Saved (Tempted #2) (5 page)

Getting out of the shower, I placed my feet on the marble floor. As I very carefully tried to make my way out of the bathroom without slipping and killing myself. Hearing someone knock on the door, I did just what I had been trying so hard to avoid. I fell flat on my ass.

“Grace! Are you here? If so could you get the door,” I yelled, hoping she hadn’t left for her movie yet.

Silence.

Pushing myself up off of the floor, I gripped onto the counter and made it into the living room.

“I’m coming,” I yelled to the person on the other side of the door.

Opening it, West stood there dressed in black pants and a white button up shirt. And of course his signature leather jacket. He stood there looking absolutely mouthwatering.

“You’re not coming yet but you will be,” he said, winking and pushing past me to get in the apartment, “Please tell me your just gonna wear that towel to dinner.”

“Not a chance but if you behave during dinner I’ll be wearing a lot less tonight,” I told him, locking the door and dropping my towel.

“Not fair. Now, I want to have my way with you and I can’t because we’ll be late. You play dirty, Angel. Real dirty and I like it,” he said, walking into my bedroom and stretching his body out on my bed.

Bending over to get my underwear from the drawer, I heard him groan. Smiling, I slid the pink lace up my thighs making sure my breast bounced in the process.

“Do you think your parents would notice if we didn’t show up at all?”

“I think they would notice,” I told him, slipping on my matching bra.

Walking over to my closet, I pulled out my black dress. It fit really tight and it was the kind of thing West loved for me to wear.

“Are you seriously wanting me to walk into your house with a hard on? You’re pulling out all the stops, you’re even wearing black.”

Laughing, I slid my feet into my bright red pumps. They made my legs look fantastic.

“Just do your hair. There is no way that will turn me on.”

Walking over to my vanity, I plugged my curling iron in to the wall. Sneaking glances at him through the mirror, I saw him staring at me like I was the most beautiful thing in the world.

“I was wrong,” he stated, not taking his eyes off of me.

“About what?”

“Even watching you do your hair turns me on. I think I would get hard watching you do the dishes.”

Rolling my eyes, I finished my hair and ran my fingers through it. Starting my make up, I seen him cover his face with a pillow.

“You’ll mess your hair up,” I told him, putting the finishing touches on my face.

His hair was like his prized possession. Seriously, if his hair wasn’t right then he couldn’t go out. He like a girl about it. But, in his defense his hair was pretty awesome.

He jumped up like the bed was on fire.

“Can you fix it for me? Does it look bad?”

“No, it doesn’t look that bad and yes, I can fix it for you. Follow me,” I told him leading him into the bathroom.

Sliding up on the counter, I pulled him closer to me. Grabbing the hair spray and comb, I styled his hair just the way he liked it. We were nose to nose and the heat was radiating from my body to his. Our lips collided and fireworks erupted. Well, not really but you know.

Our breathing increased as our kiss deepened. His hands slipped under my dress and his fingers outlined my lacy panties.

“Later,” I managed to get out, “We have to go.”

Pulling away, he lifted me from the counter and sat me down. Turning to walk away, I felt him lightly slap my ass.

“None of that in front of my father.”

“Yes Ma’am,” he said, saluting me.

Grabbing my coat, I got out of the apartment before anything else happened. West followed behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw him sulking. I came to a stop and waited for him to catch up to me. When he did I grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the staircase.

“One day I’m going to get you in an elevator. They are so much work,” he complained, walking down the staircase.

“Be a man. Put your back in it.”

“You’re so cruel.”

I looked at him the whole way to the car. His scars were so evident to me but if you didn’t know him you wouldn’t think he had any. But they were there. His parents leaving changed his whole outlook on love. That’s why he let me know how he felt through music, he didn’t know how to express it through words. In fact, he had never told me he loved me. Not once.

Well, not in those words. He had told me through songs before.

There were so many times I wanted to tell him that I was undeniably in love with him. But I couldn’t tell him in fear of scaring him away.

But I was going to tell him soon. There was a lot I needed to say to him. I just had to find the right time.

Getting in his car, he pulled out and made his way to my parents’ house.

“You look beautiful, Angel.”

“Thank you, Babe. You look amazing as always.”

Resting my hand on his knee, we drove the rest of the way just enjoying being around each other. We didn’t need to fill the silence between us. That was one of the things I loved the most about our relationship, we were comfortable around each other. I had seen him at his very worst but I had also seen him at his very best. And vice versa.

We got just got each other.

“Angel? Where’s your head?”

