Pointe of Breaking (11 page)

My mouth damn near hit the ground. A fire pit as big as a garage—wait. Had it been a garage? “Is that a Volkswagen burning in the flames?”

“It’s Chase’s actually. His dad is a salesman down south and gives Chase his junkers on trade,” Leo explained.

“On trade?”

“For every A, Chase’s old man gives him a beat-up car to destroy. His dad previously gave him a wagon at the beginning of last semester, hoping it would entice him to make his final year a productive one.”

“And he lights them on fire?” I couldn’t believe it.

“He likes to jump over them with his skateboard.” Leo rubbed the back of his neck. “He says it gets him laid.”

“That’s because it does get me laid!” a voice called from behind us. A blond, shaggy haired guy straight out of
Surfer
magazine jogged up to us. He carried a skate board under his arm.

I laughed. “So, if you’re still carrying around your board, is it safe to assume you haven’t swept some girl off her feet with your fiery moves?”

“The night is young. I haven’t gotten burned yet,” Chase sung.

“I heard you had a close one,” Leo said.

“From who? That blabber-mouth Tommy? That pledge doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Chase said to Leo and then stuck his hand out to me like he was going to shake it. Instead, he brought my hand to his lips and planted a swift kiss. “Having a good time with this dope, Adeline?”

He knew my name. Of course he did. It was plastered in the papers. “How could I not?”

Get. A. Hold. Of. Yourself!
I couldn’t believe I’d just said that out loud! What did Leo have over me? Luckily a guy running across the yard wearing only a gold thong with glued on feathers saved me from further conversation about my night’s enjoyment.

“The quiet life of a fraternity,” Leo said as a group of drunken girls in sumo wrestling body suits chased after Mr. Thong.

“Homecoming. Plus, we do some freshman initiations at these,” Chase explained, eyeing the girls in the wrestling outfits. “Whatever girl collects the most feathers wins the contest. The Kappa Delta Sorority sometimes collaborates with us on initiations.”

I recalled the Greek symbols on Felicia’s halter top. That explained why she was here. “So it’s not usually this crazy?” I asked, taking in the collegiate mayhem.

“You’d be surprised,” Chase said and jumped on his skateboard. I didn’t know how he did it, but Chase jumped in the air, bringing the board up with him and hung for a half-a-second while the board twirled beneath his feet.

“Show off,” Leo scoffed but carried it with a grin.

“Leo! So glad you could grace us with your presence,” a stalky, buzzed cut guy called out, walking up to us. He handed a Solo cup to Leo who had blanched. Even Chase, who was as laidback as any typical surfer, groaned.

“Who’s your friend?” Mystery Man asked.

“Adeline, this is Micah, the fraternity prez,” Leo stated.

Micah’s eyes widened. “Adeline? The ballerina?”

I wished
Rotten Apples
hadn’t wasted so much ink capturing my ass. “Yes, I dance for a living.”

“Maybe you can dance for me sometime,” Micah said.

“Dude, not cool,” Chase said at the same time Leo growled, “Back off!”

I thought Leo was going to knock Micah out for treating me like a prostitute, but his eyes glazed over as he looked passed his frat president and his face turned deadly. I wished it was Micah who had put Leo off, but it had nothing to do with their president and everything to do with another Gamma Phi leader.

Blake.

With her phone still glued to her ear, Felicia pointed at me. She said something to her husband, but he wasn’t listening to her. No one was. His eyes were cold and hungry as he glared down at me. I cringed. I hated that I’d ever been connected to the son-of-a-bitch. Without taking his eyes off of me, he harshly kissed Felicia on the forehead before dismissing her back to the party inside. It was creepy how he kissed her. I hated that I could still feel his angry kiss on my lips. The possessive gaze in his eyes was no better—like I still belonged to him.

My blood ran cold the minute I saw Blake approaching. I had seen him when we first arrived and about turned Adeline around and ran. But I wasn’t about to be pushed out of my own House because of him. I even had a small hope that Blake might have some decency left in him and leave us the fuck alone.

No such luck.

Blake kissed his wife, and she scampered off in a hurry, probably to find Sasha, no doubt. He strolled up to our group like he was the king of campus. He was flanked by his gomer of a friend, Dominic. Dominic was a big, bruiser of a dude that resembled an NFL Linebacker. He was Blake’s shadow during their reign at Columbia. Now both alumni, they’d stop by our fraternity house occasionally, but neither of them had been to a party in months. The timing tonight was extremely coincidental.

