Always Been Mine (8 page)

An image of her and Alex just like this came to her. It was the summer after her freshman year in college. They’d been going back and forth but this was just after his first ankle injury so he’d had no choice but to take time off from everything.

She remembered that particular day especially because it was the day he said something that stuck with her even now. He’d told her he didn’t think he’d ever get enough of her. He said it was almost embarrassing how often he thought about her, that it bordered on creepy. She remembered laughing and accusing him of embellishing. But he’d been adamant, and had sounded so genuine. No one could look you in the eyes and lie that well, could they?

Then a few weeks later he disappeared on her again for almost a week and she’d wondered who else he was feeding those lines to.

Valerie sighed, shook her thoughts off and went back to painting—the one thing that helped her relax and get away from her endless thoughts of Alex. The last thing she wanted was to start associating it with him and start avoiding it. Before long she fell back into her rhythm. Her thoughts submerged deep into her painting. She kept at it for about another hour before going to bed.

*

Alex figured that when you ran your own restaurant with a full bar, it was kind of hard to justify going out to someone else’s restaurant and paying for alcohol. But lately he was there
all
the time. He needed to get out. With Angel and Sarah closing tonight, he knew the place was covered.

Eric was waiting for Sofia to finish her shift and had invited him to the new sports bar they were going to. Alex already said no, but was beginning to rethink it.

“You sure you don’t want to go?” Eric asked as Alex walked out of the office. “Romero said it’s pretty awesome. He and some of his guys have worked the security a few times already. He said it was crazy packed. They’re having open mic later in the evening. Stand up comedy. It’s supposed to be pretty good.”

“Is he gonna be there tonight?” Alex didn’t want to be there with just Eric and Sofia. The last thing he needed in his agitated mood was to have to deal with watching Eric’s hands and lips all over his sister all night.

“Yeah, this’ll be the first time he gets to actually have a drink and enjoy the place. You should come.”

Sofia walked out of the back pulling her purse over her shoulder. She’d obviously heard Eric because she added, “”Yeah, Alex. You really need to take a break from this place. Come with us. It’ll be fun.”

Alex mulled it over. He supposed a few laughs would do him some good. He finally agreed but insisted on driving himself in case he decided to duck out early.

The place was huge, with state-of-the-art flatscreens in all sizes everywhere. They’d definitely be getting more televisions at the restaurant when they expanded the bar. More and more people were starting to come in to watch games and just hang.

Alex scanned the place as they walked in. Certain areas looked like they could be reserved with their own pool table and several pub tables. Romero was in one of them racking up the balls on the pool table. A girl sat at one of the tables watching him.

It more than surprised Alex when he got close enough to recognize Isabel. She looked really different too. It made sense when Valerie first told him that Isabel was a middle school teacher, because she dressed every bit the part. But tonight she wore jeans and big heels and looked rather alluring.

“No way! They actually got you out of the restaurant?” Romero grinned at him from the other side of the pool table. As pleased as Romero seemed to see him, Isabel, on the other hand, appeared troubled by his presence and sat up straight. Maybe she was embarrassed about her less-than-modest new look

Alex’s eyes darted the two beer bottles in front of Isabel. Romero was holing his own bottle so the other was obviously Valerie’s.

“Just bring her another one,” Romero told the waitress.

Isabel glanced at Alex, and now he knew what had troubled her. She turned away quickly to talk to Sofia who made herself comfortable in the seat next to her. The anxiety made its way to his stomach. He hated that damn feeling. He turned casually back to the rest of the restaurant hoping to get the first glimpse of her out of the way before she was too close.

Alex didn’t even remember. He’d been so caught up this past year he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had sex. That fact alone spoke volumes about the meaningfulness of the experience.

The waitress walked in with their beers. She handed him a bottle with the kind of smile he always got from women. He reciprocated out of habit, but went back to looking for Valerie while Romero paid the waitress. His anxiety spiked when he spotted her near the entrance. Not just because she looked even more amazing than when he’d seen her at the shower, but because she wasn’t alone.

The sight of her with a guy who stood close enough to kiss her made him squeeze his beer bottle. Alex took a deep breath and a bitter swig of the beer. This wasn’t his idea of taking a break. He felt more angst at that moment than he had in all the weeks since the shower.

No way could he spend the evening around Valerie and her new man. He took a longer drink of his beer. He’d be out of there as soon as finished. Still gripping the bottle tightly, he had to concentrate on not breaking it. As much as he hated the sight he couldn’t move his eyes away from her and the guy.

The guy held her wrist but not in the way a boyfriend holds his girls hand. The moment Alex saw Valerie pull her hand away he stood up. He welcomed the new tension that seeped through him. Unlike the tension he felt from seeing her with another guy he knew exactly how to deal with this one.

