Perfectly Broken (14 page)

"Calm down." The bouncer was tugging Zane back as he spoke.

Jordan wiped his hand along his lip, smearing blood across his face as it continued to stream from his nose. I reached for Jordan and he pulled me close, keeping his body angled between Zane and me. I'd
never
seen Zane lose it like that. The fury in his expression still hadn't abated as Jordan took a step back, forcing me toward the door. I stared at Zane, trying to catch his eyes but his gaze stayed locked on Jordan until I could no longer see him.

"Your roommate is fucking crazy," Jordan said.

He had his hand on my lower back as we exited the club, moving toward the street. I shook my head, my eyes still wide as my brain struggled to process the last few minutes. Nothing had been said, had it? I told Jordan my roommate was coming over so I could introduce them and Zane just attacked him. We walked quickly for several blocks, blending into the crowd as we broke out onto The Strip.

"I've never seen him like that before. I'm so sorry. He was drunk and…"

And what? What else could I say? I couldn't excuse what Zane had done.

"Hey." Jordan pulled me gently to a stop. I looked up at him. He held a bar rag to his nose with his other hand. It took me a second to realize someone must have handed it to him after the fight. He pulled the rag down and I was glad to see the blood at least seemed to have stopped flowing. "You have
nothing
to apologize for, Lili." He wiped his face again, raising his clean hand to cup my cheek. "No feeling guilty for this, okay? This is his issue, not yours."

I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed that small, affectionate gesture. Whatever Jordan was doing to me, I wasn't sure I wanted it to end
.
Just as soon as that thought entered my mind, I remembered that he was leaving in three days for Hawaii.

I nodded, not sure I could speak as I tried to swallow down the lump rising in my throat. This was why I didn't get attached. No, actually, I didn't trust people and that was why I didn't get attached but somehow, I thought maybe I was starting to trust Jordan.

"Okay," I promised. "No feeling guilty."

He smiled, sliding his hand from my cheek, down my arm to take my hand. "What about you? Are you okay? I saw you fall and I tried to get to you…" he trailed off, squeezing my fingers.

"I'm fine," I said, waving a hand to brush off his questioning. The last thing he needed to worry about after my roommate attacked him was whether or not I was okay.

He slowly led me down The Strip, stopping to clean up at the first bathroom we passed while I waited outside. I realized then that I'd left my purse on the bar. I had no belongings with me. Crap. I'd have to go back to the club to pick it up
.
But
,
not until later.

The confusion and fear I'd felt was giving way to my anger at Zane. What the hell was wrong with him? He'd been acting so weird all week
,
but the part of me that felt guilty earlier for not being around to talk to him about whatever he was going through was completely overtaken by my outrage at his actions. He was all but fucking that chick on the dance floor and was headed out the door with her, yet he attacks the guy I've been seeing all week? Was this some sort of sick payback for the bimbo on his birthday?

"You okay?" Jordan asked as he touched my shoulder. I blinked, pulling myself from those thoughts and giving him a smile. I reached over and took his hand, squeezing his fingers and nodding. I could see the redness on his cheekbone and around his nose, the starting of bruises that would surely be blooming from the fight. The guilt I'd promised not to feel churned in my stomach once again.

"I'm fine. Where to now?" I wanted to get his mind off of what happened and I didn't know if he had something else he wanted to see while he was here.

He frowned and looked around, seeming to consider. "I'm not sure. If you have somewhere else in mind, I'm game. Otherwise, I guess we can just hang out in my hotel room." His eyes sparked with mischief and he wrapped both arms around my waist, running his lips along my neck. I dropped my head back with a laugh.

An older couple walking by watched us, smiling. We must look like any other happy couple on vacation. The thought made my heart stop for a moment. What was happening to me? It was like I was turning into a completely different person. I looked around and smiled as a plan — a very Lili-like plan — came to mind.

"Come on."

I tugged him to the crossover, taking it toward the East side of Las Vegas Blvd. He paused, glancing at the lights flickering down the street for miles. I looked with him
.
In the last few years of living here, I’d forgotten the effect of the glitz and glam side of Vegas. It really was a remarkable place.
 

