head wanted a peek too, straining behind my zipper as I scanned up and down her dark uniform that hid her body.

  I’d never noticed details like that before, but the second she turned around, her fluid movement twisting toward me, I took in everything I could before her eyes lifted to meet mine. I was momentarily frozen by her blue-gray eyes, sparkling with tiny flecks of green around her pupils. And when her throaty rasp came out, apologizing for keeping hold of my coffee… That’s when I knew I’d found my Robyn.

  Fuck, she looked even better than what I imagined.

  I was going to see her again; I was sure of that. So sure, that I’d planned my next boost around her, finding myself in East Norton, outside Thorsty For Coffee, the shop I’d been to only a couple of times before—one of them the day I’d taken the red piece out for a ride.

  I’d spent the last two days planning a hit, making sure I would be in the vicinity once I’d made the drop. And there I was, right where I wanted to be, about to woo the panties off my little Robyn.

  I walked up to the door, seeing my reflection in the glass as I approached it. My hair blew about in the light gust of wind, and I lifted my arm and ran my fingers through the strands as I walked through the door, catching the attention of a couple of girls sipping on some colorful liquid in their plastic cups.

  They stopped talking, and their eyes widened, a reaction I usually got from the ladies. My height got the most attention, my six-four frame almost filling the doorway. Women loved tall guys, and I loved women, so it worked well in my favor.

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” I said, tipping my head.

  “Hey,” the tiny blonde replied, then leaned toward her dark-haired friend, their high-pitched voices chattering something I didn’t catch.

  I looked around the shop, seeing the guy that had stood next to my target a couple of days before. He looked up as I approached, his welcoming smile dropping the second he saw me.

  “What can I get you?” he asked, his eyes assessing me.

  I knew that look, and I had to bite my tongue before calling him on it. “Flat white, please, buddy,” I said, cheerfully, waiting for his reaction.

  His jaw ticked, and I desperately wanted to push him further. “Sure thing. Three-twenty,” he said, and held out his hand.

  I dropped a five in his palm, and when he roughly handed me my change, which amused me to hell, I dropped it into the tips cup on the counter. “For your warm hospitality,” I said with a wide grin. “It’s so friendly in here, that I can almost feel the love for my presence.”

  Mica—it said on his tag—narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, we’re so thrilled you’re here,” he sneered.

  I smiled again and leaned slightly forward, not caring that a queue was building up behind me. “I can tell,” I said, holding his stare with enjoyment. The wiry fucker thought he could intimidate me? I wanted to laugh in his face. “You’re giving me a warm and fuzzy vibe right now, Mica, and I know we’ll be great friends someday.” I held his gaze for longer, knowing too well that I’d win this contest.

  He looked away, and I straightened, not missing the word ‘freak’ to pass his lips. Oh, he had no fucking idea who he was messing with.

  An older lady came from the back, her dark hair matching Robyn’s, but their faces didn’t look the same. She looked at me and smiled, her pale skin darkening as I watched her move to the coffee machine.

  I had that effect on most women when I stared, and I got off on it. I flashed her one of my lop-sided smiles, making sure I focused all of my attention on her, just the way I knew they wanted, regardless of age.

  “Thank you so much,” I said when she handed me my hot drink, my eyes not leaving hers. “Just out of curiosity, is Robyn working today?”

  The woman’s mouth popped open and then closed again before she answered. “Not today, no.”

  I let my eyes slide to Mica, who was taking another order, his posture tense as fuck and his fists curling on the counter.

  “I guess I’ll catch her again another time,” I said, flashing my smile again. I walked over to a vacant ta
ble near the counter and took out my phone. I scrolled down to the contacts and pressed the screen, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up. My heart skipped when I heard the familiar voice.

  “Hi there, Robyn,” I drawled, and Mica glared at me, daggers flying in my direction yet missing me every time. “I need a cab.”

  “Sure, where to?” she asked.

  I waited a couple of seconds, challenging Mica to open his damn mouth and say something like I knew he wanted to. “Thorsty For Coffee,” I replied, hearing Robyn’s sharp breath right after.

  “Okay, uh, yeah, I’ll get a driver to pick you up.” Her voice was rushed, anxious, and every bit as I imagined it would be when I finally got between her legs. “On its way.”

