Denying The Bad Boy (Tattooed and Pierced #2) (23 page)

“Mary, I think that is enough.” Lance gritted out
through her teeth, but she wasn’t about to shut up. Not now, and certainly not
ever.

“It’s not enough, Lance, because I want them to know
exactly the type of person you are.” His face started to turn a shade of red from
his anger.

“You’re making a mistake, Mar—”

“Let her finish, boy.”

Mary snapped her eyes to her father, surprised at
the low warning in his voice.

Her father looked at her and nodded for her to
continue. “You hurt me, Lance.” Her voice was soft, but she knew everyone in
that room heard her nonetheless. “And the entire time we were dating I put up
with your drunken verbal abuse because I was scared about being alone.”

She would not cry even though she felt tears prick
behind her eyes. They weren’t sad tears, surprisingly, but ones that made her
feel clean and happy, because finally getting this off her chest was like a
weight being lifted from her shoulders.

“The only thing I am glad about that came from our
relationship was the fact I learned a lot about myself and my self-worth by
being with you. I’m different now, as you can all see, and that is a good thing.”
She took a step back and addressed the room. “Being on my own, standing on my
own two feet and handling things myself has made me not feel dependent on
others, or what they think about me. I might live in an old, rundown house with
a roommate, not able to buy designer clothes or have the newest possessions, but
I wouldn’t trade that for anything.” The tears she had tried so hard to hold in
spilled free, but she didn’t care. It felt good to cry, because for once in her
life they weren’t because she was sad.

The only sound that could be heard after she spoke
was the grandfather clock in the foyer chiming the hour.
“Mary,
honey.”
Mary shook her head and smiled at her mom.

“I
don’t want an apology, because what’s done is done. I was tired of having all
of that bottled up, but it’s out in the open now, and just
know
that I will not ever keep it in again. I owe a part of that to Alex, because he
has never made me feel awkward in my skin, and has always let me know I am
worth something more. I have to go, but I’ll be at the salon tomorrow, Margo.”
She didn’t wait for anyone else to reply, just headed to the front door, but
stopped when she heard her father’s deep voice.

“You did that to my daughter?” Mary was surprised to
hear the unrestrained anger in her dad’s words. There had only been a few times
when she had seen or heard her father upset, and they had all been when there
was an issue with work. He was stoic, apathetic on the best of days, and showed
her, as well as everyone else, very little affection. It was who he was, but
right now he was speaking to Lance with rage laced in his voice.

Lance cleared his throat. “Sir—”

 
“You are no
longer welcome in my home, or in the company of my family. I want you out of
here.”

She heard her mother start to cry. Mary opened the
door and headed out, but stopped when she saw the downpour.
Of course.
Taking her keys out of
her purse, she grabbed her phone in the process, and saw a few missed calls
from Alex and texts saying he was sorry he was running so late and that he was
on his way. She sent a quick text to him saying to just meet her at the hotel.
She was glad he hadn’t gone with her tonight, because no way would she have
wanted him to see that circus act. Hitting the unlock button on her keychain
she took a step off the landing and made her way quickly to her car. The rain
pelted her and she was instantly soaked, but before she climbed in her car she
heard the front door open and close and turned around to see Lance walking
briskly toward her. He stopped right in front of her, water dripping from his
once perfectly done hair, and his eyes narrowed into slits.

“You made me look like a damn fool in there.” She
didn’t miss the way he clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides. She
tightened her hold on her keys, refusing to be intimidated. He wouldn’t dare
hit her, although she saw in his eyes that he had the urge to.

“I said the truth. If the truth makes you look like
a fool then maybe you should take a good look in the mirror, Lance.” It wasn’t
a question, but her words clearly pissed him off more because he bared his
teeth at her. He lifted his hand, and for a split second she actually thought
he
would
hit her. He held his hand in
the air, and she looked between him and his fist.

“If you’re going to do it, then do it.” There was no
fear in her words. Holding his gaze, she challenged him to hit her and prove
exactly how weak he was. His nostrils flared, and for several seconds he did
nothing but stare at her. He dropped his hand and grinned at her. It wasn’t
sweet and genuine, but like a damn predator about to attack its dinner.

“You’ll regret doing that, Mary. You have clearly
forgotten your place.” With that he stalked to his Porsche, climbed in, and
sped off, tires squealing and water spraying everywhere. There was the Lance
she
remembered,
the one with the short fuse but that
could put on an act to fool the Pope. Her phone vibrated, and she saw it was a
text from Alex.

Alex
:
K, but R U all right?

Mary breathed out, feeling so overwhelmed.

Yeah,
just family drama.
I’ll
C U there.

Tossing her phone in the passenger seat she made her
way to the hotel, feeling good about getting everything out, but also feeling
extremely exhausted because of it. At least her family hadn’t tried to stop her
from leaving. Despite telling herself not to, the tears she had been holding in
spilled down her cheeks.

Chapter
Seventeen

Alex stood under the awning at the small hotel in
the posh suburb right outside of
Brentsville
. They
had stayed several more hours for practice. His body was sore, and after
running home and taking a quick shower and packing his bag, he had headed right
over. He tried calling Mary to tell her he was on his way, but there hadn’t
been an answer. He felt like shit for bailing on her, and even felt more like a
douche when she sent him a text when he was on his way saying to just meet at
the hotel. He spotted her BMW pull to a stop under the awning, and right when
she got out the valet rushed over to her. She handed him her keys, and he drove
the car away, and then it was just her standing a few feet from him, soaking
wet, and her eyes red from clearly crying. His heart beat double-time and he
moved toward her. Had those assholes hurt her? If so he’d kick some serious
ass.

