Faith (Stregth Series Book 2)

by T. L. Nicholas

  I put my mp3 on the counter and connect it to Jace’s speaker, letting it play quietly while I make the coffee. I wish I had learned more things to cook from Jace. After last night, he deserves breakfast in bed. Last night. I sigh just thinking about it. He made love to me for hours. Not just sex. Not fucking. Love. On the way home, the alcohol he’d consumed kicked in, and I actually thought that maybe he’d had too much to drink to do anything else, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

  I dance to the music while I wait for the coffee to finish. There’s a light knock on the door, and when I look through the peephole, I’m surprised to see Ben’s red dress girl from last night. I open the door, afraid that there’s something wrong with Ben.

  CHAPTER 25

  “Oh good, I was afraid he would be the one awake,” she says, walking past me into the apartment. She’s wearing black yoga pants, a gray sweatshirt, and fuzzy pink slippers. She walks into the kitchen and I close the door, not knowing what else to do.

  “Um, sure, come on in.”

  Big brown eyes look down into mine. “Oh right, I’m sorry. I’m Tony with an I,” She says, holding her hand out to me. “Antonia Perez, but everyone just calls me Toni.”

  I take her hand, and she shakes it briefly. “And you’re Bayleigh Richards, apparently soon to be Morris, correct?” she asks, helping herself to a coffee mug, and filling mine as well.

  “Um. No. Not yet. I mean he says he’s going to marry me, but that when he proposes I’ll know it, or something. Is Ben okay?”

  “Girl, Ben is fiiiiiiine. With a capital F, you know what I mean? That man is hot!”

  I laugh, she’s so much like him.

  “Oh, but you meant why am I here? Well, he told me all about you guys, pretty much his whole life story I think, and he said your room was here. We got a little tangled in the living room, if you know what I’m sayin’, and I didn’t want to wake him up making coffee or anything, so when I heard the toilet flush over here I pretty much ran out the door because I need coffee or I’ll die.”

  “Is your man still sleeping? He’s pretty damn fine too, nothing wrong with the goods you got girl. I’m sorry, I kinda take over. I don’t mean to, just tell me to shut up if I get on your nerves. I talk a lot when I’m nervous, actually no, I just talk a lot.”

  She’s like a whirlwind. “Okay. I think I’m going to have to drink a cup of coffee or two before I can process you. You talk so fast.”

  “Oh, I like you. Ben said I would, and I do. Process away honey, I’m a lot, I know,” she says, walking around the counter and sitting down at the breakfast bar.

  I add sugar and milk to my coffee, and she jumps up and does the same to hers. “You have milk and sugar, I’m so happy now. I hate black coffee,” she says, laughing.

  “So… Ben told you to come here?” I ask.

  “He’s sleeping, but last night he said if I needed anything I should come over here, and that you guys are nice people and you’d help me out. I have to be honest, I was looking for someone to go home with because I put all my stuff in storage last week and I didn’t really want to pay for another hotel room. I mean, I would’ve if I had to, but I didn’t really want to. I’ve got the stuff I need easy access to in my car, but the hotel I was at had some stupid convention come in and I didn’t want to go looking for another one.”

  “You’re homeless?”

  “Um, more like between places. I didn’t want to keep the apartment I was in, because my stupid ass had five one-night stands with the same guy who lived across the hall and he thought that meant that we were a thing and he got all butt hurt when I told him to chill. Besides I’m getting pretty sick of Baltimore anyway. I thought about going back to my family in Cali, but I’m twenty-five years old and really who wants to go home at that age? And I don’t really need to anyway, I’m a writer and I make decent money, and I can work from anywhere, I just haven’t decided where I want to be yet. Ben says I should come to New York with you guys.”

  I spit my coffee on the counter to keep from choking on it. “How much did he have to drink?”

