by Aliyah Burke
“Jackie and your mom are good friends.”
“I realize that, it just pisses me off to think she can share something with Jackie as opposed to me. I’m her daughter for cryin’ out loud.” Her words rung with bitterness.
“I wish I could make you feel better, hon, but I’ll keep a closer eye on her and let you know what I see or hear.”
“Thank you, Luce.” The burden on her shoulders didn’t feel quite so oppressive anymore. A smile crept across her mouth at the sight of Ethan rolling around with Libby playing tug-of-war with a stick. “How are things going with you and Ethan?”
“I think he just may be the one, Kassidy.”
“The one,” she paused and looked into Lucy’s face, “wait, you mean the one?”
“Yes.” Lucy glanced back to where the tall Jewish man ran around like a boy, free and uncaring what others saw.
Kassidy allowed her gaze to drift between the two of them. Lucy was still a virgin and vowed to remain that way until she found the man she knew God had created for her and her alone. So for her to actually say she believed Ethan to be that man, surprised her. It had been three years since Lucy had said those words before. That guy had turned out to be the wrong one but now there was Ethan.
“What do you think?” Lucy asked.
“I think things must be pretty serious if you’re using that phrase.”
“I just, oh God, Kassidy, I just feel so different when I’m with him. It… it’s like—”
“Right. It feels right and nothing could possibly go wrong and take the feeling from you.”
“Yes, how did you… Justice.”
Goose bumps popped up along her skin at the mention of Justice. “Yes, that’s how I feel when I’m with him.”
“I knew it,” she sighed. “Are you scared?”
She met her friend’s brown gaze. “Yes. Scared that I wake up and find he was all a dream.” With a smile, Kassidy winked at her. “But this so isn’t about me. Have you talked to Ethan, does he know this?”
“That I think he’s the one or that I’m not having sex until I know?”
“Either. Both.”
“I told him I wasn’t ready for that next step yet, I told him that the first night we went out.”
“And?”
A soft smile crossed Lucy’s face. “And he ran his thumb down my cheek and said he’d never push me into anything I wasn’t ready for.”
Tilting her head, she watched Ethan push to his feet and rake a hand through his dark shaggy hair. Even from the distance between them, she could sense the softening of his entire persona when his gaze landed on Lucy.
“I think you may be right, Lucy. He does seem awfully fond of you. Man can’t hardly keep his eyes off you.”
She blushed and tried unsuccessfully to hide the grin. “I feel the same way.”
Kassidy cocked a brow. “You can’t hardly keep your eyes off yourself? When’d you become so vain?”
Lucy sneered at her and tossed a handful of ice chips in her direction. Kassidy dodged them and ran from the table, out toward Libby and Ethan. Hot on her heels was Lucy. Using Ethan as a shield, Kassidy soon found herself laughing and her worries melting away like the ice Lucy had thrown earlier, in the sun.
They spent some time at the batting cages and when she was tired and sore, she and Libby headed for her car with waves to the couple. Brushing off the grass and dirt from her clothes and Libby’s coat, she called Justice but it went to his voicemail.
On the way home, she stopped for dog food and some curbside takeout, too tired to cook anything. There weren’t going to be too many nice nights like this anymore with winter coming on and she just wanted to sit in the backyard and enjoy. With a contented groan she sank to the top step and spread her meal out before her. Libby ate her food quickly then lay beside Kassidy, the sounds of pop music filling the evening air.
Straw in mouth sipping ice tea and Libby licking the sauce from the container, Kassidy jumped slightly when her phone began vibrating on the wooden porch beside her. Eyes remaining closed, she reached blindly for the offensive piece of technology and brought it to her ear.
“Hello?” she mumbled around the straw.
“You called, beautiful?”
A familiar knot began to grow in her stomach. Swallowing more tea she sat up a little straighter.
“Justice?”
“There another man who calls you beautiful?” His tone had the slightest bit of anger in it.
“Where are you?” There was a loud continuous stream of noise he had to speak over.
“Billy’s.”
That explained a lot. “Ahh. Sorry for bothering you. I wanted to see if you were free to grab dinner. No worries.”
“Wanted… as in you no longer do.”
The noise faded slightly but the sound of the gulls grew louder and she knew he’d gone outside to the pier.
“I just finished eating a little bit ago.”
“Kassidy, I’m sorry.”
“For what? It was a spur of the minute thing, nothing to apologize for. Look, I don’t want to keep you from whatever you’re doing, so have fun and I’ll talk to you soon.”
She ended the call before he could say another word. Within moments, the remains of dinner had been tossed and she and Libby were curled up on her chaise/swing combo. That didn’t last too long for some clouds rolled in and the door latched behind them as the first rain fell from the sky.
Kassidy stared at the note for a little while then put it in her desk and figured she would deal with it another day. Then she made some popcorn and put in a DVD. Libby’s head in her lap, she began to watch The Fifth Element. She loved Bruce Willis and had most of his movies in her own collection.
Her doorbell rang just as Korben Dallas woke up from being beaned on the head with his own coffee pot by the priest. Libby jumped off the couch and headed for the door.