She met him halfway, stopped when she stood right in
front of him, and before he could ask her what happened she had her arms
wrapped around his neck and had her mouth on his. Surprise filled him at her
assertiveness. Had he been wrong that she was upset? He grew instantly hard
when she slid her tongue along his bottom lip. Alex didn’t question what she
was doing, just wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her close to his body
so he was holding her weight and her feet dangled above the ground, and took
her mouth in a fast, passion-filled kiss. For several long seconds they stood
there, kissing like no one was watching, and it was so fucking hot.

She broke the kiss, trailed her lips along his jaw,
and whispered in his ear. “Take me to our room, Alex. I need to be with you
right now.”

She leaned back and looked into his eyes, and there
was no fucking way he was going to question what in the hell was happening.
Alex set her on her feet, took her hand in his, and led her past the front
desk, and into the elevator. Pressing her against the mirrored wall, he took
her mouth again, feeling the elevator ascend, and loving that if he wanted to
he could have her right here, right now. She pressed against him, rubbed her
body along the length of his, and seemed almost desperate for his touch. His
pulse beat at the head of his cock, and he knew he’d need to stop or he’d pull
her skirt up and take her right here in the elevator. She was wet, as if she
had been standing in the rain, and he broke the kiss and looked down at her.
Her dark hair seemed even darker now that it was wet, and a glance down at her
chest showed the thin material plastered to her breasts, and her nipples rock
hard through the bodice.

“You’re soaked.” He slowly lifted his eyes to hers,
and his breath halted at the raw look she gave him.

“You have no idea, Alex.” The way she said it made
it clear she wasn’t taking about her wet clothes and hair.
Holy fucking shit
. His girl was hot. Fortunately the elevator
dinged when it reached their floor because he had been seconds away from taking
her. He took her hand again and moved them quickly down the hall to their room.
Once the door was opened and closed behind them, they stood there facing each
other. The living arousal that bounced between them had his cock throbbing. He
went to her, and at the same time they started tearing clothes away until they
were pressed naked against each other. This was not a slow night of making
love, but fast and fierce.

He took her to the bed, ran his finger between her
thighs, and groaned deeply when he felt how wet she was for him. “Baby, I have
to get a condom.” He kissed her and started moving away, but she tightened her
hands around his neck. He looked down at her, slightly confused. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m on the pill.” He blinked once at her words, not
sure exactly what she was getting at. He was glad she was taking extra precautions.
When he didn’t respond right away she continued. “You’ve always used a condom
with the girls you’ve been with?” He swallowed, realizing exactly what she was
getting at.

“Yeah, baby.” His voice was hoarse, and his dick jumped
between them.

“I don’t want anything between us. I just want to
feel
you
.” Mary lifted up and pressed
her lips to his. A strangled sound left him when she reached between their
bodies, took hold of his cock, and placed it at her pussy.

She lifted her hips, causing the head of his dick to
slide inside of her. “
Christ
.” He
closed his eyes and continued to push into her. Her breath was hard and fast,
and when he was fully inside of her he felt her inner muscles clench around him
like a vise.
“Fucking hell, Mary.”
Every muscle in his
body was taut, and all he wanted to do was fuck her until she knew that she was
his.

“Take me, Alex, completely.”

That was all he needed to hear her say. Pushing up
so his arms were straight right above her head, Alex fucked her like he loved
her, and fucking hell he did. Mary was hot and wet, and so fucking tight that
sweat immediately popped out along his body.

“God, Mary.” He continued moving in and out of her,
and before he could tell her how good she felt surrounding him she was the one
speaking.

“I love you. I love you so much.” They stared at
each other, and the emotions that swelled inside of him made him feel high.

“Baby…” His voice cracked, but he never broke eye
contact. “I love you, too.” God it was fast, so fucking fast, but never had
anything felt as good as hearing her say she loved him, or telling her those
three words in return. They crashed together, chest to chest, mouth to mouth,
and he let everything he felt for her be displayed physically. There was
nothing better in the world than being with her, having her scent fill his
lungs, and hearing her moan out his name over and over again. He came fast and
hard inside of her, following right on the heels of Mary’s orgasm. It was the
most intense feeling in the world, and he never wanted a barrier between them
again. When they were both sated he collapsed on top of her and tried to catch
his breath.

“Alex?” Her voice was soft.

“Yeah, baby?”

“I can’t breathe.” He chuckled and rolled off of
her.

“Sorry.” Alex pushed a strand of stray hair away
from her damp forehead and leaned in to kiss her. “That was…” Shit, he couldn’t
even describe it.

“Yeah, I know.” She smiled up at him, and for the
longest time all they did was stare at each other.

“I love you, Mary. And to be honest, it scares me a
little bit at how much I do.” Yeah, he just said that, and it was one of the
most honest things he had ever told another person.

She smiled and lifted her hand to cup his cheek. “I feel
the same way, Alex.”

He wrapped his arms around her and brought her close.
 

“Do you want to talk about it?” She had never told
him if there was actually something wrong, but he had known in his gut that
something had to have happened at dinner tonight.

A pregnant pause filled the air. “There really isn’t
much to say. I stood up to them. I told Margo what a selfish bitch she was,
told my mom I’m not her doll, and told them about Lance and how I will never be
with him again.” That last part had him stilling.

“Lance, your ex?”
Every part of him was tense once again at hearing her say her ex-boyfriend’s
name. “He was at the dinner?” He leaned away from her so he could look into her
face. She looked uncomfortable and nodded.