by KT Fisher
“Just go.” I watch Tate storm out the house. Wiping away my tears, I look to Booker, who still has a wide grin plastered on his face. “That was funny.”
“Yes, it fucking was.” Booker continues to laugh. “The best part of it, though, is the fact that it’s fucking true!”
“What?” I ask.
“This Suzy chick… she’s in love with your brother. We can all see that, but Tate doesn’t feel the same…” Booker begins, “…but he won’t let her down and keeps going back to her.”
“Typical Tate.” I shake my head. “He’s a good guy, but for some reason he can’t commit.”
“He hasn’t found the right woman.” Booker looks at me, and the way his eyes burn into mine makes me feel lightheaded. “And when he does, she’ll be his everything and he won’t let her go for anything.”
My cheeks burn and I smile, feeling like a teenager who’s sitting with her crush. But Booker means more to me than that. What he says about Tate is true, he’s a romantic and loves his women, but for some reason he hasn’t settled down. Ever! I’ve never seen him with a girlfriend, and he never speaks to me about anyone important in his life, other than the band and our friends.
“What happened last night?” Booker asks me.
“Nothing,” I reply quickly.
He then stares at me with his brows furrowed together and his fists clenched. “Crystal, your brother told me everything, and I know it either has something to do with me or your ex.”
His words bring my temperature down. “You’re wrong.”
“No, I’m not.” He places a hand over mine, and when I look back up to him, tears very nearly fall from the sympathy I see there. From his angry face a few seconds ago, his expression has totally changed. His blue eyes aren’t as harsh anymore and are instead softer, and his brows are smooth, he’s not angered at all. “Crystal, tell me, please. What’s the matter with you?”
“It’s not because of you,” I reveal, and his face softens.
Booker holds me tightly. “Tell me…”
I really want to, I really do, but I don’t want him to think I’m stupid and weak. Booker’s hands warm me and I can feel myself weakening. I step back, but Booker grabs me, capturing me against him once more. “Crystal, I really fucking care about you. I’m done sneaking around and I’m finished with secrets. It kills me not being with you as much as I want. I want you, and I’m fucking tired of keeping it quiet.”
“Booker…” I sigh.
“No.” He shakes his head and kisses me, his mouth making me moan as he growls in return.
“I can’t,” I gasp.
Suddenly, Booker withdraws from me. Clenching his jaw, his fists tell me exactly how he’s feeling, and I’m not surprised. After all, I do keep turning him down. “Am I not fucking good enough for you?” he yells.
“It’s not because of that and you know it,” I insist.
“Do I really?” He laughs sarcastically, and the smile he wears isn’t a nice one at all. It’s mockery.
“Tate...” I begin, but Booker growls.
“I’m done with fucking hiding. I want you, and I won’t lie to our friends anymore. You wanna be my women, Crystal?” he asks. “I can’t keep away from you any longer.”
“I do,” I reply, tears rolling down my cheeks. “But Tate.”
“He will understand,” Booker insists, standing closer to me once more. “Trust me.”
“Book…” I begin, “…you were right. It’s my ex upsetting me.”
“I’ll look after you.”
“I haven’t even told you anything yet.” I laugh as he wipes away my tears.
“You don’t have to.” He leans in and gives me a loving kiss. “I’ll protect and care for you as long as I’m breathing. Will you let me?”
I nod, crying, as he takes my mouth with more passion than he’s ever shown me. There’s no going back now. Booker leans into me again, kissing my tears away and then taking my mouth. It begins as sweet, but it soon turns sexual and heated.
“My bedroom,” I whisper, I don’t want Tate to come in and see us like this.
“Are you sure?” Booker asks.
Without another word, I take him by the hand and lead him upstairs. “I don’t think I’ve seen your room.”
I laugh. “No, I don’t think you have.”
