Layers Crossed

by Lacey Silks

  I turned around and rolled my eyes at the man beside Grace. Hunter was walking close to her side, obviously aware at the damage he’d done. I hoped Grace had the wits to put him in his place. Although that might have only led to a long night of sex. Nope, I didn’t want him to get any pleasure out of my misery. Whatever punishment Grace had for her boyfriend, it better have been one that included him hanging by his balls.

  “He’s the one who came up with the brilliant idea,” I said to Kendra.

  “Then you should thank him for introducing you to the man I think you love.”

  I gasped. Kendra kissed me on my cheek, saying, “I’ll have Matt call you a cab when you’re ready to go home.” And she left.

  Did I love Eric? Was that the feeling I’d had with me the entire time? I should have gotten over the lie a long time ago. The agony of being so far away from him was tearing me apart. It was worse knowing he was so far away than it was being angry with him for lying to me. It wasn’t the same as when I was with David. We were younger and more prone to stupidity, living without a care in the world, taking it one day at a time while making plans for our entire lives. We lived on pure adrenaline, and the idea of being each other’s sweethearts kept us going. We grew up at the same time, and I’d never known what true love should be like and assumed it was what I’d had with David. Part of me felt like what I’d experienced with David was just the tip of the iceberg. What I felt for Eric seemed so much stronger and fiercer. What we had was like that root underneath the ocean, holding the iceberg steady, the mass of its foundation much stronger than the white tip bobbing on the surface. It didn’t matter to Eric that I wasn’t a girl from his town, or that I couldn’t square dance for the life of me, because no matter how silly I acted, he still wanted me. Me over Claire, me for who I was, accepting my job, knowing the dangers I could be in and not being threatened by it. I could count the ways when men I’d gone out with were afraid the moment I’d mentioned my last name.

  I wanted Eric so badly, yet I hated him for betraying me.

  “Hey, you. Still mad?” Hunter asked.

  “Furious.” Maybe I could punch Hunter instead? Get my anger out on his wickedly sharp jaw line. Would Grace mind?

  “Wow, there killer. Get that murderous look off your face. It doesn’t suit you.” Grace stood between me and Hunter.

  “I better become scarce,” he said, kissing Grace on her cheek. I grabbed his arm when he stepped to the side. His gaze lowered and a hint of fear sparked in the corner of his eyes. Hunter was never afraid of anything – not anymore.

  “Look, Hunter. I know you did it for my brothers.”

  “You’re wrong, Em,” the tension in his shoulders eased. “I did it for you. I’ve known Eric for a long time, and when Julian and Tristan asked me to keep you occupied and out of trouble, I knew you two could be a good match. And getting away from the city and the fast life was exactly what you needed, wasn’t it? Didn’t I do the same thing for you that Grace has for the past year with the bets and dares and gambles – make you forget the past for a moment? There’s no time to stop in New York. How were you supposed to let David go if you kept yourself busy with work? How were you supposed to experience life again when the guys you picked to date were assholes and jerks not worthy of one of your minutes? You were the one who got me and Grace together. I just wanted to return the favor. That’s why I never told Julian or Tristan how perfect you two were for each other.”

  Was it possible that Hunter had done for me what I’d done for him and Grace a year earlier? I had known him most of my life. I knew the moment he told me of the trouble my best friend was in that, Grace would be the perfect woman for him.

  Hunter was right. I had lost myself in work and obnoxiously pointless dates I knew would never lead to anything serious. Eric was the first person I’d met who was able to hold my attention with one look. He was the one who healed my heart and helped me completely get over my loss.

  “So you really never told my brothers about Eric and me, you know, maybe ending up together?”

  “Are you kidding? Do you think they’d have given you the case if they’d known the truth? I told them what they needed to know, skipping the part about how women fell on their knees for him and how perfect he was for you. I wonder if they’re doing so again, now that he’s obviously back on the market.”

