Brand Me (Imagine Ink Book 2) (17 page)

“Hey, just because you’re hot as fuck, doesn’t make you an expert. I’m the trainer here, remember? I’ll take the lead on this, and since you are denying me the chance to workout between your thighs, you better be ready to bring it. I’m not going easy on you just because you let me touch your boobs.” His voice rang out clear and laced with humor.

Yes, he shifted focus just like I hoped he would.
Fist pumping in the mirror and congratulating herself for a job well done, she got on her gear and went to join her
trainer
.

H
oly shit
. Michael thought the silky outfit he tore off her body last night was the sexiest thing he’d seen on a woman, but the murderer of that thought just stepped through the door.

No makeup with her hair in a messy bun was a strangely hot look. Throw in the just-covered-her-ass red compression shorts and breast-hugging Crimson Tide volley tank, and he was horny as Hell. Considering he was surrounded almost every day with women wearing the same kind of outfits and never appreciated it, he was stunned he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

One big difference between her and the gym bunnies who dressed similar was she was
au natural,
wearing these clothes because they suited her activity, not giving a fuck what anyone thought of it. She was comfortable and that was that. The girls at the gym with the Under Armor from head to toe were dolled-up like it was a club, not a fitness center.

Michael couldn’t count how many times a client showed up for her session and he could taste her perfume it was so fucking strong. Those types were after a man, not a workout. It was obvious Tori was different, not that he had doubted it for a minute, but something about that attitude was dick-hardening sexy.

Michael’s appreciation of her was growing by the minute, and not just the physical admiration, which he was engaging in right now, but on a deeper level. He knew she was a smart cookie. There was no way someone with her training and her seemingly-emotional investment could have missed all the evidence of the pity party he had engaged in earlier, but she didn’t say a word. Not one fucking syllable, nor did she outwardly react in any way, shape, or form. He knew his eyes were red and he damn sure didn’t look like he had freshly showered. Not to mention the size of the place. If she hadn’t heard him, she was deaf.

But instead of analyzing or even trying to help or get him to talk, she turned everything around with a cup of hot chocolate and a well-played workout suggestion. She knew what she was doing, and he just might fucking love her all the more for it.

“Did you play for Alabama, is that where you went to school?” He indicated toward her volleyball tank. “I could see that, you damn sure have the smoking hot body of a volleyball player.”

“Maybe, or maybe I’m just a fan. Either way, I’m geared up and ready to go,
Mr. Trainer
.” Her giggle was fucking adorable. “So now, do I call
you
Shaun T., or what?”

“No way, Princess, he wishes his abs were this lickable. Wanna taste? Sir Mike will do just fine.”

“Seriously? Full of yourself much? Do you make all your clients address you as such?”

With her hands on her hips, she leaned in like a teenager challenging a parent, but her face was all shining and laughter.
God she is gorgeous.
He gave in to the urge to taste her lips and gently brushed hers with his.

“No way, Princess, that’s just for you. And not just when we are sweating standing up either. Feel free to use it when you’re screaming your pleasure to the heavens later. Now, put that jump rope of yours to use and warm up.”

S
o much for
backing off physically, they’d been intimate every day since she’d practically moved in. She loved how he made her body sing, but she hated how he also made her weak—vulnerable to her need to be physically close to him, which made him vulnerable to his demons. There was no physical evidence to support her theory, but she was pretty sure his depression was spiraling deeper and deeper. He was hiding it well, but her intuition was pinging. She’d not caught him crying and berating himself since that morning, but she wasn’t fool enough to think he wasn’t doing it. Better at hiding it was more likely.

It had taken John two weeks longer than expected to return. The storm had not only snowed them in, but dumped on the mountain for three weeks off and on. The trails up to the mountain were non-existent by the time it finally quit snowing. To make matters worse, a warm front moved in on its heels—just long enough to melt a layer of snow to make it slicker than snot ice. She could barely walk outside without slipping and sliding, so she could only imagine what operating a vehicle on such a surface must be like.

They had been without fresh supplies for close to two months. They had plenty to survive, canned and frozen, just nothing green and leafy. As much as they hated Richard, they had shared what they had with him. Richard was ill prepared for even a month—guess that was another thing he had expected Tori to handle. Luckily, she kind of had in the form of protein bars and granola.

Michael refused to let her be anywhere near Richard, so he dropped canned goods and bars on the porch and ding dong ditched, but didn’t get all the way out of sight until he heard the front door open. If not for them, Richard wouldn’t have made it until John came.

