“Yeah, we’ll see,” he shook his head slowly before going to back to eating.
I could tell by that faraway look in his eyes that he wasn’t here with me anymore. He was lost in his head, back in the past. I’m sure he was scrutinizing everything that happened, and asking himself if he could do it, or if he even wanted to try. I felt sad watching him struggle, and all I wanted to do was make him believe that he could get back there. He was still young, and more talented than most fighters with his experience. He’d done so much for me over the years that I wanted to convince him to at least try. Cole and I owed him that much.
Chapter 19
Angela
For the entire second half of our dinner, my cell buzzed about every ten minutes. I tried to ignore it at first, but the caller was persistent. I knew it wasn’t Cole. He knew where I was, and that Wes was with me. Ally wouldn’t call out of the blue like that, so it could only be one person.
“You should answer that so he’ll stop,” Wes angled his head to where my cell was jumping around on the table. We’d just finished eating, and we were waiting on the check.
“He’s just gonna keep calling,” I huffed. “He doesn’t know when to stop. It’s always been that way.”
“Want me to answer?” he wagged his brows as a playful grin slipped into place.
“No!” I gasped as I grabbed the phone, and brought the screen to life. Six missed calls, and fourteen text messages. Right as I was getting ready to open the text screen the phone began vibrating in my hand.
“Just answer it,” Wes shook his head as he handed over his credit card to the waiting server.
I rolled my eyes, and connected the call. “What?” I barked into the phone. “I’m not with you anymore, Alex. You lost that right when you fucked that whore in our bed. Stop calling me!” I growled as I hung up.
“Ready?” Wes startled me as he held his hand out beside my chair. I nodded and slowly stood. I was shaking slightly from the anger coursing through me, but Wes’ touch was like a soothing balm. The moment our fingers laced together, I felt the anger begin to leave me. “Wanna take a walk or something? It’s still kinda early.”
“Sure,” I shrugged. “There’s a park nearby. We could go there; it’s open until dark,” I smiled up at him and let him lead me out of the restaurant.
It was a short walk to the park, and when we arrived, it was fairly empty. The weather had been great that day, but with it being dinnertime, most people had left. A few families were having picnics, but the area near the walking trails was pretty deserted.
“Let’s go this way,” I guided us to the far end of the park, and we disappeared into the tree lined pathway.
“I can’t believe you lived here; it’s so beautiful,” Wes’ eyes scanned the area. It was different for him. He wasn’t seeing all the memories that this city was stirring inside me. When I looked around, I saw the days I’d spent here with Alex. Our time laughing as we had a tickle war on a blanket under those far trees. The time we snuck into the trees and made out like teenagers. The time I sat on the swings and spilled my guts about my dad. I’d been with Alex for so long in this city that everywhere I turned held a memory.
“What’s wrong?” Wes stopped and peered down at me.
“Nothing, just thinking,” I shrugged just as my phone started buzzing again.
I growled as Wes grabbed it out of my hand, “Give me that. This fucker’s going to leave you alone,” he smirked and a sinister grin slipped into place. All I could think of was he looked the same as he did years ago when he and my brother would pull pranks together.
“Be nice,” I warned. I did not want to have Alex looking for me.
“I’m always nice,” his grin widened as he clicked the phone to answer the call. “What?” he growled into it. “She’s busy right now. What did you need? Who the fuck are you?” I could hear the humor in his tone, and pictured Alex all flustered on the other end. “You’re no longer needed or wanted,” Wes rolled his eyes and then winked at me before delivering the final blow. “She can’t talk right now. Her mouth’s full with my cock. Shit, Ang, that feels good,” he panted into the phone before hanging up. “Here. We’re changing your number as soon as we get home,” he held out the phone for me to take as he bit the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing. “I don’t think he’ll be calling back tonight.”
“You’re terrible,” I giggled as I watched him. I knew he was fighting to hold it in, but I wanted to see him lose it.
