Top Love: An Alpha Billionaire Romance (Young Adult Stepbrother and Billionaire Romance Stories) (45 page)

Jen

Eddie’s extramarital affairs have really hurt me.  I am hurt, but I am angry.  I have also been doing things I never expected a good girl like me to do.  As a matter of fact, I’ve been following Krystal every day for the past two weeks.  Yes, that is a nice way of saying I’ve been stalking her.  I haven’t been following her twenty-four hours of each day, but I have known every movement she has made over the past two weeks.  I’ve been waiting for her to go see Eddie.  I know sooner or later, she will come to him.

I can’t believe I’ve been so blind, though.  The entire tI’me he and I dated in high school, while we were engaged, and after we married, I never noticed the looks they exchanged until hindsight took over.  I was so in love with Eddie that I failed to see how he would always find an excuse to touch her or be with her in some way.  He never did that with me.  I am so angry that I have wasted two years of my life on that poor excuse of a man.  I definitely never saw my life ending up like this—divorced, having to start over, and now bearing the title of ‘ex-wife’.  I blame Krystal, but most of all, I blame Eddie.  At least Krystal had the sense to attempt to have her own life for a while.

I have been stalking Krystal because there are some things I need to say to her.  She needs to know how I feel and what I think—woman to woman.  Though I feel a deep urge to claw her eyes out, I have to behave like an adult about this situation. 

Oh, shit, I think to myself as I look up from my book.  There she is!  I knew she would come here at some point.  I jump from my car, completely flustered, and walk up to Krystal before she reaches Eddie’s front door. 

“Krystal,” I say to her.  As soon as she turned around, she looked at me with horror written all over her face.  I know I am the last person she ever expected to see here.  We have known each other for years and though we ran in the same circle for a while, we never really hung out much. 

“Can we please talk?” 

“Um,” she said. 

“Look, I just have some things I would like to get off of my chest—things I feel you should hear.  So, will you come with me?”  I point to my car. 

She looks back at Eddie’s door, at me, and then down at the ground.  “Yeah.” She says.  “I guess it is tI’me to face the music.”

We walk toward my car.  I have no clue where we should go, so I just drive.  I hate driving in this town.  It has full of so many memories, which flash in my mind.  Over to the right is the big magnolia tree where Eddie first kissed me.  God, I hate this!  I need to get out of here.  To keep from going insane, I begin to speak.  

I draw a deep breath and exhale sharply.  “Krystal, I need to tell you something, and I need you to completely hear me out.  I am asking you to not say anything until I’m done—just listen.  Can you do that for me?”  I’d love to give her the look she deserves, but I have to keep my eyes on the road.

“Yeah, you have every right to be angry, so let’s have it.” she says. 

“What you and Eddie did was wrong and selfish. I never thought the two of you would be so selfish. Where were your morals? Hell, where were his? If the two of you decide that you guys want to be together, I can’t speak on it, but I need you to think about it.  What if it would have been Jimmy and me? Have you thought about that? How much pain would that have cost you? Do you even love Jimmy? Did the two of you even think about what you were doing to us?  To your son?”  I briefly look over and see she is staring straight ahead, but not ignoring what I’m saying.  You can see she is taking it all in.  Good.  I was hoping this wouldn’t be some stupid cat fight.  “Your choices now are pretty simple, the way I see it.  You can lose your husband and son to be with Eddie, or you can just walk away from Eddie.  I need you to ask yourself if Gage and Jimmy are worth losing for your temporary pleasure with Eddie.  Which life will give you the most long term happiness?”

We drive around for a few more moments.  Finally, we parked where we were originally and just sit for a moment.  She turns to me and says, “I really didn’t intend to hurt you.  I want to say that I simply lost control of myself, but I can’t say that.  There is some point that a person realizes they’re making a grave mistake and they have the option to stop.  I never stopped it.  I don’t think Eddie meant to hurt you, either—at least, not intentionally.  Look, I know this isn’t a good reason.  Jimmy told me that he knew for years how Eddie felt about me and even suspected that I might feel the same for Eddie—at least a little.  I don’t know if you knew for certain, but you had to have had your own suspicions at some point.”

