“We can?” I touched the head of his cock, wiping the precum away and smearing it across my lips.
“Goddammit, Lucy.” He slammed his fist against the door and I flinched. He tasted so good on my lips when I licked his flavor away. “Do you know how hard it is for me not to fuck you right now?”
“Seems like it’s pretty fucking hard.” I gripped his erection in my fist.
“It is. So get out before I break a promise we both made.”
“Okay. I’m leaving. I don’t like Carmen opening your door though.”
“Stop calling her Carmen. Jesus.”
“Should I call her Jesus then?” I smirked.
“Out, Lucy,” he boomed. I sighed and left his room with so many feelings coursing through me it was hard to count.
Downstairs, Nora and Lauren sat on the couch and Lauren frowned at me when I sat beside her. She smelled like Abel though and since I couldn’t fuck him, I was going to smell him at least. “Nice perfume,” I complimented her.
“I don’t have anything on.”
“Oh, you do. It’s my favorite,” I exhaled.
“I’m going to get something to drink, Nora would you like anything?” Lauren stood and smiled at my sister while ignoring my existence.
“I’m good. Thank you, Lauren. Luce, you want anything?”
“Whiskey would be nice.”
“It’s ten in the morning for Christ’s sake.”
“Don’t think I asked what time it was. I asked for whiskey. Hop to Carmen.” I clapped my hands and stretched my legs out on Abel’s pristine glass coffee table.
“How are you two twins?” Lauren asked with a disgusted lip curl.
“Because our mom’s egg split in two and then we implanted in her uterus and still came out better than you.” I winked at her and she grumbled before turning on her heel and heading into the kitchen.
“Lucy, I thought we were being nice.”
“You can be nice, Nora. I hate that bitch. She looks like a bird and she acts like one too. Squawk.” The bird noise came out of my mouth as soon as Lauren walked back in and Nora slapped her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh.
“Abel doesn’t have whiskey,” Lauren sat down with a bottle of sparkling water and I rolled my eyes.
“Abel doesn’t have whiskey because you’re encroaching on his space. He always keeps whiskey for me,” I smiled like the innocent angel I am. Before Lauren could say anything, Abel came downstairs. He grinned from ear to ear when he saw Nora. They rushed into each other and hugged and my heart tingled.
“Nora, what’s up?” He kissed the top of her head.
“It’s been a while since the Waters kids hung out. We need to fix that.” She laid her head on his chest and I beamed.
“So since it’s Waters kids only. Out.” I pointed at Lauren and Abel sighed.
“Lucy…”
“What? Don’t most birds have wings? She can fly away. Squawk.”
“Excuse me? You’re so childish. Doesn’t it get tiring?”
“No. I’m full of energy.” I folded my arms and swung my feet back and forth.
“Lucy,” Nora called me that time.
“Abel you said there would be boundaries,” Lauren pouted.
“You said there would be boundaries,” I mocked. “Go home, Carmen.”
“You’re a bitter, jealous little girl and until you grow up you and Abel will never have a normal relationship. This is unhealthy.” Lauren stood up and I stood up too since we were all going to stand. Shit.
“You don’t know anything about me and my brother’s relationship. Keep your mouth shut.”
“I know enough.”
“Lauren, you need to back off,” Nora warned.
“Okay, let’s de-escalate this situation. Lauren, I’m going to spend some time with my sisters. I’ll see you later.”
“Like I said, this is unhealthy.” She pointed from me to Abel and I shut my eyes. If she said unhealthy one more fucking time I was going to lose it. My skin prickled and electricity crackled through my veins.
“You wanted boundaries, I’m giving them to you. Let me handle Lucy.” Abel’s voice was harsh and it calmed Lauren down but she still glared at me. She could glare all day as long as she didn’t say anything about me and Abel’s relationship.
“I meant boundaries that put her out and kept me close. She’s not your woman. I am.” The way she hurled knives at my brother with her snappy tone sent me over the edge. I snatched her short hair in my hand and yanked her backward, sending her feet flying from under her.
