Authors: Dani Matthews
I yank my wrist out of his grip and stalk towards the
door. “Unfortunately, yes,” I retort as I enter the hallway.
“Wait! It's not Preston is it? You've got to be
fucking kidding me,” Ace barks out as his laughter booms into the hallway as he
follows me.
I spin around and glare. “You say one word to anyone
about this, and I'll kill you. Slowly. Brutally. Starting with that dick of
yours and its ever present erection.”
Jeremy's door opens, and he steps into the hall in a
pair of boxers. His eyes flicker between me and Ace as he scratches his head
while fighting a yawn. “What's going on?”
Ace snickers. “Z's got Preston handcuffed to her bed.”
Jeremy blinks, his sleepy brown eyes focusing on Ace
first before turning back to me with confusion. “It's too early for
metaphorical shit. Just tell me already. I have a fucking hangover so
speak
slow
.”
“Go back to bed,” I order.
He scowls. “You're a bitch this morning.”
“When am I
not
a bitch?”
“Jeremy, she's got Preston handcuffed to her bed with
those fuzzy, pink handcuffs of mine. She stole them last night but forgot the
key, which is why Little Miss Sunshine here is in our apartment at nine in the
morning instead of snoring away in her own bed,” Ace says, swallowing back more
laughter.
“I don't snore,” I snap at him.
“You're serious?” Jeremy asks Ace, as his brown eyes
blink away the sleep that had been clinging to them.
“She's got the key in her fist,” Ace replies.
This is getting out of hand, and I roll my eyes at
him. “You tie women to your bed on a nightly basis, because you're a total
man-whore. I cuff a man to my bed once, and it's a big deal?”
He gives me a knowing look. “It is a big deal. You
don't do mornings. You don't do kink. You fuck ‘
em
and leave '
em
like a pro, honey. You're a bigger
player than some of my boys.”
“I have some castrating to do,” I mutter under my
breath as I spin around and make for the door. I had known that if I got
caught, I'd never live it down. Damn the man...
er
,
Preston. I'm assuming that's his name since Ace keeps mentioning it. If Ace
knows who's in my bed, I'm assuming I'd been all over him during the majority
of the party the guys had thrown here last night.
I stalk out of Ace's apartment, and I'm halfway to
mine when I hear running footsteps behind me. Son of a bitch! I race for my
door, yank it open, and I'm in the process of slamming it shut when Ace's bare
shoulder rams into it, causing me to bounce back from the force. I stumble
backwards, just barely catching myself as Ace calmly opens the door the rest of
the way. He saunters in with Jeremy on his heels.
“Really?! You can't be serious!” I burst out.
Ace's teeth flash white with his wide grin. “I
wouldn't miss this for anything,” he says before he ambles off towards my
bedroom. Jeremy smirks at me and he takes off after Ace.
I stare after the two nosy men, and then my feet
finally start moving, and I trail after them. I'm ready to kill them all, but
then I realize this is going to be humiliating for Preston as well. I guess
that makes it worth it. My lip tilts up in the corner as I hurry after them,
because I can hear Preston cursing as I near the bedroom.
Ace is standing several feet inside my room, and he's
doubled over, laughing hysterically while Jeremy snickers.
Preston is still cuffed to the bed, wearing absolutely
nothing. I hadn't considered offering him the sheet—which happens to be in a
tangled mess on the floor. His jaw is set as he glares at Ace and Jeremy before
his blue eyes shift to mine. “Really?” he asks sarcastically.
I shrug helplessly. “I told you it'd be impossible to
sneak the key out.”
He gives me a look of irritation before resignation seeps
into them, and then he turns his attention on Ace. “Alright, Wellington. You've
had your fun. Get out,” he says through gritted teeth.
Ace's shoulders shake silently as he fights back more
laughter. He walks over and slaps Preston on the shoulder good-naturedly. “You
should feel lucky. I think you're the second guy to make it to morning.
Usually, she kicks them out or takes off from their place before the condom is
even off their dick,” he says with a chuckle.
Preston growls out, “Shove off.”
This causes Ace to shrug. “Just thought you should
celebrate, that's all,” he teases before he turns and strolls out of the room.
I stare briefly at the ceiling with exasperation, then
I glance at Jeremy, who looks just as entertained as Ace had moments ago. “Don't,”
I warn.
He clamps his lips together, fighting back a grin.
“Only you,
Zo
...” He shakes his head and disappears
out the door.
“About damn time,” Preston mutters.
I walk over and climb on the bed to lean over his
cuffed hands. “Yeah, well, I warned you, didn't I? We're never going to live
this down,” I mutter as I insert the key into the lock. After a twist of my
wrist, the cuffs unlock.
