Thoughtless (46 page)

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I flicked a glance at Kellan while Denny chuckled, he didn’t look happy, as he concentrated a little too hard on the tabletop. Good.

Denny kissed me softly. “I wish I could, babe, but I can’t be late today.

Max is on a rampage with the holiday coming.”

“Oh.” I over exaggerated my disappointment. “It could be a quick shower?” I bit my lip again and flicked another glance at Kellan. His jaw clenched and I resisted the urge to smile.

Denny grinned wider. “I really can’t. Tonight though, okay?” He whispered that last part, but I was completely sure Kellan heard him.

I kissed him deeply, running my hands over every inch of his body.

Denny seemed a little surprised at my enthusiasm, but kissed me back eagerly. I watched Kellan from the corner of my eye as we kissed. He stood and not looking at me, sniffed once and stalked into the living room. I pulled away from Denny, smiling warmly at him as I heard Kellan’s door close…rather loudly. Inwardly, my smile was vindictive. Two could play at this game.

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19

Chapter

You’re Mine

The Thanksgiving holiday came and went, with Denny making a truly fabulous meal and Kellan ducking out with a, “Have a nice dinner,” not even bothering to join us for it. We didn’t see him again for the rest of the evening. Denny had made a small turkey for us, with some glaze he saw on a cooking show, cranberry stuffing, and mashed potatoes. I made the salad…which was all he would let me help with. I sat on the counter and kept him company throughout the day while he cooked though. He smiled a lot and kissed me a lot, and seemed genuinely happy. I tried to match his good spirits. I tried to not worry about where Kellan had taken off to…and who he might possibly be with.

While Denny cleaned up after dinner (really, how great of a boyfriend was he?), I called my family, wishing them lots of love…and avoiding any direct conversation with my sister, I still couldn’t deal with that yet.

I knew it was ridiculous, and eventually I would have to speak to her again, but not now, when things were so odd between Kellan and me.

My parents wanted to know if I was coming up for Christmas. They had already bought our tickets (hint, hint) and had my room all ready for the both of us. That surprised me a lot. They had never let us both stay under their roof before, they must really miss me. With a heavy heart, I told them that Denny wanted me to go home with him, and I hadn’t decided yet. And knowing Denny, he had probably already bought those tickets as well…just in case.

They were clearly upset at hearing that, and although the conversation drifted to other things, I knew what they would all be discussing over the next several days. It hurt my heart as I hung up the phone with them.

I hadn’t answered Denny either on what I wanted to do, and he had asked me again on several occasions. I still didn’t know. I didn’t know which path to choose, who to hurt…I hated these kinds of decisions.

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There was no winning, someone would be hurt, either my parents or Denny. And then Kellan…although his latest cruelty towards me was sure making the thought of leaving him easier, that still hurt my heart too.

My irritation towards him was escalating just as surely as our flirting had been escalating none too long ago. Just a few weeks ago, Kellan and I had been nearly inseparable, but now, he was “inseparable” with nearly half of Seattle…and Candy. She had taken me up on my stupid suggestion, and shortly after Thanksgiving she showed up at Pete’s. Recognizing her, and throwing me a look that clearly said, ‘I know you recognize her too’, they were attached at the hip all evening. And by all evening…I mean allllll evening. I had to listen to her “appreciation” of Kellan’s talent over and over through our agonizingly thin walls.

Her smug look, when I ran into her in the halls Monday morning, was what finally broke me, I think. That one look screamed at me, ‘I just took what I know you secretly want – and I loved every damn second of it’.

I was done. That very evening, I finally snapped.

Pete, and I’m assuming either Griffin or Kellan had a hand in this, had decided to make Monday night ladies’ night, with $2 shots ‘til midnight.

As a result, the bar was jam-packed full of college-age women, getting drunker by the minute. The band was there, of course, and having a wondrous time with their expanded, inebriated, harem.

Kellan was being…blatant. Some pixie haired harlot was nestled provocatively in his lap, sucking on his neck. He was immensely enjoying it, stroking her thigh. None of the other guys paid them any attention; they all had women of their own. She pointed suggestively to the backroom.

He smiled and shook his head at her. Well, of course not. Why would he want the hussy now, when he could take her home and march her upstairs later, driving me crazy, all night long? The thought incensed me.

