Landon's Obsession: An Endless Series: Book 3 (Series 3) (34 page)

     But even after those three months I was still trying to
sort things out.

     Landon grimaced. “While these three months have been
torturous for me, I’m glad you had that time if I can have your trust again.”
Landon’s voice deepened and it made my stomach clench. I remembered that tone,
my body remembered that tone.

     I pulled my hands away again, an ache in my heart.
“Landon, I can’t tell you that you have my trust again. It’s been four years,
and even though I’ve said I understand, there are still some things I wish you
could have done differently.” I huffed out a soft snort. “But god, we were so
young. Things were probably bound to go wrong sooner or later.”

     He stared at me absorbedly. “Do you really think that,
Maya?”

     His ardent tone had me stilling. “Statistically…”

     “I don’t want hear about statistics, I want to know
what
you
think, what you felt? You said you loved me, Maya. Was that
true?”

     My heart sped up as he brought up my feelings, and at
where this conversation seemed to be going. “Like I said, Landon, we were
young.” I whispered.

     “So it was just young love, and it fizzled out?” He
pressed.

     I inhaled shakily. What did he want from me? “It
doesn’t matter now. It’s kind of a moot point.”

     “I don’t think it is.” He laid his hands on my knees
and my heart nearly stopped, but my flesh instantly heated.

     I shot to my feet and stepped away, putting distance
between us. “Landon, we are dealing with a lot right now, our feelings are all
over the place.” I wasn’t certain what he was trying to express to me, but I
needed to remind myself of this fact.

     There was a knock at the front door and I ran for the
distraction to get away from the emotional overload. I opened it to find Greg
on the other side wearing an expression of concern.

     “Greg! What are you doing here?”

     “You’re mother called me and said you needed me.”

     My lips pursed at her interference. “I told her…” I
took a breath for patience. “Never mind. Come in.”

     Greg stepped in and his gaze immediately locked on
Landon. “What’s he doing here?” He growled angrily moving toward Landon
aggressively.

     I seized his arm. “Greg! It’s fine. We are working
things out.”

     Greg stopped but his stance was still hostile. “He
doesn’t deserve to have things worked out with.”

     Landon’s expression turned antagonistic now. “You don’t
know shit asshole, so keep your fucking nose out of our business.”

     “Maya is my business.” Greg yelled dragging me forward.

     “She’s more my business than your business, asswipe.”
Landon growled matching his step forward.

     “After what you did and how you were acting toward her
you don’t deserve to be anywhere near her you son of a bitch.” Greg took
another step.

     Landon’s aggressive expression twisted slightly and I
knew that sling had hit its mark. “That may be true shitbag, but she’s still
more my business than yours.”

     “Stop it!” I shouted. They both turned their testosterone
fueled, unfriendly expressions my way. “My business is my business.” I turned
to Greg. “There were some misunderstandings in Landon’s and my past that have
been cleared up, and since he might be Nola’s father, or uncle, he will be in
her life. And even though he swears like a sailor he is not a bad guy, Greg.”

     He scowled down at me. “Maya, the last time you saw him
he left you near hysterical.”

     Landon winced again.

     “That was because of the misunderstandings. Greg,
please, we’ve just had a long, in-depth conversation and things between us have
been cleared up.” I insisted again.

     He stared at me incredulously for a moment and then turned
his scowl on Landon. “If you make her cry again I’m knocking your teeth down
your throat.”

     “It won’t ever happen again, asshole, so keep your
threats to yourself.” He growled.

     They stood there silently glaring at one another. I
understood Greg’s hostility, but I didn’t understand Landon’s. Sure, he could
be feeding off Greg’s, but I didn’t think it was that.

     I sighed…men. “Since you will be seeing a lot of each
other...” Landon’s gaze instantly tracked back to me and behind his hostility I
thought I saw apprehension. “Landon McKay, meet Gregory Davison. Landon, Greg
is my boss at the real-estate company, and my friend…and I guess you could also
call him my step-brother.”

     His brows shot up in shock. “Your step-brother?”

     Greg shifted. “My father married her mother, but we are
not brother and sister.”

