Wanted (Addicted Trilogy Book 3) (13 page)

Then he locked eyes with me.

And I froze like a deer in headlights. I knew I didn’t have the
strength to confront him again. So what did I do? I hurried back to our table,
forgetting all about my liquid courage, and took my seat next to James. I was
so afraid to look up, only glancing over at Alexa trying to garner her
attention with Morse code, rapidly blinking like some sort of crazy woman.

Then I heard a gasp. It was Alexa.

“Sara. He’s coming over here,” she mumbled, trying her best to
keep her voice down. Before I could react, he was standing by our table.

“How are you folks enjoying your evening?” Alek asked our group. He
was standing right next to me, his thigh almost touching my arm. I could smell
him. I was innately drawn to him whenever he was near.
 

I raised my head and stared at Alexa again, my breaths coming in
shorter, more rapid succession. Then I glanced over at Braden, and I saw the
moment the recognition hit him. He remembered Alek from the bar, no doubt
wondering what the hell he was doing at the restaurant opening.

“Fine,” Alexa said curtly.

Before anything escalated, Kael appeared out of nowhere to save
us. To save me. He stood next to Alek and gripped his shoulder, silently
warning him not to cause a scene. When I finally dared to look up at him, I
could see his jaw was already ticking, glancing from James to me then back to
James again. Well, clearly he knew Braden wasn’t with me, but I was sure he was
wondering about the man sitting next to me. Because James was oblivious, he
reached out and grabbed my hand, and I let him, partly because I was too
wrapped up in the intense moment to move, but partly because I wanted Alek to
see me with someone else. To realize who he threw away.

Kael broke the uncomfortable silence first. “Braden, this is the
other co-owner of the restaurant. Alek Devera. Alek, this is Braden, the guy I
was telling you about.” They politely nodded at each other, never extending
their hand for a hello.

“We’ve met,” Braden said.
Short
and sweet
.

The air around our table bristled with tension. The only thing I
could think of was to escape and draw away the one person who was causing the
issues.

“I’ll be right back.” I stood up, prompting James and Braden to
rise from their seats, as well. I wasn’t ten steps away from the table before I
could sense Alek following behind me. Resting my hands on the edge of the bar,
it was mere seconds before his warm breath cascaded over my neck. But I never
turned around. I wasn’t strong enough to fight him off again.

“Sara, we need to talk.”
 
His
hand was against my side.

“We don’t have anything to talk about. Please, leave me alone.”

He didn’t. “Did you know I would be here tonight?” he asked,
sounding hopeful. “Is that why you came? Were you hoping to see me?” I didn’t
have to face him to know he had a smirk on his face, goading me into a conversation.

What an arrogant ass. He really knew how to push my buttons. I
stayed strong, however. I fought every instinct I had not to turn around and
smash my lips against his.

“Can you please leave me alone, Alek?” I asked him again.

“Answer me first. Were you hoping to see me tonight, Sara?”

“No,” I whispered while keeping my head down.

He shifted behind me. Then he grabbed my waist, squeezing me to
get my attention.

I’d had enough of his little games. He tossed me aside like
yesterday’s garbage, for whatever reason, and didn’t contact me for three
months, then ran into me twice in one week. Trying to persuade me to talk to
him like I owed him something.
It’s not
enough he devastated me twice already, but he wants to do it again?

No, I won’t allow him to
hurt me anymore.

I flipped my body around and faced him head-on. We were so close
our breaths mingled, our lips temptingly close.

“Baby, please talk to me. I can’t take it anymore.”

“
You
can’t take it
anymore?
You
?” I yelled a little
louder than I’d intended. Thankfully, I captured Kael’s attention, who was on
his way over. Hopefully to intercede and not just be a bystander to the war
which was undoubtedly going to erupt between the two of us if we continued our little
charade.

“Please, can’t we go somewhere and talk?” Alek persisted. His
teeth captured his bottom lip, chewing on it in his uneasiness.

