“What are you eating?”
“A bagel, why?” I reply deadpan.
“Put the bagel down, Kalie. You have two weeks of not dancing, and we all know it goes straight to your ass.”
I drop my knife to the bench. “You know what, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, just for that comment I’ll be laying doubles down.”
He gasps dramatically. “Kalie-Rose! I’m not a drag.”
“Yet, girlfriend. You’re not a drag—yet.”
I take a big bite of my bagel, so he can hear the crunch and moan out in delight.
“All right, I’ve gotta go. I love you.”
“Yeah, I love you too, bitch.”
Laughing I hang up my phone. I love Carter, we can thoroughly cuss the shit out of each other, but he’s like a brother to me and I love him dearly. I’m pouring myself a coffee when my phone rings again, I pick it up without looking mainly because I think it’s Carter again.
“What’s the matter? Forgot to tell me how big his cock was last night?” I say smiling down the phone.
“Kalie-Rose Reynolds! You watch that mouth.” I throw my hand up to my mouth at the sound of my mother’s voice. “Did he tell you, though? You know? How big it was?”
I scrunch up my face, dropping my bagel back onto my plate. My appetite is all but gone. “Mom, eew, no! I am not going there with you.”
She laughs. “All right honey, how are you? I’m just checking in.”
I pull my top off and my jeans. “Good. Vicky’s the ultimate bridezilla, but it’s all good.”
I hear her whistle through the phone and mumble out ordering another drink.
“Mom? Are you sipping margaritas at ten in the morning?”
She giggles. “Oh honey, when you have kids and they move out of home, you will understand.”
I huff my hair out of my face. “You have one kid, Mom, me. I didn’t think I was that bad, not bad enough to drive you to drink at ten in the morning anyway.”
She gulps down her drink. “That’s not why I called sweetie. Your father and I want to see you. When can you come and see us?”
I take hold of my phone and put it onto speaker, throwing it onto the bed so I can get changed properly. “I’ll try and make it over there soon. I promise. It’s just so far.”
“Kalie, we live in Vegas, not Chewbacca.”
I stop what I’m doing and laugh. “Mom, Chewbacca is not a town.”
“Yeah, yeah. Please come see us, darling?”
“I will Mom. I better go. I have a bride to please.”
“Okay honey, I love you.”
“I love you too, Mom.”
Quickly brushing through my hair, platting it into a messy fishtail braid going down the side of my neck, I throw on a loose off-the-shoulder T-shirt and some denim short-shorts before heading down to my car. Popping open my door, I get in. Reaching into my bag, I pull out my sunnies and see my phone reminding me I need to text Ade. “Fuck! He probably…oh fuck it. I’ll just text him.” After slapping my forehead for talking to myself, I pull my phone out and text him.
Me: Hey, it’s Kalie.
Throwing my phone back into my bag, I set off to Vicky and Blake’s house. When I get there, I pull into the main gates and park my car outside their enormous house. Seriously, are they all rich? They must have their hands in all sorts of business. I’m making my way up to the door when Vicky swings it open, hair everywhere and mascara smudged over her face.
“You look like shit, Polly,” I say, walking into her house. We like to call each other Polly, not sure why. It probably started from a bottle of alcohol.
“My dress, it’s not going to be ready on time. I just know it.”
I pat her on the back.
“Give me the number and let me make some calls, I’m sure you’re just over-reacting.”
I walk into the kitchen and sit on one of the bar stools, when Alaina, Phoebe, and another girl with dyed red hair and dark green eyes walks in. We are her only bridesmaids, Vicky doesn’t have many friends. It has a lot to do with the fact that she can be hard to deal with but in the best way. I love her to bits.
“Abby this is Kalie. Kalie this is Abby.” Vicky points between us.
“Hi, nice to meet you.” I smile at her.
She narrows her eyes, without smiling back. “Wish I could say that the feeling was mutual,” she retorts with a snarky tone.
I raise my eyebrows. “Oookay then…” I respond awkwardly.
