“I wish it were that easy.”
“I’m not afraid of them, Kacie.”
“You don’t even know them or what they’re capable of. They can destroy someone in seconds.” She’s trying to scare me away, but I don’t want to go.
“I don’t care.”
“I do. No one deserves to be brought into this mess.”
“I’m in, whether you like it or not.”
“No, Evan. This is my fight.” My favorite beautiful, hazel eyes are watering again.
“Something tells me that I’d fight the whole world for you.” Before she is able to argue any further, I lean down until my lips meet hers. For the first time, I understand just how amazing kissing someone can actually be.
Chapter Thirteen
Evan
Who knew that Jake showing up yesterday to interrupt my morning with Kacie would actually be a good thing? It forced her to acknowledge her feelings, even if she didn’t mean to. That makes shit a lot less nerve-wracking on this end. Over breakfast, we had a long talk and both decided…or, rather, Kacie insisted and I went along with whatever she said to make her happy…to keep things the way they are between us. She has genuine fears over what her parents will do once they find out about her being a teacher and, frankly, I’m petrified of not being enough for her. Not only have I never had a steady girlfriend, but I’ve never wanted one. Caring about a girl enough to not want anyone else is uncharted waters for me. So perhaps it’s more for my own selfish reasons that I’m content with our agreement.
Last night at work was a long one for me. Meg was off and after what happened last week, I wouldn’t have called her if the place was on fire. It was the new waitress’ first night at Skyline. A few regulars welcomed Ashley by starting a fist fight over who was going to take her home. She ended up dealing with it pretty well, but I still spent the rest of her shift watching, just in case. That only meant it was even later before my normal work was able to get done. The highlight of my night was around two in the morning when Kacie texted me a picture of her and Jade pretending to be asleep in her bed. My reply informed her I wasn’t going to let the fake picture ruin what was going on in my head.
Kacie spent the day poolside with her friends, so I wasn’t able to stop over there for lunch earlier today. Now that it’s been over twenty-four hours since seeing her, part of me is starting to miss listening to her smart ass mouth. At least she’s coming to Meg’s party tomorrow so I should be able to spend the whole day with her. Hopefully, nothing happens at Skyline that they’ll have to call me in for. Keith, one of the bartenders, will be in charge. He’s done it before and should be able to handle it just fine. The club is closed on Monday for Memorial Day. Most places like this don’t usually close, but my uncle has his favorite holidays that he refuses to stay open for.
Just when I get ready to check out how things are going around the club, my phone vibrates with a text message. It’s from Kacie.
Having fun?
Walking out into the hallway and closing the office door behind me, I reply.
No, I’m not with you.
Need a beer? I have an extra one.
I start walking toward the main room.
Yes.
Then stop hiding in your office and come get it.
My feet stop in place.
Wait…you’re here?
I am.
Where?
Where you always find Jade.
I set out to the far side of the club near the dance floor, ignoring the people calling my name. When she comes into view, it becomes painfully obvious her mouth wasn’t the only thing I’ve missed. Her long, curly hair is hanging down her back, just the way I like it. The glimmering smile across her face is lighting up the dark room. A white dress is clinging to her extremely well-toned body. Once again, I’m amazed at how she always looks classy rather than slutty like most of the girls who come through the club. The closer I get to her, the faster the rest of the place starts to fade away. By the time I reach the table where she’s sitting, we’re the only two people in the room. My hand slides down her bare arm. Either she’s aware it’s me, or she’s not bothered by random people doing this to her because she doesn’t wince as my fingers run over her tanned skin. Without so much as a glance, she reaches out and holds a glass bottle over her shoulder. I lean over and take it from her grasp as I place a light kiss on her cheek.
“Gross,” Jade says, reminding me that Kacie and I aren’t alone.
Slightly turning her head, Kacie whispers, “What took you so long?” And there’s the smart ass mouth I was missing.
“If I knew you were coming, I would have been waiting by the front door.”
