“Yeah, I’m fine,” I managed to get out, even though I was still coughing and choking.
“Why don’t we just talk about this later, huh?”
“Yeah, later.” I took a big bite of my bacon cheeseburger, trying to avoid talking about anything else.
After lunch, I walked Nicole out to her car and kissed her good-bye. Once she was no longer in sight, I made my way back inside the bar because I had to ask Wendy what she and Lennox had talked about. I had to find out what Lennox was doing back.
“Wendy, do you have a minute?” I took a seat at the bar.
“Sure, what’s up?” She stopped and sat down the case of beer she was carrying before giving me her full attention.
“Dane said Lennox was here last night asking about me. Is that true?” I couldn’t keep the excitement and hope out of my voice.
She offered up a grin. “Yeah, she was here.”
“Well, what did she want? What did she say?” I prodded.
She shrugged one shoulder. “She came in and had a few drinks. I asked what she was doing in town and she kind of side-stepped the question, so I don’t know why she’s here or if she intends on staying.”
I leaned in just a bit. “What did she say about me?”
“Not much really,” she shook her head, causing her blonde curls to bounce with the motion. “She just wanted to know if you had been in the bar and asked how you were doing. That was pretty much it.”
That disappointed me a little. I took a long breath. “Okay, thanks.” I stood from the barstool and started for the door.
“Oh, Mason,” Wendy called after me.
I turned back toward her. “Yeah?”
“I don’t know what’s going on,” she looked down at her hands like she wasn’t sure if she should tell me. “but she didn’t look good.”
I closed the distance between us. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know,” she shrugged before wiping her hands on a bar rag. “She just didn’t look like herself, you know? She had on a big sweatshirt and her hair was a mess. She looked sick or something.”
“Okay, thanks for talking to me.” I turned back around and pushed through the door.
I sat down in my office and thought about everything Wendy had said to me.
“She looked sick or something.” Was she sick? Surely she wouldn’t be drinking if she was sick, would she? None of this is making any sense. Why is she back? Why is she asking about me? Why hasn’t she came to see me? If she intends on staying she would come see me, right? Maybe she isn’t staying. I always thought the reason she never came to see me before was because it was hard enough to walk away the first time and she didn’t want to do it again. Is that the reason?
All the thinking gave me a headache. I pulled a bottle of Tylenol from my desk drawer and washed it down with a drink of water. I wanted Jack, but I had practice that evening.
It wasn’t time for games to start yet, but we stayed in shape year-round. I decided to push Lennox from my thoughts and get some work done before I drove myself crazy.
I finally finished work on the boats by five that evening. I was covered in sweat and grease and still had an hour of practice to get through.
I wasn’t one of those lazy coaches. I wouldn’t stand on the sidelines and run the guys to death. If I made them do it, I joined them.
It seemed to help them understand that if they worked hard on the field, I would work hard for them. We were a team, and I was always by their side. Not to mention, it kept me in good shape.
I ran by the house to change into a pair of gym shorts and headed back to the field with minutes to spare.
“Okay, guys,” I clapped my hands to get their attention. “Let’s warm up.”
We started with a few jumping jacks and finished off with ten laps around the field before starting practice. That was the one area of the practice I couldn’t be with them, but on the sidelines trying to find any error that could potentially cost us a game.
The guys did well that night. They worked hard, and they were covered in sweat and were breathless by the time I called an end to practice.
“Okay, good practice tonight, guys. Go home, get some rest, and I will see everyone here Monday night at six o’clock. Enjoy your weekend.” The guys scattered as I began throwing the balls into the bag and headed toward my truck.
After everything was picked up and tossed in the back of my truck, I went back to lock up the gate and turn the field lights off. I spent an hour driving home to find Nicole’s car in the driveway.
Usually, it made me happy knowing she was there waiting for me, but that night, I just wanted to be alone. I needed time to clear my head. I hadn’t even seen Lennox and she was already controlling my every thought.
I made my way into the house where Nicole was lying on the couch in a t-shirt with a glass of wine. “Hi babe, how was practice?”
I crashed beside her on the couch. “Good, I need to get a shower and sleep for a week. Have you eaten?”
She laughed. “Dinner is on the stove. Go take a shower and I will warm it up for you.” She stood from the couch and pulled me up with her. I smacked her on the ass as I walked by.
Making my way up the stairs, I thought about Lennox and Nicole. Nicole was a good girlfriend. I didn’t think she would be, but she had always been supportive and she was there when I needed her.
But Lennox, my heart belonged to her.
I stepped into the shower and let the hot water run over the sore muscles of my back while I leaned my head against the shower wall.
What will I do if Lennox is here to stay? Will I break up with Nicole, who hasn’t done anything wrong, to be with her? I would like to think no I wouldn’t, but then again, nothing feels the way it did when I was with Lennox.