Closing the door behind us, I push Booker down onto the bed and climb on top of him. Kissing those talented lips of his and taking a tight grip of his blond hair. Booker growls and lifts my top over my head, and as soon as he sees me in my bra, he cups his hands over my breasts, driving his head into my cleavage. His hands go around to my back and he unhooks my bra letting my breasts spring free. Feeling his hard cock underneath me, he doesn’t waste any time as his tongue reaches out and licks my hard nipple, sending shockwaves all the way to my core.
Within no time at all, we’re both on my bed butt naked and exploring one another’s body as if it’s the first time. I lick along Booker’s bright ab tattoos. I never used to love muscled men much, but as soon as I saw Booker I was hooked. I love all the dark lines he has etched into his body like he was carved out by the angels just for me. My hands run along his skin, wherever I can touch, and eventually, Booker is done teasing me and lifts me with no effort, sitting me down and digging his cock so gloriously deep. Still sitting on top of him, I rock back and forth, my head tilting back because it feels so fucking good.
I begin to bounce and my breast is taken into Booker’s mouth again, but it only adds to my sensations. I groan loudly as he swaps from one breast to the other and I feel Booker’s cock twitch, he loves it when I moan. Growling, he grips onto my waist and helps me bounce on his dick. My eyes roll back as my orgasm takes hold with Booker quickly following. He holds me as I grow weak from the explosion that just took over my body. His hands stroking me, causing goosebumps to spread as I sigh with contentment.
“Crystal?” I hear Tate shout and we both freeze.
“Shit,” I whisper, quickly standing, but my legs feel weak and I stumble. Booker reaches out and steadies me.
“Crystal!” Tate shouts again.
Booker rips off the condom, quickly getting rid of it and grabbing his clothes. I get dressed in record time and begin to panic.
“What do I do?” I ask him quietly.
“I’ll hide,” Booker answers, knowing that this isn’t how Tate should find out about us.
I open the window to let some fresh air in, as I hear Tate’s footsteps coming up the stairs. Reaching around I pick up my perfume bottle and spray because the room is bound to smell of sex. Hiding down at the side of my bed, Booker is half under it and half out because he’s so fucking big.
I grab a random book from my shelf, put on my headphones and try to act as normal as I can on my bed. The door springs open, and Tate pops his head in, rolling his eyes when he sees me.
“No wonder you didn’t hear me,” he says as he moves in closer and rips my headphones from my ears.
“What’s up?” I ask. Well aware Booker is lying so close.
“Was checking in on you is all,” he answers. “Booker left?”
“Do you see him here?” I laugh, hiding my guilt.
Tate smiles. “Okay, well, I’m taking Suzy out. But lock the door behind me, yeah? I could have been anyone coming in here.”
“Will do.” I nod, watching him leave. When it’s safe, I look down at Booker and laugh. “You don’t look ridiculous at all.”
Booker gets up, a frown on his face. “We have to tell him Crys because I’m being a shit friend.”
“I know.” I lower my head, the guilt of lying eating me up. I want him to know, and I don’t enjoy lying to everyone, but I’m scared about how everything will change. The relationship between Booker and my brother especially, but most of all there is Troy to consider. I can’t have him finding out, he’d kill me out of jealousy for sure.
“So, you and Booker?” asks Lacey looking as shocked as the rest of them.
&n
bsp; I’m sitting with the girls at a restaurant—Roxie decided she needed to get out and Lacey suggested some dinner. Now here we all are and I thought it was the perfect place to let them know about Booker and me. Now that we’re a couple, I had to tell the girls and I figured they’d be on my side when Tate finds out.
“Are you okay with it?” I ask them.
“Of course,” Roxie answers.
“It seems like it’s come from nowhere, but why would we have a problem?” asks Paige.
“We’re all friends,” I add, slightly shrugging my shoulders.
“That doesn’t mean you should’ve kept you two a secret all this time.” Lacey frowns. “Is this because of Troy?”
“A little,” I admit. “I’m worried if he finds out about Booker, he’ll hurt him.”
“That would never happen.” Roxie looks around. “No matter where he is, we will always protect you.”
