Valentine (A Standalone Novel) (Bad Boy Romance Book) (19 page)

Chapter 22

Two
Days Later

Val

"Maybe something came up, Val."
Amy reached over and rubbed my shoulders as she tried to comfort me.

"It's been two fucking days." I
growled under my breath and tried to keep from letting my voice get to loud in
the middle of the restaurant. "We slept together and then the fucker won't
call me or text me or anything? Come on...really?"

"That is pretty shitty." Amy
shrugged and tried to give me an apologetic look. "Is he worth all this
drama? You'll find someone else, you know you will."

"I don't want someone else." My
voice was far louder than I wanted, but I couldn't get a hold of myself.
"I want him!"

"Okay. Shit. Then, let's go get him.
Something happened. There's no way that he's not into you. After the sex you
guys had? Any guy would be falling over himself to get to you. Three times in
one night is super ho-"

"Thank you," I snapped at her,
sounding more like my mother than I cared to admit. "I'm going by the shop
today, I guess. He's not showed up for swim practice for two days either, from
what Martin said. Where is he?"

"Probably working or dealing with
something at home." She got up and gathered her trash. "Go figure out
where he is, and if he's just being a stupid dick, then drop him. You don't
need this drama in your life. You have enough of it already. Between your mom,
dad, and Carolyn, it's a wonder you're sane at all."

"Thank you. Right?" I got up and
gathered my stuff, too. I'd spend the last two days sick or crying over this
sorry bastard, and he didn't even have the common courtesy to call or text me
that we were over. "Over before we even started."

I had to work hard at not diving into the
pity party that I wanted to throw for myself in high fashion. I'd learn to blow
those things up thanks to my mother giving me plenty of chances to feel sorry
for myself.

"You want me to go with you?"
Amy opened the door for me and gave me a sad smile.

"No. Thank you, though." I
turned to hug her before walking to my car and letting the anger that bubbled
up inside of me coat my need to cry again. I wasn't going to let Tate know that
I was hurting. He didn't deserve to know how much I'd come to like him in the
short amount of time that we'd been together.

"Asshole." I got into my car and
drove to the shop, noticing that his bike wasn't out front, which was odd. It
was late in the day, so there was no way he had classes.

The bells rang above my head as I made my
way into the small office beside the garage. The pretty redhead that had been
so nice to me before glanced up. The way her eyes widened told me that
something had for sure happened. Tate must have told everyone in the shop that
he was over me, or sick of me, or never really interested. They had something
on me – all of them – or so I let myself believe.

"Hi, there." She stood and gave
me a sympathetic smile. "You looking for Tate?"

"Yes, ma'am. Just a concerned
friend." I slipped my hands into my pockets and moved up to stand in front
of her. "Is he here? I won't bother him for more than a few minutes."

"He's actually at the hospital. His
mother was admitted a few days ago."

"Oh, no. Is she okay?" Worry
raced over me, and I pulled out my phone and checked for the millionth time for
a text from him.

"She is now. He's not here, though.
You want me to tell him that you came by?" Her expression tightened a
little, and even though I shouldn't have, I had to dig.

"No, please don't." I pulled my
hands from my pockets and pressed them to the counter. "Do you have any
idea why Tate isn't returning my calls? I'm not sure what I did wrong other
than fall for him."

Dammit if tears didn't fill my eyes. I
wasn't trying to work the poor woman in front of me, but the hard emotions
ripping through my insides weren't going to stay hidden too much longer.

"Oh, honey." She reached up and
placed her hands over mine. "He's just trying to do what's best for both
of you."

I sniffled and reached for a tissue from
the box on her desk. "I don't understand. Everything seemed to be going
good for a little while there, and then all of a sudden.., I don't hear
anything. I understand him needing to take care of his mom, but I want to help
out, too."

She tilted her head to the side and
studied me. "He didn't tell you about his visitor the other day?"

"What? What visitor?" I blew my
nose and apologized as I tried to think through who in the world could have
stopped by that would have Tate pushing me away again. My father. "Oh, no.
My dad didn't come in here, did he?"

She pursed her lips and nodded her head
slowly. "Don't say anything to Tate. It was bad. Really bad."

Anger burned through me like a forest
fire. "Bad how? What did he say to Tate?"

"He just warned him away, but his
promises were pretty strong. He doesn't agree with you dating someone like
Tate." She shrugged and let out a long sigh. "You gotta do what's
best for you, honey, but I promise you something...if your dad has the power to
do some of the things he promised to do to Tate and his family, I'd not be with
you, either."

"What did he promise to do?" I
felt like I might throw up.

"I'll let Tate tell you that. I've
already said far too much." She dropped down in her chair. "If you're
hell bent on making him yours, then show him the kind of love that that boy
needs right now – the kind that leaves him believing that you have his back and
would take on the world for him."

