Sal (The Ride Series) (14 page)

Damn, I knew even in my drunken state he was probably serious
and
I was wearing a skirt.

I glared at him with my arms crossed.

“You gonna test me on this?” he asked, seeming to enjoy the prospect entirely too much.

“Fine,” I huffed in resignation and turned to Jodie who was trying not to laugh. “I’ll see you soon. It was fun,” I told her with an eye roll.

“Totally!” she grinned.

“Enough, we’re leaving,” Sal said, putting a protective arm around me. He ushered me out of the apartment, shooting glares to anyone who got in our way.

“Drop me at home,” I mumbled as soon as he had me seated and buckled in his car.

It was a good thing he hadn’t brought the bike, I probably would have fallen off.

He grumbled something unintelligible and fired up the engine. The interior was spinning slightly and I winced.

I must have passed out because the next thing I knew I was being carried inside.

“Oh, god, put me down!” I rasped suddenly when he’d gotten me into his house. I was too worried about barfing all over him to be pissed that he’d ignored my request to take me home. I flew to his bathroom and reached the toilet just in time, emptying the contents of my stomach in a violent rush.

Wonderful
.

I leaned over the toilet with my forearms braced on the seat, praying for someone to come in and kill me. I’d managed to keep things pretty controlled the first time around with Sal and me. Now, we weren’t back together long at all and already he’d seen me cry, met my mother, and watched me throw up. Terrific.

I felt a cool washcloth press to the back of my neck and closed my eyes. “Why didn’t you take me home?” I demanded into the toilet.

“Because I knew this was gonna happen,” he replied without hesitation. “And because you belong in my bed,” he added.

“That’s exactly it! I didn’t want you to see this,” I exclaimed, feeling much more lucid now that most of the alcohol I’d consumed was in the toilet. “This is humiliating,” I groaned in embarrassment as I flushed the toilet.

“It happens, Birdie,” he replied softly while handing me a glass of water.

“Yeah, and apparently so do tears and run-ins with my white trash mother,” I grumbled, sitting back from the toilet with my back against the wall. I moved the washcloth to my forehead and sipped at the water.

His brows knit in confusion as he kneeled in front of me. “How sober are you?” he asked bizarrely as he sat down next to me. Great, apparently we were going to have a heart-to-heart in the bathroom.

I narrowed my eyes. “Pretty sober now, but not ready for a romp in bed if that’s what you’re asking.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “No, baby, that’s not what I’m going for at the moment.”

I cocked my head to the side, not at all clear as to what he was getting at.

His face got serious as he regarded me. “Granted, I have my faults, a lot of them. And I could have done a lot of things better with you. You were right before when you said we have something precious and we need to protect it, but, did it ever occur to you that you should have let me see all this shit before? I know I was closed off, but you responded by locking yourself down so tight, I only knew a piece of you,” he explained gently.

You could have heard a pin drop as I took in his words.

Shit, he was right. He was
so
right.

“I would have held your hair back then, babe. I would have backed you with your family. I want to know the real you, not just the one you want me to see,” he stated.

“You do?” I squeaked.

“I do,” he replied, his eyes intent and warm on mine. “We both fucked things up before, and I’m sorry I got so pissed this afternoon. I don’t want to keep reliving the same mistakes. I want to move forward. Can we try to do that?”

“If you promise to stop running out on me,” I said quietly, meeting his eyes with quiet determination.

He nodded. “I promise,” he agreed. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling, pondering his next thought. “Maybe it will come with time, but you’ve got to let me in. You can’t be embarrassed about revealing yourself to me; it’s the only way we’ll ever make it. I’m going to do the same. It won’t be easy, but we can do it together,” he said, reaching out and grasping my hand.

I believed him.

“I’ll try, I promise,” I agreed quietly. “I’m just not good with letting people in. I hadn’t even realized I’d been keeping you out until you mentioned it.”

“Well, now that I know more about you I can understand that,” he replied softly, reaching out to move my hair behind my ear. “And I can try to help you with it. We can help each other,” his soft voice sounded, washing over me like a caress. “Let’s get you up and into bed.”

I cocked my head to the side regarding him. “How come you’re not pissed at me?”

