Need You Now (Martha's Way Series Book 2)

by Jolie, Mika

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Boys, if you like her, if she makes you happy, and if you feel like you know her,

  don’t let her go.”

  Nicholas Sparks

  Adam’s stomach felt like a whirlpool ready to engulf him with no remorse. He couldn’t breathe, the oxygen suffocating his lungs.

  “Não!” he screamed the word ‘no’ in Portuguese, the weight of his heart bringing him to his knees. Black tears fell easily from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks as he watched the light fade from her eyes. Her soul slipped through his fingers as her body lay there stiff.

  He examined the woman’s lifeless features, her lifestyle etched harsh on her face. She was a prostitute, a drug addict. No one would miss her, not her pimp or her clients. Except for him; she gave him life. He loved her. Even with all of her flaws.

  With trembling hands, he brushed the matted black mane away from her face and swiped his hand over her eyes. His gaze lingered on the empty syringe on the floor, a drop of blood still trickling from her vein. Inches from her body lay what finally ended her life. He reached over and gripped the cold metal. Young adolescent fingers wrapped around the gun as he rose to his feet, and headed for his fate.

  The door creaked open. He spotted his target right away. There on the bed, waiting to be hunted. Blinded by fury, he took aim. With the strength of a man, his eight-year-old body held the semi-automatic pistol as steady as possible. His finger pulled the trigger and bullets spat relentlessly, one after another.

  As his body fell further into the abyss, a soft feminine voice, like the harmony of angels, called out to him. He recognized the sweet sound right away. It breathed life into him. Lily. But it wasn’t enough to pull him free. He closed his eyes and gave himself away to the darkness. Her voice grew stronger, nearer. Soft hands touched his naked arms; not the thin skinny limbs of him as a child, but of him as a man.

  He tried to emerge from the dream, but his head was filled with images. Lily’s smile, her face in the throes of passion, his parents and a baby wrapped in a wool towel with a mass of dark hair similar to his. He couldn’t tell if it was a boy or girl; it didn’t matter. It was his child. He walked over to pick it up. The more steps he took, the further it moved out of his reach. Adam blinked and rushed his strides as images of the black curls faded away.

  He came to a halt, paralyzed to the spot, a menacing aura holding him in a tightening grip. He spotted the infant. Brown trusting eyes glanced at him. Then they turned to look into the face of a dark-haired man. A knot formed in Adam’s throat. He tried to move forward, to run and snatch the child to safety, but his feet would not allow him to do so. He opened his mouth to speak, to beg, and spare a life, but terror sucked the breath from his mouth and silenced his scream. Adam stood, ice-cold, as the man stroked the baby’s arm, the end of a syringe shining in his hand.

  A sudden, sickening sensation ran through his body.

  Fuck!

  Not another addicted baby. He needed to stop it. He fought against his weight, but heaviness kept him deathly still.

  “Adam. Adam.” Lily’s voice was subtly sensual and smooth, a velvety whisper.

  He struggled to open his eyes.

  “Adam.” Her voice had a little more urgency this time.

  He woke up with a gasp, covered in sweat, and breathing heavily. His mind reeling.

  Shit!

  He closed his eyes momentarily and grabbed hold of his consciousness. When he opened them again, Lily was sitting by his side, her short hair tousled from the night. The thin straps of the little thing she slept in slipped off her slim shoulders. Her face masked with concern. The sight caused his heart to stop. “Liliana,” he said when he was sure his voice would not shake. “Did I hurt you? The baby?”

  She shook her head, but grief reflected in her big brown eyes. He knew she wanted to break his exterior defenses. He felt it last night for the first time. He wasn’t ready for that, and God damn it, she needed to understand that.

  He swung his feet to the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. Sunlight seeping through the curtains touched his face, as Lily’s hands traced down his back and found the curve of his waist. She pressed her face against him. Her lips followed; sweet and tender, kissing away every second of the memories that flooded his mind like waves of destruction.