“Sometimes you gotta be,” he shrugged. “Besides, you love it when I’m like that,” he winked and grabbed my hand once again as we continued down the path. We walked a few feet in silence before he pulled me to the side and spun us. His eyes darkened as he peered down at me before pressing my back into the tree trunk behind me. “You bring out a side of me that I forgot I had.” His voice lowered as his lips hovered right in front of me.
“I feel like a kid when I’m around you, Angel. Like I can do anything,” his lips moved closer, and I couldn’t help but sigh in contentment. “I wish I hadn’t been so blind all those years. I could kick myself for not trying harder to find you,” his lips lightly brushed across mine in a feather like kiss.
My hands lifted to tangle in his hair as he leaned into me. The kiss was sweet, nothing like what we’d been sharing, and I couldn’t help but sag against him. One arm wrapped around my waist while the other cupped my jaw. As his tongue probed my mouth, I whimpered.
This was the Wes I remembered, the sweet guy who treated me like I was made of glass. The one who wanted to protect me and be my hero. I’d always had a hero in my brother, but Wes’ way was different. He wanted to soothe me and keep the bad away. “I was a stupid son of bitch,” he murmured when he broke the kiss.
“No,” I whispered as I released one of my hands from his hair, and gently rubbed my fingers across his lips. “Not stupid,” I slowly shook my head. “We were kids. I don’t think it would have worked back then. We needed life’s experience to show us this,” I tugged at his neck with one hand as I rose up on my toes to connect our mouths once again.
When I deepened the kiss, he pushed forward with his hips, and I could feel him hardening against me. A rush of euphoria burst through me, and when I broke the kiss I mumbled the words that had been sitting on the tip of tongue for years, “I love you.”
Wes’ head jerked back as a myriad of emotions played over his face. “Angel, I…” he stepped away and grabbed at his hair, tugging as if he was trying to rip it out. “You don’t mean that,” he pinched his eyes shut as he began pacing in front of me.
“Yes, I do,” I demanded. “I have since I was a kid. Don’t do this,” I pleaded with him.
“I…” he growled and began to storm away from me. “I can’t do this again.”
“Do what? Love me?” I stomped up behind him until my chest was pressed against his back. “I know you do. I can tell by the way you look at me. I get it. You’re afraid. You were hurt, but don’t run from this because of HER!” I shoved at his shoulder from behind.
“Angel,” he turned to face me, and I could see the war going on in his head. He wanted to let me in, but Vicki had broken something inside of him that not even I had been able to heal.
“Please,” I moved closer as I lowered my voice. “Don’t run now. We’ve waited too long for this.”
My eyes blinked furiously trying to push the tears away as I tilted my head to stare at his face. He didn’t respond at first. He just stood there watching me, eyes darting from side-to-side. It was as if he trying to choose the path he wanted to take.
“Nothing good comes from being in a relationship with me,” he muttered as his eyes glanced skyward.
“You don’t know that,” I tried to keep my voice even, but it was cracking as I watched him slowly pull away. I sensed the battle I was losing, and it was killing me that he was so willing to do this after the afternoon we’d shared. I’d wrecked this all on my own with those three little words. “No,”
I stomped my foot. I was going to fight him all night on this if I had to. “You’re not doing this. Forget I said anything,” I shoved at his chest as anger replaced the sadness. “If you’re not going to fight for us, I will. I’ll fight for both of us.”
“It’s not that, Angel,” he huffed. “I’m toxic. Don’t you know that? I’m so messed up on the inside that I’m afraid of pulling you down when I start sinking again.”
“I don’t care,” I cried as he stepped back. “I love you! Do you hear me? I love you!”
“Fuck!” he growled as he advanced on me, wrapped his arms around me, and lifted me so our mouths were even, “I fucking love you, too!” His lips crashed down in a punishing kiss as my legs wrapped around his waist. It was as if he was going to put everything he was feeling into this kiss. Teeth crashing, lip biting, and heavy groping ensued as he walked us back to our previous position against the tree. “God help me, but I can’t walk away from you. I’m gonna ruin you, Angel,” he panted as he licked up the column of my neck before biting down on my ear.
