Everything You Need (21 page)

He leaned over her and pressed his lips against hers.

She really had to get away from him. Her eyes closed.

His tongue flicked out and its tip brushed against the seam of her mouth.

She knew that as soon as he kissed her, she would be lost, so lost, and everywhere he led, she would follow. She pushed against him, but the grip he had on her was like a steel vice. She blinked. She sucked his lower lip into her mouth until she had it between her teeth. She didn’t want to hurt him, she really didn’t, and yet, she bit down on the tender flesh.

His grip on her loosened and he jumped backwards, his hand flying to his mouth. The tips of his fingers coloured red. Frowning, he glanced at them, then at her.

She wheeled around and rushed to the back door and through it. Her tennis shoes thudded against the linoleum as she ran to the locker room and into it. She locked the door behind her and slumped to the ground.

A grinding as the doorknob turned. “Kris!”

She leaned on the door. “Leave me alone, please.”

“I can’t.”

“You said that you wouldn’t do anything that I don’t want.” She pulled her knees against her chest. “I don’t want you around.”

A short pause before he spoke up. “I know what I said, but I can’t hold myself to that... You want me to give up on you, on us, but I can’t do that.”

“You’ll have to.”

“I can’t. As long as you react to my touch the way you do, I can’t.”

“But...”

“Don’t be a coward, Kris, and give us a chance.”

“I’m not a coward.” She was only cautious.

“You like me and you refuse to admit it. Why?”

She leaned her chin on her knees.

“Don’t tell me, then.” An edge of something white peeked from under the door before it was pushed inside. It was an envelope.

“What’s this?”

“I want those five hours,” he said. “You can’t buy them off, I won’t accept it, but I’ll give you time before I cash in on them. A month should be enough for you to think things through.”

“No, you can’t.” She jumped up, thinking about unlocking the door and stuffing the envelope into his hands. But if she had done that, he would probably just have shoved it back at her.

Chapter 22

Ashton leaned closer to the mirror and dabbed pine ointment on the swelling under his eye. Next, he focused on the bruise on the upper part of his torso, before occupying himself with the bruise on the side of his back, clenching his jaw at the dull ache that coursed through him when he twisted his body far enough to reach it. He considered himself to be a capable fighter, one that could best half the members in his gym, but in the last fight he had been up against an opponent who wasn’t just good but excellent, which had resulted in some ugly bruises and cuts that marred his body and face.

The sound of a phone ringing drifted from the table.

It could be Kris. He limped to the table and picked up his phone. It was Kalen. He answered it. “What do you want?”

“Your door’s locked?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Stop sulking and unlock it.”

“I don’t want to talk with you, traitor.”

Kalen sighed. “If you don’t unlock the door, I’ll break it down with one of your sculptures. The dragon-snake you have in the gallery seems suitable. I might damage it though, especially the wings, they look so fragile.”

“Come in, then, if you must.” Ashton went to the door, unlocked it, opened it and walked to the couch to slump down on it. His shirt was tossed over the back of the couch, he took it and pulled it on, grimacing as the fabric brushed against his injuries.

Kalen entered the room, closing the door behind him. He had taken two steps into the room when his gaze landed on Ashton and he sucked in his breath. “What have you done to yourself?”

“Just letting off a little steam.” Ashton sank deeper into the couch and lifted his legs onto the table.

“Because of the situation with Kris?”

“What do you know about it?”

“Not that much.” Kalen sat on the armchair. “I saw her yesterday, she looks tired and wrung out.”

Ashton pulled his legs from the table and straightened. “Is something wrong?”

“She has worries, with her mother and losing her tenant.”

“Yes?”

Kalen shrugged.

“You know more than that.”

“I might.” Kalen stretched his legs and crossed them at the ankles.

Ashton leaned forward. “Tell me.”

“If you promise you won’t participate in any more fights.”

“They’re my favourite outlet.”

“You still have alcohol and sex.”

“I don’t feel like drinking.”

“That’s a first.”

“And I’m not in the mood to fuck anybody who isn’t Kris.”

“Do you really have to be so vulgar?”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“And childish?”

Ashton closed his eyes for a moment. “Fine, I won’t fight for a month, now tell me what you know.”

“For a year.”