My thoughts drifted off to all the times I was with her. How her kisses felt, warm and soft but strong at the same time. The way she would wrap her arms around my neck. How she would throw her head back and arch her back when she was on top of me shattering into a million pieces. I remembered her sounds and soft whimpers as we made love and how good she always felt when I entered her. Just the thoughts alone were enough to make me hard.
I growled in frustration at letting myself take it that far. I thought about Lennox almost every day, but I never let myself think about the intimate moments between the two of us unless I had someone to take out my aggression on, if you know what I mean.
I shut the hot water off and let the cold-water stream over my body, refusing to give into my urges. After things settled back down, I turned off the water and dried quickly.
When I joined Nicole in the kitchen, I found my dinner warmed up and sitting on the island with a cold beer.
“Thank you.” I pulled her in for a hug and gave her a quick kiss.
“You’re welcome,” she whispered against my lips when I began to pull away.
I sat down and began to eat while Nicole made herself a cup of hot chocolate.
She sat on the barstool next to me. “You never told me you knew Lennox Madison.”
I almost choked on my food. “What?”
“Lennox Madison, you know the country singer. She came by here today. How do you know her?” Nicole sat her cup down and kept her eyes locked on mine.
I shrugged. “We used to know one another, but I haven’t seen her in years. What did she want?” I raised the beer to my lips and took a drink.
“I don’t know. She asked if you were here and introduced herself like I didn’t know who she was.” She let out a laugh.
“My brother told me she was in town but I haven’t run into her yet.”
“I wonder what she wants. Were you two close?” Her eyes searched my face, looking for anything I was holding back.
“You could say that, but it was years ago. I haven’t seen her since she left to start her music career,” I answered, honestly.
“Did you two date or were you just friends?” She brought her cup to her lips, blowing slightl
y with her eyes still locked on mine.
I let out a breath. “We dated for a short time until she left,” I noticed her eyes fall to her cup. “You have nothing to worry about. It was a long time ago and I’m sure she’s only here visiting her father. She won’t stay long, she never does.” I rubbed her hand that was sitting on top of the island.
I didn’t know if she believed me, but she stood and kissed me softly on the forehead. “I think I’m going to go lie down. Join me when you’re finished?”
I nodded with my mouth full of food as she slowly walked upstairs, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I never thought I would be there, with a girl that loved me while I was holding out for a long-lost love that would never come back to me.
But, she did come back. I just didn’t know if it was for me or not.
The main question was, would she stay?
If she did, would she want me? Would I leave a girl that loved me for another pipe dream of being with her?
Only time would tell how it would play out.
I would’ve liked to think that I wouldn’t have hurt Nicole like that, but I felt like it didn’t matter. I knew I would always take Lennox back. I didn’t have a choice when it came to her.
I cleaned up my mess and walked up the stairs hanging my head. I didn’t know what would happen, I just hoped that I didn’t hurt an innocent woman. A woman that had always been kind and loving to me. A woman who came into the wrong man’s life.
Nicole was asleep in my bed with the TV on. I climbed in beside her and watched her sleep for a few minutes, hoping like hell that I didn’t destroy her.
4
Lennox
It had been three months since I forgave Chis and took him back. Since then, we had moved in together. I gave up my apartment and moved into his. Everything was good for a while, but then everything went bad. Very, very bad.
It started with pushing. We would argue and he would push me away. He would go cool off and come back and apologize. I blamed myself. I told myself I shouldn’t have done this or that. That I shouldn’t have said what I had said to him.
I tried everything I could to keep us from fighting. I had turned into a mouse, sneaking around the house quietly when he was drunk so he wouldn’t hear me and start a fight. I was an empty shell of the person I once was.
He controlled my every move. I couldn’t go out alone, I was told what dress to wear to this event or that, and I was only allowed to do interviews with him, so he could control what I said.
Finally, after he told me I couldn’t take time off to go see my dad, I had enough. I just wanted a little time to myself. I wanted to go home, see my friends and family. See Mason and find out where I stood with him.
He found me in the bedroom packing my bag.
“Where do you think you’re going?” He reached out, yanking the bag from my hands and tossing it across the room.
My head told me to shut up and do as I was told, but my heart; my heart said stand up for yourself.
My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears, I knew what was about to come. “I told you, I’m going home to see my dad. I just need a break.”
He let out a malicious laugh. “You need a break? From what? From me?” He pointed at his chest while his dark eyes focused on me.
I held my ground. I didn’t back away like I usually did. “No, don’t be stupid. I just want to see my dad. I haven’t seen him in a long time.”
“I’m stupid?” He pointed at his chest, again.
Bad choice of words. I can’t believe I said that.
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.” I shook my head and dropped my eyes to the floor.
“What did you mean to say then?” He began walking closer while I backed away.
I didn’t answer. I didn’t know what to say. I knew he would just turn it around on me, anyway.
Before I could take my eyes off the floor, he rushed me. Grabbing ahold of my throat, he shoved me into the wall, choking me.
