Make Me Weak (Make Me #1) (14 page)

“Are you sure you want to leave now?” Onyx asked as we descended into the lower half of his building. In between the sexual encounters over the past two hours I had been trying to get myself out the door. Onyx just happened to have very
persuasive ways of keeping me around. At one point I even jumped into the shower to promote getting ready for the day, but that slightly backfired. Onyx took that as a full invitation and joined, making it take twice as long. Finally, after we were out and drying off, I picked up the classic looking wall phone and dialed for a taxi cab; all while he stood there scowling at my decision.

“I’ve already stayed longer than I planned.”

“Fine, but why won’t you let me bring you home?”

I looked back at him a smile lighting up my face. “You told me yourself that when you bring me home you’d want to bring me to the
actual
place I live.”

Onyx shrugged with a nod. “Yeah? What’s so wrong about someone actually knowing where your home is? Then you
can put me down as an emergency contact at the nightclub. You would then have someone who could
actually
help you in case something happens.”

I narrowed my eyes at the growing smirk on his face. Now he was going to use that one
little thing against me. At least for now I knew it was just in good fun so I wasn’t bothered by it, but nothing changed.

“Funny. I don’t know what Maurizio would think if I put
you
down as an emergency contact. If we gave emergency numbers at all, that is.”

He waved his hand in the air dismissively. “Meh, he won’t question anything if I tell hi
m not to.”

“Maybe he won’t ask you but he already hates me.”

“Tsk tsk. That fool.”

Just then the
yellow taxi was seen through the front windows. A nauseous feeling deep in my stomach churned ceaselessly as I realized this was it. Who knew when or even
if
I was going to see him again. The past twelve hours had been an almost escape from reality and I enjoyed every blissful moment of it. Now, it was over and I was left wondering where that left us. Would Onyx stop coming around to look for me? Had he experienced his fill of me already?

Although I think the greatest question I had on my mind was, why in the hell did I care?
Not only did I have no answers, but I was too afraid to hear them. It made me sick to think of just how quickly I became attached to Onyx. It was the opposite of everything I had stood by in my life so far. I mean, up until now, I had only one person that could possibly go into the “friends” category. It just happened to be a girl I worked with and hardly ever spoke to. I was a loner in the purest form, but suddenly fearing the silence when I wasn’t near Onyx was terrifying me.

“Well, I guess I
better get going.”

“I have something for you, love.” I watched him reach into his back pocket and pull out a wad of cash.

I didn’t move as I eyed him skeptically. After the night we had and the things I shared is he seriously going to
pay me
like I’m some cheap hooker?

The look in Onyx’s eyes made me wonder if he could read my thoughts. “Alexandria, this is not money from me to you. This is for the night worth of work you missed because of me. It is what you said you make for a night and I would hate for you to lose out on it.”

Looking from the money in his hand to his eyes, I began to soften back up a bit. At least he wasn’t giving me a tip for last night, but I still felt wrong taking the money.

“I can’t accept this.” As I said the words I knew it wasn’t going to be that easy. I depended on that money, not just for me but for my little girl. She was the reason for just about everything I did and I needed to think of her first. Not to mention, I only had my ID in my back pocket, no money. I had forgotten to get my tips for my dances earlier in the night
, and I never carried money when I go. My cab fare home relies solely on me making tips while I’m at the club.

Onyx tilted his head to the side as a knowing smile appeared over his face. The inner turmoil battling inside of me must have been visible to him as well.

“Take the money, love. I will not judge you for it and I would never dare think less of you for it. You do what you do to make money and I took you from that last night. Do not think of it as me paying you for all we did, because I’m not. I added a little extra for cab fare but that’s because I’m a gentleman, not some scum kicking your ass to the curb. Please take the money.”

My hand covered the bills along with his fingers and my eyes met his. I wanted him to hear me when I said this. Even if he already knew it, my conscience would feel better knowing he heard it. “Without a doubt, I don’t want to take your money. But I would be a liar if I said I didn’t need it. Maybe someday I will explain why
, but I just want you to understand that I did as you asked.”

His eyebrow rose with question. “What would that be?”

“I wasn’t here as Kandi. I was here as Alexandria and it is her that needs the money. Not the pole dancer.”

Deep in hi
s eyes a smoldering fire warmed, making my heart flutter at the sight. He lowered his mouth until it was mere inches from mine but I never took my eyes from his. “I know.” He whispered before lowering his lips for a heart stopping kiss.

I’ve kissed men before but there would never be anything near as passionate as a kiss from Onyx. He didn’t just put his mouth on mine, he put his soul into each touch. A hand was always somewhere on me
, pulling me close and my heart felt as though the locks and chains securely protecting it shattered. Letting me feel a freedom I hadn’t known in ages. It was so powerful that I could only think to call it
magic
.

He pulled away, leaving the money in my hand as he walked me out to
the cab. I waved goodbye out the window, gave the man my fake address, and off we went. But I found myself turning around to stare at Onyx until he was nothing more than an unidentifiable speck in the distance. Gone and forgotten which were two things I never imagined I would dread.

