This was the part where I should have stayed in my fucking seat. The weasel made his move and slid behind Megan. His hands landed on her hips and something vibrated in my throat. I must have made a sound because Rick questioned me.
With a quick shake of my head, I focused on the scene that played out before me. As crowded as it was, fate wanted me to see. She stood at the end of a parted space giving me an unobstructed view of her. It was like she was trying to make me jealous.
When one of his hands slid south and the other moved north, I was my feet without realizing it. Her eyes popped open and she noticed who was behind her and glared. That’s when I made my move. She was saying something to him, but he hadn’t let her go. She struggled to get away and never saw me coming.
But he did and ducked in time, leaving me to plow into him. My fist to slam wildly into the wall behind us. The force of the blow reverberated up my arm. He’d shoved her out of the way so my right connected with his solar plexus knocking the wind from his lungs. He was down and I was far from done.
In the distance I heard shouting, but I wailed on the guy until a couple of guys pulled me off. That’s when I spotted the plain clothes cop. My arms were wrenched behind me as Megan gave the douchebag all her attention.
I ended up in the back of the patrol car waiting for my fate as they talked to the loser, who had Megan at his side. Apparently chivalry was dead. Though the alcohol dulled some of the pain in my arm, it throbbed like a son of bitch, especially cuffed behind my back.
“Are we taking him in?” one of the uniform cops said as he ambled over to the car.
Another cop near the dipshit as an ambulance came into the parking lot held up a thumbs up.
The cop near me got in. “Looks like your night just got worse.”
I said nothing only watched Megan until our eyes locked for barely a second before we pulled out. The only good thing was I hadn’t driven tonight. Bad thing was my entire future was on hold because of one drunken mistake for a girl who in the end hadn’t appreciated it.
27
past
Why had I agreed to go to the prom was beyond my understanding at the moment. There was no one at the school I gave two shits about except one.
He held her close like I would have because he knew that the moment he let her go, another guy would sweep in to steal her away.
My date was busy running her mouth with a group of girls. I slipped outside unnoticed and pulled the flask from my rented tux jacket enjoying the burn of vodka I’d gotten from Dad’s stash. He wouldn’t miss it and I needed something to help quiet the demons in my head.
I wasn’t sure how long I was out there staring into space until she found me, eyes watery and red.
“Come help please?”
I was a sucker for her tears.
“What’s wrong, Ashley.”
“It’s Tim. They’re going to kill him.”
She tugged at my arm but, not to lead me inside the school. I was led around to the parking lot. At first I planned to refuse. Tim and I weren’t buddies and I wasn’t going to get expelled so close to graduation because he was fighting with some other loser.
What I saw chilled me. It was a replay of all those years ago. The debt collectors had come for blood. Tim apparently had a gambling problem.
Her boyfriend was on his knees. Though I was certain he was praying, I didn’t think he’d willing got in that pose.
“Hold up,” I said, jogging over where they stood.
“This ain’t none of your business,” the first wise ass said.
He was a big beefy guy but not fat. I didn’t know him on sight, but I understood his kind.
“What does he owe?” I asked but not too loudly.
Why I was keeping this from Ashley was yet another mystery. She needed to know what life would be like with this dipshit. Rumor had it they were getting married before he went off to basic training.
“You willing to pay it,” the wise ass said loud enough everyone heard.
His two buddies only grunted in laughter.
“Maybe.”
That shut them up and garnered me way too much inspection.
“What’s it to you?”
I used the only excuse I had and one they would understand.
“She’s hot. I help her and her boyfriend and she feels grateful to me.”
His bark of laughter was music to my ears. He was buying my story.
“One G.”
I turned back to where the two held Tim.
“How much do you have?” I asked him.
That’s when I noticed his black eye. He spit out blood and said, “Two, in my pocket.”
I nodded at the extras. They let him go and Tim got the money. He handed it to me and Ashley wailed.
“No, we need that for the baby.”
You’ve got to be shitting me.
I must have said that out loud because she said, “I’m pregnant.”
As if I didn’t get it the first time.
I handed the money to her. She was more responsible than that asshole. I turned back to the man in charge. “I’ll cover it.”
“And I’m to take your word.”
I used my get out of jail free card.
“Big Papa can vouch for me.”
His eyes grew at the sound of the boss’s street name.
He nodded. He rattled off a place and time before he flagged over his cronies. They left Tim to fall to his hands and knees like a dog on all fours.
Ashley kneeled next to him giving him comfort, leaving me to ask myself why I was helping her.
“Tim,” I said, gaining their attention.
He reared back to stand up and swayed some. I’d missed the show where they’d tenderized him.
“Thanks man. I’ll pay you back.”
I held up a hand.
“Consider it paid as long as you don’t do shit like this again. What would have happened if Ashley hadn’t gotten me?”
The shook his head muttering apologies as he tried to keep his balance.
“You would have left her alone, her and your kid.”
Those last words hurt.
“I promise.”
