by S. R. Watson
“Ugh. Don’t move sweetheart. I’ll be back,” he promises. He pulls up his jeans over his engorged cock and goes to answer the door. I can’t make out the entire conversation, except that Gavin has been in a car accident and is in the hospital. I’m already putting my shirt back on. He comes back into the room to apologize and I assure him. We leave with Michael to go and check on Gavin.
I’m sitting in the hospital waiting area with Landon, and some of his teammates. Gavin’s parents are en route. Landon can’t sit still. He runs a nervous hand through his hair as his legs bounce. Michael told him that a drunk driver ran a red light and t-boned Gavin’s car on the passenger side. He is currently in surgery now. We’re all worried that he’s sustained major injuries and that his teammates are wondering what this means for their running back. The charge nurse and one of the trauma residents finally come out to give us an update, two hours into his surgery. He’s stable right now.
They had to remove his spleen, but other than that, he’s okay. The resident said that Gavin was very lucky that that was the extent of his injuries. He will most likely be in the hospital for a week and then about six weeks recovery time—even longer to get back on the football field. The resident said the attending surgeon would be out to talk to us after the surgery for the specifics. Landon releases the breath he had been holding.
“I’m so fucking glad he is going to be okay. I know he is going to be upset about sitting out for a good part of the season, but I’d rather have him alive and on the road to recovery.”
“I agree.” Landon grabs my hand and squeezes, finding solace in my touch. Damn I can’t tell him about my past and all the surrounding drama going on. He’s already talking about us moving to the living room until our place is ready. He wants to give Gavin his bedroom back as well as be there to help him with his recovery.
“That couch in his living room is actually a sleeper sofa,” he mentions. “We won’t have any privacy, but we won’t be there much longer anyway. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Are you kidding me Landon? You have been great. I told you before I could have taken the sofa before I even knew it turned into a bed.” I snuggle closer to him. “Baby, it will be fine. I’ll help you take care of him too.” I’ll just have to wait until Gavin is home and well on his way to recovery before giving him something else to stress about.
That earns me a genuine smile—the first since we’ve gotten here. “That’s why I love you Heaven.”
“I know,” I tease. Giselle walks in and I have to work hard to keep myself from rolling my eyes. She sees us, but she takes a seat next to Michael to get an update on what’s going on. I can see the confusion in some of the player’s faces who haven’t heard that she and Landon had broken up. The pregnancy news spread like wildfire so the questioning look in their eyes trying to decipher why she is not coming over to be with Landon. There is an awkward pause initially before everyone resumes their conversations—pretending to be oblivious. Gavin’s parents arrive before his surgery ends and just in time for the last update. They express to the surgeon their relief that he is okay and states that they will be taking him back home to Orlando for his recovery. I guess Landon and I won’t have to move our stuff out of his bedroom after all. This works out better. He will be with family who love him and can probably keep a closer eye on him since we both have classes to attend and Landon still has practice.
We all stick around until he gets out of surgery and is put in ICU. The surgeon ensured us that this was only temporary and then he would be moved to a regular room. ICU has stricter visiting policies so only a couple of the players, one of them being Landon, got to visit with him aside from his parents.
I wait with everyone else in the waiting area. Peyton had called a couple of times, but she is at another hospital doing her obstetrics clinical rotation. She was ecstatic when she managed to snag a preceptor that she could shadow on Sundays and on the night shift. I let her know that Gavin is going to be fine. When Landon comes back, he says his goodbyes to everyone. He reports that Gavin was pretty out of it anyway from the anesthesia he was given. Giselle doesn’t even look in our direction. It’s almost as if she is avoiding Landon now. Is she afraid I won’t keep quiet about what I learned today? Well she should be. I was only planning to wait until I’ve had a chance to tell Landon about my own secrets. This accident has just bought her some time.
It’s getting a little late and we all have classes tomorrow. Everyone else starts preparing to leave as well.
“Giselle’s acting funny. I’m surprised she wasn’t up to any of her tricks tonight.” Landon recalls on the ride home. Yeah, she’s probably scared to death that I’m going to out her.
“Maybe with everything going on with Gavin, she decided to give you a break from her crazy,” I offer. Landon nods and chuckles at this.
“Yeah, maybe so.” The rest of the ride is quiet. Once we finally make it home, the mood is definitely ruined. I take a shower first. I feel my eyes grow heavy and I know I won’t be able to stay up until Landon gets done with his shower. I stop fighting it and crash.
IT’S MID-MORNING ON A Friday. I don’t have classes today, yet I’ve been up for a few hours. I’ve spent the morning cleaning and indulging in some light reading. I’m completely caught off guard when I get a call from Giselle. She’s been quiet all week.
“Hi Nevaeh,” she begins. “I have a favor to ask. I know I have no right to ask after everything we’ve been through, but I’m hoping you’ll agree anyway.” Hell has officially frozen over.
“What is it Giselle?” I ask, entertaining her favor for the moment.
“I can’t just tell Landon that I found out that I’m not pregnant. He will never believe me, especially when I was so certain. I kind of told him that a doctor back home confirmed it.”
“Why would you tell him that? You’re right he’s not going to believe you.”