I don’t think too much about her hostility, I’ll ask Vicky about it later.
“So, bridal party tomorrow night,” I say with a smirk.
Alaina laughs. “Yeah, should be fun.”
Phoebe looks to me through brown eyes and brushes her long white-blonde hair back behind her shoulder. She looks so similar to her brother. “Yeah, if Ade doesn’t pull the caveman card on you for the one-hundredth time and drag your ass out of there.”
Coughing awkwardly, I look over at Alaina. I know her and Ade are close, so I don’t know if I’m comfortable talking about him in front of her. She must catch my look because she laughs.
“Oh, Kalie! No, you can say whatever you want about Ade. Just please, don’t mention his hoe-wrecker.”
I laugh and spit my drink out. “I’m sorry, what?”
She looks at me confused. “You know, it’s what he calls his cock!”
I laugh aloud this time, clutching my stomach. “Well, that’s interesting. You learn something new every day.” I continue, “But no, we have an agreement…I think. He said he doesn’t want me like that.”
“I would believe him,” Abby mumbles from beneath her glass.
I instantly know that whatever this girl’s problem is, it has a lot to do with Ade.
Vicky laughs, walking to the cupboard getting some glasses down and pouring us wine.
“Girl, you’re a fool if you think he doesn’t want you. I’ve never seen Ade Nixon chase pussy before.”
I look to Vicky with my mouth wide. “Vicky, he’s not chasing me.”
Alaina butts in, eating a handful of grapes. “No, she’s right, babe. Ade is a very dark man. Emotionally shut off from the world, therefore, he cares for no one. Aside from his brothers, there’s only one other girl he’s ever cared about.”
I didn’t actually stop to think whether he might have a partner or a wife or anything.
I swallow a lump that’s formed in my throat. “Do tell, I’m intrigued.”
She laughs. “It’s nothing like that. Ade is the epitome of unattainable. Women flock to his bed in hopes that they can finally tame the bad boy with no emotions. Hoping that maybe they are the one. Sadly, all they end up with is their heart in shambles along with their self-esteem. He’s a prick and he walks all over women. Uses and abuses then discards them.”
I drop my smile. “Even more reason to stay away from him, I guess.”
She grabs onto my hand. “Mmm, honey, I don’t think you have a choice. That’s also not why I just said all that. Does he treat you like that?”
I shake my head and she nods. “I rest my case.”
I tilt my head at her. “Who’s the girl? That he cares about?”
She takes a drink and drags her eyes across the table. “That would be Abby here.” Pointing to the red-haired bitch, smiling proudly at me. “She was raised with all of them. Although, I think her and Ade are a little deeper than her and the rest of the boys. They had a bond at a young age Zane said. Is that right?” she asks Abby.
Abby nods. “Yeah, you could say that.” She smirks at me.
I raise my eyebrows. “Right, okay. Anyway, for the hen’s party what are we thinking?”
Alaina stands, pouring another glass. “So, I was thinking, a stretch limo driving us around all night while we hit the town dressed as slutty as we can? You know, to support our ex-slutty friend on her final night of being single.”
I giggle. “A bit lame isn’t it? You guys are old ladies, and you,” I say pointing over to Phoebe, “you
have an over-the-top, over-protective, brother. This sounds like trouble.”
Alaina nods her head. “Yes, but I’m in charge and I want this.”
I sit back into my chair and drink the rest of my drink. This is so not going to go down well, not at all.
“Brother, have you heard what the girls are planning for tonight?” Blake asked Zane.
Snatching a bottle from the bar, I make my way over to them, pulling out a chair and swinging it around to sit on it backward. They all look at me awkwardly.
“What?” I ask, and Zane laughs.
“Can we talk about this without you losing your shit?”
I smile. “Very funny. I’ve already told Kalie, I won’t be going near her.”
This is true, I did tell her that, but I don’t intend on following through with it. She’s different, this much I know. I’m completely aware of how much she means to me. I fucking hate it. I hate everything about the fact that she brings out feelings in me, brings out that same humanity I buried a long time ago. But a man wants what a man wants, and what I want, is her.
