Captured Secret (The Captured Series) (37 page)

Finally, it subsides and Ty continues to lap at my juices and skin. I twitch every time, and finally pull away from him. His mouth is glistening after making me come so hard and fast. He grabs my face with both hands as a loud knock lands on the door. Our mouths hover less than an inch apart. Our breaths mingle. He squeezes his eyes shut and pleads, “Please, Stella, please.”

My head starts to spin. Almost everything is screaming, hollering and happy that we have him back. I want to talk to him and hear everything he has to say. I want to comfort him because he looks like he needs a true friend. I truly believe that if I stay, he will open up to me. It’s written all over his face. However, what about when I walk back in after work tomorrow night, or the next night and he has his mask back on and the wall is so high I can’t climb over it.

My heart literally crumbles into a million pieces. What if I can’t get it put back together? What if it shattered for the last time? I know what I need to do. Step back from the situation…breathe…think…talk to him without my heart on my sleeve. And today, my heart is most definitely on my sleeve…tonight is not the night to do it. “I have to go, Ty. I’ll call you tonight or leave work early tomorrow and we can talk then, but right now, I need to clear my head. It’s getting harder and harder to recuperate when you pull the rug out from under me,” His eyes flash open and flick from my lips to my eyes, over and over, again and again. If he kisses me, tonight of all nights, I’ll die.

Ty closes his eyes, releases my face, uses the back of his shirt to wipe his mouth and he stands. He extends his hand and pulls me up. “I’ll stall him while you get dressed, Stella. There is still time to change your mind. We can get you out of this.” I watch him walk to the door and unlock it. I jump in the bathroom at the last second and close the door. My eyes instantly spill over. I really don’t know which way is up today. I dress in tank, jeans and sandals. I wipe up the leaky mascara and spread pressed powder all over my blotchy face. I fake some loud sneezes, grab a tissue, and exit the bathroom.

Jason’s eyes light up and then land on mine. “Whoa! You okay, gorgeous?”

“Um, yeah, allergies. I just had a sneeze attack while I was putting on my makeup.”

“I thought you had been crying.”

“Nope.” Jason grabs my hand and leads me to the door. He pats Ty on the back and we walk out the door. I look Ty in the eyes and hate myself. What girl goes out on a date right after the man she loves just went down on her? Me… a total fucking flaky slut, who doesn’t know her ass from a fucking hole in her head, at this very moment. I won’t glance back. His desperateness and urgency has me completely on edge.

Jason walks, talks, and I listen, keeping my face pleasant. We sit down, and I order a tall cranberry with double vodka, splash of sprite and a lime. He orders a beer and some appetizers. Jason catches me off guard. “So tell me, Stel. Tell me about you and Ty, I’m a really good listener.” I don’t know why…but I do. We snack and I talk. When I’m done, he is not surprised. “I knew there was something. I thought he just wasn’t the kind of guy to commit so I wasn’t sure what you saw in him, but now I understand,” We enjoy each other’s company. In a different moment, this would have been a really nice date.

As we leave the restaurant, I head into the bathroom, only to find that my period started. We walk back to Ty’s. Jason kisses me on the cheek, and I walk up to get my stuff. I knock but Ty doesn’t answer. I try a couple more times with no success. I don’t sweat it and resign that I will get my stuff tomorrow.

My car feels like heaven as it takes me home.

Zoey and Pierce are finishing dishes when I walk in. Zoey hits me with it the second she sees me. “You left the party with a man? In a cab?”

I scrunch my face and say, “No! Don’t you think that I would tell you when I am leaving with an unknown man?”

“I hoped so, but we drove Ty home last night. I wasn’t sure why the hell Carson said that. I got here and you were sleeping and gone before I woke. Are you okay? Your eyes are off today.”

“Allergies, I had a sneeze attack in my car, shark week too.”
Holy shit, wearing that one out today
.

