Guided Love (Prick #1)

by Tracie Redmond

  “Thank you, Sam. You are my anchor, babe. It’s always been me and you.” I could feel the tears pooling in my eyes.

  “Cam. Maybe you should go to your bed tonight. It probably will be better that way.” I feel him shaking his head and he pulls me tighter to his front.

  “Not tonight, Sam. Tonight, I need you in my arms. I need to know that I didn’t fuck up our friendship. Tomorrow we can start to change, but tonight . . . tonight is about me and you,” he whispers this to me, as I lie there trying not to cry.

  He could feel me start to shake with emotion and he thinks he is easing me with his words, but it is only causing my heart to break. “Goodnight, Sam. I love you, I always have.” After those words, all I hear is him start to snore. Yep, he has fallen asleep and his last words to me were “I love you.” UGH!

  Damn! I can't believe I just reacted like that. I literally just put my best friend against the wall by his throat. What the fuck is wrong with me? I close the door, after I said goodnight to Samantha, and now I head to the kitchen for a shot of something dark and strong. I am still full of anger at the way Camaron spoke to Samantha. He stood there and insinuated that my Samantha was a fucking piece of ass. My Samantha? What the hell am I thinking? She is not mine, she has always been Camaron’s. Yet, fuck, she is everything to me and I find myself having to protect her. When I heard Roni say, “Not for long,” I got uneasy. That chick is not going to mess with her and there is no way Camaron will stand up for her. I mean, honestly, what the fuck is wrong with him? If I had a woman like Samantha wanting to be my woman, I would be the happiest fucking man alive. I grab a shot and toss it back. I fill it a few more times when I hear my phone buzz.

  Samantha: Axel, thanks again for defending me it really means the world to me good night xoxo Samantha

  Damn, a simple text and I get hard. I need a release or I’m going to die of blue balls. I haven’t been with anyone since meeting her. My hand is the only touch my cock has felt in the last four months.

  Me: Anything for you gorgeous. Not sleeping yet?

  Samantha: No just laying here thinking. What are you doing?

  Me: I had myself a few shots and now I am on my couch staring at a black TV texting you

  Samantha: Wow that sounds fun lol staring at a blank TV

  Me: It is fun lol especially bc I am talking to you

  Samantha: aren’t you a charmer Axel (Blushing) lol

  Me: I bet that color looks great on you ;)

  Samantha: So are you ok? Why do shots?

  Me: Yeah

  Samantha: yeah lol that’s all I get?

  Me: Oh Samantha I would give you anything you want

  Me: what do you want gorgeous?

  Samantha: oooh I like this side of you Axel lol

  Me: do you now?

  Samantha: Yep

  Me: Do you know how beautiful you are?

  Fuck, I just screwed this up. It has been ten minutes and she has not responded. What the fuck! Okay, well, I’ll just blame it on the alcohol and forget it happened. I grab the bottle, take a swig, and turn on Bar Rescue, John Taffer is just hysterical.

  I must have passed out because the next thing I hear is the loud pounding coming from my door.

  “Axel, you prick, let me in. I know you are in there. Come on, man, open up.”

  Pound, pound, pound. Camaron is pounding on the door and I know he won’t stop anytime soon. I shake my head and rub my hand over my face. Damn, what time is it? Fuck, how much did I drink? I head to the door and open it just as Camaron was about to pound again.

  “Yo,” he looks at me like he just looked at death.

  “Wow, man, have a hard night after you left or what? You look like hell, man.” He starts to laugh like he just made the funniest remark as he walks into my apartment.

  “Camaron . . .”

  Before I finish, he starts to talk. “Axel, don't, I came here to apologize to you.”

  I know I look confused as hell as I was the one who put him against the wall and started to choke him, so why the fuck is he apologizing to me?

  “Why are you apologizing to me? Dude, I shouldn’t have reacted like that.”

  He grabs an apple from the fridge and continues, “No, man, you should have reacted like that. I had no place speaking or treating Sam like that. It means a lot to know that you have her back and that y’all are friends. Especially with me having Roni, I don’t feel as bad knowing that she has you and all the pricks to hang around. I mean, honestly, she would be all alone in this city if it wasn't for y’all and I appreciate that.”

