Текст книги "Addiction"

Автор книги: Shantel Tessier

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 3 (всего у книги 27 страниц)

I have to give him credit for standing up for her. If I had been this way once, then maybe … not the time for that. I mentally shake my head to clear it. “She may owe me nothing, but you owe her everything. Just as you do me. And I’m telling you, she will end up paying if you screw up in the slightest way. Are you that arrogant, that self-absorbed, that you would bet her life on it?” I give him a shove as I release him. He stumbles a few steps back. Reaching up, he rubs his throat and lets out a cough.

“I would never want her life in danger,” he replies after he catches his breath.

I nod my head. “Then it’s settled. Things have changed.”

He looks over at Miller and then back at me. “What do I have to do?” he asks, shoulders slumping and sounding defeated.

“Stick to the plan. And keep your mouth shut.” He nods. “I’ll take care of her,” I say simply, but the truth is that it won’t be that simple. I don’t have a problem when it comes to women, but then again, most women don’t look at me with the hatred she did. I can change that, though, but the question is, how far will I have to go in order to make that happen? And the answer is, as far as I need to.

TAYLOR

I can’t stop staring in the direction of the hallway that leads to the restrooms and private rooms. Where my brother remains.

“Why hasn’t he come out yet?” Savannah yells over the music.

As much as I hated that room, I hate the blaring of the club music even worse. “Why didn’t you tell me what was gonna happen?” I demand, turning to face her.

Her green eyes bug out. “You thought I knew?” She points at herself.

I shrug and lean over to her ear. “You see him more than I do.” How could she not know what he is up to? How could I not know?

She shakes her head, making her blond hair whip back and forth. “He said he just wanted to go out. He didn’t even want to bring us. I had no idea that he was into … drugs.” She mouths the last word, and I sigh heavily.

I’ve never known my brother to do drugs. He has a steady, reliable job. He’s a good guy. It’s crazy how someone so close to you can hide so much.

I start to hit her in the arm when I see him round the corner. His eyes are on us, and they harden as he looks at me. I narrow mine as well. As he approaches us, he grabs both of our arms and starts to push us through the crowd toward the front door.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I feel the fresh air hit my face. Being inside that club rattled my nerves.

I look over at my brother. “What were you thinking, Blane? Drugs?”

“Not now,” he snaps. “At least wait until we get in the car, for Christ’s sake.”

I huff as we round the back of the corner to the parking lot. I yank my arm out of his hold and cross them over my chest like a petulant child. If I could, I would stomp my feet. I could go as far as refusing to get into the car until he tells me everything, but that would cause a scene. And as much dirty shit that goes on in this club, I bet the guard would come out to silence me before I caused a scene and the cops were called.

As soon as my ass hits the backseat, I start in on him. “What in the hell were you thinking?” I demand. “What was that? Were you buying or selling?”

Before he can answer, Savannah chimes in. “Are you really doing drugs?” My voice had been full of rage; hers, however, is full of sadness. “Please tell me the truth.” She sniffs. “We can help you. We can figure it out.” She is full out crying now. She places her head in her hands as she bends over and sobs in the passenger seat.

He turns in the driver’s seat and grabs her upper arm. He pulls her over the center console and hugs her tightly as he runs a hand up her back. “It’s gonna be okay,” he tells her as he hugs her. I go to open my mouth, but he throws me a look that has me shutting it the next instant. I don’t feel the same way Savannah does. That’s obvious. I’m concerned about him, yes, but I’m not gonna cry and beg him to seek help. I’m going to make him get help, even if I have to drive him there myself.

The ride home is longer than it should have been. Savannah cried softly the entire time, and I sat in the back gazing at their entwined hands on the center console. No one spoke, and my mind ran with questions. The need to know what he is up to filled me to the point I felt like I wanted to explode.

We walk into the house still not speaking to one another. He leads Savannah to their room with a hand on her lower back. I’m waiting for him out in the hallway when he comes out alone a few seconds later.

“When did you start selling drugs?” I demand.

“I’m not discussing this with you,” he growls.