He followed as I pulled him through the casino and to the escalator at the back, leading up to the monorail.

"Where are we going?" he asked, chuckling as we left the crowd behind us, heading up to the platform. So few people used the monorail it sometimes surprised me that the city still found it worth the money to maintain. "Does this thing even run this late?"

 
I glanced over my shoulder at him, winking as I placed my palms on one of the supports for the turnstile and pushed myself easily up and over without setting off the alarm.

"Only one way to find out." I took a few steps backwards, smirking and curling my finger to beckon him over. "Or are you scared?"

Jordan straightened, shaking his head slowly as a wicked grin spread across his face. He took a step back and ran toward the gate, hopping straight up onto the metal edge and off to the inside, landing steady on his feet. I laughed, turning to run up the escalator as quickly as I could in heels. I made it to the platform as the announcement sounded, saying the monorail was pulling into the station.

I heard him behind me and just as I reached the doors, he lifted me from behind, both hands around my waist. He carried me onto the train car. The monorail was empty so he walked, with me in his arms, to the back while I continued laughing.

"Do you have a destination in mind?" His voice was soft in my ear. He took a seat, pulling me onto his lap. I grinned at him and leaned in
,
grazing my teeth along his bottom lip before answering.

"I have an idea," I said, turning in his lap as he kissed me. I pulled my leg over him, sliding closer as I straddled his legs and pressed my body against his. He rested his hands at the edge of my dress, his fingers grazing the hem as he tugged it up, trying to free my legs so he could pull me closer.

He groaned in satisfaction when his efforts worked, my pelvis pressing into his. I could feel him through his pants and didn't hesitate, grinding my hips as my body begged for friction.

"I always love your ideas," he mumbled the words against my lips, neither of us bothering to look up as the monorail made another stop. The doors opened automatically and I continued moving on his lap as we kissed. His hand slid under my dress completely, his thumb hooking inside the material of my panties, immediately finding that perfect spot. I closed my eyes, my back arching as I pressed into his hand.

I found his lips again as I reached forward, tugging open his pants with precision and freeing him from his boxers. When he pulled the condom from the front pocket, I couldn't help but smirk at him. After this week, he was learning my evil ways and was much more prepared. I took the package and tore it open with my teeth before sliding it over him quickly. He steadied my hips as I lifted myself on my knees, pulled my panties aside
,
and covered him completely.

"Shit. Lili
,
you are always so fucking perfect." He lifted my hips while I rolled myself against him. His thumb found its position and we rocked together, both giving little groans as the bumping and vibrations of the train added to our enjoyment.

I could feel the sweat drip from my hair onto my back, slipping down my spine under my dress as we moved. I arched my back, my cry muted against his lips, as he thrust into me a few more times. His thumb moved harder against me, drawing out every second of bliss as he followed right after. He kissed my lips softly, holding me in place, our foreheads bent together for a moment as we tried to catch our breath. He glanced behind me, his eyes widening before he ducked his head.

"Umm, we have company."

I stiffened, glancing behind me to see an older Asian couple on the other side of the train car watching us with wide eyes.

I lifted off Jordan slightly, remaining on his lap while he readjusted his pants and helped me slide down the hem of my dress. At the next stop, we stood and I shimmied my breasts at the couple as I let Jordan lead me off the train.

"You're fucking insane!" he said, laughing. I looked around, realizing we were close to his hotel now. I bit my lip, wondering how to get out of going to his room tonight. He saw my expression and his face fell. "Come on, Lili. Stay with me. Please? I'm not ready to say goodbye yet." His deep blue eyes were serious. He reached up, his palms covering my cheeks as he tilted my face up to his. "Please?" he whispered against my lips. I couldn't say no, even if I'd wanted to.

"If I ask you something, do you promise to hear me out?" Jordan's question was soft, barely above a whisper. I yawned, stretching slightly as the sheet covering my body slipped lower. I was laying on my stomach on the bed, both arms crossed under the pillow. His lips trailed along my shoulder, causing me to smile. I made a small sound of assent.