I glanced over to Adeline, and saw that she noticed him too. I ground my teeth as I watched guilt and shame ripple across her face. I hated that he did that to her. I hated that he put her in that position. I hated those two things more than I hated him.

“Fighting already?” Blake asked and then glanced at Adeline like she was a perfect stranger. “I’m Blake Rossi. So nice to meet you…”

He reached his hand out to shake hers, and I swore Adeline was going to faint. What. A. Prick. He knew very well that the majority of the fraternity knew about his relationship with her. Or the secrecy surrounding it all at the very least. To come up to her like he didn’t know her was enough to make my blood boil.

Her balance swayed and she clenched her fists, attempting to get control of herself. She closed her eyes tightly and when they reopened, they were cool and detached. This was her stage face.

“I’m Adeline,” she whispered, her voice betraying her.

I placed a reassuring hand on the small of her back. Her poker face was fading, and I couldn’t handle it anymore. I hoped that my touch was enough to help her get through this moment.

“Blake—” I started but was cut off by a prick that probably used tweezers to hold his dick when he peed.

“Well, Adeline.” Blake offered his arm to her as he shot me a tiny wink. “This is an invite only party, so you’ll understand when we ask you to leave. I’ll escort you out.”

“I’ll see myself out,” she said, her voice shaking.

He reached for her arm and before I had a chance to pummel him, Adeline stepped away from his outstretched arm and tripped on an empty can.

I caught her before she tumbled and her whole body trembled against mine. I looked into her wide blue eyes and a flood of aggression shot through me. Not aggression toward her. Just aggression toward the fact that this douche still had such an effect on her. I righted Adeline back on her feet and tucked her safely behind me before turning to face Blake head on.

“Damn right it’s invite only. And she’s with me,
Blake
,” I sliced his name out of my mouth like it was poison.

“You know the rules, Leonardo!” Dominic barked from beside Blake. Blake smiled proudly at his loyal dog.

Fuck me, did I ever want to pummel both of their faces right now. “Yeah, and she’s with me! That invite only bullshit applies because I invited her.”

“Bull shit or not, this is tradition, Leo. And you’re a part of that tradition,” Micah scoffed standing next to Blake like he wanted to be in the middle of a Blake/Dominic man sandwich. “I’m getting really tired of your above it all attitude.”

“Oh yes, that’s right, Leonardo. I saw the headlines last week.” Blake’s expression was covered with mirth as he stepped closer to me. We were both eye level and breathing heavily. He disgustingly licked his lips. “You helped this sad little ballerina out didn’t you? So thoughtful. Loved your tights that night…Adeline was it?”

Blood roared in my ears. A choked response came from behind me as Adeline attempted to reply.

“No worries Micah,” Blake smirked and tweaked his eyebrows at me playfully. “Leo’s not above much the way I see it.”

I lunged.

I didn’t think. I just lunged. I grabbed his shirt collar and his cocky smile morphed to shock as he clutched my wrists. I drug him over a few feet, and he scrambled to keep his balance. A satisfying crack echoed as I slammed him back against the side of the house.

“I’m tired of your fucking mouth, Blake!” I roared. No way was I going to continue letting him fuck with people like he had been for so long. Adeline especially. Alumnus or not, this shit was over.

I heard a scuffle happening behind me and glanced over my shoulder just as Chase cranked Dominic’s wrist in a wristlock that dropped him to his knees. “This ain’t your fight. Stay the hell out of it, and I won’t break your damn wrist,” Chase shouted.

Chase eyed me with an expression that if shit was going to escalate, he had my back. But I knew that he was just trying to minimize casualties at this point.

“Leo, stop. This is Blake! Are you fucking high?” Micah’s voice pierced through the ringing in my ears.

“Yeah, Leo, you better fucking watch your step. You have no idea what I could do to you.” Blake’s timbre was choked as I pressed my fists harshly against his throat to shut him up.

“Do I look scared?” My voice was laced with fury. I pulled him to me and slammed him back against the house again.

His perfect expression flinched with the blow. “You should be,” Blake seethed through clenched teeth.

Suddenly Adeline’s voice broke through my rage. I felt her delicate hands wrap around my clenched bicep, halting me dead in my tracks.

“He’s not worth it, Leo,” Adeline said soothingly in my ear.