I ghosted when I heard the sounds of sirens. A crowd had spilled out of the gym. When I reached my date, she wanted to know what happened. I just needed to get out of there. I was already on the cops radar.
28
megan
What the hell happened? I’d watched in horror as Gavin nearly beat the snot out of Derrick. I’d spent most of the night at the hospital as they stitched a couple of gashes on his head and popped his nose back in place.
The door burst open and Reagan walked in.
“You’re finally here,” I said and steadied myself in her embrace.
I spotted the flowers and pulled back to meet her glare head on.
“What was so important I had to get back here right away?” she asked, before moving off to find what I guessed was something to put the flowers in.
“Nice. He gets points for remembering what day it is.”
I tried for levity considering her annoyance.
Sweet Reagan wasn’t happy.
“I would have had more fun on this day if you hadn’t demanded I come back. Now what’s up?”
I let my tongue run over my lips, trying to decide where to begin. “You wouldn’t believe what happened last night with Gavin.”
Her head whipped around and water overflowed the vase. “I thought we weren’t supposed to talk about him.”
I eyed her and then the water until she got the hint. “We weren’t. But since you were too busy studying last night, I went out with Gigi and Jenny.”
“Jenny?” she asked, turning back around after stuffing the flowers in the water.
So I told her the sordid story, reminding her that I’d asked her to come, but ended up with Jenny and her minion. I explained about seeing Gavin at the bar and how he went ballistic when Derrick danced with me.
“Ye
ah, but after the cops showed up, everyone pointed at Gavin for starting it. They took him away. Derrick was pretty messed up. I had to go to the hospital with him. But I couldn’t stop thinking about if the asshole was okay and if they’d leave him in jail,” I said.
She bit her lip. “He called Tade and he went to get him from the hospital.”
That shocked me. “He was there, too?”
Her face crinkled up. “That’s all I know.”
“I hope he’s okay,” I muttered, more to myself.
The weirder thing was how the cops had acted when I’d given them my statement. When I said my name was Megan, you would have thought I was the president of the United States the way the cops swooped in. It had taken an hour to clear up the fact that I wasn’t the missing Meghan.
The way everyone talked, they were sure she’d eventually turn up after partying with friends she had all over the world. If I hadn’t known she was somebody before, I knew it now. Her parents must be loaded.
Later, when Reagan hadn’t heard anything from Tade, I texted Gavin.
Me: R U Ok?
When the dots appeared I felt some relief. He wasn’t in jail.
Gavin: Alive.
Crap on a cracker, why did he have to be a jerk.
Me: Good.
I dropped the phone and hated myself for texting him. It buzzed, dancing on the comforter.
Gavin: Worried Angel?
My thumbs flew over the screen.
Me: Nope.
Not even a second later:
Gavin: Yes U were. U come n xx to make it better.
I dropped the phone so fast you would have thought I burnt myself. I glared at it as if he could see me. I didn’t answer.
A few seconds later he sent a laughing gif to me.
It would be several days later before I saw him again. I’d dragged Reagan to a party at one of the dorms. Just as we turned a corner, there he was leaning against the wall as some girl signed his cast.
He’d broken his arm. No one bothered to mention that to me.
Jealousy sucked. Seeing him made something burn in my gut. But I was better than him—I planned to have a good time despite him. I grabbed Reagan’s hand and marched for the open door he stood near. Before I could go in, he stopped me.
I glanced up into sky blue eyes. He didn’t give me time to say anything to my friend before he tugged me halfway down the hall.
“She’ll be fine,” he said, coming to a stop. “Tade’s in there.”
His mouth was on mine before I could answer. For a second, I melted like a Popsicle in summer. Then I shoved at his chest, only he was already leaning against the wall. He winced and I remembered his arm.
“What was that for?” I snapped.
He wore a smug grin like a badge of honor. “You owe me.”
My jaw fell open. “Owe you? You can’t be serious.”
“You were pissed he had his hands on you and I almost went to jail for it.”
“Almost is right, and I would have handled it.”
“When?” His eyes dared me to come up with an answer.
“Fine. He wouldn’t let me go. But you didn’t have to try and kill him.”
“He had his hands on you.”
Was that a growl? The air had gone chilly and we just glared at each other.
“I don’t get you. Why do you care?” He had no answer. I felt like we kept circling this question. “Besides, if anything you should thank me for you not going to jail.” His lids drew almost shut. “Yeah, that’s right. I got Derrick not to press charges.”
Then Reagan appeared and whispered in my ear. “Will you be okay if I leave with Tade?”
After a glance over at a hopeful Tade and back at her, I nodded. She gave me a tooth whitener worthy smile. They were so going to have sex.
After they left, a wicked gleam sparkled in his blue eyes.
“Go with me somewhere?”
“As if,” I said, prepared to walk away but I couldn’t make my feet work.
The way he looked at me paralyzed me.
“You and I both know they’re going to fuck. I don’t want to go home and hear it. This party is lame and you know it.”
Why was my heart a slave to this man?
Though I hadn’t said yes, he said, “Wait here.”