  “Oh, and Robyn?” I asked before she could hang up, noticing looks from both the woman and Mica.

  “Yeah?”

  God, that breathy tone grabbed at my crotch and caressed it like silk, smoothing over the head and charming it like a snake. “I’ll see you soon,” I promised because that was fucking true. The next time we interacted, it would be face-to-face, I was fucking sure of it.

  I picked up my coffee and sipped, savoring the caffeinated goodness that was sure to send me off the damn rails once it kicked in.

  Once outside, I got into my cab. I didn’t recognize the driver, but instead of striking up a conversation as I had with Greg, I kept my mouth shut. The thirty-minute journey dragged like a mother fucker, and when I got out less than a mile away from my house, I was glad to be out of it.

  I turned the corner into the quiet road where I lived, and headed home, stopping when I saw a familiar face standing outside my door.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Charlie asked, throwing his arms wide. “We haven’t seen or heard from you in a week.”

  “So, you turned up here because…?” I asked, tilting my head to the side while rummaging in my pocket for my keys. I popped my trunk and threw Cecil in the back.

  “Because you’ve not called us,” he said, following me. “And you took your bag out, which can only mean one thing.”

  “Chill out, dude, I use my bag for other things too, you know,” I shot back, curling my lip as my anger began to build. It started deep in my stomach, but the more Charlie came after me like an interfering parent, it bubbled up to the surface.

  “I tracked you here, but you weren’t, and then you walk back with Cecil. What the hell am I supposed to think?”

  I stopped outside the front door and spun around to face him. “That I’m a fucking adult and I can do what the fuck I want?” I stared him down, his eye level a couple of inches below mine. “What I do, has got fuck all to do with you, with any of you.” I unlocked the door and stepped inside, jerking back when Charlie gripped my arm.

  “When it affects us, Blaine, it’s got everything to do with us.”

  I snorted and shook my head. “Get off your damn pedestal,” I snapped. “I don’t need any of you, and what I do doesn’t affect any of your shit.”

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” he barked, throwing his arms wide again. “Where the fuck has all of this come from?”

  “Just get the fuck out of my face,” I sighed, turning back to the doorway.

  “No, Blaine.” Charlie stepped to the threshold just as I got inside. “We’re gonna have a sit-down and clear shit up, and I’m not going anywhere until we do. Luca’s going out of her mind worrying about you, and Lucian’s on edge because of that.”

  “Just tell her I’m fine, and I’m not in jail. See?” I looked down at myself. “I’m still in one piece, every perfect inch of me in full working order.” I rolled my eyes when he just stared. “You said you need me around to know what I’m up to? Well, not fucking much, so now you can leave.”

  “No.”

  “What?” I asked, flinching with surprise, my brows scrunching together.

  “I’m not going anywhere, dipshit, not until you talk to me.”

  “Oh my fucking God,” I groaned. “Are you seriously gonna stalk me until I give you a rundown of my week?”

  Charlie nodded, his lips turning down as though thinking about it. “Pretty much, yeah. So move out of the fucking way so I can come in.”

  *****

  Charlie looked around the kitchen, the space smaller than what he was used to.

  It was decent, a center island with a hob and a sink, and the surrounding cupboards in a U-shape. It seemed to be the most popular style, every house I’d been in having a similar setup. I opened the fridge and took out two soda’s, eyeing up the beer I was going to consume tonight.

  “So, are you gonna fill me in, or do I have to painfully extract every tiny bit of information?”

  I turned to him slowly, raising a brow. “Threatening me now, Charlie?”

  “No, asshole.” He picked a dried petal out of the bowl of pot-pourri in front of him and threw it at me. “It’s painful to get anything out of you. You still haven’t told me where you’ve been.”

  “I didn’t realize I had to,” I said, handing him the soda. I sat on the bar stool next to him. “But I’ve been keeping myself busy.”

  “Work?”

  I nodded. I’d taken a few vacation days, but he didn’t need to know that. I had stuff to do, people to irritate, and a particular girl that needed my attention. “Yep.” I opened my bottle and chugged down the bright orange liquid inside, the bubbles bursting in my throat on the way down.

