Page 19 of Finding Fate
I smile. “Numb my tongue.”
And then I press my tongue between her lips and sweep it forward, searching for her clit. Time to take a stroll down memory lane with the girl I learned everything with, because I’m just as much hers as she is mine.
* * *
I placemy wallet back in my pocket as we walk into the main space of the club, immediately scoping out the area. It’s packed from wall to wall, the music blaring all around us, while different colored lights bounce all around. We just got here and already I want to go home. I’m no more ready for this now than I was hours ago when it came up or when she was drinking at home talking with everyone in the house.
She starts to walk off without me. I grab her arm, pulling her back, people passing all around us. She looks up at me, making my heart ache. She’s beautiful. I can’t do this. I know what I have. I knew her value the second I was alone with her, getting to know her, and that was before she grew up. It’s why I go fucking ballistic when other guys threaten me with her and why I’m a damn lunatic when she’s gone. I don’t want other guys getting even a tease. “No hovering. Be a good boy and we’ll play later.”
My chest puffs out. “Gab, I’m not letting you loose in a nightclub without a phone; especially when you’ve been drinking for the past two hours. I’ll take you to get one tomorrow and put you on my plan. Just . . . Do we have to do this? I’ll kiss your ass for a year. God, I don’t even care. Name your price and it’s yours. I’m losing my mind and I haven’t even seen it yet.”
“Yes, we do, because then you’ll feel just a degree of what I feel. Maybe next time you’ll think before you act. Life gets hard sometimes, Maddox. I’m not going to be the only one to fight for us. Things aren’t always as they appear. There will be times we’re mad at each other. I need to know you’re a hundred percent committed to this even when you’re mad at me. We’re going to have to deal with my dad again at some point. You want to be with me? Grow a pair. That’s the only way you’re going to earn his respect.”
My eyes sting with unshed tears. I grab ahold of her neck and pull her against me, my lips brushing hers. “You’re my forever, Gabby. You always have been. I love you.”
“You can drink.”
“What? You think this is about me drinking?”
She rolls her eyes. “Boy, get on my level. You have stages. Maddox fucks best when he’s drunk and mad. Bring that Maddox to bed tonight.”
Then she kisses me and pulls away, not looking back, leaving me staring at her retreating form with not a damn thing to say. What the fuck? I just poured out my damn heart and she didn’t even say it back. Someone touches my arm. “We’ll stay with her. We have our phones,” Blondie says, and then her and Presley walk off after her.
Riggan and Konnor step up beside me. “Hey,” Riggan says, requesting blondie’s attention. “Any foul play and I’m one call away. My baby better not feel another man’s hands.”
She smiles at him and places her hand at the bottom of her small baby bump, making her flowy top that hides the fact that she’s pregnant in a club conform to it. “I’ll worry about Chloe. You worry about bringing your drunk game home to mama.”
“Keep talking like that, princess, and we’re taking a bathroom break.”
I shake my head. If I wasn’t so damn glad the fucker was happy, I’d smack the shit out of him. “I’m going to the fucking bar.”
* * *
She comes backinto view from where she’s standing down the bar when a small group moves from getting their drinks. I don’t know how the fuck she got a drinking band. She came back from dancing with it. Her twenty-first birthday isn’t for a little while longer. She’s on her second mixed drink since then—both bought by the douchebag making her laugh right now. They can’t possibly have that much shit to talk about. And even if they did, what’s so damn funny?
My jaw locks when he places his arm around her waist, getting bolder. My muscles are so tense I probably feel like a statue. My heart starts pounding when he leans in and whispers something in her ear. She laughs again. Her smile is so bright. She’s getting animated when she talks, which means she’s way more comfortable than I was prepared for. “Here, drink this,” Riggan says, setting a shot in front of me as he places himself between me and her so that I can’t see her. “You need it.”
I look at him. “Why, not enjoying this?”
“Just because I don’t agree with how quick you jumped the gun after being with Gabby again doesn’t mean I don’t understand the logic behind it. I’m not a dick, Maddox. We deal with our heartbreak differently than they do. We’ve been best friends since first grade. I know how I’d feel in this situation and you’re worse than me, which says a lot. No guy wants to see that withthegirl.”
I grab the shot glass and toss it back, thankful it’s strong enough to leave a burn. I’m wound so tight I feel like I’m seconds from snapping. “I knew she wasthegirl the second I was alone with her. It never occurred to me to ask her age. I didn’t care. Micah thought I was crazy for moving back home after everything that happened, but even if we weren’t together, I just wanted to be near her.”
He hands me his shot and takes my untouched beer. “How is your brother?”
“Still working on the pipeline. He’s been in North Dakota for over a year now with no end in sight. If he didn’t love Baton Rouge so much he’d probably move there.”
“Still hasn’t settled down, huh?”
I laugh. “Hell no. He’s a rambler and likes it. You know we’re nothing alike aside from our DNA. He thinks a full-time girlfriend is too much work without the benefit when he can change girls with every job.”
I look back down the bar but don’t see her. Stress sets in as I look around. I finally spot her not far from where they were sitting, hugged up against each other and somewhat moving to the music. His hands are way too low, his fingers on her ass. Anger radiates through my body. I start shaking. I can’t fucking do this. I want to tear his limbs off. “Gabby isn’t that hard to figure out, you know. You’re just blinded by your love for her. I can see why Konnor was always so insightful now. I thought the little prick was just wise for his age.”
“What do you mean?”
“You really think she’d want to be with you if it was that easy for her to be with someone else? She feeds off your jealousy just like you feed off hers. The last fighter standing wins the match, Maddox. Why’d she run off at the multipurpose center?”
“I didn’t tell her I was back. Didn’t really think she wanted me to after that amount of time. I never heard from her. Then more time passed.”