by J. M. Walker
“Sure.”
He stepped in front of me and cupped my face, placing a hard peck on my mouth. “I’ll go grab us something.” He kissed me one last time before running off toward the ice cream parlor.
I grinned, shook my head, and sat on a nearby park bench. It was later in the evening. The sun was setting over the buildings of the city, giving it an otherworldly glow.
The hairs on the back of my neck suddenly tingled. I looked around me, expecting to find someone watching me or even someone I knew approaching, but when I didn’t, I gave myself a shake. Turning back around, I tried ignoring the feeling that I was being watched but it was still there.
Even after about ten minutes, when Vince came back to join me, that feeling hadn’t gone away. He came back with two bowls of ice cream, a wide smile on his face.
My stomach fluttered at the sight of him.
He had chocolate while I had strawberry. He sat beside me and kissed my temple before he started eating his ice cream.
My heart stuttered at the soft public display of affection coming from him. I realized then that he always kissed me whenever he could. Even if it was just a peck on the cheek or head, he always showed me his feelings even if he never told me. Maybe I could start doing the same.
I took that as my chance and moved closer to him.
His eyes whipped to mine, a twinkle flashing behind them. He gave me a small smile.
“Thank you,” I murmured and went back to eating my ice cream.
When we finished, he grabbed our bowls and threw them in a nearby garbage can.
He came back toward me and held out his hand.
I slipped my fingers in his, letting him pull me from the park bench. Looking around me, I still didn’t see anyone watching us but felt uneasy nonetheless.
“You good?” Vince asked, bringing our joined hands up to his mouth.
I nodded, watching as his lips brushed over my knuckles.
“You sure?”
“I am. Just a weird feeling. That’s all.” I pulled my hand from his and wrapped myself around his middle, needing his strength. I thought back to a time when we were kids and he would give me a hug. He would give all of us girls hugs, but saved me for last. When he had wrapped himself around me, his body would relax. I remembered once where his mouth had brushed ever so slightly against the side of my neck. I never thought anything of it and took it as just an accident, but I realize now that when it came to Vince and me, nothing was an accident.
“What kind of weird feeling?” he asked, leaning back and staring down at me.
I laughed at the deep frown etched between his brows. “Nothing bad. Just weird.” But even I couldn’t be sure if that was the case or not. I needed to reassure him that everything was in fact fine because it wasn’t like I could do anything about it anyway.
Vince searched my face but when I just stood there, he finally let out a huff and grabbed my hand. Even though I had attempted to reassure him that this feeling wasn’t a big deal, he kept my hand tight in his. We walked until a café came into view.
My stomach twisted, remembering Meadow telling me what had happened outside of it. We stopped in front of a cross that was directly across from the café.
“I haven’t been here in a while,” I told Vince, staring down at the shrine made for Sunny.
“Do your sister and Shade come here often?”
“I don’t know.” Getting an idea, I looked across the street. “I’ll be back.” Making sure no cars were coming, I ran across the street to one of the stores. When I found what I was looking for, I purchased it and joined Vince back at the shrine. “Meadow told me that she comes and collects the stuff once a month. People are good about not stealing anything. For the most part anyway.” I placed the small teddy bear at the base of the cross that someone had made for Sunny. It hurt my heart that I never had a chance to get to know him but knew just from what Meadow and Shade had told me, that he loved them with every inch of him.
“I never met him,” Vince finally said, pulling me from my thoughts. “I saw him in passing but it was only the once. At your party.”
That had been when Piper had gotten attacked. A tremor of unease rushed through me. “I try not to think about that night but every time I’m home alone and walk by her old room, I can’t help but remember what happened.”
Vince grabbed my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I know. Jaron saved her.”
I nodded.
“I would have done the same.”
I looked up at Vince then. “Really?”
“Yes.” His jaw was hard. “I think Jaron let him off easy.”
I hooked my arm in Vince’s, leaning my head against his shoulder. “Maybe. He’s paying for it though. He won’t even see his baby being born.”
“Hey.” Vince kissed the top of my head. “They’ll work it out. If they are meant to be, they’ll get through this.”
“Do you honestly believe that?” I asked, looking up at him.
“You don’t?” Vince searched my face, looking for a sign. Looking for something that I wasn’t sure I was ready to give him.
“I don’t know.” My chest suddenly felt tight. “Can we go? This is…this is starting to feel heavy.” And damn near suffocating.
“Fine.” Vince grabbed my hand and led me to the parking lot where he parked his car. The air between us became cold and unwanted. Something switched. Something that wasn’t for the better. I wasn’t sure why but maybe because I hadn’t outright agreed with him, it pissed him off.
“Vince?”
“What?”
I stopped, stepping in front of him and placing my hands on his chest. “What we’re doing, whatever this is, I like it. I want to continue it.”
Vince sighed, cupping the back of my neck. “You have walls up, baby, but I promise you that I will do everything in my fucking power to break them down. Whether you want me to or not.” He crouched so he could be at eye level with me. “You hear me?”