  I knew what he was trying to do, and it was working. The idea of Claire – or anyone else – hanging on Eric’s arm was beginning to turn my stomach. Or maybe it was the tequila. And no, had they known, my brothers would never have given me the case. They’d think they were pimping me. Was that why they were so insecure at that first dinner with Eric? Because they’d realized we had the kind of connection they feared?

  I breathed out, softening my eyes at Hunter.

  Maybe I had been too harsh with him. “For what it’s worth, thank you. But I’m still mad.”

  “You’re welcome. And I like you mad. It gives you an edge.” He winked, kissing Grace on her cheek before he went to chat with one of the barmen.

  I tried to swivel back on the stool to get another shot I had lined up on the bar, and almost fell off my seat.

  “Oh, honey. How many of those have you had?” Grace lowered her hand to mine.

  “Not enough,” I said.

  “Then I have a lot of catching up to do.” She took one of my shots and threw her head back, immediately sucking on a lemon.

  “Shit, I haven’t had tequila in a while. Please tell me it gets better.” She took another one as if she wanted to wash the first one down.

  I laughed. “It does. After a few, you stop feeling them.”

  And like only a true friend would, Grace took a third one. She’d laugh with you, cry with you, and drown your sorrows when there was a need in a bottle of tequila without caring that she’d be hugging the porcelain king later in the night. Grace threw another shot that shook through her body like she was a wet dog drying off.

  “Ok, fill me in on what happened, before these toxins take over my brain.”

  I went through my story, giving her all the details, sparing her the dangerous part of John Huntz.

  The club began filling up. The lights dimmed and music sounded. The strength of the bass vibrated through my body, and I wanted nothing more than to lose myself to the songs. From the corner of my eye I saw Hunter sitting at the bar, chatting with someone and scrolling through his phone. He’d been keeping his eye on us the entire time, which I guess was more for Grace’s benefit than mine. He’d always been very protective of my friend.

  “I haven’t seen you this distraught in a long time, Em. In fact, you look like me when I’m upset at Hunter.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  She thought for a moment, swaying on her legs. “You know what?” she screamed over the music. “I don’t think I follow me either. But if I love Hunter when you get that look on your face, then you must love Eric because that’s the look I have.”

  Grace was definitely drunk.

  We both burst out laughing and each grabbed another waiting shot.

  “We want to dance now!” I could barely hear my voice over the loud music.

  “Then we dance!” She pulled on my arm and squeezed through the crowd toward the center of the overpopulated dance floor. The smell of booze and sweat no longer bothered me.

  I moved to the rhythm of music, at least I thought I was doing so. Everyone around me appeared to be moving in slower motion. But maybe it was the alcohol – actually I was sure the tequila was the cause for my twirling world. But it felt so good not to think about anything, to get lost to the sound and the words of the song I couldn’t make sense of. Oh, God, I’d definitely be paying for drinking so much in the morning. I lifted my hands above my head, snapping my fingers to the beat, weaving my hips from side to side, absolutely hypnotized. My veins were warmed by the buzzing alcohol in my body as I grazed first against one guy, then another, and all the tension I’d felt earlier in the night disappe
ared. Soon, Hunter made his way over to us. He took Grace’s hips, grinding against her, kissing her neck, and nibbling on her ear. Looking at them I missed Eric too much, so I turned around and fell into the arms of a handsome man with dark auburn eyes. They shined almost like gold as lights flashed above us, and the more I looked, the more familiar they became.

  He gently took my hand and spun me around, only to catch me against his hard chest when I lost my balance and giggled. Now that I had a closer look at him, I found him to be much more than handsome. He was gorgeous. Not my type, but definitely a ten on the Richter scale because I swear I thought the ground had just moved underneath us. He pulled his fingers through his long hair that curled just over the collar of his well-fitted t-shirt and gave me a sexy crooked smile that had the strength to burn my entire body. His eyes seeped lust, and I knew there was only one thing on this man’s mind – but for the life of me, it had slipped my mind what it was.

  “Hello, Emma,” he said.

  I searched my brain for the familiar voice.

  “Cash? Cash Wagner?”

