Thorn: Carter Kids #2 (20 page)

Present day

“YOU’VE DONE IT AGAIN,
” I announced, as I stood in the doorway of Hope’s bedroom with a stack of papers in one hand, and a yellow highlighting pen in the other.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Hope replied, lying through her teeth, as she continued to tap furiously on the keyboard of her laptop.

She knew exactly what I meant, and she also knew I wasn’t leaving this doorway until she answered me.

After a minute of me glaring at the side of her face, Hope let out a loud huff, placed her hands on her lap, and leaned back in her chair, reluctantly giving me her full attention.

“I’ve read ten chapters, Hope,” I explained calmly, shaking the papers in my hand to emphasize the huge favor I was doing her. “And I’ve had to replace the hero’s name in every single one.” This morning alone, I had made fifty-eight name changes to the document, and I swear to god, if I had to change the name
Jordan
to
Chad
one more time I was going to lose it.

When she didn’t respond, I decided to use tough love to get a reaction.

“Hope,” I started. “It has been
seven
years – almost a bloody decade – and you’re still moping around the place like a pigeon shat on your head.”

“One word, Teegs,” Hope shot back coolly, swinging from side to side in her chair. “
Noah
.”

Ouch…

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say his name in my presence,” I replied in a shaky voice before slamming the stack of paper and the pen down on her desk. Hope’s comment cut deep, and I had to take a few minutes before I could trust my voice again to sound level and calm. “Your mom called again,” I told her. “She wants to know if you got anything unusual in the mail.”

“No,” Hope muttered, shoving the invitation I knew she was hiding further underneath her keyboard. “Nothing new.”

I rolled my eyes at my friend. She was such a little liar. “Hope, I know about your parents’ anniversary party tomorrow night,” I told her before swinging around and heading back for the hallway. “I got an invite too.” There was no way in hell I would step foot on Coloradan soil, but I appreciated Lee’s offer all the same.

Hope needed to go though. She needed to start building bridges with her family. She was never going to move on with her life if she didn’t face her hometown at some stage. I figured she should do it sooner rather than later.

Stopping at the door, I decided to try a gentler tactic. “Lee knows you’re still hurting over him. She wants to help you, Hope. Maybe you should talk to her about how you’re feeling. Call the woman back.”

“I know you think I shouldn’t still think about him,” I heard Hope whisper before adding, “I know I shouldn’t, but it just won’t fade, Teegs. He’s in my head constantly and I hate it.”

“You’re preaching to the converted here, Hope,” I replied with a heavy sigh. “Just do what I do and remind yourself that you didn’t do anything wrong. Jordan, like he-who-shall-not-be-named, happens to be a man – and therefore a stupid, heinous, inconsiderate bastard.” Shrugging, I added, “I’m telling you, Hope, they’re all the same…” My voice trailed off when I caught a glimpse of my watch. Ten thirty.
Shit.
“I’m late for work,” I muttered. “We’ll finish the man-bitching session when I get home, okay?”

I wanted to stay and help my friend through her crisis, but I wanted to
not
go bankrupt that little bit more. Opening on St. Patrick’s Day was Liam’s latest attempt at saving the gym. Personally, I thought it was pointless. Everyone would be out watching the parade and enjoying themselves, but I didn’t bother protesting. I was in the doghouse as it stood.

Grabbing my bag off the couch, I slipped my key into my bra and headed off on my jog to the gym.

“MORNING,” I SAID BRIGHTLY
when I opened the office door and walked inside, setting my bag down on the bench behind the door.

“You’re late,” was all Liam replied, not looking up from the paperwork he had splayed across our old wooden desk.

“Um…there’s no one here?” I shot back, gesturing around with my hand. “Relax. I’m here now.”

“You know, sometimes I wonder why you went into this partnership with me,” he said in a sharp tone, “when you can’t even be bothered to come in on time.”

Resisting the urge to groan, I walked over to where he was sitting and rested my hip against the desk. “You’re one of my best friend’s in the world,” I told him truthfully as I rested my hand on his forearm. “I want us to get back to the way we used to be.” I could feel my face reddening as I spoke, “The way we were before we…you know.”

“Had sex?” Leaning back in his chair, Liam lifted his head and stared me straight in the eye. “Before we had sex, Teagan.”

“Yeah.” Swallowing deeply, I nodded, forcing myself to keep eye contact with him. “Before we had sex.” I hated the fact that I had screwed up a lifetime of friendship with Liam. I knew I hurt his feelings when I ran out on him, and I knew I was hurting him now; but guilt ridden or not, it changed nothing, because I couldn’t give Liam what he wanted from me – my heart.

It simply wasn’t there anymore.

I had left it back in Thirteenth Street.

Liam was silent as he studied my guilty face. Finally, when I thought he wasn’t going to say anything else, he shoved back his chair and stood up quickly. “You fucked with my head that night, Teegs,” he told me with a groan as he began to pace our small office. “Made me feel like it was something more than it was.” Turning around, he walked right up to me. “You know how I feel about you.”

