Saved (Tempted #2) (6 page)

I had been home for four hours. West told me he would be by after I got off from work. But instead of moping around I told Grace to get ready for a night out on the town. I wasn’t going to sit around and wait on him to show up. I wasn’t one of those girls.

I put on tight blue jeans and a short sleeved crop top. I slipped my leather jacket over it before quickly rushing over to curl my hair. My make up with subtle except for deep red lip. Looking in the mirror, I thought I looked great. But I knew it was a lie, I felt like shit.

Sitting on my bed, I slid my feet into my black ankle boots. I thought about trying to call his phone but I wasn’t in the mood to be ignored again. I had literally called him forty seven times. And send him twenty texts. For real. So, I decided make him face me in person. Whether he wanted to or not. 

“Where are we going?” Grace asked, looking at herself in the mirror.

Bless her heart, she was always ready for a party. And she liked Ethan Charles, the calmest person I had ever known. Well, besides Emma.

Go figure.

“We’re going to the race track,” I told her, slipping my phone in my back pocket.

“Hot guys in fast cars? Yeah, let’s go,” she said, pointing to the door.

I was only interested in one hot guy and I didn’t want to just watch him race. I wanted to be the one who got his heart racing tonight. I wanted to know why he stood me up and I wanted to hear the words I needed to hear from him.

Tonight he was going to meet a Maddie he had never met before. In fact, I hadn’t met her either. But I knew I was going to like her.

“We’re going to the race track to meet West, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.”

“How do you know he’ll be there?”

“Because I know him.”

I knew him inside out. Right now he was lost and I knew I was the only person that could find him.

Walking past Grace into the living room, I grabbed my keys from the counter and headed for the door.

“Hey, slow down. Wait for me!” I heard Grace yell from behind me.

Turning around, I saw her wobbling toward me.

“You shouldn’t have worn heels,” I mumbled under my breath.

Walking down the black wrought iron, I looked at the clock on the wall. It was a little after nine. The crowds would just be arriving at the race track. But I would have bet anything I owned that West was already there. Leaning against a car, cracking a joke trying to hide the pain that lived inside of him.

But as much as he wanted to hide it, it was there.

Opening the door, I felt the cold winter air hit my face. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Grace doing her best to run after me in her stripper boots. Unlocking my jeep, I opened the door and jumped inside. Turning up the heat, I watch her struggle across the parking lot. She had on a tight red sweater dress and knee high boots.

When she finally made it to the jeep, I hopped out and got in the passenger side.

“What are you doing?” Grace asked, leaning against the vehicle for support.

“I need to get there fast and you drive like an escaped convict,” I told her, cracking my door open.

‘I do not! Don’t hate on me because you drive like my grandma,” She said, sliding in the driver’s seat and gripped the steering wheel.

Chuckling, I put on my seatbelt and prayed that she got me there alive.

“So, are you guys over?” Graced asked, speeding down the road.

“No. I mean I don’t know. That’s why I need to see him,” I told her, holding on to my necklace.

“And why are you dressed so sexy?”

“Because if he did break up with me, I want to show him what he’ll never have again.”

She must have liked my answer because she nodded her head and kept her mouth shut the whole way to the race track.

With the silence I started thinking, maybe he wasn’t meant for me. Was the fact that he couldn’t tell me a sign that we weren’t right for each other? I hoped not but just because I wanted him to be the one didn’t make it happen.

I tried to make myself believe that. But it was no use, I wanted West and only West.

Pulling up to the race track, Grace parked. And by parking I meant slammed on the breaks.

“You’re lethal,” I told her, hopping out of the jeep.

“Shut up,” she said, slamming the door.

“Emma is a better wing woman. She wouldn’t have dressed like a hooker,” I told her, rushing to into the already huge crowd.

“You look liked you should be twerking on top of some car in some cheeisy eighties video.”

Looking at each other, we smiled. That was our thing. We insulted each other. Weird, right?

“Do you see his car anywhere?” I asked, scanning the countless cars.

Grace didn’t answer me, instead she stared straight ahead. Following her gaze, I saw him sitting on the hood of his car with one leg propped up on the grill. It should have been a sin to look that good without trying.

Like always he was surrounded by a group of girls. And no matter how many times I had seen a flock of skanks around him, I still ended up being jealous. Tonight was not his lucky night, not only was I jealous.

I was pissed.

He stood me up for a group of bleach blonde bimbos. I waited hours on my boyfriend and there he was laughing like he was innocent. I should have known better than to let him fool me again.

Storming his way, I silently celebrated the fact that I had worn my jeans that hugged me in all the right ways.

“Maddie, what are you doing here?” he asked, looking me up and down.

“I waited four hours for you, West! Four hours! Do you know how stupid that makes me look?” I yelled, making a scene.

“I need time to think about everything. And could you please keep your voice down? Everyone doesn’t need to know our business,” he asked, looking down at the Georgia dirt.

