Keep Me (23 page)

“Say it, Beck, enough with this hurting my ego shit. I can take it.”

He took a long pull of his Rum and Coke before he blurted it out. “Maybe she doesn’t think you’re good enough for her. You’re a twenty-four year old guy who makes a living out of looking good and fucking around. After what she’s been through I doubt she’s looking for another husband and let’s face it, bro, even if she was—you’re not ready for that.”

Ouch!
I let it sting first and then, as if reacting to any other blow to the balls, I became defensive. “How the fuck…
Wow
! I cannot believe you just said that.”

I really wanted to punch him, or stop him from continuing, but with a sly grin and a nervous chuckle, he went on. “I mean it in the nicest way possible. I know you have feelings for her, that’s plain to see, but she’s a grown woman—do you really think that if she wanted to be with you—
seriously
—she would let something like Riley’s disapproval get in her way? Think about it.”

I
had
thought about it. It wasn’t the craziest reason to keep us a secret. Plain and simple—my sister didn’t approve and she was important to us both. But when I really thought about it, long and hard—Fuck, he was right! I knew how women worked, and when they wanted something or someone they didn’t care who or what was in the way. At least that’s how
I
felt. If Tessa gave me the green light to out us, I would deal with the wrath of Riley and go on my merry way. Tessa was the one who wouldn’t let up about being discreet. Tessa was the one fighting against us.

“Calm down, man. Your veins are popping out!”

“No, fuck that. I can’t accept that I’m not good enough. I’m a good guy. I mean, I know my past isn’t so… spotless, but I’d do anything for her. I would change it all for her.” I stared down at my napkin, crumpling it into a ball then spreading it out flat only to rip it up into shreds.

“Yeah, well I wonder if
that
guy would.” Beck broke me of my silent temper tantrum with a finger in the direction of the dance floor.

“What guy? What are you—” Oh,
hell
fucking no. There was no way I was letting Mr. Suit and Tie himself get one step closer to her, even if he was more her type. I mean, what kind of douche wears a suit to a bar?
The kind of guy with a normal corporate job, who comes to the bar after a long corporate day, looking to pick up your craving-a-stable-guy girl.

“Excuse me, Beck.” All of a sudden I was a gentleman, excusing myself from a bar table? Some suit-wearing turd was all over my girl. “Get outta my way.” I growled as I pushed Beck back down in his seat. That was more like the Marcus
I
knew.
Glad you found your balls again, buddy.

“Don’t do anything stupid, Marcus. Causing a scene isn’t going to change her mind about you.”

That was the last thing I heard him say before I went and did something really stupid. “Hey,” I tapped the JT wanna-be on his pin-striped shoulder. “Can I help you?”

He eyed me up and down, staring a little too long at the tattoos on my neck—the flesh bulging from my t-shirt. “Sure, are you taking drink orders? I’ll take a Bud Light for myself and two Ketel and Cranberries for my new friends here.”

First of all, how did he know what they were drinking? Second of all, “I’m not some bus boy, asshole. I’m her…” What the fuck was I? One look from Tessa—her eyes pleading with me to play it cool, not to be an ass, not to disappoint her. Second-guessing my original statement, I said, “I’m her brother.” I glowered at Riley this time. She wanted to play the protective, meddling sibling… two could play at this game.

“Can’t your sister speak for herself? And what about her friend, Jess, was it?”

“Her name’s Tessa and no, they’re both spoken for so… Get. The. Fuck. Away.”

“Marcus!” Riley scolded, nudging me with her tiny fist. I wasn’t budging.

“It’s okay, Ry.” Tessa was between me and JT now—one hand on my chest, the other reaching over to touch Riley’s shoulder. “Come on, Marcus. Song’s over, we can go sit back down now.”

I gave one more evil death-glare to the man who had dirty intentions for my sister and my… Tessa… and gulped down the rage that was starting to simmer. “Good idea. Good night, prick.”

“What did you just call me? Fuck you, asshole.” The words I saw coming—the punch not so much.

“Marcus!” Both Tessa and Riley shrieked as I staggered back. But it was only due to the surprise of the impact, not the force, or lack thereof, that came with it. I lifted my arm and wound up for retaliation, but my swing was stopped mid-air by a tight grip on my bicep.

“Dude, what the fuck? This isn’t you.”

Wasn’t it though? I was a fly-off the handle, pig-headed, immature, not-worried-about-the-consequences delinquent. This was what Beck was talking about when he said I was no good for Tessa. At least I was proving him right.

“Marcus,” his hand bit into my chest as he spoke in my ear, “you’re better than this. Come on, bro, before it gets ugly.”

“Please, Marcus. Let’s just go.” Her eyes magnetized mine. It was just her and me. Everything else was wiped away for one split second. It was as if she was warning me with her eyes to show her that I
was
good enough for her. The thought relaxed me, brought me back a step.

Through gritted teeth, I spoke, “Let’s go. Beck, you share a cab with Riley and make sure she gets home okay. Tessa, you’re riding home with me.”

“But…” my sister tried to put in her two cents.