“If you hurt me again, whether it’s intentional or not, I’ll kick your ass. You hear me?”
A laugh boomed through him. “Alright, Queenie. Fair enough.” He stuck out his hand. “It’s a deal.”
I smiled, returning the handshake. “Good. Now take me home.”
He pulled me against him.
I gasped, slapping my hand against his chest.
His eyes darkened, a hint of lust flashing behind them. It was intense, the air crackling between us like it was only us who existed in each other’s worlds. And maybe we were. He was all I needed and all I craved.
Vince cupped my cheek, placing a soft peck on my mouth. The kiss had been so gentle. It was nothing like the man I had spent the day with.
Even though we were still in public, that little fact only seemed to heighten the passion between us. We were in the parking lot, standing by his car but at the same time, I felt as though we were in the middle of nowhere.
Vince deepened the kiss, pushing me back against the side of his car. He cupped my ass, sliding his hand lower until he came into contact with my bare thigh and pushed his fingers beneath the fabric.
My heart jumped.
Snaking my arms around his shoulders, I pulled him against me.
His erection pressed into my lower belly.
Much to my dismay, he lifted his head, licking his swollen mouth. He gave me a small smirk.
My chest rose and fell with ragged breath. “Take me home?”
“I have an early day tomorrow.”
“So do I. I live closer to the center and my studio. Spend the night with me.” My body tingled with need for him. “Please.”
“You want me again, baby?” Vince kissed my jaw, digging his fingers into the spot beneath my ass cheek.
“God, yes.”
He chuckled, releasing me completely and handing me the keys to his car. “Then lead the way.”
Gigi
It was the following Friday and I was sitting at a table in a small café, waitin
g for Corbin. My body burned with memories of telling Vince earlier that morning about meeting up with another guy and how he staked his claim on my body.
I tried my hardest to convince Vince that I wasn’t Corbin’s type but when Vince mumbled Mine against my pussy, I had forgotten what I was supposed to tell him in the first place.
“What would you do if he was interested in me?” I asked Vince, brushing my thumb along his nipple. I knew it was a dangerous question, especially when it came to the man I was sleeping with, but curiosity got the better of me and I needed to know.
“You really want me to answer that question?”
My eyes locked with his. My stomach did a somersault at the rough vibrato of his voice. “Yes.”
“First.” Vince pushed me onto my back and knelt between my legs. “I’d beat the shit out of him.” He lowered his mouth to mine, giving my bottom lip a gentle bite.
I whimpered at the sharp slice of pain.
“Then.” He wrapped his lips around my nipple, closing his teeth around the budding peak.
I yelped, arching beneath him.
“I would fuck you in his blood and make him watch.”
Somehow, I knew it wasn’t Corbin he was referring to. I had heard quite often how he didn’t like Matt. Not that I had actually ever dated him. I only let Vince believe I did. Matt had moved anyway, so it wasn’t like I would ever see him again.
“You know Matt and I were never a thing, right?” I straddled Vince’s lap, pushing him onto his back.
Vince lifted me to my knees and dropped me onto him. “Say that again.”
I sighed, shaking my head as the memories burned through me.
“Someone’s in love.”
My head popped up.
Corbin came toward me, a wide smile on his face.
I stood from the table and stretched out my arms. “Someone needs to mind his own business,” I threw back at him, but I couldn’t help the smile pulling at my lips.
He chuckled, wrapping me up in a hug. “How’s my girl?”
“Good. You?” When he didn’t answer, I leaned back. “What’s wrong?”
The smile fell from his face. “It’s nothing, baby girl. Just work crap. Don’t worry about it.”
“Uh, I have to worry about it.” Corbin was the type of guy who worried about everyone else but not himself. “Talk to me.” I sat in the chair, my stomach clenching at the worry evident on his face.
“It’s not important.” He gave me a small smile, sitting back in his chair and picking up the menu. “Now, should I get one of these new fancy cakes or try a salad?”
“Corbin, maybe I can help with whatever issue is going on,” I said gently.
“I’ve heard some things.” He placed the menu on the table between us. “I don’t like gossiping. In fact, I hate it. It makes me feel low, but it’s hard not to hear what’s being said when people aren’t discreet about their conversations.”
I sat forward. “Okay, now you got me really interested.”
He chuckled, rubbing a hand over his bald head. “Your friend Piper is famous.”
“What?” My eyes widened. “How? And how do you even know Piper?”
“I don’t know her exactly. I just know who she is. I’ve seen her pick up Cyrus and Sammy from time to time whenever they drink too much.”
“Oh.” I didn’t even realize he knew the twins. I had only met them a few times but being in the Hell’s Harlem MC alongside Jaron and Shade, I knew they would do anything to keep their own safe. Including Piper.
“She’s Jaron’s girl and she’s the only one who has ever been able to capture his heart,” Corbin continued. “That says a lot about her.”
I stared at him. “Really?”
He nodded. “Jaron had a thing with Candace. Not saying they were serious. Especially when she was married to Ronny through all of it but…there was definitely something there.”