"I would do that without
question." My vision started to blur again. Was my dad really such a
monster that he would show up at Tate's shop and give him an ultimatum that
included leaving me or meeting some horrible fate?

"Good, then you need to talk with
your dad, too. He's a far bigger threat than I think you know, sweetie."
She reached out and patted my arm. "Take care, and good luck. I hope you
figure things out. Tate’s a good boy and a great man. I wish we had a million
more like him."

I gave her a weak smile, thanked her and
walked out into the snowy afternoon. I wasn't sure what I was going to do about
my father, but Tate wasn't getting away so easily. He was the first man I'd
wanted to be with enough to fight against everything I knew to make it happen.

He was worth it. No, I was.

*

I'd just finished baking a batch of
chocolate chip cookies and scrubbing the kitchen when the sound of Tate and his
mother caught my attention. I wasn't sure how pissed he was going to be with me
for being there uninvited and having basically broken in.

"You smell that?" Tate's voice
had a hint of fear to it.

"It's me. Sorry. I got tired of
waiting for the boy of my dreams to call me." I wiped my hands on a towel
as I walked into the living room.

Tate stopped in his tracks, but his mother
headed over and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Oh, Val. I'm so glad you're here.
This boy hasn't shut up about you for two days." She moved back and
touched my cheek. "You look wonderful, except for those dark circles under
your eyes. Are you not sleeping?"

"Nope. Courtesy of being dumped by a
frog who I thought was my prince." I smiled as she laughed.

We both turned and looked at Tate, and my
heart broke in my chest. The look on his face was a mixture of pain and
disappointment. He didn't say anything, and I got tired of standing there
hoping that he would welcome me into his arms and explain everything.

"You want some cookies? I just got
through making them for your homecoming." I looped my arm into hers and
walked into the kitchen.

She sat down and started talking about
what happened with Daniel and the hospital as I worked to get her a small plate
of cookies and a glass of milk. I was too comfortable being in their house, but
I guess some part of me just felt like I'd finally found a place where I fit
in.

"Val." Tate stood at the door.
"Can we talk?"

"Yeah, sure." I patted his mom
on the arm as I followed him out the front door and into the yard.

"You didn't have to do all of
this." He turned to face me, and I could see that he hadn't been sleeping,
either.

"Oh, I know I didn't. Kindness is
free, remember? Or did you forget? Because the man that helped me out of a
shitty situation not too many days ago just threw me headfirst into one after
making love to me all fucking night." Anger burned deep inside of me as
tears filled my eyes. I pushed at his chest hard, as my voice lifted. "I
finally found someone that I felt good around, right with, and he doesn't want
me anymore. I gave him access to my time, my body...my fucking heart."

"Valentine." He grabbed my
hands, but I yanked them away.

"No. You lied to me." I was full
on crying at this point. Ugly crying. "You left that shitty note that said
you would call, but guess what? You didn't."

"My mother was in the hospital. What
was
I-
"

I pushed my finger into his chest and got
in his face. "No, you don't get to use that as an excuse. Tell me what
really happened. Tell me why you decided to spend the night in my arms and make
me believe that there was something better around the corner for me than the
life I have. Tell me why you would walk away from us because of some pathetic
old man's threats."

He moved back as shock registered on his
handsome face. "You knew?"

"Not from you. That's for damn
sure." I pulled my keys out of my pocket. "I wanted us so badly, but
it wasn't meant to be. Coming over here that first night, meeting your mom, and
standing in your tiny living room with you beside me just felt right. I'm
supposed to be here. I belong here."

"Baby." He reached for me, but I
swatted him away.

"No. You discarded me over some idle
threat."

"They weren't idle, Val. Your father
knew all about my shit. He threatened to take my mother's job and our house. He
said that he would bail Daniel out of jail, and the fucker did it." He
moved toward me, but I'd already started to walk to my car.

"He's a mining guy, Tate. He doesn't
have the power to do any of those things." I stopped and glanced over my
shoulder. "Why didn't you just tell me? I could have helped figure it out.
I wasn't enough for you to fight for? You just throw in the towel and that's
it, huh?"

"That's not it. You know I'm
completely into you." He reached out again, but I turned and opened the
door to my car.

"I wasn't sure what I would find when
I got out here today; fuck, I'm not even sure what I was looking for, but
somehow, I think the truth. You were right. The rich people of the world are
selfish assholes who just want what they want and don't care who gets hurt in
the process." I shrugged and got in my car. "Too bad all I wanted was
you."

Chapter 23

Tate

Decision
time. What're you gonna do?

"Val." I held onto the door
tightly as she tried to close it. I wasn't at all sure of what the right
decision was, but I wasn't going watch her drive away from me. I knew that much
for sure.