Her words hit home.  She was right.  I chose to ignore all of my suspicions and never even brought them up to Eddie…not when he proposed, not when I said ‘yes’, and not the day we got married.  Still, she continued to speak.  “I know this is not a good reason, but when he told me he had cancer and was going to die—well, I thought it was my last chance to let him know how I felt.  It was a regret I was willing to live with.  Again, It has not a good reason at all, but I hope you understand at least where my mind was.  Eddie has had my heart since before the beginning of time, but that doesn’t mean I love Jimmy less or not at all.  I love Jimmy dearly.  I know I haven’t shown it, but I do.  If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have been so torn about this.”

At this point, I can see the tears cresting at the edges of her eyelids and spill over, running down her face.  After a few moments of silence, I respond to her words. 

“Krystal, I don’t know your beliefs, but I’ve never known you to be a particularly immoral person before now.  Can I make a strange request?”

“Sure.”

“Can I ask you to pray with me?  Please?”

I can see she is obviously uncomfortable, but I think It has mostly from the fact that she simply didn’t expect me to ask that.  At this point, I think prayer was going to be the only thing that saved this situation. 

“I guess.”

So, we prayed.  We prayed for peace and comfort, but most of all—wisdom.  I think that was most important in our situations.  We were all young and at the mercy of ourselves.  So, wisdom is something our age definitely does not give us alongside our vitality.  Yet, though she says she never intended to hurt me or Jimmy, a part of me wants to believe her. I know how she and Eddie have felt for years. He never hid it. Krystal gets out and walks to her car. I pull away from the curb feeling a tad bit lighter.

Eddie

I knew when I saw her get in her car she was leaving. I know It has foolish of me--hoping that she would come to me again after what I did. No matter what anyone says, that shit is hard to get over. I ruined my marriage, and we may have ruined hers. If I know Jimmy, he will not go down without a fight. That man loves Krystal with every fiber of his body. I was being selfish though, thinking of no one but myself. I have loved that girl since day one.  And then, I find out she loves me, too?  I really regret not speaking up in high school before either of us got married.  I realize now that I never loved Jen the way that I loved Krystal.  

My phone goes off.  At first, I thought it was Krystal, but it wasn’t.  It was Lydia.  I met her at my shows.  She just started showing up out of nowhere.  One night, she walks up and tells me she is working for a newspaper and wants to ask me some questions.  I was thinking that any story on what I was doing was a great story, as long as my recent transgressions with Krystal wasn’t discovered.  We became fast friends.  I started to get the feeling she wanted more, but I just can’t handle it right now. Looking back at my phone I open her text.

Lydia- hey dork wanna get some coffee?

Me: not really feeling up to being around people right now. Rain check?

Lydia: sure just let me know when. I hope you are sick or anything. Want me to come over?

Before I could type anything she sent another one.

Lydia: I could bring soup!

Me: nah, I’m good. Just want to be alone 4 a bit. Hit me later

I power the phone off I need to get my head straight. My gut is telling me that I have lost Krystal forever. I may have even lost her as a friend if Jimmy has his say about it.

I suppose I fell asleep.  I didn’t mean to, but I woke up to “Close My Eyes Forever” by Ozzy Osborne and Lita Ford.  That ringtone belongs to Krystal.  I know what she is calling for.  If I was the one she chose, she’d be at my door rather than calling me. 

“You don’t have to say it. I already know why you called.” I say as a greeting.  “You picked him right?  After everything, you stay?”  I don’t give her any time to respond at all.  “You two have a great life.  If I never see you again, it will be too soon.  I got to go. Have a nice life Krystal.”  I hit the end button, not caring how she is feeling at this point.  I mean, she doesn’t care. She chose Jimmy. I said two tears in a bucket and fuck it. I will not let this destroy me.

I picked my phone back up and unlock the screen.  I look for Lydia’s name.  I wonder if I’m wrong to use her as a rebound.  Probably so, but I’m still going to do it.  Why?  Because I’m that kind of asshole. 

“Hey good looking, you ready to give me my story?” she answers after only two rings.  It was as if she was literally waiting by her phone for me to call her.  

“Oh yeah, babe.  I’m going to give you a story.  And, if you play your cards right, I’ve got a whole lot more in store for you.  The question of the day is:  are you ready for my story?”  As I’m talking to her, I’m thinking I’ve got to get out of here.  I need a distraction and Lydia is the perfect distraction. 

