Just Breathe Trilogy Box Set (95 page)

“Joe,” I whine.

There’s a knock at the door.

“Shit,” I say under my breath.  “Hide in the bedroom.  Stay more toward the bathroom or closet.”

“If he stays long enough, he’ll see me,” Joe mentions.

“Emma?” Jared’s voice calls from behind the door.

“Just a second,” I answer.

Sadie backs away from the door as I open it.  “Hey,” I greet, trying to sound up beat.

The stench of whisky permeates the air.  My eyes trail down from Jared’s red, swollen eyes to the bottle clenched in his hand that is missing a third of its contents.  There are only two times I’ve witnessed Jared drinking whisky — this is not good.

Jared launches into my arms, sobbing.

“It’s okay,” I soothe.

We stumble into the room as I try to support most of his weight.

“What happened?  What’s wrong?” I inquire, coaxing him to talk as I get him to sit at the breakfast bar.

Jared sobs into my shoulder, not letting me go, making the sounds of what seems an attempt at the English language, but the words are not clear in meaning.

I give him a chance to collect himself.

After a few gulps of air, Jared says, “He’s . . . cheating on me.”

“What?” I say, stunned by his words.

Jared cries more, taking another swig of his bottle.

I pull away, moving around the breakfast bar and into the kitchenette.  Taking two glasses out of the cabinet, I ready myself for what’s to come.  I carefully take the bottle, pouring a glass for each of us.  Jared chugs his drink, pouring another one instantly for himself as I gulp the nasty liquid to get the courage I need.  As Jared steadies the glass with both hands to drink, I snatch the bottle and begin pouring it out in the sink.

“Hey!” Jared  yells.  “What the fuck,
Kitten
!”  He stumbles around the bar to get to me.  “Give me that.  I need it.”

Bracing myself, I block him with my right arm as my left continues to drain the bottle.

“That cost a hundred bucks,” he scolds.

“You can’t afford it,” I rebut.

“I need it,” he says, yanking on me to get out of the way.  “Give it back.  I need it.”

The bottle clangs in the sink as I let it go and use both hands to subdue Jared.  We wrestle to the ground for a few seconds until I’ve got him pinned.

“Let go of me,” he shouts.

“No,” I reply.  “Not until you calm down.”

“Calm down?  Calm down?’ he repeats.  “You want me to be calm?  I can’t be calm after finding out my boyfriend is cheating on me and my best friend just dumped a hundred dollars down the fucking drain.”

“You’ll thank me for it later,” I challenge.

“No.  I need it!  Get off of me,” he presses sternly.

“You need it?” I question with surprise.

He’s more drunk than I realized.

“Yes, I need it!”

“Fine,” I retort, pushing him away as I let him go.  “Fine.  Go get your precious whisky.”  I stand up, moving away from him.  “I can’t believe you lied to me!  Go.  Leave.  Go get your whisky, but don’t you dare come back.  Ever!  You got that?”  My heart catches in my throat as the words spill from my lips.  It pains me to threaten him.

Jared’s expression changes from rage to fear.  “
Kitten
. . .
Kitten
, I’m so sorry,” he wallows.

“Don’t you dare,” I charge.  “Don’t you dare.  You swore to me,” I remind, fighting back my own tears. “You’re lucky I’m even talking to you right now.”

The two times I’ve seen Jared drink whisky, they were not good.  He changes — becoming mean, irrational and aggressive.  The first time, he attacked someone else.  The second — he came after me.

“
Kitten
,” Jared pleas.  He curls into me.  “I’m so sorry,
Kitten
.  I’m sorry I lied.  Please . . . forgive me. I can’t lose you too.”

My arms drape around him, sensing that he’s truly sorry.  We stand holding each other for a while until I’m able to guide him to the couch.  I sit first, allowing him to snuggle into me.  He wraps his arms around my torso as he places his head on my chest.  We don’t say anything as he wallows in pain and sorrow.  My fingers run through his hair, trying to calm him until he’s ready to talk.

“What happened?” I ask once his tears subside.

“He’s cheating on me,” he sniffs.

“How do you know?” I coax.

“I went to surprise him tonight . . . I didn’t care if he had to work . . . at least we’d be together,” Jared begins.  “I even brought his favorite work snack . . . chocolate covered pretzels . . . but, he wasn’t there.”

“Why do you think he was cheating?”

“I saw him . . . .” Jared sobs.

“You just said . . .” I begin.

