Rapture (2 page)

RAPTURE

An Alpha Male Romance

Rapture:
is a feeling of intense pleasure or joy.

~
1
~

Rush

As soon as I walked into the Elephant Bar, it took mere seconds for me to realize that my sister had set me up. If I didn’t love her so much, I might’ve turned and walked my ass right back out and drove the fuck off. But because I did love her, I proceeded to the table. “
Payback’s a bitch in heat
,” I mouthed to her, before flashing a perfect smile in my father’s direction.

“How’s it going, dad? I didn’t expect to see you here, this fine Wednesday evening.”

“Hey Hunter, glad you could make it.”

Ha! Yeah, right!

“How’s things?” I asked, addressing them both, but glaring into my sister’s eyes. I knew her well. She was holding back a chuckle. She thought this shit was funny. She knew that my father and I shared a tumultuous relationship, yet she made it her personal business to try throwing us together every chance she could.

“Things are good, my beautiful brother. You’re looking nice and tanned,” she remarked. “How was Miami?”

Jamie and our father, sitting next to each other were spitting images of one another, and the direct opposite of me. Both of had blonde hair and green eyes, whereas everything about me, from my hair to my eyes and even my soul at times, were dark. I took more of my mother’s looks, while Jamie took on a mixture of her own mother’s and our father’s. Jamie and I were born from two different moms, but we didn’t go for that half-sibling bullshit, we considered each other full siblings in every sense of the word.

“Oh, you know, sis…same ol’, same ol’.”

“Same ol’, same ol’? What’s that, Hunter…ass and tits? You’ve not outgrown that yet?” my father asked, looking up from some brown liquor he’d just finished sipping. “But I guess with having a sports bar, ass and tits are what you would see almost every single day,” he stated, with a snarl.

Shut the fuck up, dude! You’re the pot calling the kettle black!

I gave my father a look. Every chance he had, he attempted to take shots at my character. “What exactly is it that I’m supposed to be outgrowing?” I charged.

“
Sooo
, dad!” Jamie exclaimed, jumping in to calm a brewing battle. “I brought you and Hunter together for a reason. I wanted to tell you both that Greg proposed, and I said
yes
!”

I looked around the restaurant at the eyes suddenly focusing on our table. “I don’t think you said it loud enough for the people
outside
to hear, sis?”

“Oops,” she whispered, bringing her hand to her mouth in faux embarrassment. “My bad.”

I quickly glanced over at the old man to observe his reaction, and while it wasn’t immediate, I knew that it would be forthcoming. It was merely delayed. For the time being, he seemingly had on his, ‘Who gives a fuck?’ face. I crossed my arms, lying in wait. I had my own words to contribute to the announcement, but I was patiently waiting to see what Lance Michael Cambridge, had to say,
if
he had anything to say. And then it happened.

“Where in the fucking world does a man propose to a girl without first coming to her father? And just the same, why the fuck did
you
think it was okay to accept that prick’s proposal without seeing if he’d conferred with your father first?” His left elbow was combatively propped on the table, with his left hand cupped slightly over his mouth. “I’m not okay with that, Jamie. Not at all,” he sternly acknowledged. He dropped his hand from position, shook his head, and then returned his drink to his lips.

“
Dad
, come on! You had to know it was going to happen sooner or later. We’ve been dating for two years now.”

“‘
Dad come on
’, my ass,” he shot, before turning to address me. “Did you know about this, Hunter?”

I nonchalantly shrugged, and waved my hand to signal the waiter to come to the table. I had decided that I needed a nice cold one with some kick to it because I could see that this “nice little family dinner” was gonna be a long one.

“Nah,” I finally responded. “I knew nothing of it. But what I do know, and what we’ve both always known, is that Jamie does what Jamie wants to do. So, I can’t say I’m surprised at all.”

“So, you think it’s fucked up too, right?” my father queried.

