Perfectly Broken (15 page)

I felt myself tense, taking another step back
.
As I did, Jordan took a measured step forward. "What the fuck are you talking about?" My brain was trying to keep up with the conversation while creating an escape plan. The look on Jordan's face made a knot form in my throat. There was something so familiar about that look but I couldn't place it. I couldn't think about anything but keeping him talking. "What do you know about Zane?"

"More than you think. That prick thinks he's God's gift to women and he always has
.
But
,
in the end
,
he wasn't even man enough to keep his wife satisfied."

I froze in the process of taking another step backwards, my heart hammering against my ribs several times before I spoke.

"You know Lizzie?" My voice cracked as the realization I didn't want to make started forming in my mind. It just wasn't possible. The eyes. There was something about the hatred in his eyes.

"I've known Zane longer. We met in first grade. Lizzie didn't move here until we were sixteen. Zane knew I liked her but he dated her anyway. He liked to think he was better than me, even back then." As Jordan spoke he took long strides toward me and I tried to match them on shaky legs. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening.

I felt the understanding like a weight being dropped in my stomach. That malice in his eyes. Those eyes. Jordan's eyes. Conner's eyes.

"Adam?" I asked. The grin that stretched across his face was more than menacing. It made my blood run cold.

"So he
has
been talking about me."

Jordan seemed proud of this fact
.
Before I could react, he dove straight at me.

"Hey! Open your eyes!"
I'm trying.
I attempt to somehow acknowledge the words, fighting to find something to hold on to. A hand grips mine tightly. "Stay with me!"
I'm trying.

CHAPTER TEN

Backslide

ZANE

It had taken two bouncers and the threat of police to keep me inside the building after I'd watched Adam lead Lili out the door. The wink he threw at me right before he disappeared was the last straw. That son of a bitch was still out to do whatever he could to try to get under my skin.

The real question was why Lili would go along with anything he said. After half an hour of questions from the club manager, Kimmy, I was finally allowed to leave. She didn't ban me but I think that's mostly because she could tell I was somewhat lost at the moment. Plus, I'd never caused her too many problems in the past.

As I walked from the office and back out into the hall, I was surprised to find Mandy leaning against the wall. She held out a small black purse and I looked it over.

"Your friend left it on the bar. I didn't want it to get stolen," she said softly. It was quieter in the hallway, though the thumping of the bass from the main room still vibrated the walls.

The strong buzz I'd been feeling earlier was mostly gone, burned away by the rage
.
I could tell Mandy's was
,
too. I wondered why she would hold on to the purse and wait here rather than just taking off.

"Thanks," I said, holding out my hand for it. Her fingers lingered on my wrist longer than necessary.

"So, I'm guessing it wasn't your girlfriend texting you earlier?" she asked, obviously referring to our conversation at the bar. I shrugged, suddenly not caring about this chick or whether she left. There were several hundred others just like her only a few feet away.
 

"I don't do the whole 'girlfriend' thing. I'm more of a 'get my rocks off and move on' kind of guy," I said, putting on my best asshole face. I knew how to be a dick when I needed to and though it was probably unnecessary given the scene Mandy had witnessed, there was no way I was going to let her think she was the one letting me down.

Ahhh… there was the alcohol-driven side of me I thought was repressed.

"And the girl at the bar?" She asked, her face unreadable.

"Roommate," I answered honestly, letting her know I'd lied about being a local as well.

"Then who was the guy?" Her eyebrows lifted in challenge. What the fuck? Did this bitch think she was going to catch me off guard and get me to admit to something stupid?

"My son’s biological father," I said flatly, my eyes locked on hers.

She tilted her head, pursing her lips as she stared me down, waiting for something. Did she think I was about to bust out and tell her I was kidding?

"Sounds like there's more to that story," she prompted after another beat of silence.

"I'm sure it does but I'm not gonna fucking talk about it," I said, turning toward the club. I was done with this conversation before it even started. I needed more alcohol and I needed to find a chick that wasn't so nosey.

