by K J Bell
“The more time we spend together, the more I like you, too, but it’s obvious your heart is with him. I’ve always known we’re just friends. If this happens to grow into something more, great, and if not, then that’s okay, too.” He smiles warmly, and I feel worse. It might already be more.
Tug may have said the words “just friends,” but his expression tells me he’s not sure, and I’m not either. I’m so conflicted and honestly, I may be in love with both of them. They both make me feel things, just in different ways – one explosive and unpredictable, the other calm and consistent – yet equally addictive.
My arms slide around his neck, and I whisper into his skin, “You’re an amazing guy, Tug Hunter.”
He embraces me, and we hug, a hug different from others we’ve shared. As we release each other, our eyes meet, glued together in a gaze that shares our conflict. Tug blinks, and his hand strokes my face, skims the line of my jaw. His head dips, and I freeze. My quickening pulse is pounding in my throat. He looks at me with all this pent-up emotion, telling me everything I need to know. Oh, my God, he’s going to kiss me.
Surprising myself, I stand on my tip toes, and place my lips against his first. Tug’s lips curve into a smile for the slightest second. And then he’s kissing me, his breath in my breath. One of his hands tangles in my hair, and the other pushes into the small of my back, drawing our bodies closer together. My body molds to his. His tongue darts into my mouth and dances with mine. A groan escapes him, and he squeezes my ass. I squeal and release our kiss. Our eyes open, and his scream mischief.
“Sorry, I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. You have a great ass.”
My palm presses into his chest, and I grab a handful of his T-shirt, pulling him close. “Tug, just shut up and kiss me again.”
He does, keeping one hand on my ass. The other hand runs up my back and through my hair. Oh, my God. I’m kissing Tug, and I like it, a lot.
Brady
I slam the door to my truck, resisting the urge to scream. My little brother’s been the one to comfort her. This is a big problem for me. How had I not seen it coming? My God, he asks her out every day. I always thought it was a game they played. He assured me they were only friends. Evidently, he was just biding his time. I told the fucker how I felt about her, and he didn’t wait five goddamn minutes to take my place.
After being with her, I can’t stomach the thought of my little brother touching her. Just picturing it has my blood on fire. He’s way too young to give her what she needs. Fuck, now I sound like an egomaniac. It’s true, though – Tori’s the most responsive girl I’ve ever been with and Tug lacks the experience to do anything with that.
While I drive to the pier, I try not to think about strangling my little brother. He knew how she felt about me, too, and if he’s with her, then he’s taking advantage of her while she’s vulnerable. Playing the white knight role to get what he wants. Could Tug do that? If that’s the case, it’s my fault. I made it possible when I tucked tail and ran. Paco’s only a kid, but he nailed it; I’m an idiot.
After parking my truck and checking a few restaurants Tug likes, I still haven’t found them. I walk to the pier to see if they’re on it. Desperate to find her, I scan every face. My heart shrinks when the back of her head comes into view. Her arms are around my brother, and his hands are on her ass. I run in their direction, and that’s when I realize they’re kissing. I’m going to fucking kill him!
I’m close enough now to hear the noise escaping their mouths. I bunch my fists at my sides.
“What the fuck, Tug,” I interrupt.
Her hair flies through the air as she spins to face me. Mortification washes over her face, but fuck me if she’s not as beautiful as I remember. The sight of her swollen lips – swollen from kissing the lips of someone else – makes me insanely angry. Tug looks scared shitless, as I suppose he should.
The three of us stand there, gaping, each of us absorbing our embarrassment over the situation.
I take a few steps away from them, raking my hands through my hair, trying to calm my emotions before I say something that will hurt either one of them. I don’t want that. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice her and Tug whispering. She kisses him on the cheek, and then he leaves. I turn away from her when she comes toward me. Her hand is on my arm, and she urges me to face her. Reluctantly, I turn to her. I want to fold my arms around her and tell her everything. Hell, I want to drop down on my knees and beg her to forgive me. As usual, the bastard in me takes over, and I have to know.
