Reparation (28 page)

“Oh, yes, I would love that. Jameson Kane, begging -,”

“
Please.
Please, don't do this,” he whispered, grabbing her arms and yanking her close. “Please. I'm
begging
you.
Don't do this
.”

The shocking just did not stop.

“Jameson, stop, you're making a scene,” she hissed at him. He shook his head.

“Do you think I give a fuck? Goddammit, Tatum, just listen to me,
for once
. You're willing to try out all this happy-home bullshit with him? Well, let
me
try it out
with you,
” he urged.

“You don't mean these things,” she breathed, shaking her head.

“
Please
. You haven't given me my chance, and I was here first. You want all these things, let me try to give them to you. You said you wanted a prince – I'm as close as you can get,” he told her.

“I said I wanted Prince Charming;
you're
the Prince of Darkness.”

“Still a prince, baby girl.”

Too much. This man is so much.

“Jameson ...,” she breathed, closing her eyes.

“Here. I bought you something. Today,” he was suddenly saying, letting her go. She opened her eyes to see him digging something out of the plastic bag. He pulled out a large, square, velvet box. She glared.

“Is this a joke?” she demanded, yanking it out of his hands as he held it out to her.

“No. Just open it. You'll -,” he started. She smacked him in the arm with the box.

“
You just don't fucking get it!
For such a smart fucking person, you don't fucking get anything!
You can't buy me!
” she shrieked the last part, hitting him over and over with the box. He grabbed her wrist and the box fell out of her grasp, clattering to the ground at her feet.

“I'm not trying to buy you, you stupid bitch! Just fucking open it!” he yelled back. People were starting to stop and stare at them.

“Go fuck yourself. This is why I didn't want you here, why I don't want to see you. You ruin
everything
,” she growled at him. He glared back at her.

“You know what? Fine.
Fine
. I can't make you be with me, you're right. You wanna be fucking stupid, then go be fucking stupid.
But don't be with him
. Don't go be with him, just to not be with me.
That's
stupid. I can bear the thought of you being out there alone, without me. What I can't bear is the thought of you being out there with
the wrong man
.”

Tate didn't know what to say to that – Jameson, willing to let her go. Jameson, simply begging her to not be with the wrong person. She was at a loss. It didn't matter anyway. She still hadn't found her voice when she felt an arm slide around her waist.

“Are you okay? Excuse me, mister, you can't just -,
oh.
”

Nick and Jameson stared at each other. She felt like she was going to melt into the floor. The two had never met. She had never wanted them to meet. They were from different spectrum’s of her life. Jameson was the dark. Nick was the light. The two weren't ever meant to meet.

“
Tatum,
” Jameson's voice was full of warning, but he kept his eyes on Nick.

“I didn't realize you were here,” Nick started, glancing at Tate briefly before going back to Jameson. “I'm Nick Castille.” He held out his hand. Jameson
did not
shake it.

“I know who you are. The question is, do you know who
I
am?” Jameson asked, his voice full of steel. Nick nodded.

“I am very aware of who you are. Is he bothering you?” Nick asked her, his arm getting tighter around her waist. She pulled away from him, moving to the side of them both.

“No, just give us a minute, he was about to leave,” she said quickly. Jameson snorted.

“I'm not fucking going anywhere,” he replied.

“She asked you to leave. You need to leave,” Nick stressed. Jameson moved his stare to Tate.

“
Unfinished business, Tatum,
” he told her in a soft voice. She shivered.

“Not anymore,
Kane,
” she whispered. Nick glanced between them and stepped forward.

“Alright, enough. You're obviously upsetting her. Time to go,” He told him. Jameson barked out a laugh and stood to his full height, a good two inches over Nick.

“I'm not going anywhere. Didn't she tell you? The whole point of my existence is just to
upset her,
” Jameson informed him. Tate actually laughed at that one. Nick just got angry.

He never did quite get my sense of humor.

“That's it. You need to leave, or I'll get security to kick you out of the hotel,” Nick warned him. Jameson laughed again.

“Try it. I'll buy
this hotel
, then redecorate the interior with your small intestines,” Jameson threatened.

“Stop it,” Tate finally piped up.

“Wanna say that again? I didn't quite hear you,” Nick growled, stepping closer to him.

“I don't repeat myself to people
like you,
” Jameson growled right back.

“Probably because people
like me
are too far above you.”

“Yet not far enough above me that I couldn't make you regret ever touching her.”

“
Stop it!
” Tate shouted, pushing her way between them. She put a hand on each chest and shoved. Nick took a step back. Jameson didn't move a muscle.

“Tate,” Nick said, his tone no-nonsense. She glanced at him.

“Give us a minute,” she urged. Nick's eyebrows almost went into his hairline.

“Are you kidding me? After everything he's done!? Tate, don't let this guy ruin what we -,” Nick started to argue, when Jameson stepped foward, pushing into Tate so see she was trapped between the two of them.

“
Stop!
” she hissed, trying to push them away from each other again.

“'
This guy
' was here long before you ever were, and he'll be here long after you're gone,” Jameson warned him. Nick glared and stepped forward as well. Tate was officially squished, her shoulders pressing against a chest on either side of her.

“Yeah, well, I'm the guy who's with her right now,
not you,
” Nick snarled. Jameson laughed demonically.

“You so sure about that?” he challenged.

“I was sure last night.”