Her tone was smooth and controlled, and my rage crackled and relaxed just by the touch of her hand and the sound of her voice. I hated her near me when I was so keyed up. It scared me. I didn’t want her anywhere near this shit right now. I wanted to protect her from all of it.

“Please, just come with me.
Please
,” she said quietly against my ear.

The tension all over my body eased at her quiet and calm request. The fact that she was speaking to me and only cared about me in this moment resonated strongly. I loosened my grip on Blake. He immediately brushed me off and smoothed down his crumpled Armani button down.

“Go take a fucking walk with your date, Leo,” Micah said stepping between our murderous eye standoff.

Micah shoved me back and Adeline grabbed my arm, tugging me further and further away. Chase gave me a discrete nod of approval as I retreated.

Blake’s green eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of Adeline’s hands wrapped around my arm. “Big mistake, Leo. Really fucking dumb,” he said still adjusting his prissy shirt.

I wrapped my fingers tightly with Adeline’s and laughed. It felt good. The fact that Blake walked around like he was running all of Manhattan was the biggest joke. He may be well connected, but what he didn’t realize was that I didn’t give a damn. I was so over this shit.

I twirled on my heel and ushered Adeline quickly through the gaping morons sprinkled all over the lawn watching the spectacle. I had to get her out of here. She was way too good for this fucked up scene. My hand grazed her bare back and her skin prickled with goose bumps.

We reached the yard and I snatched my jacket up off the ground where we haphazardly left it earlier in our wild and carefree romp. I turned and silently put it on her, then quickly grabbed my helmet and pushed it down on her head. Finally, for the first time since shoving Blake, I looked at her face.

Her eyes were wide and worrying. She was trying to stay strong but failing miserably. I pursed my lips and zipped my jacket up all the way to the top, tugging it up closely around her neck. She was swimming in it but at least she was covered.

“There’s not enough armor in the world to protect you from that shit,” I murmured angrily under my breath while I continued messing with the zipper.

Her helmet-covered head tilted forward and rested on my chest. I rubbed her arms soothingly and they began to quake beneath my touch with silent sobs.

Why was it that the most carnal feelings outweighed the others, the more sensitive ones? Fantasies where Leo pummeled Blake played over and over in my mind. The way he charged Blake without hesitation. The way Leo defended me without question. My stomach fluttered. My head was at war with my heart, not knowing if I should feel excited that a man, that
Leo
, would do anything for me, or that I still was crushed by Blake.

I couldn’t see through all the tears. The harsh claws of betrayal were too fresh. It stung. Blake pretended not to know me—me! The man I was going to spend the rest of my life with. The man that I’d prepared to wake up next to day in and day out. The man to who I’d shared my bed. The man that even after a fucking year of separation still couldn’t associate with me. I didn’t even know if I was crying because I was angry, or because I was sad, or if it was some messed-up combination of both.

However, Leo seemed more assertive now than he had before. It was as if he’d stumbled onto some conclusion when I’d tripped on the can. I saw it when his eyes had zeroed in on Blake. Hatred embodied them when he defied Blake’s oh-so-subtle way of kicking me out of his life again. And even now, as the adrenaline rush passed, I still saw peril in his gaze, in his touch, as he whispered my name.

His adoration for me was a force not to be fucked with.

Another fugitive tear slid down my cheek, joining the dozens of others spilt tonight as my head rested on his chest. At least the helmet shielded them from his sight. I was so ashamed of myself that I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I couldn’t stand the sight of my reflection, and I had a hard time believing anyone like Leo could bear to look at me either.

“Blake was an absolute idiot to keep you a secret from
anyone
,” he stated like the last part meant more than a simple turn of phrase.

Nevertheless, I could think of a hundred reasons why he wouldn’t want to acknowledge our past. The top one being his wife. My humiliation was at its peak, and my guilt was immeasurable. I didn’t care if Blake had tricked me into thinking we could be together again. If his wife or anyone else would ever find out, the judgment and rancor in their eyes would be deserving. Even so, it would be nothing compared to the bitter disgust I bore in my soul. I thought better of myself than being an adulteress, regardless if I knew or not.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“Awful things that should never be said out loud.”

“Not about yourself though...”

