I Won't Give Up on You (19 page)

I haven’t been this relaxed in months. The massage was just what I needed. I feel like a limp noodle now. We’re sitting in robes, getting pedicures. Who gets to be this lucky? I’m sipping on my wine and listening to the girls chatter about who they can set Beth up with.

“Look how relaxed she is. I told you this would be perfect,” Beth whispers.

“Thank you, I really am.” I raise my glass. “To us, my two girls.”

“To us,” they respond in unison.

The rest of the flight is uneventful, and I’m even more thankful for that because I hate flying. I’m definitely feeling the effects of the wine and the lack of food from the last few hours. Even though the girls were shoving food in my face I couldn’t bring myself to eat. Getting off the plane we’re hit with a blast of warm humid air. I love it. Waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs of the plane is a blacked out Suburban.

I smile when I see Jake at the door. He was one of our body guards in Vegas. “Jake, it’s good to see you,” I say when I approach him.

He’s surprised when I move to hug him. “You too, Miss Bennett. It’s always a pleasure.”

I back up. “Jake, do we have to go over this again? Sabrina or Bre.”

Sara has made it over to us. “Okay, Bre, stop attacking the guard. Sorry, Jake she’s feeling no pain right now.”

“Not a problem at all. I suspect it was a good flight then?” He steps aside to let us into the vehicle.

“It was!” I say it a little too loud and giggle at my enthusiasm. “Hey, Jake, are you married?”

To see a full blush cross his face makes me double over laughing.

“Okay, Sabrina, let’s get you in the car.” Sara guides me in through the door.

Just as she’s about to get in I stick my head out of the door. “Hey, Jake.”

He turns around to give me his attention.

“That’s Beth over there. She needs to get—” Sara shoves my face back into the car.

“Don’t mind her, but that is Beth, and she’s single.” With a wink and a pat on his shoulder, she gets into the car behind me.

Beth and Jake are talking outside for quite some time. When she finally gets into the car, she’s flushed and full of smiles. I’m not sure if it’s from the heat or what they were talking about, but I’m definitely going to find out. I don’t want this weekend to be all about me.

“So, what do you think?” I nudge her knee.

Her face goes bright red. It’s him. “His accent is amazing. Made me tingly all over. What is it?” Beth is on the verge of doing the ‘oh my god’ girl squeal.

Sara is looking at the iPod for something to listen to when she turns around with a funny look. “I don’t know. It never crossed my mind to ask before,” she says completely serious.

We both look over at her and bust out laughing.

Just to embarrass Beth a little more, when Jake gets in the driver seat I lean over and blurt out, “So, Beth says you make her tingly. What’s that accent there, buddy? Guess I never noticed until she pointed it out.” I look back over my shoulder. “I’ve been a little in my own world lately.”

Beth wants to crawl under a rock, and Sara’s trying not to laugh, but failing miserably.

Jake laughs as he blushes. “I’m from Australia.”

“Oh Australian. Hear that Beth? I wonder how long he can stay down under. No, no wait, bet he can cook your shrimp on his Barbie.” I try to mimic his accent and fail terribly.

All three of us fall into a hysterical laughing fit. Jake’s even laughing. Sara grabs the remote for the music and starts a song that has us dancing in our seats. I’ve heard this song before, but never let it take a hold of me. Now I’m letting loose and going with the flow. “Party Rock” by LMFAO is blaring. Poor Jake is dealing with all of us moving around like crazy. I can’t even imagine what it looks like from the outside.

We finally pull up in front of the ‘Mexican Mansion’. I know Caston is extremely wealthy, but this, this is just unbelievable. We pull up along a winding cobblestone drive. Suddenly a large white house with a traditional grass roof appears. Multiple stories with balconies coming off each room. The balconies have deep brown, glossy wood rails. Every window and door in the house is open to let the perfect weather fill into the house. When the car stops Jake gets to the door quickly to let us out. I get out and feel as if I’m transported back in time to the night I pulled up in front of Caston’s house.