Kael strode up behind Alek and calmed the volcano before it
erupted. That volcano was me. I was about to go off on him and cause a scene
because I was on the verge of a breakdown.

He seized Alek by his shoulders and tried to pull him away. “Come
on, man. Let’s go. Don’t do this here.” When Alek didn’t budge, he gripped him
tighter.

“Fine!” he yelled. What the hell was he so angry about? The only
person who had any right to be upset was me. The two men walked away, never
looking back in my direction. I saw Kael lead him toward the back of the
restaurant, disappearing around a corner and out of sight. The next thing I
knew, Alexa was standing beside me, doing her best to make sure I was okay. If
you didn’t know the whole situation, it would have looked like we were all simply
having a conversation. But Alexa knew every little detail of our drama, so she
was right there to offer her support. Yet again.

“I want to go home, Lex.” I closed my eyes to hold back the
tears. The last thing I wanted to do was break down in the middle of the
restaurant.

“Don’t let him win, Sara. Don’t let him force you out of here. Normally,
I would agree with you and take you home myself, but you’re going to have to
get used to running into him. And as much as you won’t like it, you have to be
able to deal with him and not let him dictate where you’ll be or for how long. Don’t
let him have that control over you. Don’t give in. Don’t let him win, Sara,”
she repeated.

 
As much as I wanted to
argue with her, I knew she was right. I couldn’t let him command anything in my
life anymore. With that realization came an unwavering resolve to toughen up,
if only for one night. When the bartender finally refilled my drink, we made
our way back to the table, our arms linked in unison.

The next hour flew by in a blur. I tried my absolute hardest to
ignore Alek, but he was staring at me from across the room.

Because I wanted to goad him, I shamelessly flirted with James by
touching his arm and allowing him to grab my hand whenever he wanted.

At one point, I thought Alek was going to run at him, but he
didn’t. Then I saw the reason he restrained himself
.

It was Kael, talking in his ear the entire time.

Alek

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Being unable to think straight
around her had become my new normal. So conflicted with guilt and pain, I
failed to tell her why I’d initially pushed her away. Needing to explain myself
drove me to invade her space. She was stubborn, though, and I knew she wouldn’t
hear me out unless I found a way to force her to listen to me.
 

When I’d made the decision to back away from her, I thought it
was the best choice, the responsible choice…for her. But it was killing both of
us—me more than her, I thought. She had obviously moved on, not having a care
in the world as to whether or not she flaunted another man in my face. Who was
he? Was it serious? At first, I thought she was involved with that Braden guy, but
I came to find out he was with Alexa.
 

I was relieved at first, until I learned there was someone new I
had to worry about. Well, he wasn’t really competition for me. If I could garner
her attention, entice her to come over and talk to me, if I could show her
there was still an undying connection pulsing between us, I think she would be
game for giving us another chance.

Was I being delusional? Probably.

Did I care? Not really.

The question was how could I draw her away from her table? If I
approached her again, Kael was going to no doubt punch me. Not that I was
afraid of him, but causing a scene was the last thing we needed on opening
night. I wasn’t that much of a dick, no matter how much pain I was in.

“Hi there,” the redhead next to me purred. I was so focused on my
agenda I hadn’t even realized anyone was next to me. She rubbed my arm, trying
to draw my attention.

I was nothing if not polite. “Hi.” My greeting was simple but
curt. I smiled but didn’t want to lead her on. Moving my arm away from her, I
signaled to the bartender. When I happened to look down at the other end of the
bar, I saw Sara. She was leering at me.

She was pissed, a scowl making her lips turn down in disgust. What
was she upset about? I was leaving her alone like she asked.

The woman next to me didn’t catch on to my subtle hint, instead
placing her hand back on my arm. As soon as she made contact, I witnessed the
sour expression on Sara’s face again. A lightbulb went off. She was angry some
other woman was flirting with me, and she thought I was flirting back.

Looks like I found my new
ammunition.
The thing I found funny was the fact she thought it was okay to
allow some guy to paw at her but the first time she saw another woman vying for
my attention, she didn’t like it.

