Embracing Everly (8 page)

I wanted to smile and flirt back, but I refrained. I wasn’t the kind of girl who cheated. I convinced myself all night lying in bed and all morning that this was an innocent meeting between two people, and that was it. Friends. Neighbors. I had no close ones by choice, so that might be nice. “No, because it’s not a date, remember?”

“Ah, yes, I think I do remember something about that.” He came to stand in front of me, and before I realized what his intentions were he kissed my cheek, his warm lips burning my skin, leaving me breathless. “I’ll get your tea.”

I couldn’t do this. I wouldn’t do this. It was so wrong and evil to do this to Charlie. But here I was apparently a cheating slut because once again I was watching Mr. Tall and Sexy strutting his Levi covered ass over to the counter. He was perfection—like chocolate and peanut butter, my most tempting of candies. How was that possible? Not one zit, not one hair out of place, charming when he wanted, foul when he wanted, adorable when he wanted, and sexy all the damn time. “Like what you see?”

Quickly, I looked away. “I’m sorry, I was just daydreaming.”

He placed my tea down. “Don’t worry it happens all the time.”

I opened my mouth to remark at his flare for his mightier than thou ego, but knew it would end up veering to sex or something else, so I switched it up. “So, do you work?”

“Nah, living off the folks for the rest of the year. How about you? Besides the singing in coffee shops and jars full of dollars?”

“I love it,” I sighed as I thought about the music I’d been writing.

“Open your eyes.” I didn’t even realize I had closed them, so I did, and he was staring at me with such intensity it spooked me to the core. This man was going to get under my skin and ruin my heart and me. I just knew it. “I can tell you love it. I swear it’s like hearing an angel singing to me through those walls.”

I sat up bolt straight, embarrassed that he could hear. “You can hear me singing?”

He nodded as he took a small sip, hiding that cute smile. “I love listening to you. It calms me, helps me sleep.”

“If it ever bothers you, please tell me? I haven’t had a neighbor in over a year.”

Unabashedly, his eyes stayed on me. “Angel, I could listen to that voice all day and night. It’s not a problem.”

I sat back with my tea and gaged him for a second or two enjoying how his shirt clung to his chest and shoulders, defining what he had underneath it. “Why do you call me that? I’m not an angel. I’m far from it.”

“Yeah, you are. If you don’t like it just tell me. I’ll try to refrain.”

“My name is Everly. You could just call me that,” I reminded him, although even though I hated being called a silly pet name like Angel for some reason coming from him it wasn’t so bad.

For the next half an hour, he peppered me with question after question, and I answered because I could tell he was sincere about wanting to get to know me. I also told him because no guy had ever really asked me before. It was usually all about them and their needs and wants, and I found Mick to be refreshing.

“Everly, babe, who’s your friend?” We both glanced up to see Charlie peering down at us with his frat brothers surrounding him. If looks could kill, Mick would be dead. Quickly, I glanced at Mick, who was wearing a shit-eating grin on his face, making me wonder what the hell he was gloating about under all that sexiness.

“This is Mick. Mick this is Charlie, my boyfriend.” They both stared each other down and all of a sudden I started getting hotter and hotter by the minute. My chest tightened up, and my nerves kicked in. Mick stood and held out his hand for Charlie to shake, but he didn’t take it. “We met the other night, I think.”

“Nah, man, I don’t know you.” I heard the tension, but I refused to acknowledge it but had no choice when a few of the guys started closing in on Mick. I couldn’t have them hurt Mick because I had apparently no backbone to say no to a set of dimples that would set a pool of water into flames.

His eyes shifted, noting them stepping forward but swung his attention back to Charlie. “Sure you do. It was just last night.”

“You better shut the fuck up,” Charlie gritted out as he took a step closer.
What?
My body reacted and I sprang to action, nudging myself between the two of them. I placed one hand on Charlie’s chest and the other in the center of Mick’s. “Knock it off, Charlie. Mick is just a friend from school.” I turned to Mick. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. You should go. I can handle this.”

He flicked his hard, piercing gaze from Charlie to me, and it immediately softened. “Angel, I’m not going anywhere. I haven’t finished my coffee or our date.”

“Yeah, you are, asshole.” I saw his arm but before I could stop Charlie, his fist was flying past my head. Mick grabbed it mid-air, forcing the punch to hit his hand and didn’t let go of it.

“You came two inches from her face, prick. Apologize and get out.”

“It’s fine, Mick.”

He threw Charlie’s arm down and yanked me to the side, holding onto my forearm. “What are you doing with him? He almost hit you because of jealousy. We’re just having coffee, Everly, imagine if it were more. What do you think he’d do to you then? You need to tell him whatever the hell it is to make him understand that you don’t love him and to go away.”

“Mick, it’s fine. I think you should go. I’ll talk to you later.” There was no point in even discussing his last statement. It wasn’t his business to tell me what to do or how to feel about someone even if I could really use the advice.

Charlie yanked me forcefully away from Mick. Mick ran his hands through his hair, watching like he was contemplating tossing me over his shoulder and stealing me away. I cringed seeing the angry look on Mick’s face, almost like he was tormented deciding what to do and then he wasn’t all of a sudden. “I’m leaving. You made a bad choice, Angel.”

Mick started to walk out but stopped before exiting. “Charlie,” he called out.

“I hear it’s two for one tonight at the strip club you were at last night, but I don’t think the girl you fucked in the bathroom will be there. Your move, asshole.”

I was too busy trying to play out all the words in my head one by one that Mick rattled off, even the last one that challenged Charlie to some kind of warped man fight.

