No Way Out

by Ancelli

  He continued clenching his jaw, and sighed. “It was a mistake,” he stated softly.

  “A mistake!” Lorie raised her voice.

  They both ignored her.

  “A mistake, Perry?” Alicia chuckled sarcastically, wiping her tears.

  He glared at Lorie and then at her. “Alicia, I love you and only you.”

  Lorie smirked. “You weren’t saying you loved her when you were deep inside me.”

  Alicia watched him, her nose flaring, and in an unexpected move she jumped on Perry and punched his chest. “How could you?”

  He didn’t hold her back. He let her take out everything she was feeling on him, and then he wrapped his strong arms around her.

  “I know, I hurt you.” He kissed her temple. “Please don’t let this come between us. We can make this work.”

  “Are you crazy?” Alicia pushed him away. “This is confirmation that whatever we had is over.” She walked away, down the hall, and entered Mia’s bedroom.

  “It wasn’t your place to tell Alicia.” She heard Perry open the door and then holler. “Get out!”

  She locked the door behind her as she cried in agony. Perry softly knocked on the door. “Alicia, please, babe…please talk to me.”

  Alicia’s chest hurt as she packed her stuff up, and kissed her little girl. She wasn’t going to wake her up because of issues between her parents. “I love you,” she said, walking out. Perry was sitting on the floor next to the door. He stood as soon as he saw her.

  “Don’t do this.” He tried to grab her bag.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Her voice cracked.

  “I didn’t know how to tell you that I fucked up and got another woman pregnant,” he said. “Alicia, you are all I ever wanted.”

  “You had a few months to tell me.” She walked over to the door. “But you chose to lie down with me and make me think we had a future, all while keeping this from me. I’m sorry, but we are officially done.” Alicia opened the barrier, and looked back. “You should step up to the plate with that woman. She’s carrying your child and I don’t think you want to be a part-time father to another child.” Without another word, she walked out.

  We weren’t technically together when he slept with her, she thought to herself. We both made mistakes, but our love for each other was stronger than those mistakes.

  Her phone buzzed with a text, and she picked it up. It was Byron: Sorry babe. I think we should talk. Alicia didn’t have time to think about him at the moment. Saving Perry from himself was her mission. Alicia pulled up to Vicky’s Lingerie Boutique, and parked. Perry’s favorite color on her was red. What she was about to pull on Perry was so wrong on so many levels, but she would do anything to keep him safe and sound—even seduce him.

  Chapter Four

  Perry was at his lawyer’s office, filling out divorce papers, when Alicia’s text came through. He finished as fast as he could and rushed over to her house. Alicia wasn’t one to play around. If she texted him, it had to be important. Lorie was also calling and texting him, nonstop. What the fuck happened? Perry prayed that those two hadn’t gotten in an alteration. He didn’t have time for Lorie’s shit: he just turned off his cell. He knocked on the door, and then heard footsteps on the other side.

  “Alicia, are you—” His breath caught in his throat when Alicia opened the front door. He swallowed; she was dressed in a flimsy, little red thing, exposing almost all of her brown skin. Perry’s cock instantly stood at attention. Alicia was his cup of hot chocolate. He remembered a time when he was addicted to her, and being away from her was like going to rehab. Now, he was relapsing. It had been really hard for him to stay away from her, and now she’d gone and worn that.

  “Cat got your tongue?” Alicia bit her lower lip seductively. “Are you coming in?”

  Perry ogled her curvy body. “Ma…what’s going on?”

  She touched his chest, and no doubt felt his rapid heartbeat. “Your heart still beats for me…doesn’t it?” Alicia fisted his shirt, pulling him in, and closed the door.

  Perry gazed at Alicia as she gripped his shirt. “My heart has never stopped beating for you,” he whispered, taking her hands in his. “You know that.”

  “I do…” She whispered so softly, he could barely hear her.

  “Does your heart beat for me?” Perry gently pressed his lips to her knuckles.

  Alicia gazed into his eyes and nodded slightly.