I hated playing games, but I found they were my only option
available.

I turned my head toward my neighbor and gave her my full
attention. Flashing her the Devera, panty-dropping smile, I acted as if I was
interested in her advances. I said something witty, making her throw her head
back and laugh. She was rather quite beautiful—no comparison to Sara, but a
delight on the eyes nonetheless.

After ten minutes of us flirting back and forth and having Sara
witness the whole thing, I moved in for the kill.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” I leaned in close, whispering my
question in her ear. The whole time I crowded the woman, I was searching for
Sara. Our eyes locked, and she was seething. She slammed her drink on the
counter and started walking in my direction.
 

It’s working. She’s coming
over.
My heart hammered against my chest, my cock hardening in anticipation
for whatever she chose to do or say.

“Tina.”

“What?”

“You asked me what my name was. It’s Tina,” she offered.
 

Oh, yeah, I did just ask
her name.
I tried my hardest to keep my attention on Tina, but I saw Sara
approaching and I became more excited. She was so close. Only a few more feet
and she’d be standing right next to me. When I’d thought she was going to stop
and say something, anything, she walked right on by. But not before calling me
a dick as she passed.

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. I was happy to evoke any kind of
reaction from her, even if it was anger. Any emotion meant she still cared, and
I wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass me by. Enough was enough already. I
had to fix us, and there was no time like the present.

“Will you excuse me please, Tara?”

Her smile faltered from my dismissal. “It’s Tina.”

“Sorry,” I apologized, heading toward the women’s restroom.

I had to be careful on how I approached her.
 
I had to let her know I was sorry for
everything, and I wanted to try and work it out. I thought I made the right
decision by backing away from her, from us. But clearly, I chose wrong. I figured
the pain would eventually go away, that my love for her would weaken, but it
didn’t. Both the anguish of our separation and my love for her were growing
stronger as time passed, not weaker.

Pushing open the door to the restroom, I didn’t see anyone at
first. I leaned against the counter, clearly noticing there was only one stall
in use. It had to be her.
Please, let her
be in there.
If not, I was going to be a tad embarrassed.

A couple of minutes passed before I heard what sounded like
crying.
 
Maybe my ears were playing
tricks on me.
Why would she be crying? She
was pissed not five minutes ago.
The stall door opened and out stepped the
woman who was going to be the death of me if I didn’t find a way to resolve our
predicament.

“Alek? What the hell are you doing in here?” Once I realized we
were truly alone, I reached behind me and locked the door. Her eyes followed my
hand and widened at the brazenness of my presumption. It was with my bold move
I realized the only way to break through her cold exterior toward me was for me
to have my hands on her. All over her, to be exact.

“We need to talk. And since you won’t listen to me otherwise, I’m
locking us in here until you hear what I have to say.”

“Of course you are. Because everything has to be on your terms. Nothing’s
changed, has it?” She flipped on the faucet and washed her hands. Grabbing a
paper towel, she did everything she could to avert her eyes from me. “Well,
it’s not going to work. I have nothing to say to you. So why don’t you go back
out there and put your charms to good use on the skank at the bar.” There was
no denying the venom in her voice, and it made me happy. She still felt
something for me; she couldn’t deny it no matter how much she tried.

“I’m not interested in her.” I took a step closer. “I only want
you.” I took another step in her direction, forcing her to look up at me.

“Since when?” she barked. “Since when do you want me, Alek? Because
you’ve made it very clear the opposite is true.” She backed up when I took
another step forward, forcing her against the edge of the vanity. “What
happened to Cora? Couldn’t convince her to stick around?”

The simple mention of her name instantly put me on guard. I hated
that she hurt Sara with her confrontation and lies, but at the time, it seemed
the best way to push Sara away, to make her angry with me, thinking I was
leaving her for my ex-fiancée. Obviously, it was the wrong path to take. I had
to tell her the truth.

“I never had any intention of getting back with her. She showed
up out of the blue. You have to believe I had no idea she would show up at my
house or that she ever had a conversation with you. She didn’t tell me about it
until after you left.”

