Confessions (Tattoos & Tears Book 3)
Page 33
I stumble as my feet hit the floor again, and Jack makes his way around the bar. I need to get out of here.
“Don’t go, petal,” he rasps, and he towers over me as he stands in front of me. “At least let me call you a taxi, please. It’s not safe out there for a woman by herself; I would offer to drive you but looks like I’ll have to call Nate to come and take my drunken arse home!”
He smirks, and a tear escapes from my eye. He wipes it away with the pad of his thumb.
“I’m so sorry. You don’t need this, you said yourself you’re not a good person.”
My voice is small, and he lets out a breath.
“I didn’t say I didn’t want you, Peyton, I’m not a complete dick. All I’m saying is, I don’t know how to do relationships. I leave the loo seat up, I leave my dirty underwear on the floor, I can’t cook and I can just about work the microwave. I snore, and I’m terrible in the mornings until I’ve had at least three cups of strong black coffee.”
I chuckle, and he smiles.
“There’s that smile you’ve been hiding. Please sit down.”
I sit back down on the barstool.
“I’ll be right back.”
He winks and strides across the bar to what I assume is an office. For the first time tonight, I check my phone. I have eight text messages and three missed calls. I close one eye to focus on the screen and scroll through my texts. Four are from Sam, and the rest are from Ruby and Brody.
Hey babe
How's it going?
Little man asleep
Jax and the boys sang him to sleep J
Reminded me of that scene in Three Men and a Baby! I recorded it, will send you the video, babe. We can keep him until tomorrow if you want?
Give you a break, you deserve it.
Let me know
R x
I scroll down.
Are you ok, babe?
Please call me
I’m starting to get worried
R x
I scroll to the next message.
Sam’s was ready to tear the walls down
He's gone looking for you
Just giving you a heads up
Please call me, sweets
Let me know you’re ok
Brody xxx
I open the next message.
Angel
Please call me
S x
As I gradually go through each text from Sam, they get more frantic.
Let me know you’re ok, angel
I’m going out of my mind
Please
S x
I scroll down.
Call me, or I’m coming to find you
S x
I roll my eyes. My possessive rocker, how I’ve missed you.
FUCK this!
That was all the last message from him said.
Jack emerges from the office; he has changed out of his black shirt and into a tight white vest, which clings, to his muscles. His vest showcases his colourful, tattoo sleeves, and he looks delicious. I lick my lips at the sight of him.
“Is everything ok, petal?” Jack says, and I nod.
My phone starts ringing, and I really can’t deal with Sam right now, so I reject the call. A few seconds later, it rings again, and I reject it again.
“Do you need to get that?”
I plaster a smile on my face and shake my head.
“No, everything’s fine. It’s not important,” I say nonchalantly.
He narrows his eyes, and my phone starts ringing again. I roll my eyes and reluctantly answer it.
“Jesus! Fuck! Thank Christ you’re alright, angel. Where are you?” he says, before I even get to say hello. His voice sounds hoarse and exasperated.
“Stop calling me, I’m not your fucking concern anymore,” I snap, and he growls.
“Stop fucking saying that! You’re the mother of my child, angel; you are my god damn concern,” he roars.
“Please just leave me alone, Sam.”
He breathes, and when he speaks again, his voice is softer.
“Look, where are you? You shouldn’t be on your own, angel; it’s not safe. I’m coming to get you.”
I run my hand through my hair.
"I don't fucking need you! I'm fine!"
I raise my voice, and Jack regards me intently.
“Is everything ok, petal?” he says, and I nod.
I try to smile, but I know it doesn’t reach my eyes.
“Whoa! Who the fuck was that? I’ll ask again, angel, where are you?” he shouts, and a tear slips down my cheek.
I curse my emotions to hell for letting him get to me like that. I know I’m hurting him, but it’s better this way. I have to let him go. Jack strides across the room and snatches the phone from my hand.
“Look, mate, you need to calm down, you’re upsetting the lady...Yeah I know who you are...that’s really none of your business...I’m just a concerned friend...you’ve made her cry...no, I don’t give a fuck...I don’t know what you’ve said to her, but I’m not standing by while you upset her...it doesn’t sit well with me...I’ll make sure she gets home...she’s safe with me...no she doesn’t want to fucking see you...no you fucking listen to me, mate...you’re going to hang up the phone and I’m going to make sure she gets home safe...I know you don’t know me, but I’ll make sure she calls you in the morning...I’ll take good care of her, you have my word...ok good...bye.”
He hangs up the phone and hands it back to me.
“I can’t believe you just fucking did that!” I shout, and he smirks.
“Man, that guy was pissed!”
He chuckles, and I narrow my eyes at him.
“You had no right to fucking do that!” I snap, and he holds his hands up defensively.
“Calm down, I’m sorry, ok? Look, come back to mine, it’s not far from here. I’ll take you home in the morning, I promise. I’ve got a spare room; you can even lock the door if it makes you feel safer. No funny business.”
Should I really be jumping head first into another relationship, when I’m clearly not over the last one? The truth is, I’m still madly in love with Sam, but no matter how many times he says he forgives me, I’ll always feel that distance between us. If you love him enough, let him go.
“Petal?”
Jacks voice cuts through my thoughts, and I start to panic.
“Fuck! I can’t do this.”
His face is filled with concern, and I feel a panic attack threatening. Shit.
“Just breathe.”
He moves closer to me and cups my face in his hands.
“Breathe,” he says softly.
“I-I.”
I feel a panic attack rising, and my chest tightens. My breath comes in short bursts, and the tears are flowing freely now.
“Jesus.”
He moves me to a corner booth, sits me down, and drops to his knees in front of me.
“Deep breaths, yeah? It’s going to be alright, I promise. I’m not going to hurt you, you’re safe,” he whispers softly and reassuringly.
He breathes with me and clasps my hand in his, stroking my knuckles gently. Soon my breathing returns to normal.
“I told you I’m damaged, Jack. I’m sorry,” I choke out, and he shakes his head.
“You’ve got nothing to apologise for. Before tonight, I thought I could only do one-night stands, but something about you makes me want to try, Peyton. I know it’s only been few hours, but there’s a connection between us, I can feel it every time I’m near you. Give me a chance to show you that we can heal each other.”
An overwhelming sense of fear and dread takes hold, I really can’t do this.
Why would he pursue me when he knows I'm clearly hung up on Sam?
I get to my feet and run, leaving Jack on his knees, stunned at my reaction. I have to get out of here. I push open the bar door and walk out onto the street. The cool air hits me, and suddenly, I feel drunker than I did when I was inside. As I step out onto the pavement,
a photographer leaps out of the shadows and flashes a camera in my face. He continues the ‘click, click, click’ of his shutter as an unfamiliar large black Chevy Warrior truck with tinted windows and two white racing stripes up the length of the bonnet comes to a stop at the kerb.
“Angel.”
Sam’s familiar rasp echoes through the open window.
Oh fuck.
Continue reading with Tattoos and Tears book 4: No Regrets
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