“When I was leaving,” he shares.  “I was in the lobby, just leaving the building and saw him getting into a cab with the black haired guy.  You know, the one with the tattoos.”

“You mean Robby?” I check.

“Yeah, him,” Jared verifies.

“They probably had to go meet with someone . . . .”

“Don’t defend him,” Jared argues.

“I’m not,” I counter.

“I know what I saw,” Jared continues.  “I saw how they looked at each other.”

“Maybe you misinterpreted it,”I suggest.

“No,” Jared objects.

“Robby may be into Nathan and most likely Nathan is oblivious, especially with how focused he’s been . . . .”

“Stop defending him,” Jared snaps.

“Okay,” I reply.  “I’m sorry.”

I let the topic lie for now, realizing that it’s too raw for Jared aside from the fact that he’s still drunk.  We stay on the couch for some time and I continue to run my fingers through his hair like I’ve always done to calm him.  Sadie gets off of our laps at some point and goes into the bedroom.

Jared looks to me and offers a half-hearted smile.  “You can come out now, Joe,” he calls.

My hand freezes in Jared’s hair.  “What are you talking about?”

“I know you’re here,” Jared adds, staring right at me.

“Hey,” Joe greets from behind me.

“What the fuck?” I shout.  “Joseph!”

Jared’s eyes lift.  “Hey, man.”

“Hey,” Joe replies.

Laughing, Jared asks, “How long has she called you Joseph?”

“Only when I’m in trouble,” Joe reveals, sitting on the coffee table.

“How often are you in trouble?”

“Not that often,” Joe shares.  “Just once or twice.”

The two of them greet each other warmly as I sit in complete shock.  I get up and head to the kitchenette, grabbing a glass from the cabinet and pour myself something to drink — wine, I need wine.  Jared and Joe are close on my heels, but keep a distance.  Words fail to gather in my brain or mouth as I chug the first glass, so I pour another.

“So you can drink, but I can’t,” Jared challenges.

Without a word, I grab him a glass and pour him some, not caring at this point.  I slide it toward him, but just out of reach.

“You aren’t going to offer any to Joe?” Jared accuses.

As I move to get another glass, Joe tentatively steps closer.  “I’m good, beautiful.”

“Awwwwww,” Jared sings.  “He calls you
beautiful
?!”

“Shut up,” I say with a clenched jaw.

“How often does he call you that?” Jared hums.

“Every day,” Joe answers softly.

“Awwww,” Jared sings.

I glower at the two of them.  Joe reaches to comfort me, but I swat his hand away.  He moves the wine glass closer to Jared.

“I’m good, man,” Jared replies.  “I just wanted to mess with her.”

Joe nods and takes a sip of the wine before handing it to me.  I get a large mouthful before Joe takes it back, finishing it.

“So, how long have you two been going on?” Jared searches.

“There is no
us two
,” I rebut.

“Yes, there is,” Jared replies.

“No,” I counter.

“When did it happen?” Jared presses.

“Why?” I ask.

“Want to know if I’m right,” he explains.  “Nathan and I had a bet going on about when it all started, and if I’m right, he owes me.”

“You sure you want him to owe you right now?” I explore.  “Given the current state of things?”

“No,” Jared’s voice shakes.  “Maybe . . . .”

“Since the wedding,” Joe offers.

“Joseph,” I yell.  My fist projects into Joe’s shoulder, but he doesn’t flinch.

“That’s . . .”  Jared pauses to think.  “That’s six months,
Kitten
.  Holy shit!”

The three of us exchange a few silent glances for a moment.

“You know,” Jared starts. “I actually thought you guys had sex sooner than the wedding.”

“What?” I question, regretting it as soon as the word leaves my mouth.

“The sex must be good,” Jared muses.

“This is no longer on the table for discussion,” I disclose.

“Why?” Jared inquires.

“Because,” I start.  “You came here to talk about Nathan.”

“I don’t want to talk about him,” Jared returns.  “Thinking and talking about him makes me sad. And, I don’t want to be sad.  I want to be happy. And, talking about you two makes me happy.”

“There is no
us two
,” I repeat.  “And, we aren’t talking about it.”

“Six months means there’s a relationship,” Jared continues.

“Enough,” I return.  “We aren’t talking about it.”

“There’s that
we
,” Jared challenges with a snicker.

“Not funny,” I press.

Joe moves closer, trying to comfort me.  I swat his hand away.

“So, tell me more,” Jared coaxes.