“I got carried away. This is why I need your help. I don’t want him to hate me,” she says sadly. “I just started my period so I want to tell him that I miscarried. He may not believe that either, but if you’re here when it supposedly happened and go along with the story, he’ll believe you.” This has ‘hell fuck no’ written all over it.
“Giselle, I’m already sitting on two huge ass secrets—yours and mine. Why would I want to further complicate things with him? Beside what reason would I even have for being there to stumble upon you miscarrying?”
This chick is taking cray cray to a whole other stratosphere. She is worrying about Landon hating her so much she doesn’t care about how he would feel towards me if I actually participated in this insaneness.
“I guess you’re right. Will you at least come over? I don’t want to tell him alone. Maybe if you’re here and I apologize to you both, it won’t ruin my friendship with him.” I don’t like this idea either, but it is leaps and bounds better than her last. I shouldn’t even want to help her salvage her friendship with Landon. Isn’t the point to get her out of the picture? I can’t help but empathize with her though. I know how Landon and I went about rekindling our love wasn’t the fairest to her. I also know what it feels like to be keeping something from him that threatens to rip apart our connection. I can do this for her. I will go to her so that Landon can see that I’m open to her apology and ready to move forward. Tomorrow night after his game, I will tell him everything. I hope by Sunday morning, our relationship will still be intact—day one of our new beginning.
“Fine Giselle. I’ll do it. Give me about an hour and I will be right over.” I know Peyton is probably in class right now so I shoot her a quick text instead of calling. I give her the cliff notes of my conversation with Giselle and tell her that I will give her the details tonight.
I get to Giselle’s apartment just shortly after two in the afternoon. Once I’m in the living room, my heart drops. I’m looking into the eyes of George. What the fuck is he doing here? I wonder why he is even still in town, but then I recall his business venture of p
artnering with one of the local strip clubs. That doesn’t explain why he is here in Giselle’s apartment though. Next to George, is a guy about our age. He is about Landon’s height, athletic, and handsome. He has black hair and chocolate colored eyes. He is the first to speak up.
“Hi, I’m Daniel. I’m—” Giselle quickly cuts him off.
“Daniel, this is a friend of mine. Nevaeh.” Oh now I’m a friend. Hardly. An uneasiness settles over me as George continues to stare at me like I’m his last meal. “We have something important to discuss so why don’t you wait for me in the room. I’ll be there in a minute,” she promises, pointing him toward her bedroom. Okay that was weird. Is Daniel family? Why hadn’t I heard of him before? Maybe Peyton has.
“Sure,” Daniel agrees. He leaves us and my hackles are going haywire over George’s presence.
“What’s going on Giselle?” I ask once Daniel is gone, looking between her and George.
“Well we had a deal to let things go Nevaeh, but it seems George wants to make a new deal. He’s come to collect, I’m afraid.”
“You invited me into a trap?” I feel so fucking stupid. Of course she isn’t going to just walk away from Landon and let us be happy.
“Now now,” she patronizes. “I’m just the mediator. George just wants to talk to you.”
“I finalized my partnership. I’m now the proud co-owner of Dreams and I want you as one of the “dancers” for my club.” He studies my reaction as he plays with his goatee.
“There is not a snowballs chance in hell of that happening George. I’ll pay you the rest of the money I owe you, but it won’t be the full twenty grand. All of the private dances I did partake in over a course of three months count for something.” I’m willing to give him half the money back, but I don’t have much more than that saved. He laughs hysterically at my offer.
“Sweetheart, I don’t think you have fifty thousand dollars lying around,” he replies sarcastically. Terms of endearment only sounds right coming from Landon. What is this jackass going on about? Where the hell did he pull that number from . . . his ass?
“You didn’t give me fifty grand,” I huff.
“No, but that’s what you cost me. More than that actually seeing as though I lost some of my regulars. They were pissed when I couldn’t produce what I promised them.”
“Well I guess we’re at a stalemate because I don’t have that much money and I’m never going near another strip club again.” George is on me so quickly, I don’t have time to react.
“Look you little bitch, I tried to be nice.” He grabs me by both arms like he did a week ago and I wince at the pain. The bruises are still sore. I see Giselle shift her weight, actually looking uncomfortable with the scene that’s unfolding before her.
“I will get my money out of you one way or the other, but I think I’ll start with telling my nephew what a whore you really are. And then when he’s done with you, I’m going to put your sweet ass out on the streets until you’ve made my money back—since you’re too good for the club,” he sneers. “I might even get a taste of that pussy for myself.” Tears begin streaming down my face as I struggle against his hold.
“You guys need to go George. Take her with you. I’ve held up my end of the bargain.”
“You have both lost your fucking minds. I’m not going anywhere with you. Giselle, you’ll pay for this.”
“This will go a lot smoother if you don’t fight me doll. We could work out an arrangement where nothing has to change. You’ll just tell everyone you got a job. If not, then I’m not responsible if you just turn up missing. I have connections. The choice is yours.” The truth of his depravity is given away by his eyes. I have no doubt he means exactly what he’s saying. Giselle is a cold-hearted bitch who set me up just so I’ll be out of the picture for her and Landon. If I go through with it, that’s more leverage for her and if I don’t, my sudden disappearance and George’s warped details of my past still opens the door further for her. A knock on the door startles us before she could respond. George and Giselle look at each other in confusion, but neither makes a move to answer the door.
