Unfiltered & Undone

by Payge Galvin

  Fuck, he hadn’t even kissed her until after she’d given him a blowjob. No dates. No talk of dates. No kissing. No hugging. Not even shy glances and hand-holding. She’d made the first move and it’d been a doozy, and it had also very clearly conveyed a message. This is sex. Pure, lets-enjoy-each-other sex. And if he’d wanted more, then maybe he should have said something before he conned her into his bedroom for a half-naked massage session. She might have made the first move, but he’d set the stage, and it hadn’t been set for romance.

  What if he’d hopped into bed with a girl, after no dates, nothing to suggest he wanted more than a fun night, and then she started talking about a relationship. He’d been in that situation before, and he’d felt like the girl pulled a bait and switch. Which was exactly what he’d just done with Jess.

  If she didn’t want a relationship, that was her choice. However, it was his choice to see if there was any way of changing her mind, and maybe there wasn’t, but if he still wanted her…

  Hell, yes. No question at all. He wanted her.

  Then are you going to do something about that, Cavanagh? Besides moping and feeling sorry for yourself?

  He pushed to his feet. He’d go back inside and apologize and talk it through. Find out why she didn’t want more. Maybe it would be everything he feared—she didn’t want to date some guy who worked at the gun club and barely got through high school and fought in a fucking cage in his spare time. Or maybe she was just anxious about starting a relationship after what happened with Chandler. Either way, he could try to change her mind, and if he couldn’t? Well, then that was that. She hadn’t led him on. Hadn’t tricked him. Whatever happened, he’d be fair and mature about it.

  He rose to head back to Jess’s townhouse… and saw a guy walking to her front door.

  Chapter 14

  Declan

  It was Chandler Walker.

  Declan had never actually seen Walker. He’d considered pulling up the web page for the college rugby team, so he’d recognize the bastard if he ever came sniffing around the club. Except, well, he had other reasons for wanting to see Walker’s photo. Less noble reasons. Yes, let’s be honest, he wanted to see what Jess’s usual standards looked like, and how he’d measure up. And yet he hadn’t really wanted to know either. Jess had told him enough of Walker’s physical characteristics that he’d recognize him. So he never went looking for a picture.

  Now, seeing him a hundred feet away, banging on Jess’s door, Declan reflected that Chandler Walker looked exactly as Declan expected—a rich, entitled, handsome, bright college student. Wavy blond hair, tanned skin, chiseled face, perfectly dressed in a golf shirt and pressed trousers. He was a couple of inches taller than Declan, with a broader build, and while Declan could look at the biceps under those short shirtsleeves and say, “I win!” he had to admit that Walker didn’t seem like a soft college boy who’d fold at Declan’s first flex.

  When Jess didn’t answer the door, Walker tried the knob and Declan’s leg muscles bunched reflexively, ready to intercede. But the door didn’t open. Walker tried twice. Even put his shoulder to it, as if it might just be sticking. Locked. And while Declan felt a brief moment of “she locked me out” dismay, mostly he felt relief that Jess was safe inside.

  He headed over as Walker backed away from the door, hopped into the front garden and shaded his eyes to peer through the window.

  “Hey!” Declan yelled as he broke into a jog.

  Walker turned, not in Declan’s direction, but walking out of the garden, as if of his own volition, striding across the lawn toward the parking lot.

  “What the hell do you think you were doing?” Declan said as he veered after him.

  “Trying to visit my girlfriend. She isn’t home. Not that either is any of your damned business.”

  “Jess isn’t your girlfriend.”

  Walker stopped short. He pivoted and gave Declan a quick up and down, finishing the inspection with a derisive snort before continuing on to the parking lot.

  “Hey!” Declan called as he picked up speed. “I said, Jess isn’t your girlfriend.”

  “Heard you. Don’t know you. Don’t give a shit what you’re trying to say. Piss off and mind your own business.”

  Declan finally caught up with the other man in the parking lot. Walker was making for a late-model BMW, his key fob extended.

  “Jess is not your girlfriend,” Declan said. “And, as a friend of hers, I’m going to ask you to stop coming around her place.”

