I Saw You (28 page)

“Motherfucker’s dead.”
I eyed the fucker next to Slim with contempt. Fury, pure jealous rage burned through my veins at the sight of her smiling at another man.

We were at her family’s club after much begging on my behalf. My sister and mother had to intervene, worked their magic on her grandfather because Pipo’s word was law. Having him on my side opened up communications.

Two motherfucking months of unanswered calls, returned gifts, and unanswered emails from my girl caused this man to lose his goddamned mind. If it weren’t for the fucking contractual obligations, I would’ve slept outside her door until she let me in. Determined would be putting it lightly just how much I wanted to have her back in my arms.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that’s the truth; a pure sardonic torture.

In that time I worked Heather to the bone until shit was released my way, not the edited crap the label wanted. They’d been thrilled with Ashley’s performance at the Miami show. How much the media loved my romantic gesture. The tatted-up bad boy with a soft side for his woman was how I was portrayed and while it might’ve been true, she wasn’t my woman. All of that had been for Slim.

Motherfucking assholes.

“Son, this is it. Last time, no matter how much we like you. Arianna is my daughter and comes first. Be there and make shit right.” Ernesto had been clear on his threat; it was the final opportunity given to proceed without my path to her being blocked. For respect’s sake, I let him think that, but the man knew deep down I’d go through hell if I had to. Was the reason why he made certain concessions.

No one would ever love her as I did.

Didn’t hurt that I’d released the statement untying myself from Ashley seventy-two hours ago. Was more than sure that weighed in my favor. Only reason it wasn’t done earlier was the tour and how soon after the breakup would be. Too many questions would arise, and then the hounding on the “why” would begin.

Personally, I didn’t give a flying one, but they wanted everyone to play nice. Brian mediated and with Heather’s help, they gave in. Either that, or piss off their artist whose contract was up in a year.

Telling the world once and for all that I wasn’t hers, but was spoken for, felt liberating. I’d never realized how big that noose was around my neck.

Front man a single man or not?

“Ashley and I have been done for months. Six, to be exact, and had remained close friends. She and I parted amicably and had been seeing other people. Miami was a mistake on her part. That declaration was for the woman I’d been seeing at that time, a Cuban spitfire who’s an amazing woman. For the confusion on her part, I take the blame as she didn’t know just how serious I was. I am in love, but not with her and I refuse to hide it.” ~Chester Greene of Deep.

“Chester,” Ashley cooed beside me, her hand on my chest. How she had not seen the headlines or my statement, I had no clue. As if she was completely unaware, refused to believe her own reality. People often did that to themselves, believed their own lies.

Hurting themselves and others on their path of denial.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I snapped, the storm of emotions brewing within causing me to lash out. Anger spiking, I threw her hand roughly off my chest, and a look of hurt flashed across her eyes. Not that it lasted long; bitch was persistent and leaned in again. “Cheetos,” she hummed, and I bristled at the childhood name. “Don’t be mad, baby.” Everything within me wanted to tell her to go fuck herself and leave, but Arianna deserved her vindication, and I bit my tongue. Hard. “She’s moved on, look.” Her hand turned my face toward them; I let her have her joyous moment. “Ari…” Ashley trailed off when I turned my glare on her for a brief moment.

Finally, she shut the fuck up.

A small part of me mourned the end of our friendship, the years of having her be my confidant, but her malicious intent ruined that.

Her pause gave me the moment of silence I needed to turn and watch the woman I’d lost in the arms of another. The jackass dancing with my girl pulled her in closer while a slow song began. Her smile, sweet and innocent, was blinding. A woman who seemed to be enjoying herself, but they didn’t know her as I did.

Enough of this shit.

No more waiting.

Without realizing his grave mistake, he pulled my girl flush against his body. Chest to chest, while his hand settled low on the narrow of her waist. A possessive move.

