The Neighborhood (Twin Estates #2)

by Stylo Fantome

  Vieve made small talk, and Katya managed to join in a little, but she didn't really pay attention. She kept going over the weekend in her mind. Her own actions, Liam's outburst, Wulf's reaction. She was embarrassed, and not just because she'd acted like a fool in front of her family, but because she'd been making some extremely bad choices. Tori had said to do what felt good, but none of it was feeling very good anymore.

  Oh yeah, sure, so funny taking them home. Hilarious. It didn't occur to you that by embarrassing them in front of your parents, you might also potentially embarrass you parents!? You're no better than the two of them.

  By the time they were driving down Katya's street, she'd pretty much decided to give everything up. If the men wanted to pursue her, fine, but she didn't need to engage them. She didn't need to react to everything and provoke them. Liam was clearly on edge – she hadn't realized how much he was being affected by everything. He was usually so laid back and easy going. If anyone was going to have a meltdown, she would have guessed it would be Wulf. He had, after all, shoved a handful of cake into her face and smeared it all around last time she'd pushed him too far.

  When they pulled up in front of her building, Vieve actually got out of the car and came around to the back, helping Katya grab her small weekend bag. Brie didn't say anything – she was still lounging across the back seat, her feet sticking out the window. Katya leaned over the trendy shoes and waved at the young woman.

  “It was fun, Brie,” she said, though she hadn't spoken to her once all weekend. Brie had never bothered to stop in at the Tocci's party.

  “Super duper fun,” Brie said, pulling one earphone away.

  “Must have been fun to see Wulf again,” Katya tried again. She couldn't help it, she had the strongest urge to crack through Brie's prickly exterior.

  “Fun isn't a word I would ever use to describe my time with Wulf.”

  “Huh. Well, did you like Liam? He's a blast, everyone thinks he's fun,” Katya pointed out. Brie sighed and picked her earphone back up.

  “I went out with some friends, didn't get home till around four in the morning,” she replied before plugging back into her music. Conversation over. Katya frowned. It was really Brie's loss, because even though he was somewhat of a bumbling idiot, Liam really was a lot of fun, especially when someone first met him.

  “I had fun,” Vieve offered, stepping up next to her and smiling that smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. “I went over to see why everyone had disappeared, and Wulfy was pouting in his room and Liam was sitting at the table, nibbling at an apple, looking so sad. So I made food and we had dinner together. He's very nice.”

  Katya was a little shocked. Calm and cool and perfect Genevieve, sitting down to dinner with loud and raunchy and deviant Liam. It had probably been adorable.

  “Good, I'm glad. Well, it was definitely an interesting weekend, that's for sure. It was good to see your mom again. Have you decided whether or not you're going to stay in S.F.?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” Vieve nodded. “I think I'm going to. I've got a couple job prospects, and of course Wulf would find me somewhere in one of his companies. Since I'll be here for a while, maybe we could have lunch sometime?”

  Katya was caught off guard by the desperation in Vieve's voice. It was just under the surface of her words, barely noticeable, but there all the same. It suddenly dawned on Katya that Wulf's sister didn't really have any friends.

  “I would like that. I go back to work this week, but call me sometime and we'll get together. I'll bring my roommate Tori, you'll love her,” Katya said.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” a voice said from behind her. She looked around to find Gaten Shepherd approaching them. “Don't tell lies about Tori, now. Love is a strong word.”

  Vieve looked startled, but her smile was carefully plastered onto her face. Katya chuckled and held up her hand.

  “Vieve, this is Gaten, he lives in the building next door. Gate, this is Genevieve Stone – her brother owns the company that manages the buildings,” Katya introduced them. Gate grinned and reached out, enthusiastically shaking Vieve's hand.

  “Good to meet you. Are you moving in?” he asked. She seemed flustered and worked to pull her hand away.

  “Oh, no. No, I live … somewhere else,” she stuttered.