"Hey!" Mandy grabbed my arm and I fought the urge to pull away, turning back to face her instead. "Look, I dragged my college roommate out here on a summer road trip. She's really kinda… well, she's more tightly wound than I thought." She laughed and stepped closer, running her nails along my chest. "Anyway, she had tickets to see some fucking show tonight and I just wanted to let loose and have fun. She'll be out so we could still go back to my room and raid the mini bar."

I looked down at her and immediately recognized the carnal look in her eyes. She was a hunter, like me. Here I thought I'd found just another tourist and instead I'd found the fucking female version of myself. Perfect. She smirked and I knew the realization I'd made was written all over my face.

"Come on." I grabbed her hand and pulled her quickly down the hall toward the back exit of the building.

When we made it to the alley
,
she paused to wait for me to shut the door
.
I shoved her against the brick wall and leaned in to capture her mouth with mine. I grabbed the purse from her hand and dropped it along with Lili's on the concrete beside us
.
Circling her wrists with my fingers, I lifted her arms over her head. She moaned into my mouth as I used one hand to hold her wrists against the unforgiving bricks, sliding the other down her stomach.

She arched her back, lifting her dress even further as my fingers found the hem and quickly returned to where they had been on the dance floor earlier. I pushed her thong aside, feeling her heat as my fingers slipped easily along her skin.

It was late but
,
even in the dark
,
the oppressive heat of the desert summer was enough to take my breath away. It had been too long since I'd last gotten laid and the evidence of that pressed uncomfortably into the metal zipper of my jeans. I needed this release or wasn't going to be able to think straight.

 
I dropped her hands and she immediately made quick work of my jeans, freeing my erection. Her eyes widened momentarily before she smiled, wrapping her hand around it and stroking the length slowly.

"She doesn't know what she's missing, does she?"

I scowled, gripped Mandy's shoulders and pushed down, letting her know I wanted her on her knees.

"Don't speak."

She ran her thumb over the bead of moisture on the tip, nearly making me come undone. She leaned in and ran her tongue slowly up the underside from the base before taking me into her mouth. I groaned my appreciation and met her eyes.

"This is going to be fast," I warned her and she nodded, the small movement of her head had me rubbing against the roof of her mouth.

I gripped her hair tightly with both hands, taking control as I thrust my hips quickly, going deeper each time until I felt myself hitting the back of her throat. I closed my eyes, focusing on the feel of her warm mouth as she flattened her tongue, pressing it against my length as I moved. I felt her hands digging into my ass and the muscles in my stomach tightened, signaling my impending release. I pressed harder into her, holding her in place until I was completely finished.

When I pulled out, she licked her lips and looked up at me through her lashes
.
I knew this was going to be just the night I needed. I refastened my jeans and helped her to her feet, letting her grab the bags from the concrete before we headed to her room.

I woke in the morning to the overwhelming need to piss. Where the fuck was I? Shit, what time was it? I groaned and started to stretch
, but
the small hand pressing against my chest stopped me cold. I blinked my blurry eyes and focused on the mane of red hair spread out across my chest. Someone stirred on my right and I turned my head, recognizing Mandy's brown curls and naked back after a hazy moment of confusion.

Okay, Mandy's hotel room. That explained the where at least. But
,
who the hell was the redhead? I wracked my brain, searching for the moment of lost memory
.
I could feel it just outside of my grasp. I needed to take the night one step at a time.

I'd left the club with Mandy and come to her room. We'd gone through all the alcohol in her mini bar quickly. We fucked. I made a run downstairs to the liquor store…

What the fuck happened next?

The redhead moved, inhaling sharply as she rolled partway off me. Her smooth flesh ran along mine, confirming that we were both just as naked as Mandy. I slid carefully out from under the red head's body, letting the pillow take my place as I grabbed my clothes from the floor. Two years of practice had me silently shutting the bathroom door so I could have a moment of peace to get dressed before I slipped out of the room.