  Walker turned. “Friend of hers?” Another dismissive once-over, but this time, before it finished, recognition flashed. “Wait. I’ve seen you around campus. Don’t you work here?” He emphasized work with a sneer and Declan heard the implied insult. Not a student. Just the help.

  “At the gun club,” Declan said, putting his own emphasis on gun, in hopes that might help Walker decide he wasn’t someone to mess with. Then he added, “Jess has been taking lessons.” Learning to use a gun, asshole. Get the hint?

  Walker leaned back against the Beemer and fixed Declan with a knowing smile, laced with contempt. “Oh, is that it? Let me guess. Teacher has a crush on his new student?”

  He took his phone from his pocket and Declan wondered what the hell he was doing. Answering a text it seemed. Making it clear that this conversation was so trivial, he was going to pause it to answer a text from a buddy. Asshole.

  Walker returned his phone to his pocket. “Teacher’s got a crush. How adorable.” This time, his once-over made pointed stops at Declan’s tattoo and his frayed department store jeans and worn sneakers. Then he leaned toward Declan and mock whispered, “Here’s a tip. My Jessie doesn’t dumpster dive.”

  “Then you don’t know Jess nearly as well as you think you do.” He leaned in with his own mock whisper. “Here’s a clue. I wasn’t heading to her place when I caught you snooping around. I’d just left.”

  Walker’s gaze dropped to his watch, noticing the early hour, and Declan felt a flash of satisfaction that lasted only as long as it took for Walker to look up, his eyes ice-cold, and he realized he’d made things worse for Jess, provoking a jealous ex.

  “That little—” Walker began.

  “No,” Declan cut in, his voice as chilly as Walker’s eyes. “Don’t you dare.”

  “Don’t I dare? You just told me my girlfriend—”

  “She is not your girlfriend.”

  Declan’s voice rose in spite of himself, all the confusion from the morning swirling. A morning that started like something out of a dream, crashing into nightmare, and while he could rationally tell himself Jess not wanting him had nothing to do with what he was—or wasn’t—he didn’t need this asshole mocking him. And, more than that, Jess didn’t need this asshole coming around and stalking her and grabbing her and then acting like she belonged to him and fucking hell if he couldn’t take a hint, Declan could damn well make sure he did. Pound it into his fucking thick skull and—

  He stopped himself. Pulled back, inhaling fast and unclenching his fists.

  Don’t do that. You’ll only make it worse. Get rid of him, forget everything he’s said, go back to Jess and deal with this asshole later, when you have a clear head.

  “What’s the matter?” Walker said as Declan backed off. “Reconsidering whether she’s worth it? The answer is no, moron, because you don’t have a hope in hell of spending another night in that townhouse. She got what she wanted from you. Revenge. You were her Heidi.”

  “What?”

  “I screwed around with some empty-headed bimbo, and she’s doing the same to me. With a knuckle-dragging rube. It’s her revenge.”

  Declan snorted. “Is that supposed to insult me or her? Jess doesn’t give a shit about this Heidi or you or revenge. As for whether I get to keep her?” He shrugged. “That’s up to Jess, but I’m sure as hell going to try to convince her. Now, if you’ll excuse me—”

  Declan tried to walk away, but Walker grabbed his arm, his face screwed up with rage, as if Decl
an’s calm words were the worst insult he could have lobbed.

  “You got a night with her?” Walker said. “Fine. Tit for tat. But don’t you even think of trying for another, because that cunt is mine.”

  Declan wheeled and jerked free of his grip. “Don’t you ever call Jess a—”

  “I’m not calling her anything. I’m telling you that what’s between her legs is private property, and you trespassed once without repercussions, but if you do it again—”

  “God, you are an asshole. No, strike that. You’re a spoiled brat throwing a temper tantrum because you lost your favorite toy. Jess isn’t a toy. She’s not property. She’s someone who gave you a shot at the best thing you’re ever going to have, and you blew it, and now she’s gone, and all the whining in the world isn’t going to bring her—”

  Walker hit him. Or tried to. Declan saw it coming and dodged in time to catch only a glancing blow. Then he landed an uppercut that sent Walker thudding back against his car.

