My Sweet Demise (Demise #1) (37 page)

I shake my head slowly. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s her problem? Why would I want to know?” He sits up straight as a board. “Not even one drink?”

“No.”

He swallows his anger. “Fine. No drinking. I promised you.
You
are all that matters.”

I take a few garlic fries and dunk them in ketchup, watching the way his emotions are displayed on his face. He clearly doesn’t want to tell me. I clearly don’t want to know. It’s undoubtedly about Willow. As far as Willow is concerned I’d rather not go there with him. This is the kind of attitude that could destroy us. He’s mad, I’m mad, and we’re both waiting to explode. The only way to deal with it is for one of us to back down.

I let Willow go and smile timidly at him. “Let me guess, we’re racking up your dad’s credit card?”

“Big time. After here we’ll go to the mall and buy you all new clothes so you don’t have to go to Max’s. Did you really get a tattoo with him?” His rage intensifies.

“I’m not sure I want your dad buying me new clothes.” I purposely overlook his Max comment. “Please relax. Whatever’s brothering you isn’t between us. We’re what matters.”

His eyes are wild. “I can’t believe it. That son of a bitch.”

“Think about you and me,” I order, losing my patience. “Not Willow.”

His fists are bunched on top of the table and his chest rises rapidly. “Marry me, Rain.” He makes it sound like an order.

“I will not marry you. And I will not marry you when you’re telling me to. What happened?”

“She’s pregnant!”

I sit back in awe. “Well.”

I don’t understand why that’s his problem. He loves me. What does it matter if Willow is moving on with her life? Aren’t we doing the same? There’s something missing here. I can feel it.

“Why is she a part of your parents’ life?”

He releases his fist and grabs all of the crab-stuffed shrimp, shoving a piece into his mouth. “I’m renting a car too. That’s what he gets for lying to me. I can’t believe them.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t go.”

“Oh no,” he says, eerily calm now. “We’re going. I’m going to look them in the eye so they know I know.”

“Know what?” I demand, biting back my anger. “Kent, I don’t get it. Okay, so she’s pregnant. That’s not your concern. You can be upset, fine, I can see why. But why get so angry? She’s not yours.”

“I don’t want her!” he hisses quietly. “At this point it isn’t even about Willow.”

“Then who’s it about?”

“It’s between me and him.”

“Her boyfriend?”

He makes a disgusted face when I mention Willow’s significant other. “Let’s eat. We’re on a date.”

Some date.

“She’s going to ruin our relationship.” I say it like it already happened, because it will if I have to sit here and listen to him gripe about his ex-fiancée.

“She will not.” He says this like it’s also true.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

Chewing, he takes the time to not answer. “I can’t even say the words. I loved that guy like no other. And he does this to me.”

Why did we agree to stop drinking? I move my hair away from my face and wonder whether it’s right to want to smack the man you love. “I’m having so much fun. This is how I always imagined our date together.”

His eyes flash and he looks at my mouth. “Rain,” he warns in his way. “Your smart mouth gets smarter every day.”

I gasp in faux shock. “I always knew I was a genius. What am I doing in this podunk town with you?”

He points a fry at me. “Keep it up. I’ll punish you in front of everybody.”

I flick my tongue at him. “Try it.”

His head tilts to the side and this naughty look replaces the anger in his eyes. “Show me that tongue again.” I stick it out and lean forward. He reaches over and spanks it with the French fry, then slides the fry into my mouth slowly. “Eat it.” I chew it and swallow while our eye contact remains, crackling between us. “Show me again.” I make sure all of the fry is gone when I stick my tongue out once more. His fingers lightly caress my tongue in front of everyone, then he grips it hard, his eyes dark and wanting. “You remember the first time you put me in your mouth?” I nod, still in his grip. He releases my tongue and moves his fingers into my mouth.

I suck on his fingers and then sit down, pulling him out slowly and checking around the restaurant. No one seems to be watching. I undo my sandal so I can move my toes between his legs under the table. I feel the thick line of his erection. “I remember making you come, that’s what I remember.”