My mouth just hangs open as I try to take in the monstrosity in front of me. Sara and Beth file out behind me, laughing.

“Holy shit, Bre.” Beth stops next to me speechless, like I am.

Sara flies by us up a set of wooden steps. Beth and I do a spin in place, looking at our surroundings. I hear the Caribbean Sea, and I want nothing more than to sink my feet in the warm aqua blue water.

Sara appears in the doorway. “You slow pokes still out here? Come on!”

She turns back into the house, and I start walking up the steps. Beth stays behind. She’s taking advantage of the time alone to talk with Jake and that makes me happy. Once inside, I’m taken aback again with how comfortable it is in here. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I entered, but everything is exactly like Caston’s house, very inviting and so him. I can almost picture him sitting on the couch, reading with the sun shining in filling the space with a comfortable calm.

“So, let’s get into our suits and go out to the beach before the party tonight,” Sara says.

“Party?” I question, skeptically.

“Don’t worry, Bre. Everything will be fine.”

I shake my head. Sara and her parties. I should have known. “So, where’s my room?”

“Master bedroom is down this hall. You have a private wing all to yourself. I figured you would want Caston’s room.”

I smile and nod.

Sara turns to Beth. “And your room is—”

“I’ll show her to a room.” Jake interrupts.

Beth immediately stills when she hears him talk behind her. She looks at me and mouths, “Oh my God.”

“Very well,” Sara responds. “Meet back here in half an hour?”

“Sounds good to me,” I agree.

Beth looks over to Jake, then back at us. “I’ll try.”

Jake offers Beth his arm, and she takes it before he leads her off in the opposite direction.

Sara and I giggle as we watch them go.

“Sara, not too crazy tonight, right?”

She crosses her heart and says, “I swear.”

I just roll my eyes and head toward my room. Sara and parties are notorious for getting out of control. I’m instantly worried, but shake it off, hoping that for once she takes it easy.

After an afternoon in the sun and sand, all I want to do is head to my room and pass out. Unfortunately, Sara says it’s now time to party not to nap. After we eat a quick bite, I get ready in my room. I don my short black dress that wraps to one side, making my waist look smaller than it is. I scrunched my hair with product after my shower, so the natural curls are falling around my face. I pull them up off my neck and twist them into a messy bun on the top of my head before clasping my necklace from Caston around my neck. I’m not comfortable being at a party without him, but I know he said with this around my neck no one would mess with me. I hope that’s true.

Sliding on my black heels, I sit on the edge of the bed and tie up the leopard print ankle strap. I think about Caston for a moment, wondering what he’s doing. I sigh deeply as I hear a light knock on my door.

“Come in.”

Beth peaks her head in. She looks radiant. Her short pink dress is set off on the sun-kissed skin from this afternoon. Her hair is loose and looks perfect. She has black and white zebra stripped shoes with pink heels completing her outfit.

“Bre, are you ready? But before you head out here, I’m just warning you. There a lot of people here. I think Sara has invited the whole damn country.”

I shake my head and laugh. “Of course she did. As long as you and I stay together we’ll be fine.”

She reaches her hand out to me, and I grab it. Jake is outside the door.

“Hey, Jake.”

“Sabrina, I’m not to leave your side tonight. Orders, ma’am.”

Laughing I shake my head. “I won’t argue with you, Jake.”

He looks relieved that I’m not going to argue with him. Beth links arms with me, and we start down the hall. I look over to her and see her hand entwined with Jake’s. When we get toward the end of the hall the music is vibrating through me. The house has been cleared of all the furniture in a matter of a few hours and a dance floor and party lights have replaced them. I spot Sara with a few guys dancing suggestively to the music.

“Jake, where is our spot to ‘get away’, for lack of better words.”

He points to an area toward the back of the house close to where the DJ is set up. Sara has spotted us now and waves us out to her. Before we have a chance to make our way out there, she comes to us.

“Come on, bitches. Let’s get this party started.”