“Did you fuck him, Tori? Did you fuck my little brother?”
Her expression turns to shock. “How can you ask me that?”
Coldly, I ignore her question and continue being cruel. “You didn’t answer the question, Tori. Did you fuck him?”
It’s too late to take the words back, and I have to know. The image of Tug being with her intimately is eating away at my thoughts like acid. Looking at the anger in her eyes, I hope she did fuck him, because otherwise it isn’t anger in her eyes, it’s hurt. I’m not sure I can live with that.
“No, Brady. I didn’t.”
“Are you lying?”
“Brady!” Her voice, soft and cracking, splinters my heart.
Why did I have to ask? Everything in her tone is asking me how I could think that about her. Honestly, I don’t have an answer for her.
She’s so hurt, and as I look at her, I debate what I came here to do. Maybe it’s better if I don’t draw her back in. “I’m sorry. I had no right to ask you that,” I finally say. “I pushed you away trying to protect you. I didn’t want you to love me.”
She pulls her hair to the side and wraps it in her hand to stop it from blowing in the wind. “You’re a piece of work, Brady. When you grow up and quit feeling sorry for yourself, maybe you’ll recognize you’re worthy of being loved. Until then, why don’t you stay the hell away from me!” Her words are harsh, heart-piercing. She starts to walk away from me.
“Tori, wait. Please…I…”
She spins back around, and there is no mistaking how angry she is. With fury in her eyes, she marches back to me. She stops, leaving less than a foot between us, and balls her hands at her sides. “I don’t owe you anything, Brady. You walked out of my life, remember? It’s been almost a month. You haven’t called, and I haven’t seen you. I was upset, and Tug was there for me.”
“Yes, I can see you moved on,” I spit angrily at her. Fuck, why did I say that? Why didn’t I just open my mouth and let an apology fall out?
Her lips are pursed tight, and she’s glaring at me with contempt. “I’ll say it again – I don’t owe you an explanation.” She turns around and storms away from me without another word and without glancing back.
I finally manage to get the courage to tell her everything, and at the same time I send her running from me. I should have stopped her, begged her forgiveness and kissed her beautiful lips. I didn’t though, and now I may have lost her.
Chapter 31
Tori
Leaving Brady on the pier was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was the right thing to do. The only thing I wanted from him was an apology. A simple, “I’m sorry." Instead he defaulted to asshole-mode and said things he can’t take back. Despite every mean word, I still love him, but I need time to think. Deep inside, Brady is the guy I want, but he’s damaged and that terrifies me.
Tug is sweet, safe, and without a doubt, he would never hurt me the way Brady did tonight.
When I arrive home, I debate whether I should even bother going inside. I’m surprised to see Liv’s car in the driveway, and I honestly don’t know if I can handle the third degree I’m sure to receive from her.
Mrs. Hunter certainly doesn’t want me here anymore after my admission that I may have become privy to some…“family business.”
My phone chirps, alerting me I have a new text. When I look at the screen, it’s a text from Harrison.
Can we talk?
As if my
day hadn’t been stressful enough! I text back, NO!
Someone taps on my window, and I nearly jump out of my skin. When I look up and out of the window, my heart sinks, and agitation causes my ears to burn. God, what now? Rolling down my window, I sigh. “Jake, what are you doing here?”
Seeing his blond hair blowing in the light breeze, revealing his soft blue eyes stirs a cauldron of emotions within me that I thought I’d sealed up long ago. Jake may be a cheat, but he’s always had a way of affecting me physically with a single glance, and tonight is no different.
“I need to talk to you. Do you have a minute?” he asks, his words soft.
I open my door, and step out. “Look, I’ve had a pretty rough day. I don’t think we have anything to say to each other.”
“I have plenty to say, Victoria.”
I slam my door shut, and whirl around to face him. Does he honestly believe I give a shit what he has to say? “I told you not to call me that.”
His eyebrows raise, and he grins. “Why? That’s your name.”
