Pretty Little Lies (Lie #2) (4 page)

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Dylan

I sat and looked at the window, still hoping he would show. Sarah was right . . . Ethan was not worth my time. He knew who I was and where to find me. If he cared, he would have come. If he didn’t care, I at least got the best of him in the child I was carrying.

“Knock, Knock,” Sarah said as she pushed the door open. She looked fresh-face and extremely happy until she caught a glimpse of me. I wasn’t sure if I was drowning or simply focused on the fact I had no one but a baby to raise. Whatever it was, Sarah sensed my trepidation. “Did he come?”

I shook my head and turned to stare out the window letting the envelope, containing the ultrasound picture showing if Baby E was a boy or girl, fall to the floor. Sarah picked it up and noticed the giant question mark on the outside. I’d wanted to open it with the man I knew in my heart to be the baby’s father. I’d dreamed of that moment. A moment . . . not to come.

“What’s this?” she asked as she knelt down beside me.

“It’s mine,” I said as I snatched it from her grasp and held it close to my chest. “It doesn’t matter anyway.”

I had enough memories to know I had no one. My own mother had disowned me. How could I bring a baby into a world that didn’t even accept its mom? I wiped at the tears flooding the corner of my eyes. I would not cry. I was determined I had cried all I was going to.

“Talk to me?” Sarah said as she took my hands in hers.

Clutching the envelope holding the ultrasound picture tighter, I squared off my shoulders. “I was wrong. Even though I can’t remember much about him, I was sure he cared.” I shrugged and turned to face Sarah. “Deacon did carry him the note?”

“No, I did. Deacon’s sick. He acted like he could rip my head off for even bothering him.”

“You carried it? But you hate him.” I asked before shaking my head as I gazed out the window.

“Yes, I do, but I love you more than I detest him,” she replied honestly.

I loved Sarah too. But it had nothing on the love I already had for the little bundle I was carrying. My Grandma Beth told me one time that if you truly love someone, you’ll do everything in your power to protect them. No one protected me when I was little, but I was determined to protect my child . . . even if it destroyed me. Sarah wouldn’t understand why I felt the need to give my baby up for adoption. She’d never walked in my shoes, and I was not ready to explain that to her either.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Ethan

I demolished that poor man in court. He didn’t deserve that much time. Hell, he didn’t deserve any time, but I was being an ass. All I could think about was Dylan with someone else. She didn’t open up easily to people. I gulped down a shot of Jack and slammed the glass down on the coffee table. He better treat her right, or I would kill him. Why did I care? She was not mine any more. I just had the few precious memories of her to hold on to. I jerked the suit coat off the hook in the hall. I needed to embrace my fate and move on.

I headed to The Dungeon. They were hosting a mixer there that night. I’d find a hot little submissive who wanted a good time and show her to my private suite at the club.

I walked into the party room and scanned the joint. I saw several promising opportunities before making my way over to the bar. Amanda pulled up a stool beside me. She was a looker, but I’d been there and done that one too many times. Plus, I was still a little pissed she had the nerve to approach Dylan in the restroom at a bar.

“You look like you slept in the gutter, Sir,” Amanda said with a wink.

I downed whatever the bartender had pushed my way.
No shit, Sherlock. I feel like I belong in the gutter.
I flashed her a smile, knowing it wouldn’t affect her. Amanda was too hardcore to let a few mindless gestures get to her. “That is why I’m here. Hoping to find a little action to help me forget.”

“I’d volunteer, but I’m on guard duty tonight.” She grinned and took a sip of the raspberry lemonade, filling her tall mug. “Speaking of being security, I think I’m needed in zone 3.” She let out a laugh then walked across the room to a man who was not stopping at the safe word. I reminded myself to never sign up for guard duty again and flipped around. Two eager girls wearing killer spiked heels caught my eye. One was even a stunning ginger. She was nowhere close to Dylan’s beauty, but hell, who was?