“Two months.”

“A year.”

“Three months.”

“Two years.”

“Half a year.”

“Three years.”

“One month.”

“Half a year, it is.” Kalen offered him his hand.

Ashton leaned forward and took Kalen’s hand and shook it. “Half a year, then. Now, talk.”

“I don’t know that much, really. Camden is too tight-lipped about it, but I do know that her mother is sick and she’s been in a health retreat for half a year or so. Camden told me that her part-timing at The Delight and the rent are the only income she and her mother have, and that the loss of her tenant, even though the rent isn’t that high, is going to hit them hard. I heard that she’s looking for a second job. I’m thinking of hiring her as my secretary; that is, as soon as I find an office to lease.”

“I would have given her money, she only had to ask.”

“Do you really believe she would have taken it?”

“No, probably not.” Ashton rubbed his neck and his gaze got lost in the distance. “I don’t know what to do about her. I’ve given her a month to think things through, but I don’t know if I can wait a month without seeing her.” It had been two days since he had gone to The Delight, hoping that Rose would be kind enough to speak with Kris on his behalf, not knowing that Kris worked with Camden and Rose. Only two days and he had already found himself outside The Delight, spying on her like a fangirl spying on her idol. He told himself that he was keeping an eye out, in case Mary was still stalking Kris, but the truth was he couldn’t keep away from her. He was turning into Mary. “Have you heard anything from Mary?”

“No.” Kalen shook his head.

“I called her a couple of times, but she always cuts me off after just a hello, and she isn’t replying to my texts.”

“She doesn’t even answer my calls. That and her stalking Kris, it’s unsettling.”

“She got pretty upset, the last time we talked, and I’m afraid that she might do something stupid.”

“Camden told me you asked him to keep an eye on Kris.”

“Yes.” Ashton crossed his arms. “Your brother can be such a pain. Do you even know how much begging was involved before he was even ready to listen to me?”

“No, but I’m certain you’re going to tell me.”

“A lot. Your family can be such a pain in the ass.”

“That’s why you fit in so well.”

Ashton rolled his eyes, then asked, “Does Mary still live in that apartment house by that new church?”

“Why wouldn’t she?”

“Because after she found a job, she mentioned that she might find a flat of her own. So, does she still live there or not?”

“You were the one messing with her, shouldn’t you know that better than I?”

“I only went there a couple of times, months ago. You were always the one who took her home after she drank too much. When was the last time? A month ago?”

“Two months ago she still lived there. What do you plan to do? Visit her?”

“Yes. With you. How does Wednesday afternoon sound?”

“What do you expect to accomplish?”

“To see if she’s still stuck on me, and if we can talk some sense into her.” Ashton rested the back of his head on the end of the couch, and rubbed his temples. “This whole situation is so frustrating, from Kris to Mary. I never knew women could be so strenuous.”

“Yes, you did, you just forgot.”

“Kate never made me feel frustrated.”

“She made you feel helpless. I know, I was the one you complained to.”

“Yeah.”

“So?”

Ashton glanced at his friend.

“I see you’re not giving up on Kris.”

“No, I’m not.”

“What do you intend to do to win her?”

“Everything that I can.”

#

The edges of Ashton’s grey and white scarf lifted in a breeze. He took a sip from a paper coffee cup, before directing his gaze at the large windows that stretched over the first floor of the building. His eyes found a blonde, who moved among the tables, and followed her. He was well aware how stalkerish his behaviour was, but he couldn’t help himself. He needed to see her, just a glimpse of her, to sate the longing that squeezed his chest like a dark weight.

Kris stopped at the window and gazed through it.

For a moment, he thought that she had noticed him, but then he saw that she wasn’t looking him but at something to his right. He followed the direction of her gaze and found Mary, standing on the pavement across the street, staring at him. From the corner of his eye he saw Kris turn and walk away from the window.

Mary stomped toward him. “What are you doing here?”

“Just strolling and drinking coffee.” He lifted the cup. “And you?”

“I’m not stupid.”

“Neither am I,” he said. “You have to leave Kris alone. Your issue is with me, not her.”

“You’ve been fighting again.”

He touched his eye. “You should have seen me two days ago.”