“Yeah, I don’t believe you,” Blake states calmly.
I narrow my eyes at him. “Well, I don’t give a fuck what you believe.”
He laughs and drinks his bottle, throwing his hands up. “Wow, I don’t want a repeat of the bar fight we got into.”
I smile a full grin. “That’s what I thought.”
After going to see Drago, I found out who this ex-boyfriend is. He’s an accountant at a firm in the heart of Beverly Hills. Rich, trust fund kid. Knowing who he is now if he steps out of line, I have all my ducks in a row and ready to be shot. That’s good enough for me, for now.
I hear a door open and see Abby walk in—out of uniform. Moving from my seat I get up and hug her.
“Everything good?” I ask.
She sits uneasily as Felix walks in behind her. “Yeah, everything’s good.”
Looking between the two, I can feel the tension rolling off them.
“All right so when are you going to stop bullshitting and tell me what’s really going on?”
She shakes her head. “It’s fine Ade, drop it. I’m getting a drink,” she says as she carries on over to the bar.
I walk over to Felix. “You going to tell me what’s going on with her?”
He shrugs. “Don’t know, brother.”
Walking away from him, I make my way back to the bar to sit down with Abby, something’s not sitting right.
She jumps up so fast when I grab onto her shoulder, her chair falls to the ground.
“Wow! Abby, it’s me, Ade.”
She begins shaking where she’s standing. “Bear?”
I reach my hand out and pull her into me. “Yeah baby, it’s me. Come here.”
She starts to heave in my arms and I swing my head around at Felix.
“What the fuck happened to her?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know.”
“Like fuck you don’t know.”
Zane stands from his seat. “That’s enough! Shut the fuck up, both of you.”
He begins walking up to Abby, bringing his face down to her level. “Abby? What’s happened?”
Abby is fucking strong, so seeing her like this has me on edge. This girl has been dragged through hell and back.
“Just having an episode. I’m sorry,” she breathes out, pushing away from me.
“I have seen your episodes Abby…that was not an episode.”
She shakes her head. “No, I’m fine. I’ve got to go and see the girls. They’re planning the hen’s night.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “I don’t fucking believe you, Abby. Stop fucking playing hero and let me help.”
She glares at me and straightens her shoulders. “Maybe I don’t want your fucking help this time, Ade. You can’t save me all the time.”
I blow out my breath and mumble, “Where the fuck is Ollie.”
She looks to me, fire in her eyes. “Fuck Ollie.”
“Whatevs Abby. Don’t fucking say I didn’t try.”
She storms out of the bar with Felix hot on her tail. Why the fuck the old man is following her around for, I don’t know.
It’s not long after Abby’s episode when I decided to head home. I take off my cap and put on my helmet, throwing my leg over my bike, kick start it and ride out of there leaving a trail of smoke behind me.
“Okay Kalie, can we stop now,” Phoebe moans from beside me.
“No, we’re about to abuse our body enough tonight, we need to get some health in.”
We slow to a walking pace as we make our way back to my hotel room.
“Fuck health. Give me a burger and fries over this shit, any day.”
“Yeah, well, not all of us are fortunate enough to eat whatever we want and for it not to show.”
We reach the hotel, pulling the doors open and make our way up to my room. When we’re in the cart, Phoebe looks to me. “So, I talked to Ade.”
I look up at her, eyes wide. “You did what?”
She nods. “He’s a hard one, Kal. I’ve known him all my life, and out of all the boys, he’s the most reckless and ruthless. I just don’t know if he’d be good for you.”
I shrug. “Well, I wasn’t planning on going there again, so you can rest easy.”
She stops at the door and adds, “If you did, though, I’d totally get it. What’s not to love about him, aside from his complete disrespect for the female species, he’s all things any women would want and need in a man…plus more. I had a crush on him when I was younger, big time. Until I realized, he wasn’t interested. It took me three years to get over him,” she laughs to herself.