Why did this bother me so much?

I was angrily scrubbing a clean table, when I noticed him walking by me. Too late, the words slipped out. “Wanna try keeping it in your pants, Kyle.”

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He had walked a few steps past me, before what I had just stupidly said registered in his mind. He turned around, his eyes suddenly intensely angry. “That’s rich.” He laughed once, rather haughtily, I thought.

“What,” I said flatly.

He walked over to where I was standing at the empty table and leaned in close, pressing his body against mine. He grabbed my arm and pulled me tight against him. My heart sped at his touch. It had been a long time since he had actually touched me, and the unexpectedness caught my breath.

He leaned even closer, to whisper angrily in my ear. “Is the woman with the live-in boyfriend, that
I’ve
had sex with on not less than two occasions, really lecturing me on abstinence?” My face heated in anger. I glared daggers at him and tried to pull away, but he held my arm firmly and the table behind me allowed no escape. His sudden anger not quite finished, he put his lips directly on my ear. “If you actually marry him, will I still get to fuck you?” The following incident became known as,
‘The slap heard around the
bar’
.

Acting on its own, my hand came around and smacked his face shockingly hard, ten times harder than I had ever hit him. He staggered back slightly and inhaled a sharp breath. Red marks appeared on his skin instantly where my hand had connected with him. He looked completely stunned.

“You stupid, son of a bitch!” I yelled at him, momentarily forgetting that we were in a jam-packed bar full of witnesses.

Despite how badly my hand was stinging, it felt good to release my long pent-up frustrations. I brought my hand around for another hit, but he caught my wrist in his hand and twisted it painfully. His eyes snapped to mine and were filled with an anger to match my own. I struggled in his painful, tight grasp, desperate to hit him again…wanting so much to hurt him.

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“What the hell, Kiera? What the fucking hell!” he yelled back.

He grabbed my other hand so I couldn’t hit him, so I made a move with my knee, hoping to drop him. He saw it coming though and shoved me to the side, away from him. My hand throbbed as blood finally rushed back into it. My pent up anger beyond reasoning, I immediately sprang back and leapt at him again. A strong set of arms around my waist held me back and, irritated and confused, I struggled against them.

“Calm down, Kiera.” Evan’s gentle voice broke through my fog of anger.

He was holding me from behind and pulling me away from Kellan.

Sam had his hand on Kellan’s chest. Kellan was seething in anger, glaring viciously at me. Matt and Griffin had moved behind Kellan. Matt looked concerned, Griffin looked wildly amused. Jenny was in-between Kellan and me, both arms outstretched like somehow her tiny body could keep us apart if we were going to attack each other again. Aside from Griffin’s chuckling, the entire bar was deathly quiet, watching us fight. Sam looked unsure what to do. Normally he would just kick the troublemakers out, but we both kind of worked here…and were friends.

Eventually, it was Jenny who, looking around at the bar full of bystanders, grabbed Kellan’s hand and then mine. Furrowing her brow and not directly looking at either of us, she muttered, “Come on,” and drug us to the backroom. Kellan and I studiously ignored each other, and the mass of people, as we allowed Jenny to pull us along. I noticed Evan nod his head at Matt, who nodded back, and forcibly made a very disgruntled Griffin stay where he was, then Evan followed closely behind us.

Once in the hallway, Evan passed our unhappy trio and opened the door to the backroom to usher us all inside. Taking a final look up and down the hallway, he closed the door behind us and stood in front of it, keeping us in the room and also keeping any curious bar patrons out. He crossed his tattooed arms across his chest as he barred the door, with the still broken lock, and a pair of flames lined up perfectly on his forearms.

My mood matched those flames.

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“Okay,” Jenny said, releasing our hands. “What’s up?”

“She-”

“He-”

Kellan and I both started speaking at the same time and Jenny, still standing between us, held up her hands. “One at a time.”

“We don’t need a mediator, Jenny,” Kellan snapped, turning his glare to her.

Not intimidated by his fierce look, she calmly said, “No? Well, I think you do.” She pointed back to the bar. “Half the people in there think you do.” She eyed him up and down warily. “I happen to know a thing or two about your fights. I’m not leaving you alone with her.” Kellan gaped at her, then looked over her shoulder to glare at me.