One that spiked the red haze over my eyes to a blinding inferno. I zeroed in on his movements, and the room faded into a dull hum around me. Didn’t stop or pay attention to my name being called or the touch of a small hand trying to pull me back.

A few blinks and I was standing a step away from them, watched for a second as he licked his lips and gave her a salacious grin. Flirtatious and cocky at the same time, while the small tick of her jaw told me she wasn’t impressed.

Without thinking or giving a fuck about consequence, I reached out and grasped her arm. Tightened my hold and with a quick pull back, turned her into my own body. Chests colliding, I steadied her with a hand on her hip while my glare was set on him.

Same place asshole had his hands on.

“What the fuck?” her date complained, yet made no move to come near me. Pussy.

Fingernails digging in, I leaned forward and breathed her in. Nose embedded in her long tresses, I pulled her essence into my lungs. A sense of completion overtook my senses.

Shivers raced up her spine and traversed my arms, settling on the tip of my dick. Her soft, tanned skin broke out in goosebumps, and she gasped. My hips flexed, cock brushing against her ass.

Fuck, she felt good.

Slim shifted, turned in my arms, and our eyes met. Drowned in the emotions, I saw her staring back at me, jade eyes watching me with anticipation. “Chester,” she breathed, and that first whisper of her voice snapped me into focus. So many things that needed to be said and showed, but I couldn’t move past the needle-dick fucker behind her.

“Who the fuck is he?” I demanded, my tone coming out much harsher than I intended.

“Chester…” she began again in that breathy tone she used that caused me to tremble with need. Same tone she used while writhing beneath me. In my bed. On hers. While my cock was so deep inside her that I didn’t know where she began and I ended.

“Ari, who’s this? the Spanish fly motherfucker demanded in a hiss, his right arm slipping around her waist as if to pull her back. Dumb. Plain and simple.

“I’m warning you,” I snarled, lip curling up, “get your fucking hands off her.”

“Or what?” he taunted, yet took a step back. Again, pussy.

“Guys, please.” Slim stepped between us, one hand placed on each chest, and tried to push me back. Dumbass complied and stepped further away from my reach. I wasn’t backing down from this douche.

Her touch burned me straight through my clothes. Felt the shock from her body heat, made my heart and cock swell. It’d been too long.

“I’m not the one starting shit here, Ari,” he spoke then, breaking the small heated moment we’d just shared. Neither of us missed the way her breathing picked up and how her fingers flexed while fisting my shirt. A shirt she’d yet to let go of.  “He’s the one stepping to me as if he—”

“It’s not a question of
if
I’m going to fuck you up; it’s a guarantee.” Was no need to beat around the bush.

“Chester, please don’t,” she pled, but it went ignored as the man pulled her hard against him a final time. Arianna stumbled back and gasped, her back meeting his front. His hand moved from her waist and traveled lower to her thigh, and I’d had enough.

Faster than he could react, I had his hand in mine and his wrist snapped back. Pulled with enough force to hear a small pop, effectively dislocating the bone there. He screamed and fell back; his ass met the floor with that same hand cushioning the fall. Now, he was double fucked.

The club went quiet, and in my periphery I saw the flashes of cameras.

I didn’t give a fuck—might boost the asshole image people try and push on me. If I were one or not, they now had the tangible proof not to fuck with me or what was mine.

“Are you out of your mind?” Ari yelled out, her face turning red with anger.
Feeling’s mutual, sweetheart.

“If you touch him, I’ll make sure to break it next.”  A threat, words she took seriously and backed away while holding her hands up as if in surrender. The room’s murmurs grew louder; some pointed while others took the hint into just who she was. “Don’t push me, babe,” I whispered so only she and her date heard while taking the few remaining steps that separated us. “Right now…” my hands encased her face, pads of my thumbs skimming her soft lips “…all I know is that he tried to touch the most important person in my life, and like an animal, I will protect what’s mine.”

“Don’t do this,” she begged, her jade eyes quickly filled with tears. “I can’t do this again.”