He sets his palms on top of the table, eyes heavy and glistening with his desire. “Make me come again, Rain.”

“I want you to know something,” I tell him, voice stern as I rub him harder. He exhales deeply and our eyes connect once again. “You are mine. The next time you get upset over Willow I’m going to punish you. No more sadness over her. She doesn’t deserve you. I do. Now come for me, baby.” I press my toes against him hard.

I watch as he tosses his head back and makes two tight fists. I rub him faster, harder, massaging the length of his hard cock with my toes and rubbing my heel against his balls. He falls apart before my eyes, trying to hide it. Watching him attempt to contain his pleasure might be the sexiest part. He whimpers slightly, as if he can’t keep his moans inside, then leans forward and bows his head, hiding his face from everyone as he orgasms.

I take my foot back and wiggle it into my sandal. “Now I’m having fun.”

He looks up at me, breathing hard and satisfied. “I love you,” he groans, situating himself under the table.

I smile sweetly and taste a shrimp. “I bet you love me right now.”

Our waitress arrives with four lobsters and enough crab to feed an entire family. She gives us bibs and I laugh at Kent when he puts it on.

He cracks into his lobster, sucking on the claw. “Thanks, Dad.”

I giggle. “What’s his name?”

“Brent.”

“Thanks, Brent. Is there anything I should know about them before I meet them? Are they as aggravating as you?”

“No, they’re not as cool,” he assures me, reaching over to dot my cheek with lobster juice. “They’re normal. Scott and I used to wonder whether we were Dad’s children, because we look like our mom, and Dad’s all dark hair, computer geek, and golfer. I got his taste in numbers and Scott…” He pauses and cracks his crab leg roughly. “Got his propensity for acquiring things that aren’t his,” he finishes bitterly.

“Golf?” I scrunch my nose up.

“Dad loves it. Plays once a week. Every week.”

“My dad loved baseball. He took Becca and me to a Marlins game once. He got drunk in the parking lot afterwards, but until that point we had fun.” I smile sadly at the memory. “He bought us hotdogs and slushies. I spilled mine all over my shirt and he bought me a new one so Mom wouldn’t get mad.”

Kent smiles a little. “So not everything was bad with him, then?”

“Most things were. I can remember a few good things, but mostly I try not to.”

“Why?”

“Because they’re lies. If someone can do good things then they should do them all the time. When you chose to do bad it makes the good things you do bad too.”

He wipes his hands off and reaches for his sweet tea, eyeing me intently. “Maybe he was running from something too.”

“Maybe,” I agree. “But he had responsibilities and sometimes those come first.”

“I’m not disagreeing with you. All I’m saying is maybe you shouldn’t focus so heavily on the bad he did all of the time. Maybe every once in a while you could remember the good he did, so the bad doesn’t consume you. Name one other good thing he did for you growing up? Please, baby? I’ve never seen you smile like that before.”

“Like what?”

“Like you couldn’t help it.”

I sigh and clean my hands, trying to dredge up a memory. “He bought me my first book. Peter Cottontail. He came home on one of his highs with presents for everyone and he got me a book. I read it so many times the pages became thin and see-through. I think he got Becca a doll and Mom a necklace. It’s because of him I love to read. When he and Mom fought I disappeared into my book. He gave me an escape.” I smile before I can’t help it.

He smiles back, this huge, wide, gorgeous smile. “Thank you for sharing that.”

A new kind of heat moves over me. “You’re welcome.”

He takes his bib off. “I can’t eat anymore.”

“Me neither.” Crab and lobster are coming out of my nose and ears. I risk a glance at the check and cringe. “I feel bad.”

“I don’t.” He puts his credit card down. “I’m sure I’ll hear about this tomorrow.”

At the mention of tomorrow Kent is gone again. He is anger and resentment.

I sulk on the way out the restaurant, surprised to find the taxi is still waiting for us. The meter is out of this world.