“Open the door Giselle,” Landon says. George’s hand flies over my mouth so I can’t respond. Panic crosses Giselle’s face. They’re both frozen in place as Landon continues knocking and ringing the doorbell. I try to scream, but the sound is muffled by George’s hand. Daniel finally comes out of the room to see why we’re not answering the door.
“Someone’s at the door,” he says. He raises an eyebrow at George, trying to figure out what the hell he’s witnessing. The distraction is just what I need. I’m able to pry George’s fingers from my mouth long enough to scream out Landon’s name. They both know they’re fucked now. Landon bursts through the door like Hercules. He takes a quick assessment of the room, including George’s presence and his hands on me.
“What the fuck is going on?” he asks in disbelief. “George you have about a half a second to take your fucking hands off my girlfriend.” George doesn’t hesitate before dropping his hands. I run to Landon and bury my head in his shoulders. I know shit is about to get real. He pushes me aside and gets in his uncle’s face.
“Why the fuck were your hands on her like that?” Landon sneers. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this upset.
“She owes me and I didn’t want her to run,” George says with less confidence than he’s trying to give off. His shifting eyes give him away. “Ask her!” Michael walks through the broken door at that moment.
The tension in the air is thick. It’s obvious he doesn’t know what he just walked into, but he is here to back up his boy. He just stands by the door quietly, ready to help, if some shit jumps off.
“I’m asking you George!” Landon’s fist clenches repeatedly at his side. I grab his forearm. Every muscle is wound tight underneath my hand. George starts singing like a canary, afraid that Landon is going to beat his ass to a pulp. He tells Landon that I came to him for extra money two years ago, so he set me up to do extra favors for his VIP customers. He promises that he didn’t know I was his girlfriend at the time. He also tells him that he gave me a twenty thousand dollar advance because I gave him a sob story about needing money for my mother’s hospital bills—only I took the money and ran. He said he only agreed because the men told him that I gave great head. He totally altered the fucking truth.
Landon stumbles a few steps back in shock. Sadness begins to cloud his eyes as he thinks about what his uncle just told him. He pries my hands off him and my heart sinks.
“That’s not true George and you know it,” I cry. Giselle looks at me smugly.
“I think I’ll just go. I have nothing to do with any of this,” Daniel speaks up. Landon easily steps in his direct path. “Nobody is going any fucking where until we sort this shit out,” he growls. “Nobody leaves this motherfucker. Got it?” he reiterates to Michael. Michael nods his understanding while texting on his phone. I bet he is calling for more back up. Daniel squares his shoulders in offense but he retreats back to standing next to Giselle.
He turns his attention back to me and I just want to crumble under his scrutiny. “Did you fucking work at my uncle’s strip club or not? Did my uncle give you twenty grand?”
“Yes, but—” He cuts me off.
“It’s the real reason you broke up with me isn’t it?” His eyes are watery. I can feel his walls going up as he prepares to shut me out.
“Please let me explain Landon,” I beg.
“Answer the fucking question Nevaeh.” His voice is hard and unforgiving.
“Yes. I broke up with you because I was taking my clothes off for money not because—” Again he cuts me off and it’s so unfair.
“You fucking obliterated my heart because you wanted to whore around? I can’t believe I fell for the innocent act. At least now I know why you suck cock so well—plenty of practice huh?” I can’t breathe. He won’t let me explain. He’d rather think the worst. If he believes his uncle then he doesn’t know me at
all. My heart shatters into a million pieces. I allow myself to crumple up on the couch. I bring my knees to my chest and cry. If I thought I could get past Michael, I would make a run for it. I’ve lost my will to fight. He already hates me.
Landon pieces the events together from last week with my disappearance to the bathroom, me coming out crying, and his uncle coming from around the corner. “The bruises. They’re from you, aren’t they?” He asks George. I cry harder and it’s the only confirmation he needs.
I look up just in time to see him punch George square in the face. George gets in a few punches of his own before Landon has him on his back and laying into him. I scream at the blood that splatters. Georges stops trying to fight back and just holds his hands up in defense to block some of the punches. This bastard deserves this for the lies he’s implanted in Landon’s head, but I don’t want him to get into trouble. I don’t want Landon to have regrets. Michael finally intervenes after he sees Landon is not going to stop on his own. He’s pouring all of his hurt and frustration out on his uncle’s face. When he pulls Landon off George, his Heather gray football t-shirt is covered in blood. More blood spurts from George’s now crooked nose. As soon as he is able to gain his footing, he stumbles out of the door without a word.
Landon’s shoulders moves up and down as he struggles to get his breathing and anger under control. “Who are you?” He asks, directing his attention to Daniel now.
“I’m Giselle’s boyfriend,” he answers in a matter of fact manner.
“What?” He yells. What the hell? Giselle hangs her head guiltily. “Is everybody incapable of fucking being loyal?” He shakes his head at the discovery.
