Make Me Stay (22 page)

I smiled up at my father with added strength. As I made my way up to the stand, I clenched my hands into fists to keep them from shaking. After being sworn in, I glanced up and got my first look at Nate in almost a year. He looked the same. Not much had changed about his appearance. He snickered to himself then nodded up at me.

He was disgusting, and now I had all the ammunition I needed to tell my story.

***

I came home late. The condo was lit up. Every lamp was on and the music was blaring. I tossed my bag on the island in my over-the-top kitchen, in my over the top condo, the company had put me up in for a year. Glancing in the family room off the back of the kitchen, I saw Piper dancing around the room. She had been living with me for almost two months and I still couldn’t help smiling when I walked in and saw her. She was just what I needed--a burst of fun in a life that had gone very stale.

Piper turned down the music and stared at me from the couch. “Caroline! You’re home, before seven. Is everything okay?”

I kicked my heels off, ran to the couch, jumped over the back, and stood next her. “Well, turn the music back up. We’re going out tonight and I need to get in the mood.”

She looked quizzically at me. “We’re going out?”

“Yup, another one of Sarah’s great ideas.”

Jumping off the couch, Piper pulled at her sweatshirt and PJ pants.

“I gotta get ready--and so do you!” Grabbing my hand, she pulled me off the couch and down the hall to our, I mean my closet.

***

Dressed and ready to leave, I sat on a stool in the kitchen, wishing that I could just stay in and catch up on sleep. Work had been crazy and I knew that Sarah thought that getting out and meeting guys was stress relieving, but it wasn’t for me. Sleeping in my cozy bed, now that was stress relieving.

“Do you know what Sarah has in mind? Oh, I hope she’s taking us to Blue. I heard it’s amazing and if we got the chance to meet Spencer Salvatore, I think I could die happy.”

Piper was thoroughly enjoying her time in New York. She was working for a fashion magazine and, although she started out in the rack rooms, she was quickly making a name for herself with all the right people.

“I’m not sure where we’re going. She said it was a small bar that had live music. So, unfortunately, I don’t think you’re going to meet Mr. Millionaire tonight,” I said, tossing my unruly mane of hair around.

“Hey, I’m going to get into that place, you just watch.”

I nodded while patting her shoulder. “I know you will.”

***

This “small” bar was anything but. Sarah had us front and center, and the band that was currently on stage was making my ears bleed.

“Can we go now?” I asked, leaning across the table.

“No, we cannot leave yet. My brother told me that we have to stay and see the next band. He thinks they’re really good, and I trust my brother, plus, if he likes them, than that means they look good too. Haven’t you ever fantasized about being with a rock god? I know I have and if there’s a chance I can make that happen tonight, I’m
going
to make that happen.”

“You don’t even remember the band’s name?” Piper asked.

“Details. All I needed to know was that they’re hot,” Sarah said, brushing Piper off.

I rolled my eyes and sat back in my chair. I had been with a “rock god,”, or so he called himself. Was it amazing and everything that Sarah was probably fantasying about?
Um that’s a big fat yes
. Not that she would know that about me. She was usually too busy talking about herself to even ask about my past conquests. Trust me, I did not mind.

Piper on the other hand learned that lesson a day after she moved in. She asked me about Kane. I quickly put her in her place and told her never to speak of that man in my presence.

Talking about Kane was bad, but when I saw him at Nate’s trial with Chloe, I nearly lost it. The flood of emotions I had been suppressing came rushing back. Then finding out that it had been him who managed to get others to speak out about what Nate had done to them, then my father giving me the whole Kane-saved-you-you-should-feel-lucky speech was icing on the cake. The stone wall I had put him behind crumbled the day of Nate’s trial. Thankfully, I was safe in New York, hundreds of miles away from Kane.

“Sarah, what are you--never mind, I don’t want to know.”

Danny was standing behind me. The three of us turned to see his finely dressed physic. He was leaning on the back of my chair, a few fingers grazed my bare back, which sent a chill down my spine.
That’s different
. I sat all the way back and looked up at him.

“You two need some alone time?” I asked, winking at Sarah.