“Take me to Enterprise,” Kent orders. “We’re renting a car.”

I keep my mouth shut as Kent rents the most expensive car they possess. I image the credit card is burning at this point. When we drive to the mall I am highly reluctant. But Kent is in a mood and I don’t want to push him as his arms become weighed down with shopping bags.

What did his dad do that’s worth blowing thousands for?

The look in his eyes reminds me that not too long ago Kent was running from something, and he is far from done.

Chapter Eleven

That night something wakes me. I roll over in Kent’s arms as I listen intently. However, I have a feeling the screaming I heard was in my dreams. A male voice sounding suspiciously like my father was screaming into my ear. His insults were strung together, indistinguishable obscenities that squeezed my heart.

“What’s wrong?” Kent asks, flinging his arm around me and pulling my naked body against his chest.

After we got home he’d dragged me into the room and ripped off my clothes, making love to me so roughly I had to admit I was a little tender. “I’m sore,” I chastise him.

He reaches down and gently slides his fingers into my middle, parting my lips and massaging me. My nightmare fades away. I jerk involuntarily and moan, opening my legs for him.

“Does this feel better?”

“Mhm,” I moan. His fingers find my clitoris and he massages me in a slow damaging circle until I’m falling apart in his arms. I lie there, breathless and immobile, until I can function again. I roll over and touch his face, finding his eyes in the dark. “What is it you’re not telling me?”

“All of the things we bought and we forgot condoms.” He sounds genuinely disappointed. “Maybe I’ll go buy some.”

What are we going to Tampa for? Kent could easily celebrate his birthday here.

“Maybe you’ll tell me what you’re running from.”

“Maybe you’ll marry me.”

“Maybe,” I agree, “if you’re honest with me. Always be honest with me.”

“You want to go to Tampa now?” He sounds so sad, so beaten. “We’ll get there a little after five if we leave now.”

Is this his way of being honest with me?

“Are you worried?”

“I’m not excited to meet your pregnant ex.” I roll my eyes at him, getting up and getting dressed with the new clothes he bought.

“Don’t remind me,” he grumbles, grabbing a black suitcase out of his closet. He starts packing it with his things. “How am I supposed to be happy for them?”

“You’re not. You don’t have to be negative either.”

He laughs once without humor. “They’re there. They told Mom the news over a week ago. Mom’s having them stay until my birthday is over. It’s a double party.” He sounds so bitter and angry I become bitter and angry too.

I bite my lip and step into my new gold sandals. “Why does she care about Willow?” I don’t get it.

“You ready? You want to call your sister before we leave?”

I look at myself in the mirror, admitting I look nice in my new skinny jeans and pink blouse. “No.”

“Then let’s jet.” Dressed in a white shirt and black jeans, he grabs his suitcase. He ties his boots and then grabs his keys and wallet out of his old jeans. “I’ll bring your things down,” he promises.

“Oh, I wasn’t going to lift a finger,” I assure him.

He laughs and shakes his head as we head downstairs. I sit in the passenger seat of the rental car as he loads everything into the back. It’s a sleek sports car, I will admit, with white leather seats and televisions in the headrest. I feel small in the carnivorous interior. Before he pulls out, Kent makes a face that scares me.

He’s heading toward the pain instead of away from it.

On the highway I settle down. One weekend can’t cause that much damage. I feel slightly selfish that all I’m worrying about is our relationship and not Kent’s feelings. But I can no longer sympathize with his sadness over Willow. A part of me refuses to be understanding. He can’t love me and her at the same time, it doesn’t work that way. I could never love another man after Kent, so I don’t understand why Willow moving on is killing him so much. I’m moving on. He’d better come with me.

It’s about a three hour drive from Jacksonville to Tampa, give or take Kent’s speeding. The entire time the radio does the talking for us. I can feel his nervous energy. It’s infectious. We’re both wound up and aggravated. I tap my fingers against the door handle and he taps his on the steering wheel. I want to demand he turn around. He’s obviously anxious. I am no better. Perhaps this weekend isn’t as harmless as I fooled myself into thinking it would be. The one woman who has managed to get between us the most is waiting for us. This time she might succeed.