“Fuck off, Jake. I have nothing to say to you.”
As I shoulder by him, he catches my arm and grips me firmly. I smell alcohol on his breath, and I’m suddenly worried about his state of mind. He must notice my expression, because he loosens his grip and sighs. “Please, Tori. Just give me a minute.”
Pulling away from his grip, I say, “One minute. Say what you came to say, Jake.”
“I want to say I’m sorry. You were an amazing girlfriend, and I messed up big. I came here because I realized the other day that I never apologized. So, I’m sorry. I hope you’ll accept my apology for my behavior and how I treated you afterward.”
My jaw drops, and I’m sure it hits the floor. After everything that happened, Jake has never apologized. It’s too little, and far too late now.
“I accept your apology.” That's all I can say. I wait for him to leave so I can go inside.
“There’s another reason I came here. I made a huge mistake, but I want you back. When I saw you the other night, I knew I had to fix what I’d broken and get you back.”
What?
My eyes feel like they're bulging out of my head, as I step toward him. “Jake, where is this coming from? What happened to the brunette you were all over at the club?”
His head hangs, abashed. “She was just passing time. I don’t love her. I love you, Victo…Tori.”
Just how much did he drink tonight? “I don’t know what to say. It’s too late for us. I accept your apology, but I’ve moved on, Jake. I’m not in love with you anymore.”
“I understand.” He seems disappointed and keeps his head down. When he looks up, the gleam in his eyes says he’s not convinced. “Then I’ll just have to work on making you love me again. I will get you back. Goodnight, Tori.” He walks away and gets into his car.
I stare after him, dumbfounded and utterly confused. A month ago, my ex wanted nothing to do with me, Brady was far away, Harrison didn’t exist, and Tug was just Liv’s obnoxious little brother. Where is the rewind button? As much as my life was dull and monotonous back then, I preferred that to the crazy train I’m currently riding on.
I hurry inside, grab a bottle of water from the kitchen, and slowly climb the stairs, putting off the inevitable task of facing Liv for as long as possible. Liv is lying on her bed with her headphones on, wearing pajamas. She removes the headphones and taps a spot next to her on the bed.
Emotion envelops me in a wave, and I begin sobbing hysterically as I climb on the bed next to her. She folds her arms around me and doesn’t speak until my sobs subside.
Finally she hands me a tissue. “Brady said to give this to you. Looks like you need it. Did he find you?”
I nod, and cry harder as I hold the tissue in my hand and wipe my face with her blanket. She laughs and shakes her head. “Did he tell you how he feels about you?” she asks, worry in her voice.
I shake my head. “He didn’t get the chance. I was with Tug and…oh, Liv. Tug kissed me. Or I kissed Tug.”
“Let me guess,” she says, watching me closely. I wait. “Brady showed up just in time to see it.”
I nod.
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know, Liv. I’m confused.” I hang my head in my hands and cry some more.
“Oh no, you have feelings for both of them, don’t you?”
I look up at her and nod weakly. “I’m not sure what I feel. With Brady everything is so intense, but I never feel like I have both feet on the ground. I’m never sure of where his head’s at. With Tug, things are calm, and I feel grounded.”
She smiles reassuringly. “What is your heart telling you?”
I give her a weak smile. “I’m not sure. My heart is confused, too.”
“You have to choose, Tori. You can’t have them both. It’s not right.” She’s firm, but she isn’t judging me.
I lay my head in her lap and look up at her. “I will. I’m just not ready.”
Brady
I decide going home right now is not the best idea. There’s a small pub at the end of the boardwalk, and I intend to drown my heartache in alcohol. It’s what I do. When I step inside, I spot Tug sitting at the bar. As wrong as it is, I feel the urge to start something that could change our relationship forever. How could he make a move on Tori, knowing how I felt and knowing she was upset about me leaving? He’s always been the manipulative third child, but I never thought he’d do this.
“Aren’t you a little young to be in here?” I jab, slapping him roughly on the shoulder.