My stomach twisted. Piper and Jaron had enough problems. They didn’t need a jealous husband, or a crazy ex added to that list. “Does Ronny know?”
“He does. Whatever Candace and he have, it’s toxic but it works for them, I guess. I don’t know. But I overheard a couple of the girls talking about it. Bottom line is, Piper needs to be careful.”
“Do you think something’s going to happen?” I asked, my heart jumping.
“No but that doesn’t mean anything.”
“I’ll warn her.” I gave him a small smile of reassurance and made a mental note to text Piper later.
“Good.” Corbin clapped his hands together. “Now, enough of the heavy crap. Tell me, how did Vince take you going out with another man?”
I coughed, my cheeks heating. “He was fine with it.”
Corbin laughed. “Right,” he said slowly.
“He was fine with it,” I insisted. “After I convinced him anyway.” I winked.
Corbin chuckled.
We spent the rest of the afternoon talking about nothing and everything at the same time. I had known Corbin for the better part of a year but never actually hung out with him outside of the club. I learned that his family was from a tiny village in Northern Africa and that he had moved to the USA when he was two. He had been moving around the country ever since and finally settled on our little city that was growing with each passing year. He had also been working for Candace and Ronny for quite some time and enjoyed being a bouncer. We never talked again about what he had overheard when it came to Piper.
After our visit, we went our separate ways but made plans to meet up again and for me to bring Vince next time.
When I pulled into my driveway, I reached for my bag and retrieved my phone. Sending Piper a quick text, I let her know what Corbin told me. All she said was a thanks and that was it. It made me wonder if she didn’t already know or had problems already. I wanted to reach out to her and pay her a visit, but I also didn’t want to overstep. I knew that she would come around whenever she was able.
As I left my car, my phone dinged again.
Vince: Did you enjoy your date?
Me: I enjoyed convincing you that it wasn’t a date, more.
Vince: I bet you did, dirty girl.
I grinned.
Me: I have no idea what you’re talking about.
Vince: Sure, Queenie.
I laughed, shaking my head, then went up the sidewalk to my house. It was mid-afternoon but a storm seemed to be rolling in, so it was darker out. Another text came in from Ashton this time, letting me know that both he and Aiden were going to the nearby bar and would probably be by later.
I reminded him not to forget his key, just in case I was sleeping or not home.
Spending the rest of the evening cleaning, I grabbed a glass of wine when I was finally done. It was pushing nine and I hadn’t heard from Vince since earlier that evening.
As if on cue, my phone rang, an image of Vince’s handsome face flashing across the screen.
“Hey,” I answered.
“Hey, yourself.”
My stomach did a flip at the sound of his deep voice.
“I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to be late. If you want me to just go home after I’m done helping Rory, I can.”
“No.” I stood from the couch and went to the kitchen to refill my glass. “Come over whenever you can. The twins will be here.”
“Alright, if I can get out of here earlier, I’ll let you know.”
We said our goodbyes and as soon as I placed the phone on the counter, it rang again. I smiled, picking it up.
“Miss my voice already?” I laughed.
When no answer came, I checked the screen of my phone and saw that it wasn’t actually Vince like I thought and an unknown number instead.
“Hello?”
Still no answer.
The dead silence was unnerving, but I just shrugged and disconnected the call. Pouring my glass of wine, I put the bottle away when my phone rang again.
This time a phone number appeared on the scre
en, but I still didn’t recognize it. “Hello?”
Again, pure silence.
An icy cold shiver of unease rippled down my spine.
“Hello?” I demanded.
When there was no answer again, I huffed and disconnected the call. Placing the phone on the counter, I took a sip of my wine but couldn’t look away. I wasn’t sure what staring at my cell would do but it was the only thing I could think of at the moment.
I wasn’t surprised the next time it rang.
Taking a step toward it, I saw a different number flashing across the screen. Even though it wasn’t the same as the one that called a moment ago, it still didn’t make me feel any better.
Pressing the speaker button, I waited.
Heavy breathing sounded from the other end of the phone this time, followed by mumbled words.
I frowned, trying to hear what they were saying but I couldn’t make it out. The words sounded jumbled, like they had something shoved in their mouth.
The mumbled words continued, followed by heavy breathing.
I took a step closer, straining to hear. Lowering my ear to the phone, I tried to understand them. Maybe they needed help. “Hello?”
The mumbled words became louder and louder, forcing me back a step. I still couldn’t make out what they were saying but the words turned to screams and then they just all of a sudden stopped.
My stomach fell to the ground beneath me, my skin prickling with goosebumps.
“I’m going to fucking kill you!”
The glass of wine fell from my fingers, shattering to the ground at my feet.
Rushing to the phone, I disconnected the call and tossed it on the counter. My heart was racing, my palms sweaty.
Suddenly, the front door banged open.
A scream ripped free from my throat, reminding me that I should always lock the damn door like Vince told me to.
***
(Vince)
“I really have much better things to be doing on a Friday night than sitting here and watching you guys work.” Tenise was playing on her phone but she never looked up as she spoke.