I move back as Preston yanks his hands out of the
cuffs, then in one swift motion rises to his feet. I watch his tanned ass
disappear out the door as he goes straight for the bathroom. “Ugh,” I grumble
into my hands as I rub my face. This has got to be the weirdest morning I've
ever had.
My eyes shift to my alarm clock, and I see I have
about an hour before I have to be at
Grendal's
, the
restaurant where I work. I need to get my ass in gear.
After rising from the bed, I leave the room and walk
back down the hall, past the small living room, and straight to the kitchen.
It's pretty small with all the appliances on the left side, and a small island
counter on the right, dividing the kitchen from the living room. My gaze
flickers around the apartment. It looks like I've just moved in, even though
I've been living here for over a year and so many months. The walls are still
bare of any décor, and the carpet is your average apartment brown. I have one
couch, and it matches the carpet. A simple coffee table sits before it, and
that is all I've done to spruce up the place. Nothing decorative sits out on
the island counter or on the cream counter tops. The refrigerator is a bare
white, the only thing posted to it is my class schedule for this semester. The
bedroom is the same. There is nothing in there that shows off my personality
but for the clothes strewn around the room. The only real burst of character is
the ugly-ass black and red sheets Ace bought me. I don't know why I use them. I
should have just tossed them in the garbage since it was intended as a gag
gift, but instead, I'd washed them up and put them on the bed.
I try to shake off my weird mood as I turn to the
refrigerator and inspect the contents. I'm not much of a cook. Most of the
time, I buy take-out, and I practically live off of
Grendal's
menu. It's easy to put in an order for myself after my shift and bring it home.
Maybe one day I'll learn to cook, but for now, the microwave works just fine.
I pull out a container of yogurt and check the
expiration date. It's good for two more days, so I pull back the tab and grab a
spoon from the utensil drawer. I'm just digging into my yogurt as I lean a hip
against the edge of the counter when Preston ambles out from the hall. He's
fully dressed, and I try not to show much interest. It's hard, though. The guy
is taller than I thought, probably as tall as Ace, and his body is long and
lean. I definitely like how his jeans fit those narrow hips and long legs. His
short sleeve shirt rests against his upper body, hugging his broad shoulders
and giving just a hint of the hard muscles that I know lie beneath. He's
running a hand through his dark hair, his attention fixed on the apartment door
on the left side of the room. When his blue eyes happen to flicker my way, he
pauses when he catches sight of me.
An uncomfortable silence fills the room.
I shrug. “See you around.”
His brow creases as he studies me. “That's it?”
“Was I supposed to say more?”
He looks oddly perplexed. “No. That about sums it up.
Later,” he says before he turns for the door and leaves.
For a long moment, I stare after him once the door
closes firmly behind him. I feel oddly disappointed that he's gone, and I try
to shrug it off. After polishing off my yogurt, I head to the bathroom and
start the shower before turning back to the small vanity mirror.
When I glance at my reflection, I pause. My
brownish-red hair—auburn, I guess you could call it, is a bit disheveled this
morning. It usually rests about mid-back in layered waves, but this morning,
it's tousled from the wild night before. Black eyeliner still rims my dark
brown eyes—'fuck
me
' eyes as Ace calls them. And my naturally
pouty lips are swollen this morning and reddened from kissing Preston last
night. My teeth sink into my bottom lip as I remember his naked body stretched
out on my bed.
“Yeah, I don't think so,” I mutter to myself as I
shake the image from my mind. That is one man I have to stay far, far away
from. He got me to steal handcuffs.
Handcuffs.
Imagine what he could get
me to do if I actually allowed him access to my body. I shudder. I've seen guys
like him. Gorgeous but only looking for a good time. They are the kind that'll
rip out your heart before you're aware of it. By the time you realize parts of
it are missing, he's moved on to his next conquest.
I snort at the irony as I yank my shirt off. I'm the
same exact way. I take what I want and walk away without a backward glance. I'd
bruised some male egos last year until my reputation developed. Now most guys
know the deal, and there are no expectations.
The dragon snags my attention, and I freeze as I stare
at it. I swallow hard at the sight of the tattoo on my left shoulder.
Micah.
The pain that suddenly stabs at me has me doubling
over as my lungs tighten. Soft gasps fill the small bathroom as I struggle to
draw in ragged breaths of oxygen. Bitterness begins to envelope me, and I try to
fight it off as the ache in my chest intensifies.
Not today. Not when I need to work an eight hour
shift. I can't let it take over.
This is one of those days where I can't stand the
tattoo. I should have never gotten it. But fucking hell, when I'm drunk—I do
the damnedest shit. Case in point—this morning's fiasco with Ace's pink
handcuffs.
