The UN Series Complete Box Set (71 page)

I just know I need this to end. It is driving me nuts. No matter how much I try not to believe that he’s cheating, the pictures still get to me no matter how old they are. I have always known that Slade slept around but I have tried not to dwell on it. That is very hard to do when it is being shoved in your face every day.

“Jessica,” I yell as I bang on the door.

Nothing!

I wish she would just open the door so I can tell her she is full of shit and that I don’t believe a fucking thing she says. Of course, nothing is ever that easy.

But I am not leaving until I know for sure that she is not here. I walk around the side of the house and come to the side gate. I place my face up against the window there and try to look around. I frown when all I see is the back of dark curtains. “Jessica.” I bang on the window. Still nothing.

I spin around and walk toward my Tahoe, pulling out my cell. Holly picks up on the second ring.

“Did she answer?” she whispers.

“Why are you whispering?” I slam the Tahoe door shut.

“Because Micah is in the other room on the phone with Slade.”

“He’s supposed to be at the gym,” I say, putting it in reverse.

“They are discussing a case,” she explains. “Anyway, did she answer? Did you beat her ass?”

“I wish. I don’t even think she was home.” If she was then she must enjoy sitting in the dark.

“Well, that sucks. I found out where she works, you can call them tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Holls, for helping me out.”

She is silent for a few seconds. “Yeah, no problem,” she says in a way that has me thinking there
is
a problem.

“I’ll see you at the Longs’ party tomorrow,” she tells me before she hangs up.

I park the Tahoe in the garage and look over at all the boxes that still sit on one side. I still haven’t wanted to go through them and the fact that someone broke Nadia’s window has pissed me off because now I have to drive the Tahoe everywhere. I walk into the house and fall onto the bed. I just want to sleep.

*****

I stand in the middle of the Longs’ living room, trying to enjoy their Halloween party. The only good thing so far is that I was right about Vivian keeping my glass full. I look down at my third glass of wine as I slowly swirl it. I feel like my life is doing the exact same thing. Something is wrong with Slade. Like seriously wrong. He wouldn’t touch me last night. He was very short with me this morning when I tried to talk to him before I came over to help Vivian set up for the party.

I asked if it was work and he ignored me. I dropped it. He didn’t even try talking to me when he got back from the gym last night. I lay down and tried to go to sleep but as soon as I did my phone started going off.

I wanted to ask Slade what in the hell his problem was, but I was not in the mood to suck up or dig any deeper into the cause of his bitchiness. I was too busy trying to ignore all the messages that Jessica was sending me. She hasn’t sent any more pictures since the video I received two days ago but she is still texting me.

Messages consisting of how much Slade likes his
pussy
, the word she keeps using, and how mine will never be enough. One second she has me laughing because she is not very original and the next minute she has me wishing I could hit her over the head with a full bottle of wine.

I still don’t know why we haven’t seen her out and about anywhere. Holly has been trying to locate her and she is nowhere to be found. I even called her work this morning, and they said she was on vacation but would not tell me where. Holly checked her Facebook and the bitch got smart and made her profile private.

Just my luck!

If I could have my way, we would just settle this face to face. Meaning I would knock the shit out of her. But no, the bitch wants to hide behind a fucking cell phone.

It’s like she knew I went to her house last night. She always knows what I’m doing, and I don’t know shit.

“He’s so hot.” I look over to the strawberry blonde who has interrupted my thinking and now stands too close in my personal space. I give her a tight smile as I take a step away from her.

“You don’t agree?”

I look to where her eyes are, and realize they are on Josh. “Yeah, he’s cute.”

She licks her nude colored lips like she’s a bitch in heat and about to attack. “He’s dating my best friend,” I say, trying to calm her raging hormones.

She shrugs. “I didn’t come here for him anyway,” she states before looking around the room. “I’m Natalie, by the way.” She gives me a big smile.

“Sam.” I say as a knot forms in my stomach wondering whom she could be here for. “Who are you here for?” I try to sound like her answer won’t affect me, when I already know it’s going to.

“Only the hottest guy in town,” she replies happily.

I grip my wine glass so tightly you can see my knuckles turning white. I take a deep breath and loosen my hold on the glass a little. “Well, good luck with your search,” I say as politely as I can muster before I walk off.

“Oh, I don’t need luck.” She turns to look at me with her hazel eyes. “Slade and I have history. The kind of history he will want to repeat.” She gives me a wink before she turns and walks off toward the bathroom.

I stand there, contemplating following her into the bathroom and taking her by the hair before shoving her face first into a wall. But after a deep breath I realize I’m in no mood to fight one of Vivian’s friends in their bathroom at their Halloween party.

I turn my back to the bathroom and walk over to where Josh is talking to an older man that I have seen a few times up at the firm.

“Hey, Sam,” he says as I approach. “You remember Randy?” He gestures to the man in front of him.

“I do.” I nod my head and reach out my hand. “How are you doing?” I try to say cheerfully.

He just nods toward me, then looks back at Josh, and continues talking as if I had never walked up.
Great!
Another attorney who thinks his shit doesn’t stink. This house seems to be full of them.

I turn around to find Holly when I see Slade coming toward me. His face mirrors mine, expressionless. I just stare at him. I fucking hate that every woman I look at has had sex with him. I hate that I have a memory burned into my head of Bridgette going down on him. And I also hate that I’m so fucking sick I saved it to my phone. Although I have not even looked at it since the first time I opened it, and even then, I only watched the first five seconds of it. If I remember correctly the video was several minutes long. But I still hear her moans and his words to her every time I close my eyes.