  “Liliana.” It wasn’t fair to take from her. Not when he couldn’t show her everything that he was. Still, he sat there and got lost in the feel of her lips for what seemed like the millionth time.

  “Are you going to tell me what that was about?”

  “No.”

  A long sigh came from her lips. Her breath caressed his skin. “You’re not ready.” Her hands moved to his shoulders and slowly started to work out the kinks. “But when you are, you will find out I’m a big girl.” She let out a nervous chuckle. “I can handle things.”

  His hand moved to hers and held it still. “Like unexpectedly getting knocked up.”

  She laughed.

  A little laughter, like the sun breaking through stormy clouds; it illuminated the darkness inside him. He edged over a little more so he could face her. “You’re sure I didn’t hurt you?”

  * * * *

  Lily scanned Adam’s face, his eyebrows drawn together. Beautiful and haunting, yet full of sadness and pain. She was seeing the man behind the cool, laid-back exterior for the very first time. He was a puzzle and just maybe with some broken pieces. Still, she was permanently in love with him, always and forever, with all of the secrets and smiles. Everything. She had fallen hard and just wanted him. Her fingers stroked the scar above his left eyebrow, the first time she allowed herself to touch one of his perfect imperfections.

  “Not physically, you didn’t.” Emotionally, her heart had been ripped out of her chest as she sat there watching Adam struggle to emerge from whatever dark hole he had fallen into. This side of him was new to her, it shook her a bit. Not fear; this much she knew. But a confirmation in so many ways that they were strangers. “How did you get this scar?”

  “Playing fútbol.” He rose from the bed and moved across the room. The hardwood echoed his pressured steps. His long arms leaned against the window sill on the opposite side of the room. The muscles on his back turned rigid, shutting her out once again. “I’m going gliding,” he announced over his shoulder.

  He meant plane-gliding, another one of his extreme sports, cheating death each time. He was Superman and life was his stage.

  “I can think of better ways to release tension.”

  He turned and stared at her, long and hard, as if contemplating her invitation, before his lips cracked into a genuine smile. “Don’t you have to meet with Minka and the others?”

  “I can push it back.” She shrugged. “Say three hours.”

  He laughed and Lily saw some of the tension leaving his body. She sank on the plush mattress, inviting him to come join her. After a slight hesitation, several long strides brought him to her side of the bed.

  “I’d need more than three hours.”

  “You have that much tension?” she questioned with a brow raised.

  He nodded. “A full load.” His eyes were serious, as was his tone.

  “Good thing I’m around to help you release.”

  His hands found her hips and pulled her to the edge of the bed. Her skin bristled at his touch. Needing to be closer, Lily hoisted herself to a full sitting position and clamped her thighs around his. Her fingers found the waist of his boxers briefs and slowly ran her hand over his crotch. He groaned.

  “You want me,” she whispered, and lowered her lips to tickle the fine hairs that cover his lower abdomen.

  His muscles tightened under her touch. “Yes,” he said low and husky. “But—”

  “No buts.”

  He released a heavy breath then gently pushed her back on the bed. He stood still as his eyes took in every inch of her. Lily’s hands found the hem of her delicate cotton nightie and inched it up high, exposing crystal pi
nk hip-hugger lace panties.

  His eyes darkened and dropped to her thighs. Under heavy lids, she watched him struggle to maintain control. Then his hand brushed her inner thigh, spreading her legs just a little wider. He stroked a thumb over the thin material, teasing her swollen flesh. Hypersensitive to his touch, every nerve in her body tingled with pleasure as her hips rocked in gentle motion.

  “More,” she begged.

  But he pulled back and stepped out of her reach. Lily searched his face, his eyes burned with emptiness. A boiling fury swelled inside of her. She rose to her feet and walked up to him. Chest to chest, she glared at him.

  “What’s that about?”

  “We agreed—” he began in that typical cool as a cucumber voice.

  “No,” she stopped him, her voice louder. This time she was the one who moved back and stepped out of his reach. Needing a moment to breathe, she gave him her back. After a second, she whipped around and peered at him. “You made that stupid rule, Adam. I didn’t agree to it.”

