by Jaime Lewis
Breaking the kiss, she laughed and hugged him tightly. “I’m sorry your party was ruined.”
He put his finger under her chin and tilted her head back until she was looking up at him. “Don’t worry about it. Right now, let’s focus on Tenley. I’ll be right beside you the entire time. Plus, you’ve given me the best birthday present I could ask for.”
Her eyes widened. “I did? How do you know what I got you? You haven’t opened any of your gifts.”
He chuckled and looked down into her eyes. “You gave me your heart, and that’s all I need. Come on, let’s talk to the gang and see where we start.”
◆◆◆
Potter sat at the bar playing with the label on his beer bottle. He couldn’t believe that shitty move Suzette had pulled. That conniving bitch knew exactly what she was doing. She was lucky Potter respected women because what he really wanted to do, was wipe the floor with her. By the time he had pried her claws off of him, the damage had already been done. Tenley had witnessed the whole thing, getting the wrong idea of what was happening. Suzette had been after him ever since he first started coming into the place. But he never paid her any attention because he knew her reputation. Hell, she had slept with pretty much every guy who frequented the joint, except for his team. He wasn’t saying he was a saint either. He had gotten lost in more than enough one night stands to blow some steam off. But he at least had standards. And never had there been anyone since he laid eyes on Tenley.
He had only gone to the bar to order a damn drink. But now all he could remember was the defeated look on Tenley’s face, and it killed him. He was a soldier, and soldiers fight to win. He wasn’t going to let some two-bit slut ruin what he had waited almost four months for. He needed to find Tenley and explain. She needed to understand that she was the only woman he wanted.
He set his beer on the bar and slid off the stool, preparing to leave as Ace and Alex approached him. He looked at his best friend and his woman and fuck if he wasn’t jealous. They were like the picture-perfect couple. He wanted what they had. The love they showed for one another was heartwarming.
When Alex approached and stood in front of him with her arms crossed, scowling at him, he wanted to laugh even amid this disaster. Christ, even trying to look mad she was too damn cute. Ace was a lucky bastard.
Potter arched an eyebrow at her and smirked. “Something you want to say, Alex?”
“Yeah, actually there is. First off, you can tell me what in the hell you were thinking with that little stunt you pulled with that bitch, Suzette. Are you seriously wanting some of that nasty piece of ass? Because if so, you can stay the fuck away from Tenley. This hot and cold shit you keep pulling with her is not good for her. What you did tonight may have pushed her away from all of us for good.”
Damn, this woman had a hot streak. For a five-foot-four petite little thing—not that he’d say it out loud for her to hear—she could sure pack a brutal punch. In a nutshell, she was a firecracker and could explode on your ass in a second. And fucking Ace just stood there with his hands in his pockets smirking at him while his woman went all alpha-female on his ass.
Potter stood there and listened until Alex ran out of steam. Damn, he had always wondered what it would be like to be on her wrong side. Now, he regretted that thought because she was fierce.
“You know what…if I didn’t know you couldn’t break me in half like a toothpick, I’d lay your ass out right on this goddamn floor.”
As serious as she was, Potter couldn’t hold back his laughter. He laughed so hard that he doubled over holding his stomach.
Alex’s eyes widened in shock, and she gave him an angry look. Her cuteness made him laugh even harder, now causing Ace to snort out a laugh.
Once he was able to control his amusement, he realized that he had needed that. He took a step toward Alex and wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. “Thanks, honey. I needed that,” he said as he released her to her fiancé, who was still smiling and shaking his head.
Potter looked at both Ace and Alex. “What happened at the bar wasn’t my doing.” Alex wanted to interrupt, but Ace put his hand over her mouth and whispered something in her ear that made her cheeks turn a nice shade of pink. Whatever it was had worked as she clamped her mouth shut and turned her attention back to him. “As I was saying, Suzette set that little scene up. All I was doing was ordering another drink, and then I feel someone’s arms touch my waist, and when I looked down, I saw her. She was giving me a serious look and told me that she needed to tell me something important. I should’ve trusted my gut and just ignored her as I normally do. But, I didn’t, and when I bent down so I could hear her over the music, the next thing I know, she has hold of my fucking head, trying to put her tongue down my throat.” He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. He needed to quit standing around and find Tenley.
