Desire (16 page)

“Did he hurt you?”

“No. But I’m glad we met in public.”

“It’s going to be alright, Maya.”

Kissing the top of my head, he pulls me into his arms and I choke out a sob into his chest. It’s so much better when he’s here. His back straightens, his muscles tensing dramatically. “Oh. Hello,” he says. “You must be Piper.” Taking a deep breath, I turn my head to see her staring at us with a look of pure astonishment. It better not be because she thinks he’s cute. “I’m Isaac.”

“Hi,” she answers quietly.

“Yeah, I forgot to mention,” I murmur, pulling myself from the comfort of his arms and wiping my tears away. “My roommate is back.”

“I see that. Good thing I brought extra food.”
Isaac gestures to the paper bag on the floor. Junior announces her arrival with a yowl, purring loudly as she trots over to Isaac and rubs his legs. Piper’s jaw practically drops to the floor as her eyes bug out of her head. The clumsy fur ball’s attention turns to the delicious aroma wafting out of the bag, standing on her back paws and nearly pulling it over. Isaac stoops down to pet her and retrieves a little plastic tub that make her meow enthusiastically. “I brought her some new catnip. You were running out.”

Running her hands through her hair, Piper looks up at the ceiling and laughs, but she isn’t amused in the slightest.
“I cannot fucking believe this.” She disappears into her room and slams her door.

“Don’t go,” I say before he offers. “Please. I’ll handle this.”

I head to her room, knocking gently. She doesn’t invite me in, but I intrude anyway. “I cannot believe you brought that asshole into my fucking house,” she shrieks.

“It’
s our house. He’s my boyfriend.”

“Maya, for a genius, you can be
incredibly stupid sometimes.”

“He’s not what you think.”

“Really? When did he stop being a freak that slaps women around?”

“About six months ago, actually. And don’t fucking call him that,” I snap.

“You buy any line, don’t you?”

“You know that’s not true
,” I correct her. She whips her suitcase open, tossing her clothes on the bed. “How was your vacation, Piper?”

“It was actually nice. How was
yours
, Maya?” she mocks me.

“Turned out
to be pretty great.”

“So when did you leave?”

“About a week ago.”

“And you’ve just had him here the whole time?”

“Yes, Piper, I have. And if this is how you’re going to react every time he’s here, then maybe I should start looking for my own place.”

“Oh, so you
want to move in with him already and use me as an excuse. Clever.”

“No, actually, I want to stay here. I don’t want to move in together, it’s
far too soon. But I have a new boyfriend and we can’t go to his place, it’s not safe.”

“Why is that?”

Because he lives with Gloria Monroe
. “Why the hell do you think, Piper? Because he works with some really fucked up people and if Luke finds out that we’re seeing each because of a rumor, I am in deep shit.”

She takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. “So he didn’t hurt you?”

The fading bruise on my back tingles. “No.” I’m technically lying, but he never meant to and he hated himself for it, so it didn’t count. “He’s been trying to get away from this for a while.”

“What do you mean, trying?”

“It is really complicated, and honestly, I don’t owe you any explanations. At all.”

“Oh,
” she scoffs. “Did he give you some sob story about his sad childhood that made him the victim in all of this?”

I clench my fist to
stop myself from slapping her. “Fuck. You,” I growl, growing very protective as I flash on his scars. “I’m not telling you shit. Ever. It’s between me and him. And I’m not letting you treat him like garbage because you feel like a being rude, self-righteous bitch that doesn’t have the slightest interest in controlling her temper.”

I never, ever talk to her like that. I never talk to anyone like that. And even though Isaac stressed it is critical that I don’t isolate her, I’m about to start packing. Piper doesn’t lash back at me
though, maybe she knows I’m right. I turn to leave, but my own anger is raging. “Do you even give a shit that you found me puking my guts out because I just kind of broke up with Luke and he basically threatened me? Like, at all? I have
always
been there for you and I
really
need your support right now.”

Her head drops, taking on th
e stance that means she feels guilty and stupid because she let her temper get the better of her. Is she counting to ten under her breath? I remind myself that Piper has major impulse control issues and has come a long way since she started taking her anger management techniques seriously. She might have physically attacked him two years ago. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Yes, I am really fucking worried about you. And I don’t want you to move out, it’s our senior year. We’ll probably never live together again.”

“I know. We won’t be going to law school together, either.”

“Really?” She smiles at me.

“
I already set up an appointment to ask Osbourne to be my thesis advisor.”

“He loves you, he’ll totally go for it. You only got sidetracked for a semester and it’s not like you dropped any classes.”

“We’ll see. Either way, I am majorly changing my life plan in a very positive way that you would totally approve of,
not
that I’m seeking your approval.”

“And this plan includes Isaac?”

