Uncut (Unexpected Book 4) (26 page)

For now we’ll help Reed when we’re available. That's one of the reasons I'm visiting tonight. Jared was right. This time when I step inside the place, I can walk without having to push myself between bodies and avoiding the limbs of crazy fans trying to cop a feel. When I focus on the bar, searching for my butterfly, I hate the sight. There’s a new guy bartending, and no sign of Thea. Probably one of the guys Tristan and Reed hired on Tuesday. It took longer than they expected, as Tristan wanted a guy who he could trust—and with a clean record. I continue scanning the crowd, and in a matter of seconds I spot Reed in the far corner speaking to another man. He motions to approach him the moment he recognizes me.

“Decker, meet Harry, our new waiter,” he says, introducing me to the dark-haired man. He’s shorter than me, a good-looking guy with dark stubble covering his chiseled jaw and broad shoulders. “He started today, along with Chase.” Reed tilts his head toward the bar.

“I’m Matthew, nice to meet you.” I shake his hand, then go back to Reed. “Where’s Thea?”

“Not sure as it’s her day off,” he informs me and I’m glad to know that after working her ass off, she’s finally resting.

Tristan has wanted to fire her since he saw how she was hit on and pawed while she works. The fucker is an overprotective caveman. Thea is his weakness, and he can’t deny his attraction anymore. It’s fun to see them together, because that alpha-shit doesn’t fly with Thea. She almost kicked his ass without saying one word. They’re becoming close friends, and instead of worrying, it sits well inside my heart. Just like the fact that Thea isn’t working every night. That’ll brighten Tristan’s life—it makes mine easier.

“You need me tonight, Reed?” Tristan might’ve freed her, but that means she’s free for a date. I grin wondering where I’ll take her.

“No, I wasn’t counting on you coming over. That’s what your email meant, right? I will be on site shooting a movie?” Reed waits for me to say something, but I only deliver a shrug. “You staying for open mic night?”

“Nah, if you’re set for the night, I’m leaving.” I pat his shoulder. One of my guys is covering tonight’s event. “There’s a pretty butterfly I gotta catch. See you later.”

I walk outside through the back door, making a call as soon as the cool mist of the rainy night hits my face.

“Hey,” her melodic whisper answers after the first ring.

“Where are you?”

“Home. I’m finishing today’s chapters. And you, still working?”

I ring her doorbell. “No.” I pause until I hear the sound of the lock. “I’m outside, waiting to be let in, Butterfly.”

In only a matter of seconds, her door swings open and she leaps into my open arms. I breathe in that lavender, sweet scent of hers that I’ve missed since last Sunday night. We hang on to each other until she pushes herself down. Fuck if I don’t like
that
reception.

“I missed you.” I brush some of those wavy strands behind her ear and lean down, kissing her forehead. “Next time I’m packing you and taking you with me.”

She shakes her head and captures my hand while we march toward her place. “I thought you said you weren’t coming until Friday.”

“Change of plans. I have to head to Vancouver. We’re having some issues with the shooting. I’ll stay there until late next week. I decided to make a pit stop for the night, check on you.” I walk to her dining table and look at her laptop. “It’s your day off, so why are you working? Maybe I should take you out to dinner or something, get you out of this building.” I wiggle my eyebrows. “The two of us, together.”

“Are you flirting again, Mr. Decker?” I nod. “We agreed, Matt. Friends. You should try to work things out with Tristan. He really has a thing for you—as do you, for him.”

Two Saturdays ago she was adamant about matching Tristan and me together. She swears Tristan and I have a connection. That we should explore it—let it take us far, let us fall in love with each other. Two weeks and I’m sure I am the one falling for her.

“Tristan has a thing for you too, Thea, and you don’t see me advocating for him.” She rolls her eyes. “If you don’t want to go out, we can order takeout. There’s that Thai place you love.”

“They don’t deliver.”

I wink at her and pull out my phone. “They do for me.”

“This will be the longest time I’ve gone without seeing you,” I whisper in Thea’s ear as I hold her tight.

“No. There were times we didn’t see each other for months.” Her head snuggles closer to the hollow between my chin and my shoulder while she hugs me tightly.

I look down at her, and she tilts her head and smiles at me. Our gazes lock. There it is, the connection between us. I lean down and kiss her forehead, her nose. “Back then it was different, baby. You mean so much more to me now that it’s hard enough to be gone for a couple of days.” She nods up at me, as if she totally understands, and
maybe
she even has the same feelings. We should discuss it, talk about what these emotions mean to each other. Later, when I’m back.

“I will miss you, Matt. A lot. Thank you for the food . . . and for stopping by.”

Out of impulse, I angle my face in and crush my mouth over hers, kissing her. A sweet whimper cuts through her lips before they part slightly. Her eyes close the moment I taste her. Instead of watching, I do the same, enjoying the sensation that is having her body pressed to mine, so close we’re almost one. I sweep my tongue inside her mouth, meeting hers, getting acquainted with it before they fuse together and start mating. I lead the slow dance, memorizing the feel of her in my arms, her breathing, synchronizing her heartbeat with mine. Loving her.

Fuck. Yep. There it is. I’m. In. Love.

With one smile she took me to a place I never imagined I’d be. It was a slow process in which she let me inside, becoming one with this kiss.

We lose ourselves in that kiss, losing track of everything until she pulls away. “Matt?” She gasps for air and her eyes fill with moisture. “This . . . I can’t. There’s so much you don’t know about me. That I’ll never tell you—I can’t lose you. You’re important to me.”

