by Lym Cruz
Rejected
An Imperfectly Perfect Novel
Lym Cruz
Copyright © 2019 LYM CRUZ
All rights reserved.
This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author/publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resembles to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental or has been used in a fictional manner.
www.lymcruznovels.com
A beautiful thing is never perfect.
- Egyptian Proverb
Prologue
Ezra
Emotional pain wasn’t similar to the searing ache of a cut or bruise. It was deeper. Scarier. Stronger. Sometimes the pain was at the back of my mind like a dull throb. Other times, like now, it pushed itself forward demanding attention. Gripping my heart with its claws until it pierced through it. I didn’t even try to hide the agony. Everything I felt was plastered across my face.
“I’m sorry, Ezra, but ...” Melissa said, shaking her head.
“I—it’s okay,” I managed and moved back from my impulsive attempt to kiss her. Embarrassed, my entire body wilted. “Is it because of that Andrew guy?”
“No,” she muttered. “I don’t think you and I will work.”
“How do you know?” There was no point arguing any further, I could sense it, but I gave it one last plea. “You’ve never given us a chance.”
She shrugged. “I just know, Ezra. You’re a great guy but ...”
“Do you like him?”
“I like him. I like him a lot. I can’t explain it, but once you experience it then you’ll understand what I mean.” She reached for my hand and squeezed. “You’ll find her someday. I’m just not the girl for you.”
That was it. That was the end.
As she climbed out of my car, I avoided the urge to look back and watch her disappear into the dark streets. Instead, my grip tightened around the steering wheel as a muscle in my jaw twitched. A thick layer of darkness enveloped like strong arms pulling me into an abyss. My posture was so tense that I sat forward, body hunched, instead of leaning back against the seat.
Exhaling, I forced my stance to straighten and turned on the radio, Bon Iver was halfway through the chorus of I Can’t Make You Love Me.
“Shit,” I cursed, switching stations and drove without a specific course.
After a while, I noticed that I was driving by Vella—a bar I regularly frequented. Rapidly, I hit the brakes and the car shrieked to a halt.
I glanced at the clock on the dashboard, realizing the bar didn’t open for another thirty minutes. But since the doors were ajar, I got out of my car and dashed in. Save for a few employees honing the room for opening, the space was vacant and the lights were dim.
“Hey, man, wasup?” Neo, the bartender, sang enthusiastically over his shoulder, packing bottles onto a shelf. “Whatcha doing here so early?”
“I need a drink.”
He stopped what he was doing and gave me his attention. “Oh, man!” He laughed as his mind caught up. “Today was that big date yo’ ass been talking about. And it don’t seem like it went well.”
A dull thud ramped up in my temples.
“Man, don’t beat yourself up because of a piece of ass. No matter how fine.” He placed a glass in front of me and poured a clear liquid into it. “These girls all want the same thing.”
I tossed back the glass and growled as the liquid descended through my throat, burning a path straight into my chest. “And what’s that?” I thumped the cup onto the counter and gazed up at him.
Neo had a wide smile on his face as the bar lights hit his tawny beige skin. He exhibited his perfectly aligned teeth as if he was about to impart upon me the secret to immortality. “Money. Chicks want money.”
“Melissa isn’t like that. She’s not a gold digger.”
He sniggered, pouring me another and a few drops fell to the side. “None of them are. Until they see the gold and start digging like they in the Klondike.” He pulled a cloth from his black apron and wiped the counter.
I passed a hand through my dark hair. The strands were brushing over my shoulders and occasionally falling on my face.
“I bet that lawyer guy who got himself nice wheels and a whole lot of expensive shit is doing her now. Money, ma friend, can open doors and spread legs.”
I was too wrecked to argue with him. No matter what he said, I doubted Melissa was the type. But it made me think … would Melissa have been more inclined to be involved with me if I had nicer things? A fancier car?
“Listen.” He placed a heavy hand on my shoulder. “I’ve told you about ma friend, right? The one who’s been helping me earn a lil’ extra. I do some stuff fo’ him and I get paid. I’m talkin’ money fo’ reals.”
I swatted his hand away. This wasn’t the first time he’d mentioned this friend of his, and I never indulged in this conversation. However, tonight was different. What if I stepped out of line for once?
My brow arched with curiosity. “What kind of stuff?”
He shrugged. “I run some errands fo’ him. Last week I made maself a nice 5G. Just. Like. That. I can hook you up.”
I shook my head, debating with my conscience. “Not interested.”
“C’mon, man. Look at you. Yo’ ass has been working non-stop since high school fo’ your uncle. You twenty-five en’ have nothin’ to show fo’ yo’ hard work. When do ya think you’ll be able to afford to take that Melissa on a real date? Or buy her some real bling? Never. Come check it out. If you like it, you can roll with us. If not, walk away.”
I guided another shot to my mouth and swallowed thickly. The afterburn of the liquor was stronger this time. At that exact point, I shut my brain down. The only thing I focused on were my emotions and they were a tumultuous mess.