  She laughs, head back, showing straight white teeth, her big brown eyes sparkling, “Not that much. Calm down, girl, it’s not like he asked me to marry him or anything” — she grabs paper towels from her end of the counter and wipes up the coffee on the counter while I stare at her dumbfounded — “He was just saying that it’s beautiful where you guys are from, and that maybe I could come up there and we could see each other. I don’t really have anything tying me here, I just landed here about six months ago. I like to travel and I’m kind of a nomad. My parents say that someday I’ll put down roots, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

  She throws away the paper towel and sits back down. “Why did you leave California?” I ask.

  “Do you see me? I’m too tall, too dark, and too thick to be comfortable around all those skinny blonde bitches. No offense, I mean you’re skinny, you’re not like me, but, hey, at least you have an ass and boobs, great boobs, by the way, I’m just sayin’, and you’re not plastic. You’re not plastic, right? You don’t look plastic.”

  “No, no plastic.” I answer. Oh my God, she’s too much.

  “Good. I don’t know why they do that. They starve themselves half to death and then they get ass implants. Don’t they know they could just eat a piece of cake? It would be a lot more enjoyable than sitting on plastic for the rest of your life. I mean, I don’t know, maybe it’s nice to have an attached cushion that doesn’t have any feeling, but I like my ass the way it is, you know? When a guy grabs my ass, I want to be able to feel it the way God intended, you know what I’m sayin’?”

  “Yeah, I’m with you on that one.” She’s like an alien, a beautiful alien.

  “So, Ben said you guys are cleaning out your mom’s apartment today, which, by the way, I am so sorry about that. I still have my mom, so I don’t know what that’s like, but I really am sorry for your loss. People say that and it sounds so stupid, it doesn’t really mean anything, you know? But I mean it, I really do. If you feel like you need a girl to talk to, Ben said your bestie is in Tennessee with Jace’s brother, which that’s a pretty cool set up for you girls, but anyway, if you need some girl talk, I’m here for you.”

  I can’t imagine ever getting enough words in to have girl talk with Toni, whatever that even means. “Yeah, I’m more of a loner. Alex, Jace, Chance, and Ben are all I’ve got really.”

  “Well, not anymore, now you can have me too. As long as you can put up with me, anyway. I know I’m annoying, that’s why I don’t have any friends really and spend most of my time writing.”

  She finishes her coffee, and gets more, refilling mine as well. She paid attention when I did it and she does it perfectly. “What do you write?”

  She studies me, head tilted, “Well… Alright, no point sugar coating it. I write erotica. You know, dirty sex stories. I try to keep a story line though, I’m not writing for playboy or something. I write erotica for women. Sometimes you just need to read something to get your motor running. Even if you have a man, sometimes they’re just not good at what they do and you need some, um, warm-up time, you know? I mean, you don’t have that issue, obviously, that’s why Ben and I opted for the living room, because we could hear you guys through the wall and it was pretty clear that he knows what he’s doing. I’ve always wondered why hotels do that, put bedrooms back to back, it seems pretty stupid. I should find an architect or somebody to ask. Anyway, even with a guy that knows what he’s doing sometimes it’s nice to read something sexy. Actually, I’d love to pick your brain sometime. I mostly write about what turns me on, cause it’s easier to write what you know, but I know not everyone is turned on by the same things, so, it would be cool to hear about what another woman loves in bed, or what makes your toes curl, you know?”

  I nod, totally overwhelmed, “I think I’m still drunk.”

  She laughs again, “I don’t have that excuse. I don’t drink. I mean I would, probabl
y, but I’m always on my own and I like to keep my wits about me, you know? It’s not like I can just call someone to come and get me or anything. If I go home with the wrong guy, I’m on my own, so I just drink water and get the waitress or bartender to say it’s vodka. Ben figured it out in about fifteen seconds though, which was cool, because no one has ever noticed. I talk so much I think they just assume I must be drunk.”

  “He told you his whole life story, you said?” I ask, not seeing how.