“Chester, let’s go, man.” Cris pulled on my arm, but I shrugged him off.  When he or the rest of them came down, I had no clue nor did I give a fuck. I wasn’t going anywhere without her.

More determined than ever, I pressed my forehead against hers. “I’m not going anywhere without the woman I love.”

The entire room gasped, and again the quick flashes of cameras went off.

“W-What did you j-just say?” Slim stuttered, the hope in her voice making my own heart beat triple time.
Maybe I haven’t lost you yet.

“I said…” this time I skimmed my lips across hers “… I’m not going anywhere without the woman who owns my heart.”

“Chester, you’re creating a scene, man. We need to leave, now.” Rick sounded frantic; no one was prepared for just how things were going down. “The owner, I’m sure, is calling the cops as we speak.”

She smiled at that and bit into her bottom lip, amused that they didn’t know or had not put it together yet.

“Baby, I’m right here,” Ashley purred then and slithered in beside me. Bingo. I’d begun to wonder what was taking her this long. “Is she bothering you again?”

I saw the light dim in my girl’s eyes.

Gutted me.

Arianna turned around and made to walk away, but my hand reaching out for hers put a stop to that. Intertwining our fingers, I pulled her beside me and brought that tiny hand to my lips.

Kissed each knuckle before addressing my huffing, ex-best friend standing beside us. “How clueless could you be, Ashley?” It was a rhetorical question, and she didn’t answer; instead, she narrowed her eyes at me, wondering just where I was going with this display. “I don’t love you. Never will.” The last was said low enough that only she and Ari heard. One stood with her mouth hanging open, while the other became stiff in my arms. “That foolish game is done. If you haven’t read the press release from a couple days ago, not my problem. We never were, and now in the eyes of the public we are more than done. Get lost, and you’re fired. Heather has taken over and will continue to be my assistant for the time being. I’ll see about your recommendation.”

“You can’t do this to me!” Ashley cried out, her voice rising with each word. “You love me.”

“No, I don’t. I love the woman in my arms.” Kissing the crown of Slim’s head, I ran my hands up and down her arms in a calming manner. Gone was the stiffness; my girl was shaking. In rage or shock, I had no clue.

“Arianna, let’s go,” her date spoke up then, his hand nestled close to his body. Hadn’t this douche learned his lesson yet?

“Leave.” I didn’t spare him more than a glance, but he didn’t want to let up and tried to take a swing with his uninjured hand. In one swift move I had Slim behind me and had thrown my own arm back and straight for his nose. Heard the sickening crunch before he crumbled to the floor and a familiar employee dragged his ass away. Gabriel winked at me before giving his boss a nod. Turning my head, I looked down at her flustered face. “What the hell did you see in this guy?” Arianna went to answer, but I shook my head. It was an asinine question.

“Chester, let’s go,” Ashley hissed through clenched teeth and pulled on my shirt. “You’re embarrassing me.”

“What happened to you?” I asked while pulling her hand off, bewildered by the ugliness I was now seeing. Because this wasn’t the girl with knobby knees I grew up with. This blonde shrew was a viper, like all the other women who wanted my dick for all the wrong reasons. She didn’t love me. Didn’t know the meaning of the word. “Hollywood changed you, Ashley.”

“Fuck you,” Ash snapped back, her face contorted into an ugly sneer. “We were solid, until that…” she pointed at a silent Slim with disdain—pure hate “…came into the picture and stole you from me. Do you have any idea what an
it
couple can obtain? How far we could’ve gone?”

There it was. The motherfucking truth of it all. Fame.

Same reason our entire bullshit relationship began in the first place. Being with me, partying with the band, being seen…all of it gave her status. Doors were now opened that before wouldn’t even crack long enough for her to give her name.

“You were using me.” Not a question, and for the first time in months, I saw a glimmer of the friend I’d lost.

Remorse flickered in her eyes a second before she jutted out her chin. “No more than you me.”