What Neo said made sense. Andrew could give Melissa things that I might not ever be capable of providing. The memory of her rejection hit me hard sending another shockwave of pain. My chest constricted and all I wanted was to forget her and rid myself of the suffering.
For years I loved Melissa, but it was time to let her go. I would get over her. I had to.
But the decision I made after that heart-shattering rejection, was the biggest mistake of my life. If I had the chance to go back in time and change one event, that would be it, because whenever something seemed too good to be true, it usually was.
Chapter One
Ezra
Nine months later
Iheard the first shot, then Neo flopped to the ground. The boom crackled loudly through the night sky. More gunshots echoed around me as I dropped to my knees and hunched over Neo’s body, so much blood oozed out of his chest. Then silence returned thicker than it was before the shots, as if, everything around us suspended its breath.
“C’mon, man,” I said, placing a hand over the wound. His warm blood seeped between my fingers and it felt no different from wet mud. “You can’t die on me.” But he was dying. I saw it in his eyes and worst of all, I witnessed the exact second he expelled his last breath.
It all happened so fast.
Seconds later, cars screeched away from the parking lot, lights on full beam and a few men zoomed past me on foot. I muted every sound and couldn’t peel my eyes away from N
eo. I’d never been this close to a cadaver before. My pulse raced. Fear gripped at my gut and my insides swirled. One by one, I lost control of my limbs until my head slumped forward. The smell of blood whirled up my nostrils. It was a dry, sweet metallic scent that took on a vile pungency suffocating my breath.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. We were expected to make a delivery and walk away like we always did. Death was never part of the plan even though it always loomed over us.
I removed my palms from his chest, wiped them on my shirt several times attempting to get rid of the blood but it was stained on my skin.
I glanced around and the chaos had dwindled. My survival instincts kicked in, towing me out of the state of shock. Although I didn’t want to leave Neo behind, I was left without a choice.
He was gone.
My heart ached when I passed a hand over his face and closed his eyes, leaving behind a faint trace of blood.
I scurried off the ground and ran as fast as I could, never looking back.
The night was chilled but sweat beaded down my spine as the streets of San Diego passed me by. Once I was certain I wasn’t followed, I turned a corner into an alley and leaned against a wall. Weary, my legs gave in and I slumped onto the dirty asphalt.
My phone rang in my pocket. My hands shook as I struggled to retrieve the device. Once I saw who the caller was, my jaw clenched. Rowan, the fucking bastard.
“Neo’s gone, man,” I yelled the second I took the call. “He’s fucking dead.”
“Ezra,” Rowan replied, his tone aloof. Unsympathetic. “Go to the Aquarium and close the deal. Someone will show up. Hand them the key. You still have the key, don’t you?”
“Did you not hea—”
“Do you still have the fucking key?”
He’d heard what I said about Neo, but he didn’t care. Arguing about it wouldn’t lead anywhere. I had to protect my own life, thus I had to obey.
“Yeah, but I’m covered in blood. Neo’s blood.”
“Get cleaned up and move.” He hung up.
Running a hand through my hair, I roared. Regret heavy on my chest and the image of Neo’s lifeless body fresh in my mind. I forced myself to stand, removed my jacket, and pulled the white, now, crimson-stained t-shirt over my head and tossed it into a trash can. I put the jacket back on and zipped it up. With my head down, I moved, wary of my surroundings until I made it home.
To avoid suspicion I surrounded myself with people I didn’t know as I climbed the stairs to the VIP lounge, nodding at the bouncer on my way up. I’d picked up the five girls who clung to me at the entrance of the club. Being alone at this club always had a way of attracting unwanted attention.
I sat by the bar with the same unknown girls around me. The dance floor was crowded and its occupants fought for space to show off their horrid dance moves. Sweaty bodies collided against each other, but for some reason that made the experience more appealing. It was a jungle of perspiration and awful dancers.
The constant booming entwined with my pulse. They were in perfect sync—indistinguishable. The noise crept to my head and the veins on my temples thudded, warning me of an oncoming headache. Just a few more hours, I reminded myself, blowing out a breath.
To help endure the rest of the night, I ordered a drink. The bartender slipped me a triple-layered shot.
“This one’s for you, Neo,” I murmured, holding the miniature glass between my fingers, then tossed back the cream liquor draped in the taste of coffee and orange.
As I slammed the empty glass on the counter, someone bumped into me. “Sorry,” the girl said, absentmindedly and continuing to zigzag. Unable to walk straight, she grabbed onto the bar counter for support.
She seemed familiar, but the damn lights impaired my vision. I squinted my eyes, hoping to get a better look. She was dancing—mostly tripping on her feet—whipping her long, dark hair back and forth. Not making it easier to see her face. She then lifted her head, tilting her neck back while bouncing to the music and I had a clear view.
It was Christina.
Christina was a friend of a friend of mine. We were acquainted but not on a level to be considered friends.