“I was,” he admitted. “But then you started barfing all over the place and I figured you’d been punished enough.”

I cringed at the mention of me barfing in front of him.

“But, babe, you pull that shit again and I will tan your hide. I swear to God,” he swore.

“Fine,” I grumbled.

“Bed,” he ordered, standing up and offering me his hand.

I nodded, more than ready to get out of the bathroom, after I’d brushed my teeth anyway.

“Let’s talk about Ryan,” Sal ordered when I walked into his bedroom. He was in bed, lying on his back shirtless, and eyeing me intently. Clearly, Cole had already relayed some sort of message. I couldn’t say I was surprised.

“Let’s not talk about Ryan,” I pleaded, feeling tired as I crawled into bed with him.

“He put his hands on you. Let’s. Talk. About.
Ryan
,” he replied, emphasizing his last words with quiet intensity. He wasn’t going to let this go.

I shrugged. “I’m sure it was nothing. He was just drunk, Sal. No big deal.”

“It happens again, you tell me,” he ordered.

It was unlikely that I would do that. I figured Ryan liked his face the way it was.

“Kat,” Sal said in warning as though reading my mind.

I sighed in resignation. “Fine, but only if you promise not to get all crazy about it.” I knew this was wishful thinking.

He pulled me into his body and I melted against his warm chest. “I’m not promising anything,” his deep voice rumbled.

I was afraid of that.

“If I’m genuinely feeling threatened or uncomfortable, then I promise to tell you,” I compromised.

He sighed but nodded, accepting my terms.

“Sal,” I said, propping my chin against his chest so I could look up at him. His dark eyes met mine and I felt something clench in my chest. I wanted to tell him I loved him, but I worried we’d both met our limit of emotion for the night. “Thanks,” I murmured.

I saw raw emotion flood his eyes as he put his hand on the side of my face. It was as though he knew what I really wanted to say. “Glad to be of service, babe,” he said as he grinned, lightening the mood.

I grinned back and dropped my head, ready to have sleep take me.

I woke up with a wicked headache the next day, but was otherwise unscathed by my night of drinking. Sal was already up, and I realized I must have slept late. He wasn’t much of an early riser.

“Coffee?” I mumbled, feeling grouchy when I wandered out to the kitchen. He was sitting at the bar reading and chuckled at me.

“Yeah, babe, there’s a fresh pot.”

“Thank God,” I grumbled, shuffling over to get myself a mug.

I sat next to him at the bar and sipped my coffee. He pulled my stool closer to his, put his arm around me, and pulled me in for a kiss. I loved it when he did stuff like that.

“We gotta talk about a few things.”

“Okay,” I agreed.

“Until we understand the state of play, we need to be cautious,” he explained. “With you, tactics have been the most aggressive and I don’t fuckin’ like it,” he growled. “I know you’ll say it’s too soon and give me any number of reasons why you can’t, but it would do a lot for my peace of mind if you’d agree to stay here,” he asked.

He was asking me and he was doing it nicely, Sal’s version of nice anyway. I could tell this really mattered to him and that he was worried. So, I gave in.

“Okay,” I agreed.

“I’m sorry, what?” he asked. His shock was nearly comical.

I shrugged. “I can tell this really matters to you, so okay,” I agreed once more.

His arm wrapped around me, and he pulled me into his side again, kissing the top of my head. “Thanks, baby. We’ll go to your place after you get dressed, get more of your stuff.”

“How much stuff are we talking?” I asked with a quirked brow. “How long till this blows over?”

He shook his head, “No way of knowing. I’d bring anything you might need and, I’d ask that you’re cautious with your surroundings. I’m going to take you to the bar and pick you up. But when you’re at the gym or just out in general, please be careful,” he said gruffly.

“Sal, that’s going to be a pain in the ass for you to have to drive me to work and pick me up,” I complained.

He shrugged. “Not a big deal. I’d do it if you asked me even if this wasn’t going on. You get off late; I don’t like the idea of you heading home alone regardless.”

Typical overprotective Sal, but I shrugged as though to say it was his time to waste.

“I should head over and see Scar today. She’s probably stir crazy being on house arrest,” I surmised.

“Yep,” Sal confirmed.

I sighed, feeling badly for my friend.