Five seconds later he was back with a six pack of beers hanging off his finger as he held that hand out to me.
After a moment of hesitation, I took the beer from him instead. He chuckled.
The night was cool and cleared my head some. I stopped.
“What are we doing?” I asked him.
“Hanging out.”
“Why?” The more I hung out with this man, the deeper hole my heart dug. Soon I wouldn’t be able to crawl out of it.
“I owe you for keeping me out of jail.” He had answers for everything. “Besides, there’s something I want you to help me with.”
That sounded ominous, but it made me curious all the same. He took my hand and tugged me all the way to the boathouse. He had a key.
“I need your help getting a boat down.”
I gaped at him. “I can’t carry a boat.”
“I can—I just need help getting it down from the rack.”
His hand still showed signs of puffiness.
“Why do you want to do this?”
His eyes bounced from me to study the ground. “Tade’s pissed the team’s down a man. I need to know if there’s any way I can still row.”
I moved over and cupped his beautiful face and lifted on my toes so our noses touched. “I get it, I do. But did the doctor say it’s okay?” He moved to turn away, but I held firm. “You might make things worse if you do this before you give your arm time to heal.”
His eyes closed and I missed their warmth. I gave into temptation and pressed my mouth to his. He parted his soft lips and our tongues stroked across each other’s. The kiss wasn’t frantic. It was slow and heart meltingly good.
I rocked back down to my heels, biting my lip. Feeling shy, I walked down the short pier to put distance between us.
“So it’s like that?” he called after me.
The teasing note in his voice made me smile. I sat down and let my legs dangle over the side. He followed, and as he got close I warned him.
“Don’t you dare think about getting me wet unless you plan on coming in with me.”
He chuckled and settled his weight next to mine.
“There are other ways to get you wet.”
A flush crept up my neck to cover my cheeks. “I left myself open for that one.”
His grin widened and I covered my face, realizing what I’d said. “Crap on a cracker!”
My modified curse only made him laugh harder.
I swatted at his leg. “Stop. Don’t make fun of me.”
His smile remained, but the guffaws stopped. I couldn’t see the color of his eyes under the midnight sky, but I felt their intensity. In that moment I realized how vulnerable just I felt with him. He could slay my heart in one fell swoop. So I blurted out the first thing I could to stop the impending kiss that would lead down a road we hadn’t yet traveled.
“I reached out to my father.”
He reversed the inches he’d closed between us.
“You did?” I nodded. “That’s good. Has he responded?”
I thought about what I’d done and explained.
“I couldn’t think of a way to get to see him, so I applied for a job at his company in New York.”
“New York?”
Was that disappointment I heard?
“Yeah, Reagan and I are moving there after we graduate. I figured since I had to find a job anyway, I could apply there. Maybe I’d see him in the office or catch him in the elevator.”
“I guess that’s one way to go about it.”
My insecurity about what I’d done grew when it seemed he didn’t agree with my action. I blurted, “Do you have any other ideas?”
“You could call?”<
br />
“Why? He probably has a security team for crazy chicks who want to see him. Then I’d have to explain to strangers who I am. And if they believed me, he’d find out from someone other than me.”
I panted, trying to catch my breath after having diarrhea of the mouth.
“You’re right,” he agreed. “I hope it works out for you.”
Gavin was many things, but I trusted him and believed he wasn’t pacifying me to get me to shut up.
“What about you? Have you applied for any jobs?”
He gave me a head shake. “I’m sticking to working with my dad.”
“And that’s your dream? Because I don’t buy it.” When his eyes narrowed, I amended my statement. “Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with being a fisherman. Lord knows I don’t know what I’d do without seafood in my life. It’s just…” How could I put it without offending him or his dad? “Your hydro engine and saving the world…”
“Pipe dream.”
He sounded so robotic, my heart broke. I wondered what his father held over him.
“So your engine doesn’t work.”
“It does. But just leave it, okay?”
The burden that kept his shoulders slumped had me turning away. Crickets and the hooting of an owl filled the void of silence between us.
“I’m sorry,” I eventually said. “I shouldn’t have pried.”
His good hand came up to graze my cheek. “Stop talking.” He threaded his fingers in my hair and drew me to his mouth. Fireworks exploded behind my eyes as I leaned into him, needing to be closer.
When his hand left my hair and drifted down my arm, I didn’t stop him. When it landed on my hip and trailed down my thigh, I didn’t stop him. When it stopped between my legs, I urged him on. Widening the gap, I gave him access. He hesitated and I squeezed my thighs a few times, encouraging him to find my center. A few seconds later I moaned when he hit pay dirt. He slid his hand up and down over my covered slit. I was sure my panties were damp with desire.
He made love to my mouth with his tongue and slipped a finger past the fabric to stroke my clit. My breasts were heavy with need, but his other arm, held in a sling, prevented him from touching me there. I spread my legs more in invitation and he took advantage. His finger dipped inside and my head fell back. His hungry mouth kissed down my neck until he reached my pulse point and he sucked.
Captivated by Him Page 16