I feel my body temperature rise when Natalie comes up behind him. She puts her hand on his shoulder and turns him around. I just stand there immobilized as I watch her place her fingertips on his chest. He doesn’t waste a second as he pushes her hands away and takes a step back. I don’t know why I don’t feel any better about the exchange, in a way it just pisses me off more when she smiles brighter and pushes her tits up into his face. Like that is going to help her get into his pants. I can see it now; her going down to her knees and kissing his feet as she begs for him to take her, just like Bridgette had.

And the thing is that Slade knows any girl would bend over backward for just one night with him. I know he would never cheat on me, but I hate that they throw their bodies in his face, reminding him what he could get his hands on.

Her smile drops a bit before her eyes slide to mine then back to him.

I turn my back to them as if I could not care less what they are talking about.

“Hey, Sam,” Tate says coming up to me with a brunette on his arm. His pirate costume looks well in place but the little Bo Peep on his arm looks a little frazzled.

“Where have you been?” I snap, looking from the girl to him again. Shit! He’s just as bad as Slade.

The brunette gives a naughty smile then bites her lip, looking down to the floor. My eyes fall to her exposed knees and see the red marks from where, no doubt, ten minutes ago she was down on them.

“We were busy,” Tate answers, clearly not affected like the woman on his arm.“Why? Did you need something?” He frowns then looks over to where Slade is standing. Tate looks between us a few times, his mouth now set in a hard line.

I shake my head and release a sigh. “I’m just tired.”

I’m tired of everything.

Tired of Jessica calling me. Tired of her talking about other women who want him. It wouldn’t be so bad if these women weren’t proving her right.

I pull my ringing phone out of my purse and see that it’s a text from Jessica. I swear it’s like the bitch is watching me.

Bitch:
Just can’t take him anywhere, huh? Imagine how the women are when you’re not around. I wonder if he pushes them away as fast when there is no one to see them put their hands on him.

I look around the room quickly, but don’t see her. She could be here though and I would never know. Everyone is dressed up. Some are wearing masks, or have their faces painted, and some are wearing wigs.

I place the phone back in my purse, not even bothering to respond. I feel like screaming my head off, but I know that’s what she wants. She wants me to fall apart. She wants
me
to be the reason that Slade and I don’t last. Well fuck her and her constant annoying calls and messages.

“Excuse me.” I turn away from Tate and his “friend” to find Slade is heading straight for me with an unreadable look on his face. I search for the strawberry blonde and come up with nothing.

When my eyes fall back on his, he looks down to my purse then back up to me and I know he just saw me reading the message on my phone.
Shit
!

I continue to walk past him and down the hallway. I just need to get some fresh air. I make it past the second door when he grabs my hips and spins me around.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, steering me into a room, his strong hands all but shoving me backward.

“It’s nothing.”

He lets go with one arm once we are completely in the room. Once he closes the door, his hands are back on my hips. “The pissed off look you have is telling me that you are lying.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Stop doing that.”

“What?” He cocks an eyebrow.

“Pissing me off even more. Just go back to the party.” I’ve tried not to let Jessica get to me, but then all then a girl from his past are here. I’m sure she’s not the only one here tonight. Everywhere I look. I wonder what he did with Bridgette that we have done. It just makes it harder to forget who he once was.

I reach down, shoving his hands away from me, and stalk past him. His arm wraps around my waist, pulling my back to his front. “You sure are pissy tonight,” he teases, leaning down to my ear.

“What the hell? Maybe it’s because you are getting on my nerves.”

He lets out a little chuckle as he starts to push me toward the closed door. “Well, let me fix that for you.”

“Unless you can go back in time and are able to keep your dick in your pants, there is no way for you to fix it.” His hands tighten on my hips and his body stiffens.

I close my eyes at being so childish. He had no idea he would end up with me, just as I didn’t know I would be with anyone besides Jax. “Hmm. You’re more frustrated than I thought.” He nuzzles his face in the crook of my neck.

“Frustrated is not the word I would use.” More like pissed the fuck off.

“Is this because I didn’t fuck you last night?” he whispers in my ear.

“Not everything is about sex, Slade,” I snap once again. I swear the man was born with only sex on the brain.

I start to wonder what in the hell he is doing when he pushes the front of my body up against the closed bedroom door.

“Place your hands above your head,” he instructs, voice hard.

“Slade,” I hiss, “we don’t have time for this.” I try to push his body back with my ass.

His free hand grabs a hold of my hair, jerking my head back, causing me to cry out.

“Shh, You better be a good girl and stay quiet,” he warns. “Now. Put your hands above your head,” he demands again.

I lift my arms, placing my forearms and palms flat against the door above my head.

He skims a hand underneath my already short dress. He grabs my panties and slowly pulls them down my legs. I step out of them and he drops them to the floor.

He pushes his hips into mine, trapping me even tighter between him and the door. “Do you hear everyone out there?”

Even though they have haunting music playing throughout the house you can still hear the laughter that fills the hallway right outside the door.

“Yes.”

He grabs a handful of my hair and wraps it around, pulling my face to the side. I feel his hot breath on the side of my cheek as he whispers in my ear. “I’m going to make you come twice. And I don’t want anyone hearing you. Understand?”

I nod my head, not quite believing what he is saying. Come twice? I wouldn’t say I’m one of those women who scream the entire time, but I’m sure as hell not one who can be quiet when coming.