Alluring Promises Box Set (Books 1-3)

by Josie Bordeaux

  Melanie crawled over to me and pulled me into a hug. “I’m so sorry. I wish you would have said something. I’m so, so sorry…I never meant to hurt you…You’re like my sister...I love you...”

  “I love you too…I’m sorry too...I should have said something, but I…you were just so happy and I was...just so miserable,” I stammered while sniffing back my tears.

  She looked at me, tears streaming down her face, and whispered, “He really messed with your head, didn’t he?”

  Sniffling, I nodded. “Yeah.” She took a deep breath and hugged me.

  Clark clapped his hands together once and said, “Okay, now kiss each other and make it an awesome night for me!”

  Melanie and I just looked at him and laughed. We hugged again and stood up. Z tried to help lighten the mood, “Well, Izzy, it seems like you’re never allowed to leave.”

  I looked back at Melanie. “I’ll never leave you again.” I hugged her tightly.

  We went back to our pool game. Melanie and I kept hugging every once in a while. During the game, Melanie got a text and her face lit up smiling. Flynn glanced at her as she nudged me. She showed me a text from some guy named Bill that said Thinking about you. Remembering our time in the back room. I looked at her with my drunken eyes and asked, “what’s that about?” She flushed and giggled.

  Our thoughts were interrupted when Flynn looked at the time and said, “Well, some of us have to get up and work early tomorrow. I’m gonna head up.” He seemed a bit ticked off, but I couldn’t figure out why. Maybe because I made Melanie cry…again?

  Melanie looked at him and teased, “What are you worried about? Can’t you handle work on a couple hours of sleep?”

  Flynn snapped at her, “some of us didn’t screw our boss, so I need to be on time.” With that, he turned out of the room and went upstairs. The room fell silent and Melanie looked as if she had been slapped. Z rubbed Melanie’s back and said, “Let it go, he’s just being an asshole.”

  Clark broke the quiet by asking, “are you two gonna do anything? Like come on…seriously, kiss each other…full, like on the lips and maybe squeeze each other’s tits too!”

  I sauntered sexily over to Clark and put my hand on his chest. “Nah, you missed our lez phase in college. It was fucking awesome,” I whispered into his ear a little loudly so Z could hear too. Clark’s eyes looked like they were going to pop out from excitement and Z had a shocked smirk on his face.

  I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I whispered, “Joking.” Laughter erupted from Mel and I. Clark seemed really disappointed and Z gave a faint chuckle.

  When the laughter died down, Melanie asked “Z, you’re staying on the couch, right?” It was more of a command than a question.

  Z nodded his head and answered, “Yeah, I’ll hit the couch, as always.”

  Clark said goodnight and headed up to bed. I started cleaning up some of the beer cans and peanuts. I always preferred to clean the mess while I’m still drunk. It made it easier to face a clean house in the morning and you never remembered doing it.

  Melanie hugged me, “I love you. Please don’t leave me again.”

  I hugged her back and nodded. “I won’t. I promise.”

  Melanie started up the stairs but stopped, turned and asked, “Z, can I talk to you for a sec?”

  “Sure,” he said walking over to her. They spoke in hushed voices then he gave her a bear hug saying good night to her. Melanie gave me another glance, looking as if she might say something else, but instead continued up the stairs.

  Z started helping me clean up and looked at me smiling and shaking his head. “What?” I asked.

  He chuckled, “Fricker?”

  I laughed, getting out the broom and dustpan and started to clean up the peanuts. “So what does Z stand for?”

  “Still can’t guess?” He responded, smiling and a little flirtatiously.

  I stopped and propped my hand on my hip. “After that many beers, I can’t think of any names that start with the letter Z.”

  He kept his gaze on mine as he walked over to me. His hands went over mine on my hips as his eyes held such intensity that I thought I would melt. “Zander,” he said quietly.

  “Ah.” I smiled trying to make light of his serious gaze so I wasn’t so drawn in. I glanced away unsure of what else to do.

