MVP (VIP Book 3) (8 page)

“I’m aware.”

“I mean, damn…if you’re going to cheat, don’t downgrade; she was already fucking the boss. Now that’s disgusting.”

He shook is head.

“What? I mean, and the obvious, too; she hurt you and shit.”

“Oh lord…have I told you how much I’ve missed you?”

I looked up in thought. “Not today.”

We sat there for an hour just shooting the shit. I was grateful that he was there; I needed to take my mind off Sebastian. Devon was always there for me, he was my go-to person and it meant everything to me that he still was. When I first opened up my bar, he came and stayed with me for a month to get things settled and showed me how to run the place. I didn’t even have to ask him, he offered. During that time, I opened up to him and finally told him everything; my mom, running away, VIP, The Madam, Sebastian, all of it.

Granted, we were drunk when having this serious conversation…there was no way I would have been able to do it without liquid courage. He just sat there and listened, never judged, never asked any questions, nothing. He’d always been my shoulder to lean on, it didn’t matter what happened or would happen in my life, I knew I always had him. He’s known me since I was sixteen years old, and literally picked me off the street when I had no one, taking a chance on me when I never had that before. He was my best friend, a brother, and my only family outside of VIP. The first person I’d ever said “I love you” to and meant it.

And
that
meant everything to me.

Ysabelle is going to be the death of me.

I couldn’t believe she just walked out on me like that. With no explanation, no excuse, no warning, just up and left after I poured my heart out to her. I’m trying to be honest and upfront with what I want…after all this time and everything we’ve gone through.

I want her.

For the first time in my life, I was thinking about what I wanted. Me. I’m fighting a battle that I didn’t know if I would ever win. I couldn’t lose her again; I wouldn’t survive it. It’s frustrating to no end to not have a clue as to where the fuck I stood, where the fuck we stood. One minute I felt like we were making progress, going in the right direction, and then the next, I didn’t recognize the woman standing before me.

She lets me in and then shuts me out.

She swallows me whole and then spits me right back out.

Am I wanting too much too fast?

We went almost two years without seeing or speaking to each other, isn’t that enough time for her to decide what she wanted? Did she not think about me at all during our time away from each other? How could she not?

I thought about her every fucking day. I never stopped thinking about her.

“Ethan!” I turned when I heard a yell from behind me. “You can’t run away from me like that, buddy.” Devon picked up his kid, dropping the duffle bag onto the sand. 

He nodded at me. “Hey, man,” he greeted, walking up to me.

“Hey.”

I had met Devon twice before, the first was at his bar with Ysabelle, on one of our first encounters, and the following time, I went to his bar to ask about her. If it weren’t for him, I probably would’ve never found her. I knew their history; Ysabelle had told me all about him. He took care of her when she had no one and for that, I’m eternally grateful to him.

“How you been?” he asked.

I sighed and he laughed.

“Don’t you just love her?” he sarcastically questioned.

“Mmm hmm…”

“Where’s our trouble maker, anyway?”

I nodded toward the stairs. “She’s upstairs.”

“You guys okay?”

“I hope so.” 

He placed his hand on my shoulder. “Hang in there, man. She’s worth it.”

“Trust me, I know. She’s waiting for you,” I acknowledged.

He geared his head toward the stairs. “You coming?”

“Nah, you guys catch up.”

Watching him with his son made me think about Christian. I missed him. He was growing up so fast and I didn’t want to be an absentee father, he was seven and before I knew it, he’d have his first girlfriend and be applying to colleges. I had to go back to Miami.

I just hoped that Ysabelle would come with me.

“So…spill it, what’s going on with you and Romeo downstairs? He looks like a

kicked puppy. What did you do?”

My mouth dropped open. “What makes you assume it’s me?”

He raised an eyebrow and kissed Ethan’s head, leaving him to play with his Legos on the dining table. I scooted over when I realized he was coming to sit by me. We both tucked one leg under the other to face each other.

“That man is devoted to you, Kid. You’d be a fool not to notice.”