My feet ache. I should have been done with my shift over
two hours ago, but Dina had called in sick, and I hadn't wanted to leave Lonnie
dealing with the late evening rush with just a newbie as back-up. I'm pretty
sure the new girl wouldn't be stepping one foot back in this place after
tonight. Lonnie's a vivacious blonde that won't hesitate to let you know when
you're messing up. She's only a year older than me, but she's been working here
at
Grendal's
for four years, and she's the assistant
manager. She's been riding the newbie's ass all night, because the other girl
is ridiculously slow.
I bustle into the kitchen and quickly start depositing
the dirty dishes near the large dishwasher a teenager is in charge of tonight.
Once my tray is clear, I exit the back and almost run into Lonnie.
Annoyance flicker’s in her blue gaze. “I'm about to
fire her.”
“It's your own fault for hiring her.”
“I was desperate,” she mutters as she runs her
well-manicured hands over her sleek ponytail.
I can't help but make a sarcastic sound in the back of
my throat. “And you'll be desperate tomorrow when she gives you her notice.”
“I know. At least things are slowing down.” Lonnie's
blue eyes perk up. “I owe you for sticking around.
Ketler's
having a huge party tonight. Come with?”
Under normal circumstances, I'd jump at the invite. I've
partied with Lonnie several times before and even gone clubbing with her and
her friends. She's twenty-one, and she knows everyone here in Long Beach. I'm
only twenty, but I have a fake ID that says otherwise. Partying and drinking
happens to top my list of favorite things to do, but after this morning's
fiasco, I'm actually looking forward to going back to my empty apartment.
Tomorrow is Monday, and I have classes to deal with.
Lonnie arches an eyebrow. “If it's taking you that
long to answer, Hell's frozen over or something.”
“I had a rough morning, and with it being Monday
tomorrow, I think I'll pass,” I say lightly.
“When has a weekday ever stopped you?”
I shrug.
Now Lonnie is suspicious. “Did a guy finally pin you
down?”
A snicker escapes before I can contain it as I think
of Preston cuffed to my bed this morning. More like I'd pinned a guy down—for
hours—without even knowing it.
Lonnie's mouth drops open. “Who?”
“No,” I say with a laugh. “No one pinned me down.”
“Zoey
Monohan
, explain that
snicker to me right now,” she demands. Glass shatters somewhere in the
restaurant before I have a chance to reply. Lonnie's blue eyes swing towards
the noise and she stalks off, cursing under her breath. Then, she pauses
briefly and looks back at me. “Get out of here. Tell Mike he's to help cover
the floor if I need him,” she calls before she disappears.
I quickly disperse with the tray and toss my simple
black apron into the hamper before going back out into the restaurant.
Grendal's
is pretty casual, but since it's close to campus,
it's usually busy. The restaurant is mainly made up of an intricate maze of
booths with high wall dividers, giving the illusion to casual privacy. Current
music plays quietly on the speaker’s overhead, and during the day the
restaurant has blue walls and a sophisticated beach feel to it. At night, the
lights dim slightly, and the black lights are turned on, giving the place a
club-like type feel to it. Towards the back of the restaurant is a bar with a
huge oval counter that overlooks the dozens of booths in the smaller room.
Louder music plays in the bar, and the black lights are turned up more. It's a
popular place for the college crowd in the evenings before they go out to
party.
Mike is behind the bar with Scott, one of the other
bartenders. I see there are several patrons at the bar, and I silently make my
way behind the counter and wait until Mike spies me. He walks over, flashing a
quick smile of expectation. “Hey girl, headed out?”
“Yeah, Lonnie's orders. She wants me to warn you that
you'll have to help cover the floor if she needs you,” I say loudly over the
music.
He nods, and his eyes scan the bar before turning back
to me. “New girl?”
I shake my head.
“Figured as much. Catch you later, Zoey.”
I flash him a smile and turn to escape the restaurant
before Lonnie can change her mind. The fresh air greets me when I step outside,
and I inhale deeply as I pull out my car keys and press the unlock button on my
key fob. The sight of my gorgeous cherry red Camaro with white racing stripes
down the middle brings a smile to my face. I slide in and run my hands over the
steering wheel lovingly. This here, this is my baby. She's the only constant in
my life that will never leave me. I bought her last year when I realized I
could swing the monthly payments along with my rent. Since I don’t have to pay
for my college tuition, all my money from my job goes towards living
expenses. If only Micah was here to see her. My heart constricts as I
think of my brother and the fascination he’d had for fast cars.
I quickly shut down my thoughts before they can go too
deep into the recesses of my mind where the darkness awaits. I can think of
Micah briefly some days depending on my mood at the time. Other days, it’s like
being gutted with a knife.
I turn on the ignition and grin as she purrs to life.