He placed his hand on my head, pushing it down so I couldn’t look up at him anymore. “Ha-ha, Caroline, that’s funny.”

“I don’t think it’s funny. I could use some alone time with hunky boss man,” Sarah said, licking her lips seductively.

She was hopeless and clearly didn’t have a problem putting herself out there, even if the guy was not interested. Trust me, that didn’t stop her.

“You guys care if I join you?” Danny asked. “My friend’s running late.”

“Not at all, pull up a chair,” I said, scooting mine over to make room for another.

Piper elbowed me, nodding in Danny’s direction. “That’s your boss?” she asked under her breath.

I nodded and laughed to myself as she leaned back in her seat to get a better look at him.

Finally the loud, almost ear splitting music stopped, a DJ from somewhere, jumped up on stage as the band was leaving. “Let’s hear it for Lonely Girls. Come on, give them a hand!” the DJ yelled, clapping as he spoke.

“I’ll be back. I’m going to stretch my legs,” I said, standing from the table.

As I walked away, Piper jumped into my seat and began introducing herself to Danny.

My bad. I’m not the best at that. I shrugged the guilt off and went in search of the restrooms. I walked down a long corridor, passing a group of giggling girls and a couple getting a little too familiar against the wall. Suddenly, I felt like I was back at my father’s bar. Chuckling to myself, I kept on, stopping at a room filled with furniture and instruments. The sign on the door read VIP, but there was no one to be found. I peeked my head in searching for a bathroom, looking left then right. It was on my glance to the right that I felt all the blood drain from my face.

There staring at me was a guitar, red and glossy, with black scripture all over it. I was back at my father’s bar. This was clearly a dream. I had had this dream many times since leaving Maryland. I’d walk up to Kane’s guitar, he’d come up behind me, holding me in his strong arms.

After that, I’d usually wake up. But I was not waking up. I was still standing in the back of some bar, looking at his guitar, JJ’s, Trent’s base, Reece’s drum sticks on the table, along with Aiden’s distinct handwriting on a stack of papers. I backed away from the door, hitting the wall behind me. I had a one-track mind, I needed to get Piper and get out of there, fast.

I ran back to the table, sitting in Pipers empty seat. I looked around the bar again, noticing this time the shirts that some people were wearing. At every glance, I saw an ONS T-shirt on an excited fan. This couldn’t be happening. Of all the bars, in all the places, he was here in New York, at this bar, where I happen to be sitting front and center.
How did I not see all this before?

“Caroline, you okay? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost,” Sarah asked from across the table.

I grabbed Pipers forearm, taking her off guard. “We need to go.” The urgency in my voice made her scrunch her brows at me.

“What’s going on? Are you all right?” she asked, turning to me, concern washing across her green eyes.

“She just realized that the man whose heart she broke is in the same building as her. Isn’t that right, Cuz?”

I quickly, stood from my chair, to find JJ standing behind me. Scanning the area, I let out a relieved sigh when I saw that he was alone.

“You know this guy?” Danny asked standing as well.

“She’s my cousin. Of course, she knows me, you hipster asshole,” JJ said, getting in Danny’s face.

I moved to stand between the two of them, a hand on either’s chest.
This isn’t happening. It can’t be happening
. My old life couldn’t mix with my new one. The only exception was Piper. She was the only one who knew about both.

I turned, facing Danny, JJ at my back. “Danny, I’m sorry. My cousin doesn’t get out much. He’s a bit one dimensional.”

“What the fuck, Kitty? One dimensional?”

JJ took my arm and spun me around, so I was forced to see his face, forced to accept that this wasn’t a dream and that he was standing before me. “JJ, that’s my boss. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t get me fired,” I said under my breath.

He pointed aggressively in Danny direction. “I don’t give a fuck who he is. He clearly thinks he’s going to get a piece of your ass, and I swear to God, if you let a fucking hipster weasel his way into our family, I’m going to lose it!”

“Dude, what the hell is your problem?” Danny said in his own defense.

“As long as you’re not sleeping with my cousin, then I don’t have a problem with you. What I do have, is a
major
problem with you,” he stated, addressing me.

