Tied - Part Four (The Tied Series) (4 page)

A small smile curved her lips. “You look pretty good, too,” she said. “You clean up nice.”

“Hell yeah I do,” I said, straightening my suit jacket. It was uncomfortable and stuffy but very worth it if she liked it.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said. Her face twisted as she asked, “Why did you come?”

“I had to see you. We need to talk.”

“Now’s not really the best time-”

“Don’t move out.” I blurted it out without thinking. Pain washed over her face and I instantly regretted it. “I’m sorry. That’s all I wanted to say. Don’t move out. Don’t… don’t go.”

She looked away. “You came all this way and crashed this wedding just to say that? You could have called.” She sighed. “You could have called all month.”

“I always thought you’d come back. I thought it was temporary. But then when Patrick showed up… “ I tried not let his name twist in my mouth, like something that tasted sour. But I’m sure she heard it. “It fucking floored me when I realized you weren’t just going to come home.”

“I can’t stay in that apartment. Not…”
Not with me
. “Not if it would come between Mallet and my sister.”

“But don’t move in with
him
.”

“Patrick supports me,” she said, eyes flashing. “He’s my sponsor. I need him.”

Thunder boomed in the distance. The storm was approaching - slowly enough, but the wind carried sea air and rain. It would ruin her hair and her makeup if it got much worse.

I took her hand, so small between mine. “Let’s go back inside,” I said. “Dance with me.”

She choked back a laugh. “With that boot?”

“I can sway along and stump around in a circle or whatever.” I’d ignore the ache if it meant I could hold her close. “Come on.”

She hesitated. I thought for a moment that she was going to demand that I leave - that she was going to storm inside and leave me out in the rain.

Instead, she nodded, just as the clouds finally burst and rain soaked the asphalt outside the protective cover of the awning.

Maybe the luck was rubbing off after all.

○●○●○●○●○

Stumping around in a circle would have looked far too foolish, but I could sway along with a slow song, as promised. I held her close, cradling her head against my shoulder. She inhaled deeply. I would have buried my face in her hair and done the same if it wouldn’t have ruined her elaborate hairstyle.

“I missed you,” I said, breaking the silence between us against my better judgment. There was so much I wanted to say, needed to say, and it was all bursting to escape.

“You say that,” she said, her voice bitter. “But you already let me know how you feel. How little you think of me.” Her voice cracked. “This isn’t fair, you should have stayed away. You’re just going to pull me in and then push me away again.” She moved away but I gripped her upper arms, holding her before me.

“That wasn’t me.” I looked down into her eyes and emphasized every word. “That. Wasn’t Me.”

“Are you going to tell me it was the alcohol?” She gripped my arms right back. “I’m pretty familiar with that old excuse myself. I know better than anyone that it’s never true.”

“It wasn’t the booze. Not at all. I know how fucking lame that excuse is.” I took a deep breath. “I’m hurting, sweetheart. I was then and I still am. I worked so hard to be a fighter, and it’s gone, and I’m in mourning. I said some horrible things to you. Horrible things. And I’m so sorry, and I’d give my other fucking ankle if I could take it all back. But you gave up on me.”

She blanched. I hadn’t meant to spill my guts so forcefully all at once but when it got started there was no holding them back.

“You’re right,” she whispered, her eyes glistening.

Jesus, I hadn’t meant that to sound like an accusation, I didn’t want to turn the tables on her. “There was no excuse for the shit I said, I didn’t mean it like that,” I mumbled. “And I’m so, so sorry for it. I just… I needed you to see past that. To see that I didn’t mean a goddamn word of it. I was being deliberately horrible because…”
Because I didn’t know what I was anymore. Because I was losing everything, losing my damn mind.
Because I felt worthless.

“I get it,” she said, wiping her eyes. I ran a thumb down her cheek, cleaning away another tear. Dammit, I didn’t come here to make her cry. “You’re right, Lockett. You’re completely right, and maybe this is all part of the problem. Maybe I’m just not strong enough for you.”

The slow song ended and something more upbeat picked up - some Sinatra tune, but we stayed as we were, locked together on the edge of the dancefloor. Luckily so far everyone seemed to be ignoring us, though I caught Mallet shooting concerned glances our way.

“Let’s not fool ourselves,” I said, “It’s too late for second chances and way too late to just ‘start over.’ But don’t cut me out. Not now.” I rested a hand on her abdomen. I’d successfully avoided thinking too much on what she held within her, what was growing there. That reality would crash home quickly enough. First I had to make things right with her.

“I didn’t want to give up,” she said. “I was just so overwhelmed. If it was
just
the pregnancy, or
just
the injury, maybe we could have survived it-”

“Don’t fucking talk like this is already dead,” I growled.

“Lockett-”

I don’t know what possessed me. Did I have to fucking beg? She wasn’t hearing me. She wasn’t getting it. “Go ahead,” I said, nodding towards her table. “Call or text Patrick like you always do when things get tough. Ask him for advice. I’m sure it won’t sound anything like “oh, Katherine, let me take care of you, leave your boyfriend and leave your family and live with me.’ Yeah. Great sponsor. Great guy.”

That, I meant. She always ran to him when she should have been running to me.
And she will again, and again. Holy fucking shit was this trip a mistake.

I stalked out. I moved faster than I should have, the boot thunking against the hardwood floor. If anyone followed, I didn’t turn to see. I didn’t want to see. I was all out of energy for this whole damn party.