I continued to search for the hours missing from my memory
,
but it was futile. My head was already throbbing as I pulled on my shirt. Shit, the time! I was supposed to work the mid-shift today to make up for the schedule change last weekend. Jackson would murder me if I was late. Not to mention the write up I'd get from my boss. Bending over to pull on my jeans in a rush had my skull pounding so hard I was sure my ears would bleed. I needed to get home and take some Ibuprofen. With that thought, came the memory of Lili passed out on the bathroom floor last week. My heart dropped as the earlier events of the night before slammed into me.

Lili had been with Adam. She had left the club with Adam.

I swallowed hard, the horrible cottonmouth that always accompanied my hangovers was tainted with the bile rising from my stomach. I needed to get home and talk to her. I had to know why. I moved quietly through the room, spotting Lili's purse and shoving it into the back of my jeans before tugging on my shoes.

The redhead made a sound, a soft moan that triggered a deluge of partial memories.

I had Mandy bent over the bed, tugging her hair as I took her deep.

The door opened but I didn't slow my pace.

A redhead stood in the doorway, her eyes wide as she stared
,
but Mandy didn't notice her.

I raised a hand from Mandy's hip, beckoning the redhead forward, realizing it must have been the uptight roommate. A part of me assumed she would back out of the room but she stepped inside, letting the door close behind her.

They both followed directions well.

And
,
just like the professional that I was, I was gone before they woke.

"Are you going to tell me what the fuck happened last night?" Tish dropped into the shabby kitchen chair across the table from me. I shook my head but he reached out to touch the cut on my cheek. I'd just gotten out of the shower and the sinking feeling I'd had since the hotel turned to rage when I saw the few injuries on my face and took stock of the bruises and swelling on my knuckles. I leaned my head out of Tish's reach, glaring at him.

"Leave it the fuck alone." My voice was rough from lack of sleep and thick with emotion. I didn't want to admit I was worried about Lili because I was still too angry to let myself be worried.

"I'm not going to leave it alone. You staying out all night is one thing
,
but where the hell is Lee? Kas said she and her date were going to meet you at Lust," Tish said, crossing his arms as he leaned back, the chair groaning its protest under his large frame.

"She didn't come home?" I asked as I shoved away from the table, heading down the hall to confirm his words. Tish's chair scraped the tile as he stood to follow. Lili had trust issues that ran much deeper than mine. She didn't stay out all night. If I had a date or went out to find one, I was usually gone overnight. Lili refused any form of intimacy, including sleeping with someone. She gave me shit about it all the time. She always told me that it was leaving yourself unnecessarily vulnerable.

"I thought you guys were together,” Tish said as I pushed open Lili's door, glancing at her unmade bed.

"Why the fuck would we be together? What do you think we’d be doing all night?" I raised my voice, not caring since I knew we were the only ones in the house. If Kas were here, she would've been the one interrogating me rather than Tish. I stalked toward my room. Would she have stayed the night with Adam?

Tish just raised an eyebrow at my questions as he stood in my doorway. It took a moment for the meaning behind his lack of words to sink in.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I fought the urge to punch something by locking my hands behind my head, stretching my sore shoulders. Fuck
,
my body ached. I must've given those girls something to remember. Too bad I couldn't remember it.

"Don't give me that. You two have been one step away from it for a while," Tish said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Not a chance," I spit the words through clenched teeth and Tish narrowed his eyes.

"Did she do that to your face?"

I sighed, knowing Tish wouldn't give up until he had the truth. He cared too much about Lili. He was worried
.
Telling him meant he would be pissed. That was a good thing, though. She deserved for us to be pissed at her.

"Nope. That would've been her date. Adam."

Tish grabbed my shoulder, turning me to face him. "Adam? As in, Adam Crawford?" His eyes were wide.