I couldn’t even bring myself to utter his name much less have a conversation about that horrible, asinine man or our destructive history. “Just take me away from
him.
Anywhere. Just get me out of here.
Please.
”

He didn’t argue about my request to leave. It probably had more to do with the drunken bunch of girls approaching the frat house than with my pleas. One of whom was Sasha who had her phone glued to her ear. I imagined Felicia watching Leo and I from the living room window, giving her the play-by-play of my melt down.

Before the band of blondes got too close, we mounted the bike. The second after I wrapped my arms around him, Leo revved the engine and punched it. I closed my eyes and savored in the bliss of being alone with my thoughts. I didn’t know how long he drove. I didn’t care. I just needed to get away from every poor decision I’d ever made.

It wasn’t until he brought the motorcycle to a halt that I opened my eyes and removed the helmet. I had expected him to bring me back to my studio apartment. We couldn’t have been further from it.

In a city made up of concrete, few bricks were laid. That he’d found an entire part barricaded by them was impressive.
The Garden at St. Luke in the Fields
was spelled out above rod-iron gates.

“I come here when I need time to think.” Leo cut the engine and dismounted. “Trust me.”

For me to trust him wasn’t a request. He was desperate to gain it and was sick of waiting. Nevertheless, trusting someone again would take time. He was the type to be worthy of such a feat. However, the sting of Blake’s betrayal was a constant reminder that I was terrible at knowing who to trust. Even so, I took his hand and the chance that
Leo
wouldn’t be just another name in my ever-growing pile of mistakes.

As we stood next to the bike, he wiped the tears out from under my eyes. “I’d do anything to stop these.”

I thought the traitorous bastards had stopped. I guessed I was wrong. Cupping my face, he leaned in and placed the gentlest kiss on my eye lids. A cool sensation followed the warmth of his lips. And somehow, the simple caress wiped away some of the pain harbored in my heart.

Upon opening my eyes, I fell into the reflection of his gaze. How could a man I barely knew hold so much adoration for me? I was practically a stranger.

Yet, his touch was familiar.

With all of that came the realization that I was falling in love with him… And that he was falling just as fast gave me
hope.

My nerves exploded, sending waves of exhilaration throughout my body. Leo was falling in love with me—me! To know that unequivocally, to feel that with my entire heart, to
see
that look in his eyes, eradicated every contradicting thought I’d had about being unworthy of love.

In a matter of weeks, it felt like years had spanned. Wasn’t that what life was comprised of? A few precious moments to treasure? I stared at him, memorizing every single thing about him. For the first time in my life, I understood what it was like to cherish another.

“You’re not looking away.” His voice was so resolved that it cut straight to my heart.

Was it bravery to show one’s vulnerability? Or foolishness? I supposed it didn’t matter. The feeling that was consuming me wasn’t something I could deny.

“How can I?”

I slipped my fingers alongside his as he escorted me to the brick wall. He then clasped his hands together, expecting me to scale it. I raised an eyebrow. He’d just told me to trust him in anticipation of breaking into the park?

He chuckled. “There she is. My sassy girl defies all good reason.” He dug out a key from his back pocket. “Don’t worry. I have extended privileges.”

“To the City park?”

“My father has an in with the city council. He commandeered us keys to lock up after big events since we do so much advertising for so many of the venues in the City.”

Of course. Why wouldn’t the Richards have keys to the City?

The gate whined. He pulled it back just enough for us to pass through. His hand slipped though mine and walked me down the cobblestone path. My heels clicked on the rocks. The overcast of the city’s lights illuminated the park enough for me to fall in love with all its grandeur. Small white flowers were sprinkled everywhere. Vines draped overhead from tree to tree. The fragrance of honeysuckles reminded me of home in Chicago. The natural beauty chipped at my hardened heart.

He led me over to a park bench. It wasn’t until I sat down next to him and laid my head on his shoulder that I realized the night’s cold nipped at his skin. It wasn’t freezing by any stretch of the imagination, but I suppose driving around town on a motorcycle without his leather would get chilly. I went to remove his jacket and he gave me a look that suggested I’d gone utterly insane.

“You’re cold,” I protested.

“What kind of man would I be to take a jacket from a lady?” he asked and then gave it a second thought. “You’re right. I changed my mind. I’m freezing.”

He slipped his arms under my knees and behind my back. Before I could protest, which I wasn’t about to, he’d sat me on his lap. I laid my head against his chest. Listening to his heartbeat, I took in the beauty around me.

