Waiting on Faith (She's Beautiful Series Book 2)

by Nicole Richard

  “It’s all there.” With my eyebrows raised, I turned my head to the side. “Ready?”

  Cy rubbed his hands roughly over his head and blew out a hot breath. “Woman . . . the shit you do to me.”

  I took a step toward the front door, and Cy’s muscular arm wrapped around my waist so he could pull me hard against his chest. “Baby, you better stay close tonight.”

  I nodded, and he spun me around to face him. With his intense gaze secured to mine, his index finger slid under the platinum and diamond cross hanging from my neck.

  “I doubt if another guy hit on me tonight I would even notice. Did you look in the mirror? I’ll be lucky if another girl doesn’t try to snatch you away from me.”

  “Not happening, baby.”

  He pressed a soft kiss to my lips.

  When I said everyone was meeting us, I meant everyone. Even Levi surprised us with an unexpected visit.

  It was your typical nightclub scene with barely enough light, two bars parallel to each other, and a huge dance floor in the middle. Of course, there were the scantily clad women vying for attention. It was all a game of who could conquer whom, but since that was not our intention for the night, we found an empty table that could accommodate our group and staked our claim before the guys made their way to the bar for more drinks.

  Within five minutes, Monique had been scooped up by a Shemar Moore doppelganger, giving us an exaggerated wink with a thumbs up before she was swept away into the crowd.

  One down, one to go, I thought as I turned to Addie, the only one who was unsure of her relationship status. Glancing over at Grace, I caught her trying to stifle a yawn and bit back a smile. Pregnant and nightclubs didn’t really go hand in hand.

  “Hey, wake up.” I gently nudged her side.

  She nodded. “I’m awake, I promise. I just feel a little out of place,” she practically screamed at me before pointing to her growing belly. “I can’t even have one drink.” She pouted, but smiled when I rubbed her shoulder in understanding.

  “Even though you can’t drink, I’m still glad you came to hang out with us.” Her attention drifted away from me to AJ, who was carrying four drinks at one time.

  Cy scooted in next to me, handed me a beer, and held his up, tilting it a little bit in my direction. I clinked mine against his, and he leaned in and whispered, “Because I love you.” I smiled and pressed the cool bottle to my lips. I took a long sip and turned my attention to the table. Grace was nestled into AJ’s side, Cy was next to me, and Addie was having an animated conversation with Levi and Matt, and Monique was still lost on the dance floor. I wondered where RJ disappeared to?

  I was turning to ask Cy if he could see him anywhere when Addie squealed and practically shoved Matt out of her way so that she could get up. “Come on you guys, let’s go dance.”

  I looked at Grace and was surprised to find her already standing next to Addie, looking at me expectantly. I got up, and Cy gently tugged at my wrist. “Hey, where are you headed off to?”

  “Addie wants to dance.” I pointed to where the girls stood waiting.

  He nodded his understanding and tipped his head in the direction I was pointing. Did he really think I would get up and wander aimlessly around the club? Silly man.

  “Just remember, when you’re shaking your ass out on that dance floor, I’m gonna want a private repeat later tonight. I’ll be waiting right here where I can see you.”

  Every time he said some kind of naughty words of promise, he made my panties wet. I sighed in anticipation and bit my bottom lip before looking up at him. “Absolutely, babe.”

  “Come on, let’s go already.” Addie screeched, pulling us toward the dance floor. I looked at Cy and he shook his head, telling me he was not going out there. Handing him my drink, I pecked his lips and followed Addie and Grace.

  When I collapsed back in my seat again, Cy was already holding out a drink for me. I took the bottle from his hand and swallowed three large gulps. “Thank you.”

  Cy leaned close to my ear. “I’m gonna hang with Levi for a bit, you okay with that?”

  I patted his chest. “Go, have fun with your friend.” As long as he was close by, I was sure everything would be fine. Cy kissed my cheek before leaning in one last time. “Stay with the girls, Blue. Do not wander off. I already talked to AJ, he’s okay with keeping an eye on you ladies.”