“But nothing. Good night, Riley.” I shot the guy one last dirty look and then grabbed Tessa’s hand, leading her from the club.

“What the hell were you thinking? Are you insane? Why would you—”

My mouth crashed over hers, silencing her. We were in the cab all of two minutes. She waited until we were alone to try and rip me a new one for my behavior, but I wasn’t having it.

“Marcus,” she tried to speak past my tongue, but I wouldn’t let her.

“No talking. Tonight you’re mine.”

She put up a good fight, pawing at me, pulling back, but I wasn’t letting her go this time. It had nothing and everything to do with possession. I would in no way try to own her the way Zack had staked his claim on her, but I wanted her to be mine—mind, body, and soul—and this was the only way I knew how. I grabbed chunks of her hair, needing her close, wanting our skin to meld together.

“Marcus, please, it’s too much,” she murmured. There was no sign of fear in her voice, only the slight tang of embarrassment over the peeping Tom of a cab driver.

I pulled back, panting, my hands still wrapped in her hair, our mouths inches apart. “What? You want me to stop? Tell me you want me to stop, that you don’t want this… that you don’t want me. I’ll stop right now. I’ll go home and leave you alone.”

She stared into my eyes. And what I saw scared the shit out of me. She was lost. So fucking lost, and all I wanted to do was be able to help her find herself again. “No. Please don’t stop. Don’t give up on me, even if I make it like I want you to. I need you.”

She needed me? Was I hearing things? That’s definitely not something a girl says to a guy who she doesn’t think is good enough. Tessa made me want to be good enough. There was work to be done, but nothing was impossible. “I need you too, baby. You have no idea how much I fucking need you.”

We stumbled into the house, the two of us still intertwined and groping. As I kicked the door shut behind me, I remembered that Trish, the babysitter, would be watching TV or asleep on the couch.

“Marcus, stop a second.” I whispered against his mouth, but he wasn’t stopping. His hands already plunged their way inside my jeans, working their way into my panties. “Baby, go upstairs and wait for me. Let me pay the sitter.”

The rushed frenzy of wanting to rip each other’s clothes off came to an abrupt halt. Marcus backed away slightly, pulling my lip in his teeth. “Don’t keep me waiting too long. You. Are. Mine. Tonight.”

My knees almost buckled between the weight of his stare, the heat radiating off his touch, and the possession in his voice. “Go. I’ll be right up.”

I adjusted my clothing and smoothed down my hair. I found Trish in the living room, asleep, propped up by a pillow. I nudged her on the arm softly and her eyes fluttered open. “Hey, I’m back. How was he?”

Sitting up and stretching out her legs, she answered, “Perfect, as always. Have a good time?”

“Yup.” I remembered annoying Marcus with that little word the other day, so I corrected myself. “I mean, yes, I had a good time.”
And it’s about to continue so thanks for taking care of my son, but get the hell out.

“Great. You know, I’m available during the week, too. I can always use the extra cash, so just text or call anytime.” She bent down to put on her Chucks.

I handed her her pay for the evening—money well spent—and thanked her. “You’re the best, Trish. Thank you. Luca really seems to love you, too.”

“Aw, that means a lot. He’s a special little boy. I’m happy to be a part of his life.”

I walked her to the front door and watched her get into her car. With Luca in her care I always had peace of mind. I thanked my lucky stars as I closed the door behind me and raced up the stairs two at a time.

After checking on Luca, I quickly freshened up in the bathroom. I didn’t want to keep Marcus waiting, but I had a surprise. Already having planned the sexy sleepover, I had tucked away a black lace negligee in the vanity drawer. It was one of those corset types that boosted my cleavage all the way up to my neck. I finished off the look with a garter belt, attaching the straps to silky black thigh highs—it left nothing to the imagination. Marcus would love it, more so now that I knew how much he needed me.
“I need you too, baby. You have no idea how much I fucking need you.”
Those might have been the sexiest words he ever spoke to me. Thinking about the way he said them made my heart gallop in my chest and caused dampness in my barely-there panties. Spraying a squirt of my favorite perfume to my wrists, I scanned myself in the mirror—if I approved, Marcus would
definitely
approve. He wouldn’t expect this from me and I liked the idea of a wow-factor.

For some odd reason, I was nervous. Marcus was so determined in the cab—so rough, so different from the other times. Tonight there would be no gentle love-making—did I have it in me to show him I could be wild too?
He’s already had his way with you—multiple times—all of a sudden you’re shy? Own the getup and fuck that boy’s brains out.

I swallowed back the nerves, pushing them way down with the rest of my doubts and worries. He wasn’t being rough to hurt me, it was his way of showing how much he wanted me. I wanted to show him how much I wanted him too. Apparently my subconscious found her kinky side. Marcus brought that out in everyone.

“Own it.” I said to myself as I prowled into the bedroom, the door creaking open slowly.

“You kept me waiting long enough. I thought I made it clear that—” The lamps were dim, the curtains drawn shut, but I didn’t need light to see the excitement on his face. “Holy. Fucking. Shit.” He shot up from his horizontal position on the bed. “Tessa,” he growled. “Here. Now.”