“Lucy!” Nora and Abel shouted after me but I ignored them. I dragged Lauren, it didn’t matter that she was a little heavier than me. I was powered by crazy. It knows no limits. I didn’t care what she crashed into as I pulled her with both hands toward the front door.
She needed to get the hell out.
Abel wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me backward but I was still gripping his girlfriend’s hair. “Let go, Lucy,” Nora pled.
“Get her off me!” Lauren wailed. The noises that came out of my mouth weren’t human. They were animalistic and angry. I wanted her out.
“Luce!” Abel shouted in my ear.
“Put her out, Abel! Now!”
“Okay! She’s gone as soon as you let go. Come on, baby. Let go for me.” He whispered in my ear. His breath swept over my skin and I let Lauren’s hair go. She scrambled away, backing herself against the front door. “Thank you,” Abel breathed. “Lauren, you should go.”
“Abel, we’re done! You can have your sister.”
“Stop saying shit like that!” He thundered.
“That’s who you want isn’t it?”
“That’s out of line, Lauren,” Nora frowned, standing beside me. “You don’t understand their relationship and it’s not for you. I think you need to go now. In a minute, Lucy isn’t going to be the only one dragging you.” Lauren slammed the door behind her with a frustrated scream leaving me, Nora, and Abel.
The Waters kids.
The way it should have been.
**
I spent the entire day with Nora and Abel. I hadn’t been that happy in a long time. I didn’t even clock into work drunk. I breezed through the break room and past Hush.
“You’re not drunk today,” he smirked.
“And you’re speaking in complete sentences. Someone might catch you, Hush.” I stared into his glowing eyes and he laughed. It lit his entire face up and I had to look away because I melted a little.
“Nah, my secret is safe with you, Lucy.” He winked at me and I hit his arm. I don’t know why but it was the only thing I could think of to do. When he said my name it made me feel weird but definitely not a bad weird.
Is that the way friendship felt?
He left the break room and I stood there like an idiot, smiling. Treasure walked past the room then backed up and looked inside at me. “Why the hell are you standing there like that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I was thinking about something. Let me get out here and get to work.” I planned to have another great night of tips. I declared it to myself in the bathroom mirror and I firmly believed that whenever you declared something with positive intent, the universe made it happen. I made a declaration that I would let Abel be my brother and not my man anymore too. I shut my eyes and pushed out a soft breath before killing it all night behind the bar.
“Treasure, I’m gonna take fifteen,” I spoke in her ear so she could hear me over the loud music.
“Okay.” I knew she wouldn’t mind because it meant she would get all my tips. I went into the break room, grabbed a soda, and fell over onto the couch. Hush came in after me and shoved me over so he could sit down.
“You’re so rude. You could have asked me to move. Nobody else is in here,” I looked around like I didn’t know we were alone.
“Nah,” he shrugged.
“Let’s hang out tonight, Hush.” I knew Nora would be sleeping and I still had plenty of energ
y to burn. I was a night owl.
“No,” he frowned at me then broke into a smile. “Sure, Lucy.” He tousled my hair and made me feel like a little kid.
“You’re such an asshole. I like you though.” I laid my head on his shoulder and he tensed. “What? You act like I have Ebola.”
“Move,” he sighed, shoving my head.
“Hush, your shoulders are like five feet across, I can’t lay on them?”
“No.”
“Fine then. If I can’t lay on your shoulder, you’re treating tonight when we eat.”
“Deal.” He shook my hand and I rolled my eyes. I was new to having real friendships but so far so good.
**
“What did you make?” Hush walked up behind me in the break room while I counted out tips and I jumped, clutching my chest.
“Jesus, you scared me. Not only are you huge and mute, you’re like a ninja.”
“I’m not mute,” he scowled.
“Well everyone else doesn’t need to know that, weirdo.”
“Crazy.” He taunted me right back and the corners of my lips burned with a smile that wanted to be much bigger than it was.
“I resent that. I’m not crazy. I’m misunderstood.”