“Oh shit! No! Pierce, we need to get busy. Stella and I are almost on the same cycle,” They giggle and we head into the living room. The chaise feels good and the comfort of home makes me feel slightly sane again after the last twenty-four crazy hours. They start watching a movie, and I go to my room and get ready for bed. It’s officially time for me to deal with my feelings for Ty…alone. I come out to tell them good night when Zoey makes me sit and watch Channing Tatum take his shirt off. I pacify her and act like I give a shit.

Pierce picks up his vibrating phone. “What dude? You’re blowing up my phone.” His face is instantly concerned, and his eyes dart back and forth scanning nothing. My heart starts to race because that is never a good phone call. His eyes lock on me. “Fuck. Okay. What? When? Where are you guys? Oh shit. Okay, I’ll come down.” A huge bang happens at our front door and it flies open. “Too late,” he says to the person on the other end as Zoey and I jump, not sure what’s happening.

“Bro, please, just… let’s head home and me and Pierce will help you with this, okay?” It’s Jaxon, his voice is stern yet worried.

“No, where is she? Stella!” I stand as I hear Ty’s voice at the front door. Zoey asks Pierce what’s going on. He shoots me a panicked look. I hear more banging as I round the corner. I see Jaxon assisting Ty back to the upright position after he teetered over into our front door.

“Stella!” Ty calls out into the condo. “Dude, I know she’s here, causehercarsparked out front,” His words are slurred and all run into one another. When he sees Zoey, he exclaims, “I did it, Zoey. Yep, Stella and Jason went out on a date.” He starts to walk, but loses his footing. “Hey! Boyz! Take it easy,” he yells a bit louder than I think he wanted to at Pierce and Jaxon. “Relax, I just came to see how it went.”

Zoey shoots me daggers and whispers without moving her mouth, “You went out with Jason and didn’t tell me? When?”

“We had dinner tonight,” I say softly to her as my chest constricts seeing Ty’s perfect face.

I’ve been standing right here and his eyes finally find mine. “Was it nice, Stella?” Ty slurs my way.

“Ty, are you trashed? What the hell is going on?” Zoey asks, and looks from me to him. My heart is banging in my chest.

Max walks in behind the chaos. It takes everything I have not to run to him, spin him around and make him take me away from all this. He looks around to all of us. “Holy tension, is everything okay?”

Ty laughs. “Oh, Stella…look, Baby. It’s your knight in shining armor. Three in one night, huh? I didn’t take you for that kind of girl.”

I didn’t realize how intoxicated he is. He’s not even being rational. Max lunges at Ty, so I have to grab his arm to hold him back. He basically just called me a slut. “Watch what you say, Ty. Look around you. Everyone is here and listening to everything you say.” I’m pissed. I cannot believe he just said three in one night.

“Oh, Baby, I see them. You think I give a shit? I came to see if you fucked Jason or not, and if you remembered our agreement? Now that I see number three strolled in ready to go, I’m not sure you are keeping up your end of the bargain. Did you ever? Then again, you told me that you can’t do this anymore. You’re ending this. So does that mean the agreement is on or off? Cause I’m confused. Me, Jason and Max…Stella, you said you didn’t want to go back to your old ways.”

My eyes dart around to three people who are thoroughly confused, and one who keeps Ty in his grasp and knows exactly what’s going down. Instant anger fills my entire body. “I’m confused as well, Ty, to tell you the truth. What the hell do you care what I do with anyone? You pushed me to go out with Jason! Remember how happy he is supposed to make me? Do I look happy? Do I look fucking happy now?”

“You look exhausted, but keeping up with three men will do that to a girl. You never answered my questions, just for the record.” Jax finally lets him go and he has to think about walking over to me. It’s a bit unstable, but after concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, he makes it. Ty cups my chin and speaks softly, “Was it fun? Did you have fun? Did you break our deal? Is our deal on or off?”

I shouldn’t fight with him. He’s not going to listen anyway. I look him straight in the eyes. “It was nice, Ty. Jason took me out on this thing called a date. He was proud of me. Talked to me openly, without worrying constantly if he was crossing any lines... because there were NO lines! He’s not embarrassed of me, and didn’t hide me away like his dirty little fucking secret! As for our agreement, we don’t have one. Remember, we were just casual and what was the other line of bullshit…it’s not you it’s me. Honestly, Ty, for being Mr. No Filter, I really thought you could come up with something cleverer than that.”