Alex reached out her hand and placed it on his forearm. “Potter, what exactly happened between you two before she left for Ecuador?”
He shook his head. As much as he would have liked to explain what he knew, he couldn’t. What happened was between him and Tenley. “I’m sorry, Alex, but I’m not going to get into that with anyone until I know the full story, which I intend to do as soon as I find her. All that I’ll say for now is that something happened months ago that I wasn’t aware of, and when it came to light, I said some very hateful things to her that I wish I could take back. She and I talked a little in Ecuador. She asked for some time, and I agreed. And now here we are.”
“You still care about her a lot, don’t you?”
“I more than just care, Alex. I’m in love with her.”
“You both deserve happiness. She went through some shit with her ex toward the end of their relationship that put her in a funk. But when she was with you, it was like she had her life back, and she was happy.” She grinned and got up on her tiptoes, placing her hands on his shoulders and kissing his cheek. “Stop sitting around here, being an asshole, and go find her and work your shit out. She’s hurting, and she needs you.”
“And you, my friend, have changed as well since Tenley walked into your life. You’re not the closed-off person you been all your life, and it’s damn good to see,” Ace said, gripping Potter’s shoulder.
“I’ll let you know if I find her.”
Chapter Twelve
Tenley walked down the beach, loneliness washing over her. The cold, wet sand sunk between her toes. She should’ve thought about grabbing her heavier coat from the car before she got out and started to walk down the beach, but she had been too far inside her head before she realized it. The air was crisp and cold, but it was the rain that now pelted her body, soaking her light jacket and scrubs that made her shiver.
She was losing control of her life. She couldn’t be free from Chaz, and she’d lost the man she loved.
She saw someone walking toward her, and she feared that it was one of Chaz’s guards. She highly doubted it, because whoever he had following her was probably still driving around wondering where she went.
Earlier today, when she had taken her lunch break, she took her car in for an oil change. The mechanic had found a tracking device stuck to the underside of the car. She knew it was put there by Chaz to monitor her whereabouts. After she had left Bayside, she ditched the device in the woods across town. That was sure to send the assholes on a wild goose chase.
She looked around her. Without the moon out, it was really dark down by the water. The lights coming from the nearby condos on this stretch of the beach didn’t do much to illuminate the beach area.
She heard the roar of the surf and walked closer. She watched as the dark water pounded the shore and then receded. It reminded her of her life at the moment—the feeling of being pounded on, then getting a little reprieve only to be pounded on again. As long as Chaz was around, that was how her life would play out.
She wondered what it would be like if she removed herself from the equation. What it would feel like to walk out into
the ocean, let the coldness numb her body and mind as the water carried her out to sea where she’d be free.
She plopped down on the cold sand. The rain started to let up, but the wind still whipped around fiercely. She twisted open the bottle of rum she picked up on the way and took a big swig. She coughed as the liquid ran down her throat and warmed her belly. She took a few more drinks from the bottle before she laid back and closed her eyes as she waited for the alcohol to take over.
She laid there as the minutes ticked by. Her mind had finally begun to push the worries aside as darkness set in. In the distance, she thought she heard her name being called. She blew it off and just let her mind go to sleep.
◆◆◆
Potter entered his condo and threw his keys into the glass bowl on the table next to the door. He had driven to Tenley’s house and the hospital, but she wasn’t at either one. Not knowing where she could be, he decided to come home. He had tried her cell, but it just rang.