“You told her…she knows?” I shrugged and cast a glance at Evan. He still looked confused, and concerned. “Everything?” Kellan asked, still stunned.

I shrugged again.

Kellan grunted and ran a hand through his hair. “Well…isn’t that interesting. And here, I thought we weren’t talking about it.” He looked over at Evan. “Well, since the cats out of the bag, why don’t we all get on the same page.” He flung his hands out to me dramatically, while keeping his focus on Evan. “I fucked Kiera…even though you warned me not to. Then, for good measure, I did it again!” Everyone said something at once. Jenny scolded Kellan for his language, Evan cursed at him, and I yelled at him to shut up! Kellan glared at everyone and added, “Oh…and I called her a whore!”

“You’re such a prick!” I said, looking away from him. Tears of rage stung my eyes and my face heated from embarrassment. Evan hadn’t known any of that. He really didn’t need to know either.

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Kellan looked incredulous as I glanced back at him. “A prick? I’m a prick?” He took a step towards me angrily, and Jenny put a hand on his chest. “You’re the one that hit me!” He gestured to his face, where red streaks were still visible. “Again!”

Evan butted in, looking peeved at Kellan. “Jesus, man. What were you thinking…or were you?”

Kellan’s angry eyes snapped to him. “She begged me, I’m only human.”

I made an affronted noise, unable to speak coherently. Did the whole room need to know such intimate details? I was astonished at how he was making me sound…like he was some innocent and I had seduced him. Yeah, right!

His eyes flashed back to me. “You begged me, Kiera! Both times, remember?” He gestured at me irritably, and Jenny lightly pushed him back. “All I did was what you asked. That’s all I’ve ever done – what you’ve asked!” He held his hands out to the side, looking exasperated.

That loosened my tongue, as anger and embarrassment shot through me. He rarely did anything I “asked”. I had a long list in my head, but forefront in my mind was the word he had spoken, just moments ago. “I didn’t ask to be called a whore!”

He stepped towards me and Jenny put two hands on his chest. “And I didn’t ask to be hit again! Quit fucking hitting me!” Jenny muttered,

“Watch your language,” which Kellan ignored, while Evan told him to,

“Calm down,” which Kellan also ignored.

“You did ask for it, prick!” No woman would have let the things he had spat at me slide. He had practically engraved me an invitation.

“Since we’re sharing,” I angrily emphasized the word, “why don’t you tell them what you said to me!” I stepped towards him and Jenny put one of her hands on my shoulder. The only thing keeping our anger apart was this pretty little blonde girl.

“If you’d given me two seconds, I was going to apologize for that. But you know what…now I don’t!” He shrugged and shook his head. “I’m
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not sorry I said it.” He angrily pointed at me. “You were out of line! You just don’t like that I’m dating!”

My eyes blazed with fury. “Dating? Screwing everything that walks -

isn’t dating, Kellan! You don’t even bother learning their names. That’s not okay!” I shook my head angrily. “You are a dog!” I growled.

Evan butted in again before Kellan could respond. “She has a point, Kellan.”

“What?” Kellan and I both gaped at him. “You got something else to say to me, Evan?” Kellan snapped at him, backing away from Jenny, who lowered her hand from his chest.

Evan’s normally jovial face looked angry at this point. “Maybe I do.

Maybe she’s right. And maybe, just maybe, you know it too.” Kellan blanched, but said nothing. “Why don’t you tell her why you’re so…free…with yourself? She might understand.” Kellan got really pissed and took a step towards Evan. “What the fuck do you know about it!”

Evan suddenly looked sympathetic, and quietly replied, “More than you think I do, Kellan.”

Kellan stopped moving, his face paled. “Back off, Evan…I’m not asking. Back the fuck off.” His voice was low and icy cold, he really wasn’t joking.

“Kellan….language,” Jenny scolded him again.

At the same time, I snapped, “What are you talking about?” I was highly irritated at their confusing exchange.

Kellan ignored both of us and glared at Evan icily. Evan stared back, then resignedly sighed, “Whatever, man…your call.” Kellan sniffed. “Damn right it is.” He pointed at all of us. “How I date, is none of your concern. If I want to screw this whole bar, you all-”
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