“What? You don’t want everyone to know what a sucky boyfriend you are?” I yelled louder, hoping everyone within hearing distance could hear me, “Oh, that’s right I’m still your dirty little secret. I’m the girl you can’t say three little words to. I’m your Angel but only when you want me. Hey everybody, West and I are dating! Did you know that?”

I wanted to hit something, more specifically him. Trying to control myself was hard. Being burned one time is bad enough but twice by the same man? That was tragic.

He walked closer to me and stared into my soul.

I felt the butterflies prance around in the pit of my stomach. And as mad as I was in that moment, all I could think about was him throwing me against his car and making love to me.

“Not anymore, Maddie. It’s over for good this time. I didn’t come by to get you because I come to a decision after our talk this morning,” he told me, not backing away.

He was trying to intimidate me but I wouldn’t let him see me sweat. Even though all I wanted to do was run away and cry because the love of my life had broken my heart for the second time. But I was going to stand there and take it like I was completely unscathed by the whole thing.

“Oh yeah? And what did you deicide?”

“That if I can’t tell you I love you then maybe I shouldn’t be in a relationship with you. Or with anyone for that matter. Maybe I should have a ton of one night stands. I think I’m wired better for that.”

I take back what I said, he didn’t break my heart again.

He shattered it into a million little pieces. And just when I thought he was going to put it back together again.

My feet felt like they were stuck in quick sand. I couldn’t get them to move and I couldn’t get my face to turn away from his.

“Well, what do we have here? Romeo and Juliet having trouble?”

Luca.

“What’s your problem?” West yelled, looking over my shoulder.

“My problem is you have no idea how to treat your girlfriend.”

I thought to myself that Luca was bipolar. He was like a sour patch kid. I mean seriously wasn’t he just threating me?

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

It stung to hear him say that.

I winced as if he had physically hurt me. I wish it would have been physical pain because wounds heal easier than a broken heart.

Trust me.

“That’s good for me because I need a shotgun rider tonight. Maddie? What do you say?”

I looked at West silently begging him to change his mind. To tell Luca that he couldn’t have me but he didn’t do either of those things.

“Take her,” he said, before walking back to sit on the hood of his car.

I wanted to hate him. I wanted to not care that he let me walk away again but I couldn’t change the way my heart felt. And my heart still belonged to him.

If he wanted it or not.

Pulling out my phone, I did something I hadn’t done in years. I texted him a song to let him know just how I felt.

Me- Cassadee Pope- Wish I Could Break Your Heart.

I had barely seen West since the night at the race track. I didn’t want to talk to him and he kept avoiding me. So, it seemed like we were on the same page.

Emma called this morning and asked if after church I could meet her at the diner for breakfast. I told her I would.

Grace’s parents came by to take her to church, so I was flying solo. Driving through downtown, I stopped at the red light.

Have you ever had that feeling like someone was watching you? Well, that’s exactly what I felt like. Looking over, I saw West in his car.

I didn’t know what to do so I turned my head quickly. It had been two weeks since we had seen each other. But it still hurt to look at him. And it was weird not to know how to act around him.

The light turned green and I let out my inner Grace. Pushing my foot down on the gas, I drove as fast as I could to the church. Hearing the Camaro engine purr behind me. Checking my rearview, I saw him speeding up to get beside me.

I noticed somebody sitting in his passenger seat. I swore that if it was a girl I was going to castrate him. I immediately snapped out of that thought. He wasn’t mine to be jealous over anymore.

Looking behind me, I saw that he was riding my ass.

It would take West to do a high speed chase on the way to Sunday morning church. West paying any attention to me was already going to a bad influence.

He had me cursing on Sunday.

Seeing the church, I parked and did my best to get in the church before he could catch up with me. Part of me wanted to linger around and see what hoe bag accompanied him to church. But that meant having to talk to him and I wasn’t up for that.

Just as my foot hit the first stone step I felt a hand grab my arm.

“Why are you driving so fast? You’re going to get yourself killed,” West said, pulling me into him.

“You don’t get care about me! You’re not my boyfriend and let me go, you wouldn’t want your date to see,” I told him trying to pull my arm out of his hold.

“What date? What are you talking about?” he asked, confused.

“Whoever was in your car with you? Which one is it today?”

“My date today is someone you know well,” he told me, trying to hide his smile.

“Marilyn?”

“No, Ethan,” he said, pointing behind him, “Hottest date in town, right?”

Looking past West I saw Ethan talking to Roman and Emma by Roman’s car.

That was embarrassing.

“You’re so cute when you’re jealous,” he told me, rubbing his hands up and down my arms.

“You can’t break up me and avoid me for two weeks, and then decide you want me again,” I told him, pulling away, “And I’m not jealous. I could care less what you do.”

Looking at our friends, I ran inside of the church and slipped in an empty pew. My parents were a few rows ahead of me. But I didn’t want to have to explain what was wrong to them.