  He must have known I wanted to change the atmosphere. He dropped his hands from mine and grabbed another beer. “Is Izzy short for Isabelle?”

  My mouth got dry. “Isabella, but I don’t want to ever go by that. Just…just Izzy.” I glanced back at him, his brows pulled together, apparently confused what the big deal would be.

  “Okay.” He cleared his throat and came up to me and my heart beat faster.

  The fact that I didn’t want to be his rebound was quickly fading away. I didn’t care anymore. I wet my lips because I kept thinking about his and how incredible they would feel pressed against mine again.

  He cupped my chin gently tilting my head toward his and stopped. I thought for sure he was going to kiss me. I started to close my eyes, but then he spoke as he touched my cheek, “Whenever you need to talk, I’ll be here.”

  Silence. Just silence between us. Although at that point, my heart beat so fast and I swear so loud. I was able to choke out, “Uh-huh” and blinked my eyes quickly. His body was right up against mine and I felt his hardness against my body. I swallowed not knowing what was next. He seemed confused as if he were trying to talk himself into something…or out of something. He dropped his hand from my face and backed away. Why didn’t he kiss me?

  Broken from that connection, swallowing, I squeaked out, “So, do you need a pillow or blanket or something?”

  “Uh, no thanks...I’m good,” he told me as he started settling himself onto the couch. I was confused. I thought we had some connection, but maybe I had been too drunk and misunderstood all the signals.

  “Alright…I, um, I’m going to head upstairs. Goodnight.” And with that I quickly went up the stairs to my room and closed the door. Breathe. Being so close to Z just took my breath away. I quickly got my PJs on, jumped into bed and pulled the covers up tightly. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt like I had to hold the blankets up to stop me from going back downstairs. I wanted to have his strong arms wrapped around me. I stared at the ceiling forever trying to not think about Z, but failed miserably. At least that’s a good change from trying not to think about him.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Z

  I STARED at the wall with my heart beating out of my chest. I needed her lips on mine so badly I ached. God, she smelled so fucking good. I could still smell her. She smelled like sweet flowers or something...maybe it was Jasmine? I wanted to taste her lips, to feel her body against mine, thrust my fingers through her gorgeous hair again. She looked like she wanted to kiss me too. Didn’t she? Shit. I promised myself I wouldn’t go full speed with her and I knew if I kissed her right then, I’d take advantage of her being drunk and add to her thinking she was a rebound.

  Mel had told me before she went up to bed that both of us are coming out of bad relationships and that Izzy’s ex had really messed with her head. I was kind of thinking the same thing. I mean, what the hell did her ex do to her? Clark had said she mentioned a punishment? Like what kind of sick jerk punishes his girlfriend? What did Mel say again? That douche was controlling. No shit, he fucking punishes her over a beer. I rolled over and tried to drift off to sleep feeling the buzz in full force and wondering what a punishment is. I decided in my haze I would get one of them drunk and figure out what the hell happened with that asshole and Izzy, then go beat the piss out of him.

  Shit. I really want to go up to her room. I wanted to pull her close to me and bury my head in her hair, after all, that she said tonight during her fight with Mel. What did she say? She just wanted to be loved. I was already falling in love with her in such a short amount of time. How the hell can that be? I’ve never told a woman I loved her and here I was, only after a couple
weeks knowing her, wanting to say it to her. I haven’t stopped thinking about her since she first walked into my bar.

  The next morning, I woke to the smell of coffee. I sat up and saw Flynn at the kitchen island eating cereal.

  “Hey.” He nodded at me.

  “Hey yourself. Sleep well?” I asked him.

  “Nah, I feel like shit. Especially after what I said to Mel.” He looked like crap too.

  “Why the hell did you say that to her?” She slept with her boss way back before Flynn knew her. So what did it matter? He seems to be holding that over her or something. I haven’t figured it out.

  “I said it because it’s true. She can go in whenever she wants to, more so because she slept with that douche. And I’m pretty sure he sexted her last night.”

