Beautifully Decadent (Beautifully Damaged Book 3) (14 page)

“I want to go back to my place. You ready, baby?” Melody asked as she pulled me into a small alcove. I’d just seen her to the ladies room since she’d had one too many and was wobbling on her heels. I hadn’t wanted her to come with me tonight; I’d actually contemplated ending it with her prior to meeting up with everyone, but I hadn’t wanted to deal with the fallout. Instead she finagled an invite out of me.

“We just got here.” I tried for patience, but this scene with her was becoming too fucking familiar.

“I know, but I’m bored. I thought we could party, just the two of us.”

I believed a man should acquiesce to his woman on some things; however, I was also not a man to be led around by my dick. Melody’s constant attempts to do just that, especially since I was already one foot out the door, were trying my fucking patience.

“I’m not ready to go.”

She pouted. “Come on. Please.” Her fingers moved to my zipper. “I’ll blow you right now, remind you of what you’ve got in store for later.”

My dick stirred, an instinctual response because the woman gave killer blowjobs. A fucking gold medalist at sucking cock, but that pretty much summed up our whole relationship. Not that that was a bad thing for what it was, but no blowjob, no matter how fantastic, was worth the shit she’d been dishing. “I’ll call you a cab.”

Her head snapped up, those eyes drilling me. “A cab?”

“I’m not ready to leave.” It went against the grain for me not to show the woman on my arm home after an evening out, but she had intentionally boozed it up, even when I had suggested she take it easy. We hadn’t even been here an hour. I was done.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah. You shouldn’t have drunk so many cosmos so quickly.”

“I can’t believe this.”

“Yeah, I think you can. You knew exactly what you were doing.”

“I want to go and you are my ride.”

“I was your ride, but I’m staying so I’ll get you a cab. I’ll even pay for it.”

Her hands moved to her hips and she stomped her foot like a spoiled child. I had to give her credit; she’d had me fooled for two solid months, concealing well this side of her personality. I wondered what caused the change in her. Or had I just been blinded, thunderstruck by that face and body and the aforementioned blowjobs?

“I’m walking away, you want that cab or not?”

“Fine. But you and I are going to have words about this.”

Oh yeah we would be, just not the ones she was thinking.

Lucien appeared, I knew by the way he regarded me, he picked up on the dynamic, not that I imagined it was too hard to comprehend.

“There’s a cab out front. I’ll help you.” And by that he meant help me with not climbing into the cab after Melody knowing how much sending her home in a cab didn’t sit right with me.

“You told your friend to call a cab?”

“He didn’t have to, Melody. Anyone with eyes can see you’ve had one too many.”

“You’re an asshole, Lucien.”

Lucien laughed, which was good because woman or not, I was tempted to leave her ass and let her find her own way home.

At the curb, she tried again, draping her arms around me her mouth seeking mine, which she missed. “Come back with me.”

“Sleep it off.”

“See if I suck you off again.” She snarled before glaring at Lucien and then she practically fell into the cab. I gave the cabbie the address, paid him and watched as it drove off.

“You good?”

“Yeah, and since you’re being so insightful this evening, any ideas on how the hell I end that shit?”

His hand came down on my shoulder. “Sorry, pal. I haven’t a fucking clue.”

Trace, Lucien and I were talking when Avery appeared. She’d been with the others dancing. You could tell she had had a few drinks, her cheeks were rosy and her eyes slightly glassy, but she wasn’t tripping over herself like Melody. Pulling out a chair, she sat down and reached for the pitcher of water.

“This place is great, Lucien.”

“You look like you’re having fun on the dance floor,” he replied.

“Yeah, but Darcy and Ember are like machines. I can’t keep up with them.”

Trace had a thought on that, and knowing him as well as I did, I knew exactly where his thoughts took him in regards to Ember and her stamina. He apparently didn’t think it was appropriate to share with his employee because he didn’t voice it.

Avery checked her watch and then reached for her phone. “I’m punching out.”

“I’ll take you home.”

That earned me her face. Her eyes didn’t immediately adjust, I suspected she was seeing double. I couldn’t help the grin; she was adorable when intoxicated. “What?”

“If you’re ready, I’ll take you.”

She had the most expressive face, her every thought was on display. She actually licked her lips. My cock grew hard. I wondered what she tasted like. Was she as sweet as one of her desserts? Somehow I knew that she was, suspected her flavor would be habit-forming too. I needed to tone back those thoughts since we’d be in my truck together and there were several reasons I couldn’t act on what my body demanded, namely she was my tenant and she worked for Trace.