It had been two days since the incident at Lust and we had barely left his hotel room. I'd wanted to go home at first, but facing the real world could wait. My time with him was limited. I'd called in sick to work for the first time in over a year. Shannon wasn't happy but there wasn't much she could do. Jordan had gone to the gift shop and bought me the essentials, a toothbrush for one. We'd ordered room service the few times we remembered we were hungry. It had been like a vacation
,
but Jordan was leaving tonight. That meant I would go back to my life.

"Was that a yes?" he asked against my ear.

I nodded as he grazed his teeth along my neck. I turned my head to look over my shoulder at him where he hovered above my back. I could feel him pressing against me through the thin sheet and I lifted my hips, pressing my backside against him.

"Oh
,
hell. If you don't stop that I'm going to lose my ability to think straight."

When I repeated the motion, he rolled over, facing me and resting his head on his arm.

"These last few days have been incredible. I've been dreading today since the night I met you at Shadows. I was watching you sleep last night—"

"Because that's not creepy," I teased him.

He gave me a small grin, shaking his head. "I was watching you sleep and I thought, 'If I could watch her sleep every night, my life would be perfect.'"

I tensed, wondering where he was going with this. I had been anxious when we first came to his room but he had helped me relax over the last few days. Now, that trickle of apprehension was starting to seep through my veins again at his words.

"No. Hear me out. You promised."

I swallowed hard, knowing my eyes were wide but unable to change my expression any more than I could stop my pounding heart.

"So, I was thinking… you should come with me. We could stop at one of the chapels on the way to the airport and make it official. It could always be just like this, Lili."

I couldn't breathe. I heard a noise and I realized I was gasping for air, just as I had after hitting the ground at the club. I stared into Jordan's eyes for a long moment, seeing the concern there, before shoving myself up to a sitting position. I pulled the sheet with me, wrapping myself in it as I glanced wildly around the room, feeling panicked.

"Don't freak out," Jordan's voice was soft. He held out a hand, reaching for me
,
but I scurried to the other side of the bed. I got tangled in the sheet as I moved, falling to the floor in a heap.

"Are you okay?" I could tell he was worried but he was also trying to hide his amusement.

I buried my face in my hands, shaking my head. "Am I okay? How is any of this okay? You just… you asked me to marry you and you don't even know me! I don't even know you! I have to… I have to get dressed
,
" I rambled as I searched among the covers for the dress I had worn the night at Lust. Jordan watched me cautiously but didn't interrupt my rant.

"What do you think I need to know about you that I can't learn in Hawaii? Are you some sort of serial killer?"

"No! Of course not," I answered, appalled. I found my dress, dropping the sheet long enough to tug the fabric over me before reaching around to struggle with the zipper. "But you don't even know my last name!"

"Please
,
don't go. I'm sorry. I guess it was a stupid idea."

Standing, Jordan came up behind me to zip the dress, leaving his hands on my bare shoulders
.
The feel of his warm skin against mine helped to calm my rattled nerves.

"It’s a stupid idea, Jordan. I don't even know if I
believe
in marriage. Like, even as a concept. Who decides they're going to be with one person and one person only for the rest of their life? Who in their right mind can promise that to another person?" I was rambling again as his hands ran from my shoulders to my wrists and back again.

"This little panic attack doesn't have anything to do with your roommate, does it?" he asked against my ear. Irritated, I went to pull away from his hands but he held my shoulders.

"No! What the hell does Zane have to do with anything?" I asked, pulling again
.
This time he released me, almost shoving me away from him. I spun around, caught completely off guard by the look on Jordan's face.

"He seems to have
everything
to do with you." His eyes narrowed and scanned my body. The way he emphasized the word had me taking a step back toward the door. "Your little speech sounds exactly like someone who has been burned by marriage before. And
,
after his reaction to seeing us together the other night, I'm positive I was right about his feelings for you from the start."