  “Dude, you’re into her, she’s into you. I don’t get why you guys are playing this stupid game. If you want her, take her. She wants you. Don’t think I don’t notice how you guys dance together all the time at the club. She’s giving you those stupid gestures. Small hand touches, that stupid crap chicks do.”

  “Screw you,” he chided. “You know he still wants her. I watched him with her when I’ve gone in to meet her for lunch. She still flirts with him. If we hooked up, I’d have to deal with that shit all the time.”

  “Ah, now I see. You just don’t want to have to compete. It was a one-night stand years ago. She doesn’t flirt with him. You just keep picturing him bending her over, that’s all.”

  “Fuck you, dick.” I was trying to get a rise out of him just to see what he’d say. Maybe then he’d go after what he wanted.

  “Whatever, man.”

  Mel picked that moment to walk down the stairs. She was dressed nice. Wow, she was really going to make him pay now. Her ass was showcased in that tight black skirt. I always wondered how women walked in those skirts. Crap, her tits were propped up too now that I glanced up. Wow…hair fully done and makeup too. Shit. Payback is a bitch, Flynn. I looked at him. Yep. Fucker was feeling it now. Dick may want to close his mouth too.

  Mel walked in and sweetly sang, “Mornin’ boys.”

  “Good Morning, Mel. Wow, you look lovely this morning.” I over did that too. I love getting a rise out of Flynn. He shot me a look that normally would scare anyone else, but I knew him too well since we grew up together.

  Flynn cleared his throat, staring at her and glancing over her body. “Hey, Mel.” Think he was trying to figure out an apology, but didn’t seem to be coming up with one. Come on...give her something. Some compliment. Come on buddy. “You showcasing your shit so he can fuck you again?” And…there it goes. Idiot. Way to go Flynn. You’ll never get her now.

  I grabbed a mug and filled up on coffee waiting for this show to start. It was getting good actually. I turned back to see Mel straighten herself. She had a quick flash of anger but regained it quickly. This will be good.

  “Yeah, this skirt is perfect for fucking. We’ve already planned out how he’ll bend me over our new art piece. I didn’t even bother with panties this morning.”

  Wow. And there was her “fuck you” back at him. I watched him wince and turn red. He grabbed his keys and stormed out.

  “Little harsh, don’t you think Mel?” I asked after the door shut.

  “No, I don’t. He deserved it for being an ass last night and then again right now. He didn’t need to bring it up again. It’s like every time I think we’re going to finally get together, he throws that in my face. Not like I haven’t had to watch him hit on chicks all the time when we’re out.”

  “I personally think you should just sneak into his bedroom one night and screw the hell out of him.” Did I really say that out loud?

  I was going for shock value. Instead she wound up shocking me by saying, “I thought about doing that, but if he turned me down I’d never be able to face him again.”

  Clark came down the stairs just as she said that and asked, “Who can’t you face?”

  Mel murmured, “Nothing.”

  Clark started in, “So what was up with you and Izzy and that crying shit? Are you two gonna be hormonal like that all the time? ‘Cause I can’t have that happen, especially if I have a chick stay the night.”

  “When do they ever stay the night? You kick them out right after I hear you get off.” Mel was frustrated with him already. I had to admit it was pretty early in the morning to deal with him.

  He laughed at that and pretty much agreed. “I can’t have them spending the night thinking I want more than just getting off. If they spend the night, they’ll want to cuddle and all that stupid shit.”

  Both Mel and I yelled different obscenities at him. He laughed, grabbed his keys and said, “Later!” As he went out the door.

  I couldn’t stop thinking about what Izzy blurted out last night. “What’s up with Izzy and her whack job ex? What was Clark talking about punishment over a beer?”

  “That’s why I told you to be careful with Iz. She told me some pretty messed up stuff.” Mel looked away.

  I wanted to know, but not really. I went ahead bit the bullet. “Like what? Like bondage and shit?”

  Mel looked at me and closed her eyes, “Yeah, pretty much that with whips and stuff. It’s pretty messed up.”