  “What do you want, Liliana? You want me to fuck you to release my demons? You want to be a substitute?” The questions hung in the air. A look of great bitterness swept across his face. “Well, too fucking bad. You’ve never been that.”

  “Then talk to me.”

  Time stood still like never before.

  “I can’t.” He walked past her and slammed the bathroom door behind him, leaving her standing there fuming.

  Three hours later, Lily’s whole being still seethed with anger. She slumped on to her chair, alongside Keely, Claire and Minka at West Chop, a steakhouse restaurant on the pier overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. After picking out the floral arrangement for the wedding, lunch had been suggested. Lily wasn’t sure if she agreed or not, she just found herself sitting there and for once she wished she was anywhere else. All day, her mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of Adam.

  “Earth to Lily,” Claire said with a wave, flashing her colorful bohemian bracelets. “Whoo-hoo! Over here, honey.”

  “You’re not sitting straight,” Keely said gently.

  Without looking at her friends, Lily ran her fingers over the rim of the teacup. She inhaled the ginger and citrus aroma of the tea. Although this one was not laced, it still made her think of Adam and his hot toddies. “So?”

  “That means you’re sad.” That great observation came from none other than her BFF Minka.

  “What’s eating you, girlfriend?” Claire asked. “I thought all was well in Adam and Liliana land now.”

  She took an appraising look around the table, and then focused her gaze on Claire. “You grew up with Adam, right?”

  “Technically, I grew up with Jason.”

  “I don’t mean in the same house. I mean around them. You are that pain in the ass little sister, right? No offense,” Lily added.

  “None taken.” Claire shrugged. “That’s how they all describe me.” She took a sip of wine. “I am close to Adam but…” Her voice lingers. “He spends half his time in Europe.”

  Lily sat a little straighter. “What happened to him?”

  Claire blinked. “What do you mean?”

  “He…” She caught herself and looked at Claire, Keely and Minka. Concern filled their faces. They were her friends, but she didn’t want to betray Adam. “Never mind.” She brought her attention back to her tea.

  “Have you ever Googled Adam?” Minka asked after a brief silence.

  “No, why would I?” Lily asked without lifting her gaze from her tea.

  “You Googled Jason,” Minka continued.

  Lily looked up then and smiled at the memories. “Yeah, but that’s because I was being a concerned friend. And I was dying to see what he looked like. Total hotness by the way, but I’ve told you that like a million times.”

  Claire feigned choking on her food. Keely and Minka chuckled.

  “And you know,” Lily continued, “Adam and I were pure sex.”

  “So let’s look him up now,” Keely suggested and started to reach for her phone.

  But Lily’s hand quickly covered Keely’s. “No. I much rather he tells me.”

  “Good thing,” Claire said, “because what’s on the internet is not the full story. Only Adam can tell you everything.”

  Lily sat back. “So you know something.”

  Claire shrugged. “We all know the minute details. I thought you did as well.”

  Lily took a calming breath and tried to control the searing pain in her heart. “I don’t know anything.” Her voice trembled. “I’m in complete darkness.”

  Claire squeezed Lily’s hand and smiled at her. “Don’t give up on him. He’s not perfect, but he’s a good guy.”

  “He refuses to have sex with me too,” she said softly. “Something about getting to know each other, blah, blah, blah.” She rolled her eyes.

  Her friends laughed. Lily broke out in giggles.

  “No sex,” Keely said between chuckles. “That’s a problem.”

  “Tell me about it. When I’m not nauseous, I want to have sex. Hell, even when I’m nauseous, I want sex. I’m naturally horny and this pregnancy thing just quadruples my horniness level.”

  “Horniness?” Minka asked, hazel eyes twinkling with humor.

  “I made that up.” Lily grinned. “Brilliant, right?”

  Another round of laughter touched the table. “So how long has it been? I thought you guys made up that night you left after dinner?” Minka asked, her lips curved into a smile.