     Landon frowned. “That’s…nice, I’m happy for her, and
I’m glad you got that sibling you always wanted.” He sneered at Greg as he said
that.

     I never told Landon that I wanted a sibling, and I’m
pretty sure he knew that. He was just egging Greg on, and Greg responded to it
by growling under his breath.

     I exhaled. “Landon, we should probably call it a day.”

     His lips tightened and I thought he was going to argue,
but then he nodded. “Alright. I missed a class this morning, but I should
probably show up for my afternoon one.”

     He marched towards us and I had to pull Greg out of the
way because he didn’t seem inclined to move on his own. Landon pulled on his
jacket and shoes, and then straightened giving one more scowl at Greg before
focusing on me.

     “You’ll call me soon about your decision on Nola?” He
asked handing me a card.

     I glanced at it briefly. It was business card with his
name, number, and McKay Energy. He was working at his dad’s company? I looked
back up at him with a small frown. “Yes, I promise.”

     He stood there for second looking unsure and I
wondering what it was for when he suddenly stepped close and gave me a hug. I
instinctively embraced him back and when I did the casual hug became more; he
pulled me tight into his body and against my will my body curved itself into
his.

     “Call me soon, Maya. Please.” He whispered in my ear.
He then released me and strode out the door closing it behind him.

     My body tingling, I let out an unsteady breath. Things
were about to change.

     “Maya, what the heck is going on? I thought you didn’t
want that guy anywhere near you or Nola?”

     I turned to face an irate and confused Greg. I could
understand his confusion because Greg had witnessed my break down three months
ago, had seen how panicked I was that Landon, Kris, or his family would find
out about Nola.

     “Greg, I told you, there were some misunderstandings
and we cleared them up.” I walked past him to the kitchen.

     He followed. “What misunderstandings? What could that
asshole possibly say to explain his dick behavior?”

     I got a glass from the cupboard and filled it with
water. “Landon saw me and his brother together…” I took a swallow of water
before continuing. “He walked into the pool house and saw us naked, on the
bed.” I took another drink of water trying to wash out the bad taste in my
mouth.

     “And the fucker didn’t help you…he left you there?”
Greg boomed.

     I twisted quickly. “No Greg. Landon came in after…”
Another swallow. “I was passed out and I guess Kris was asleep. Landon saw what
he thought were two people resting after having consensual sex. All this time
he thought I’d slept with his brother of my own free will.”

     Greg’s murderous expression didn’t alter. “How could he
think you would do that? Didn’t he know you at all?”

     Greg’s question hit me right in the chest even though I
identified with Landon’s side of things. “Greg, can you really say that you
wouldn’t have come to the same conclusion?” I asked.

     He strode over and took my free hand, staring at me
earnestly. “Yes…I know you wouldn’t have done what he so quickly and easily
thought.”

     That was another hit to the chest. “You’ve known me for
two years. Landon and I had only two months together, and we were young.” My
words were wistful. “I can honestly say that if I’d walked in on the same scene
I would have thought the exact same thing he did.” It was the truth but it
didn’t take away the pain in my chest.

     Greg shook his head in bafflement. “So…you’re going to
let him back into your life…just like that? After what happened?”

     I pulled my hands from his and walked away as
frustration filled me, as well as multiple other emotions. “Greg…there’s no
just
about any of this. Landon could be Nola’s father, and if…not, then her uncle. Landon’s
not a bad guy. He may have hurt me with the way he broke things off between us,
but he did that because of what he saw.” I spun to face him throwing my hands
out wide in…uhg, I don’t even know. Everything was crazy. I blew out a sigh. “He’s
not to blame for what happened to me. I knew from the beginning Kris was the only
one to blame for his actions.”

     Greg stared at me in astonishment. “Are you…what are
you saying? What does he want?”

     Weariness crashed down on me. Walking over to the kitchen
table I sat down. “He says he wants to claim Nola as his daughter, no matter if
she’s truly his or not; he wants her to be his.” Did I sound as bemused as I
felt.