Tug spins on the stool and snarls at me. He turns away from me and stares across the bar. “Call a cop.”
I sit down on a stool next to him. “What are you so pissed about? You’re the one who moved in on my girl.”
He shakes his head and turns to look at me. “What the fuck is wrong with you? If she was your girl, you wouldn’t have just split on her like you did. You would have stayed here and worked it out. Worshipped her the way she deserves. Typical, Brady, fucking typical.”
I glare at him, contemplating what to say next. Tug doesn’t know anything about my reasons for leaving. He’s lived in his little bubble of perfection and the happy façade that is the Hunter family, and I’ve enabled him to do so. I don’t want the walls to crash around my siblings like they have for me, but that doesn’t mean I will listen to his self-righteous rant, either. “You don’t know shit, Tug.”
He takes a pull on his beer and then twists his head to look at me. “I know that I fucking love that girl, and I know you’re a fucking asshole who doesn’t deserve her.”
Every hair on the back of my neck stands. My fuming anger propels me forward. I tackle him around the waist, and we crash to the floor. The barstool falls with me and my knee slams into it, sending pain up my leg. Ignoring it, I pound my fist into the side of Tug’s face, just as he lands a left hook to my midsection that momentarily sucks the air from my lungs. While I’m stunned, Tug slides away from me and jumps to his feet. I stand, and before I can react, he launches into me with a roar. My back crashes against the wall.
Fuck! When did he get so goddamn strong? We wrestled all the time when we were younger, and I always whipped his scrawny ass. Tonight, through the chaos of screaming voices and unbridled rage, we are equally matched. His fist lands in the same spot on my gut as before and it buckles my knees, just before he slams his fist into my jaw, causing me to spin and fall.
Picturing him with his lips on Tori’s gives me the strength to pull myself up and charge after him. I shove him to the ground and climb on top of him, repeatedly landing my fist on the side of his face. He moves and my next punch misses wildly, slamming into the floor. My knuckles bleed and I shake my hand, attempting to alleviate the sting. He manages to roll me off him and stand. As I start to get up, his foot makes contact with my ribs, and I double over in pain. Even through the fury in my mind, that fucking hurt.
Just as I’m about to charge him once more, stro
ng hands wrap around my arms and hold me in place. As I try to free myself from the person’s grip, I get a glimpse the giant holding Tug back. He’s a monster. If the guy holding me is even half his size, escape won’t be possible.
Glaring at me with hatred, Tug spits, “Did you even consider letting her go? Letting me have something for once? I fucking hate you, Brady!” The bouncer pulls him away and the words are muffled, but they’re clear as can be in my mind, and hurt worse than any of the punches he delivered tonight.
He has no idea how many times I considered letting her go, but I can’t. She has to be the one to let go. He’s also clueless as to how much I’ve let him have by not revealing the truth about me and the family who raised me.
Chapter 32
Tori
Squinting, I open my eyes, unsure of where I am for a minute. I remember I’m in Liv’s room and I smile. I’m still on her bed, lying with my head in her lap. She’s running her fingers through my hair just as she had been when I dozed off. Her phone vibrates, and I realize that must be what woke me up. I sit up, and smile nervously at her.
“Are you going to answer that?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t recognize the number. They can leave a voicemail.”
The buzzing stops and then resumes a second later. “They’re persistent.”
Liv picks up her phone, swipes the screen, and holds it to her ear. “Hello.” All of the color drains from her face, and she sits upright in her bed. “What? Okay. Yes, I understand. I’ll be right there.”
She springs out of bed and rushes to her closet. “Tori, this situation just got a whole lot worse.” She pulls a pair of jeans from the hanger and starts putting them on.
Anxiety fills me, and the tiny hairs on my neck stand up. “What? What is it? What happened?”
“My brothers were in a bar fight. They’ve been arrested.”
“What?” I ask again, confused. The two ended up in a bar together. That must be a good thing, right? They were together. Maybe they talked and worked things out. “Did someone start something with them? Were they hurt?”