“He’s lying, baby. I was there with the boys, but I swear I didn’t touch anyone, baby. Why would I when I have you? I love you. You know that.”
Love?
It was the first time he’d said it to me. Words I thought I’d been waiting to hear, but was almost afraid to not knowing if I could say them back. But, why I was so jealous if I didn’t love him? Why did it hurt? And, more importantly why was he saying it now?
“All
men are assholes.”
My dad’s words taunted me. Maybe he was right, after all? Maybe they all were assholes?

Tears were teasing my eyes, but I remained strong refusing to break down. I crossed my arms and took a stance. “Why would he say that?”

Charlie leaned down, tipping my chin up and placed a soft kiss on my lips. “Isn’t it obvious? He wants what’s mine, and he’d do anything to screw it up. I would never cheat on you, Ev. Look at you? I don’t need to.” He wiped a tear that I was pissed was weeping from my eye. “You know me, baby. Please believe me?”

“Yeah, okay.” I was trying to work it all out. The smell of cheap perfume that had lingered on his clothes from the night before to his friend’s watching and waiting for my reaction to us like they were waiting for him to get busted. Charlie begging me to believe him, telling me he loved me. All of it was too much. I looked up. “Maybe we should just take a little break?” Yes, that would help me clear my head to work out my feelings for Charlie and my sudden interest in Mick.

“What? No, Everly, don’t let him win. He’s fucking with your head.”

“I’m sure you’re right, but all the same.”

He turned to his boys and mumbled something I didn’t catch. “Don’t do this. Let’s go out to dinner tonight, baby.” He cooed. “We’ll even get Italian. I know you love the pasta at that little place downtown.” His lips touched mine softly, reminding me how I was always a sucker for his kiss and my favorite pasta.

“You swear to me.”

“Baby, I swear.” He was looking me straight in the eyes, and I could see how much I meant to him as he argued with me to believe him. So I chose to give him the benefit of the doubt. Once. That’s all he’d get—one chance.

Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe Mick was lying or thought he saw something. Maybe Charlie was right. Maybe Mick wanted me and he was being deceitful to get me. After all, he had been hanging around, popping up, trying to make friends with me, telling me to dump Charlie every chance he got. Well, I wouldn’t let him win. It wasn’t right for a man to go after a woman who flat out told him she was taken. “Okay, pick me up at seven.”

“I’ll be there.” Charlie picked me up and spun me around as he kissed me. He placed me back down, and I saw it; relief. The patrons were all watching us, judging me. I could see it in their eyes, their disapproving looks. In my heart of hearts, I thought they might be right. Maybe the relief in his eyes was that I believed him so easily. No doubt that I had my suspicions raised now, and I would be more cognizant of his actions moving forward with Charlie. I might have just let the wrong guy walk out. But, I needed to figure that out all on my own. I had a father who taught me not to take any shit from anyone, raised me to defend myself. I wasn’t about to let him down now. I just had to pay better attention to the people I let in my life.

FUCK HER! ABORT
mission immediately.

Four shots in and Dawson had been ringing my phone off the hook. It had been a few hours since I left her with that prick. At this point, I’d convinced myself it was for the best. I had no right breaking her heart, fighting for it, or wanting it. It wasn’t that I never longed for love; I just didn’t want it now. I was only twenty-five and in the prime of my life. I had a few girls to plow through when I got back to the clubhouse, and a shit load of college girls to work out my aggression on while here on the job. I didn’t need a five foot three, barely weighing in at hundred pounds with a rack that probably took up five of those lbs. It wasn’t lost on me that girls flocked to me for my looks and then tried to stay for my skills between the sheets. And I was fine with them using me like I used them. It was a win-win for both of us. Who the hell needed hearts and love and all the shit that came with it?
Not Mick O’Malley!

As I downed another shot, I hoped that I didn’t regret leaving her with him. Even though I was pissed at her choice, I would never want to see harm come her way. But, I had to walk. I couldn’t stand to witness her buying into his bullshit lines.

After the eighth time and sick to death of hearing it ring, I picked it up. “What?”

“Haven’t heard from you in three days, Irish. What’s going on up North?”

“It’s all good. She’s safe as a kitten. Although, she has a dick for a boyfriend. Cheating bastard.” I knew he could probably hear the outright jealousy in my voice, but I didn’t give a shit at that moment. I downed another shot, hating that I was jealous.

“Did you need to make contact yet?”

“Yeah, I did. She’s a sweet girl. Kick ass-fucking singer too. Not so smart in the love department. I caught him fucking some bitch at a strip club last night. Called him on it right in front of her, and she believed his shit lies over me.” I didn’t want to seem so blatant in the way I delivered the news but it was unavoidable. And even though I felt like a kicked puppy licking its wounds when I got back, I still wanted her.

“Take him out of the equation if he continues to hurt her.”

“Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack. Don’t kill the pussy, just make sure he doesn’t come back.”

“Gladly,” I agreed without question.

“Other than that how are things?”

I blew smoke up his ass for ten more minutes filling him in because I knew that’s what he needed to hear. I didn’t lie, but I did sugarcoat it a little. And then he continued filling me in on the possible danger. He also informed me on the cleanup of my mess. Case had been closed, and I am good to go. Diablo’s men have no lead to follow other than it most likely being a rival gang hit. At least one thing was going my way.

It wasn’t until my head hit my pillow that I heard the pair of them giggling through the wall. Something inside me just wanted to explode at her stupidity.
Screw that!

Bang! Bang! Bang! I slammed my fist several times into the wall that led to hers. “Shut the fuck up. I’m trying to sleep.”

I didn’t even care if she got pissed at me this time. She made her choice, now she needed to live with it. I knew I wasn’t truly able to offer her anything other than my friendship and a one-night fuck she’d never forget, but still that girl deserved better than that two-timing lying prick.