  I nod and grab a water and a granola bar as I think anything else I’ll be hacking up. “So, did you talk to Samantha last night?” Camaron has this smile on his face like he just won the lottery.

  “Yeah man, I explained everything to her. How Roni has been riding my ass about our friendship. It was great, actually, laying there and talking it out. I hope that now, she and Roni can get along, because, damn, she is a problem when it comes to Sam. Not only does she run her mouth and fuss with me every day, she even refuses sex. And, man, I need a good fuck because it has been too long.”

  “Gotcha man I totally understand. So, you slept with Samantha?”

  He looks up from the refrigerator again—man this guy eats everything in his house then comes over here. Damn, he shakes his head and sticks it back in there looking for gold obviously.

  “No, man, well, yeah, but we didn't fuck. We just talked and fell asleep.”

  Well, that’s good to know that they didn't sleep together but fuck if it still doesn't piss me off. Just picturing this prick in her bed, sleeping next to her, makes me want to slam his fucking face in. I change the subject because I don't want to hear about Samantha and their sleeping arrangement.

  “Remember, man, this Sunday Ma is having everyone over for a barbeque. You coming?” He settles on orange juice, shakes it and sees there is only a gulp full and he downs the liquid from the container.

  “Hell yeah, I love Ma and want her barbeque again; fuck, I am starving just thinking about it. Do you think I can bring Roni?”

  “Sure thing, brother, you know Ma, she buys enough food to feed an army.” I look at the clock and see that I only have thirty minutes before my first appointment. “Well, fuck, I have to go shower before my appointment. I'll see you down there.”

  Camaron will let himself out as I head to the shower. I grab my phone and see that I missed a text. I pull up the screen and see that Samantha actually responded last night, I must have passed out.

  Samantha: Sorry, I jumped in the shower. Damn Axel I wish you meant it but the alcohol must be talking now, because Axel you are lying through your teeth ;)

  Seriously? Damn, this girl is going to kill me, she has no confidence. If it’s the last thing I do, she will see how beautiful she is, mark my words.

  I go into the shop early, as I need to scan all of the new clients into our computer and print out a list of clients to mail out our promotional flyer. We are having a huge Tattoo Sale this Friday the 13th—the pricks say it’s a tradition and a good time. We book a ton of clients and have lunch brought in. And from what Carrie says, we will be overwhelmed with business and that means paperwork.

  I feel a bit on edge because of everything that happened last night. Sure, Camaron and I talked but really nothing was cleared up. I feel more confused than ever, especially since Axel defended me and put Camaron in his place for what he said. I have never seen Axel so angry, not ever. Usually, he is the quiet one who sits back and observes. He never argues, he is the ‘laugh it off’ guy, but last night, if looks could kill, Camaron would have been dead. To confuse me more, Camaron refused to leave my bed last night and he kept saying he just wanted to hold me and hold me he did. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me so tight that when I had to get free to head to the shower, it was a freaking battle to loosen his grip. Yet, I would think having the man I love laying in my bed with his arms around me that I would feel . . . complete o
r happy, right? I didn’t feel that.

  Now sure, we were discussing how our relationship bothered his girlfriend but still my attention was on my phone and the messages I was receiving from Axel. I texted him to say thank you for again defending me when really he didn’t have to and the conversation just naturally continued. He said he had a few shots and I was praying it wasn’t because he felt guilty for what he did to Camaron because of me. It probably was but I was too chicken shit to ask him. When I finally broke free from Cam’s hold, I hurried to the shower and back again, confused with my reaction—the first thing that I did wasn’t to get into bed and wrap Camaron’s arms around me, no, it was grab my phone and sit on the floor next to my dresser and smile like a school girl. I was smiling ear to ear because Axel sent me a message saying:

  Do you know how beautiful you are?

  Yeah, I know it was obviously the alcohol talking but dang, for once in my life. Yeah, pathetic, I know, someone actually called me beautiful and not as a term of endearment. Gabby couldn't take this one away. I sit here, spaced out at my desk with a silly grin on my face, when I hear a throat clearing from my door. I look up and see Camaron and Roni standing in the doorway, hand in hand. He has a smile on his face and she is staring daggers at me.