When we get deeper into Tampa the houses start to grow in size. Kent stops in front of a gorgeous mansion on the bay, punching a number into the gates out front. After driving down a lush green driveway, he pulls into a cove lined with expensive cars. I am not in my element. The car he rented looks like a toy compared to the ones in the driveway.

He stops the engine and stares up at the mansion in dread and I in wonder. And okay, maybe a little irritation. I’m in love with someone who can sit in front of a mansion and only think about his problems. It dumbfounds me. My parents were far from rich and after Becca and I were on our own we never had our heads above water. This is a drastic change.

Movement catches my attention near the garage. “Who’s that?”

“The staff.”

“You have staff?” I laugh in disbelief and cover my hand with my mouth. “You’re kidding. What do they do?”

“Jest.” He shrugs. “Relax, Rain.”

“Listen, grumpy, it’s not every day I meet a man who can’t cut his own lawn.”

He runs a hand down his face and opens his door, not answering me.

A male wearing a white shirt and black pants waves at him. “Kent,” he says, walking over to us. “I hear you’re going to be a year older.”

“Mr. Greene.” Kent smiles politely as they shake hands. “You hear right.”

“I’ll bring your things up to your room.”

“Thanks, Mr. Greene.”

Mr. Greene glances curiously at me before heading for the trunk.

“Come on, Rain.”

I scramble out of the car and run across the stone driveway to catch up with him. We approach an ornate patio. Glass rims the outside of the tall door and the sun glares off the surface, making the alcove over the entrance glow. This house was enormous. It looked like a Cape Cod-styled home on steroids with all of the sharp elegant angles and shimmering glass.

“Remember, I love you,” he promises. “No matter what I do, that’s what matters.”

He’s making me nervous. “I’ll remind you who loves you. Don’t worry.”

He bends down to kiss me, turning me so I’m in his arms. His kiss is desperate and intense. I reach up to run my fingers through his hair, needing to hold onto a part of him that can’t leave like the rest of him is. As I begin to catch up and deepen the kiss the front door opens and someone clears their throat.

Kent moves his lips to look at them. I’m too embarrassed. I hide my face against his chest.

“Mom,” he says.

Crap.

I peek at her and she’s nothing but sweet smiles.

“You didn’t tell me you were bringing a date. I am delighted, Kent.”

“I’m sure,” he grumbles. He releases me and embraces her face gently, kissing both her cheeks and then her forehead. He looks at her in a way I’ve never seen before. He’s younger and reticent. His smile is soft and endearing. I fall in love a little harder watching him interact with his mother. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, Kent.” Her smile is affectionate and warm. She wraps her arms around him and hugs him tightly while I stand there awkwardly. “I’m so glad you’re home. My entire family is together again.”

He pulls away at her words. “Are they in there?”

She can barely look him in the eye. “They are. Kent, honey, please don’t ruin this for me.”

“For you?” His eyebrows skyrocket. “They ruined everything for me.”

He loves me
, I remind myself.

“Kent Nicholson,” she begs quietly. “You will behave yourself. This weekend is for everyone.” She looks exactly like Kent, with her fair hair and dark eyes. Her face is beautiful and regal. “Not just you. I’ve always wanted grandchildren.”

I frown so deeply I have to turn away.
Grandchildren
? The realization hits me hard, taking my breath away. I know exactly why this is killing Kent. All this time I thought it was Willow who was driving the knife in him. But it wasn’t Willow at all. It was his brother, Scott. He was never running from Willow. He was running from his brother’s betrayal the entire time.

He growls quietly, no more hidden around her then he is around me. “I’m sure everyone’s so happy for Scott. The fucking bastard.”

“Kent!” his mother scolds. “It’s time you get over it.”

“I’ll never get over my brother getting my ex pregnant!”

