The UN Series Complete Box Set (68 page)

“Who says?” She pretends to look shocked making me laugh out loud.

“I can’t stay long, babe,” Micah says to Holly. “I have to go back up to the office. I just wanted to stop by and see you. You seemed a bit upset this morning after you spoke to your mother.”

I smile at how thoughtful Micah is to Holly. She lets out a long sigh. “Yeah, she was letting me know she reserved a catering company for the wedding. And that I needed to come over tonight so we can look at cakes.”

Micah tilts his head to the side. “I thought you wanted to look at a few more places before you chose one?”

“I did, I also told her I have plenty of time, I don’t have to pick out everything today.” She places her hands on the bar top, letting out a breath.

“Just call the place and cancel,” Micah says, not concerned about her mother’s plans.

“I can’t do that. She will freak.”

“It’s not her wedding, baby.” He places his water on the bar.

She turns to look at me. “If only it were that simple.”

I tighten my lips to hold in the laughter. I actually agree with Micah on this one. If she allows her mother to run the show, the wedding will not be the one she wants.

Micah picks up his bottle of water as his phone rings. He answers it and then informs us he has to go back to work.

*****

“And that is how you close up the day shift,” I tell Jeremy, entering the office to grab my purse from a drawer in the desk. I’m thankful this is the last time I have to train him. I overheard him telling Micah that he plans on working nights. I couldn’t hide the huge smile on my face since I had promised Slade no more night shifts. “Do you think you have everything down?” I ask, placing my purse over my shoulder.

“I think so.” He leans up against the desk. “But I think I may need one more training session.” His smirk causes me to scowl.

“What do you need help with? I’ll try to help you to understand it better.” I would much rather get this over now than have to share another one of my shifts with him.

He shakes his head with that smile still on his lips. He pushes off and slowly walks around to where I’m standing behind the desk. “Maybe you need some training.”

I take a step back. “I know how to do everything.” I swallow nervously as he takes another step toward me.

“I’m sure you do,” he says as his eyes fall on my breasts.

I grab my keys off the desk and turn to leave. I spin back to face him when I feel his hand on my ass. “Excuse me,” I snap, furious he would touch me.

He holds up my bar towel with a smirk on his face. “I don’t think you’re supposed to take these home with you.”

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. He couldn’t have been coming onto me. It was just me being paranoid. I nod, feeling somewhat silly, and mumble a goodbye over my shoulder as I walk out.

As I’m heading to the truck, I pull my phone out of my back pocket to check my phone…. Nothing!

And it’s actually making me nervous that I still have not heard back from Jessica since I sent her that picture of me and Slade. I’m hoping she just got the hint and realized that I don’t believe her bullshit.

“Angel.” I jump when I hear Slade call for me. He chuckles as he’s getting out of Micah’s truck.

“What are you doing here?” I ask walking over to him.

“Micah had to come over to the house, so I had him bring me up here to pick up my Angel.” He wraps his arms around me and leans down to kiss me.

“You guys coming in?” Micah asks walking past us.

“I don’t want to go back in, I’ve been there all day,” I whine with my lips still on his.

“I figured so.” He pulls away from me. “No. We’re going to head home. Thanks for the ride Micah. We’ll see you later,” he calls out as he throws an arm around me and takes the keys from my hand. He steers me over to the passenger side and opens the door for me before giving me another long kiss.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I thought that we could have a nice quiet evening at home tonight?”

I look over at him smiling. “Not at all.”

“Good.” He links our fingers together on the center console.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

SLADE

I throw my keys onto the kitchen counter as I walk by. I then follow Angel into the bedroom. She tosses her purse and phone onto the bed and goes to head out of the room when I grab a hold of her wrist.

She jumps and hisses in a breath. “What’s wrong?” I ask, stepping up to her.

“Nothing.”

I frown, looking down at my hand around her wrist. I catch sight of her trying to pull her sleeves down as far as they will go. I release her wrist and push her sleeve back to reveal the cuff marks from last night.

“Angel, why didn’t’ you tell me?” I grab her other hand and move the sleeve up as well.

She shrugs. I shake my head at myself. I had no idea it was that bad. “I’ll never do that again.” I let go of her hand and start to walk away.

“What?” She grabs my upper arm. “Why?”

“Because I hurt you,” I say through gritted teeth.

She releases my arm and lets out a sigh. “But I liked it.”

“You liked that I hurt you?” I ask, frowning.

She looks down to the floor then back up to me. “I’ve never been afraid of the power your body can have over mine, Slade.” She moves closer to me. “And I know you liked it, too.”

“I do like dominating you. That is no secret.” I grab a hold of her wrist and hold it up between us. “But to leave bruises like these?” I knew better than that.

She gets a naughty smile on her face. “What are you thinking?”

“Let me even the score then?”

“How do you plan on doing that?” I back away from her.

“Let me use them on you.” She wiggles her eyebrows.