  “I will, I promise,” I said before standing and skipping a few steps to catch up with Addie, Grace, and AJ, who were still out on the dance floor.

  We danced, song after song, and at some point Monique re-joined our group. I kept my promise to Cy. I didn’t stray too far from the group. As AJ led all of us off the dance floor, I decided I would have to send a thank you gift to him for being so damn good at keeping the random guys away from us.

  Almost as soon as we stepped off the dance floor, Grace decided it was time to call it a night. We said our good-byes and it was just Addie, Monique, and me.

  The three of us stood there swaying to the music and from the side of my eye, I saw RJ talking to some gorgeous raven-haired woman. That was probably where he had been all night. Returning my attention to the girls, I was surprised to see three guys trying to make small talk with Addie and Monique. I didn’t even try to be nice to them. I had Cy, and it didn’t matter that he was somewhere else in the club, I had no interest in flirting with some random Todd.

  “Hey, we’re gonna dance for a bit. You good here?” Addie said.

  I nodded, even though I felt a bit uncomfortable about breaking my promise, but a bit turned into a lot when I realized the third guy in their group didn’t go with them.

  “Hi.”

  I looked up at his tall and fit frame. “Hi,” I repeated. My eyes shot a quick panoramic glance in reaction to the guilt starting to set in.

  He smiled in return and held his hand out for a handshake. “I’m Paul. It’s nice to meet you . . .”

  “Natalie. It’s nice to meet you,” I replied with a worried smile.

  He continued to inch closer until we were about a foot apart. My body became aware of just how close he was, and I told myself that was as close as he would get.

  “I’m not much of a dancer, you?”

  “I am, but my boyfriend isn’t into dancing to this kind of music.”

  He sighed in obvious relief and took a sip of his drink. “Me too. Tonight’s a guy’s night, and to be honest, I would rather be home with my girlfriend.”

  I smiled a genuine smile this time and relaxed; he was just trying to make small talk, not pick me up.

  Paul bent to his side, but not enough to invade my personal space and asked, “So where’s your boyfriend?”

  “He’s around here somewhere with one of his friends.”

  His rocks glass, which was filled with an amber liquid, was suspended in front of his chin as he nodded in understanding.

  We had been standing there for what seemed like forever, making small talk and waiting for our friends to return when a tingling feeling traveled the length of my spine. Not two seconds later, Cy wrapped his hand around my waist pulling me flush to his chest so that his mouth expelled hot breaths at my ear. “What the hell are you doing?” Cy growled in a low voice. I swallowed hard and my heart beat even harder. Shit, just what I didn’t want to happen. I turned in Cy’s arms and laid my empty palm on his chest. Oh, he was pissed.

  “Cy, relax babe. Paul and I were just waiting on our friends while they were out dancing.” I had to think fast in hopes of not making matters worse. “Cy, Paul doesn’t dance . . . especially since his girlfriend isn’t here.”

  “What did I tell you earlier, huh? Did I not tell you to stay with your girls—at all times? And where the hell is AJ?” He scolded as if I was a misbehaved child.

  I nodded. I didn’t appreciate his choice of words or the tone he was using with me, but I didn’t want to add to the situation.

  “Then what the fuck are you doing talking to this?” He looked over at Paul, who
was staring at him with equally angry eyes.

  I completely understood why Cy was pissed, but when I left Trent, I made a promise to myself that I would never let anyone talk to me like that again. It didn’t matter who it was. I jerked out of his hold, squared my shoulders, and started to walk away. He would not speak to me like I was a piece of property—his piece of property. Picking up the pace to as fast as four-inch heels could take me, I headed straight for the exit.

  Maybe halfway to the front, I was yanked back by my wrist.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” He was beyond angry.

  I whipped around to face him and glared. “Do not,” I barked, pointing my finger in the middle of his chest, “I repeat. Do. Not. Speak to me like that.” I ground the words out, beyond pissed that he just treated me the exact same way that Trent used to. I was glaring at him so hard that I saw the moment he realized what he had done. His eyes shifted, searching mine, but then they turned back to stone.