The ache in my feet fades as I expertly back the Camaro out of the employee
parking lot, leaving the restaurant behind. Once I'm on the road, I push the
speed limit as much as I can without getting pulled over.
It's not long before I'm parking the car in the lot
behind the large apartment complex I live in. I go through the back entrance,
and instead of using the elevator, I take the stairs up to the second floor
level. As I walk down the long hall, I can hear music coming from a few
apartments down from mine. The complex is located only a mile away from Long
Beach University. A lot of college students reside here thanks to the close
proximity to campus. There's always a party or something going on, and I love
the lively atmosphere.
After unlocking my apartment door, I step inside and
flip on the light. The usual assault of loneliness hits me, but I shove it
aside as I kick off my shoes. I need pizza. I'm in the mood for lots of cheese and
tomato sauce, with a bottle of beer on the side. I'm just pulling the phone
book out of the drawer in the kitchen when I hear a knock on my apartment door.
I'm guessing it's either Jeremy or Ace.
I walk over and open it to find Jeremy. “Hey. I
thought I heard you come home,” he says as he walks past me uninvited into my
apartment.
I frown as I shut the door. “Were you waiting on me or
something?” I ask as I turn to face him. I can’t help but think that I won the
lottery when it comes to having him and Ace as neighbors. Jeremy may not be as
striking as Ace, but his ruggedly handsome good looks draw in plenty of female
admirers. He’s also still sporting the same stubble he’d had along his jaw last
night, and I briefly wonder if he’s going to let it grow out.
Jeremy shakes his head in reference to my question. He
gives me a pointed look as his right eyebrow quirks up, bringing attention to
the thin scar that bisects his brow. “Ace is entertaining a lady.”
“You sure she's a lady?” I quip.
Jeremy snickers. “I think he's slumming it tonight.
She's not his usual type. And she's loud.”
I laugh and nod to the couch. “My couch is your couch.
I was just ordering pizza,” I tell him as I go back to the phone book where my
cell phone sits on the counter.
“Get me a medium, hand tossed, with everything but the
green peppers.”
I place our order and walk past him. “I smell like
grease. If pizza comes before I'm out of the shower, I have cash sitting on my
dresser.”
“Nah, I got it. Where's your laptop?”
“It's either on my bed or in my backpack,” I call back
before I enter the bathroom and shut the door.
I take a quick shower, run a wide-tooth comb through
my wet tangles briefly, then throw on a pair of casual black sweat
capri's
and a red tank. When I open the bathroom door, the
scent of pizza hits me, and my stomach growls loudly.
Jeremy is in the kitchen, grabbing plates out of the
cupboard while two pizza boxes sit on the counter top. I walk over and grab
some paper towel first before snagging a couple of bottles of beer out of the
fridge. We settle down on the couch next to each other and dig in.
“Where's AJ tonight?” I ask around a mouthful of
cheesy pizza.
Jeremy shrugs. “He ignored my text, so he's probably out
with his brothers,” he replies before he takes a long pull of his beer.
I nod, knowing he's likely right. AJ is the only other
'non-friend' that I am 'supposedly not close to.' He lives in a large
fraternity house just off campus with a bunch of his fraternity brothers. AJ's
here on a baseball scholarship, and even though he's quite level headed, the
guy is always in demand. Very rarely does he have down time, and when he does,
he's busy studying or working on his course work.
“What was up with you last night?” Jeremy asks as he
eyes me with interest. “You were all over Caleb, and you're usually not like
that. You rarely put that much effort into guys. Hell, you
never
put any
effort into them. You let them come to you.”
“Caleb?” I ask, as I lick some pizza sauce off one of
my fingers before reaching for another slice of pizza. “Who's Caleb?”
His mouth twitches with a hint of a smile. “You've
already forgotten about the guy you had handcuffed to your bed this morning?”
“Oh, him. I thought his name was Preston.”
“No, that's his last name.”
I shrug and take a bite of my new slice of pizza. I
wish I was as unaffected as I am pretending to be. Too many times at work
Caleb's sexy body had flashed in my mind.
“So? You
gonna
answer me?”
Jeremy presses.
“I don't remember much of last night,” I say
truthfully. “He probably came off as too cocky, and it set me off. I'm guessing
I planned on taking his ego down a peg or two but got sidetracked,” I say
dryly. I smirk and meet Jeremy's gaze. “I guess in a way, I still succeeded
after this morning's fiasco.”
“Ace is never going to let either of you live that
down.”
“I know.”
He tosses his crumpled up napkin on his pizza box and
reaches for my laptop on the coffee table. “Let's watch a movie. You really
need to get a TV.”
“I'm not around here long enough for one. It'd be a
total waste.”