Yes
. “For my senior year, it sure as hell does. Did you see that guy?” I exclaim and she nods, laughing. I hate to trivialize it, but that’s better than Isaac’s idea of lying about my real feelings and telling her that I’m just using him for sex and to protect me from Luke. “So be nice to him.
Please
. Don’t chase him off and if you insist on projecting your vanilla sex feminist agenda on the world, keep the judgment to yourself when we’re around.”

That offended her so much.
I wish I had a camera, the look on her face is hilarious. “I
do not
have a vanilla sex feminist agenda!” She shoves my shoulder. I knew that would work.

“Well good. Because I really like him. He’ incredibly sweet, great in bed, and I’m not worried about Luke hurting me when Isaac is around. So he’s going to be
here. A lot. And if you start treating him like a piece of shit, we are going to have a major problem.”

“Okay, okay. I won’t.”

“He is a fucking human being, Piper, and he’s never really hurt anyone. You are letting your imagination run out of control, it’s not what you think.”

“Promise?”

“Yes.” Okay, now that was definitely a lie, but at this point, fuck it. “Get your mind out of the gutter and let’s go eat. He is a
spectacular
cook.”

She hesitates. “I guess. Now I’m a little embarrassed.”

“Don’t be. He was expecting you to call the police.”

I leave her door open when I exit her room, watching Isaac for a moment as he plays with Junior
on the floor. That cat fell for him almost as fast as I did.

“How did it go?” he asks
, looking down. I haven’t seen his little kid face in a few days.

“She’ll come around. Bringing food will probably help quite a bit.”

“Normally, I would leave, but I’m worried that Luke will come over.”

“No, it’s fine,”
Piper says, looking almost as childlike as Isaac as she tentatively steps into the living room.

I’ve noticed a lot of similarities in their behavior before, but now that they’re in the same room, it’s comically obvious. I hope they never lose their temper at the same time. Why am I drawn to control freaks with major anger issues?

“Are you two hungry?”

“A little,” I
reply at the same time Piper answers with a resounding “Yes.”

Isaac laughs, pulling himself to his feet and striding into the kitchen. “I brought some chicken carbonara, one of my favorites. Technically, I didn’t make it with my own hands, but the sauce is
my top secret recipe.”

“Then who made it?” Piper asks.

“All of Isaac’s recipes are top secret because he owns a top secret restaurant that we aren’t supposed to talk about or ever visit.”

“Okay… whatever. I’m starving.”

Just when it’s starting to feel almost like a normal dinner, someone knocks on the door angrily. It’s Luke, it has to be. Isaac curses and forces himself to hide in my room, kissing my forehead and whispering a quick reminder of how to handle it as Piper looks on in surprise. Junior slips through my bedroom door right before it closes.

“Maya!” he shouts, pounding his fist so hard it might splinter the wood. “I know you’re in there
. Stop fucking around and let me in or I will kick this door down.”

Piper’s eyebrows shoot up and she cocks her head to the side. I call this her
‘oh-no-you-fucking-didn’t’ face, typically reserved for douchebags at the bar. I don’t think Luke’s ever spoken to me like that in front of her.

“Luke, calm down, I’m coming,” I shout back, shaking my head back and forth. I was really hoping
I’d get lucky and he wouldn’t come here.

12

Jace

Okay, the bastard showed up just like Isaac said he would. And Piper came home early. What a clusterfuck. By the time I get in the building I can already hear him pounding on the door, which means he isn’t inside yet. I
need to time this perfectly, so l linger at the end of the hall.

“I know you’re in there
. Stop fucking around and let me in or I will kick this door down.”

Oh, that’s just
fucking great. Maybe this guy could be as dangerous as Isaac’s convinced he is. I round the corner as soon as I hear one of the girls call back to him. He doesn’t notice me as I approach slowly, keeping my distance so I can casually walk past right as the door opens. I have a key in the unlikely event that he somehow locks them all inside before I get there, but that would be a disaster and impossible to explain.

“Maya!” he roars.

He is being very loud and the last thing I need right now is someone to call the cops. The door cracks open and the asshole pushes his way inside. My pulse races. After ten days of sheer boredom, I’m finally seeing some action and beginning to understand that Isaac is not half as paranoid as I thought he was.

“You’re fucking here?” he yells at Piper.

“Keep that door open, Luke. You won’t be staying for long,” she replies coolly.

I guess that’s my cue
because he laughs and spins around to close it. Our eyes meet and he’s visibly surprised, sizing me up. He doesn’t like what he sees and he shouldn’t. “Is there a problem?” I say, loud enough for Isaac to hopefully hear me because he has got to be freaking his shit right now.

“Take a walk, asshole, this has nothing to do with you.”

Thrusting my foot in the jam as he moves to shut the door, I glance over at the girls. Maya looks fucking terrified, justifiably so. Piper though, looks like wildcat ready to attack. Maybe this worked out for the best. “Are you two okay?”