“What?” I snap. “I deserve to know what the hell you have gotten yourself into, Blane.”

“It’s none of your business!”

I reach out and grab his upper arm. He looks down at my hand wrapped around his arm and then back up at me. I can see the amusement in his eyes. “This is no joke, Blane.” Annoyance washes over his face as he clenches his jaw. “Why even take us to that damn club if you knew you had a meeting?”

“Because I thought I could get away from you,” is his clipped answer.

My mouth falls open. “What did you think was gonna happen? You take us to the club that your drug dealer owns. And on top of that, you just happen to have the drugs in your pocket? What if we would have been pulled over? We could have all been arrested.”

He just stares at me. “Blane,” I say softening my voice. “You can get into big trouble for this. You tell that guy you don’t want any more.” I’m still not sure what I saw in that room, but I do know that the guy is the reason it’s happening. If my brother’s doing drugs, it’s because that guy is supplying them to him.

He yanks his arm out of my hold. “I can’t do that. I owe him.”

I place my hand on my chest as my heart starts to pound. “What did you do, Blane? Why do you owe him?” I’m starting to feel like Savannah sounded in the car. Hysterical to the point of a breakdown.

He takes in a deep breath as he runs a hand through his dark hair. “That’s none of your concern.”

“No,” I say angrily as tears start to fill my eyes. “Please don’t do this to yourself. To us,” I beg desperately. “You saw what it did to Dad.”

He runs a hand over his forehead as he releases a long breath. “He’s putting me to work. That’s all I can say. I owe him,” he repeats with irritation.

I feel the air leave my lungs as if just hit in the chest. “Blane …” I breathe, tears silently fall down my cheek. “How much?” My voice shakes.

“There’s no set price. I work for him until he doesn’t need me.” He sounds so unaffected. As if this is no big deal. Just a walk in the park.

I swallow nervously. “Then what? He kills you?”

“No,” he growls as if that was a stupid question.

I place my shaking hands over my face and take a deep breath. “I can’t believe this,” is all I can say. “After everything we’ve gone through with Dad. Don’t you want a better life than that?” I reach up and wipe the tears away from my face with shaky hands.

“It’s okay,” he assures me in the same soft tone he used with Savannah in the car. He knows I’m losing my shit. “Nothing is going to happen to me, sis.” He wraps his arms around me, and I tighten mine around him.

“I can’t lose you too,” I whisper.

“I promise.” He leans down and kisses my hair. “Don’t worry about it. He needs me too much to do anything to me.”

I don’t say what I’m thinking. That he will eventually no longer need you. Or what if you end up getting arrested? You won’t be useful to him if you’re in jail.

“Please, don’t worry. I promise it will be okay,” he says again as if he can read my mind.

I pull away from him and head to my room without another word. I shut my door and lie down on my bed for the second time today. But this time, I close my eyes as the tears continue to silently fall.

BLANE

I stand in the hallway as I listen to my sister cry inside of her room. I want to go tell her everything. I want to tell her Case is going to take care of me and now her, but I can’t. It would only cause many problems I know I won’t be able to control, let alone explain. And Case was right—I can’t protect her in this world. Even if I have enough confidence in myself not to fuck it up, I won’t risk her life.

With a heavy sigh, I turn around and walk down the hallway as I enter my bedroom that I share with Savannah. She lies under our brown silk sheets as she quietly cries. I’ve hurt the two women who mean the most to me.

It breaks my heart. I hate to hurt either of them. I quickly remove my shoes, jeans, and then my shirt before making my way over to my side of the bed.

“Baby,” I say softly as I lift the cool covers and crawl in next to her. I wrap my arms around her and pull her back to my front. I bury my face in her hair as I inhale her scent. “I promise it’s going to be okay,” I whisper.

She turns in my arms, fresh tears running down her gorgeous face. I’ve been in love with her for as long as I can remember. She’s been friends with Taylor since grade school. When she told Taylor that she would follow her to Chicago after high school graduation, I was on cloud nine. I was already committed to going with Taylor because I wasn’t gonna let her move without me. Taylor may be an adult, but she doesn’t understand how the world works. I do! She needs a man to protect her, so I tagged along. Then came Savannah.