“Uh huh. Crazy.” Hush shook his head then headed to the back door. “My truck?” He asked over his shoulder.
“Yes,” I nodded, stuffing money back in my bra. I ran behind him and hopped in the passenger seat when he unlocked the door. “Blue Bayou again. I want more fried fish.”
“Greedy ass,” he laughed.
“Plus I want to see if the waiter we had is still there. He likes me. He’ll give me free whiskey.”
“That’s what you really care about isn’t it?” Hush chuckled.
“Yes.” I scrolled through his iTunes and played a song while we rode. I lucked up and we got the same waiter from the previous night. He grinned at me and Hush hid his laughter as I got free whiskey.
“Thanks, love,” I smiled at him and he said something that I didn’t pay attention to. The only thing I listened to was that glass of liquor. “Okay, so tell me how you ended up working at On the Rocks.” I tucked my foot underneath my body and stared into Hush’s eyes.
“I got out of jail. Needed a job. Treasure hired me. The end.” My skin buzzed at the mention of jail. I leaned in closer and finished my first drink.
“You already know that shit isn’t going to fly. Tell me why you were in jail.”
“No,” he ate a bite of food and tried to ignore me by staring at his phone. I snatched it from him and he tried to take it back until I dropped it in my bra. He wasn’t going down there and he knew it. He folded his bulky arms and grumbled.
“Lucy, give me my phone.”
“Give me an answer, Chase.” His gaze snapped to mine. He didn’t look mad, just shocked that I used his real name. I like his name though. It was nice.
“Stop being difficult. Why can’t you take the answer I gave you?”
“Because it’s short and vague. I want to know more about you. I can’t do that with short, vague answers.”
“Why do you want to know more about me, Lucy? You have the entire world trying to know more about you, I’m sure. I see the way customers gawk at you and talk your ear off.” I smiled a little and shrugged.
“You’re right, but that’s not what’s important. Those people don’t matter. I see you every day, Chase. You. Not Hush. The real you. I want to know more about you. You’re my new friend. You’re my only friend.”
“You have siblings,” he pointed out.
“And that’s what they are. They’re my family. I don’t have anyone I can call a friend though. Now, stop distracting me and tell me what the hell you were in jail for.”
“And here I thought you’d forgotten,” he laughed.
“I never forget. Spill it.” After a lot of moaning and groaning and acting like a toddler, Hush opened up to me.
“I punched a guy one night during a fight and…he didn’t wake up.”
“Oh my God, you killed him?”
“No, he was in a coma for a long time though. Six months. I crushed some important stuff in his skull. My time was contingent on if he lived or died.” He dragged his eyes to mine. “I prayed every day that he woke up and one day…he did.”
“So they let you go?”
“After a lot of back and forth with lawyers, yeah, but now I’m on probation.”
“Shit, Hush. That’s a lot. Now I see why you keep to yourself. I would too. Fuck that.”
“Exactly,” he huffed. “I don’t want anyone or anything messing up my probation. It’s bad enough I’m a six foot eight black man. I don’t need to talk and make myself more intimidating.”
“Damn. You’re six eight?” My eyes went wide as I stared at him. I was off by an inch. I knew he was tall though.
“That’s all you heard, Lucy?” His smile was absolutely fucking ridiculous. I wanted to see more of it. It was blinding and it was such a contrast from the scowl I was so used to seeing.
“No. I heard that you have a really good reason for why you don’t talk much. You can talk to me though.” I held his hand across the table and he gave it a squeeze.
“Thank you.” He took a long drink of water and let his eyes flit over my face. “Tell me about your siblings. You seem like you love them a lot.” I nodded eagerly and pulled up a picture on my phone.
“This is us. Abel, Nora and me. We hung out today and it was amazing.” Hush blinked a few times and looked at me.
“There are two of you? Jesus.”
“Yeah. We’re twins.”
“Wow. I knew you had a sister I didn’t know it was your twin.”
“Yeah. She’s cute isn’t she?” I laughed.
“Very cute,” he chuckled. “You must be the baby.”