“I said we aren’t talking about it,” I demand.

“I say we put it up for a vote,” Jared returns.

“There is no vote,” I reply.  “It’s not on the table.”

“Maybe Joe wants to talk about it,” Jared challenges.

“No, he doesn’t,” I command.  “End of discussion.”

“You know I’m here, right?” Joe checks.

“Clearly it needs to be talked about,” Jared mentions.

“No, it doesn’t,” I reiterate.  “End of discussion!”

“Talking about it will be good . . . for all of us,” Jared suggestions.

“No,” I refute.

“Besides, I bet Joe wants to talk about it,” Jared declares.

“No, he doesn’t,” I counter.

“Guys, I’m right here,” Joe comments.

“Joe gets a vote.  He’s a part of what you two are,” Jared comments.

“No.  There’s no voting,” I repeat.  “It’s not up for discussion. There’s no part of anything to vote on.”

“Have you even asked Joe if he wants to talk about it,” Jared stipulates.

“It doesn’t matter,” I reply.  “There’s no vote.”

“I get a vote, beautiful,” Joe challenges.  “If it’s about
us
, I get a vote.”

“There’s no
us
and there’s no vote,” I return.

Joe moves closer.  I try to get away, but he corners me.  “I want to talk about it.”

“What?” I gulp.

“Sadie gets a vote,” Joe adds.

“No, she doesn’t,” I counter.

“Yes, she does,” Jared supports.

“No, she doesn’t,” I repeat.

“She’s gotten a vote ever since Oregon,” Joe comments.

“What happened in Oregon?” Jared inquires.

“Nothing,” I answer, staring Joe down.

Joe takes his phone out of his pocket and I watch him thumb through his videos.

“What are you doing?” I inquire.

“You’ll see,” he answers with a devious look.

My eyes fall upon a still frame of Joe, Sadie and me on a bed.  “How did you get that?” my voice questions an octave higher.

Joe gives me a wicked grin.  He sets the phone on the counter, pressing play for Jared to watch.  I do my best to stop it, but Joe blocks me. My eyes stay fixed on the video as it plays.

“You are in so much trouble,” I declare, squinting at Joe.

“Looking forward to it,” Joe says with a seductive grin, pulling me closer.  One of his hands grips my ass while the other holds my face still so he can kiss me.

Jared’s laughing catches our attention.  “You’re a kinky mother fucker, aren’t you?  It’s always the quiet ones.”

Joe doesn’t take his eyes off of me when we hear Jared.  His lips slowly connect with mine again and my body melts into his.

“Awww,” Jared sings.  “You two are
sooooo
cute.”

“Shut up,” I direct with gritted teeth.

“Who taught her that?” Jared inquires.

“Taught who what?” I ask, confused by what we’re speaking about.

“Sadie and the trick in the video,” Jared clarifies.

“We didn’t teach her that,” Joe mentions.

“There’s that
we
again,” Jared comments.

“Shut up, Jared,” I direct.

“So, I want details,” Jared states.

No,” I object.

“Yes,” Jared responds.  “You’ve hidden this from me for six months.  I deserve details.”  He looks to Joe.  “How many?”

“What?” Joe asks confused.

“Orgasms,” Jared articulates.

“Enough,” my voice weakly chimes in.

Jared gives me a look —
the I know all about your other conquests and there’s no way I’m not going to hear about this one
.  “The first time,” he expands.

“The real number or the one I thought?” Joe searches.

“Joseph!” I shout, smacking him in the arm.

“Both,” Jared clarifies.

Joe looks right at me and all I can do is shake my head while he reveals, “I thought four, but she later confirmed five.”

Anger rises inside me and I push Joe away, forcing him a few steps back.  He moves closer, but I don’t let him touch me.

“Damn,” Jared remarks.  “Every time?”

“I’m not answering that,” I snap.

“Practically . . . unless it’s a quickie,” Joe offers.

“God damn it!  Shut up, Joe,” I bark.

“It’s good to not hide it,” Joe comments.

“See,” Jared supports.  “You guys need to talk about this.”

“No, we don’t,” I challenge.  “We’re done.  I knew this would be a mistake,” I confess.

Joe pulls me into him.  “You don’t mean that.”

“Yes, I do,” I counter, trying to pull away.

Joe’s lips connect with mine and my body surrenders.  His authoritative tone and posture are distracting.

“It’s definitely a relationship,
Kitten
.  Especially if he’s the first to make you cum,” Jared shares.