We’ve been in Chicago for three years now, and it was hard as fuck not to tell her how I felt. Living with her across the hall was torture. Seeing her bring men home was devastating. But somehow, she came to me. She gave me a chance, and I took it. We’ve been together for six months now. I never stopped to think that this could push her away from me.

“I love you,” she whispers.

“I love you too.” I lean down and kiss her cheek, the taste of her salty tears break my heart.

“Promise me.” She looks up at me with those big green eyes, and I melt.

“Anything!” I say without hesitation.

She licks her lips and swallows nervously. “Promise me that you won’t leave me. Promise me that you will stay with me. I won’t leave you, Blane. No matter what you do. I’ll be here to help you.”

I hate that I’m breaking her heart. Even though she knows I’m involved in something bad, she still wants to save me. “I promise.”

She grabs my face and pulls my lips down to hers. She kisses me desperately. I can taste the fear on her lips and the desperation on her tongue. I grab a hold of her face and deepen the kiss, taking her breath away. Needing her to be a part of me as much as I am a part of her.

“Blane.” She pulls away from my lips breathless.

I reach over and push the hair back from her slick face. “What, baby?”

She licks her lips and lets out a breath. “Have you been on drugs?” I let out a long breath of my own as she stares up at me. “I just want you to be honest with me,” she whispers. “You can tell me anything.”

I give her a soft yet reassuring smile. “No, baby. I haven’t done any drugs.” It feels good to actually tell the truth, but I can tell she’s not a hundred percent sure she believes me. But I can’t blame her for that.

“I …” My phone ringing on the nightstand cuts off my words. I reach over and pick it up to see it's Case. With one last deep breath, I get out of bed and answer it.

CHAPTER THREE

 

TAYLOR

“Good morning.”

I look up from the kitchen table as Savannah enters, wearing a big smile on her face. “Morning,” I respond softly. I look down the hallway waiting for my brother to enter behind her. It’s Saturday; we always stay home and do nothing on Saturdays. But after a few seconds, I look away. “Where is Blane?” I ask, wrapping my hands around my warm coffee cup.

“He left earlier this morning. He had to go meet with that guy from last night.”

I spin around in my high-top chair to face her. “He what? And you let him go?” I ask in panic.

“I don’t control what he does,” she responds softly. “He said it was important.”

I snort. “Only an addict would say anything related to drugs is important.”

“He’s not a drug addict,” she snaps, her temper rising.

I feel sorry for her. Her love for him is going to overshadow the truth. The truth is Blane needs help. “Maybe not.” I choose my words carefully. “But he does need help. This guy is bad news.”

She comes around the table and sits down in front of me. She places her coffee mug on the table and looks up at me. I see it in her eyes. The determination. The hardness she is giving me. “I believe him,” she says matter-of-factly. “I believe him when he says it’s going to be okay. He hasn’t been on drugs.”

I remember being at this stage with my father. I saw the signs but refused to believe them. There were even times I ran to him when he came calling for help. “Savannah …”

“I would have seen it,” she interrupts me. “He hasn’t changed one bit in the last six months we have been together. He said this thing with this man is temporary, and I believe him.”

I don’t. But I find myself nodding my head. Me, on the other hand … I think I need to make a trip to see this guy on my own. I need to try to save him before he gets in too deep.

CASE

I’m sitting in my office overlooking my club when my cell phone rings. A glance at it tells me it’s Miller.

“Yes, Miller?” I ask as I place him on speakerphone.

“There’s a woman here wanting to see you,” he says sounding amused.

I look up from the paperwork that sits on my desk. “Who is it?” I ask curiously. Women don’t come to see me. Well, not the kind that my security guard has to announce.

“Taylor. And she said if you refuse to see her, she will call the police.” He chuckles, and then covers it with a cough.

And I can’t help but smile myself. She’s more trouble than I thought she was going to be. “Of course, I will see her. Send her up.” I hit end and sit back in my chair. Well, this could be easier than I thought. I’ve been wondering how I was going to get her under my thumb. And here she is, coming right to me.