“Thank you.” I smile. “I was just so worried about telling you.”
“Oh, please…” Laughs Lacey, “…I knew there was something between you two.”
“What?” I ask.
“You would have to be blind to have not seen it,” agrees Roxie.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” I ask them.
“It was your business,” Lacey answers.
“Excuse me,” interrupts our waiter, as he places a drink down in front of me.
“I didn’t order anything.” I look from the cocktail sitting in front of me up to the waiter. I don’t miss the fact that the cocktail is a Bloody Mary, and it immediately doesn’t sit right.
“No you didn’t…” he smiles down at me, “...you have an admirer.”
“She does?” asks Lola, looking as worried as I feel.
The waiter looks around and then frowns. “He was right here. Oh well, at least you got a freebie darling.”
He struts away as I look down at the drink as if it’s dangerous. “We need to go.”
“Crystal, are you okay?” asks Ria.
“I will be when we get home.” The rising panic inside me makes me feel physical ill as look around the restaurant.
“Do you think Troy was here?” asks Lola.
I look at her with wide eyes and nod.
“Troy?” asks Roxie. “You think he sent you that drink?”
“Yes,” I begin to stand and gather my belongings. “We need to go.”
Without another word, they all come with me after paying for our food. As we approach the cars, I can’t stop looking around checking for anything out of place, and I can tell my friends are beginning to catch my panic.
“You think he’s here?” asks Paige.
“And watching?” adds Ria.
“Let’s just get back and discuss this,” Roxie adds as she walks around the car and I quickly jump in and Lacey climbs in the back seat.
Ria and Paige get into Lola’s car in front, and we begin the drive home.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper into the quiet car.
Roxie keeps her eyes on the road, but she shakes her head. “Don’t… it’s not your fault.”
“Yes, it is,” I answer her.
“Roxie’s right, don’t blame yourself for what Troy’s putting you through,” Lacey speaks from behind us.
I look into the car’s rearview mirror from my side of the car and notice a black car following closely behind. My eyes stay glued to the vehicle, and when the sunlight hits the car’s front window, I see the man driving and I breathe in a panicked breath.
“It’s him,” I shout, still looking in the mirror. “Troy is behind us.”
“What?” Lacey asks and looks behind her. “That’s him in the black car?”
“Yes,” I shout. “It’s him!”
“He’s coming close,” Lacey adds. “Roxie, I think you better speed up.”
I watch through the mirror as the car speeds toward us. My cell begins to ring, and when I open my bag it’s from a withheld number—it’s Troy, I know it. The police told me to get another cell phone with a new number, but I totally forgot.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Pull over,” comes Troy’s steely voice.
“No,” I answer covering the phone so he can’t hear me while I speak to the girls, “It’s him.”
“I’m calling Cole.” Lacey gets out her cell and begins dialing, and it’s a damn good idea.
“Pull the fuck over… now!” Troy screams down the phone line.
“Why?” I ask him.
“You’re mine, Crystal. You belong with me. I promise I won’t hurt you again if you come back,” he begs.
I hear Lacey talking to Cole in the back of the car, quickly explaining what’s going on.
“I will never come back to you, Troy,” I state with some boldness to my voice, but I begin to shake.
“Yes, you fucking will,” he growls. “Stop the car and get out.”
I place my hand over the phone again, so Troy can’t hear me speaking to the girls. “Tell them to call the police.”
“There’s a tracker on the car,” Roxie reminds us. “Tell them to follow, quickly.”
After everything that’s happened with Roxie and Joe, Mason was freaked in case anything like that could happen again. Some may have thought it was overreacting, but right now I want to hug Mason for having the tracker on Roxie’s car.
Lacey informs Cole while I listen to Troy’s threats. “If you do not come to me, I will kill you.”
“No, you won’t.” I might sound brave, but goosebumps litter my entire body.
“You want to take that risk?” he asks me.
“Why are you doing this, Troy?” I ask him. “I left you. We. Are. Over. Why can’t you accept that?”