She was tiny, about five-two I’d guess, and curvaceous. The dress she had on drew attention to every curve on her body, and the more she moved the more it slid upwards.
A tap on my shoulder stole my attention. I looked away. It was another woman. She had a smile on her bright pink lips. She leaned in closer, her eyes flirtatious and whispered in my ear, “Do you have the juice?” She pulled back still smiling and trapped her bottom lip between her teeth.
I adjusted in my seat and smirked, keeping up with the play. “Should I buy you a drink first?”
She laughed, amused as though I’d said something funny. “I don’t like foreplay.” She shook her index finger, pouting her luscious lips.
“I’m a gentleman. I like to do things the right way. No skipping steps.”
Rolling her eyes, she extended her hand and I placed my cellphone at the center of her palm. She clasped the phone, typed in a number then slipped it back to me.
“I think you can do better than that,” I said, inspecting the value.
“I think that’s the best I can do,” she countered.
I didn’t know what she was playing at since the amount was previously discussed. Most likely, she wanted a cut for herself. “Shame.” I slid off my stool rising. I wasn’t in the mood to play cat-and-mouse tonight.
She gripped my arm, stopping me and leered in the most seductive way. She signaled towards the phone with a quick head movement and I handed it to her. Once I grasped the new number, I nodded.
I took the fob from my pocket and slipped it between the slit of her exposed cleavage, lowering my mouth to her ear. “Silver Mercedes. Two streets down. Plate number 4RYA887.”
She cocked her head to gaze at me. “You’re fucking with me, right?” She was seething but never lost composure. “I thought you had it on you.”
“Sorry. It’s a large amount and I couldn’t risk getting caught with it.”
“If you’re trying to screw me over—”
I cut her off by hissing, “It’s there.” I needed to put an end to this dreadful night.
“You better or else I’ll feed your balls to my dogs.” She planted a light kiss on my right cheek and sashayed away.
With the deal closed that meant I could leave the hellhole. By this time, I’d lost track of the five who walked in with me and I didn’t care.
On my way out, I paused, remembering Christina. My eyes scanned for her in the poorly lit atmosphere. I caught sight of her in a corner with a guy all over her. He stood behind her and held on to her thighs, gliding his hand upwards beneath her dress. She pushed him back, but he didn’t stop. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and hauled her towards him while she wrestled with him.
The scene made my jaw tighten and my fists pump. I marched in their direction and pulled Christina away from him, bringing her behind me. Shielding her from the asshole. She didn’t protest or maybe she was oblivious to what was going on.
“What’s your fucking problem, dude?” he bellowed. “Find your own pussy.” Clearly, he’d been drinking but not enough to be unaware of his actions.
“She’s leaving with me.”
“Yeah?” he puffed up his rib cage with air. “Get past me first.”
Without applying much force, I placed my hands flat on his chest and pushed. He lost balance and fell on his butt. I caught Christina by the waist, flung her arm over my shoulder and practically dragged her outside. The girl was dead weight. All she did was giggle and mumble words in Spanish.
I unlocked my car and lowered Christina to the back before taking my seat behind the wheel. Then I was faced with a problem: I had no idea where she lived.
“Christina, can you give me your address?”
More giggles.
The pounding in my head intensified when I couldn’t get anything that made sense out of her.
Christina laughed, a lot, and her answers didn’t match my questions. I gave up talking to her when I heard a faint sound … A phone ringing, and the sound was coming from Christina.
Growling, I got out of the car to search for the source of the tone. She had a bag draped across her body. I untangled her from it and got the phone out, but froze when I saw the name, Melissa, lighting the screen.
Melissa Alford was the friend Christina and I had in common. She also happened to be the girl I had a crush on for years. I worshiped the ground that girl walked on, but much to my dismay, she never loved me back. Loved me ... I chuckled at my thoughts because she never saw me as more than a friend.
Sighing, I took the call, mostly because I didn’t know what to do with Christina and taking her with me was not an option.
“Hello,” I answered the call.
“Who is this?” Melissa said. Her voice alarmed. “Can I speak to the owner of the phone?”
“Melissa, relax it’s Ezra.”
“Oh,” she breathed, and the line was silent for a few seconds. “Ezra?” She said my name as if she was confused. Then she fell quiet again.
“Listen.” I broke the silence. “Lucky you called ‘cause I’ve got Christina on the backseat of my car. I have no idea where to take her.”
“What? Is she okay?”
“Yes, just way too drunk.”
“Um, bring her here. Her mother will flip if she sees her that way. I’ll text you my address.”
She ended the call without a goodbye or asking for further explanation.
Motionless, I stared at the phone. Melissa was part of my past. I hadn’t thought about her in the last nine months, not since our last encounter. Drudging up those memories of hurt and rejection made me uneasy about seeing her in a few minutes. I pulled out of my trance and read the address she’d texted. We were already downtown, so the drive to the Harbor Club was quick.