“Hi,” Piper exhales, shocking me by stepping between Luke and Maya and pulling me inside
by my wrist. “Glad you could make it. I was just about to call you.”

Well, that was convenient. And really smart, she must be quick on her feet. Her eyes silently plead with me to play along and I flash her a smile as I step further inside. Luke takes a deep breath, doing a shitty job
pretending to be calm now that he has more than two scared little girls to deal with. Okay, one and a half, because now that I see her, even I’d think twice before fucking with Piper.

“Maya, let’s not make this messy,” he
says, but he’s looking at me.
Try something asshole, I fucking dare you.
“Let’s talk about this in private, like adults.”

“Adults?” Piper retorts, cutting Maya off before she says something
. That could be problematic because she’s been coached by the Dom whisperer on how to deal with this. “Because threatening to kick someone’s door down when they don’t want to talk to you is just so mature, Luke.”

“Piper, I am not putting
up with your bullshit right now. This has nothing to do with you.”

“Nothing to do with me?
It’s
my
door, Luke. She’s
my
best friend. I’m the one that just found her puking and shaking over a toilet because she had to talk to you.”

Shit. That was probably not the best thing to say
. It will just satisfy him on some fucked up, twisted level, and we are trying for the opposite right now. Obviously the hot headed roommate has not been filled in on the plan.

“Piper, shut it,” Maya snaps.

“No fucking way. I have been silent for way too long.” Fuckin A, this is just fantastic. Do I say something? “You sent her to some fucktard that slapped her around for three weeks and now you just show up here and want to talk?”

“He hit you?” Luke asks Maya, surprisingly concerned.

“
No
,” Maya answers emphatically. “She has been home for like five minutes, we haven’t even talked yet.”

“She doesn’t
need to tell me this time,” Piper interrupts her. “She already told me about how you choke her and let your old boss do the same.” What a sick fuck. “You are such a little dicked piece of shit and you are done working out your inferiority complex and your daddy issues in her vagina. Get the fuck out of my house!”

“You know what your problem is, Piper, aside from being
a fat, jealous bitch?” Doesn’t even faze her, I’m impressed. “You are always sticking your big ugly nose in other people’s business. Maya leaves my house completely satisfied and then you start putting ideas in her head and—”

“Ideas in her head? Seriously? Are we fighting for the fucking right to vote here, Luke?”

“You can’t get a drunk guy to go home with your fat ass, let alone keep a boyfriend.”
Ease up on the fat thing, you dick. She’s fucking perfect.
“You just can’t stand seeing Maya happy.”

Piper laughs loudly. “I’m not that easily manipulated, asshole.”

“You fucking want me, that’s always been the problem here.” What a cocky prick, but this is not the time to knock him down a notch. Maya’s eyes are screaming so loud for her to shut up you could probably hear her across the hall. Too bad Piper’s not listening.

“I think it’s the other way around, Luke. You came on to me, like you do to
all
her friends. But Maya is the only one of us that likes pot bellies and receding hairlines, so you’ve never had any luck and that just fucking
kills
you. You couldn’t handle me for an hour, let alone a whole night.”

“Came on to you?” he laughs, but his face is bright red. What a disaster. Isaac is the social engineer, I have no idea how to diffuse this.
Motherfucker! “You wish, you nasty slut.”

“I thought I couldn’t even get a one night stand with a
n alcoholic, Luke. Pick an insult theme and stick to it.”

“Piper, you—”

“Stop it!” Maya shouts, finally snapping out of it. Thank God. “It was you!” She steps forward and points her finger at him. “I snuck into his room and I saw those papers, that’s what made me go. I know
exactly
what you do to the other women you fuck that you didn’t want him to do to me, the cutting, the slapping,
all of it
Luke.” I seriously hope this is part of the plan.

“What?” Piper screams.

“Piper. Shut.
UP
.”
Thank you Maya
. “I need to say this shit myself.” The roommate finally nods and takes a deep breath. “You should have known better than to put me in a house with a secret stack of papers that I’m not allowed to read.”

“Y
ou shouldn’t have known they existed at all. I can’t believe he let you even see them.”

“You
have got to be kidding me. That’s your defense? They were out during that boundaries interview thing.”

“Goddamned thorough fucking bastard.” Ye
ah, you could say that.

“
It drove me insane for weeks and since you made sure I was bored out of my mind, it’s all I could think about. So one day when he was in the shower I picked his lock and found them. I will never look at you the same way, I can’t. I need some time to think and—”

“Did you even fucking try to do this?
You just had to do what you were told, why is that so fucking hard for you?”

“You don’t know me at all, do you?”