He had forgotten he had left the heat on in the condo before he left for Derek’s party, and it was now stuffy inside. Sliding open the door to the balcony of the living room, he spotted someone on the beach. His initial thought was who would be so stupid to go to the beach with the current weather conditions. A big wind gust blew in, pushing open the person’s jacket. Focusing his eyes on the person laying in the sand, he spotted a purple shirt and purple pants. His heart stopped beating. He shook his head to make sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. Holy shit, was that Tenley? He tried calling out to her, but she never moved.
Then he watched in horror as a large wave rolled in and around her. She never moved, and he knew something was wrong. Without hesitating, he jumped over the balcony railing and landed, before his booted feet pounding on the wet sand as he ran toward the waterline. He kept shouting her name as more water rolled in. Fuck!
He got to her just in time as the current tried pulling her out. She was soaked, pale, cold, and passed out. A bottle of rum floated by and he cursed under his breath. He checked her pulse, and it was strong. Before another wave hit, he hooked his arms under her knees and scooped her limp body up into his arms. Quickly he made his way back up the beach to his condo.
Once inside, he went straight to the bathroom and started a warm shower. He stepped into the massive walk-in shower, fully clothed, and sat on the built-in bench. After he’d removed her clothing, he held her against his body while the water warmed her skin.
He looked down and gently caressed her cheek, realizing he had almost fucking lost her. If he’d been a few minutes later, he would never have seen her, and it would have been too late. The thought made him sick.
She moaned as his fingers glided up and down her face. “Shhh, baby…I got you.” He kissed her forehead as he held her close to him. Hell, even his own body was trembling from the adrenalin.
Slowly her eyes opened into little slits. “Potter.” She whispered and reached up with her hand to cup his cheek. He could smell the alcohol on her breath, and his heart broke, knowing he was the cause.
He turned his head and kissed her palm, then pulled her tighter to his chest because he was afraid to let go.
“You’re safe now. Let’s just get you warmed up.”
She started to shake. “I don’t want to die, but they won’t ever let me be free.” She hiccupped and sobbed as he gently rocked her, until he felt her body go limp and her slow even breaths against his shoulder. She had either fallen into an exhaustive sleep or passed out. He wanted to know what she meant by “they won’t let her be free.” That had been the second time tonight she had said something like that.
Seeing her skin regain its healthy glow, he turned off the water and grabbed a towel. He carried her into his bedroom and gently laid her down on the bed. The thick navy-blue comforter was bundled around her as he used the towel to dry her body.
As he moved the towel across her belly, he paused, staring, and imagined what she’d look like with a swollen little belly carrying his child. He had so many questions to ask her. Questions he should’ve asked weeks ago instead of being an asshole. Tomorrow he’d get his answers. Right now, Tenley’s wellbeing came first. He picked up his phone and dialed Stitch. He’d know what to ask about her injuries. As the line rang, Potter grabbed one of his t-shirts from his dresser to put on her.
“Yo.”
“Hey, man. I need your help.”
“After tonight, I’d say you need a lot of help,” Stitch said sarcastically.
“Fuck you. It’s Tenley. She’s here at my place.”
Potter explained how he found her on the beach and that she was passed out. He cradled his cell phone between his ear and shoulder so he could use his hands to pull the t-shirt on her. As he answered some of Stitch’s questions while pulling her arms through the shirt, he noticed some bruising on both of her upper arms. He looked closer and realized they were finger marks. As he went to pull the shirt down, he saw large bruises peppered across her back.
“What the fuck!”
Stitch stopped mid-sentence, “What’s wrong?”
“She’s got fucking bruises on both of her upper arms and all over her back.”
“I don’t know about the eye, but maybe the marks on her arms were from when you picked her up?”
No fucking way. “No. These marks are dark. Maybe from a couple of days ago.” He held her left arm out to look closer; then he put his hand over the marks. His fingers were a lot bigger than the marks on her arms, and he told Stitch so.