They weren’t talking, either they were arguing. Alex should have been happy. Instead, he went on an instant state of alert. Her boyfriend’s aggressive expression and the fact that he tried to grab her hand again was all Alex needed. He put his beer down and started toward them.

“Where you going?” Romero asked.

Alex didn’t answer. He hurried his step when he saw the menacing way her boyfriend stood over her. As he approached he could hear the guy. He was pretty loud and their argument began to turn heads.

“You think I’m playing? I said I need to talk to you, outside
now
.”

Was she really involved with this guy? Boyfriend or not he’d be damned if he’d stand there and let him speak to her that way. He didn’t hear her response. Unlike the idiot she tried to keep her voice down.

She nodded, but before she could answer the guy continued even louder than before. “Of course she’s okay. This is none of your damn business.”

He felt the guys hand on his shoulder. Alex turned slowly, trying not to lose it. He’d made a huge mistake touching Alex. The guy knew it, too. The moment their eyes met, he immediately pulled his hand back.

“Bruce,” Valerie stepped in front of Alex in an attempt to make him step back. Alex didn’t budge, not even when he felt her behind press against his thigh. “I’ve nothing to speak to you about. I’ve made that perfectly clear already.”

Making an even worse mistake, Bruce reached for Valerie’s arm. Alex caught his wrist and with one step, he stood in front of Valerie and Bruce’s wrist was one squeeze away from being broken. Though he felt like tearing him apart, he managed to keep his voice level and spoke in his face again.

“Touch her again, and you’re dead.”

Valerie tugged at his arm. Bruce cracked a very forced smile and pulled his wrist away from Alex. Alex let go, but he wasn’t backing down now. Bruce backed away from him a couple of steps.

“Wow, Valerie, you must really have them lining up.” He cackled and glared at Alex. “Your turn to tap that loose little ass tonight?”

The cannon in Alex went off and with it, his fist. Bruce didn’t even see it coming. Nothing could explain the satisfaction he felt landing that right hook on Bruce’s eye. His body hit the floor with a flop, his head bouncing on the stone tiles.

“Whoa!” Romero jumped in front of him. In seconds he was surrounded by Romero, Eric and the bar’s security staff. Romero waved them off. “I got this, guys. We’re cool.”

Eric, who’d gone down on his knee, immediately tapped Bruce’s cheek with his fingers. He looked up at Romero and Alex. “He’s out.”

Romero frowned but assured the security staff again, that everything was under control. He addressed the main guy personally. “Randy, let me handle this one, okay? Don’t worry.”

Randy nodded. He spoke into his radio, “This is R.D reporting, code red, room one, under control. I repeat code red, room one, under control.” He gave Alex a stern look as he walked by him. Security worked to disperse the crowd that had cheered and laughed when Alex knocked out Bruce.

Alex worked hard to calm the rage he was still feeling over Bruce’s comment. The thought of Valerie sleeping with this guy made him squeeze his fist so hard it shook. He turned to Valerie who stood there staring down at Bruce. Instinctively his fist opened and he slid his hand in hers. She looked up at him. Those dark anxious eyes did things to him he couldn’t even begin to understand.

Alex forced his eyes away from Valerie long enough to watch Romero and Eric bring a very groggy Bruce to his feet. The guy was so out of it he struggled to focus his eyes. Romero laughed. “You okay, buddy? Need some water?”

Alex worked his jaw some more. He’d actually gotten his hopes up, thinking he might be able to talk to her tonight. They made their way through the crowd until they reached the area with the pool table. Isabel and Sofia stood by the entrance.

“Alex, what did you do?” Sofia frowned.

“Took some guy’s lights
out!
” Romero laughed behind him.

Sofia’s eyes opened wide. “You did?”

Alex attempted to smirk but he still reeled with thoughts of Valerie and the other men in her life now. He glanced at Romero. “So, what happened with him?”

Romero walked around the pool table. The girls sat down at the table, but Alex stayed at the entrance of the room.

“The bartender is going through that guy’s phone. If they can’t get someone to pick him up they’re gonna call him a cab. He almost went out again at the bar. That guy’s gonna have a shiner of all shiners.”

Romero was looking at him, disgusted. Eric had a more understanding, almost sympathetic expression. Alex finished his goodbyes and waved at the girls, taking one last look at Valerie. Her expression was blank. Probably embarrassed about what Bruce had said.

“You’re leaving?” Sofia asked.

He nodded and walked away without explaining. Just outside the door, his heart feeling heavier than ever, he heard someone call out his name.