“You’ve never waited by the front door for me and I come here all the time,” Jake hollers from the other side of the table. I should have known he’d be with them. Even though Jade’s new boyfriend is here, Jake wouldn’t let Jade and Kacie come to a place like this without him. A few years ago, Jade was at a club with friends when some guy decided to give her a hard time. He became more than she could handle on her own and security had to get involved. Jade was fine, but Jake felt like he let his little sister down by not being there to protect her. Since their parents left, he’s been more protective than usual.
“You aren’t pretty enough to be excited about seeing,” I inform him. “Thanks for the beer,” I say, focusing on my favorite girl.
Kacie shrugs, then says with a smile, “It’s no strawberry milkshake, but it will have to do.”
“Since you were busy with your friends today, I had to drink your milkshake all by myself,” I tease, taking a swig of the beer.
“You better not have!” She spins toward me. “I’ll be so pissed if I find out you had enough time to get a milkshake but not to stop by.”
“The only reason I didn’t stop by was because you had company. That gave me plenty of time to finish a delicious, frosty milkshake all by myself,” I smirk
“I never said you couldn’t come over,” Kacie answers, sadly.
It breaks my fucking heart to see her upset, but realizing she missed me as much as I missed her somehow makes it better. My hand lightly lifts her chin so I can see into her beautiful eyes. “I’m sorry,” I tell her, running my thumb over her cheek. “You were with your friends. I didn’t want to impose. Next time, I’ll make sure to check with you, okay?”
She nods. “You owe me a damn milkshake.” Her sarcastic tone confirms she’s recovered just fine.
“If you two don’t knock this shit off, I’m going to lose the delicious dinner I just ate all over the fucking table,” Jade announces.
Kacie rolls her eyes, but winks at me before reverting her attention back to the table. “Shut it, Quinn,” she says, then throws a balled up napkin at her friend.
Jade sticks her tongue out as she catches it. She leans into Kyle and says loudly, “Twenty bucks says they really aren’t talking about milkshakes.”
Kyle laughs as he puts his arm around the back of Jade’s chair. “No one thinks that’s what they’re talking about, but it’s probably best to keep it to ourselves.”
“Screw that,” Jade says. “I’m totally calling them out on it.”
“You want me to set them straight?” I ask Kacie, knowing damn well Jade can hear me.
“Nah. I’ll let them think whatever they want. You know, the way I let you think Jade and I do more than just sleep together,” she tells me, amused.
“What? You sleep with Kacie?” Kyle confronts Jade.
“Yeah,” she answers, sipping on her drink. “What’s the big deal?”
Kyle looks to Jake, who has been unusually quiet the last few minutes. “Seriously?”
“See? I’m not the only one shocked at hearing this,” I say, making myself comfortable on the stool between Kacie and Jake.
“Boys,” Jade mumbles. “Always thinking with the wrong head.”
Kacie laughs at her friend. “It’s not right to hold them completely responsible. They don�
��t know any better.”
“True.”
“So, when I say or do something you don’t agree with, I can just say guys don’t know any better?” Kyle wonders.
“Try it. I want to see what happens,” Kacie urges, while Jade shoots him a wicked look.
“No, thank you,” he says. Jade’s smile returns.
Kacie turns back to me. She’s obviously been drinking a lot longer than she’s been here. “What’s up? It feels like I haven’t seen you in days.”
“You saw me yesterday morning,” I remind her with my signature cocky grin.
“Hmm.” She’s pondering that comment while gazing into my eyes. I’m momentarily lost in her. Lost in thought of how even though I agreed with her decision about the two of us remaining friends, I realize now that was wrong. Aside from the fact that she turns me on, imagining not being able to see her or her being with someone else is crushing me from the inside. Meg was right, damn her, when she said I need to give Kacie a reason to change her mind about not wanting a relationship. Just earlier tonight, I was thinking how this whole friendship thing was for the best. Fuck that! Who gives a shit that this is all new to me? I want Kacie. I want her by my side, in my bed, wherever I go. I just want her to be mine. No one else’s. Now, how the hell do I make that happen without freaking her out?