  “Yeah, he has a great voice. I love listening to him. I know about his parents, his sister, that was so sad, breaks my heart, the nurse, his jail time, both of them, so I know about yours too, sorry if that’s something you don’t want people to know or whatever, but I think it’s pretty cool. What a bitch that girl is though. If I do go to New York, you’ll have to point her out to me. Ben says she’s a plasti-bitch and I know how to handle them. I know about what you guys did for him too, and really, your man is like his guardian angel, he just loves both of you. And, I won’t tell him, but Jace paid for Ben’s lawyer, didn’t he? Never mind, don’t tell me, I know he did. I’m surprised Ben hasn’t figured it out. He’s a smart guy, but I think Jace has done so much for him that he can’t imagine he would’ve done that too.”

  I don’t move at all, terrified to acknowledge in any way.

  “It’s okay, like I said, I already know the answer. I won’t tell him. It’s Jace’s place to tell him if he ever wants to,” she says.

  “Hey, Baby, is that coffee I smell?” Jace asks, and we whirl around. He’s standing there, completely naked, attempting to process what he sees. He figures it out and bolts back to the bedroom, and I laugh.

  She covers her mouth, eyes huge, “Woooh, girl, you won the damn lottery, he has, um, more to offer than I would’ve thought, and I was giving him extra credit to start with since it looked like he was pretty worked up last night” —she stands up, walking toward the door— “That sounds bad, I don’t want him or anything, I’m not like that, I promise. I just, I mean, it’s what I write about so I look, you know? I should be going though, I’ll go check on Ben, and um, I’ll see you guys later. Really though, congratulations Bay, you’re a lucky girl,” she says, closing the door behind her.

  I’m still laughing when Jace comes around the corner in jeans.

  “Was that Red Dress?” he asks, eyes wide.

  I hand him a cup of coffee and he kisses me before sitting down. “Yes, it was. Her name is Toni with an I, Antonia Perez, actually, and I think Ben is in trouble.”

  “Trouble, how?” he asks, eyebrows raised.

  “Well, apparently, she’s in between places, she’s a writer and can work anywhere, so Ben said she should come to New York. I think he also told her to come with us today. He told her everything, Jace, his sister, his parents, jail, everything.”

  “Should we be worried?” he asks.

  “Well, honestly, she talks a billion miles a minute, and she’s a lot to keep up with, but I can see why he likes her. She suits him. She’s crazy, funny, and honest to a fault I think. I kind of hope it turns into something. She grows on you.”

  “Apparently. Very quickly.”

  There’s a knock on the door, and I know it’s Ben or Toni, so I answer it. “You’ll see.”

  Toni is wearing jeans, white sneakers, and a purple hoodie. Her long, almost black hair, is clipped into a messy french twist with fringe falling around her face. The purple of her shirt makes her eyes an even deeper shade of chocolate.

  Ben is in jeans, black t-shirt, and sneakers, his smile brighter than I’ve ever seen. “Good morning, people!” he yells, and I think he might still be drunk too.

  Jace and I reply in kind, Jace’s face flushing when he looks at Toni. She smiles at him, holding her hand out, “I’m Toni, I didn’t see too much, and you’re taken anyway, so it doesn’t matter. You certainly don’t have anything to be embarrassed about from what I could see. So, really, just forget it even happened. We’re all adults here, right?”

  Ben pulls her away, “Toni? Shhh,” he says, kissing her lightly. Now her face is the one that’s flushed.

  “Sorry, I’ll be quiet now,” she says, snuggling into Ben.

  “It’s okay. I’m not usually shy, but this is a whole new world for me,” Jace says.

  Toni proves just how quick she is, turning to me, “You wrestled down a player? Girl, you’re a rock star.”

  Jace puts his hands up, palms out, “Woah, wait, I’m not a player. I’ve never led anyone on. They knew what I was into, I was always clear about that.”

  “Okay. Call it whatever makes you sleep better. I’m not judging, you’re a fine-looking man and I’m sure you didn’t have any trouble finding someone to warm you up for a minute. I’m the same way, and I’m not going to make any apologies, so you shouldn’t either,” Toni says.

  “I didn’t lead anyone on, and I was strictly a one-time hitter, until I met Bayleigh.”