  “Vieve and I used to be neighbors,” Katya took over the conversation. “We grew up next door to each other. She's just moving to San Francisco now.”

  “Fun! You'll love it here. Nice meeting you. Katya, always good to see you. We'll have to do dinner again sometime soon,” he said, pulling her into a hug. She laughed and patted him on the back.

  “Soon,” she agreed.

  “It was nice meeting you, too,” Vieve said, holding out her hand again. Gate waved her away.

  “C'mon, you know you want a hug, too,” he teased, leaning close and hugging her as well.

  Katya almost burst out laughing as Vieve's entire face turned red. She was so fair, a blush was impossible to hide. It wasn't nice to snicker, but Katya couldn't help it. She was glad she wasn't the only one who had trouble hiding it when she felt awkward or embarrassed.

  He finally pulled back and walked away, waving goodbye to both women. When he'd jogged across the street to his car, Vieve finally cleared her throat.

  “Is he your new boyfriend?” she asked nonchalantly. Katya laughed again.

  “No. No, I think me having a boyfriend is a dangerous idea. Gate's just a friend, I've house-sat for him when he's gone out of town, he's fixed some stuff around my apartment. Super nice guy. Too nice – since I've lived here, he's had one girlfriend after another who's treated him like garbage. This is the first time since I've met him that he's been single,” she explained.

  “Oh, that's too bad. I hope he finds a nice girl,” Vieve sighed, still watching after the man.

  Hmmm, pity I'm so shitty at relationships, or I'd seriously consider playing Cupid for those two.

  But Katya didn't want to screw up anyone else's life. She'd done a thorough enough job screwing up her own. So she said another goodbye to Vieve, promising to call at some point, then she stood back and waved as the big car pulled away from the curb.

  After the Stone sisters had disappeared around the block, Katya sighed and turned back towards her building. She stared up for a moment, bracing herself for all the questions Tori would ask, then she took a step towards the door.

  “Katya.”

  She froze and looked over. Liam was stepping around the corner of the building, offering a grim smile. He stopped a couple feet away from her, his hands shoved deep into his pants pockets. He looked upset and nervous and like he was going to be sick at any moment. She took a deep breath and set her bag down on the sidewalk.

  “Katya, I'm so sor -”

  She cut him off by leaning in and wrapping her arms around his torso. She let out a sigh as she hugged him tightly, pressing her face into his chest.

  “Me, too,” she whispered, trying not to cry. He was stunned for a moment, then his arms came around her shoulders.

  “You don't have anything to be sorry for,” he said in a low voice. “I completely lost it. I … I didn't mean any of it. I was just so angry and … stupid. I'm a stupid, stupid guy.”

  “No,” she shook her head. During her drive home, she'd thought a lot about the things he'd said. “You were right – I'm not some perfect angel. What you did was horrible, and you're still kind of an awful person, and if you ever talk to me like that again, I will punch you in the throat,” she started to threaten. He chuckled.

  “You'd have to jump to reach.”

  “But I guess I kind of forgot about your feelings, too. I knew … when it was all happening, I felt bad about the way I treated you. And then I was so angry at you, I convinced myself it didn't matter if I'd done something bad. But that's not right, I'm not that kind of person. And I'm really sorry,” she finished.

  “Not as sorry as I am.”

  “Good.”

  He barke
d out a laugh, then she felt his lips against the top of her head.

  “I don't deserve someone like you in my life,” he whispered. She nodded and felt a tear slip down her cheek.

  “Probably not. Pity you're impossible to get rid of,” she whispered back. He laughed again, then rubbed her back.

  “You really could've worked this moment, angel cake. I was literally ready to get down on my knees,” he told her. She snorted and pulled away.

  “Who says I'm done? The day is still young.”

  He smiled, then reached out and wiped at her face.

  “You are a good person, Katya Tocci.”

  She sniffled.

  “You're an okay person sometimes, Liam Edenhoofernanny.”

  He burst out laughing, and it broke the tense moment between them.