“No, you won’t,” I promised. “We’re in this together, and we’re going to make it work.”
“Promise?” he tilted his head back as he paused to stare at me. Both of us were gasping for air, trying to catch our breath.
“Promise,” I smiled softly then leaned in to place a soft kiss to his lips. “No more hiding,” I scolded. “You have to talk to me.”
“Deal,” he released my legs, and I slid down his body until my feet touched the ground. “Let’s get back to our room,” he glanced over at me before a cheeky smile slipped into place. “I’ve got something that needs taking care of.” His eyes connected with mine before both our gazes trailed down his body.
“I think I can do something about that,” I bit my lip as I reached over and squeezed the ridge in his pants.
His eyes rolled as he grumbled, “Fuck, I love you.”
“Nice to hear you admit it,” I hip checked him before speeding up our pace.
As we walked back to our hotel, a lightness replaced the heavy conversation we’d been having, but I knew we still had several storms to weather. We still had to tell my brother about us, and no matter what he said, I knew that Wes needed to get back in the ring. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it, but I was going to figure out how to get him fighting again. He needed that part of his life back. It wasn’t just what he did, it was part of who he was.
Chapter 20
Angela
The next morning, we quickly packed our things, checked out of the hotel, and hit the road. I wasn’t sure what Wes’ hurry to get back to Boston was, but he seemed to be on a mission.
“You ready?” he stood in the doorway, holding it open as I surveyed our room making sure we didn’t forget anything.
“I think so. Anything that we forgot we can just buy on the road,” I shrugged before breezing past him. “You coming?” I smiled over my shoulder. I knew exactly what I was doing, and I was going to have a little fun with it. I’d dressed in a tiny pair of cotton shorts and a tank top today. It was now well into the eighties each day, and the air in my car didn’t always work. The extra baby weight brought with it the constant need to cool off, and having Wes sit beside me didn’t help.
“That is so not fair,” I heard him grumble from behind me as we made our way to the elevator.
“Am I bothering you?” I tipped my chin up and blinked innocently at him as the elevator descended.
“No, not at all,” he shrugged just as the elevator doors opened back up allowing us to exit the hotel through the lobby. We walked outside, Wes carrying our luggage, and climbed into my car. He insisted on driving, and I was so sleepy that I didn’t care. “Game on,” he snickered as he turned the key to crank the engine.
“What?” my head snapped in his direction.
“You wanna play dirty?” he shrugged. “I’m the king of dirty, and you’re going down, sweetheart.” With that, he backed out of the parking lot, and began heading for Interstate 8. We had a long day ahead of us, and I knew if I wanted to survive it, I needed to get my head in the game.
“I’m the queen of dirty,” I shifted so I was leaning against the door and facing him. “I guess you’ve met your match.”
“You think so,” he slowly bobbed his head.
“I know so,” I lowered my voice, shifted in my seat once again, and leaned up so my mouth was right beside his ear. “I know things,” I paused before skimming my palm down his t-shirt clad chest. “Like how you liked to be touched, or how, when I kiss you right here,” I leaned up, placing a wet kiss on this side of his neck. “It drives you wild.” I backed off and slid as far to my side of the car as possible. “I know you like you know me, and I know that it’s taking everything in you not to pull over and take me right now,” I lifted a shoulder as I stared out the windshield completely ignoring the tick in his jaw. “You think you’ve got the upper hand here,” I yawned as I leaned against the door, “but you don’t, and I’m going to prove it.”
I heard a hiss, and noticed him shift uncomfortably in his seat before shaking his head. It made me giggle as I thought about the fact that he was trying to hide just how turned on I’d gotten him. He was stubborn, I’d give him that, but he was no match for my pregnancy hormones. By the time we stopped for the night, I’d have him begging.
ooooooooo
We really didn’t have a set agenda on how far we’d drive each day. It was more of a “we’ll stop when we feel like it” type trip. I hadn’t done this since Alex and I moved to Cali. We’d driven his Bronco together. I’d decided back then to just buy a car when we got out there. Now, as we made our way from California into Arizona, I was rethinking the “economy car” decision.