“Didn’t you hear me say we’re twins?” I quizzed after ordering another whiskey.
“I did. You must have come out last. You know what the hell I meant, Lucy.” God, there he was saying my name again. My spine caught a chill and I squirmed around in my seat.
“I did. How can you tell?”
“You’re carefree. The baby always is. Doesn’t matter if it’s by minutes or not.”
“You think I’m carefree?”
“You are. At least that’s how you seem to me. You don’t have to worry about getting locked up or making curfew.”
“I worry about stuff.” Thoughts of Abel danced in my head and I pushed them away.
“I’m sure you do, I didn’t mean to imply you had nothing to worry about. I guess I just wish I were carefree too.” The waiter sat another drink in front of me and I started sucking it down while Hush shook his head.
“Why do you drink so much, Lucy?” Since his question didn’t sound judgy, I answered him.
“I like it. It makes me forget.” My eyes dropped to my drink and I stared directly into my painful memories.
I saw myself sitting on the edge of the tub, holding a pregnancy test, shaking like a leaf. I was pregnant and it was Abel’s. He was the only person I’d ever had sex with. I sucked plenty of dicks and gave a mean hand job but sex was reserved for Abel. I remembered wondering how the hell we could be so careless.
It felt good but I couldn’t let my family know I was pregnant and by my brother no less. I panicked and ran into his room, holding the test. He hugged me and kissed my forehead. He told me it would be okay but I was too scared. I told him we had to get rid of it.
I could see the pain in his eyes but he agreed. He took me to the clinic and I got an ultrasound to determine how far along I was.
Three months.
I was three months pregnant.
With twins.
I aborted them both and I worried every day that Nora or my parents would find out. When I drank, I didn’t think. I didn’t worry. I didn’t wonder how old the twins would be or when their birthdays would have been. I didn’t wonder if they would have been boys or girls.
�
�Lucy?” Hush’s voice pulled me out of the glass of whiskey and I realized I was crying. I sucked in a breath and wiped my eyes.
“Yeah, sorry about that. Sometimes I get lost in my own thoughts.”
“Seems like you have a lot you want to forget. I’m sorry that it makes you cry.” He was so sincere that the tears rolled again.
“It’s fine, Hush.” I knocked back the rest of my drink and sighed. “Well, just know that I have deep, dark shit I worry about too.”
“I guess I shouldn’t have assumed otherwise.” We got lost in each other after that, laughing and talking. I refused to talk about anything that wasn’t happy. I lost track of the time and so did he.
“Shit, Lucy, I need my phone.” I was staring at him so hard I barely heard him. I shook my head and pulled the phone out of my bra, slapping it in his hand. “We gotta go.” He stood up and dropped money on the table then yanked my hand and dragged me outside.
“Hush, what’s wrong?” I put on my seatbelt and looked at him.
“I have fifteen minutes to check in.” He hauled ass and I laughed every time he hit a speed bump without slowing down. “You are so wasted.”
“I know but it feels like I’m flying.” I laid my head against the headrest and made flying noises while hush drove. I must have fallen asleep at some point but I had no idea when it happened.
**
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Mr. Wheeler, you made it with two minutes to spare.” My PO looked at me and grunted. “Breathalyzer.” He shoved the machine in my face and I blew into it then he shoved a cup in my hand. After he tested my piss and read the blood alcohol results he let me go.
Lucy was still passed out in the passenger side of my truck and I laughed thinking of what would happen if she got tested. That machine would blow up. Before I woke her, I took a few minutes to stare at her. We were friends but damn, she was gorgeous. I took a chance and touched her cheek then pulled my hand away.
“Lucy, wake up. Come on, crazy.” I shook her shoulder.
“Chase,” she whined and my throat got tight. She didn’t call me Hush. Even when she was asleep she thought of me as Chase. Maybe she did see me for who I really was. If all we were going to be was friends, then I made a silent vow never to let a friend as special as Lucy go. She was crazy but she was good. Good people are rare.
LUCY Page 9