“I think it could’ve been handled better. I think it’s kinda disrespectful…” I said, directing my comment towards my sister. “I think it’s disrespectful that this guy didn’t think enough of the men in your life to ask for permission to not just marry you—but for permanent entry into this goddamn family. Not cool, J.” Then I leaned forward. “And I’d go so far as to say he needs to do his punk ass proposal all over again…the right way.”

“That’s my boy!” my father exclaimed, reaching over to swat me on the back. I looked to the area from where his hand fell, and then shot him a look that I was sure went unnoticed. I wasn’t seeking his approval, nor was I looking for him to issue any kudos. I never was. I was merely speaking true feelings.

“You two are overreacting,” Jamie stated. “It should really just matter that he loves me enough to want to make me his wife. The two of you are acting as though it’s about
you
. When have I not been supportive of the things you both do? Or the women you choose to taint your sheets with? Without marriage, might I add?”

“Don’t deflect, Jamie. This isn’t about me or Hunter. It’s about you having a fucktard for a boyfriend who thinks he’ll become your husband without a conversation with either one of us. That won’t fly.”

“Yeah, sorry, J. A better scenario would’ve been him showing up to this dinner with you.”

Jamie rolled her eyes at the both of us, and the table was completely silent for the next fifteen minutes when our hostess arrived with my Mojito, along with the appetizers that had been ordered prior to my arrival. I took a hefty sip of my drink, pleased that they’d gone a little heavy on the Rum.

“I can’t believe you two,” Jamie charged, breaking the silence. I brought you together to deliver the news so we could talk logistics. You know, location, budget, etcetera…since it is the bride’s day, and—”

“Hold on, Jamie,” my father suddenly interrupted. “
Are you pregnant
?”

“Oh wow! That was coming next! How’d you guess, dad?!” she shrieked.

My lips separated from the glass before me, and my eyes narrowed at her. “What the fu—”

“I’m kidding!” she blurted out, right before she fell into a fit of hysterical laughter. “Look at you two! You’re all up in arms about a marriage proposal, and pounding on your chests in baboon mode about what he needs to do and what you won’t accept! And then you’re sitting there with these mean looks all across your faces. Get over yourselves.” Then she leaned forward. “Do you know how hypocritical you both sound? You’re out here screwing somebody’s
daughters
, and
sisters
, without thoughts of marriage anywhere in sight, yet you’re ready to jump down Greg’s throat because I told you he proposed. Geez! I mean, even though I was kidding,
at least we talk marriage
. You two are just grown men gone wild!” Then she sat back in her seat, and smiled. “Whew! That was priceless.”

“Well, for your information, I’ve sworn off women for a few,” I confessed. “Basic lays are kind of getting on my nerves. I need a woman with some depth to her. So, I’m off the circuit for now.”

“Ha! We’ll see how long that lasts,” my father added.

“Yeah! I’m with dad on that one. You’re like the biggest man whore I know. Well, aside from present company, that is,” Jamie said, directing her comment at our father. “Because
he’s
still having kids as recent as five years ago. Damn dad, I can’t believe I have a 5-year old brother. Can you stop, already? It’s kind of embarrassing to know that you’re still laying the pipe. Not that I don’t love the little guy, but my God! You’re sixty-five years old! You know they have these surgeries called vasectomies, and these things called condoms? I can buy you a few if needed. Just say the word.”

“There’s nothing written that says I need to stop pleasuring a woman at a certain age. And besides, they’re the ones who pursue me and beg for what’s in my—”

“Ohhh my God, Dad! I’m not even trying to hear that!” Jamie exclaimed, throwing her palms against the air, and sending me and my father laughing in unison.

“Well, I sure as hell wasn’t trying to come to a dinner to be
Punk’d
. So you brought that on yourself,” my father spat. “And don’t do that bullshit again.”