“Fudge,” she muttered, reaching for the remote to pause it.
Putting the bowl of popcorn to the side, she got up and headed to the door. Libby stood beside her and so without further thought, she opened the door and promptly lost her breath. Her stomach dropped to her feet as her gaze moved over the man standing before her.
Alex Richman.
“Hello, Kassidy,” he purred in a low tone.
Should have looked through the window at who it was. She skimmed him from head to foot. Impeccably dressed, like normal. It amazed her that this man used to take her breath away and make her almost willing to give up everything, including her family, just to be with him.
“What do you want?”
“Is that any way to greet your boyfriend?”
She couldn’t stop the gasp from escaping. “Boyfriend? I don’t know where you got that idea, but you couldn’t be farther from the truth. Now what do you want?”
“Another chance.”
It felt like snakes were winding their way around her limbs and she fought off a shiver. “No way.”
“Why? You know you’re not dating anyone.”
More headlights cut into the driveway and she immediately felt better when behind those lights she made out a red Corvette.
“Whether I am or not is none of your business. I don’t want you here, Alex. Leave.”
“No. I want you to say you’re going to give us another chance.”
In the light from her porch she could make out beads of sweat on his brow. It’s not that hot out. “There is no ‘another chance’ for you and I, Alex. Why are you here?” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Leave.”
“Don’t force this, Kassidy.”
His tone dropped even more but this time rang with ugliness. She battled back another shiver but refused to cower. She’d done that enough when they were together.
“Get off my porch, Alex.”
He reached out as if he were going to grab her. Right before he made contact another hand circled around his wrist and halted the motion.
“Don’t touch her.”
“What the he—” Alex started to demand but got cut off.
“She told you to leave,” Justice’s voice cracked like a whip through the air. He moved and somehow managed to get between her and Alex. “You have ten seconds before I throw you out of here.”
“This is crazy, man, you can’t just go around grabbing people like this.”
“You think you can grab her, you’re lucky it’s just your wrist I’m putting pressure on. Five seconds.”
Kassidy wasn’t sure what to do. Part of her was glad to let Justice handle it but there was another part of her that didn’t need him to do so. She moved to the right to slide around him but he moved with her, keeping himself squarely between them. Placing her hands on him, she peered around.
“We still need to talk, Kassidy,” Alex said as he hurried off down the steps to his car.
She knew he’d be back. He wasn’t one to give up. Stepping fully around Justice, despite his grumblings, she hollered, “Wait, Alex.”
The man turned and there was a grin on his face. Like he knew I would stop him. The fake gold tooth made its presence known and she fought the urge to roll her eyes.
“Yes, Kassidy?”
Moving to the top step she said, “Say what you need to, then never come back.”
The arrogance that had lit his expression faded away. “We need to talk in private.”
“No, Alex. This is your one chance to say whatever is so important for you to seek me out after all this time.”
Chapter Ten
Justice clenched his hands into fists as he watched Kassidy move down the steps to the crushed shells of her front walk. Unbelievable anger had flowed over him the moment he’d pulled into her drive and saw that man, she’d called Alex, reaching for her. He knew just as sure as he was standing there that this was the man who’d hurt her in their past relationship.
And she’d actually called out that roach’s name and was currently speaking to him. He struggled to remain up on the porch and give them a bit of privacy but he also wanted to make sure she wasn’t in any danger.
Alex was about six feet tall, dark skin, and his black hair in cornrows. He wore a silk suit that despite all attempts didn’t fit him well in the slightest. The gold teeth in his mouth only made Justice want to roll his eyes and punch him right in the shiny objects. But he did none of that. He remained by the door, the screen part keeping Libby in the house, and observed.
Their voices weren’t clear enough for him to understand but the tone was. Neither was happy.
“No!” Kassidy shouted and turned to walk away.
The second that hand reached out to hold her still, Justice moved. He jumped over the steps and was at her side, intercepting the grab.
“I warned you not to touch her,” he growled low, then slammed Alex to the ground.
“Justice!” Kassidy gasped. “Stop it. Let him up.”
Alex made some noise, but in truth Justice wasn’t listening to him in the least. But Kassidy, that was a whole other bucket of bolts. With a low rumble he shoved Alex one more time then got to his feet. The moment he stood upright, he hauled Kassidy up against him.
“What are you doing, Justice? You can’t go around hitting people.”
He tipped her face up toward his. Despite her bravado he could see the fear in her gaze. “I’ll do a lot worse than that to him if he thinks of touching you again.” He tilted his head slightly. “Are you okay?”
She swallowed and nodded. “Yes.”
Instead of releasing her, he drew her in closer. He longed to end the subtle quivers that traversed her body. He brushed his lips along her forehead. “Good.” His quiet and calm vanished when he turned his attention back to the man still getting to his feet. “You,” Justice ground out, “you leave and never bother her again.”
“Kassidy?” Alex coughed and rubbed his wrist.