  “Ah, you do remember,” He spun me around and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you here alone?”

  How could I had forgotten one of Grace’s brothers.

  “Nope. Grace and her boyfriend.” I pointed to the pair, but his gaze remained fixated on me.

  “You look like you’re celebrating tonight.”

  I wasn’t sure how my hips got into his hands or how my arms found themselves around his neck, but it felt good to be held. It felt amazing to let go of the stress and for once not think about anyone else around me. After all, that’s how others thought of me, right? I was a selfish brat, according to some people, so I might as well play the part and forget about the number of people I’d helped through failed marriages and relationships, the hours I’d put in at Cross Enterprises.

  “I’m celebrating me.” I stepped up on my toes so that he could hear me without realizing that he’d already lowered his head to hear me. Our mouths were so close I could smell the sweet scent of rum on his breath, overpowering the tequila taste lingering in my mouth. My heart stilled.

  “You’re a dangerous man, Cash Wagner.”

  Cash lowered his body, pulling me closer. His fingers skimmed against my bare spine. The blouse I’d worn tonight draped down to my ass at the back.

  “I thought you liked danger,” he replied. “But I’m not the man you knew a year ago, Emma.”

  Wasn’t he? From what I remembered, all four of Grace’s brothers were pure scum, hiding behind their daddy’s name. My head hurt. I didn’t want to think about the Wagner family. I needed a break.

  “Let me prove you wrong, Emma Cross. Let me celebrate you as well.”

  “Then dance with me until the morning,” I breathed heavily into his ear, my hands holding onto his biceps, feeling those ripped muscles bunch underneath my palms. God were they ever hard!

  “As you wish.” Cash dipped me back so low I thought my boobs were going to fall out of my bra. Thank goodness for fabric tape. When he brought me back up we were pressed against each other, swaying to the rhythm which I wasn’t even sure was slow. He held me in my spot with that hypnotizing dark gaze of his, and I felt a slight tug of guilt in my stomach. He must have sensed my discomfort because his grip eased and his genuine and utterly megawatt smile eased my concern. We were just two people having fun, right? And I needed some fun. I wasn’t stupid, though. I knew Cash was probably out tonight looking to score. My thought disappeared when he spun me around, holding me from behind, every inch of his fulfilling curve pressing deliciously against my back. The evening was about me – for once, all about me.

  I let Cash lead me through the motions, yielding to his dips and succumbing to his turns. Cash had some smooth moves, always holding me close, never losing contact. We stopped by the bar a couple of times for a few more shots. Since I trusted that Kendra had Matt looking out for me, I knew that he’d drive me home when there was a need. Besides, Hunter would never let me leave with a total stranger, especially Cash Wagner. It surprised me he hadn’t ripped me out of Cash’s arms yet. I shook my head, letting the tequila wash away all those responsible thoughts that were flooding my mind. Tonight was all about fun.

  After the last shot I was beginning to cross that border from a good buzz to completely wasted, and was running a chance of not remembering most of this night. As I moved past the crowd toward the center of the dance floor, pulling Cash behind me, I thought I saw Eric’s face flash between the dancers, but when I tried to find him again, I couldn’t. I shook off the paranoia that he’d somehow know what I was up to and kept swinging my hips to the rhythm, slightly grinding against Cash. He obviously liked it because he hadn’t left my side since I bumped into him. Yet the guilt tugging at my insides hadn’t left me for a moment. Deep down I knew that had Eric seen this, he wouldn’t have liked it; and then I felt bad for Cash who definitely had hope, but there was no way I’d leave the club with him. But I didn’t want to think about serious stuff at the moment. It was so rare for me to let go, and I wanted nothing more than to stay this way – oblivious to life and to the deep calling of my name far in the distance. The room spun like a Ferris wheel. The lights blended into one another, forming a prism of colors in the air. An aerial dancer flew right over my head making me laugh out loud.

  “Maybe we should slow down, Emma?” Cash had a concerned look on his face. Why was he worried? I was fine, just fine.