Ty gets close to my face and I can smell the recent consumption of liquor on his breath. “I told you to never say you’re my dirty little secret ever again. Remember, I fucked that thought out of your head.”

Zoey gasps. I don’t skip a beat. “And I told you that I don’t do bullshit lines anymore, and yet, I fell for all of yours! And I am, in fact, your dirty little secret. You’re the one that hides me away! Oh, that’s right, you explained that. It’s because we aren’t public, when you slum it, you usually do keep that a secret, Ty. And our agreement was over when dirty, dishwater, wallet leaving, slutty blonde kneeled down and sucked your fucking dick! How many others, Ty? Trust me, I realized our agreement was that I don’t fuck anyone, and for the record, I didn’t. But you never said you wouldn’t, and now that we are being honest…how many others do you bend your precious rules for? Is it just me you won’t kiss? Cause I’m sure you kiss the others. And the others, do you let them stay with you all night in your bed? I’m not even sure I want you to answer that, but you did good, Ty. I’ll give you credit,” I chuckle sarcastically. “You made me feel special. You made me feel like you just might let me in, and want something more. That’s what I don’t get. Why? Why fuck with me when I was so open with you?” I pull my face out of his grip but we stand inches apart.

“I only bent my rules for you! All the others are one night only! One night, Stella, and none of those was while I was with you.” He gets a big, yet, shitty smile on his face. “You sure our agreement is over? I mean, you were the one moaning out my name about five hours ago. How was Jason, Stella? Did you beg him like you beg me?”

Max lunges for Ty again and Zoey steps between the two. “What in hell is going on with you two? Are you fucking kidding me?” We turn and face Zoey, who is visibly upset. I look at her and feel so guilty that my best friend has no clue what is going on.

“We’ve been having sex, Zoey,” I answer, and look back at Ty as my chest heaves in and out trying to find air.

“How… why didn’t either of you tell us? Why didn’t you tell me? We are supposed to tell each other everything.” Her heart looks broken that I kept this from her.

“Ty doesn’t want to date. He says he just can’t. But in reality, he just won’t. It was just sex. Hence, I allowed myself to settle for being his silent whore. It was obvious after the first time we did it that he didn’t want you all to know. I didn’t care if you did. To be honest, it seems like we aren’t telling one another everything anymore. I was informed you and Pierce are moving in together and I haven’t been told when my move out date is yet. Nor have you two broken that news to me.” Great, now I’m lashing out at my best friend. I cool my jets and hang my head. “Sorry, Zoey, fuck. This all just kinda started to blow up last night.”

“To be honest, Stella, not everyone is out to get you. You have to trust some people that they have your best interest at heart. Pierce and I have been talking about living together, but it will benefit you as well.” She waves her hand in the air like she’s swatting a fly. “That’s neither here nor there at the moment. So, are you two together?”

Ty slurs, “I wanted to talk tonight. She left with Jason. I can’t give her more than I have been giving her. It’s all I have to give. I won’t be crushed again. I won’t have another girlfriend fuck someone right under my nose ever again.”

“I never asked you for more. You asked me if I wanted it, I said yes, but I never officially asked you for anything other than a true friendship. You never open up to me. I know something is going on in your life and you stay closed. You told me to go out with Jason. I had no desire and you pushed. You wanted me to go. You pull the rug out from under me all the time. It fucking hurts, Ty. To never be good enough! To not hold your attention! For you to pick the not so pretty girl at Carson’s over me! You promised ME last night!”

“You left me tonight! You said you were mine! You walked out on ME today!” He speaks to me with clenched teeth, “I even pleaded with you not to go. You left me!”

“You told me to go!” It’s gotten heated again. I never expected this to blow up like this.

“I can’t have you fucking my clients, Stella, I just can’t.” He looks like a bulldozer hit him. His face looks like something physically hurts inside of his body. He goes stone cold still. I’ve never seen the numbed out glazed look he’s hitting me with.