“As long as I get the story first.  Business before pleasure.” she says coolly. 

“Okay, Lydia.  Sounds like a plan.  Where do you want to meet to handle business?”  I’m looking around for my keys while talking to her, but it seems they’ve disappeared—again.  Sometimes, my life just sucks. 

“Let’s meet at your place.  I don’t want to risk someone hearing the story before I have a chance to get it out there.  Sound good?”

I look around the apartment.  It has become your typical bachelor pad.  Pizza boxes were strewn about, clothes all over the place, and just your worst nightmare.  Still, I don’t want to risk this.  I’m not desperate, but I need a change and need it now. 

“When do you want to come over?”

“I can be there in ten minutes.  Will that work?” she said.  Ten minutes, I think to myself as I almost panic.  I guess I can have the worst of it spruced up in ten minutes.  I can hear her in the background shuffling paper as if she is looking for something.  Good, I’m not the only one who loses shit, I think to myself.

“Yeah, that will work.” I replied.  “Just don’t put anything about the shape of my apartment in your article and we’ll be good to go.” I chuckled as I started picking things up.  How the hell four pairs of my boxers end up in the living room, I think to myself as I’m hanging on the other end.  Fuck it, I’ll figure it out later.  I tossed them in the laundry basket.

“That won’t be a problem at all, tiger.  I’m not coming to do an inspection.  I’m coming over to do my article and see what kind of games you know how to play.”   Her voice dripped like honey with seduction. 

              “What did you say?” I asked, staring at the phone in disbelief. 

“Hah!  Oh please, Eddie.  I can read you like a book.  I’ve been trying to get your clothes off and play with you for weeks.  I want to know what the big deal is about you.  You’re on the rebound, right?  Well, sweetie, It has all good.  I’ll be your rebound love, but let me tell you this much—I know I won’t be staying in ‘rebound’ status for long once I show you what tricks I’ve got up my sleeve.  You’re gonna fall hard.  So, suck it up, butter cup.  Get ready for one of the best nights of your life.”  Suddenly, the line went dead.  Did that just happen?  I believe it did. 

Truth be told, I like Lydia, too. She really is a great person--maybe someone I can see things happening with. Why didn’t I see it before?  Because you’re a fucking dumbass chasing after ghosts of affections of a married woman you thought loved you, you idiot, I admonished myself.   At least I’m now aware that It has time to truly move on.  Krystal picked Jimmy.  I know she loves him, but not quite like she loved or loves me.  I still need to come to terms with the fact that she chose him.  I can kind of understand—she has a kid with him, but still.  The heart wants what it wants.  I suppose It has time to tell my heart that it needs to want something different.  The knock on the door takes me out of my head. Man, has it been 10 minutes already?   I walk to the door hoping that ‘out of sight out of mind’ thing works.

When I open the door, Lydia is there. I don’t know why I never noticed how pretty she is. I look her up and down. I don’t know what she is wearing, but she is killing it. She has on black and white striped socks, combat boots on her feet, a ‘barely there’ black skirt, and a black tank top. That’s where it starts to get weird. Her face is bright. She has blond hair, as in almost white, with eyes the color of Bahama waters. She has them lined in a dark blue, and they look like they pop out of her head almost. She really is beautiful. I smile at her and ask her to come in. 

She walks past me into the apartment and brushes against me. If she does that again we may have to do the interview later. I smile at the thought.  It has too quiet, so I talk just to break it.

“So, did I miss a party or something? You usually dress like that? Not that you don’t look good, because you do.  I’m just saying I have never seen you look the way you do now.”  I mentally smack myself on the back of the head.  Really, Eddie?  That’s how you want to start the night?

Before I get a chance to say anything else stupid, I felt her lips pressed to mine.  My mind goes completely blank as I kiss her back.   I’m completely lost, but suddenly, there’s nothing but air.

“We have to calm down for now big boy.” she says as she runs her hands down my chest until her hand is resting over the bulge in the front of my jeans.  “I say we make this fun.  How about a game of ‘strip Q & A’?  She walks toward my sofa and makes herself at home.  I’m completely speechless.  She wasn’t kidding.  It has definitely going to be a night to remember.   She proceeds to explaining the rules. 

That night is one that I will never forget.  I can’t believe how ‘in tune’ I am with her.