  “See? You’re smart. That’s where I fucked up, and why I had to leave my last apartment. Do you know that five one-night stands are looked upon as a relationship with some people? I didn’t really think that through. They weren’t consecutive though and I didn’t even talk to him in between, so I don’t know how he went there. Maybe I do. He was focused on my ass, instead of my words. Ben knows, though, we’re gonna be friends for a little while. The kind that take their clothes off,” she winks at Ben, and he slaps her ass.

  I laugh, because, well… what else can I do?

  “Alright, Toni, chill a minute, Baby. Are you guys ready to go to the apartment and knock this out or do you want to go get breakfast first?”

  “Breakfast, but we should probably get dressed first,” Jace answers and I realize I’m still only wearing his sweater.

  Toni reads my mind, “Hey, if you can pull it off, run with it. If I looked that good in nothing but a sweater, I’d wear that shit everywhere.”

  We all laugh, and Ben whispers something in her ear that makes her eyes bright and her face flush. Jace and I leave them to it and get dressed.

  Breakfast is a lively event, as Toni is a one-woman comedy show. She’s hilarious, loveable, and sweet. No one else gets a lot of words in, but I don’t want to talk anyway. She’s an only child, and she dropped out of college to roam the world and be a writer. She doesn’t like living up to other people’s standards, much to the chagrin of her parents, who wanted her to be a doctor. Her parents love and support her anyway, despite a refusal to read any of her books or tell anyone she’s anything more than a freelance writer. She doesn’t seem to mind their choice though, laughing as she tells us. “They act like sex is taboo or something. I mean, I’m awesome, but it’s not as though I’m the product of an immaculate conception. I knew what a locked door and the radio blaring from their bedroom meant by the time I was eight.”

  The waiter, a good-looking guy in his early twenties, brings the check and clears our plates. Toni stops him, “What was your name again?”

  “Ethan.”

  “Ethan, nice. I’m a writer, and I’m going to be putting you in a book. Not that you care, and of course I’ll be making up everything about you except for your name and how you look, which is pretty good, by the way, but I just want you to know.”

  “Um. Okay. Thank you. I think,” he says, rushing off.

  “Toni, you scared him,” Ben says laughing.

  “Yeah, I’m going to upgrade his personality in the book,” she says, wrinkling her nose.

  In the parking garage, Jace drools over a jet black 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat parked next to his truck. When Toni unlocks it, and grabs a bag out of the back seat, his jaw hits the floor. “Meet Arya,” she says, smiling.

  “Arya? Like, Arya Stark?” I ask.

  “Yes! She’s a little dark, but you kinda want to be her best friend. And, yeah, she’ll kill you if you’re not careful, but she’s a badass so you’re willing to risk it. Ben said I shouldn’t take her to the apartment, so is it cool if I ride with
you?”

  “Absolutely,” Jace says, still in shock, as we all climb in the truck, Ben and Toni in the backseat.

  “How many payments do you have left on her?” Jace asks, on the way to the apartment.

  “I don’t have any. I bought her outright. Wipe that look off your face, she’s about the same price as this big ass loaded truck we’re riding in right now. How many payments do you have left?” she asks, laughing.

  “Never had any, but I co-own a construction company.”

  She laughs, “And I write dirty sex stories. Seems like we’re both doing alright. If you’re nice to me, I might let you drive her sometime. You can drive a stick, right?”

  Jace looks insulted, “Of course I can.”

  “Me first!” Ben yells.

  “Yes, you first, Ben.” —she turns back to Jace— “Hey, don’t look offended. Do you know how many people can’t drive a stick? It’s sad.”

  “I can’t drive a stick,” I say.

  “Well, then, I’ll teach you. Everyone should know how,” she says, and I find myself hoping she comes to New York.

  The apartment building looks even sadder than it did yesterday. Jace unlocks the door and the kitchen is clean. It’s all clean. No garbage bags, no inches of dust, just the furniture and stuff we haven’t dealt with yet. “Who did this?” I ask, relief that I don’t have to do it washing over me.

  “Tommy got someone to take care of it and he’s sending me the bill. I didn’t think you wanted to spend any more time here than you had to,” Jace says, putting his arm around me.