“I know.”

“So…then what’s the problem?”

I shrugged. I didn’t want to talk about it.

“Okay, let me guess and stop me if I’m wrong.”

I nodded, slightly amused.

“From what I gathered over the rampage you had on the phone earlier, I’m assuming he wants a life with you. There’s nothing wrong with what he’s requesting, and to be completely honest, most women would be on their knees wagging their tails from the commitment.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Yes…I’m fully aware that you aren’t most women.”

I smirked.

“What are you so scared of? The Ysabelle I know looks at fear and laughs in its face, and then she goes back and gives it blue balls.”

That won him a laugh. “Ugh! I’m not scared…I mean…I don’t know. I–” I stuttered. “I guess I didn’t expect this. I mean, I am devoted to him; I love him with everything I am. But sometimes, I feel like it’s overwhelming how much emotion is behind our relationship. Does that make any sense?”

“Of course.”

“We have this history that isn’t good, there’s so much hurt and pain from both ends. Mostly his, though…he’s the first person that ever hurt me, and I can’t help but feel responsible for that.”

“What? Now you lost me.”

“You know who I am, Devon, I’ve known you…what? Ten years now? It took me almost nine of them to finally let you in. I’m not made like that. But I let him in, wholeheartedly and pretty much immediately, and I got fucked in that; emotionally, mentally, physically, I was put through the ringer. And I just kept going right back for more…I was needy and pathetic. That’s not who I am and I pride myself on being strong and independent. I mean…look at everything I have. I. Did. That. With no help from anyone else.” I paused to gather my thoughts and take a deep breath for what I was about to say. “I’m terrified that if I become that person again, I won’t be able to find my way back to where I am right now. I’ve grown so much since I left VIP and I don’t want to ruin or jade that.”

His eye widened and he nodded. “That’s some deep shit, Kid.”

“Tell me about it.”

“However, what if it doesn’t?” he countered.

“What do you mean?”

“What if you do get the happily ever after? Men fuck up…we don’t understand women at all and pretend like we do. I can sympathize with him, and not that I’m trying to excuse what he did because it was wrong, but people make mistakes, it’s human nature. Men are selfish; we want what we want when we want it, plain and simple, black or white, all or nothing. There’s no grey area for us. You just have to decide what it is that you want.”

“I want him,” I instinctually declared.

He smiled. “Then that’s your answer.”

I could hear them laughing from the stairs before I even made it to the third step. It was 11pm and I had been at the bar all day, thinking. I hadn’t seen or spoken to her since this morning. I can’t say that I wasn’t hurt by the fact that she hadn’t even texted me. I gave her space that I assumed she wanted and let her spend the day with him. It didn’t stop me from feeling…fuck…I don’t even know. Frustrated, maybe?

I opened the door and what I saw nearly knocked me on my ass. Ysabelle was laying on the love seat with her head on Devon’s lap as he caressed her hair.

What the fuck?

They were laughing and didn’t even realize that I had walked into the room. There were two empty bottles of wine on the coffee table, and both of their glasses were nearly empty. I couldn’t help but take in the familiarity of the way they looked at each other. When she stumbled on her words and his fingers grazed the side of her cheek, I nearly lost my shit.

I slammed the door shut.

They both jumped, looking over at me. “Heeeyyy,” she addressed with glossy eyes and flushed cheeks.

She was drunk.

“Hi?” I questioned.

“Where have you been all day?”

“Running your bar.”

She lazily smiled, not picking up on my irritated tone.

“Kid,” he chimed in, leaning her forward and putting her arm around his neck to help her up. “I think you need to go to bed.”

I was over to them in three strides and shoved him in the chest. “I got her,” I warned and he nodded, releasing his hold on her.

She leaned upward, placing her hand on his chest for balance and gazed at him. “I’m so happy you’re here. I missed you so much.” Her arms went around his neck, putting all her weight on him and his arms instinctively went around her. “I love you, Devon.”

His eyes locked with my manic glare.