“Go, Alex. We were finished the day you walked out that door and told me I wasn’t good enough for you. I wasn’t ambitious enough, pretty enough, smart enough. My hair was too curly and hordes of other crap you told me. Just go.”
Justice shook with the force of his anger. He longed to plant his fist right in that man’s face and then do it again and again. How anyone could say such a thing to any person was beyond him. Especially when it came to Kassidy. She was worth so many of that sorry excuse standing before them.
Kassidy put a hand on his chest and moved forward a step, her chin lifted and she said in a crisp, cold tone, “You are a sorry person, Alex. And while I would love to wish bad things upon you, I can’t because that would make me no better than you. And you know what? I am better than you. Stay out of my life.”
Her slight tremors turned into full blow quakes when she buried her face in Justice’s chest. He held her tighter and shot a warning glare at Alex. There was a glint of something in the man’s expression that had Justice wondering if he wouldn’t try again. But Alex conceded this encounter and walked away.
He didn’t move until the man had sat behind the wheel of his Cadillac and left the driveway. Then and only then did Justice sweep her up in his arms and carry her into the house, her slender body pressed tight against him.
With the heel of his boot, he shut the door and went to the couch to lay her down. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the television paused on a movie. Then he noticed a bowl of popcorn. He sat her there, covered her lap with a blanket and gave her the popcorn. Then he headed back to the front and locked up her house.
Before long, they were cuddled on the couch, Libby on the other side of her, and the movie playing. He wanted to ask her about Alex, but refrained. Instead, he sat beside her and let her work through whatever she needed to.
A small smile tipped up the corners of his mouth when soft snores slid from her. On the screen, Leeloo was asking Korben for a reason to save their world, since she didn’t know love. He watched the man struggle to admit that it was him who really needed her, that love was true, and that he loved her.
He dropped his gaze to her when the credits began to roll. Her thick lashes rested against her cheeks and she looked so adorable. Reaching for the remote, he turned off the television and gently eased out from under her. He covered her with the blanket before picking up the bowl and carrying it to the kitchen. She hadn’t stirred by the time he returned. Libby jumped down and he knelt before her.
“Wake up, beautiful,” he whispered, dragging his hand slowly down the side of her face.
Her lids drifted up and exposed him to the soft gray of her eyes. Kassidy blinked a few times before she pushed into an upright position.
“I fell asleep.”
“Yes.”
He sat when she patted the cushion beside her. “What are you doing here, Justice?”
“I wanted to see you, so I left Billy’s and came over.”
“I suppose you want an explanation about Alex?”
Yes! “If you feel like telling me.” He had no clue how he remained so nonchalant about it.
“To make a long story short, he wants me back since this next client of his supposedly knows of my family and is friends with my dad.” She shrugged then messed with the blanket a bit. “So I am now no longer worthless to him.”
It was difficult, but he swallowed back his rage and anger. “I’m glad you told him to leave.”
“I can’t believe you hit him,” she said, pushing against him.
“He’s lucky that I stopped when you told me to. I wanted to do so much more to him. No man should ever think it is okay to treat a woman like he treated you.”
Head cocked at an angle, she watched him, her eyes full of wonderment. “You are one heck of a man, Justice Graham.”
Nose to nose, he said in a hushed voice, “All y
ours, beautiful. I’m all yours.”
He carried her back to her bedroom and tucked her in. One of the most difficult things he’d ever had to do was leaving her there alone, but he did. He kissed her with tenderness, made sure she was tucked in, and then he let himself out the front. After he double-checked the lock, he headed for his car. He glanced around and hesitated to leave, unsure if Alex would make a reappearance or not.
In the end he drove away, his day started bright and early. Still she was on his mind even when he woke for work the next morning. He had an extremely busy week and only got to talk to her during short breaks. She sounded fine, but seemed distracted.
Saturday he’d had enough of not seeing her. He called her over his lunch but had to leave a message. After work, he worked out, then showered. By his locker he reached for his shirt and tugged it down over his head when he heard a vibration on the floor of his locker. He saw his phone moving, informing him of a message.
Grabbing it up, he pulled the information up. Kassidy. He shoved his wallet into his pants and pressed his voicemail. Bag in hand, he strode out of the building into the lovely afternoon. She’d left a message just saying she was returning his call. Nothing more than that. Nothing more personal than that.
So, he called her.
“Hello?”
A man’s voice.
Justice frowned and looked at the name on his screen just to make sure he had called the right one.
“Hello?” The question came again.
“I was looking for Kassidy.”
“Oh, hang on a second.” Muffled voices, then the one who made his heart melt.
“Hello?” she asked.
“Kassidy?”
“Justice. How are you?”
“Who answered your phone?” It just blurted out, he had no way to stop it.
“Arlen. How are you doing?”
“I miss you. Can I see you tonight?”
“Hang on one second.” Her voice faded for a few moments before it returned. “If you don’t mind going to a birthday party that is.”
“Your birthday?” Her chuckle made him smile.
“Not quite. Think a lot younger, with streamers, princess hats, and lots of screaming kids hyped up on way too much sugar.”