I laugh along with her while walking into the bathroom, stopping and leaning against the doorframe. “Yeah, I still can’t believe someone so…beautiful, exists. Every time I’m with him, I have this insatiable need to touch him, to make sure he’s real.” I shake my head, and then snap my mouth closed when I realize I just said all of that out loud.
She laughs and walks up to me. “That bad, huh? I get it.” She waves her hand away, seeing my shock. “He’s, well…he’s Ade Nixon, and that’s all anyone really needs to say. But Kalie? He’s not a good man. All that’s good is on the outside, he has a lot of demonic shit going on inside him. Be careful? Okay?” She looks into my eyes, worry etched all over her.
I nod my head and gulp down, pushing off the doorframe. “Of course, Phoebs. As I said, I don’t think it’s like that anymore. At least, not with him anyway.”
She rolls her eyes with a smile, picking up the sound dock remote from the coffee table. “Honey, it is a lot like that with him. I’d begin praying, you know why?” she asks with a raised eyebrow, pushing play and VinylShakerz ‘One Night in Bangkok’ pulsates through the speakers. “Because he doesn’t take no for an answer. And when he wants you…and he does want you…you won’t have a say in the matter.” She smirks and pumps it up louder as she begins shaking her ass around the living room. Ignoring the flutter of butterflies I’m getting from the probability of her being right, I shake my head and shut the bathroom door.
Turning the faucet on, I wait patiently for the water to heat up. She’s right, he is no good for me, but since he’s walked into my life, I can’t get him out of my head. Every time my ex would kiss me, I’d be thinking of Ade. Horrible, I know, but I couldn’t help it. Once the shower is hot, I step in and scrub my body, hair, and face. Tonight is going to be interesting. I hear the bathroom door open, then close.
“Phoebs, could you not have waited until I was finished?” I laugh.
“Yeah, it’s not Phoebe,” a low, sexy, voice growls from the other side of the curtain.
I gasp and wrap the shower curtain around me. “Ade? Get out!”
I hear him chuckle. “Yeah, not going to happen.”
He pulls open the curtain and I squeal, trying to grasp it back away from him while trying to hide the most private parts of my body.
“Ade! Get the fuck out. I swe
ar to God—”
His lips smash onto mine pushing me back against the wall. I try to push him away, but it makes no difference, the man is hard as rock—everywhere. He picks me up and pushes me against the wall harder, stepping into the shower fully clothed. I moan into his mouth, and he draws out a low growl. With the water running down us both, he pulls back briefly.
“What happened to, ‘you’re not going to sleep with me?’” I ask, looking up at him. He removes his clothes in one quick motion, running his hands through his hair. The water is running off his beautifully inked body and his eyes are dark with need.
“I said that did I?” he asks, tilting his head to the side with a sexy smirk.
I gulp down and nod. “Yeah, you did.”
He shrugs. “Never been one to follow rules.”
He brushes my hair back, moving one leg inside mine and pushing his groin into me. I bite down on my bottom lip, trying to contain the explosive feeling between my legs. I look up at him, his eyes narrow before he places his other leg between mine, causing me to open wider for him. My breathing is ragged and if he doesn’t fuck me right now, I’m going to rub myself all over him until I get my release.
He brings his hand to my chin and pushes it up to look at him.
“How many men have you been with since me?” he asks, searching my eyes.
I narrow my eyes at him and scowl. “What’s that got to do with what we’re doing right now?”
He raises his eyebrows, jaw ticking dangerously. “Answer the fucking question Kalie.”
I huff out, dropping my eyes to the shower floor. “I have seen two guys since I met you.” His jaw clenches tight and his lustful eyes have been replaced with anger. “But…” I raise my finger in the air when I see he’s about to say something, “I haven’t been with anyone since you,” I whisper out the end of that sentence. I watch as his eyes set into understanding and then turn hungry again. He brings his lips down to mine and swipes his tongue across my bottom lip. When I open my eyes again, I’m greeted with a smirk.
I cock my head to the side. “Something funny?”
He shakes his head. “Yeah, actually.”