  “I give up. I'm going to legally change my last name to Eden, just so you can pronounce it,” he told her. She nodded and picked up her bag.

  “Good, it will make life easier.”

  “Are we really okay?” he checked. She shook her head.

  “No. But how about if I promise to treat you better, you promise to be better,” she offered. He nodded.

  “I can do that. That's all I want – to be a better man for you.”

  “Why?” she asked, and it seemed to surprise him. “I mean, there's lots of women out there, Liam. Women who quite literally throw themselves at you. What you and I had was special, but … is it really worth all this to you?”

  He stepped up close to her again.

  “Yes. You're so worth it, Katya. I never … you see, before, you were so into Wulf. From the beginning. And that was my fault, it was all a game to me, so I never really tried for you. Not until it was too late and we were in the lie too deep and I was so scared of losing you. But even before it all ended, it was only you, angel cake. The only girl I've ever wanted to spend every moment with,” he told her. “The only girl for me.”

  Wow. She'd never heard him talk that way before – not in so many words, at least. It was still hard to fathom how deep his feelings ran for her. She really hadn't been paying attention. Only her? The only girl?

  “Liam,” she shook her head. “That's very sweet, but I'm sorry, I just find it hard to believe. The only girl for you? You once told me it felt like if you didn't orgasm twice a day, you were going to explode. And you and I certainly weren't having sex twice a day.”

  “Okay, well, no, we weren't,” he started stumbling over his words.

  “That's part of why I always thought we were casual,” she continued. “I was dating Wulf, and I assumed you were still seeing other women.”

  “Well, I mean, of course I was,” he agreed. “Jesus, you've slept with me, I couldn't just let all those women go cold turkey.”

  Katya laughed.

  “See? And that was always in my mind. Even if I was sleeping with you and dating someone else, I knew if it ever got serious with Wulf, something would have to give. Despite everything I've done, I'm still an old fashioned, one-guy-one-girl kinda chick,” she told him.

  It was kind of eye opening to realize they'd never talked so honestly and openly about their relationship. She'd always been obsessing over Wulf, and Liam had always been laying low, biding his time, playing his game. It should have felt awkward, but it didn't. She felt … relieved.

  “I can be that way for you,” he said quickly. She smiled sadly.

  “I don't think I believe that, Liam.”

  “No. No, I can, and I have – when I say you're it, I mean it. You don't have to make any promises, and if you don't return my feelings at all, fine. I can handle that. But if the only thing holding you back from me is me sleeping with other girls, then you don't have anything to worry about,” he assured her, speaking fast.

  “So you're saying you haven't slept with anyone since me?” she cocked up an eyebrow. He swallowed thickly.

  “Well, uh ...” he glanced around the sidewalk, as if the answer was written in the concrete.

  “If you're going to start this new-you off with lying, then this is pointless,” she stated. He nodded.

  “Okay. I did sleep with other women when you and I were sleeping together,” he was honest. She nodded.

  “See? I get that you think you feel a certain type of way, but you can't just say things like 'you're the only one',” she told him. “You say things, and I believe them, and then I catch you in a lie, and it's the same thing we've been doing, over and over.”

  “I'm not lying. Since that date we had, right before shit hit the fan,” he took a deep, deep breath, “I knew you were it for me. And you've been it ever since.”

  Katya watched him carefully for a moment. He had lied so convincingly to her for such a long time, trust was tentative at best between them. He was looking at her, his eyes wide and pleading. His lips pressed into a hard line. He was begging her, pleading with her, through his gaze.

  “Okay,” she said softly. “I'm trusting you – but I'm warning you, this is a big thing you're saying to me. Something you don't even have to lie about, Liam. I won't hate you, I won't be mad at you. But I will feel both those things if I find out you lied to me again.”

  “You won't,” he said quickly. “I mean it, angel cake. I want … I am the man for you, I know it.”