I shoved off the bar and headed to them. The brunette started stroking her chest which was falling out of a tight red halter top.

“Not your type, bro. Plus, don’t forget about Dylan.” Charlie came up behind me and nudged my shoulder. He had not stopped reminding me I had something to fight for. Once I had quit breaking things and he felt it was safe, he had taken every chance to point out as long as Dylan was breathing, I still had a chance. Little did he know she had moved on, and I didn’t even know where she was breathing?

I glanced back at him. I was there to forget about Dylan. “They’re all my type. At least for one night.” I twisted around and saluted him. “Don’t tell Momma,” I said with a smile.

Charlie shook his head and motioned for me to go on.

Both girls did their best to strike a seductive pose as I approached them. They wanted it, and I was more than willing to dish it out.

“What are two beauties doing here all alone? Surely, someone like you can find a sponsor,” I asked then took a sip of my drink. I was aware that the last thing I needed was a fight. I would kill someone who tried. So I needed to make sure they didn’t have a Dom in the shadows.

They giggled, giving me an instant headache.

“Not yet. No one seems to wants to sponsor us so far,” the ginger replied.

I liked her. She was the more approachable of the two. “Dance,” I ordered and walked past them onto the dance floor. They looked promising, but I wanted to see if they were up to the challenge.

The band started playing
Sex is not Enough by Oomph.
I jerked the ginger close to my body. “Kiss me.”

She stood on her tiptoes and planted the most passionate kiss on my lips. My stomach swirled in disgust. I craved the sweet taste of Dylan and the way she would bite on my bottom lip if I pulled away too soon.

“Stop,” I growled in her mouth. I would screw them, but kissing was out for good. I pushed them to each other. “Keep dancing; I’ll be back.” I was not drunk enough for all that. I took a seat at the bar and watched them.

The brunette pressed her body against the ginger, causing her tits to spill out over her top.  The ginger kneaded one in her hands before sticking her tongue down the brunette’s throat. I had told myself that was the life I wanted. So I needed to learn to enjoy it. I walked over to the two making out in the middle of the dance floor and wrapped my arms around the ginger’s waist. She moved her hand to rest over my erection she had slowly been grinding her back into. I reached across and slid my hand under the tight mini-skirt the brunette was wearing and tickled my finger along her panty line. She pressed her breast against my forearm. I took a suggestive nip at the air imagining it was her breast. My cock grew rock hard as the ginger continuously rubbed her hand over it. Those two would work for one night at least.

“Knees, babe,” I whispered in the ginger’s ear.

She fell to the floor, and before my eyes had time to adjust, she had my cock in her mouth.

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Dylan

After fourteen weeks, I finally got the green light to go home. Danny helped me pack up as we waited for Sarah to pick me up.

“I’m going to miss you sweet-pea. I better get a text when little E gets ready to make her appearance,” he said as he held up a pair of my panties, and raised an eyebrow. I yanked them out of his hands and tossed them in an opened suitcase.

“Only if you promise me flowers.” I laughed to cover my heavy heart. I wouldn’t be calling anyone except the adoptive parents. Maybe, they’ll bring me flowers. So, at least, I could carry something home with me. I scratched my fingers across my stomach wanting the days to slow to a crawl just so I could have my little angel with me for as long as possible. “Plus, who says it’s a her? I’m thinking boy.”

Sarah showed up as Danny zipped the final duffle bag. I couldn’t wait to bust out of the joint, but I was scared to leave the safety of the hospital. In there, I didn’t have to worry about the day-to-day struggles of life. Outside those walls, I was going to have to make the hardest choices in my life.

Deacon and Allison waited for us as Sarah helped me in the door. They had filled the apartment with balloons and flowers covered every flat surface. They had even hung a large banner over the breakfast bar welcoming me home. The couch was stacked with my pillows and my favorite fluffy blanket was causally tossed across the arm of the sofa. Allison propped down and fluffed the pillow over her lap. I was so tired and hurting that I didn’t even complain as I laid down and snuggled my head in her lap.