  “Maybe I should slow down so you can catch me.” And I felt my knees give out from underneath me as I fell back into a black hole behind me, before my world was swallowed by darkness.

  CHAPTER 26

  When the phone rang and I saw the New Jersey area code, I nearly jumped out of my pants. I’d been pulling my hair out since the day Emma had left, calling her dozens of times and sending her a few messages each day; all had gone without an answer. I’d ruined the one chance I’d had to be with her, and now, unshaved and stinking like a fucking wet dog – I was simply lost without her and couldn’t bring myself to do anything other than work and eat. Sleep only came when I passed out from exhaustion. And that was when I wasn’t at my parents, easing their worries and double checking the locks every night.

  “Emma?” I asked, full of hope, my body shaking with pure need to hear her voice.

  “No, it’s Julian.”

  I pulled my fingers through my hair again, shutting my eyes. “What can I do for you, Julian?”

  “You can tell me why my sister is upset, refuses to talk to us, and is drinking obsessively. Eric, she’s worse than when we hired you. What the fuck did you do to that girl?”

  I sighed heavily, wondering whether honesty was the best policy. It had to be in this case. If her brothers wanted what was good for her, then they’d help me get to her, because I was it. I knew this deep in my heart. I couldn’t live without her, and I was sure she felt the same way about me – she had to.

  “Emma and I became closer than I thought we would.”

  The grunt on the other side of the line vibrated against my ear. Something smashed in the background. “Did you sleep with my sister?”

  “With all due respect, that’s a bit private.”

  “You fucking did! I swear to God, Eric, if you hurt her, I will personally castrate you.”

  “I love her, Julian. All right? I fucking love her with all that I am, and I screwed it all up when I went behind her back and took this job. So if there’s anyone to blame for this, it’s you guys. If you hadn’t asked for my help, I would have met her at that strip club the way I was supposed to and started off on the right foot instead of with a bunch of lies.”

  “As I recall, it was you who needed our help,” he replied.

  “That was just a bonus. You know damn well I could have gone with any other agency. But I promised Hunter, and I am not someone to break a promise.”

  “Wait, you met her where?”

  “Look, it doesn’t matter. I didn’t know sh
e was your sister. Is she all right?”

  “I don’t think so. Right now I’m watching her drown her sorrows in tequila and grind against a guy I’m pretty sure is thinking he’s getting lucky tonight. Come to think of it, all the ladies are jealous that Emma’s stealing his attention. He’s quite into her, if you ask me. From what I know he’s quite the bachelor. A rich bachelor. I doubt there are many places of Emma’s skin left for him to discover because the way his fingers are skimming her curves – he’s definitely hoping to get lucky.”

  “Get that fucker’s hands off her!” I barked.

  “If you really feel that way about her, why don’t you do it yourself? The jet’s already waiting for you at the airport.”

  I slammed the phone down without saying another word, grabbed a duffel bag and stuffed it with fresh clothes and toiletries, and within thirty minutes I was in the air, showering and shaving on a damn plane, getting ready to rip apart the bastard who had his hands on Emma.

  That’s how I ended up in New York.

  And now I was sitting on a chair in the corner of her room, watching her sleep, splayed out on her bed with her mouth wide open. She looked so peaceful, it took every ounce of strength I had not to scoop her into my arms, cuddle her against my body, and take away that massive headache I was sure she’d have.

  I wondered whether she even remembered falling into my arms at the club. And thank God she had, otherwise my fists would have had no choice but to connect with the asshole who was touching her bottom, beautiful curves, and face. One look from me was all it took for him to walk away. When I tried to carry her out of the club, the bouncer stopped me, ready to tear me apart. Thank God Julian had stayed at the club and came over when I needed him. Either way, I wouldn’t have let Emma go.

  “He’s good. He can take Emma home,” he confirmed, “But fucking update me on her condition when she wakes up without telling her.”

  “Look, I’m done with the secrets. You may do your business that way, but I can’t do life that way. Emma’s gonna get the full truth from now on, because knowing her the way I do, I’m sure she’d prefer that.”