  He knew she’d felt the same way he did, but they’d never really voiced it over the years. Actions always spoke louder than words. Perry bowed his head as she got up on her tiptoes, their lips brushing. His heart was pounding so hard. This was what he wanted. He hesitantly placed his forehead against hers.

  “But this isn’t the way I imagined us reconnecting. What’s going on, and don’t lie to me. This isn’t like you.” Alicia was second best to no one: his being married would be the biggest turn-off for her. His cock pressed against his zipper, asking to be released. He’d vowed never to hurt Alicia again and if he submitted to his desires now, they would both end up hurting each other. Perry had dreamed of this moment, their reunion, but not like this. He wanted to be free to love her freely. She gazed back at him through teary eyes. Something was definitely wrong. She sighed, twisting her head to the side. He stood straight and tipped up her chin with his fingers.

  “What’s going on?”

  “You don’t want me?” Alicia whispered, inching away, and he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her back.

  Perry drank in the sight before him. “When have I not wanted you?” Alicia was making this difficult. Fuck, he wanted to pick her up over his shoulder like a caveman and take her to the bedroom down the hall and make passionate love to her, but his conscience wouldn’t allow him to. “Alicia, I would never make you my mistress. You’re not some kind of side piece. When we make love again, it will be because we both desire it.”

  “I desire you.” She touched his jaw, and then she looked down at his crotch. “And I know you do too.”

  “I desire you…but I know this isn’t what you really want.” He caressed the side of her neck.

  “I do,” she whispered.

  Perry almost gave in, until he thought to when he’d seen her earlier. She hadn’t been feeling frisky. She’d appeared to be a little upset, maybe because of the past? “Now tell me the truth, what’s up?”

  She gently traced the scratches on his cheek. “Lorie is what’s up.” Her button nose began flaring, an instant tell when she was upset. Gone was the seductive little thing, neatly replaced with the protective Alicia he knew so well. “I’m afraid for you. Don’t go home tonight,” she pleaded.

  “Why?” He narrowed his eyes. What the hell could have happened between Lorie and Alicia? Perry inspected her body, making sure she didn’t have any bruises or scratches.

  “Because we got into it when I picked up Mia, and we both said things that we shouldn’t have, and I think I made things worse.” She looked away. “I hate the way she treats you in front of the girls, Perry. I can only imagine what goes on when they are not there. I don’t want our little girl to think that behavior is acceptable.”

  “She won’t,” Perry said softly. “I filed for divorce today, so don’t worry about me. I’m going to enjoy the few days I have with Tiffany until Lorie finds out and then I’m staying at Lola’s until I find a place to crash.”

  Her lips curled up. “Are you serious?” She grinned a little too hard.

  “Yes. I can’t keep acting like everything in my house is perfect when it’s not.” Perry stepped back, trying to control his arousal. “I’m going to share something personal about Lorie with you, but it stays between you and me.”

  “You don’t have to tell me that,” she said. “I would never tell your secrets.”

  “I was over Lorie’s parents’ home, and I watched the way her father treated her mother. It mimicked some of her ways.” Perry leaned on her couch. “And then the way Lorie talked to her mot
her, and it all clicked.”

  Alicia stared at him. “Her dad was abusive?”

  “Lorie was raised in an abusive home.” Perry gave a slight nod. “I asked her point-blank and she said no, but her mother called me because she was concerned about Lorie’s behavior toward me, and she told me the truth. She said that she stayed with her husband because of her kids and the security. She claims that he no longer abuses her physically.”

  “But verbally?”

  “I guess.” He massaged the back of his neck. “Her father used to beat her mother and then he would turn on the kids if they even tried to intervene. I convinced Lorie to go to therapy. We both attended and I heard all the gruesome details of her growing up in a terrible home.”

  “That’s why you stayed with her?” Alicia asked. “You felt sorry for her.”