  “Yeah,” Declan said. “Don’t do that. You’re outclassed. Kinda like you were with Jess.”

  He should have left the last part off. Not stooped to the insult. Not baited Walker.

  Sure enough, Walker swung. A lame-ass wild swing that Declan countered with a one-two that had Walker against the car again, propped up on it, blood streaming down his face.

  “Enough?” Declan said.

  Walker lunged at him. An awkward, impotent lunge that almost made Declan regret the next couple of bone-jarring punches. Almost.

  Walker leaned back against the car, hand on the trim for support. He turned to Declan, one eye already starting to swell. “You like hitting people, don’t you? Only thing you’re good at, I bet. A back-alley thug.”

  “I don’t mind hitting you. Wouldn’t say I like it. I’m not a thug, though. That’d be you. You can wear the fancy clothes and look down your nose at me, but the only knuckle-dragger here is you. The guy who thinks a girl’s his property. Who stalks her and roughs her up when she disagrees. For a college boy, you’re a fucking idiot.”

  Walker threw himself forward with a snarl. Declan couldn’t bring himself to hit him again—that would just be pathetic. Instead, he grabbed him by the throat and put him up against the car.

  “Let’s try doing this the civilized way,” Declan said. “Yeah, I know, pinning you isn’t exactly civilized, but if an animal won’t stop attacking, you gotta restrain it or it’s going to get hurt. You are going to leave Jess alone. That’s not me talking as her new boyfriend, because as much as I want to be that, I’m not the moron who thinks he can force her to take him back. So this warning comes from her friend. A very concerned friend who can and will kick your ass if you so much as—”

  “Let him go, son,” a voice said behind Declan.

  He glanced over to see two campus cops drawing on him. Some of the campus cops used his gun club, but Declan didn’t recognize either of the men. He released Walker, who slumped to the ground.

  Declan stepped away, hands up. “We were having a disagreement. I was trying to settle him down.”

  “By choking me?” Walker wheezed, hands on his throat, gasping for breath, though Declan hadn’t applied any pressure at all.

  “Oh, don’t pull that shit,” Declan said. “I didn’t hurt you.”

  “Looks to me like you hurt him plenty,” the older cop said, striding over, his gun still out.

  “He hit first.” Declan kept his voice calm and steady. “I was defending myself.”

  “Doesn’t look like he laid a hand on you, son.”

  “I—”

  “Don’t listen to him,” Walker wheezed. “I was at my girlfriend’s place here, and I caught this guy trying to break in. I went after him.” A pained smile. “Serves me right for trying to impress my girl.”

  “What?” Declan spun on him. “Christ, you’re not just stupid. You’re nuts.” He turned to the officers. “That’s the story—only the other way around. I was with his ex-girlfriend and caught him trying to break in.”

  Walker snorted and pushed to his feet, wincing. “My girlfriend is pre-med. Her dad owns a city block in Seattle. Do you really think these guys are going to believe she’d screw around with some inked-up loser—”

  “Inked up? I have one tattoo. Hell, half the kids here can top that.”

  Walker looked at the officers. “He’s not a student. He works at the gun club. My girl was taking lessons until he started turning into a stalker psycho.”

  “Me? I—” Declan cut himself short with a shake of his head. “Enough. This is easily cleared up. Let’s talk to Jess. Her place is right over there.”

  “We’ll talk to her,” the cop said. “After we get you in a cell and get Mr. Walker here some medical attention.”

  “Mr…?” They knew who Walker was. Of course they did. Jess had said his father was a major college benefactor.

  “Good thing you sent us that text, son,” the officer said to Walker. “Looked like we got here just in time.”

  “Text?” Ah, fuck. That’s what Walker had done. Texted the campus cops and then baited Declan, and when that failed, went for him, being careful not to actually land any blows. The bastard had set him up.

  He’d get Walker back. Right now, though, protesting his innocence would be a waste of breath. And potentially business-threatening. He couldn’t afford trouble with campus security. He’d go along with them and let Jess set the record straight.