“I do?”

“Yeah,” he husked. “You know I have feelings for you, and you used me that night.”

“I’m sorry,” I muttered, feeling a bucket load of shame. “I didn’t mean to.”

“I’m not a toy,” he continued to say, ignoring my apology. “You can’t take me out and play with me for a little while and then toss me back in a box when you’re done.”

“That’s not what I’ve been doing.” I shook my head, rejecting what Liam was saying. “We’re friends.”

“
Friends
that go out on dates,” he argued. “
Friends
that don’t see other people.” He shook his head and sighed. “I’m the only guy you spend any time with.”

“That’s not true,” I protested. “I hang out with Sean.”

“Sean’s gay,” Liam countered swiftly. “Don’t even try and dig your way out of this one –”

“Sorry to interrupt your little domestic, folks,” Ciarán Crowley said with a wolfish smile. “But could you turn on the televisions on the treadmills?”

As much as I hated Ciarán and his wandering hands, I could have kissed him for essentially giving me a way out of this horrible conversation.

“Sure,” I said brightly, slipping around Liam, and making my getaway. “I’m on it.”

“So, gorgeous,” Ciarán purred when I had the flat-screen on his treadmill switched on and set up. “Do you have any plans for tonight?” he asked, hitting full speed on the machine before warming up.

“Not a one,” I replied, stepping out of his reach. “I’m going to have a nice quiet night in with my book.” I forced a smile and said, “let me know if I can get you anything else,” before walking away.

“A blow job would be great,” he chuckled under his breath and I froze.

Swinging around, I marched back to the treadmill and slammed my hand down on the emergency button. It came to a complete stop, causing Ciarán to trip over his own feet and land awkwardly on the belt.

“What the fuck did you do that for?” he snarled, red-faced, as pulled himself up with the help of the side rails.

“Because you’re a member, I’m going to let what you said go this one time,” I seethed, pointing my finger in his face. “But if you ever sexually harass me in my own gym again I will cut you.”

“Look what you’ve done, you stupid bitch,” he roared, pointing to his ankle. “I have a match on Sunday.”

Folding my arms across my chest, I rolled my eyes and smirked. “And that matters to me because?”

“What’s going on here?” I heard Liam demand seconds before he arrived at my side. “Teagan?” he asked, looking down at me. “What happened?”

“I’ll tell you what happened. That fucking psychopath just cost me the county final.” Ciarán snarled. Hobbling off the treadmill, he tested his weight on his ankle and flinched. “I’m out, Liam. Sorry, man, but I’d rather train in a place that actually wants us.”

“Good,” I shot back.

“Shut up Teagan,” Liam hissed, poking me in the side with his elbow.

Holding his hands up, he turned to Ciarán and tried to defuse the situation. “I’m sure this is just a big misunderstanding,” he placated. “Teagan didn’t mean any harm.”

“Yes I did,” I piped up, causing Liam to groan. I knew I needed to shut the hell up, but I couldn’t back down. It wasn’t in my nature. If Ciarán wanted to take me on, I wasn’t holding anything back.

Ciarán’s face turned purple. “Honest to god, Liam, I don’t know why you waste so much time on her.” he roared. Limping towards me, he leaned down in my face and spat, “The guy should go and get himself a real woman. Not a fucking ice-queen with a cardboard pussy.”

“
You
would say that,” I snapped, losing all tact and grace. “When the only moisture you’ve ever drawn from a woman’s body was when you bored her to tears.”

“You’re finished,” he roared. “No one within a twenty mile radius will touch this place when I’m through.”

“Thanks a lot, Teagan,” Liam muttered before chasing after Ciarán who was making his way out of the gym.

I WAS ON MY HANDS AND KNEES,
wiping down the treadmill – more like disinfecting it from that pervert’s touch – when Liam eventually returned. The angry expression he wore on his face told me all I needed to know about how it had gone with Ciarán.

Not well.

“Are you proud of yourself?” he demanded when he reached me.

“Yes,” I shot back, climbing to my feet. “But I’m thoroughly disgusted with you.”

My retort caught Liam off guard and whatever he was about to say fell out of his head as his brows furrowed in confusion.

“That man has been tormenting me for months,” I reminded him. “And you did nothing. So don’t get all pissy with me for taking matters into my own hands.”

“We need his business, Teagan,” Liam said, enunciating each word, as if that was supposed to make it all okay. “The gym is going under. What don’t you get about that?”

“So I’m supposed to be okay with being touched and degraded because business is slow?”

When Liam didn’t respond I shook my head in complete and utter disgust.

“You wanted to know why I won’t consider being with you? It’s because if you had any real feelings towards me, you wouldn’t allow those men to talk to me – and talk
about
me – the way they do.” Tossing my cleaning rag on the floor, I turned my back on him and headed into the office for my stuff.

“It’s
banter
,” Liam called out, following me into the office.

“It’s
sexual harassment
,” I corrected, stuffing my phone and the keys of my apartment into my bag. “And if Noah were here…” I cut myself off quickly. “Forget it.”