My hands flew to my neck, trying my hardest to pry his fingers from my throat. Tears stung my eyes as I tried to form words. Words that wouldn’t come out because I couldn’t breathe.
“What, Lennox? Don’t have anything to say to me now?” He gave me his cocky smile.
I shook my head as tears overfilled my eyes and ran down my overheated cheeks.
“That’s what I thought.” He released me, allowing me to fall onto the floor.
I breathed as quickly as I could, trying to get in as much air as my lungs could hold. I coughed and rubbed my throat.
He walked across the floor and grabbed the bag before making his way back toward me. “Would you like to tell me where you’re going now?”
I shook my head. “Nowhere.” I didn’t look up at him. I couldn’t bear to see the darkness I knew was in his eyes.
“That’s better.” He threw the bag at me.
I caught it but still didn’t meet his gaze.
“Put that shit up. The sooner you realize you belong to me the better.” He turned and headed toward the door.
“I don’t belong to you,” I whispered.
The moment the words left my mouth I regretted them. I didn’t think he could hear me, but he did.
He turned, his chest puffed up and eyes narrowed on me. He closed the distance in two long strides and grabbed me up again, holding me against the wall by my throat.
The moment my back was against the wall and I couldn’t breathe again, my fight-or-flight instincts kicked in. I brought up my knee, hitting him in the balls.
He instantly released me and the second I was free, I ran.
I shoved past him toward the bathroom, it was the only place I could go. I knew I wouldn’t make it to the hallway.
I pushed through the door and turned to slam it shut. He caught it, forcing his way inside. I screamed but was silenced when he landed a hit to my face.
I fell backward and landed on the floor, trying my hardest to scurry away from him. He caught me by the ankle and pulled me back, my skin squealed against the cold tile.
As soon as I was at his feet, he began kicking me in the stomach and the ribs. I was taken over by pain, and I couldn’t breathe. I curled into a ball, trying my hardest to protect myself.
When my stomach was no longer open to him, he bent down, grabbing me by my shirt and started beating me off the floor.
I wrapped my arms around my head, trying to protect it from the tile while I cried and pleaded for him to stop. But he didn’t even hear me. He was lost to the rage that consumed him.
My body wracked with pain, finally shut down. I couldn’t fight against him anymore. In my mind, I went back to a warm, safe place. A place where I was loved and shielded in strong arms that would never hurt me. With one last blow to my head, everything went black.
I woke sometime later with pain consuming me. I cracked one eye open, scanning the room for him.
He was nowhere to be found.
I managed to get myself off the floor, even though every move made my eyes blurry and head swim.
I didn’t dare look in the mirror. I knew how bad I looked, I didn’t need to see it because I felt it.
I turned on the shower to let the hot water soothe my broken body. Lying on the floor of the shower, I cried.
I cried from pain, from my broken pride, and the rage that was pumping through my veins. I hated him. I hated myself for saying those words that brought it all on. I hated myself for staying with him after the first time he hit me.
I didn’t know when, or how, but I knew I had to get away before he killed me.
Once the water started to run cold, I stepped out of the shower. I wrapped myself up in a towel, but didn’t attempt to dry off. I knew it would only bring more pain.
I removed the towel and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. It took my breath away.
My left eye was bruised and swelling. My cheek was red and swollen from the trauma to my eye.
I let
my eyes fall down to look at the rest of my body. My stomach, ribs, and back, were all covered in blue and purple blotches. The appearance of my body caused me to take a sudden breath, wracking my body with more pain. I grabbed my right side and fell to the bathroom floor.
I laid there, for what seemed like hours, before I finally forced myself up. I needed a hospital. I knew I had to have cracked ribs, and with the way my eyes were blurring, probably a concussion.
I slowly pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, trying not to cause any more pain. I pulled on my jacket and grabbed my purse to toss a few things into before I opened the bedroom door quietly.
The apartment was dark and quiet as I walked down the hall. Coming to the office, where I knew he was, I peeked in.
He was sitting in his desk chair with an open bottle of vodka on the desk. His head was leaned back against the chair and his eyes were closed. I stepped past quickly and turned into the living room where I opened the front door slowly and quietly.
Once I was standing in the hallway outside of the apartment, I began to walk as quickly as my broken body would let me. I looked back just as I stepped foot in the elevator, but the door didn’t budge.
Tears streamed down my face just from knowing I was finally away from him. I hailed a cab and without looking back, told him I was going to the airport.
While waiting for my plane to board, I called my dad. I hadn’t talked to him in months but I knew he would be there for me.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Dad,” I whispered, afraid talking at a normal volume would cause me to breakdown.
“Lennox? What’s the matter? Are you okay?” Concern was etched in his voice.
“No, I’m not okay,” I began, but couldn’t finish because the crying took over.
“Lennox, where are you?”
“At the airport, I’m coming home. Can you pick me up?”
“Yes, of course. What time will you land?”
“Six A.M,” I answered, trying my hardest to push the tears back.
A Second Chance at Forever (Chance #2) Page 4