When he finally came at the eight week mark instead of six, John had taken Richard out first and dropped him at the airport, then came back to take Michael to the clinic. His hand needed a professional opinion. The wound had healed, but it didn’t seem right and Tori wanted him to have it looked at, not to mention grab some meds, just in case. Tori’s real purpose was hoping he might ask the doc for sleeping pills.

It was a temporary solution to be sure, and not the recommended course of action, but he needed something. She may not have caught him crying, but she knew he wasn’t sleeping. Many nights she woke to go the bathroom and found him lying beside her, staring off into space. Some nights, the steady thud of the ax woke her. He chopped so much wood at night, they would be stocked for five winters, if not longer.

The worst nights were when he was just gone—no clue where to, no sound to hint at his activity. Just, gone. Thigh deep snow, with a healthy ice layer, and he would be out in it somewhere. When that happened, she couldn’t sleep until he came back for fear he slipped on the ice out there somewhere and cracked his skull open.

Tori had wanted to move to another cabin or have him move. But, with his mind wherever the Hell it was right now, he would see that as an act of rejection and judgment, instead of her trying to do the right thing. They had fallen into a routine here in this bubble, but she knew that in a month, they’d be leaving, returning to the real world.

Tori decided to push her family plans back again, considering she and Michael may have a real relationship once he dealt with his baggage and she dealt with hers. She had no intention of holding off indefinitely for a man ever again. Pushing it back, temporarily, just to see how Michael felt outside the bubble would be no big deal. It would be fairly easy to tell. And depending on that, she’d proceed accordingly, but she was not putting her life on hold for someone else. However, she was willing to pause it to assess the situation.

U
pon arriving
at the local clinic, Michael signed in for a long wait. Seemed everyone in town needed a doctor today. “John, you don’t have to wait for me. It looks like once enough ice melted for travel, everyone came out in droves. Pop over to the diner and have a bite to eat. I’ll call when I’m done if I can get a signal, if not, I’ll just hoof it over.”

John clapped him on the back. “Sure thing, but check for me at the bookstore first. I heard the owner opened up a coffee and donut corner. I may just sit there enjoying designer coffee and a good book.”

Let the waiting begin.

Knowing he wouldn’t be called for at least half an hour, Michael went to the bathroom, plugged his phone in, and prayed for a signal.

He had to clear some shit up back home before he and Tori returned, before she misunderstood certain situations. Dialing the number of one of the women who had broken him, he took a deep breath and waited.

“Well, hello, sweetheart, I’m so glad you called. I’ve missed you so much. It’s lonely around here without you.” Tonya answered with her typical seductive tone. Only this time, it seemed to be laced with a little extra come hither and a hint of pout.

“Drop the bullshit, Tonya. Did you get your stuff packed up and get out of my fucking house yet?”

“No, Michael, I didn’t. Besides, you don’t really want me to either. Do you want to know why? Because you still love me, and you know I love you.”

“Don’t.” Was all he managed to get out, not only because she cut him off, but because he had no spine with her. The guilt she had heaped on him when
she
fucking cheated, and then again when Shane dumped her ass and she waltzed back into his life, was fucking suffocating. Somewhere deep inside, he knew it wasn’t his fault she cheated but when she cried and manipulated him, he was powerless. He had loved her once and she continued to exploit the shit out of it.

“Come on, Michael, you know we are meant to be. We can work this out and continue as planned. All you have to do is forgive one little indiscretion on my part. I would do it for you,
will
do it for you. How about that, hmm? You go have a fling before the wedding and we call it even?”

“There’s not going to be a wedding, Tonya. I am not marrying you. You are not staying there and…”

“You’re just confused, honey, because of all we’ve been through. I never canceled the wedding. I knew in my heart, it wasn’t what either of us wanted. You’re just hurt. The announcement will run as scheduled, and everything will be fine, I promise.”

“No, Tonya. There is no
us
anymore, you saw to that. I want you OUT!” His voice was rising with his temper and he accepted the look of censure the old dude gave him as he exited the john.

“I told you the day you left, when I moved back in, that our payment arrangement for the house no longer worked for me. Until you can buy my half of the property out right, you’re stuck with me. It’ll give you time to come to your senses, since you are clearly going through something.” Some of her seductive tone slipped and the venom came through. He fucking hated how she could read his voice, and even worse, that she would use it against him.

“You know I can’t come up with that kind of cash.” Fuck, the last thing he wanted was for her to hear the defeat in his voice, and he knew if he heard it, so did she.