“Don’t joke around,” Mary hissed. “You’ve been fighting again and you’re here, lingering outside her door like a pathetic school boy.”

He tossed the paper cup into the bin nearby. “At least I’m not following her tenant around and sending pictures of him to her, like you are doing.”

Mary wheeled around.

In one long stride, he was beside her and he grabbed her arm. “I know how it is when you fall in love and the other person rejects you.”

“You don’t know squat.”

“I know how it is,” he said in a soft voice as he started to drag her across the street, ignoring the curious glances of passers-by. “I know how it is when you love somebody so much that it hurts.”

“You can’t... you can’t love her.” Mary stumbled.

He pulled her closer and hooked his arm with hers. “I can’t help it. I want her. I want her so much that it hurts, here.” He glanced at her and set his hand over his chest where his heart was. He was well aware that his words were hurting Mary, but he had to suppress any hope Mary harboured about them. “I want to be with her, to go to bed with her every evening and to wake up beside her every morning.”

“No, you can’t... you can’t...” Mary shook her head.

“I want to start a family with her and have two point five children with her --”

“Stop it.”

“I want to have forever with her, but if I can’t, I want her to be happy.” He frowned. If Kris rejected him and became indifferent to his touch, he would have to let her go, because as much as he wanted her, like Kalen had once told him, “You can’t force somebody to love you, Mary. You can’t. Just as I can’t force Kris to love me, you can’t force me to fall in love with you either.”

“It’s not fair.”

“A lot of things in life aren’t fair.”

“But if she doesn’t want you, there’s a chance --”

“I’m done with sleeping around,” he told her. “Even if she refuses me, I’m not going to fall into my old habits.”

“You started to fight again,” she said accusingly.

“That’s different.” Ashton fixed his gaze forward. Only two streets separated them from the gallery. They crossed the road. “But I’m not going to fight either, or at least I’m going to try not to.” He had made a promise he had to keep.

She stopped, forcing him to stop too. “I’m not going to the studio.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to be in the same room where you slept with her.”

“We could have a cup of tea in the gallery’s reception area.”

“I don’t want to.” She tried to wiggle her arm out of his hold, but he refused to release her. “I’m going home.”

He sighed. He couldn’t allow her to ditch him yet, not when he hadn’t made sure that she wouldn’t bother Kris again. “I’ll take you home.” He turned them around and directed his step toward the underground parking garage, where he had left his car. She didn’t argue with him, but obediently walked beside him. He waited until they were both in the car and he had driven off before he continued with the conversation. “Kalen said that you’re refusing to take his calls?”

“Yeah, so?”

“He’s your friend and he worries about you.”

“He’s your friend, not mine,” Mary said. “He doesn’t care about me one bit, just the way you don’t.”

“That’s not true.” His eyes found hers for a short second before his gaze went back to the road. “It might feel like that, but despite everything, I do care. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t try to contact you.”

“You’re doing that for yourself, not me.” She pointed at the intersection before them. “Turn left.”

“Don’t you live near that church?”

“I moved. At the traffic light turn left again. Be careful, there’s a lot of one-way streets.” She guided him through the maze of streets until they parked in front of a three-story building. “I rented a studio apartment.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to him. “Do you want to see it? I could make you coffee and we could talk. You want to talk with me, right? About Kris and my love for you?”

“Yes.” He nodded and followed her out of the car then into the coldness of the hallway. They climbed the stairs to the third floor, and then she guided him through the door into a small, cosy- looking room with a kitchenette. Against the opposite wall was a bed, half-obscured by a sofa at the foot of it.

She set the bag on a small table for two in front of the kitchenette and went to the stove.

“I would prefer tea over coffee.” He sat on the sofa, not bothering to remove his jacket, since he didn’t plan to stay long.

“What kind do you want? Herbal? Fruit?”

“Any kind is good.” From the coffee table before him, he picked up a magazine and skimmed through it. His eye stopped on the article
15 Ways to Spice up Your Sex Life
. Did Kris read magazines like that, and would she be willing to pretend that they had just met, as the article advised? Or to role play? Or to make a game out of it? He smiled to himself. The girl had run away from him and locked herself in the locker room and here he was pondering such nonsense.

Mary walked to him and set a cup of steaming liquid before him. “It’s mint tea.”