Bowing my head to pray, I felt someone slide in next to me. Looking up I saw West looking right at me. All of our friends filed in after him. Great.

They were trapping me and they were all on his side.

Traitors.

“Angel?” he said, barely whispering.

He was back to wanting me.

But I had news for him, if he wanted me this time he was going to have to fight for me.

I want blood, sweat, and tears.

“That’s not my name,” I whispered back, trying my best to look mad.

I could look at his face and never get tired of it. Ever.

“That’s what you are to me. Always will be,” he said, turning his whole body to face me, “Can we talk at breakfast?”

That was why Emma called me for breakfast. She was supposed to be my best friend. The Meredith to my Christina. The Sam to my Dean. The Ana to my Kate. But she was on his side. It was supposed to be hoes before bros.

Guess not.

“No, I’m not going.”

“Yes, you are,” he said before turning his attention to Roman.

He couldn’t tell me where I was going, I was my own woman.

After church ended, guess where I found myself? Riding shotgun in my own jeep. And just to top it off West was driving me to the diner.

“They can arrest you for this, ya know,” I told him, looking at him

“For what? Buying you French toast? I highly doubt it.”

“No, I meant kidnapping and you’re not buying me anything,” I told him, folding my arms over my chest.

“Please quit pushing your boobs up like that. It makes me want to reach out and touch them,” he said, squirming in his seat.

“Pervert,” I said, dropping my arms.

“Only for you.”

Rolling my eyes, I saw that we were pulling in a parking space. As soon as he came to a complete stop I hopped out and started walking toward the diner.

“Wait on me!” I heard West yell behind me.

That only made me walk faster. I couldn’t let myself get sucked back in only to get my heart broken again.

Walking in, I saw our friends sitting at one of the booths. Rushing over, I made it to the table before West made it in the diner.

“Hey, Ethan, can I set between you and Grace?”

He looked at me and smiled.

“No can do, Mad-dog,” he said, looking at the door.

Turning to face the entrance, I saw West enter the restaurant.

“Well, look at that. There’s two seats left and as luck would have it their side by side,” he said, sliding in the round booth.

I had two choices, slide in after him and make the most of my morning. Or run and let him take my friends just like he’d taken everything else.

So, I slid in next to him.

“Did you guys hear about Preston?” Grace asked, sipping her coffee.

I had forgotten all about Preston. I felt bad for a minute.

But only for a minute.

“No, what happened? Did someone steal his boat shoe collection?” I asked, pretending to shiver from the creepiness.

Everyone laughed and Ethan starting choking on his orange juice.

“That would have been awesome but no. He got kicked out of Brown. Supposedly, he tried to roofie some girl at a frat party.”

Everyone went silent. Sure, Preston wasn’t the best person in the world. I mean he had the personality of wet paper but I never thought he would have been capable of something like that.

“His dad must be so mad,” West said, purposely touching my arm with his.

Clenching my legs together, I tried to tell my body to stop reacting like that. He barely touched me but it was like pure electricity ran through my body just by his skin brushing mine.

“That poor girl,” Emma said, poking at her pancakes with a fork.

“Where is he now?” Ethan asked, stealing glances at Grace.

“Here,” she said, pointing at the door.

We all turned our attention to the door and saw Preston and Luca walking in. It was hard to believe they were cousins. The only thing they had in common was their hair color and sour personalities. Luca was the hot one, he had this edgy vibe about him. And Preston was like Mr. Rodgers on steroids.

Oh, and they both had the creepy thing in common.

“Great, they better not walk over here. I’m not in a good mood anyway,” West said, tapping his fingers on his blue jean clad legs.

“What’s got you in a bad mood? You seemed fine a minute ago,” I asked him, fighting the urge to touch him.

“Emma and Ethan, cover your ears,” West told them, Turing his body to me, “And your eyes too.”

They both rolled their eyes.

He reached for my hand and placed on his top of hardening erection.

“I’m pissed because just watching you breath turns me on and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“Sure, you can. You could sleep with any of those bimbos at the race track. They could for sure take care of that for you.”

“Only you could. I don’t want to sleep with any of them, I want you.”

His change in emotions was giving me whiplash.

“I have to go,” I said, getting up and dropping some money on the table.

Rushing to the door, I heard someone yell my name.

“Hey, Maddie. Do you have manners? Were you going to leave without saying hi,” Preston asked, pushing over for me to sit.

“Oh, I can’t stay I have to go but it’s nice seeing you, Preston. How does it feel to get kicked out of Brown?”

“Bitch,” he said, turning his head.

“Please don’t tell me you’re getting back with that loser,” Luca said, pointing at West.

“Don’t call him that!” I told him, picking up his coke and pouring it on his lap.

“What’s your problem?” He yelled, wiping himself off with one of the napkins.

I didn’t bother answering him, I walked out the door. Hearing my friends cheering and laughing, I smiled and hopped in my jeep.

At least one good thing happened today.