She changed her tactic once again to demure and hopeful. “That’s a good thing, Michael, don’t you see? It gives us time together, and you time to come around and remember why you love me in the first place. We were good once, and we will be again, you’ll see.”

“I alr…” Cut off by the sound of his name being called, he fucking couldn’t deal with her now. “This isn’t over.” Michael tore the phone from the wall, jabbed the end button, and made his way to the curtained area the nurse indicated.

And fuck it all to Hell, who the Hell should be exiting the back rooms but Wendy. Was every mistake he ever made in his life having a fucking
Screw With Michael Convention
today?

“Hey you!” Perky and happy was the best way to describe her attitude as she threw her arms around his neck.

What the fuck? How could she not know?
Michael started heaving. On the plus side, at least it caused her to back off.

Giggling, the bitch spoke again, placing her hand on her stomach. “I know how you feel.” The nurse’s impatience was a Godsend. “Oh, I’ll let you go, but we should talk, call me?” She sashayed away without waiting for an affirmative or a Hell no.

This day was so fucked up now, if the devil was watching, he’d just say, “oh, daaammmmmmmmn.”

There wasn’t much to be done for his hand for now, but if he wanted the perfect dexterity he had prior, he would need surgery to remove scar tissue and such that was pressing on the tendons or some shit. All he knew was with limited range and dexterity in his fingers, his string skills were not as stellar as they used to be.
Understatement.
Some of that might clear up once the stiffness wore off. The doc gave him a muscle relaxer shot to help with that. Michael had too much other shit to deal with for now. Surgery was low priority. As long as he could still play for himself and sing he could deal with not being crowd-worthy for now. He’d been wanting to focus more on his singing for a while, so now was a good a time as any.

He also had the clinic run an HIV/STD panel. Running into that bitch reminded him again that he wasn’t wearing a condom.

Fuck, if the devil’s not rolling around on the floor in Hell laughing his spiked-tailed ass off. Probably witnessing some of his best work.

Epically fucked.

Michael entered the waiting room and noticed John seated there. “How long were you waiting? I thought you were going for a doughnut?” They walked outside and headed to where John had parked the Bobcat.

“They were closed today, so I came back to the clinic in time to see some cute little local throw herself at you. Damn man, you gotta tell me your secret.”

Michael kept silent until they were out of town proper and on the trail up the mountain. “John, I’m going to say something to you that’s probably going to be the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard. Most likely you’ll call me a liar or an idiot, but please don’t. I need to say it to another man. You don’t have to say anything back, just listen.”

Maybe he was feeling exposed and needed validation, or maybe it was the injection. Either way, he was going to say it before he chickened out.

John must have recognized something in his voice that he missed, because he got serious. “Of course, Michael. You know you’re family to me. I would never judge you, and if it’s something I can help with, I won’t hesitate. But, I can just listen, too.” A gentle and quick pat to his shoulder told him he was safe with John. He wouldn’t laugh at him or tell him how most men would love to have that happen,
et cetera
.

He took a deep breath, dropped his chin and spoke to his lap. “I think I was raped.”

Michael kept his eyes firmly downcast so as not to see anything in John’s that might hurt him. The Bobcat came to a halt and Michael felt John turn his way.

“Is that why you were at the doctor? Are you okay? Do you need to fly out, because I will leave that bastard of a brother of yours at the fucking airport and not look back?” John had been filled in on the whole Richard story, including the parts about Tori, a pregnant wife, and Michael’s parentage.

It took Michael a minute to realize what John must have thought. “Not by a man, John, by a woman.” The only sound was John’s heavy breathing as he digested what he was just told.

“My question still stands, are you okay? Do you need to fly out?” Michael just shook his head no, to both.

“You know, it’s not unheard of, and it can be tough to deal with. No one should be touched if they don’t want to be.”

“But maybe I did want it, at least on some level. I mean Hell, I had wood and I finished, so how is that really rape?”

John’s tone bordered anger. “You listen to me. A man’s body isn’t like a woman’s, just because your body reacted does not mean you wanted it or that you were not violated.” After a brief pause, John posed some questions, with a calmer tone. “If I may ask, when did this happen? And where? And…who? Do you know her?”

“It happened the night we arrived in town, I picked up a waitress from the diner and took her back to the hotel. We fooled around but it felt wrong, so I called an end to it, and she didn’t listen. I said no, but my body said yes. She straddled me and I couldn’t stop myself from coming. I didn’t want it to happen, but it did anyway. Then, when she hugged me today at the clinic like nothing was wrong, I started gagging. If I had eaten anything I would’ve thrown up.”