The cab pulled up outs
ide my dream apartment, I paid the fare and stepped out. The taxi hadn’t even moved from the curb before someone yelled my name. I whipped around, preparing myself to either bolt or fight. That was when I saw Kayne jogging toward me with a goofy smile on his face, while he waved his hand. The sudden tension in my chest sizzled out allowing me to relax a little.

“Kayne, what are you doing here?” I felt completely over exposed, as if he could read in my face that I had just spent the night fucking his uncle.

He shrugged, that boyish charm never fading despite the slight sting to my words. “You said we’d hang out this week and I had the day off. Plus, I realized I never got your phone number, and I tried to look for you on Facebook but I couldn’t find you.”

I smiled unintentionally but I couldn’t help it, Kayne was just so damn sweet.

“I don’t have a phone, and I definitely don’t have any social media accounts.”

Kayne’s eyes bugged out making me laugh inside. “How do you live?”

This time I shrugged. “I get by, just a lot simpler than you.”

“I suppose. Anyway, I actually just pulled up and was going to find your name on the door to wake your ass up. But now I can avoid getting yelled at for being that annoying friend.”

Friend. The word was so foreign to my ears, especially when it was used because someone was calling
me
one.

“Oh well, I had a meeting this morning. I have to change and it may take a while.”

“No problem, I’ll go with you.” He hooked his thumb toward the apartment door and took a step in that direction. Immediately I grabbed his arm.
Fuck
! There really was no way around this. Well, aside from just sending Kayne home but as I watched the true excitement bubbling beneath his smile—I realized I couldn’t.

“Nevermind, I mean, where are we going?”

He shrugged. “I was thinking over to the beach? Maybe walk around the boardwalk a bit and swim later?”

“Perfect!” I wasn’t a huge fan of swimming but with this idea I could easily manage to get an outfit when I’m there. “I’ll just buy a new suit and sundress when we’re there.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to just run up quick?”

“Nope, I have been meaning to get a new suit anyway.”

Kayne’s teeth sparkled with his growing grin. “Excellent, we’ll shop a bit, eat, and then swim. How does that sound?”

“Sounds great.”

We made our way to his black truck and once again he held the door open for me. I climbed up and found myself almost looking forward to the day ahead. Kayne took his seat and after starting the car he had a question for me.

“Air conditioning on or windows down?”

“No brainer.” I pressed the automatic window button and rolled it all the way down.

Kayne gave a nod of approval. “I like your style, Andie.” He did the same with his windows and opened the sun roof overhead. The radio was turned on and the music blasted through the speakers
, as Kayne tore out from his parking spot, and pointed us in the direction of the beach.

The fir
st few hours we were there went far better than expected. It took me about five minutes to find a place with cheap dresses, bikinis and flip fops. I even bought a beach bag to hold my clothes, towels for us, and a shell necklace for Kayne. We got some food and walked around the other shops. We picked up some sunglasses, dorky sun hats that we bought more as a joke, and of course ice cream. Never once did I feel uncomfortable, or forced to act a certain way. There was something about Kayne that allowed me to just relax and have fun. Who knew the Ramsey men could be so welcoming?

They both gave me a sense of safety, just in different ways. Every minute I spent with Kayne I felt myself begin to slip into this
feeling of friendship. I found myself laughing more than I had in well…years. Joking around, wanting to hear what Kayne had to stay and honestly, not wanting this time to end. With Onyx I was less silly but that wasn’t a bad thing, just another part of who I was. The other thing I loved was when I was around either of them I never felt like they were treating me differently. They didn’t walk on eggshells or treat me like I was a porcelain doll.

We spent the afternoon people watching, keeping the subjects light
, and avoiding any topic that might be too touchy. Whether Kayne was intentionally trying to do that or not I might not know but I appreciated it either way. I expected spending two hours tops at the beach before I asked to go home. By the fourth hour we were finally emerging ourselves in the salty Pacific Ocean. Jumping together over the little waves and floating in the bigger ones. Kayne actually managed to wrangle up some rafts for us to float on. My legs dangled into the water as my arms balanced my weight on the floaty.

“Can I ask you something, Kayne?”

“Of course.”

A small wave came and rocked by
, moving us in sync with the ocean. “Why do you want to be my friend?”

A wrinkle formed between his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. I am a bitch and I haven’t seen you in years. Not to mention when we were friends, it was just because we had the same group of people we hung out with.”

“Because you’re a good person, Andie. I want to surround myself with good people and you’re not a bitch.”

“Sure I am.”

Kayne let out a laugh, shaking his head. “Maybe you are, but not to me.
You’re a great person, Andie. I don’t know why you doubt that.”

I darted my eyes from his hopefully sweet face. “You don’t know me.” My words were hardly above a whisper but I had to say them. Kayne was painting me in this pure and innocent lighting
, and that wasn’t me at all.

“Sure, I haven’t seen you in years. I don’t know you as well as others might but I’ve seen the goodness in your heart. That’s why I would never think twice about wanting you as my friend. Besides, I love that when I hang out with you
I don’t have to ever think you’re going to act like anyone, but yourself.”

“Well, I mean that part is true but what do you mean you’ve seen the goodness in my heart?” It felt not only unlikely
, but completely out of character for me. My heart was locked up tight and I was sure Kayne hadn’t seen that part of me.