  Shaking my head and blowing out a hot breath, I turned away and stormed the hell out of there, passed through the front doors, and searched the parking lot for Cy’s truck.

  I heard the whack of his heavy boots against the asphalt as he kept pace with me. A few times, I could have sworn he mumbled choice words, which may or may not have included the term “pain in the ass,” but I decided the silent treatment was best. I allowed him to open my door, but that was it. I grabbed the door handle and slammed it closed before he could move, put my seatbelt on, and shifted my whole body to face the window.

  The ride home was silent. Cy shut the radio off, and apparently his voice too, but there was nothing new in that. When we pulled into his driveway, I waited patiently until he shifted the truck into park before I jumped out and stomped my silver heels all the way to the front door.

  Cy let out a sigh as he unlocked the front door. I stepped in and had just bent over to unhook the buckle on my sandals when I heard Cy say my name. I knew I was being juvenile, but if he got to act like a caveman, then fair was fair, right?

  I walked toward the living room, and I knew he was close behind.

  “Blue, will you talk to me, baby?”

  Pissed, I spun around popping one hand on my hip. “Excuse me?”

  He stared at me stoically. “Blue, I told you— ”

  I cut him off, getting in his face and jabbing my finger in his chest again. “You. Do. Not. Get. To. Tell me. What to do!”

  SHE WAS DRIVING me absolutely insane. There was no way I would ever admit I was livid because I was scared about her safety. She should have known. Someone just broke into her house and she was getting creepy hang-up calls. Didn’t she see it? Sure, she had no clue I got a couple of those dropped calls too. But there was no way I was going to tell her that either. The last thing we needed was to put her more on edge.

  I raised my hands to stop her from continuing her rant about what an overbearing caveman I was, and she flinched. A flash of terror flickered in her eyes. My beautiful girl flinched in fear. Oh my God, she thought I was going to hit her. My stomach plummeted.

  Taking two steps back, I watched her face flick between fear and panic. She was scared of me.

  “Blue,” I whispered cautiously, and a tear slid down the side of my face. “Baby, I hope you know I’d never lay a hand on you.” I continued to gaze at her, hoping that she was listening to me, but she was a huge, black void. She checked out. “Blue, you gotta know. . .” I swallowed past the thick lump in my throat. “I would never lay a hand on you.” It felt like I was drowning. “Not like that, baby. My hands are only for your pleasure. They would never hurt you.”

  I held my hands up in surrender, but she was still unmoving. Was she even breathing? A minute ticked by in silence before she stepped into the living room, picked Sadie up, and walked off. I followed her, but she veered left into the guest bedroom and slammed the door in my face.

  “I’m sorry. Please let me in,” I apologized, pressing my forehead to the door and placing my palms softly on either side of the frame.

  It took a minute for her to break her silence, and when she did, I heard the sadness in her voice. “Leave me alone, Cy. I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

  “Please— ” My voice cracked.

  “LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!” she belted out a screeching scream.

  Fuck! I did worse than I thought.

  I gave her some space and let her be. A couple of hours passed, and I was still lying there wide-awake in my bed, wondering what I should do. She had to know that I would never hurt her.

  I had never seen her like that, though. It looked like the Natalie I had known all these weeks just vanished and was replaced with a ghost.

  Glancing at the clock, I sighed. I should be in a deep sleep by now, but I was too damn worried about Natalie. Irritated with myself, I rubbed my palms roughly against my face and punched my bed at each of my sides. I needed my girl next to me. If I didn’t feel paralyzed at the moment, I’d barge into the guest room, haul her ass up, and bring her back to bed with me so I could love her. I wanted to remind her how much I truly loved her and that I would never hurt a hair on her pretty, red head.

  It was so damn quiet in my room that when I heard her whisper my name, I sat up to see my beautifully broken Blue standing in the doorway. Staring at her, getting a good look at the woman I was so deeply in love with, I patted the bed next to me—her side of the bed, praying that she’d come to me.