  Lily sighed. It felt like forever. How the hell did they use to go weeks without sex? Oh, yeah. They used to have major phone sex. “Uh…I guess today would make it two days.”

  “And you’re complaining.” Claire’s eyes shot up with disbelief. “Try months, my friend; well, at least with an actual person. Toys don’t count.”

  Lily laughed. “You’re lying.”

  Claire shook her head. “I wish.”

  “But all of your boyfriends,” Minka said. The tabloids always had Claire dating someone.

  “All lies. Pure fabrication. If I smile at someone, I’m dating him.”

  “According to the latest tabloid, you’re hooking up with your co-star. What’s his name?” Minka asked with a frown.

  Claire waved a dismissive hand and Lily caught a glint of her tattoo again.

  “What’s the story behind the tat? Why do you hide it?” Lily asked and silence fell over the table. “Okay, what do I need to know?”

  Minka shrugged. She looked just as clueless, but Keely and Claire exchanged a quick look.

  “I fell in love once,” Claire said, sadness filled her voice. “I was young and foolish.” Her pretty face grew solemn. “It’s the past, a place of reference.”

  Claire’s tone told her this piece of her history had long been buried and forgotten, no longer a place of residence. Lily understood that. Over a year ago, Adam had helped her let go of Nate and start the next chapter in her life.

  The front door of the restaurant opened and Forrest strolled in looking like no doctor Lily had ever known, in sea-green, broken-in chinos, a white shirt, fitted dark grey wool blazer, and black frame hipster glasses. His chestnut hair a bit tossed by the wind. In typical women’s fashion, they gawked silently. He didn’t notice them. Good thing because they got to watch him flirt with the pretty bartender.

  Lily leaned closer to Claire. “Is Forrest in the brother zone too?”

  “Totally,” Claire answered without a beat, but her gaze lingered on him a little too long. He turned abruptly in their direction and their eyes locked. After a second, she looked away.

  Brother zone. That was total bullshit. Seeing through her new-found friend, Lily waved at Forrest and signaled for him to join them. As he approached their table, he removed his glasses and slipped them into the pocket of his blazer. Too bad, she liked the look.

  “Why don’t you join us?” Lily suggested. “We’re having lunch.”

  He glanced at their faces, but his grey eyes lingered on
Claire. “I don’t want to interrupt.”

  Lily chuckled and waved away his concern. “Nonsense.” She scooted her chair to make room between her and Claire. “Grab a chair. Besides, we can’t let you flirt with the pretty bartender when there are four of us here.”

  He smiled. “You’re all taken.”

  Right. She forgot about that. “Not all of us.”

  Minka kicked her from under the table. Keely glared at her. And Claire looked like she wanted to die. Forrest wasn’t fooled either. He smiled, totally on to her scheme. But he pulled a chair and settled between her and Claire.

  “I’ll join you for a little, but I’m meeting someone here.”

  Shit. He had a date. The realization dawned on Lily too late. A tall, pretty redhead dressed in skinny jeans and what Adam would call “fuck-me” boots walked into the restaurant. She glanced at the bar, checked her watch and bit her lower lip seductively. Yikes. Forrest was going to be someone’s lunch.

  “Thanks for the invite, ladies, but I have to go. My date is here.” He pushed his chair back, then stopped and looked down at Claire. “When do you leave, Claire?”

  “After tomorrow,” Claire answered without a glance at him.

  “Let’s all meet tomorrow at the farm for dinner then. I’ll even cook something.” He smiled. “Any special requests?” He asked the table, but clearly the question was directed at Claire.

  “Umm, whatever,” Keely answered. Minka and Lily nodded in agreement.

  Claire shrugged, but she lifted her head and met his gaze. “You know what I like. Surprise me.”

  Their eyes stayed on each other for a beat. “As you wish.”

  Oh, damn. He was quoting Westley from The Princess Bride. Totally swoon-worthy. “Sorry.” Lily fanned her face. “Pregnant hormones are making me a little warm.”

  Forrest’s hand rested on Claire’s back for a moment then he smiled and walked into the hungry redhead’s arms.