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I kept the app on my phone to torture myself with the possibility of one day seeing them again but I never imagined they’d use it again. But now I know they only use it for me.
“Zane,” Chloe croaks out when she’s finally able to form a thought. She looks around the bar as if to see if anyone can hear our exchange but it’s so fucking loud in here I can barely hear her soft whispering tone. She leans in closer hoping our conversation stays between the two of us. “What are you doing here?”
The way she bites down on her bottom lip nervously makes me want to hop over the filthy bar and take it in between mine. I’ve never been this possessive over anyone, ever. Not even when I was married to Caroline did I really get jealous when she was around other men. Hell, even when I caught her cheating on me I was more pissed before relief swept over me.
But with Chloe and Avery, I’ve felt every need to make them mine again.
“I’ve missed you baby girl,” I utter back before nodding to the empty glass in her hand. A bright red flush kisses her cheeks but she quickly blinks away her nerves and grabs the bottle of Maker's Mark from behind the bar, remembering it's one of my favorites.
She pours me exactly two fingers, setting it on a napkin before me. “You shouldn’t be here,” she answers, ignoring my confession. Her eyes flicker back and forth around the room then back to me like she’s looking for someone.
Right, Avery. I haven’t seen her in a while, not after she went to the back room when I first arrived.
“She hasn’t come out of the supply room,” I say and her eyes flick back to me in surprise.
“You’ve been watching us,” she states. “For how long?”
My smile widens and I almost want to lie about my recent stalker tendencies but I can’t do that to her anymore. I swore to myself there’d be no more lies.
“Three months.” Her face pales and tears pool in her eyes at my admission but she doesn’t react so I continue. “All it took was a week for me to realize what a fucking mistake I’d made letting the two of you walk out my door.”
“You mean kicking the two of us out.” Chloe jumps back startled by Avery’s sudden arrival beside her. The wild redhead with eyes like two vipers ready to attack as they bear into mine and lips so sinful and decadent I instantly remember the feeling of them against every part of my being. Fuck, this woman has a hold on me unlike anyone else. “Well, you wasted your time coming here Zane.”
“Avery,” Chloe whispers, subtly elbowing her best friend.
“What Chlo?” she asks, turning toward her. “He doesn’t just get to show up and sweet talk his way back into your bed. Not after the months I spent holding you together and putting back all the pieces he shattered. No matter how fucking hot he looks.”
I groan, hating hearing the truth of exactly how much I hurt her. I know I broke her heart but to know she’s spent this entire time crying over me, I can’t fathom hearing it.
“I know I fucked up Avery. No one regrets what happened more than me.”
A couple of girls down to the right wave their hands above their head calling Chloe over. She shrugs, walking over to take their order but Avery stays behind, glaring daggers in my direction. The anger in her eyes is so sharp I’m almost afraid they’ll do actual damage.
Avery leans forward giving me an eyeful of her delicious cleavage as she runs her fingers over my bare forearm. “That’s where you’re wrong Zane, “she says, digging her red nails into my flesh as her fingers wrap around me. “I regret it more than you ever could. I helped her seduce you. When I figured out how much she wanted you, I wanted to give that to her more than anything. I let you take advantage of her and in return you broke her heart after getting what you wanted. That makes me the bad guy in all of this.”
My eyes zero in on the small trail of freckles over her right breast that dip low into her cleavage. They remind me of a constellation and I want nothing more than to reach over the bar and connect them using my tongue. She scoffs, catching me ogling her during our argument instead of listening and apologizing for being an asshole. I’m only proving what she already thinks - that I’m not serious about what I want.
A group of loud and obnoxiously drunk girls show up beside me, one of them bumping into my shoulder as she tries and fails to sit on the bar stool to my left. Ignoring them, I keep my eyes focused on her.
“I wanted it just as much as the two of you did Avery, and when I realized just how much it scared the shit out of me. I didn’t know what to make of the incredible time we spent together.”
She laughs mockingly, pouring herself a shot of tequila and throwing it back before her eyes meet mine with intense sorrow. “That’s the excuse of a fucking boy, Zane. You are a man, aren’t you?”
I scoff, leaning closer and invading her space. I can smell the liquor on her lips and the need to taste it drives me wild, but that’s not what I came here for. Not tonight.
“Baby do I need to remind you just how much of a man I am?”
Her teasing smile falters and she scowls contemptuously at me, letting the feelings she thinks she hides so well show. “What you need is to come up with something better than the lame ass excuse of being scared. Her voice quivers. “We all were Zane, only for Chloe and me, it was fucking worth the fear of falling.”
I watch her reach for the glass the other bartender set in front of the chick to my left, but I can’t say I see it coming. Remnants of the ice cold, dark pink, fruity drink splashes along my face and down my shirt. Running my tongue over my lips I taste the basic vodka and cranberry cocktail and almost gag.
Chloe rushes over to us with a look of horror mixed with amusement. If I weren’t so angry I’m sure this would be hilarious. But all I want is to grab Avery by her fiery red hair and throw her over my lap, spanking her red and raw for the little tantrum she just threw but I know it’ll only incite her further. If I want their forgiveness, I need to earn it. And she just upped the ante.
Throwing a bar towel over her shoulder she winks before turning and walking away. And just like that the last word is hers. Chloe joins her and there’s nothing more I can do right now than watch them walk away from me. How’s that saying go again,“I hate to see you go but I love to watch you leave”.
That’s exactly how I feel the only difference, the next time I see them, I’ll make sure they never walk away again.
ChapterTwenty-One