“Oh no.” I give a hard laugh. “You will not catch me in a pair of handcuffs.” I quickly duck into the bathroom and she follows me.

“Not even if I’m the one to put them on you?” She pouts.

I shake my head quickly. “Nope.”

“Well, that’s not fair.” She places her hands on her hips.

I pull my shirt off and unbutton my jeans. “You probably wouldn’t even know what to do if I gave you a chance to be in charge.” I joke.

Her mouth falls open as if I offended her. “Oh, I can think of a few things.”

“Well, that’s all you are going to be doing….” I finish undressing then look to her. “Thinking.”

She huffs and spins around before I enter the shower. I laugh to myself as the thought of her using the handcuffs on me. That is not even a possibility. I’m too big of a control freak, especially when it comes to her. And even with all the shit I have done—fights and partying—I have never been arrested.

*****

Once I get out of the shower and dress I find her in the living room watching TV. I just sit down next to her when the doorbell rings.

I stand up from the couch and go open the door. I hold in a sigh when I see Tate standing on our porch. “What are you doing here?” I place a hand up on the door.

“Just thought I would come by and say hello,” he says, not making a move to leave.

“Hi, Tate.” Angel squeezes her way beside me. “Come on in.” She turns to walk back in and narrows her eyes at me.

I step aside, allowing him to come in and then I slam the door shut.

“Did I come at a bad time?” Tate asks, looking at Angel

“No. No at all.” She smiles at him brightly.

I plop down on the chair in the kitchen when Tate speaks. “Have you heard anything about the break-in?”

“No. I spoke to the Sheriff the other day and he said they have had no more reported break-ins in this neighborhood.” I take a sip of the beer that Angel sits down in front of me.

“Maybe it was just some random person thinking we weren’t home,” Angel suggests. “We keep all our vehicles in the garage and it was early morning. The power was out.” She shrugs. “They just happened to have picked our house.” I think she’s trying to convince herself more than us.

“You’re probably right,” Tate says before he slides his eyes to mine. I know he is thinking the same thing as me. It was someone who knows us, someone who had a reason for wanting in this house. I just have a feeling that whatever they wanted, they did not get, which is a plus.

“I’ll be right back,” Angel excuses herself.

Once we hear her close our bedroom door, Tate speaks. “Did you tell her about our talk?”

“No. She already suspects I think you want her, but she doesn’t need to know I confronted you about it.”

He nods his head as she enters the kitchen now holding her phone. “Did you have to work today?”

“Yes, I worked at the repair shop.”

“I can’t believe Marcus still owns that shop,” I say. I had figured Missy’s brother Jacob had taken it over from his dad by now.

Angel looks at me. “You know who Missy’s father is?”

“Yes, that shop has been in business forever. Marcus’s dad was the one who started it.” I take a sip of my beer. “I don’t know him all that well, but me, Micah and Josh went to school with Jacob, who is Missy’s brother.”

“Were you guys friends with him?” she asks as she takes a seat.

“No. Marcus was very strict with Jacob. He went to school and then went home. He started working up there at the shop at a very young age.” He was not allowed to go out like we were. We had a few classes together, but not enough to be considered friends.

“So, how are things going up at Larry’s?” Tate asks, changing the subject.

“It’s good.”

She starts to tell Tate about how worthless she thinks her boss is and how Holly runs that bar. By the expressions on his face, I can tell that he already knows everything she is telling him. And I do not like that one bit.

*****

SAMANTHA

I sit on the couch in the living room as I stare up at the urn on the fireplace mantel. It has been four weeks since my mother passed. The loss of her has not gotten any easier. Everything seems back to normal for the most part, up until this morning that is. I hadn’t heard from Jessica since I sent her that picture of Slade and me kissing over a week ago. Well, I received something back, and it was once again of him in bed with another woman. I can’t make out the woman, but you can clearly see they are having sex. The worse part, they’re in Slade’s bed, well the bed that we now share. Everything looks the same: the curtains, the sheets, and the bedspread—everything down to the pillowcases. I immediately pulled it all off the bed and started washing everything. I know it was a long time ago and I know I’ve washed them since then. I just felt like it would make me feel better to wash them again.

No such luck!

All I do now is walk into our room and picture all the women he has had in there and it bothers me. I want to burn it all, but that would raise some questions about my sanity. And I still don’t want Slade to know what is going on between Jessica and me.

I lie back on the couch and pull out my phone. I look at the picture again. Slade is lying on his back and he has his hands on the woman’s hips as she lies on top of him. She has long dark hair up in a ponytail and her chest is pressed against his. I don’t know who in the hell is taking these pictures and I don’t dare ask. It’s no secret that he likes more than one woman at a time, so I’m guessing there’s another naked chick behind the camera phone.

I exit out of it and slam my phone down on my lap. The worst part is that I saved it to my phone. I don’t know why, but I guess to keep it as a reminder that Jessica is a bitch who is trying her hardest to piss me off. I mean, what is she really trying to gain from these? Does she want me to kick her ass? Does she want me to break up with Slade? She has to know that if for some crazy reason Slade were to break up with me, she would not be his next choice.