  Entering the room slowly, she stopped at the side of the bed. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot, and her face was streaked with dried tears. I felt like nothing in that moment. Do I even deserve to have her curl up with me? I was selfish, so I turned down the covers, inviting her in my bed. She didn’t waste a second before she crawled in and curled on my lap, sobbing and shaking.

  “Everything is going to be okay,” I promised as I tried my best to console her.

  She didn’t say a word. She just continued to sob and shake against me. I held her. I would hold her for as long as she needed me to. I was worried, terrified, about the outcome of our situation.

  She calmed, but her face was still buried so close to my chest that when she spoke, I almost didn’t hear it.

  “I’m sorry, Cy. I didn’t mean to make you feel like that.”

  Caressing her head again, I whispered, “Shh, baby, nothing to be sorry about. I’m the one who should be apologizing, not you.”

  She jerked her head away from me and looked at me dumbfounded. “What?” she barked softly and sniffled. “But I’m the one who— ”

  “No, don’t.” I stopped her before she could take even an ounce of blame. “It was my fault. I never should have spoken to you that way. Please tell me you believe me when I say that I’d never lay a hand on you?”

  She stared at me for a short while, making me worry. Nodding softly, she reassured me in a small voice. “I know you’d never do that. I’m not sure what happened tonight, but it felt like— ”

  I cut her off again by pressing my mouth to hers, drowning her in a soul-searing kiss.

  Pulling away from her lips, I looked straight into her beautiful, sad eyes. “It’s okay. I understand, but again, my hands will only ever touch you in pleasure. They will never hurt you.”

  She smiled a sad smile before burying her head in the crook of my neck, whispering, “I know.”

  I lay back down with her in my arms and brushed her damp hair away from her face. “I’m sorry Blue, so damn sorry. Get some rest, baby.” I felt her nod and waited until I was sure she’d fallen asleep before I let sleep take me.

  I woke up to the banging sound of Cy lifting weights. I lay there with my eyes closed and my ears open, but if I were hearing correctly, there were two male voices.

  With some square foot distance between us, I had no clue who it was or what they were saying, but if I had to guess, I would have guessed it was Levi. Any time Levi was in town he came over to Cy’s so they could lift together.

  I pulled the cover
s closer around myself and tried to decide what had spooked me into thinking Cy would have laid his hand on me. I knew in my heart his hands would never hurt me. All the stress of the past week had to have been catching up, but the uncertainty still plagued me.

  The sound of Cy and Levi’s voices were closer now, sounding like they might be in the kitchen. A few minutes passed and I heard the sound of the front door closing and the shower in the spare bath turn on. I listened for a while, soaking up the trickling in warmth from the sun, and then slid the sheet off my barely clothed body and sat up. I had just cinched my dark crimson satin robe around my waist when a light tap sounded at the door, followed by tiny paws pattering toward me. I looked down and saw my Sadie wagging her tail. Her pink tongue was hanging out as if she were saying, “Good morning, Mommy.” I smiled at my cute little girl. Bending at the waist, I lifted Sadie and set her in my lap.

  “How’s my girl this morning?” I asked in a soft sweet voice, scratching behind her ears and under the flowery, light-blue-and-yellow collar with a doggie bone pendant hanging from it that Cy had put around Sadie’s neck.

  I knew Cy was there, but he hadn’t made himself visible yet. The thought of him hiding from me was making me jittery. The distance, even though only about ten feet, was leaving an ache in my heart and rolling shivers of nervous energy down my spine.

  I did my best to control my breathing and concentrated on the little girl who captured my heart. Picking her up under her front legs, I brought her nose close to mine and smiled as she licked my cheek. Resting her head on my shoulder as if she were a little baby, I turned my cheek to her fur and saw Cy take two steps into the room and stop.

  “Can I come in?”

  I nodded my head, giving him my okay. He walked over, stopping just close enough to be able to scratch the top of Sadie’s head. When he looked at me again, our eyes met, and his smile dropped. The emotions that flowed were heavy. We spoke without words, and I felt all he had to say in the depths of my heart.

  Tears burned behind my eyes, and I tried doing my best to keep them at bay. I knew we apologized last night, but today, in broad daylight, we would hash it all out.