Beth, Sara, and I all dance to the thumping bass of “Boom Boom Pow” by Black Eyed Peas. I’m feeling free and alone with the girls, even though we are in a room full of people. We’re so full of smiles and laughs. Sweat forms on our bodies as we let the beat flow through us. I can see Jake from our spot, watching us like a hawk. I also notice the glances that go between Beth and Jake when they think no one is looking. I love that he’s interested in Beth.

When the song ends, I lean over to them. “Let’s sit for a bit. I need a drink.” They nod their agreement.

Jake hands us each a bottle of water when we reach him. Sara takes a swig and sets it down. “Enough with the water, let’s get drunk.”

As if on cue “Shots” by LMFAO comes on. I just laugh. “Did you plan that?”

She holds up her hand in the Boy Scout salute. “I swear to God I didn’t, but apparently God wants us to have shots.”

“Let’s go!” Beth says, passing out the glasses. Sara reaches behind and grabs a bottle of Tequila.

Slamming it back, we all make a face, but Sara is immediately pouring again. It doesn’t take me long to feel like I’m floating. I’m a lightweight.

I start dancing again in our safe area and Sara joins me. Beth snuggles up to Jake on the couch. Sara grabs my hips moving them to the music. We sing the song at the top of our lungs. I place my hands around her neck loosely. There are butterflies in my stomach, remembering the first time we danced together. I know I need to stop myself before I lose control. Last time Caston spun me around right before anything happened.

“Stop thinking,” Sara whispers in my ear and a shiver runs down my spine.

I let my head fall back and close my eyes as we continue dancing. “Dance Again” by Pitbull is on. Sara pulls me a little closer and runs her hands down my back, her hands cup my ass. Her lips graze my neck, and her tongue licks up some of the sweat on my collarbone along my necklace. I slide my hands into her hair and pull her up to my mouth. As our lips meet, I get lost in her kiss. Remembering when we were together before, my insides clench. Just as I’m about to lose control and pull her to my room to continue this in private, Caston’s face flashes in my mind. I pull back, almost tumbling back onto my ass. What am I doing?

Leaving Beth, Jake’s at my side in a nanosecond. He’s helping me regain my footing. “I need to go to my room, Jake, I can’t be out here anymore. Please, take me there.”

He holds me by my elbow and guides me down the hall. Hearing Sara rush after us, I plead with Jake, “Please don’t let anyone in. I—I just can’t face her right now.”

Once I’m in my room, I shut the door and hear Jake stop Sara before she can enter. “Sorry, Sara, she wants to be alone. Why don’t you go back to the party?”

I can hear her heels on the tile heading away from the door. I crack it open and Jake looks in at me. “She’s gone.”

“Thank you, Jake. Please, go back to the party and have fun with Beth. I’ll lock the door.”

“If you would, please allow me to check the room before I leave?”

I open the door and let him pass before, glancing to the end of the hall. I catch Sara watching me. We hold each other’s gaze for a moment before I drop it and shut the door behind Jake.

He quickly scans the room before heading toward the door to let himself out. Before he goes I stop him. “Jake?”

“Yes, can I get you something?”

“My phone. I need to talk to Caston.”

“Of course, Sabrina. I’ll be back in a minute.”

He shuts the door behind him, and I sink to the floor at the end of the bed, tears start streaming down my face. How could I let myself get out of control like that? How is Caston going to react?

I undo my shoes and let them fall to the side of me. Jake’s back quickly like he promised. He also has brought with him a bottle of water and aspirin. He doesn’t say anything about my tears, which I’m thankful for. Once he leaves, I lock the door and strip down. Letting my hair fall down my back, I climb into bed and lay on the side of the bed that Caston usually sleeps on hugging his pillow tight. Before I have a chance to call him I fall asleep.

Terrance has finally enlightened me to all of the security details that he’s been keeping from me. To say I’m furious is an understatement. When I told him about Broc’s email and Mark, he didn’t seem surprised. Once we were at the airport waiting for my plane to return, he filled me in.