“What? Oh, I’m sorry. I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Us.”

“Good or bad?”

“Both. I was just thinking about how we just fit, ya know?”

“I know exactly what you mean. There’s nobody else in this great big world I would rather be with,” he said, rubbing my hand.

He was getting better at expressing his feeling, I had to give him that. But why did I still have the feeling the L word would send him running for the hills?

I wanted to say it to him, I had always wanted to. But it was like every time I mustered up the courage to say it he could sense it before the three words ever left my lips. Then he would make up some excuse to leave or change the subject.

Recognizing the street, I immediately looked to my left for my parents’ house. It held many good memories for us but tonight for West, it held an angry dad.

Pulling in the driveway, he put the car in park. Once he was out, he made his way around to help me out.

“Before I go in there, I need you to be honest with me,” he said, with this dead serious expression on his face.

“Okay.”

“Does he really want to kill me? Are you in on the plan?”

“You’re crazy. I’m not in on the plan, Babe. I promise,” I said, walking up the steps of the porch.

“So, that means he is going to kill me.”

“It’s going to be okay,” I told him through my laughter.

“No, it’s not. Should I have taken my lip ring out?”

“Maybe but it’s too a late now,” I told him, pushing the door open, “Mom! Dad! We’re here!”

“There’s my beautiful baby,” My mom, Jillian, said.

She was walking out of the kitchen, pulling her oven mitt off of her hand.

“Hey, Mom. It smells great in here,” I said, pulling her in for a hug.

“Thank you, honey. West, it’s good to see you,” she told him, pulling him for a huge hug.

My mom had always been a huge fan of my relationship with West. She saw the same thing in him that I did. A boy with a lot of love to give and a huge heart.

“It’s good to see you, too,” he said, looking relived.

He shouldn’t have been so relived because he hadn’t face my daddy yet. And unlike my mom and me he wasn’t too fond of West at the moment.

“Hey, Princess,” My Dad said, scooping me up in his arms.

“Hey, Daddy,” I told him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Oh, West. I didn’t see you there,” My Dad said, shooting daggers his way.

My dad and I had this unbreakable bond. I was a daddy’s girl to the fullest.

“Be nice,” I whispered in his ear.

“It’s good to see you again, Max,” West said, holding his hand out for my dad to shake it.

He shook it limply. Grabbing West’s hand, I led him to the dining room. I didn’t want him to feel intimated by my dad. We took our seats and I scooted my chair as close to West as I could.

My father actually really liked West but after seeing what I went through his feelings toward West shifted. West wasn’t there to see everything I truly lost. Everything we had lost.

My dad watched me slowly fall apart. He saw me cry, he saw me break things. He watched me put a smile on my face and fake that I was fine for the rest of the world.

Hearing my phone buzz in my purse, I pulled it out.

West- Getting You Home By Chris Young.

Smiling, I quickly put my phone away. My dad didn’t need to read that text and he didn’t need to listen to that song.

“Who texted you?” West asked, pretending like he didn’t know.

“Nobody important,” I shot back, flipping my hair.

He scowled at me.

My mom placed the last bowl on the table and took her seat next to my father.

“So, West. How are you’re grandparents?” My Mom asked, trying to make things less awkward.

“Their good. You know them, their still acting like teenagers,” he answered, smiling.

He always smiled when he talked about them. I remember the first time I seen them after I started dating West. The way West’s grandfather looked at his grandmother still gives me goose bumps till this day. Even after all of their years together I could still tell he looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world to him. I wanted to be looked at like that. I think every girl did.

West loved his grandparents with all his heart. They were the only family he ever had. He always told me without them he didn’t know where he would have been. They were responsible for the only good memories he had as a child. And I loved them for that.

“I’m glad to hear it,” she told him, nudging my dad.

“What did you do to your lip?” he spat.

“I got it pierced, sir,” West told him, meeting his stare.

“Why? If you don’t mind me asking,” My father asked.

“Not at all. It’s a way to express myself, sir. I’m actually going to get another piercing tomorrow.”

“Where? Your nose?”

“No, sir. Think lower.”

Catching on to what he was saying, I kicked him under the table.

“He’s kidding. You know West, he’s always been a joker,” I said, smiling at my dad before turning to glare at West.

He was supposed to be getting back in my dad’s good graces. But he was slowly but surely screwing it up. I hoped he could turn it around.

“Dinner is great, Mom.”

It was. My mother was one of the best home cooks I knew. And for tonight she made her specialty, Chicken parmesan with angel hair pasta.