  Anger rose through me and I winced, wanting to find and beat the shit out of that sick douche. Not to mention the thought of someone else touching her sweet body made me blind with rage. I’ll be hitting the boxing ring later. “What’s his name, by the way?”

  “Don’t start with your shady connections, Z. He’s pretty rich and has his own connections, I’m sure of it. He’d probably have attorneys all over your ass in a heartbeat and that’s not going to help her out. She seems like she’s into you.” She paused and took a deep breath. “Look, I meant what I said last night. She’s coming off some sick relationship; she’s going to need kid gloves.”

  “I know. I get it,” I replied remembering how close I came last night to grabbing her and kissing her. I was definitely getting in the ring today. I needed to beat the shit out of something or someone. I wondered what mood my training partner, Daryl, was in today. He might be hurting after I get through with him.

  “I still haven’t found out what finally happened that actually made her leave. He had two years with her. Seems like he really screwed with her head.”

  “Maybe we should just buy her more beer. She chugged that shit down.”

  Mel laughed. “That’s nothing. You should have seen her in college. We used to go to frat parties and bet she could funnel faster than some of the football players. She always won. And don’t even think about betting against her in pool. That girl can hustle the best of them!”

  She turned serious then and sighed, “Look, she had a pretty messed up childhood. From what I could make out on our drunk nights, her Dad split before she was born. Her Mom seemed like a whore, picking up guys at the pool hall. Think she OD’d on something when Izzy was young and she spent years in foster homes. That’s how she met Brad. He was her foster brother in one of the homes, but they don’t really talk about it. Somehow through all that, she managed to earn a fantastic scholarship and got into college. I thought she was going to really have a good life finally and then that asshole started up with her.”

  She thought some more and became more agitated. “When she first started out with him, she said he frightened her because he was so intense. I told her that wasn’t a good thing. But, she kept telling me about their dates to these fancy restaurants. He bought her clothes and took her several times to Paris and to some vacation home in Lake Como. It just spiraled and the next thing I knew, she said she was going to go live with him. I told her not to do that and we fought. Bad. She stormed out and I didn’t see or hear from her after that.”

  “Wow. That’s…pretty messed up.” I didn’t know what else to say. “Did she say anything that alluded to why she may have left? I mean after two years?”

  “She mentioned that she told some personal trainer that sh
e was upset her ex wasn’t in love with her or something, then the trainer told her ex and something happened. I just can’t figure out what. It had to be pretty bad though.”

  I felt like I was going to be sick. “Like what? He was already beating her and shit.” I was raising my voice and Mel shh’d me angrily.

  “Keep it down. I know I wasn’t supposed to say anything. But…I don’t know...if you’re starting to feel anything for her, you should know about all this crap. Uh... Maybe, I shouldn’t have said anything.” She was shaking her head. “Izzy was holding out that he would tell her he loved her or something. You heard her last night, she just wanted to be loved. I know she’s never had a guy tell her he loves her.” Mel took a deep breath. “I don’t get it. Izzy dated a lot of great guys in college.” I cringed at her saying that. The boxing ring will feel great if I keep thinking about this shit. Mel continued, “But it seemed like just when things were starting to get good with them, she’d break it off.”

  I started thinking about their guy friends. Both girls were hot, didn’t Bernie and Mick or whatever make a move? “Umm, so what about those two guys you were both friends with—Bernie and Mick? Why didn’t you guys date them?” I didn’t really want to hear this, but felt like I needed to ask.

  “Brad and Mack,” she corrected me. “No, they were seriously like brothers to us. Both guys were really protective over us. Since Brad was with her in a foster home, they went through some stuff together. They were really close. He didn’t seem to have such a screwed up childhood, but they bonded being in foster homes together.”

  She started laughing. “One time we were at a bar and Iz just hustled this guy, pretty big guy, and he called her out on it. He actually shoved her over the table and Brad jumped up and beat the shit out of him. Izzy just clapped him on the back and said, ‘I knew you’d be there for me, just like always.’”

  “So where were these two guys when douchebag started coming around?” I couldn’t help but think Brad would have at least tried to stop her.