“Yeah, okay daddy,” Jamie smiled, while simultaneously standing from the table. “I’m gonna run to the bathroom really quickly. You two play nice. I mean it,” she enforced, playfully wagging her finger, as she exited.

As soon as Jamie was out of sight, and true to form, my father started in. “Look, before your sister gets back. Get this shit straight. I don’t know what the fuck is going on at that hole in a wall of yours, but I’m not gonna be calling in favors for too much longer. Fix this shit, or put a tighter rein on those fuckers you have working for you. Because if you go down, you’ll stay down because I won’t be coming to your rescue—
again
.”

My eyes narrowed at being caught off guard. I leaned in closer to where he could hear me. “First of all, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. Second, and most importantly…I’m not the five-year old boy you just had, old man—” 

But then as soon as I delivered those words, I did something that was extremely difficult for me to do…bite my tongue, and we entered a battle of the stares. The
only reason
I took that position was because if I had started in on him, I wouldn’t have stopped and I knew Jamie would be back soon. But fuck if I didn’t want to lay into his ass! I felt my fists clench, and my jaw tighten as I tried reeling in my anger. Growing up, people wondered why I got into so many fights.
He
was the reason. I needed to channel that anger and release it somewhere, and pouncing on boys my age and older provided that release for me. Just like him, they’d try me, thinking that I wasn’t gonna fight back, but on several occasions I found myself on one-week suspensions, and  subsequent expulsions because I had to rearrange somebody’s fucking face. Fighting wasn’t my first method of resolve, but idiots never understood that, so I ended up in confrontations way more than I wanted to. Did they relieve stress? Yep, I won’t even lie. But did I feel good about it in the end? Not always. Why? Because while I was unleashing, it was really my father’s face I was seeing, and sometimes the attack had very little to do with the person on the receiving end.

Jamie fast-approaching the table, was the reason our staring session came to an abrupt end. It was as though we sensed her at the same time, and knew to reattach our game faces.

“So, hey pretty girl, what’s up with next weekend? You know how you change your mind,” I said, messing with her.

“What’s going on next weekend?” our father asked, clearly out of the loop.

“Jamie’s having a small birthday get-together at Temptation,” I responded.

“What the hell is Temptation?” he asked.

I glared at him for his ignorance and disinterest in anything that had to do with my life at all. As much as I didn’t want it to, it pissed me off.

“
Temptation
is my new club that’s opening next to my sports bar.

“Hmph,” he grunted, in Jamie’s direction. “Why don’t you have your shindig at a
real
place
for parties,” he remarked.

“Dad! Come on! Chaos is a huge success, and with Temptation opening right next door, it’s going to be even larger. Chaos is very nice, and
very popular
, and the same will be said for the new place. I wouldn’t want to do it anywhere else.” Then she turned her attention back to me. “Of course we’re on, knucklehead! What are you trying to give up my space for a pretty face or something?”

“Yours is the only pretty face. You know that. Just wanna make sure so I can have it all decked out for you and your guests.”

“Well, look, Rush; don’t go thinking that I’m going to be hanging out in the lounge area all night. We do plan to hang out with the crowd, so leave the cave man antics at the front door. Okay? Promise me.”

“I don’t make promises I can’t keep, sis. You know that. As long as the rules of respect are followed where my sister is concerned, we’re all good. So, yeah…you come on and have yourself a good time and bring in your birthday in style. And just know that your brother won’t be too far away!”

“Oh my God, Rush Cambridge, you’re a mess.”

“Yep, a ‘mess’ you love, and are stuck with until one of us leaves this earth.”

“This is nice,” my father remarked. “Sibling love is the best, ain’t it? Even though I made you with two different women, it’s nice to know the love is present.” I couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but I was happy when he wiped his mouth with the cloth and stood from the table. “I hope you two enjoy the rest of your dinner…on me. I have to get going. Jamie, give your dad a call soon.”

Bye, bastard
, was what I wanted to say to him. And who knows? Had my sister not been there, I might’ve.