“Thank you, Honey. How’s yours West?”

“Fantastic as always, Mrs. T,” West said, giving my mother his megawatt smile, “Thank you for having me.”

“Thank you, West. It’s always a pleasure to have you.”

“How’s Emma? I still can’t believe our second daughter is pregnant,” My father said before taking another bite of his chicken.

“She’s good. Roman’s taking good care of her,” I told him, noticing the look of love in his eyes.

He loved Emma like a daughter. I silently prayed for him to focus on Emma’s pregnany and happy things tonight.

“West, can we step in the next room?” My father asked him, placing his napkin on the table.

Well, West it was nice knowing ya.

“Yeah, let’s do that,” he said, getting up from the table.

Watching them walk out of the room, I felt my heart flutter. Would my dad tell West my secret before I got the chance to? Would he tell him everything that happened that night? If he told him I could lose West for good.

My dad wouldn’t do that. Would he?

I had never been more nervous in my life then I was last night. West wouldn’t tell me what my father said to him. No matter how much I tried to get it out of him. But I did know that he didn’t spill the beans. And I was so thankful for that.

Unlocking the door to Sweetie Pie’s, I had this strange feeling someone was watching me. Quickly walking in, I slammed the door shut. It was just me today, Sophia was sick. Poor thing had caught the flu.

Stocking the glass case full of the premade cookies and cupcakes, I heard the door open.

“The coffee machine hasn’t been turned on because we aren’t technically open yet,” I called to the customer who had just entered the bakery.

“I’m not here for coffee.”

Recognizing the voice, my head shot up.

Luca.

What did he want?

“Why are you here? Cupcakes? Cookies?” I asked, displaying the case like Vanna White.

“Drop the cute act. You know why I’m here,” he said, slipping his hands in his pockets.

“I’m with West,” I told him, backing away from the case as he walked closer to it.

“I know but I don’t care. I want what I want and guess what? One hundred percent of the time I get it.”

“Luca, I’m in love with West. You know that.”

“Does he know?” he asked, biting his lip.

I felt my heart fall to the pit of my stomach. There was no way Luca could have known. I thought the only people who knew were my parent’s.

“Your secret. You know, what really happened that night.”

I felt tears pooling up in my eyes. He was the worst person who could have gotten a hold of it. He was ruthless.

“You can’t tell him, please,” I begged.

“See, Maddie. That’s where you’re wrong. I can tell him and more than likely I will,” he told me with a smug look on his face.

I was convinced. Luca Davis was the devil with platinum hair and a Balmain leather jacket.

“Please, he’ll be devastated. I need to be the one to tell him.”

“Yeah, about that. Why haven’t you told him?”

“Because I didn’t want to push him farther away. I’m terrified that if I tell him I’ll lose him for good and I’m scared that he’ll blame himself,” I answered honestly.

“I don’t think he’d blame himself,” he told me, seeming like a good person for once in life.

“Really?”

I never thought Luca could make me feel better but maybe there’s a heart under his built up chest. Go figure.

“Yeah, if I were him I’d blame you,” he said, smiling slyly.

Stunned, it took me a few minutes to fully register what he just said.

“Blame me? For what?”

“Everything.”

He turned to leave and I let out a sigh of relief. He must have heard it because he stopped dead in his tracks.

“And Maddie?”

“Yeah?”

“I’d tell him soon if I were you.”

And with that he was gone. Standing, I watched the glass door swing shut as he left.

The tears broke free from my eyes. Sobbing into my hands, I fell to my knees. I had to tell him. I didn’t want to but it seemed like I had no choice.

I’d tell him.

Soon.

Hearing the bell ring, I looked up and saw Roman walking in.

“Hey, I was across the street and I saw Luca leaving. Did he bother you? Why are you crying?”

“It’s nothing,” I told him, wiping down the counter.

“Mads, if you won’t talk to me then I’ll call West,” he said, pulling the phone from his pocket.

“No! Don’t call him. I’ll tell you what happened but I can’t tell you everything.”

“I can live with that. Come on, let’s go sit down,” he said, taking my hand.

Gripping his hand, I let him walk me to the nearest table. I knew I could trust Roman with my life. But I knew better than to think that if I told Roman what I was hiding that he wouldn’t run and tell West.

Roman was like a brother to Ethan.

“The night of my wreck something big happened that only my parents know about or so I thought. West deserves to know but I’m afraid of how he’ll take it. Luca came in here and told me he always gets what he wants. And then he told me he knew what happened that night,” I told him, feeling more tears fighting to escape my eyes, “I begged him not to tell West and told him I should be the one to tell him. He asked me why I hadn’t told West yet.”