  “I tried to be there for her and understand but it’s getting worse. I was advised to leave the home by my lawyer and Marco. Lorie connects being mean and abusive to being the head of the household. She doesn’t want to be seen as weak so she lashes out. I can’t, anymore…”

  Alicia moved forward and cupped his face in her soft hands. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

  He placed his hands over hers. “Why are you sorry, Ma? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “I know.” She inched back. “I kind of feel sorry for her. I’ve heard victims often continue the pattern, either as abuser or victim.”

  “In Lorie’s mind, she doesn’t want to be the victim so she took on the role of the abuser. I haven’t touched Lorie, no matter what she did to me.” He sighed. “I’ve punched the wall several times and when I thought I was about to lose it, I just stormed out the house.” Perry turned away from Alicia. “I was raised to never lay a hand on a woman, but I’m afraid that one day she might push me over the edge.”

  “Don’t say it.” Alicia placed her index finger against his lips. “Perry, I know you will never cause her any harm.” She caressed his jaw. “I’m so happy you’re leaving her.”

  “You are?” Perry gazed at Alicia. Lorie needed help and he definitely wasn’t the one to give it to her. He’d tried, but his kids came first. Her anger was getting worse with each passing argument and his fear was that she would eventually turn on Tiffany.

  “I’m glad you finally saw the light.” Alicia’s lips curled up. “I apologize for trying to seduce you but I would do anything to keep you away from that home.”

  He touched her shoulder, feeling the flimsy material she was wearing. “You call what you just pulled trying to seduce me?” Perry chuckled, remembering the last time he’d made love to Alicia. Her moaning was imprinted in his mind. The woman was very talented in the bedroom, and she still held a part of his heart.

  “Come on, Alicia. You’ve seduced me many times before and you always got your way. If you really wanted me, we would be fucking instead of talking.” They both laughed as she grabbed a sheer, black robe that had been draped over the recliner. “Doll, that’s not going to cover your body. Please go put on some clothes before I lose all my senses.” Perry ogled her almost naked body.

  She wiggled her eyebrow. “I like it when we lose our senses.” Alicia giggled, slipping on her robe.

  “I don’t think the guy you’re seeing will find this situation funny if he walks in on us, and you have that on.” Perry pulled at the straps on her robe, moving her closer to him. He bowed his head inches away from her luscious lips. “Because if I was him…”

  “If you were him, what?” Alicia gazed back at him.

  “Go put on some clothes,” Perry pleaded with her. He was losing control, standing so close to her.

  “Fine.” She backed away, smiling. “That was a low blow, bringing up Byron.”

  Perry watched her rear end sway from side to side as she went down the hall.

  “Stop watching my ass!” She smacked one of her butt cheeks.

  “You’re the one wearing that.” Perry smirked. Alicia was his best friend; there was nothing she didn’t know about him. She was his first regret in life, the woman who’d slipped away from him. He was going through some shit when their relationship ended. And then, in walked Lorie, acting like she cared about his relationship with Alicia, but she was just using that as an excuse to get to him. The day Alicia and Mia relocated to another state, Perry had drunk his sorrows away, and who was beside him that evening? His co-worker, Lorie. Months later she showed up at the same bar and they’d ended up having sex, and that was his second regret. Perry walked into the kitchen, remembering the day Alicia found out that Lorie was pregnant. That was the end of trying to rebuild what they’d once had—until now.

  “You still love me…” Perry said to himself, as he stared out the window. He wasn’t worried about Byron. What she had with him would never compare to what they used to have. As soon as he was free from Lorie’s clutches, he would fight for Alicia. “Let the best man win.”

  “Who are you talking to?” Alicia asked, entering the kitchen and looking around, trying to be funny. “Perry’s talking to himself again,” she said, grinning.

  Perry turned around to face a fully clothed Alicia, and for some odd reason he was more aroused than when she’d been wearing little to nothing. “You drive me crazy.”

  She smiled and took a step toward him. “I guess we drive each other crazy, because you almost made me—”

  Someone rang the doorbell.

  If she would’ve taken another step, they would’ve been making love, right on the kitchen counter.