Allison played with my hair. I had almost drifted off to sleep when she started talking. “Sweetie, we’ll be here for you and the baby. I know you’re scared, but this little sweetheart will have three aunts who already love him.”

I didn’t answer her. I knew she meant every word she said. They would love the baby and treat it like family. But what would happen when life got in the way. Sarah would finally settle down with her true Mr. Right and Deacon and Allison would start their own family. And where would that leave us? Alone. A tear fell down my cheek, hot and heavy. I never wanted my child to know loneliness.

Deacon and Sarah had set our small kitchen table with a feast. It reminded me of one of Ethan’s dinners. I stopped dead in my tracks. I remembered him cooking. I pictured myself at Ethan’s patio table eating all my favorites. Ethan was laughing and flirting. I wanted to kiss him. Then I remembered he didn’t want a kiss from me. He wouldn’t even take a few minutes out of his day to visit me in the hospital.

“What is it?” Sarah looked at me desperately and gripped my forearm before I fell.

“I just had a bad memory,” I said and took a seat at the table. My hands were shaking. Deacon took them in hers and began to rub her thumb soothingly over the back of them. Sarah didn’t like Ethan, and I didn’t want her upset with me. My stomach twisted as I wiped away more tears. Why did I always cry? The little relief the tears gave me only put a little more burden on Deacon and Sarah. I would hold to the memories I had regained and spend my time trying to rebuild my shattered world.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Ethan

“You let them fucking stay.” Charlie’s voice rang against my massive headache. I slowly peeled back my eyelids and was greeted by a set of fake tits in my face. Hung-over, I glanced down to see two long pairs of legs twisted with mine.

I didn’t even know their fucking names. I tapped the brunette’s shoulder. I must have passed out cold. The ginger still had her hands tied behind her back.

“Get the hell out of here,” I stated as I hurriedly untied all their body parts. The ginger came to and let out a pain-inducing chuckle. When I heard the shuffling of Charlie’s feet, I jerked around and saw him leaning against the door, glaring at me. 

“What?” I asked as he eyed the two naked women in the bed. I didn’t blame him . . . they were two hot pieces of ass.

“Just get rid of them and meet me in the office,” Charlie said and walked off.

What crawled up his ass?
That was what we did. We worked hard, partied hard, and fucked harder.

I finished untying an array of arms and legs. Chucking the covers and an untold amount of condom wrappers off the bed, I disentangled myself. “The shop is closed, and it is time to go,” I said, and slapped an ass belonging to one of them. They whined and I couldn’t believe I’d ever even found them amusing. I did feel sorry for them. I almost completely ignored the brunette, and I called the ginger Dylan more than once. She even made a comment that she hoped Dylan was a girl. That earned her one hell of a spanking. I was not sure if it was the fact she implied I was into men or that she dissed Dylan’s name, but I went crazed. Her ass would be covered in bruises for days. Hell, who cared? She wasn’t complaining.

I didn’t even wait until they were up before I threw on a pair of pants sans underwear, and I left them. I headed down to the offices to see what had pissed off Charlie.

“Go make sure the girls get out of my room,” I told the security guard as I exited the elevator.

I flung open the door to Charlie’s office. Charlie was reclining in a chair with his feet propped on the desk. “What the hell were you thinking? You know the damn rules. Without prior approval, everyone has to get out at closing.”

“It was in my private room. Why are you bitching anyway? Cherry stays all the damn time.” I sat down and kicked my legs up on the windowsill.

Charlie shook his head. “Cherry is my girl. Not a girl I picked up the night before.”

“Well, I don’t have a girl, and they helped release some built-up tension.”

Charlie stood up and knocked my feet to the ground, causing me to jerk. “You have a girl. A girl you said you loved.”