Her lips tremble.
Good job mixing some heartbreak in with the defensiveness, Maya
. Just when I think she talked him down, he lunges at her out of nowhere with his fist raised and clenched. Finally I’m useful for something other than standing here with my dick in my hands, but Piper gets there right as I do. Maya steps back and Luke flies into the doorway, but it happens so fast it’s hard to figure out who exactly pushed him off. He went pretty far and wasn’t very heavy, so it couldn’t have been all me.

We can’t antagonize him, but I am itching to
fuck this guy up. I pin him to the door with my forearm across his chest. “You need to cool off,” I say calmly, pushing him harder when he tries to wriggle free. “Maya weighs, what, 100 pounds? You can’t hit her. I’m gonna call the cops, man, if they’re not on their way already. You’re not leaving me much of a choice. Is that really how you want this to go down?”

“Who the
fuck are you, anyway?”

“Let’s just say I’m a friendly neighbor that’s going to be around a lot.”

“Look, kid,” he laughs.
Fuck you old man
. “If you haven’t fucked Piper yet, don’t. Never stick your dick in crazy.”

So
we happen to agree on that particular piece of sound advice, but this guy is such a fucking asshole I want to strangle him. “I don’t know what the hell is going on here, but I think it would be best if you gave her a little space, dude,” I reply, keeping my tone as neutral as possible. “Chicks come around eventually.”

Piper
throws a book at us and misses, thankfully. “Get the fuck out of my house! This has gone way too far, I am calling my father
right fucking now
,” she screams, pulling out her phone. Shit! That is totally not in the fucking plan! “We are pressing charges for attempted assault. There are three witnesses and I am telling him
exactly
what you did to her.”

Fuck
. I can’t let this bastard go to pull the phone out of her hands, not that it’s a great idea anyway. Maya’s basically catatonic right now, her arms wrapped around her knees, leaning against the door that Isaac is behind. If he opens it, this whole thing is over before it started.

“Y
ou are fucking finished, you piece of shit.” This chick has some lungs on her, there is no way someone hasn’t called the cops. “I hope you have a fun time getting knocked around in prison because you have a very pretty mouth Luke. I’m sure it will be
extremely
popular.” Great comebacks, though, I gotta admit. If this wasn’t a complete catastrophe, I’d be laughing my ass off.

Her threats seemed to snap him out of it and he blinks at me as I let him shrug me off.
He’s not getting past me though and he knows it. “I am fucking done with you!” he shouts toward Maya, who at least has it together enough to look at him so he knows she hears him. “You are not worth the hassle, you never were. The best thing that ever happened to you is walking out this door. You will never do better, you scrawny, flat chested cunt. I’m off to stick my dick in someone whose tits can actually bounce and knows how to keep her fucking mouth shut until I tell her to open it.”

He flips me off and jerks his chin up, tempting me.
You have no idea how much I want to, freak show.
With a cocky laugh, he spins and disappears down the hallway. Isaac is totally losing his mind in that room, but he’ll wait for a few more seconds before he comes out.

Poor Maya, she’s shaking so bad. I’m actually starting to like her and I
understand why he does. They are perfect for each other, so much that I’m happy for him and strangely a little jealous, not that she’s my type at all. I’ve been watching them for days, ignoring Isaac’s order to keep the audio and video off when he’s around, except when they have sex, which is constantly. She’s actually nice and he is a completely different person around her.

Piper is just staring at her, looking as confused about what to do as I am. Obviously this is uncharted territory for her, too. Should I leave?
The door opens as soon as I get a text from Oliver that Luke’s cleared the building.

“Hey,” he whispers, dropping to his knees and touching her face. She doesn’t respond and
her lips are pale. “Maya.” He kisses her forehead and she blinks at him. “It’s okay.”

“
You would have come out if this guy didn’t show up. It all would have been over.”

“
It’s not. Come here.”

She doesn’t move
an inch. I’m starting to wonder if she’s in shock or something. He molds himself around her, but she stays still, her arms around her knees with a blank look on her face. Isaac told me that he’s understated how much danger she’s in, but I guess now she knows.

“Some fearless protector,” Piper
quips. Isaac’s head whips around and he glares at her. He is fucking pissed, but his attention turns back to Maya when she whimpers something that might have been ‘don’t fight.’

“Thank you,” he says, look indirectly towards me. This is weird. Not only do I need to look like I haven’t known him forever, I should probably convey that I’m surprised he
appeared. So I nod, hoping the flabbergasted expression I’m wearing covers everything. “I couldn’t come out, if he saw me he would have went ballistic.”

“Uh, glad I could help. Who the hell is he?” That seems like something I’d ask, right? This sucks.

“Her soon to be ex.” Throwing a blanket over her shoulders, he checks Maya’s fingertips. “I’m Isaac.” He stands up and shakes my hand. Holy shit he is a good actor, this is really fucking bizarre.