So I pulled out my phone and ordered a cab while I stood out front, the awning barely protecting me from the pouring rain.

If all hope wasn’t lost before, it sure as hell was now. But I wasn’t taking all of the blame. Not anymore. Maybe I deserved the larger portion of it but I was through feeling like it was all me.

Because I’d spoken the truth. It felt like she’d given up. And I didn’t really know how to fight that.

The cab pulled up minutes later. I’d sent Mal a quick text simply saying, “I’ll be back at the hotel,” and left it at that. He’d figure out what happened soon enough when the girls got together. Undoubtedly I’d be labeled an asshole, but I could take it.

“Where to?” the cabbie asked when I rushed inside the car. The storm was really getting intense. Just a brief moment out from under the awning was enough to soak through the suit jacket.

I was about to give him the address and close the door when a pair of hands pushed at my arm and a feminine voice squealed at the rain. I slid further inside, and Katherine climbed in after me.

She yanked the door shut, breathing heavily and shivering with the cold. Her hair was ruined, mascara leaked and raccooned her eyes, and the exposed skin of her chest glistened with big round raindrops.

I was too shocked to speak. I thought for sure she’d curse my name and the day she’d ever met me. But there she was, soaking wet and wide-eyed.

“Forgive me.” Her voice was breathy - she panted as if she’d been running. She wasn’t crying, but her voice cracked as she said it again. “Forgive me.”

In a daze, I gave the driver the address of the hotel, never taking my eyes off of hers. They were so open and so bright, it brought back to life all the hope I’d thought was dead within me. “Quickly,” I told the driver.

Then I pressed her back into the seat and kissed her as hard as I could.

CHAPTER 5

I could close the curtains against the lightning but the sound of the thunder still broke through.

We didn’t speak right away. I ran my hands down her sides, watching the wet material of her dress cling to her curves. I’d remove it in a moment - I still wanted to savor how she looked.

And she looked back at me with wide and trusting eyes. Her fingers brushed over my jacket before tugging it open. I let it slide down my arms and to the floor. I remained still as she unbuttoned my white shirt.

I let that fall to the ground as well. She kissed my chest, leaving hot, wet marks on my skin that would never burn away.

My hands trailed down lower, over her hips and around to hold her ass and tug her against my pelvis. She gasped when she felt my cock, already hard and growing even harder at the prospect of what was about to happen.

I searched for the zipper at the back of her dress, but she pushed my hands away. “Don’t rip it,” she whispered, taking a step back. She unzipped it herself - slowly. I bit back a groan when she pushed the damp fabric down her arms and down to her waist.

Her bra matched her dress. I grinned and reached for her, intending on ripping it off, but she caught my hands again.

“No manhandling the outfit,” she admonished, then planted a kiss on my knuckles. Taking her time, she reached behind and unhooked her bra. The straps fell but she held it in place against her breasts.

I groaned. “Cruel woman,” I said.

“It’s fun to tease you,” she smiled. Finally, she let it drop.

I wasn’t able to hold back after that. I yanked her to me and kissed her. The soft gasp and the impassioned touch of her lips filled me with a warmth I hadn’t felt since before she left. I slid my hands up to caress her breasts and brush the hard points of her nipples. She moaned and crushed herself against me.

Now, now
, my cock seemed to scream. I pushed the dress down over her hips and walked backwards, pulling her after me. She stepped out of the wet mass of peach fabric and followed me to the bed.

She attacked my belt as I sat on the edge, yanking it open and tossing it aside with a wicked glint in her eye.

“Mmm,” I said, “I can’t make this nice and romantic if you’re looking at me like that.”

“I don’t want romantic, I want you to take me.”

“My pleasure,” I growled. I lifted her and turned us so she was lying on her back on the mattress. I tore her panties down her legs, following them myself so that I hovered over her stomach. I kissed her there, in the center, then trailed lower as she kicked the matching peach panties to the floor.

She drew her fingers through my hair. “Please,” she whimpered. Her arousal hung thick in the air. It was gratifying to see that she wanted me just as badly as I wanted her. She was so hot for me she was nearly begging.
Just how I like her
.

I slid two fingers deep inside her as I kissed her inner thigh. Her hips lifted but I held her down. “Oh, God,” she gasped, her fingers tightening in my hair.

Groaning, I kissed a short path to her clit while I drove my fingers into her in a fluid motion. Her hips shifted with my rhythm.

“Lockett, Lockett,” she chanted as I laved her sensitive pearl over and over. Her thighs trembled and I wanted to laugh. She must have been really pent up if she was going to come so fast.

I wasn’t going to deny her or make her wait - not now. Not when I needed to sink inside her so badly. I pumped my fingers in and out of her incredible warmth with increasing intensity, trapped her clit between my lips and rubbed it with my tongue, and sent her flying over the edge in a whirlwind of heat and breath and sweat. Her back arched and she cried out with a note that sounded like wonder.

I kicked only one leg free of my pants as she stared up at the ceiling and caught her breath. I would take it away again in just a minute.

Her hands sought to reach me - I gathered them up as I crawled up over her body and pinned them beneath my arms to either side of her, caging her head in between them as I kissed her deeply.

She melted beneath me. My chest was filled to bursting - and when her fingernails grazed my back just the way that I liked, I let my damn mouth run ahead of my brain. “Fuck, I love you.”

She tensed. Her eyes glistened. “I-”