Must be my lucky day!

A knock announces she has arrived, and I cross my arms over my chest, getting more comfortable. “Come in,” I call out.

The door opens, and she comes walking in as if she owns the place. Shoulders pulled back and chin up. She is dressed much differently than she was last night, but it doesn’t change the fact she’s beautiful. She’s pulled her long, dark hair up into a messy ponytail with loose pieces framing her flawless face. She has an oversized white t-shirt on that hangs off one shoulder. The color of her bra strap gets my attention. Black—my favorite color. She’s wearing a pair of black yoga pants that hug her thin legs. Even though they cover more of her legs than her shorts did from last night, they seem more sexual. More intimate in a way that makes me want to peel them off her slowly.

“I need to have a word with you …” I arch a brow at her hard tone even though it did sound cute. “… sir,” she adds a little softer, and I hide my smile. So she doesn’t have as much backbone as she wants me to think she has.

“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced,” I say as I stand. I reach out my right hand toward her. “My name is …”

She holds up her hand stopping me. “I know who you are.” She cocks a dark eyebrow. “A word?” She’s all business.

I smirk as I sit back down. “Of course. And please, call me Case.” I gesture to the chair that sits across my desk.

“I’ll stand. This won’t take long.” She takes in a deep breath, and I allow myself a quick look at her large chest hidden behind that t-shirt. I can’t touch her, but I sure as hell can enjoy the view.

“What can I do for you?” I ask with amusement. I can think of several things I could do for her, all of which would require her being naked and bent over my desk. I rub my hands on my thighs as I feel my cock start to harden at the thought of her, open-mouthed, moaning in pleasure.

“My brother told me that he owes you.” She gets right to the point.

My face hardens at that statement. My amusement is replaced with anger. What else did he tell her? “I don’t see where what business I have with your brother is any of yours,” I say flatly.

She crosses her arms over her chest and lets out a huff. The motion blows the dark strands around her face. “That is where you are wrong. I don’t know what he owes you, but I’m willing to pay it.”

I refrain from chuckling at that. I lean forward and place my forearms on my desk. She quickly scans the tattoos on my arms and then looks back at me. “Taylor…”

“Call me Miss Williams,” she informs me lifting her chin.

“Miss Williams, I assure you that you cannot pay what he owes me.”

I watch as her tough act starts to unravel. “I don’t have a lot of money, that’s true. But maybe I can make payments,” she offers, her voice sounding more desperate than demanding.

I shake my head. “This isn’t about money.”

She stomps her foot, and I chuckle. Her beautiful blue eyes narrow on me as she uncrosses her arms and points an angry finger at me. “Name your price!” she demands. “Everyone has a price.”

If she only knew how right she is, but I say, “There is no price.”

She throws her arms out to her side. “I came here …” She pauses as she looks around the room as if it can give her some sort of an answer. Then she mutters a curse in frustration. When she looks back up at me, she looks desperate. Her eyes have softened, making them look lighter than they are. Her lips part as she breathes in a sigh, and her shoulders slump in defeat. And I hate that I like the way it looks. That it makes me feel like she needs me. That I hold all the answers. Too bad she’s not gonna get them. “I came here to demand you let him go. That you forgive him for what he has done to you. Hell, I’m even willing to pay you for what he’s done wrong. But don’t make me beg you. Don’t make me look like some stupid bitch who cries over something she has no control over. Blane is all I have. I can’t lose him.”

“Miss Williams …”

“I don’t understand why he is even involved in drugs in the first place,” she goes on. “Our father was into drugs. Is … he is still into drugs,” she corrects herself. “And drinking. He’s been in and out of prison for years. He’s locked up now. I can’t lose Blane to that same fate.” She whispers the last part.

I sit back in my seat and sigh heavily, running a hand down my unshaven face. I can’t do what she asks of me. Even if I wanted to, which I don’t. Her brother made his bed, and now he must lie in it. “I understand what you’re trying to do. And your brother should be proud to know that you’re trying to help him, but this is out of my hands.”