With everything that just happened at Gamma Phi—with Blake—I knew deep down I was no expert when it came to the matters of the heart. How could I have been so head-over-heels for that man and not have known he was a total prick? Was I the only one who lost all sense when it came to the l-word
?

After what seemed like forever, I asked, “Have you ever been in love?”

His body stiffened, and he stopped playing with my hair. “High school.”

“Not Sasha?”

He chortled. “No, not Sasha. Why?”

“Then you understand that when you’ve ever loved someone, there will always be a part reserved in your heart for them, good or bad.”

He had a look of complete panic and was failing at hiding it. I didn’t want to talk about Blake or anything thereof, but I felt like he was something that we needed to clarify. Something he needed to understand. The second I uttered Blake’s name, Leo’s face hardened.

“You act like I’m raw from heartbreak,” I said.

“You act like you still love him!”

“He
betrayed
me; my trust. He abused my affection for him, and I may never know why!” I shot back. “Do you have any idea how that ruined me?”

“You act like if he were to tell you that he’d made a huge mistake, you’d take him back.”

His accusation stung. Had I not thought the offstage romp had been more? Granted, I wasn’t about to let Blake back in my life
now
…but before…before he slipped on his wedding band, I thought there was a chance we could be together again…I had wanted him. Not now.

“He acted like he had never met me. I understand why he woul—”

“Why are you defending him!”

I pressed my finger on his lips. If he was too busy talking, he’d never hear me. His anger was obvious with the flex in his arms. However, that my soft touch could silence a man like Leo meant worlds to me. When he calmed down, I removed my finger and slipped it down the back of his neck, tracing his hairline. “I am his dirty little secret. Do you think he’d go from hiding an engagement to publicly acknowledging me after he cheated on his wife? He isn’t stupid.”

“From my vantage point, I’d have to disagree.”

“I am and will always be nothing more than a mistake to him. An affair. A thrill. A piece of garbage he cast away… I’m no more than a piece of white trash to him. He couldn’t have made that any clearer tonight.” The words tasted like vile, but they needed to be said. That was the cold hard truth. I did love Blake, a long time ago. And a piece of that would forever be in my heart, but that didn’t mean he was good for me or that I’d take him back. All it meant was that I understood the trenches of love. “I have no future with him, and even if I did, I wouldn’t want it, not anymore... Why are you smiling?”

Instead of a verbal reply, he kissed me. He kissed me like it was enough of an explanation for his happiness. Oh, he kissed me in a way that awakened every inch of my body and obliterated whatever I’d been going on about seconds ago. His hand slipped behind my neck as I wrapped my arms around his. As his lips caressed mine, every worry, every concern, every problem in my life melted away until there was only him.

Cupping my face, he pulled away and rolled his thumb over my lips. My eyes fluttered closed. There wasn’t a sensation more enchanting than his obsession with my lips. I parted my mouth and sucked lightly on the tip of his thumb. He watched in awe as I flicked it with my tongue. I grinned, loving that I affected him as much as he did me.

The opportunity was there, but I didn’t want to change this moment. It was too perfect without complicating it further by giving into the sexual tension between us. Instead, I savored the moment by resting my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

“I don’t ever want to leave, Leo.”

“Then we’ll stay here all night.” He tightened his grasp around me. “Have you ever slept on a park bench before?”

Now we were toeing the line of a conversation I
never
wanted to have. Park benches hit too close to home. Literally. I couldn’t deal with the complications money brought.
Just ask my sister Zoey, wherever she ended up.

“I’m not answering that question,” I stated.

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to think I’m a gold-digger.”
And I don’t want to talk about anything to do with my sister.

He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve slept on a park bench.”

I pulled back and stared at him. He was lying. He had to be! “I don’t want to call you a liar, but I don’t believe it.”

“I may be getting my degree in economics and finance, but I’m not obsessed with money in the way you’d think.” He stared into space. “It’s one of the few majors my father approved of since it would compliment Richards & Brown Advertising, as I’m to take over the company someday.”

“That’s why I don’t want you to think I’m into you for your money. You have this fortune 500 company waiting for you after college.” The words hadn’t come out right. I wasn’t judging him. I just didn’t want him to think my intentions were impure.

“Your face just went white.”

“I just…” I looked away.

He caught my chin. “I thought you were done doing that.”

I managed a half-smile, then took his hand and rolled my fingers over top of his hand, entangling us again. “I don’t have a multi-million dollar company waiting for me. I only have what I can make of myself.”