  Okay, here goes nothing, I need to plaster a smile on my face and act like it isn't killing me to see them together.

  “Hey guys, what’s going on?”

  “Hey, Sam, I have an appointment in five, could you hang with Roni for a bit? Just until I finish? Y’all can talk and get to know each other a little better.” Oh, this idea is killing her, I truly think she may stab me with my letter opener. Note to self: move the letter opener.

  “Absolutely, I would love to have her back here, I am so busy with scanning I could use a break.”

  He grabs Roni by the back of the neck and kisses her. “Have fun, babe, I’ll be done in a half hour tops.” She smiles up at him and watches him turn and walk away.

  In a snarky attitude, she mumbles to herself, “Oh yeah, such fun.” I look at my computer and act like I didn’t hear her.

  “So, Roni, how are you today?”

  Again with nothing but the ‘I'm better than you’ attitude, she looks down at the brown couch and says, “You still have this?”

  In confusion, I nod. “Yeah, Camaron picked it out for me for a welcome to the shop gift. It’s hideous isn't it?”

  I try to laugh but it doesn’t get too far because I am dealing with the spawn of Satan who is out to break me. “Well, yeah, it’s hideous. He got this at a consignment shop as a joke, he wanted to see if you would actually keep it if he said it was nice and you have.” She starts giggling like she just killed me over a stupid gift that I kept that was bought as a joke. Try again Barbie, you may have thrown a stone but that wasn’t a direct hit. She stops laughing and I am hoping that she just stops talking, but my prayers are not answered. Nope, I can’t be that lucky since she keeps running her mouth. She sits down on the couch and says, “It may be hideous, but hell it’s comfortable, especially when Camaron fucked me on it.”

  Okay, Sam 0, Barbie 1—she just threw a stone that was a direct hit.

  “EXCUSE ME?” She looks up at me with her blue eyes and her pierced lip that is set into an evil grin.

  “You heard me. The first day he brought me to meet all of HIS friends. He brought me back here to meet you but you weren’t here and you know Camaron, he is insatiable. He locked the door, tore my panties off, and lay me on this couch while he licked me until I was dry. Damn, that man has a tongue of a GOD! He could use that tongue ring to bring me to heaven with just one swipe and he loves the taste of me. After he got his fill, he turned me over and we fucked like rabbits. He came so hard some of it went onto the couch. There’s probably still is a huge stain from it.” She starts looking around the cushions as if she is trying to show me a prized trophy. My hands are shaking and I keep telling myself “She doesn't matter, she doesn’t matter.”

  It’s not really helping since I want to throw my stapler at her head and pray she bleeds. I smile up at her not letting her see my weakness and don’t comment, hoping again that she would get the hint and just SHUT UP—nope, no such luck. “Oh there it is!”

  She points at the middle cushion like I am actually going to stand up and look at it. Yeah, no thank you. I know right now I have a look of disgust on my face. I am sitting there behind my desk with my eyes set on her with my mouth hanging open and my eye brows pulled together. I know it looks like I want to vomit because, honestly, I do. I have no words . . . what can I say to this? Thank goodness I don’t have to because Carrie comes walking through my door.

  “Hey, Rice Cake, what’s shaking? Why do you look like you are about to puke?” She looks over towards the couch and sees Roni. “Oh, I get it now.” She starts to laugh and moves the chair that’s in front of my desk out so that she is facing the both of us. “So, what are y’all talking about?” I look at her like she is insane.

  “Well, Roni was just pointing out the stain that Cam and her left on my hideous couch after they got done fucking on it.”

  Carries face goes from friendly, outgoing, and smiling to pure disgust. She looks at me like I just shocked her and then looks at Roni. Roni is sitting there proud as a peacock, smiling ear to ear as if what she just told us wasn’t absolutely wrong. “Are you shitting me? You actually fucked on that dirty couch? What kind of person fucks on a dirty couch?” Roni's smile drops.