Just then, my phone beeps and I look at it. I grit my teeth when I see it’s from Jessica as well, and this time she has sent me a video. This day just keeps getting better and better.

I push play and watch the scene before me play out. Of course, the woman in bed with him is Bridgette. Slade must be the one taping because the camera is facing downward as Bridgette is on her knees, straddling his legs. Her short blonde hair falls over her face, making it hard to see her, but you can hear her suck in a breath before she places her lips around the top of his dick, and then her head bobs up and down.

“Fuck,” I hear him hiss from behind the camera.

I literally feel like the wind is knocked out of me. All feeling has been taken from me, my body is numb, but I can’t look away. It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion. I know how the scene in front of me is going to end, yet I can’t stop watching. I keep hoping he might push her away or tell her to stop.

I see one of his hands reach up and push her hair out of her way. I hear him let out a long breath and then the camera faces up toward the ceiling.

“Don’t want to film it after all?” comes her voice.

“No. I’d much rather enjoy this than worry about taping it.”

She lets out a laugh and then I hear them shuffle around. I feel my throat close up as tears sting my eyes when I hear them moaning and their bodies slapping together.

I hold down the off button until it shuts my phone off completely. I stand from the couch and throw my phone where I was just sitting.

“Fuck that,” I say aloud, brushing the tears off my face harshly. I don’t think I have ever been so pissed in my life. I turn and head to our bathroom. I turn on the water and wash my face. I feel the urge to put bleach in my eyes to try to erase my memory of that God-awful scene.

I wipe off my face and stand in the doorway of our bathroom. I look over at our freshly washed sheets and it is all of a sudden not going to work for me. I storm over to the bed and tear everything off of it once again and haul it all outside to our trashcans that set on the side of the house. Once there, I dust off my hands and jump in Nadia. I’m going to buy us all new sheets and a comforter. Hell, I would prefer a new bed and mattress.

As soon as I get out on the highway, I turn my phone back on and call Holly to fill her in on what I got today.

“What are you going to do? You need to send her a dirtier picture of you and Slade together.”

“I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” I say, shaking my head to myself. “My luck, she would post that shit online or something and Slade would have a fucking fit.”

“Hmm, so what is your plan?”

“I guess I plan on doing nothing this time. I don’t want to receive any more pictures or videos of him having sex. Maybe if I just ignore her, she will quit bothering me with it.” I doubt that, but I can dream can’t I?

“So, you’re just going to let her win?” she asks, irritated.

“I don’t see it that way. Slade is mine, not hers.” I grind my teeth in frustration. I would much rather shove our relationship in her face than give up, but what other options do I have?

“True. I just hate that she won’t leave you alone. You could change your number,” she offers.

“And I would tell Slade my reasoning for a new number is what exactly?”

She lets out a long breath. “I don’t know. Maybe he won’t ask.” She sounds hopeful.

“He will. Hell, he calls me every time I set the alarm to away wanting to know where I’m going. The only reason he isn’t blowing my phone up right now is because I didn’t set the alarm.”

She laughs.

“Where are you heading anyway?”

“I’m on my way to get some new sheets and a comforter. I threw the others in the trash.”

“And you don’t think he will ask why you did that?”

“Oh, he will. But when I tell him we need to break them in, he will forget all about it.” I hope. She laughs then gets quiet real quick. “What are you thinking about?” I ask as I park in front of the home store.

“Well, I just can’t figure out how she is getting these pictures.”

“Me either,” I say, biting on my lower lip.

“So far Bridgette has been in all of them, right?”

“Well, no. There have been three pictures so far, and the one video. The picture I got this morning he was with a brunette. You couldn’t see who was behind the camera.”

“Maybe Bridgette is in it with Jessica. As far as I remember, Bridgette really liked Slade.”

“I don’t know why Bridgette would care that Slade is with me though. Shit, she already got my last boyfriend,” I say with a laugh, surprising myself. Who knew I would get over Jax? I could care not less who he ends up with.

“Right.” Holly also laughs. “Let me do some digging and I will get back to you with what I find.”

“Sounds good. Thanks, Holly.”

As I grab my phone and get out of the truck, Vivian calls me. I speak with her the entire time I’m shopping. She wanted to see if I was still helping decorate for their annual Halloween party they are having this weekend.

Slade and I had spoken about this last night. He told me they pretty much turn their house into a spooky castle and everyone dresses up.

I am pretty excited about it. I think it will be a fun time to drink with friends and not have to worry about going out. Vivian said we could just stay the night in Slade’s old room, and that Holly and Micah have stayed over every Halloween since they got together. She always worries about all of us when we go out drinking. She was very excited when she told me she had purchased several bottles of Barefoot Moscato. So, I have a feeling she plans on keeping my glass full the entire time.