“But you’re with your friends. I’ll catch a cab.”

The irony was not lost on me. My girlfriend demanded I leave, my tenant insisted I stayed. It wasn’t lost on Lucien either.

“Avery, we are going to the same place. I’ll take you if you’re ready. Besides Loki needs to be let out.”

Mentioning Loki was the magic word. “Loki, right. Okay, if you don’t mind.”

Did I mind having her all to myself in my truck? It was going to be an uncomfortable ride home and I couldn’t wait. “Do you want to say goodbye to Darcy and Ember first?”

“Oh yeah. I’ll be right back.”

I felt Lucien’s stare as I watched Avery disappear into the bodies on the dance floor. “Do not say a word.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

“Yeah, you were.”

He laughed. “Yeah I was, but you already know what I’m thinking.”

Yeah I did.

Avery returned, said her goodbyes to Trace and Lucien before waiting for me to do the same. It wasn’t until we were in my truck when she remembered Melody.

“What happened to Melody?”

“She was drunk, I sent her home in a cab.”

“I’m not surprised with the way she was pounding back those cosmos. I’m glad you decided to stay. Although next time you need to get out on the dance floor.”

“I’d rather watch.”

“Why?”

Because watching her shake her ass all night had been the finest form of foreplay I’d had in some time. Sure, I wasn’t going to act on that, but the sight was definitely one I’d like to see repeated and often. “I’m not much of a dancer.”

She snorted, the sound adorable and ridiculous. “Right. The way your body moves just from walking, if you ever got on the dance floor women would be dropping like flies. So damn sexy.” Her head snapped to me, my fingers were gripping the steering wheel because the urge to pull her across my lap was strong. “Did I just say that out loud?”

“Yeah.” That came out in a growl, but hell. I was only human and she was just too fucking tempting.

“Oops.”

My cock jerked in my jeans. Fucking Christ. I needed to get this temptress home and then take a cold fucking shower.

Her voice was so soft, almost apologetic when she said, “Thanks for the ride, Rafe.”

Thoughts of a different kind of ride flooded my head, so when I responded I sounded almost curt. “Anytime.”

Pulling down the drive, I thought about last night. I hadn’t heard from Melody this morning, didn’t think I would since she was playing the martyr. She’d avoid me, believing I’d eventually seek her out and apologize. I’d be seeking her out, but Hell would freeze over before I apologized. Once Dad was settled, I’d handle her. And Avery. I wasn’t lying; the woman could tempt a priest to sin, but it would be best if I didn’t indulge too much in those thoughts.

When I arrived at Sing Sing, I climbed from my truck and leaned up against it to wait. I couldn’t quite define how it felt standing outside a prison waiting for my father to be released. This moment had been a long time coming for him. Dad couldn’t have asked for a nicer day—the sun shining, mild, only in the sixties. The trees were all starting to turn colors and after seeing only shades of gray for so long, he might experience sensory overload. An alarm sounded seconds before the gates opened. Dad, carrying a duffel bag and being escorted by two guards, emerged from the shadows. He stopped, as soon as the sun hit his face, his head tilting back as he soaked up the rays. I couldn’t imagine how that felt, feeling the sun on your skin while being a free man for the first time in twenty-five years. After a few minutes, his focus shifted to me, a smile spreading over his face as he continued toward me.

He dropped his duffel and before I could react, he pulled me in for a hug. It was quick, but I felt tightness in my chest all the same.

My voice was a bit thick when I said, “Welcome to the outside.”

“I’d kill someone for a decent cup of coffee.”

“I wouldn’t talk like that here.”

Laughing, he reached for his bag. “Thanks for picking me up.”

“How about lunch?”

“Food not served on a plastic tray. Yes. Lead the way. I have to meet with my parole officer at three.”

“We’ll eat first and I’ll take you. You’re going to need to ease into the twenty-first century by getting a cell phone.”

Dad laughed. “And Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. I mean shit it’s like a foreign language.”

“You’ll settle in.”

“Yeah I will.”

“For lunch, what do you want?”

“Italian.”

“I know the perfect little hole in the wall. Best Italian food in the city.”

An hour later, Dad and I were settled at the small place Ember had told me about. The food was ridiculous and the line was usually around the corner but since it was early, we didn’t have to wait.

I tried to put myself in his shoes, watching as Dad scanned the menu, but knew I’d never really appreciate what he was feeling.

“It all looks so good. I think I want the lasagna and garlic bread.”

“Good choice.” After the waitress took our order I asked him, “How’s it feel?”

“A little weird, a lot weird.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah.”