“Hey, Angel,” Wes nudged my thigh causing me to groan and stretch. It’d been five hours since we’d left, and we were currently in the middle of nowhere. “Wanna stop up here, and grab some dinner?” He pointed to a highway sign that boasted about a diner that had the best coffee in Arizona on it.
“Sure,” I yawned as I pushed myself up in my seat. My neck was stiff, and I was sweating so much that I was sticking to the fabric. “I’m not really hungry,” I mumbled as I tugged at where my shorts ridden up.
“Me either, but that coffee might help me from getting ‘road eyes’,” he chuckled as he merged the car onto the exit ramp.
Just as we turned into the parking lot, my stomach grumbled. Wes laughed as I scowled. “You might not be hungry, but the little one is.”
“He’s making me fat,” I grumbled as we parked in front of what looked like an old streetcar. It was silver and had a row of small round windows across the front. In red lettering on top was a fifties style sign that said, ‘Charlie’s’.
“You’re pregnant,” Wes came around the car and grabbed my hand. “You’re supposed to gain weight,” he kissed the top of my head before leading us inside.
When we finished our lunch/dinner, I wasn’t sure what you’d call it; we climbed back in the car and backtracked to the Interstate. The sun was slowly setting, and Wes stated that he wanted to get at least another three hours of driving in before we stopped for the night. We were on pace to get back to Boston in five days, but the more time I spent with him, the longer I wanted it to take. When we got home, we’d face my brother, and as much as I wanted it to go well, I had this sneaking suspicion that it wouldn’t. Cole could be as stubborn as me, and Wes had a habit of backing down to him.
The closer we got to the New Mexico border, the more frustrated Wes became. I’d been stopping him about every forty-five minutes to pee. I’d slept the first part of the drive, so he’d been able to miss this part of pregnancy, but now the little life inside me was wreaking havoc on my bladder.
“Please?” I bounced in my seat as I begged him for the hundredth time. “I really gotta go,” I stuck my lip out like a child as I leaned my head on his shoulder.
“Angel,” he sighed. “Can’t you wait like a half hour more? We’re al
most to the state line. I was planning on stopping there for the night.”
“No,” I whimpered as I squeezed my thighs together. “You need to stop now. An extra thirty minutes in the morning is not that bad… please?”
He tossed his head back as he pulled into some little roadside bar and pushed the car in park. “Wait for me,” he narrowed his eyes on me. “You aren’t going in there alone,” he pointed at the door where a group of guys were stumbling out. They were laughing and patting each other on the back.
I shoved open my door, stood to tug at my shorts, and crossed my arms over my chest. It was dark now, and the neon coming from the bar along with the lone streetlight in the parking lot left quite a lot of shadows.
“Well, lookie here,” one of the guys sneered as he lifted a cigarette to his lips. His hair was greasy, and the leather vest he was wearing screamed redneck biker. “Leave her alone, man,” one of his buddies called as they shuffled farther away from the bar. “No, she seems lost,” he winked at me causing my stomach to roll. “She might need my help,” he advanced closer, but I found my voice and stopped him.
“I don’t need anything you’re offering,” I cringed.
“Damn, Zac! She told you,” his buddy cackled just as Wes climbed out of the car.
“Oh, pretty boy here thinks he needs to rescue his woman,” Zac rolled his eyes, obviously brave from the alcohol he’d consumed, and when I saw Wes’s body tighten, I knew I needed to get to the bathroom so we could leave.
“Come on,” I mumbled as I wrapped my arms around Wes’s bicep and tried to tug him inside.
“You let women tell you what to do?” Zac taunted and rage filled Wes’s features.
“Don’t be stupid,” I whispered. “He’s drunk,” I tried again, but this time Zac brought his attention back to me.
“Honey, why don’t you climb on behind me, and I’ll show you what a real man can do?” he licked his lips as his eyes slowly perused my bare legs.
My Broken Angel Page 15