  The person on the other side of the door gave several impatient knocks. “Alicia, it’s Byron.”

  Alicia stepped back.

  “Saved by the bell,” Perry said under his breath.

  Alicia smirked and strolled out of the kitchen to the front door.

  ~~~

  Alicia inhaled and exhaled before reaching the door. Perry still had an effect on her, making her lose all her senses. What had she been thinking, telling him she still loved him? She wasn’t thinking. That was another symptom she had, being around her daughter’s father. She smiled as she opened the door and looked into her friend’s brown eyes.

  “Hey, did I miss something?” she asked, glancing at his freshly tapered haircut. The man was gorgeous and he knew it. He demanded attention when he walked into any room, but so did Perry. “What are you doing here?”

  “Is your daughter home?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “I don’t like to see you upset. I thought maybe I could make it up to you.” Byron’s lips curled up in a naughty smile.

  Alicia knew that smile, he used it whenever he wanted some. He touched his perfectly lined-up goatee.

  “I can’t stop thinking about that thing you did the other night.” He wrapped his strong arms around her waist, pulling her closer. “I want another repeat.”

  He grinded on her, making her feel his erection.

  “Really? After what you asked today?” Alicia slowly pushed him away.

  “I said I was sorry.” He stepped into the house. “You know you want this.” Byron went to kiss her and she moved out of the way.

  “We can’t right now.” She glanced back at the kitchen. What the hell had she gotten herself into? The man she tried to seduce, the man she loved, was in her kitchen—and the man she was merely dating was now trying to seduce her.

  “Why not?” Byron closed the door and walked farther into the house. “Come on, babe, you have that bomb—”

  “Because I’m here,” Perry said, taking a bite of a sandwich from his place behind the kitchen counter.

  Alicia’s head snapped when she heard his voice.

  Byron glared at Perry and then at her. “Alicia, what is he doing here if your child isn’t here?”

  “We needed to talk,” Perry added with a smirk, taking another bite. “I had to clear up a few things with the mother of my daughter. Is that a problem?”

  “Nah…it’s no problem.” He looked at Perry.

  “B
yron,” she interjected. “I was about to get a bite to eat. Do you want something?” Alicia tried changing the subject. Perry and Byron didn’t particularly like each other, but they were civil to each other. Perry chuckled, capturing Alicia’s attention. The man was breathtaking, making her heart race. She loved seeing him smile. It reminded her of the old times, when they were together.

  Byron cleared his throat, causing her to snap out of her trance. She glanced over at her him. The way he narrowed his eyes at her suggested he was pissed.

  “I want something to eat but it’s not from that kitchen,” he stated nonchalantly, licking his lips and ogling her outright. She assumed he was trying to get to Perry, and he obviously succeeded, because Perry’s nose began to flare and he clenched his jaw. Alicia rolled her eyes. Byron was so full of shit. A man, with juicy lips like his… hadn’t eaten anything on her body in a long time.

  “I’m going to use the bathroom.” Byron marched down the hallway to her room. “Hopefully when I get out, you’ll be finished talking about whatever he came here for.”

  That was a low blow on Byron’s part. Alicia began to speak softly. “Perry—”

  “I know my cue,” he said, returning to the kitchen. Perry slammed something in the sink, and walked back out, stepping in front of her. “I hope you know this thing you have with that joker will end soon. Mami, we both made a few mistakes in the past, but one thing’s for sure: we belong together.” He whispered the words in her ear. “Stop giving him what’s mine.” Perry kissed her cheek and strolled out as Byron came out of her room with her red lingerie in his hand.

  “What the fuck was this doing on your bed? Did you fuck him?” Byron’s chest heaved up and down. “That’s why he was being territorial toward you?”

  Alicia crossed her arms over her chest and watched him.

  “Answer me!” He raised his voice. She heard Perry’s car pull away and she thanked God, because otherwise, things would have gone south quickly. Perry was overprotective of her even when there wasn’t a reason to be, even though he knew she could take care of herself.