  “Well, what can I say? It was easier on the couch. We tried her desk, but with the pounding he was giving me, Cam didn’t want to break it.”

  Okay, that’s it, I’ve heard enough. I shut off my computer and grab my purse from the drawer. “Well, on that note, I am out of here, ladies. I need to get started on the mailers.” They both look at me like I am a fragile piece of glass and about to break.

  Carrie grabs my arm as I pass by her.

  “You okay?”

  I plaster the fakest smile on my face and nod. “Of course, just have to hit the post office before it closes and have a few other errands. I need to get some groceries for the dishes that I plan to take to the Martinelli's. Don’t you worry about me, Care Bear; have fun with . . . Roni.” I grab the doorknob and open it. Before I step out into the hall, I turn my head toward Roni “Well, Roni, what can I say? Thank you for your company, it was . . . yeah, please accept the couch as a souvenir. I’ll have the pricks deliver it to you ASAP.”

  Before she can respond, I am halfway down the hall. No one is in the waiting area, so I head on back to the guy’s stations to let one of them know that I’m taking the mailers to the post office and I won’t be returning.

  I hear the buzz of all the guns going and stop off at Paul's, he is so in the zone with such a detailed sleeve I don't interrupt, and walk pass Camaron's station to Axel’s. Damn, I wish Allen was here because I feel a little weird about my response to him last night and he never messaged back or popped in to say “Hi.” I feel a little nervous, but hell, I’ll pull up my big girl panties and face him rather than have to go back into the office with Devil Barbie. Axel is on his rolling chair and, of course, he would have a freaking knock out laying on his table. Her shirt is pulled up and her pants are undone and lowered as she is about to receive a tattoo on her lower stomach. I stand there and take him in. I watch how he is so precise and focused. He looks good with his black tight Pricks shirt that is hugging his bicep as he is getting his gun and station ready.

  He looks sideways, sensing someone in the doorway and gives me that smirk. “Hey, beautiful, how are you today?” Butterflies have just taken over my stomach. Damn, this man—he is too freaking delicious.

  “Hey, Axel, I wanted to let you know that I am headed out to the post office to get these mailers out and I have to head to the grocery store to get some things for the dishes I plan to take to Mrs. Martinelli's barbeque.” He smiles at me as he continues to roll around in his room, grabbing all the supplies he is going to need.

/>   “Okay, babe, take the rest of the day and tomorrow off as well.” I shake my head no since tomorrow will be insane at the shop. “No arguments, beautiful. I want you to start writing your book, we can handle it, believe me. We’ll just keep making piles on your desk.”

  I start to laugh. “Thanks, Axel, I can feel the love.”

  Once I said it, I felt his presence. Camaron is walking up behind me.

  “What love do you feel?” Camaron asks from behind me. He places his chin on my shoulder and take everything in me not to turn around and smack him.

  “Just explaining to Samantha here that I am giving her the day off tomorrow because I want her to get started on her book.”

  Camaron puts his arm around me and I want to cringe. I look up and see that Axel has a look in his eyes, something that looks like anger, but he turns his head to quickly for me to really look at him.

  “Yeah, that is a great idea, you really do need to start writing. Roni is off tomorrow, she would love to help out if we need her to.”

  At that time I do pull away, Camaron looks down and he knows something is wrong. “That’s awesome. While she is at it, if she could please get that hideous couch out of my office, I would appreciate it.”

  He looks confused and tries to grab my hand but I pull it back quickly. “I thought you loved that couch? I bought it just for you.”

  I let out a sarcastic laugh. “Yeah, Cam I did love it even though it’s the most hideous thing I have ever seen, but things change. Especially, when I have Roni pointing out the stains y’all left after you got done fucking her on it.”

  I know I shouldn’t have mentioned this here and now, but fuck him. I see the knock out on the table sit up and look at us all she says is, “WOW.”

  I look at the hottie and shake my head. “Right, wow. That’s what this prick did in my office.”

  I motion to him and she shakes her head. Axel sits there with his gun in his hand and a paper towel in the other with a perturbed look on his face. He actually is looking at me like he is worried. I fake the smile and the giddy attitude.