He loves me.

His mother straightens her white blouse, as if doing so will straighten out the situation. “Who is this?” She smiles pleasantly at me. “I take it she knows our dirty family secret?”

“She knows everything. Mom, this is Raina. My girlfriend,” he adds proudly. “Rain, this is my mom, Vance.”

“Girlfriend?” His mother nearly bursts. She grabs me up in a hug and presses me to her. She smells like orange blossoms and shampoo. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Raina. What a pretty name for a pretty girl.”

“Thank you,” I reply, hugging her back awkwardly. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

I’m still reeling from the realization that Scott and Willow are together, and Kent’s looking at me like I’m his, and his mother is smiling at me like she knows I love her son. I am overwhelmed to say the least.

“Let’s go inside. We were having breakfast. Are you hungry, Raina?” Vance grabs my hand and leads me into a white, high-reaching foyer.

I glance back at Kent, who is following at a distance. “Yes.”

“I’m going to go check out my room,” he says, and heads for the stairs spiraling toward the second floor.

“Let him go,” his mother orders tiredly. “It’s better we put this confrontation off for as long as possible. Do you mind meeting the family?”

“No.” She looks upset and I don’t want to add to it.

She smiles her thanks forcedly. “Thank you. Just know Kent is a possessive person. Always has been, always will be. When you take something from him, he never lets you live it down. His emotions in no way reflect how he feels about you.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but how do you know how he feels about me?”

“Because I didn’t meet Willow until Scott brought her home.”

I pull on her hand, forcing us both to a stop. “Kent never brought her home to meet you?”

“No.”

But he brought me?

Guessing my thoughts, she nods. “Scott went to visit Kent at school in Jacksonville and met Willow. Our family has been estranged ever since. Kent won’t talk to Scott and Scott won’t talk to Kent. They went from this—” She wraps her fingers around each other and then separates them wide. “—to this.”

“Do you blame him?” She was so removed from it.

“Honestly? Yes, I do. When your father spoils you, you learn to think people have to take your shit. People do not have to take Kent’s shit. I love my son, but sometimes I want to shake him.”

She and I both. “He is so spoiled.”

“He is,” she agrees. “But he’s also giving and unbearably honest. Never hides how he feels. Never has and never will. That’s why we’re going to breakfast without him.” She pushes a set of double swinging doors open and we enter into a beautiful kitchen.

The ceiling has thick wooden beams stretching across it. The floors are a deep brown wood and the cabinets are the color of milk, so white and creamy they gleam in the corner of my eye. At the end of the large kitchen is a huge family style table. Three people pile around it—a middle-aged man and two others. I’m mad at Kent for forcing me to meet Willow by myself.

This is his past.
You’re together now
. I guess it’s my past now too.

His mother clears her throat and everyone looks over quizzically. I balk when the man talking to Willow lifts his head. He is Kent. Gorgeous blond hair, handsome face, dark eyes. Except Scott is older and his eyes aren’t magnetizing. I can’t put it off any longer and finally take Willow in. She’s as beautiful in person as she is in the picture. Her long black hair frames her beautiful face in obsidian waves. Her green eyes are luminous. She looks flushed and happy. As I stare she cocks her head to the side, probably wondering why I’m looking at her so intensely.

“Everyone, this is Raina, Kent’s girlfriend,” Vance adds excitedly.

Willow looks confused. Now it’s my turn. She eyes me up and down. “Girlfriend?” she asks in surprise.

Damn it, even her voice is sexy.

“Yeah, girlfriend?” the older gentleman speaks up. He smiles at me. He’s handsome with dark hair and pale blue eyes. “I’m Brent, Kent’s father. Where is Kent?” He seems to find the fact that I’m here and Kent isn’t comical.

“He’ll be in,” Vance assures her husband, giving him a look.

He nods, as if her look makes perfect sense.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I mumble shyly.

“Oh, a sweet one.” He chuckles when I blush. “How does Kent manage that?”