     Greg stood there silently for a moment before taking
the seat across from me. While he still looked agitated, he also looked
curiously intent. “What did you say?”

     “I told him I needed to think about it, but between the
two of course I would choose Landon to be Nola’s father, and he’s offering it
up to me on platter. But what if she’s not and he changes his mind…I just don’t
know.” I confessed.

     He reached across the table and gripped both of my
hands still staring at me intently. “Maya, he’s not the only one that would
claim Nola.”

     I inhaled. Greg had been obvious on his feelings toward
me for a while. I knew he’d been waiting for me to give him a signal that his
affections we reciprocated but I’d never given it. He was a handsome,
intelligent man but…

     I exhaled warily. “Greg…”

     His hands tightened. “Don’t answer me. I was just
throwing that out there for you to chew on. I want you to know you have other
alternatives.” He gave me a half smile.

     I wanted to tell him that I appreciated his offer, that
he was sweet for trying to give me some measure of security, but I knew that
would only sound condescending. So instead I heeded his advice and stayed
silent, but I did give his hand a squeeze of gratitude.   

Chapter Three

LANDON

     The guys were watching me carefully again. They could
sense the tension surrounding me, and knew something was up; especially since
I’d come back two days ago with a trashed car.

     Learning that Maya had a child…that she didn’t know if
it was mine or Kris’s…it had nearly pushed me over the edge. After I’d left
Maya’s house I’d found a back alley and trashed my Audi; inside and out,
kicking and punching it. If I could have found a two by four, a pipe, a fucking
sledgehammer, I would have used that as well.

     When I’d returned to the house and the guys had seen it
they’d been all over me asking what had happened, but all I’d been able to do
is shake my head and storm up the stairs to my room. Later that day I’d gone to
lacrosse practice just so I could expel more of my fury, but ten minutes in I’d
nearly broken one of my teammate’s arms in a flagrant foul freaking them out
even further. Coach had ripped me a new one for my hotheaded and rookie
performance and had me doing laps for the rest of practice.

     It wasn’t the same as beating someone’s face in, but it
was something, and my teammates weren’t the ones I wanted to kill anyway.    

     So once more everyone was back to eyeing me like I was
a ticking time bomb while at the same time giving me my space and being there
for me. I know their thoughts were most likely drifting back three months ago when
I’d almost gone off the deep end with my erratic and hostile behavior,
excessive drinking, and missing classes. They hadn’t pestered me for any
details, they’d just been there for me as friends putting up with all my shit,
and I had appreciated that.

     I still haven’t disclosed any details to them about the
situation. All they knew was that I wanted to kill my brother. The only other
person who knew anything besides my parents was Nadia, and that was because
she’d overheard my brother’s confession and then my outburst, but that was all
she knew.

     Nadia had kept her mouth shut about what she’d
overheard. She hadn’t even said anything to Seth who she was now dating, and I
was deeply in her debt for that fact. My roommates were my closest friends, but
I hadn’t been ready to talk about what I’d been dealing with. Maybe I could
have used an ear to rant to, but the thought of disclosing Maya’s rape and my
despicable behavior had just made me sick to my stomach.  

       However, with their unspoken support, and my mind
focused on Maya’s return as well as tracking down my brother, I’d been able to
pull it together enough that I wasn’t kicked from my college courses. It had
been a close call though, and my grades at the end of term reflected how fucked
up I’d been at the time.

      “Okay, I can’t handle it anymore. Are you waiting for
a call, or is that phone supposed to transform into an Autobot sometime in the
near future?” Noah exclaimed with a wary grin.

     It was six-thirty Friday night and all us guys, as well
as their girlfriends, were hanging out playing Guesstimations, a sort of trivia
game. Issy, Nadia’s sister, was also here but upstairs in Seth’s room watching
television or whatever shit ten year old girls did. Everyone had pushed me into
participating but I was having a difficult time paying attention to the game; I
was too focused on my phone and waiting for Maya to call. Of course it hadn’t
escaped their notice that for the last forty-eight hours I’d been hanging onto
my cell phone like a teenage girl waiting for the boy of her dreams to call.