I glared at him. “Yeah, a girl that’s already screwing someone else. A girl who won’t even answer the door if I knock. When I pick ‘em. I pick ‘em right.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it.” Charlie looked directly at me and pointed four fingers in my face. “You know what that poor girl has been through. What our jackass of a brother put her through. She learned who you were, and it was hard to deal. Give her time, but I saw how she looked at you. Hell, how she smiled when you walked in a room. She’s trying to cope the same way she has all her life. Instead of fucking everything with a loose pussy, go find her. Don’t make her do it alone anymore.”

She wasn’t alone. Sarah said she had found the love of her life, and it wasn’t me. I kicked the wall then buried my face in my hands. I missed her. The way she twisted things around her fingers when she was nervous. The way she nibbled on her lip. The way the sound of her voice made everything okay. The sound of her laughter. I would give up everything to hear that laugh one more time.

“I saw her roommate a few days ago. She’s dating someone else,” I explained and felt sick to my stomach. Did he make her laugh? Did he know she liked to be kissed behind the ear?

“So you thought the best way to win her back was by fucking two whores.”

“She has moved on. There’s no winning her back.” It was the truth. If I had my choice, I would have never touched those women. I simply would have held Dylan. The first night she stayed with me and let me hold her, my heart sealed around hers from that day forward. No one would ever replace her.

Charlie let out a sigh. “Hasn’t Dad taught you that nothing is over until you finally give up? Why are you giving up on her so easily? Either you’ll go find her or I will. Remember, I know what it’s like to lose someone you love. And it has took me over twenty years to finally have a reason to smile. I’ve never stop fighting to get my little girl back.”

“Your daughter was kidnapped by the bitch you were married to. It wasn’t her choice to leave. Dylan left me. She chose to find happiness in the arms of another man. It’s a totally different situation. I’ve helped you look for your daughter countless times. I’d leave everything at a moment’s notice if I thought it would help bring her home. I was only seven, but I remember being woken up in the middle of the night with you crying when they left. I witnessed firsthand you going over the cliff of sanity. I’m fine. She moved on, and I’ll learn to live with that.” I walked over to the bar and poured a glass of Jack.

“Sometimes life forces you to make choices you really don’t want to make. The only thing keeping you from her is your hard head and her past.” He stood over me. “Find her. Tell her how you feel. I guarantee she feels the same.”

I gripped the edge of the bar. What if I did have a chance of being with her again? I wiped my arm across the bar, sending the glass bottles toppling to the floor. The shattering of broken glass pounded into my head. “I can’t take the chance of her hurting me again. I’m scared what that will do to me. She’s not my flesh and blood like Caroline is to you, but I don’t believe I could love anybody more.”

Charlie frowned. “I wake up every morning and the first thought I have is of her. I wonder what she looks like now. She was twenty-four in January. I wonder if she ever wonders about her dad. If she’s happy and had a good life? Was she taken care of? It eats away at me. I haven’t even allowed myself to care about anybody because I didn’t want to hurt again. That was until Cherry. She kisses me and takes the demons away. I don’t want you to live a life in fear. Scared to move on because you’re terrified you’ll crumble in the pain. The only way to move on is to try. You can try to find love with someone else or you can try to win her back. It’s your choice.”

I fell back in a chair. My lead heart grew harder. I couldn’t keep living like this. I didn’t have to keep hurting myself. I needed to sober up and think.

“What if it’s too late? What if . . . I’m scared,” I stuttered, letting the reality I might see her again sink in.

Charlie shook his head as if he didn’t understand me at all. “It’s okay to be scared. It means you’re human. I was scared to love again. But now, I thank God all the damn time he led Cherry to me.”

I smirked. “I thought I led her to you.”

“Nah, you just gave her a taste of the dashing Asher men. God showed her who the best Asher was.” He pointed to the ground and the shattered whiskey bottles. “Have that cleaned up before you leave for work.”

For the first time since she left, I felt a tinge of hope.