“I know enough, Thea. Try me, what is it?” She shakes her head and as it drops, my fingers lift her chin. “Baby, please, trust me.”

The sadness in her eyes increases and I’m about to let her go when she finally speaks. “I was ten years old the first time I had a drink. At a party.” She swallows hard. “My driver’s license was revoked before I became a legal adult, after several DUIs and one hit and run. Vodka. That’s my poison. It looks like water, and you don’t stink when you’re drunk. Painkillers are my kryptonite.” She pauses, inhaling audibly. “But I never discriminated. I took whatever was in the house pantry, or my mother’s cabinets if my dealer wasn’t available. It never failed. The refrigerator might not have had food, but there were plenty of bottles of Vodka and wine chilling. My parents are the prime example of party animals. My father has been doing that since he was a teenager.”

What the fuck? I want to push her for more information. Hit a wall. Hurt someone—bad. A ten-year-old with access to alcohol? Where was social services or whatever agency is in charge of caring for children? Any other adult responsible that could take care of the little girl? Instead I hug her tight. Releasing the anger against whoever raised her won’t help her, and she might take it the wrong way. I walk her to the couch, sit down, and hold her tight. Thea’s face is glued against my chest as she cries.

“You were a kid, Butterfly,” I say, angling her head slightly so I can see her. “Did you kill anyone during that hit and run?” She shakes her head. “You’re clean?” She nods, showing me her wrist.
2014.
I’ve seen that number before, and wondered why it changed often—daily. “Those are a lot of days. Impressive when you started so young. I’m no one to judge your past, but I can offer to be around to make sure that you have a happy future.”

She bites her lip, fighting hard to keep the tears from flowing freely, but she’s losing the fight. Her body is shaking. Her lip quivers and tears topple one behind the other.

“I hurt for that girl. Sounds like she was alone.” I kiss her forehead, her nose, and her lips. “You’re not alone, Butterfly. No matter what has happened, nothing will change the bond we share. Tonight I’m staying with you.” I touch her silky lips with mine. It’s only for a second, but that simple touch loosens her stiff muscles.

Thea falls asleep, but her sadness remains trapped inside her. Frustration, anger, and the need to find Mr. and Mrs. Dennis to teach them a lesson run through my head. Powerless, I remain on the couch pondering what to do next. I have to leave tomorrow for Vancouver. She was so sad. I wish she could understand that I don’t care who she was, but that I care about who she is and what we can be together. Fear is the biggest concern I have tonight. In my experience, addicts are unpredictable when facing their problems. Flashes of Porter Kendrick, after hearing that AJ was dating, make my body stiffen. He’s my parents’ foster child, became a junky. He almost died. I found him unconscious in his dressing room. The doctor said I saved his life. What if no one is around to save hers?

I find my phone and check my emergency contacts.

“Mattie?”

“Hey, Dad,” I greet him, kissing Thea’s cheek before I speak. “I’m at Thea’s.”

“A little late for house visits, isn’t it?” I mumble a yes. “Is she okay?”

“I don’t know. What did you do when Pops told you . . . that he was, you know, an alcoholic?”

“Ah, she told you.” His worried-confused voice changes to his casual fatherly one. “Babe, Mattie is on the line. I think he needs some guidance.”

“You knew?” I growl. They whisper on the other line, neither one acknowledging me. “Hello?”

“Mattie,” Pops says. “Yes, we knew. Part of the full disclosure to your mentor and future employer. Like many of us, she has a past. It’s up to you what you do with the information she gives you. Accept her, or walk away. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think you care for her, don’t you?”

“What I’m worried about is tomorrow. She’s too sad, Pops.” I let out my frustration along with a big breath. “She works at a fucking bar.” I level my voice before I wake her up. “What if she heads downstairs to drink herself stupid and—”

“Yes, you should ask her about it. Why she works there and what she thinks. That girl has an interesting theory.” He pauses, I guess blocking the phone as their voices are muffled. “Mattie, there might be more behind her past. Think twice before you decide what’s going to be your role in her life. You can always offer her a support system. Once I had mine in place, I never relapsed.”

“Dad, Pops?”

“Yes, him and then the three of you.”

I don’t know how she’ll do tomorrow, but I think about Chris. He never had a family until Gabe came into his life. Gabe gave him my grandparents and then they had us. Thea has no one. But I can always offer her more, including my kickass family.

“Thank you. I gotta go, talk to you later.”

“Call if you need us—or if Thea needs us.”

“Will do.”

I tap the red button and go to my contact list for one person that I know will give a shit about my butterfly.

“Breakfast, planning a trip to Mexico in the middle of the night. Are you bored again? What’s going on, Matt? I’m at work.”

“Can you travel to Seattle tomorrow, Tristan?”

“What happened?”

“Thea. I don’t want her alone, and she needs a friend with her.”

“A friend? Matt, I don’t want to sound like an asshole, but again, I have work to do.”

“I can’t tell you what happened, but I think she needs to be around someone who cares about her.”

“Something happen to her?” His voice deafens me. “Is it bad? Matt, I can’t just leave work because you feel like we should hang out. Can you be more specific?”

“No. I can’t, it’s her story to tell. But I know you care about her almost as much as I do. And if that’s the case, call Mason and have him fly you.” I clear my throat. “She’s in a bad place. Tomorrow I have to fly to Vancouver and can’t come back for almost two weeks. Thea needs to know she’s not alone, that she has us.”

“Don’t leave her until I arrive,” he whispers before the line goes dead.