I had to stop to gather my thought because at that moment they were running a marathon. And they were kicking ass.

“Why haven’t you told him?”

“Because I can’t help but wonder that if I tell him he’s going to push me away. And I told Luca that. I also told him that I hadn’t told him because I didn’t want him to blame himself. Luca informed me that if he were West he wouldn’t blame himself.”

“I think that’s the smartest thing I’ve ever heard him say. And the nicest too,” Roman said, looking completely shocked.

“Don’t praise him just yet. He told me he would blame me. And maybe he’s right, maybe it is my fault,” I said just as the realization sought in.

Was West really to blame or was I? It could just as easily have been blamed on me. Sure, West was wrong but if I hadn’t reached for that phone it would have never happened.

“Hey, I see the crazy working behind your eyes. I don’t know the whole story but it wasn’t your fault. Do you hear me? Luca is an asshole. He always has been. He’s always wanted you and you choosing West over him bruised his ego,” he told me, looking at me like he wanted to kill Luca.

“It’s about time someone did,” a voice said behind me.

Turning, I saw West staring down at me. He didn’t look too happy. Oh goodness, how much had he heard?

“Hey, Babe. How long have you been here?” I asked, trying my hardest not to seem suspicious.

“Just long enough to hear Roman call Luca an asshole. What did he do? I swear I’ll kill him,” he said, balling his fist at his side.

“He wanted me to know that he always gets what he wants,” I told him, anxiously waiting on his reaction.

Hearing something crash against the table, I squeezed my eyes shut. West had a volatile temper. I’d seen his fist strike a ton of objects. He had never lost his temper with me, so I don’t know why I was so scared.

“He can’t have you! Just because he has money he thinks he entitled to everything. You’re all I have, Maddie. But that worked out for me because you’re all I need,” he told me, rubbing his hand roughly down his face.

“Don’t do that to your face, Babe.”

“Do you want him?”

“What? No! Why would you even ask me that?” I asked him, gaping at him in disbelief.

“Because he can give you everything, okay? What do I have to offer? I have nothing to offer you.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“You have nothing to offer me? Is that what you think? You have everything to offer that he doesn’t. You make me feel safe. You make me feel loved. Without you I would have never known how it feels to love somebody with every fiber of your being. Because I do I love you way more than I could ever love him and all his money. Money can’t buy everything,” I told him, feeling good about finally dropping those three words, “it can’t buy the butterflies I feel every time I see you. It can’t buy all the inside jokes and the amazing chemistry we have. Money can’t buy the flush of my cheeks when someone says your name. And it can’t buy the giddiness I feel when you text me a new song to let me know how you feel. No amount of money in the world could make him you.”

I prayed that he would say those three words back. I needed to hear them from him. It was crazy to think three little words could mean so much. The phrase “I love you” held so much power.

I saw his face go pale white and he turned to look at Roman. I had forgotten he was there.

“Well, I’m going to go. I have to check on Emma. I’ll see you guys later,” he said, sending us a quick wave and walking out of the door.

We sat in silence for what seemed like forever. It had turned out to be a slow morning at the bakery and for that I was very thankful. West and I needed that time to ourselves.

“Don’t you love me?” I asked, feeling my lip start to quiver.

“You know I do. Is there any question?”

“Why can’t you tell me?”

“Because it scares me. I’m not used to having to express how I feel in words. My parents royally screwed me up, okay? They told me they loved me and I said it back. But you know how that ended, they left. They walked away from me. And I want to tell you those three words because the feeling I have you couldn’t be anything but love. But I can’t say them, Maddie. I wish I could,” He said, “I’ve gotta go. I’ll call you later.”

Watching him get up from the table, I followed him. I thought to myself that I had messed up dropping the three forbidden words. He went from telling me he needed me to not even looking at me. He literally couldn’t look at me.

“Are you going to come get me later?” I asked, remembering I was supposed to go with him for his new piercing.

“Yeah, I’ll be by when you get back from work,” he said still facing the door.

“Okay,” I told him as he walked out of the door.

I had the strange feeling we had just broken up. Or we were on the verge of a break up. I hadn’t planned on telling him I loved him but I couldn’t hold it back anymore. There were too many things left unsaid between us and I had things I needed to say. Things he needed to know. Replaying the conversation in my head, one thing in particular stood out to me.

He hadn’t called me Angel.

Not once.