  Charlie turned his body to face mine as though trapping me. I knew this because it was his usual tactic when talking to me when I’d gone off on my own. His legs out, man-spreading his nuts all over the fucking place in my house, meaning that I couldn’t turn toward him and I couldn’t just run off. Not that I would; I wasn’t a fucking coward, but there was no way in hell I was facing him with his cock and balls right in front of me.

  “And?”

  I rested my elbows down on the oak surface and closed my eyes, releasing a long breath. “I’ve been around, Charlie, okay?”

  “And you usually go around without your phone?”

  Damn prick was acting like he was my dad, but he would never be like him. The ass disappeared when I was ten, and I still hated him for leaving.

  I dug into my pocket and picked out my phone, wiggling it in the air before pocketing it again. “Knew you’d track me, so I got a backup.”

  I felt a slap on the back of my head, the sharp sting making me clench my jaw as my head jerked forward. I stilled, gritting my teeth.

  “What the fuck, Blaine?” he practically yelled in my ear. “You go dark on us for a week, and you just take off so no-one can find you?”

  “I’m sorry,” I said sarcastically, then spoke again, gradually raising my voice. “I forgot I had to check the fuck in!”

  Charlie flinched, his eyebrows shooting up into his hairline. “We haven’t seen you,” he repeated. “We had no fucking idea if you’d been arrested, or worse. I couldn’t find anything on you.”

  I dropped my head back and let my mouth form a slow, lazy smile. “Like any of you would give a fuck.” I spun, turning my back on him and hopped off my stool before he could grip me. “Who called me after I left Lucian’s last week?” When Charlie said nothing, I continued. “Nobody called to see why I hadn’t shown up”—I threw my hands in the air—“and then nobody called for four fucking days after I left!”

  “You’re still upset about that?” he asked in disbelief. “For fuck’s sake, Blaine, it was an accident. Lucian had originally planned for eight, but Luca’s parents were going over earlier instead, so they changed it to seven. She thought she’d texted you.”

  “Yeah, well, she hadn’t,” I gritted out.

  “Well, she knows that now, and she tried to call to apologize, but you wouldn’t pick up.” He pointed to the phone on the counter. “But I see why.”

  I scrubbed my hand down my face when he looked at me like I was a disobedient child. “I’m not a fucking kid, Charlie. I don’t need help getting my
fix anymore, okay? I’ve been doing just fine on my own.”

  His expression hardened. “So, you have been boosting?”

  “What can I say? A guy has to see to his needs one way or another, and if that means a little self-service, then so be it.” Oh, how that meant so many more things. Robyn’s face flashed in my mind, and the service I started to think about was so dirty I’d need a shower to wash it off. But, I didn’t want to. I wanted it filthy, I wanted it nasty, and for the first time in the length of my memory, I wasn’t talking about a car.

  “You know how it goes, Blaine,” he chastised. “We stick together so we don’t get a repeat of what happened, then we help clean up so you don’t get caught.”

  I slammed my hand down on the counter, more pissed that the X-rated movie playing in my head had been interrupted. “Don’t bring that shit up,” I growled. “I will never put anyone at risk like that again—you know that. The only reason we stuck together was that I needed reconnaissance for the high maintenance girls. I can take care of the rest—I’m sure you’re too aware.” If he brought up my fuck up with Luca’s car, I would’ve punched him in the goddamn mouth. Luckily for him, he chose to keep his fucking trap shut.

  “So it would seem.” He picked his ringing phone out of his pocket and answered. “Hey. Yeah, I’ll be a minute. He’s coming with, so just hold tight.”

  I folded my arms over my chest, stunned that Charlie assumed I would be leaving with him. “Am I going somewhere?” I asked when he hung up.

  “Yeah. We gave you space after your mini freak out, and now you’re coming with us.”

  I laughed, and just as I took a breath, the front door opened. My mom walked in carrying grocery bags, my grandpa hot on her heels.

  “I’ll take those,” I said, relieving her of the bulky items.

  “Thank you, sweetheart,” she replied, rubbing her arms.

  “Could’ve helped sooner,” Grandpa sneered, and I paused. “Never around to give your mother a hand.”