It happened so fast, Tate didn't even see it coming. For a big guy, Jameson was pretty quick. He gave a sharp jab with his right arm, slamming his fist into Nick's nose. Tate shrieked as Nick stumbled backwards into a wall. She turned and hurried to his side.

“I didn't even see you yesterday! Why would you say that!?” she demanded, grabbing his head and forcing him to look up. Blood was coming out of both nostrils, and from his teeth, but nothing looked broken. He managed a chuckle.

“I wanted to piss him off,” he sighed.

“Mission fucking accomplished,” Jameson swore behind them. Tate glared over her shoulder at him.

“Just go away. You've already ruined my evening – did you have to ruin his!?” she snapped.

“
Yes.
I came down here to say something, and I'm not fucking leaving till I say it,” Jameson snapped back.

“Well I don't wanna fucking hear it. I've heard enough, so just go fuck yourself,” she said through clenched teeth. He smiled.

“I believe that's your job.”

Nick lurched off the wall, almost knocking her down. She pressed her hands against his front, trying to stop him, but he surged forward. She yelped, lost her footing, and had to wrap her arms around his chest to hold herself upright.

He thinks that's an insult? That's everyday-polite-conversation for Jameson Kane.

“Talk to her like that again, and we'll see who -,” Nick started to shout.

“
Shut up!
” Tate finally shrieked. Everyone paused. She pushed herself upright and stared at Nick. “Stop trying to defend my honor – there isn't much there to defend. He's not going anywhere, so let's just go back inside.” She heard footsteps and then Jameson was right behind her. She didn't look, but held out an arm, putting her hand on his chest again to force him to keep his distance.

“
Tatum
,” Jameson's voice was right near her head. Almost pleading sounding. “
Hear me.
Just this once. Do what
you
want, not what you think is going to piss me off.” She turned her head back to face him.

“You need to
go,
” she urged.

He stared at her for a long moment. One of his hands went to his chest and covered her own. His palm was warm. Almost hot. He clenched his fingers around hers, and it was like he was transmitting images and memories straight to her brain. The places his hands had been, the places they had taken her to, if she would just remember. Just listen to him.

“Aright. Alright, baby girl, I'll go. If that's what you want. That's all I came here to do, all I
ever
wanted to do for you; just give you whatever you want,” he said in a soft voice.

Tate swallowed thickly, but before she could even think about what he had said, he was walking away. Striding towards the elevators, barefoot and in a ball cap. Looking as unlike Jameson Kane as he ever could, as she would probably ever see.

Too much
.

“Tatum, are you okay? I'm sorry, about all that, what I said. I didn't know he was here, I was caught off guard,” Nick said from behind her, his hand cupping her elbow. She nodded.

“Yeah. Yeah, I think he got here today,” she said softly.

“You knew?”

“I bumped into him earlier. Just for a couple minutes.”

“Why didn't you say something?” he asked. She shrugged.

“I didn't think it mattered,” she whispered, still staring after
him
.

Nick pulled her into a hug. She leaned into him, trying to hear his heart beat. Trying to let it ground her. Tried to concentrate on his arms around her. But all she heard was words. So many words, running around her head.

“
... You're part of me, you belong with me ... I want to be with you. I want you to be with me ... I can bear the thought of you being out there alone, without me. What I can't bear is the thought of you being out there with
the wrong man
...
”

“Do you want to leave?” Nick asked. She shook her head and pulled away.

“No, I'm fine. Let's just go sit down,” she told him, and started walking back towards the conference room.

“Wait. What is this?” Nick asked. She turned back to see him scooping up the velvet jewelry box from the ground.

“Nothing. Just ..., nothing. Here, it's mine,” she said, taking it from him.

She sat at the table and fidgeted. She felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She felt like was going to puke. She smiled and laughed at all the appropriate times, but she wasn't listening. She was thinking about blue eyes and strong fingers.

Wrong. He's wrong for you. He's never understood what you want, what you really want.

By the time dessert was brought out, she felt like she was calming down. She was laughing at something an outfielder's wife was saying. Nick had even lightened up a little. He had cleaned himself and his nose had stopped bleeding, which was a plus. Now his hand was back on her knee. She ignored the way her skin felt so ...,
normal
, under his touch.

“Doing okay?” he asked, leaning close to her ear. She nodded.

“Yeah. Just tired,” she replied. He smiled at her.

“Why don't we go upstairs, and I can -,” he started, when he was interrupted by one of the coaches. Tate let out sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted to do was “
go upstairs
” with Nick.

While he chattered away to the coach, her eyes fell on the black velvet box. She glared at it. Stupid Jameson. Stupid fucking pearls. Fitting though, pearls the first time they came together. Pearls the last time they parted. She wondered how much they cost, wondered if she could leave them at the front desk for him to pick up. Wondered if she could strangle him with them. She drummed her fingers against the box.

“Awww, did Nicky get that for you?” the same wife from earlier drawled in a thick Southern accent. Tate smiled.

“Oh no, it's from ..., an admirer,” Tate joked.

“Ooohhh, may I ask what it is?” the lady continued. Tate shrugged.

“I'm not really sure, I haven't opened it.”

“Well, honey, what are you waiting for!? That's a big box! Open it!” the woman insisted. Tate sighed and dragged the box forward. Braced herself to see what her price was this time around. $50,000, $60,000, hell, maybe he'd gone all out - $75,000. She flipped open the lid.