“I guess you’re right,” she says. “It was just yesterday. Wonder why it feels so much longer?”
“Maybe because you missed me?” I suggest. Her expression suddenly becomes serious as if she’s contemplating what I said and it makes me nervous.
“There’s no maybe about it.” Five simple words from her mouth have me willing to drop to my knees and beg for her. If my pants hadn’t grown increasingly uncomfortable in the last thirty seconds, I’d get up and carry her out of here. Instead, I grab her stool and slide it closer to mine. The sudden movement doesn’t unsettle her in the least. She doesn’t look away or try to stop me.
When there is no longer any space between our stools, I lean over and kiss her jaw right next to her ear. “I’d be willing to bet that you know exactly what you’re doing to me,” I whisper, then press my lips to the same spot a second time. I feel her take in a deep breath and hold it.
Once she exhales, she whispers back, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Then I feel her hand on the inside of my thigh, right above my knee. She doesn’t move it any farther up my leg, but damn! Her lips hit the corner of my mouth.
Just as I’m about to fucking explode, a familiar voice kills the moment. “This must be the tramp you hurried out of my apartment for the other night.” Kacie pulls away to see who is standing behind us. She doesn’t look overly upset, which is the only reason Ava’s head is still attached to her fucking body. “Didn’t Evan tell you, honey? He was with me before going to meet you.” As Ava puts her hand on her hip, an evil grin contorts her face.
As I’m just about ready to lose it on this fucking bitch, Kacie casually says, “As a matter of fact, he did.” She’s so unaffected by Ava’s attempt to upset her, Kacie just turns her back on her and picks up her beer.
Jade’s sharp tone cuts through the sudden silence. “Why aren’t you flipping the fuck out on this whore?” It’s what everyone is probably thinking.
I jump off the stool to drag Ava away…by her hair, if necessary…when Kacie lays her hand on my chest. While she’s looking at me, she answers her friend, “Because, Jade, I don’t waste my time or my energy with last week’s garbage. You know that.”
“Garbage?” Ava growls. “Evan didn’t think that when he was…”
“That’s enough,” I snap, reaching for my phone. “Get the fuck out of my club!”
“What’s the matter? Afraid you won’t get laid once she hears all the dirty shit we’ve done together?” Ava keeps at it despite my warning. This time, it’s Jade who leaps off her stool. Both Kacie and Kyle grab her.
The person I’m dialing answers on the first ring. “Boss?”
“I need someone escorted out of here. Table sixty-five.”
“On my way,” he tells me and disconnects. My glare stays locked on Ava in case she tries anything stupid.
“You’re seriously going to kick me out?” she laughs. “Since when do you care if two girls are fighting over you? You get off on this shit.”
Kacie speaks before I can, “I don’t fight with anyone over a guy. If it ever came to that, he wouldn’t be worth fighting for.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are?!” Ava yells, but it’s pointless. Kacie is done talking to her.
“Boss,” my bouncer says, announcing his arrival.
“Please make sure Ava gets to her car.”
“No problem,” he says, motioning for her to go ahead of him.
“Actually, Joe, make sure she doesn’t come back.”
“Of course.”
“You’ll regret this, Evan Pierce! Remember this the next time you’re hard and have no one to call!” she shouts as Joe leads her away.
“Hey,” I say to Kacie as soon as they have disappeared into the crowd. Everyone witnessed the entire thing unfold, which makes the situation even worse. I didn’t want any attention drawn to Kacie, especially like this. “I’m so sorry you were here for her tantrum. Please don’t believe that bullshit. I swear to you nothing happened the other night.”
“I don’t believe her,” she states. “And you have nothing to apologize for, so drop it, okay?”
“But she just came out of nowhere, yelling all of that shit in front of all of these people. Aren’t you pissed?” I honestly feel terrible Kacie had to see that.
“Evan.” She places her hand on the side of my face and calm automatically falls over me. “I told you yesterday that I believed you. There’s no reason to let some bimbo seeking revenge make either one of us upset. As far as I’m concerned, it’s done.”