  When the cop took cuffs from his belt and motioned for Declan to turn around, Declan said, “Seriously?” but didn’t argue. It was a minor inconvenience, and Walker would suffer worse humiliation when Jess admitted to the cops that Declan had been the one in her bed. He had no doubt she would. Whatever she thought of him right now, she would do the right thing. That’s just who she was, and if Walker expected her to do anything else, it was further proof that he didn’t know her very well.

  So Declan accepted the cuffs and let the cop put him into the back of the car. The two officers talked to Walker. It only took a minute. Then Walker motioned, as if asking them to wait, and strolled to the car, remarkably limber for a guy who’d pretended he could barely get off the ground.

  Walker opened the door and poked his head in. “Comfy?”

  “Yeah, yeah. Go on. Have your fun. This isn’t over.”

  “Oh, I think it’s very over. Seems our friends over there have decided they don’t need to speak to Jessie right away. I’m sure she’s worried about where I took off to, so they’ll let me go and chat with her first.”

  “What?” Declan lunged, stopped by the seatbelt and the cuffs. “You can’t—”

  “I can do whatever I want. You’ll be in a jail cell. Don’t worry. We’re just going to chat. About you and the very, very big mistake she made spreading her legs for the first lowlife who sauntered past.”

  Declan strained against the cuffs, panic and rage rising. “If you—”

  “I won’t hurt her.” Walker winked. “Not unless I have to. I’m just going to reclaim what’s mine. Jessie’s a smart girl. She won’t fight.” He grinned. “Though it’d be kinda fun if she did.”

  Declan shouted for the cops as Walker backed out and slammed the door. They looked over, but Walker waved as if to say, “Ignore him,” and they did. Declan started fumbling with the seatbelt, then stopped.

  He wasn’t getting out of here without cops chasing his ass down the road. But there was something he could do if he acted fast.

  He writhed and twisted and managed to get his phone from his pocket. He pressed the Home button and heard the familiar prompt.

  “Call Jess,” he said.

  Even Siri didn’t need to ask who he meant. The phone started to ring. Declan held his breath, waiting and straining to listen, the phone in his hands, behind his back.

  A distant, “Declan?”

  “Jess! It’s me. You need to get out of the townhouse.”

  “Wha—?”

  “Walker. He was— We got into it. He’s
coming for you. Get out. Please get out. Go somewhere safe. Somewhere public. Now.”

  The back door opened. The younger cop leaned in. “Hey, what are you doing?”

  Jess’s distant voice. “Declan? Where are—?”

  The cop grabbed the phone and disconnected the line. “I’ll take this.”

  “No, let me talk to her. Please. She’s in trouble. Walker’s going after her. He’s going to—”

  As Declan’s panicked words spilled out, the cop calmly withdrew and closed the door. Declan waited until they’d both gotten into the front seat.

  “Go with him. Please. One of you. Just accompany him to her place, right over there and talk to—”

  “I think you need to stop talking, son.”

  “No, you need to start listening.” Declan strained as far forward in his seat as he could. “I was with her and he’s pissed. He’s going to hurt her.”

  “Chandler Walker?” the younger cop said. “Do you know who he is?”

  “Don’t bother,” the older one said. “He’ll say anything to get out of this car.”

  “Then don’t let me out. Just one of you go with Walker. Please.” Declan’s gaze shot to the window as the vehicle pulled away. As he turned, he saw something above the front dash.

  “Is that a camera?” Declan said. “Was it on? Play it back. You’ll hear what he said to me. You’ll hear what—”

  The younger cop slapped the privacy divider shut and the car continued on to the campus station.

  Chapter 15

  Jess

  Jess had gone after Declan when he’d strode out. She’d made it as far as the front hall before realizing she was dressed only in her baby-doll. It’d taken only five minutes to yank on clothes and shoes. Then she’d looked out the front door and seen Chandler coming down the sidewalk.

  She’d gone out the back. She’d glanced in the lot—not wanting to get too close in case Chandler circled around. Declan’s car had still been there, no sign of him, and she’d figured he must have left his keys in the townhouse. Storming out only to come back and say, “Uh, I need my keys,” would be rather anticlimactic. So he must have walked home.