After I got dressed, Sal took me over to my place in the Charger to gather up more of my things.

“It looks like I’m moving in,” I said with a laugh when Sal hauled the huge suitcases into the trunk.

“You are,” he replied with a shrug.

“Well, not permanently I mean,” I pointed out.

I could have sworn I heard him mutter a “we’ll see.” But, I didn’t press him on it.

“I’ll clear some space for you,” he promised once we’d arrived back at his place and gotten everything inside.

“That’s okay, I can put everything in the guest room.”

“I’ll clear some space,” he repeated.

Well, okay then.

“I’m gonna head to Cole and Scarlet’s,” I told him while putting on my jacket.

“Okay, I’ll meet you back here later.”

“Okay,” I agreed.

He hauled me into his body and kissed me soundly. “I like you being under my roof,” he said as he beamed.

“I like it, too,” I said, smiling up at him.

Chapter 13

S
carlet was seriously cranky after having very little sleep and being kept under lock and key by her fiancé. I shot a “help me” look to Cole when she wasn’t looking, but he simply shrugged and bit back a grin.

“A bit stir crazy?” I hedged.

She grimaced. “Yes,” she admitted. “But, now that I have Gracie, I’m more willing to stay holed up. I know he’s worried, and he may have reason to be,” she said quietly.

“I hope not,” I said as I sighed. “Sal has me staying at his place for now,” I added.

“Sounds familiar,” she replied with a knowing smile. When she’d gotten into trouble last year, Cole had moved her in immediately. She’d never moved out.

“It’s not like that,” I protested.

She grinned. “Sure, it’s not.”

“How’s the wedding planning going?” I asked swiftly, changing the subject.

“It’s not. Cole’s not happy about it either,” she admitted.

“Why isn’t it going?” I asked, confused.

“Because, look at me,” she complained. “I have these huge boobs from breastfeeding, and I’m nowhere near back to my old body. I don’t want to look at dresses, and because I don’t want to do that, I don’t feel motivated about the rest of it.”

I hadn’t realized she was feeling that way at all. “Scar, you look gorgeous!” I exclaimed, frustrated she’d even think it. “You had a baby like two seconds ago and you’re already out of your maternity jeans. Don’t be so hard on yourself!”

“That’s what I keep tellin’ her,” Cole interjected, coming back into the room without Grace. He must have put her down for a nap.

Scarlet huffed and crossed her arms.

“Geez, good thing I came prepared,” I quipped, heading over to my bag and pulling out the five bridal magazines I’d brought. “I’ve been waiting and waiting to do this with you,” I said with a grin.

Her expression perked up a bit and I knew I had her. Scarlet was a girly girl through and through; she just needed some encouragement. “I already tagged some of the pages of stuff I thought looked like you,” I told her, sitting down next to her and handing her a magazine. “And some maid of honor dresses that look like me,” I said with a wink.

“Thanks,” she said softly.

I nudged her arm. “Anytime.”

“Thank you,” Cole mouthed to me as he left the room.

I gave him a small nod and turned back to my magazine, folding down an edge to mark a dress that looked like Scarlet’s style.

By the time I left, she seemed to be in much higher spirits, and I’d fulfilled my job as a best friend.

I headed for Sal’s place with thoughts of tulle and taffeta floating in my mind. I had the night off from the bar and was looking forward to a lounging session on the couch with my man.

“Babe?” I called when I walked into the house, the forced air a welcome escape from the heat outside. I set my purse down on the couch and wandered back to the bedrooms, finding Sal sitting in his office staring off into space, a forgotten security panel in his hands.

I’d never seen him look this way. He looked…vulnerable.

“Sal?” I asked, immediately concerned.

He looked up at me as though I’d surprised him, even though I’d made plenty of noise when I’d walked in.

“What’s wrong?”

He shrugged and gave me a weak smile. “I gotta head out of town for a few days. The guys will watch the house and make sure you get to work and back,” he said matter-of-factly, running a hand through his hair.

Now this, this was the old Sal, the one who didn’t answer direct questions. The one who brushed off concern without explanation. The man who kept me locked out with a firm hand and a false smile. And I wasn’t having any of it.

“What’s wrong?” I tried again, my tone still soft but more forceful as I came to kneel in front of him.