“I don’t understand. Any other girl would be flipping the fuck out right now.”
She tugs on her lower lip with her teeth, then says, “I’m not any other girl.”
“No, you are not,” I agree. In that moment, I don’t give a shit about how we’re supposed to only be friends, or that half of the people in the club are still watching. I pull her up against me and kiss her. It’s not just a simple kiss by any means. It exposes the passion and possessiveness I feel for her. Neither one of those are feelings I thought I had in me. Most importantly, it’s real. Every kiss shared with Kacie brings my dormant soul to life.
All too soon, she ends our kiss and turns to look at something or someone over my shoulder. “I think someone needs you,” she whispers.
Irritation rolls through me at whoever it is. “Unless that person is you, I don’t really want to hear about it,” I say. Kacie gives me a small, understanding smile, then tilts her head in the direction of the intruder. When I see Ashley standing there fidgeting, my frustration quickly turns to sympathy. The poor girl had enough trouble last night and now she feels uncomfortable. I did tell her to come get me, regardless of what I was doing, if she needed anything. “Ashley,” I acknowledge her while still tightly holding onto Kacie. “Is everything alright?”
“Um…,” she starts. Kacie must also feel bad for her because she takes a step back, forcing space between us to make Ashley feel less anxious. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but…”
“It’s fine,” I assure her. “What can I do for you?”
“The ladies at table twenty-two are asking for you to come over. I tried to ask what the problem was, but they wouldn’t tell me anything. Their order was right and I brought it out as soon as it was ready from the bar…”
I take a step toward her and say, “Relax. People ask for me all the time around here. Don’t worry. Thank you for letting me know. I’ll be sure to check it out in a minute.” She nods and heads back toward her section. “Don’t leave,” I tell Kacie. “I have to see who it is and I’ll come right back.”
“Don’t worry about me. You’re working.”
&nb
sp; “It’s about freakin’ time! Now we can dance!” Jade shouts, already on her feet and grabbing her friend by the arm.
“Wait. I thought you didn’t dance,” Kyle says to Kacie. The girls laugh as if they know something no one else does.
“Yeah, about that…,” Kacie begins.
“She lied so you’d dance with me instead,” Jade finishes bluntly.
“I don’t get it. I asked you out plenty of times and you constantly turned me down. What made you change your mind?”
Jade sighs. “You have me now, so does it really matter?”
Kyle softens up at the way Jade is looking at him. “No, I suppose it doesn’t.” Even with heels on, she has to stretch in order to kiss him on the cheek.
“Get back to work,” Kacie says. “See you in a little bit.”
“‘Bye, Evan,” Jade calls, dragging Kacie away from me. I stand there watching them until they make it to the dance floor. Jake switches stools so his back is no longer facing them.
“About yesterday…” Jake says, his eyes glued on the girls.
“We discussed this. Don’t apologize for looking out for her. Just know that you don’t have to worry about me. I won’t hurt her.”
“Fair enough,” he says.
“I’ll catch up with you guys later,” I tell them and go to see who thinks they are important enough to summon me.
As I make my way over to Ashley’s section, my eyes keep drifting over to Kacie and Jade. It’s almost like they’ve been trained. They both stay where Jake can keep an eye on them. Lucky bastard. Just before getting to my intended destination, I notice Kacie abruptly stop dancing and turn to face someone behind her. Jade does the same thing. A glance at Jake shows him holding his beer mid-air, but not moving from the stool. When I find Kacie, her and Jade are dancing once again with no indication anything just happened. Jake set the bottle down, but is still focused solely on them.
Now a little unsettled, it’s hard to concentrate on why I came over here in the first place. Then someone calls my name. The two ladies who sent for me are probably the most obnoxious people to have ever walked through the front doors. They are both well over forty and married with kids, but every fucking time they come here, they ask for me. It’s like they get off on it. Normally, I’m polite and nicely decline their advances toward me; however, tonight is not the night for it. Too many people are distracting me from where I want to be.
Left Behind: Left Behind Series #1 Page 16