  “And don't get ahead of yourself,” she held up her hand. “I'm still confused and angry and hurt. You may think you're my one and only – that doesn't mean I do.”

  “Yet,” he corrected her, finally smiling big. She couldn't help it, she laughed. He was impossible to resist when he was in one of his silly modes.

  “Maybe,” she agreed. “Possibly. God, what the fuck am I saying? And I'm still not having sex with you!”

  “Yet,” he said again. She snorted and lightly punched him in the chest.

  “I'm all full up on meaningful talks today, I'm going to take a bath and a nap,” she told him, heading towards the door to her building. She stopped for moment, then turned back to him. “I haven't talked to you at all today – have you just been lurking out here, all morning, waiting for me to show up?”

  “Uh … no,” he said, rubbing at the back of his neck. “I got a guy on the inside, you could say.”

  “Tori,” she groaned.

  “Yeah. I asked if she knew when you'd be back.”

  “Did you happen to mention why you came home before me?”

  “No. I value my balls, thank you very much.”

  “Better hold onto them,” she warned him as she pulled open the door. “She's going to find out what went down, and she won't be happy.”

  “I'll prepare myself. Can I call you tomorrow?” he asked, standing at her side. She shrugged.

  “Sure, why not, who knows what's going on, anyway.”

  “And hey, if you change your mind about that no sex thing, I'll be next door all day.”

  “Okay. You go and hold your breath and wait for me.”

  Before she could slip through the door, he grabbed her arm and yanked on it. She let out a squeak, then gasped when he kissed her hard. Before she could wrap her brain around what was happening, he let her go, smiled at her, then strode off towards his own building.

  Her head was still spinning when she hustled into the building, so it took her a second to realize she'd walked into yet another awkward scenario.

  I need to start making some girl friends, jesus. All these men, no wonder I'm always getting into trouble. Maybe I should go move in with Vieve and Brie.

  Wulf was standing in the lobby, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He was back in one of his suits, obviously on his way to or from work. He was looking very stern and nodding along as some woman talked to him. Talked to him and laughed at him and kept touching him. His arm, his chest, his shoulder.

  While trying to swallow any sort of jealous feelings she might have, Katya looked over the other girl. She lived on the second floor, had long blonde hair, pretty blue eyes, and really big boobs. She also drove some sort of expensive lookin
g car and only wore designer clothing. That was all Katya knew about her.

  … that, and now I know she's apparently attracted to rich looking handsome men. Slut.

  She took deep breath and shook her head. She was the one playing silly games, she was the one who had said no sex, and she was the one who kept making it plain that she had no intention of getting back together with him. So she had absolutely zero right to get jealous. Less than zero. The way she'd been acting, she should be congratulating him.

  Yuuuuup, I'll get right on that.

  She tried hugging the left side of the lobby, hoping to get by unnoticed. But of course, life wasn't that kind to her. He saw her before she could sneak behind him and turned in her direction.

  “Tocci,” he barked out. “You never answered my message.”

  “Uh ...” she responded articulately.

  “Vieve messaged me from the road – I've been waiting down here for fifteen minutes,” he informed her, as if they'd had plans to meet or something. She stared at him, not sure how to respond, when his new friend joined the conversation.

  “Oh, you're the baker! You live upstairs!” the woman gushed. Katya glanced between them and Wulf slowly smiled.

  “Yup, I do. Katya Tocci,” she said, walking over to join the pair.

  “Lana Tisdale,” blondie introduced herself. “So nice to meet you! You know our fearless leader here? Mr. Stone manages the building.”

  Katya looked back at him. His smile had gotten a lot bigger.

  “Yes, we're acquainted. How are you, Mr. Stone?” she asked.

  “Surprisingly good. Like I said, I was waiting for you to get home when Ms. Tisdale introduced herself – she'd gotten her key stuck in her mailbox,” he told her.

  “And can you believe it, he got it unstuck. Magic fingers on this one,” Lana Tisdale giggled. “So I'm taking him to lunch to say thank you.”