“I don’t believe anything you say to me. Once upon a time, I did.
But not anymore.” Her body betrayed her words, her heaving chest playing a
different tune than what she was saying. Nervously, her tongue wet her bottom
lip and it drove me insane. All I wanted to do was bite it, begging for
entrance to taste her one more time.

It’s now or never.

I was quick. I pinned her against the counter so she couldn’t
move. My mouth was on hers before she could even protest. Trying to push me
away, she struck my chest with her fists, but I didn’t budge.

I couldn’t back away.

I had to make it right again.

“Please forgive me, Sara,” I said, breaking our connection for a brief
moment. “I thought I was making the right choice to keep you safe.” Never
giving any indication she heard my pleas, she continued to fight me. I had no
choice but to grab her flailing hands and pin them behind her back, forcing her
breasts to jut out with the re-positioning of her arms.

“Get off me. I don’t want you, Alek. Let me go.” She was so angry
with me but I knew if I was able to convince her to be with me, to have her
crave our connection again, she would change her mind. But I wouldn’t force
her. She had to want it as much as I did. It didn’t mean I’d release her hands,
though; it simply meant I had to seduce her into submission.

“I know you want me deep inside you, baby. Please, let it happen.
Let me show you how much I’ve missed you,” I whispered in her ear, nipping at
her lobe before I ran my tongue down the side of her lovely throat.

Her only response was to throw her head to the side, exposing more
of her neck to me. I smiled. It was a start.

I moved in closer, pressing my cock against her belly, trying to
find some sort of comfort, but the only thing I found was frustration. When she
felt me against her, she wriggled, a moan escaping her luscious lips. I
released her wrists while still lavishing her neck with my mouth, nipping and
sucking as if I couldn’t get enough. My goal was to place her on top of the
vanity, a perfect position for me to slide inside her. But my trust she would
give in faltered when she reached out and slapped me. It came out of nowhere. The
look of surprise on my face was telling. I never saw it coming, not even for a
second.

I knew I’d hurt her so badly, and if she needed to strike out at
me to help release some of her pain then I would gladly allow her to do so. I
took a step back, resting my hands at my sides and nodding in understanding.

She struck me again, the sting from her slap settling into my
skin like the punishment I deserved. My jaw tightened and my nostrils flared,
but I would stand there and take as much as she had to give me.

Preparing for more of her hurt to lash out at me, I was stunned
to find she was finished. Her face was expressionless, the only indication she
was hurting was the buildup of tears in her eyes. Hitting me again was a much
better choice than having to witness her tears. Physical pain I could deal with;
it was the emotional pain that tore me up inside.

“I’m so sorry for hurting you, baby. More than you’ll ever know.”

One tear escaped and slid down her cheek. She was gripping the
edge of the vanity so tight her hands were turning white.

I dared to move in closer still, nuzzling my head into her neck.
Inhaling her sweet scent almost undid any amount of sanity I was holding onto.

“Please, forgive me.” I kissed her throat. “If you give me one
more chance, I promise I’ll never disappoint you ever again. I swear on my
life. Please.” I rained kisses all along her jaw, slowly inching closer to her
mouth. “I love you, Sara. I thought it was the right choice. I now know what a huge
mistake it was.” I nipped at her bottom lip, running my tongue over the slight
sting. “I can’t breathe without you.”

More tears escaped as she stared at me. Brushing my thumbs across
her cheeks, I did my best to wipe them away. Each one sliced through my heart. I
vowed right then and there to never make her cry ever again.

Resting my lips over hers, I waited for her to make the next
move. It took her a minute, but she pushed her lips to mine, all the while
still holding steady to the marble vanity. I was beyond thrilled she’d finally
allowed herself to react to me, in a good way.

I claimed her mouth nice and slow, teasing her as my tongue
savored her. We provoked each other for what felt like forever. In reality, it
was but a few minutes.

The woman standing in front of me drove me out of my mind. Thankfully,
I knew I was going to enjoy the ride.