He could hear Stitch take a deep breath. “You need me to come over?” Stitch asked after a moment of silence. Potter knew Tenley was one of Stitch’s best friends, and he would move heaven on earth for her. But right now, she was sound asleep, and he didn’t want to create a ruckus and wake her.
“I think she’ll be okay. I’ll let her sleep. She’s going to need the rest, considering she and I have a lot to discuss tomorrow. I’ll give Ace a call and let him know what’s going on, and that I’m going to take a day tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a plan. Are you going to ask her about Ecuador?”
“That will be one of the topics, yes.” They had quite a few things to cover tomorrow, and she wasn’t leaving until they hashed everything out.
“Okay, man. Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks. Later.”
After hanging up with Stitch, he felt a little better. Seeing Tenley lying on his bed and in his shirt sent a jolt of possessiveness through him. He looked back at the bruising and the marks on both of her arms. Then he looked at the bruise on her cheek. Who in the hell had their hands on her? It was another question he would add to his expanding list of questions for tomorrow.
Carefully without jostling her too much, he placed her near the middle of his king bed with her head resting on the pillows. She never stirred. His girl was exhausted.
Quickly he walked back into the bathroom and shed his wet clothes and put on a pair of boxer briefs. He left the bedroom for just a minute to lock up the condo and turn the lights off. When he returned to the room, he walked to the side of the bed that was closest to the door and sat down. He sent a quick text to Ace that Tenley was safe with him at his place, and that he’d give him a call in the morning.
He looked over his shoulder at the petite beauty sleeping peacefully in his bed. No other woman had ever stepped foot into his home. But seeing her in his bed now, he knew she was right where she belonged. He knew tomorrow would most likely bring some tough conversations and, no doubt, some tears, but to move forward, they both needed to air their dirty laundry.
He set the phone on the nightstand and turned the lamp off. Sliding into bed, he pulled the comforter up over the both of them and scooted over until his chest was pressed against her back. He placed his arm over her hip, hugging her to him. Doing so caused her to stir, and she wiggled her bare ass against his cock, making it come to life, and he had to grit his teeth.
“Potter?” Her sweet, whispered voice sounded in th
e quiet room.
“Yeah, Ten?”
“I’m sorry.”
He squeezed her hip and kissed her shoulder. “I know, honey. I am too. We’ll talk tomorrow. Get some sleep.”
“Okay.” She yawned and molded into his large body. Within a minute, her breathing evened out again, and he knew she had fallen asleep.
With his woman safe in his arms for the night, he closed his eyes, hoping to get a few hours of shut-eye himself. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
◆◆◆
Tenley slowly rolled over and stretched her muscles. She didn’t remember her bed ever being this comfortable. Then the scent of sandalwood filled the air. She inhaled the familiar scent again, and it dawned on her; it was Potter’s scent. Her eyes popped open, and she looked around the darkened room.
There was a five-drawer chest, a nightstand with a lamp, and the ginormous bed she was bundled in. The rest of the room was bare. The light grey walls held no pictures. Not even any personal effects that she could see except for two pictures. One sat on top of the chest and was a woman who resembled Potter. The other sat on the nightstand next to the bed. That one warmed her heart; it was the same picture of her and Potter that she had next to her own bed.
She knew he lived a quiet life. He wasn’t one to delve deep into his personal life. Even though they had dated for a couple of months, she had never been to his condo. She only knew it was located somewhere on the beach and not too far from her place. Anytime they spent the night together, they always ended up at her home.
Thinking of the beach brought back memories of last night. Christ, what a mess she had gotten into. She remembered leaving the bar after seeing Potter with that bitch Suzette.
She remembered she had thrown the tracking device into the woods on the other side of town. She chuckled to herself, knowing how pissed off Chaz was going to be at his guys for losing her. It served them right. She’d had enough of his shit.
She thought about her car. Shit! She had walked over a mile down the beach from where she parked it. Hopefully, it hadn’t been towed. Then she remembered the bottle of rum—no wonder she didn’t remember much after she got tired and sat down on the beach.