I walked with JJ, following him to a hallway in the back, per his request. Twisting my face in sheer frustration when we get to our destination, I considered knocking my cousin out right there. I clenched my fists and tried to rein in my temper. Just as I was un-scrunching my eyes, I saw a mess of red mohawked hair coming my way. Behind that, a tall biker looking guy, ready to kill, and a beautiful vampire with long ink colored hair, all walking my way, and all of them looking pissed off.

A wave of worry washed over me as they all surround me. I chewed on the inside of my lip, as the four, very handsome, and even angrier men enveloped me.

“Well, well, Kitty’s come back to play boys,” Reece said, licking his lips.

“I didn’t know you guys were playing here. I swear,” I said, trying to stand my ground.

“Caroline, all jokes aside, Kane doesn’t need this shit tonight. You should leave,” JJ said, getting right to the point.

“Are you kidding me? Did Kane put you up to this?” I asked.

“No, he doesn’t know you’re here. He’s been out all night, but he’s on his way. Kitty, you fucked that man up beyond recognition when you left,” Trent said, leaning against the wall while cracking his knuckles.

“Well, he looked okay the day at Nate’s trial. Seems Chloe’s been taking good care of him. Who cares if he sees me? He’s obviously moved on.”

I mean shit, it hurt like hell to see him that day with her, but he looked happy, and that’s all I wanted for him when I left.

“Yeah, right, just like you with the hipster?” JJ stated.

“He’s not a--JJ, he’s my boss, I’m not screwing him. He just showed up here tonight. Aiden, come on, you can’t agree with them.” I watched as he nodded in agreement with the other guys. “Fine whatever, I’ll leave,” I said pushing through them and making my way back down the hall way.

We had made a few turns and, for the life of me, I was so angry that they were making me leave, I must have made a wrong turn. A silhouette of a couple was flush against the wall. Their moans and wet kisses echoed off the enclosed walls.

“Get a fucking room!” I yelled to them.

Their movement stopped as my heels clicked on the concrete floor while I continued down the hall. The exit out of the rat trap of a back bar was on the other side of them. The closer I got, the more I could see. Her tit was clearly hanging out from her very low cut shirt, and her hands were resting on the man’s chest. I rolled my eyes as I was passing them. It was dark and the pulsating lights on the other side of them, made it impossible to put a face to the bodies,
thank God
.

“Keep it classy, guys. Small tip--find a hallway that doesn’t fucking lead to the bar,” I said as I walked by them.

I was just at the entrance back into the bar when something made me stop. I didn’t know how to describe it. Was it a memory, a smell, the way the lights bounced off the walls? But I stopped in my tracks. I stood there, my feet glued to the floor. My heart rate accelerated, a butterfly sensation coursing through my body.

“Caroline!”

That voice, I know that voice!
I spun around to see the silhouette I had just passed separated. Only one figure was standing in the darkness. I knew without a doubt who it was. Energy like that didn’t radiate off of just anyone. Stepping out of the darkness and into the light, Kane stood not even five feet in front of me and fuck he looked good.

CHAPTER 38

Kane

“Fuck, you smell good, baby,” I moaned into Chloe’s neck. She always smelled like heaven. That bitch Caroline might have fucking ruined me, but having my nose in Chloe’s neck was a close second.

“Kane, you have to get back there with the guys. You’re already late.” Chloe tried to push me back, but I knew she couldn’t say no, so I kept on, pulling her shirt and bra down to sample her. She was fucking putty in my arms.

“Don’t care, I need
this
right now,” I said, as I got lost in her smell again, this time, tasting the sensitive skin under her ear as well
. I needed this right now to keep my mind from wandering down a road that always left me fucking pissed
. In the beginning, it was once an hour, then it was once a day, then once a week, and finally I began to feel free again. But every once in a while I’d see someone or--like this week--remember the best fucking weeks of my life. The weeks that I let myself love like I’ve never done before, the weeks we finally gave in.

Chloe was my distraction. If I was with her, then I wouldn’t think about
her
. I knew the guys could tell. They’d start babying me, tiptoeing around, keeping their usually loud mouths shut. It typically lasted no more than a few days before I was back to normal, but fuck if those days weren’t torture.