“Because you’re mine,” he screams. “Nobody else can ever have you.”
I close my eyes and lean my head back.
Why did I ever get with him?
“You have to move on,” I insist, but this only angers him more.
“I don’t want to fucking move on! Why are you saying this shit, Crystal?” he asks me. “Have you moved on?”
I don’t say anything, and that’s a mistake. I should have said no.
“Tell me who the fucker is… now,” he shouts.
“There’s nobody,” I insist.
“Fucking liar!”
“I’m not lying to you,” I try to persuade him.
“Cole has called the police…” Lacey whispers, “…and they’re on the way.”
“Thank goodness,” breathes Roxie, her hands grip the wheel as she tries to speed away from Troy behind us. Suddenly, we jerk forward as Troy hits the rear of our car and we all scream. I hear Troy laugh down the phone as he hits us again.
“He’s hitting the car…” Lacey tells Cole down the phone, “…please tell the police to hurry.”
“Stop it,” I plead with Troy.
“Get out the car and the bitches will live,” he threatens.
“Don’t you dare,” I order. “Don’t you fucking dare.”
Troy laughs. “Then… get the fuck… out… of the car.”
I look to Roxie. “Let me out.”
“Like hell I’m letting you out this car,” she screams.
“Don’t Crystal,” Lacey begs. “The police are coming.”
“I have to.” I place my hand on the door handle.
“Come to me,” Troy speaks down the phone.
“Don’t you dare open that door,” Roxie growls out, still trying her best to speed away.
“He said he’ll kill you,” I cry.
“No,” Lacey whispers. “Stay here.”
I look back at her and see her tears. “I don’t want any of you hurt.”
“We will be if you go to him,” Lacey speaks to me. “Please, don’t let him have what he wants. If you go to him, you will hurt us because he will have you.”
“Don’t listen to her…” Troy shouts down the phone, “…tell the bitch to stay out of it.”
“Don’t listen to him,�
� Roxie adds, “…he’s getting in your head. Don’t let him!”
“He will kill you,” I sob. “If he doesn’t get me, he will kill you and I won’t be able to live with myself.”
Roxie manages to snatch the phone out of my hand, and with one hand on the steering wheel she growls into the phone, “Listen here you sick twisted son of a bitch, you’ll never get Crystal again. I will personally make sure of it. Leave her the fuck alone!” Roxie hangs up and throws my cell into the back of the car, where it begins to ring again.
“Cole said the police are close,” Lacey informs us, still gripping her cell to her ear.
Roxie breaths a big sigh of relief. “Don’t you ever go back to that shit again! Not even for us… do you hear me?”
I nod, looking into the mirror and watching Troy gain on us. My hand still on the door handle and I see it’s not locked. I could just open it and this all ends now. I pull on the handle and the girls hear the click.
“Crystal… no…” Roxie shouts to me.
“I have to,” I tell them. “This has to end.”
“Don’t you leave this car,” Lacey screams. “Please!”
I look back at my friends, the wind from the open door sending my hair flying everywhere. I take in their worried looks. “Take care of Booker.”
“No,” they scream, and as I’m about to jump out the door, I hear sirens, so I pause and look back to Lacey and she nods.
“The police are here…” she sighs, “…and the guys are following.”
“He’s leaving,” Roxie adds, and I close the door, looking behind me at Troy and see him slowing down and taking the next corner. The police emerge and Roxie pulls over, breathing a sigh of relief when we come to a stop.
She leans over and holds me in her arms. “Don’t you dare fucking scare me like that again, you got me?”
The girls surround me, crying as we talk to the police. One car followed Troy, but as far as I know, they haven’t caught up with him.
“I don’t give a shit! I want to talk to her,” I hear Booker. Turning around I see him pushing past another police officer.
“Let him through,” I order and with one last look, the officer lets Booker by. He’s then followed by Tate, Cole, and Mason, who holds baby Quin in his arms.