“I was told that you are a businessman, so let’s do business. Let me help my brother,” she continues.

She heard I was a businessman? Has she been asking around about me? If so, that’s not good. “I can’t do that.” I shake my head.

She fists her hands down by her side and her face hardens. “Who do you think you are?” she shouts. “You’re ruining my brother’s life. You’re going to get him killed. I’m going to lose all that I have left.”

I watch as tears start to run down her face, and it takes all I have to remain seated. I want to wipe them away. I hate to see a woman cry. But I can’t help but think that she looks just as beautiful with a tear-streaked face as she does when she’s angry. The way the tears make her dark blue eyes shine. She pulls her trembling lip between her teeth and nibbles on it, and it makes my hard cock twitch. I wonder what it would feel like to be inside those lips. So hot and tight … But I quickly squash that idea as she reaches up and brushes the tears from her face. I know what it’s like to have nothing. No one! I know what it’s like to lose loved ones. But I can’t help her. Not with this.

I stand from my chair, and she takes a quick step back from my desk as alarm flashes across her face.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you. But I can promise you nothing will happen to him. I need him just as much as you do.” Blane is what I call a secret weapon. I would be stupid to hurt him.

She wipes her tears angrily from her face again and speaks. “You’ll regret this.” She spins around and takes the few steps that separate her from the door.

I quickly make my way around my desk and slap my hand on the door, shutting it as she goes to open it. I spin her around with my free hand and shove her back to the door. She gasps as she looks up at me. Blue eyes wide with fear. Lips parted and body trembling against mine.

My hard cock is a reminder of what I wish I could do to her in this position and why I have her in it in the first place. She just threatened me. Now is not the time to think about sex. I grind my teeth in frustration. “Listen. I’ve tried to be nice, and I’ve tried to be understanding. But I don’t take kindly to threats. Especially from some bitch who is on a power trip.” She gasps. “You want your brother to be safe? Then I suggest you stay out of his and my way.” I lower my face down to hers. I’m so close I can smell her perfume. I can’t help but take a deep breath and the scent of vanilla hits me like a rock to the groin. It takes everything I have not to remove my hand from the door and dig it into her hair while I press my lips to hers. You can’t have her. “So tell me exactly what you’re going to do,” I demand, tightening my hand on her arm.

She looks up at me through long, dark watery lashes. Her eyes roam my face, and she sucks in a shaky breath as she spots the scar above my right eye. Yeah, I have plenty of those. Scars on the outside to match the scars on the inside.

I have her scared to death, and I’m hard as a rock. A fresh set of tears slowly runs down her redden cheeks, and my lips beg to taste the saltiness from them …

“I’m going to stay out of your way,” she whimpers, and it makes my cock jerk. Fuck, I’d love to hear that sound while she was naked and I was buried deep inside of her.

I have to threaten her. I have to make it believable. “If you don’t, there will be consequences. Do you understand that?” I could never hurt this woman; well, not in the way she thinks I would. However, in the bedroom, all bets are off. But physically, that’s not what I’m about, but to her—my tattoos, my scars, and my threats make me a monster to her. How right she is.

She nods her head. “Yes, sir.”

Fuck, those words sound as sweet as candy on her trembling lips. I remove my hand from her arm and the other from the door. I take a few steps back, needing the space between us. Needing fresh air. All I can smell is vanilla as if I have rolled around in it and it’s getting me high. “It’s time for you to leave,” I say flatly.

She spins around, opens the door, and runs out of my office without another word. I walk over to the other side of my office and stand behind my desk as I look out the huge floor-to-ceiling glass and watch as she runs down the stairs, through the club, and out the front door.

I fucked up. I can’t have her afraid of me. I plop down in my chair as I curse myself. I don’t want her scared of me because I need her to trust me. I need her to need me, but I can’t have her running to the cops. She had threatened me, so I needed to do the same. Now, I need to figure out a way to fix that.

I fist my hands and slam them down on my desk making it rattle. “Fuck!” All I know is that Blane had better be worth this.