"No. You don't get to sweet talk me
into staying here with you. You're the most wishy-washy man I've ever met. You
want me one minute and ignore me the next. I'm done." She yanked on the
door, and dammit if I didn't crack a smile. She was impossibly cute in her
ranting.

I pulled the door back open and reached
in, tugging her out and catching her when she half fell into my arms.
"Stop it. I didn't know what your father was capable of. Look at it from
my perspective for a minute."

After muscling her to the back of the car,
I pressed her against it and gripped her wrists tightly by her side as I
pressed my cheek to hers and rested my mouth just beside her ear.

"I was told to back off because I
wasn't good enough, and it's true," I whispered softly as her tension
started to melt a little. "I took you to the lake and then to bed, and I
show up the next morning to find the house in shambles and my mother in the
hospital. What was I to think?"

My heart broke when a sob left her. The last
thing I wanted to do was hurt the beautiful girl in front of me. She was the
culmination of everything I wanted in a woman and the kind of girl I needed in
my life, though I'd never deserve her in a million years.

"He doesn't have that kind of
power." She tugged her hands free and wiped at her eyes before wrapping
her arms around my waist and pressing her cheek to my chest.

I petted her long, dark hair and pressed
my lips to the top of her head. "I didn't know that. Fuck, I still don't
know that. It all played out a little too well."

"Then, let me get in my car, and you
can be rid of me. Of all of this mess. I told you that I wasn't worth the
hassle." She glanced up at me and searched my face.

"No. That's not possible, either, and
you know it." I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers tightly as I
shifted forward to feel more of her against me. "You're all I've thought
about over the last two days. I'm not letting go. I'm just confused."

"Then, we figure it out
together." Her fingers brushed by my sides just under my shirt, sending
chill bumps down my spine. "You can't keep playing lone wolf and expect
anyone to be okay with that."

"What are you saying? You wanna try
this dating thing even though we both know for sure that your dad is completely
against it?" I ran my hands down her side and wrapped my fingers around
her hips as I rocked against her again. All I could think about was getting her
naked all of a sudden. She'd look damn fine stretched across the back of her
car while I ate her out.

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.
My sister’s wedding is coming up soon, and you're going with me or I'm not
going. My parents are going to have to realize that I'm not a child anymore. I
don't have to jump when they say jump." Her cheeks were growing pink as her
eyes narrowed. I wasn't sure if it was the cold getting to her or the fact that
she was waking up to who she had become under her mother's thumb.

"Baby, we'll figure this out later.
It's freezing out here. Come inside with me and let's watch a movie or
something. I'm sorry for pulling back. I'm not used to much more than a quick
one-night-stand and then I'm back to being single." I brushed my hand down
the side of her face and cupped her neck. "You're the first woman that's
left me wanting something more."

"No talking about your past exploits.
I'm not interested." She lifted to her toes and kissed me once more before
I moved back.

"No? I could tell you some
wild-"

"Not at all, in any way, whatsoever
interested. Nope. Don't." She took my hand and gave me a warning glare.

I laughed and reached over to close her
car door before we walked back to the house together.

"I'm not used to all this dating
stuff, so be patient with me." I popped her ass as she walked up the
stairs to the house. It wasn't going to be as simple as a quick kiss in the
snow, but I would work to make it up to her for the rough start we'd had, no
matter how long it took.

"I didn't see a TV in here. Where are
we watching movies?" She walked into the house and turned to look over her
shoulder at me.

"Mom's got one in her bedroom. I'll
get it out of there. Make yourself comfortable on the couch." I ran my
hand along the small of her back as my cock stiffened in my jeans. I'd never
had a woman over to the house for more than a few minutes. The idea of
snuggling up with the beautiful girl who was sure to steal my heart was
invigorating.

I knocked on the door to my mother's
bedroom and went in as she called out.

"Did Val leave?" She turned from
her open closet door and lifted her eyebrow at me.

"No, but I barely caught her." I
rubbed my chest and let out a long sigh. "Her father threatened me the
other night that he would fuck our lives up good if I kept seeing her."

"Watch your language." She shook
her head at me before walking over and touching the side of my face. "You
can't believe everything you hear, right?"

"Yeah, but to have him say it and
then come home to find you all beat up again and shit. And stuff." I moved
away from her and went to work on the TV. "Can we borrow this?"

"Yes, of course." She sat down
on her bed while I worked to get the cables undone. "Tate, you know some
people are more hot air than anything else. Daniel's brother got him out of
jail, not Val's dad. They've put a lockdown on him getting out at all now. It's
going to be fine. What else did Mr. Scott threaten you with?"

"It doesn't matter," I mumbled
feeling all of twelve. "It's fine. I'll take care of it."

"Damn right you will. Sam's father is
a lawyer. Go talk to him. He'd represent you any day in a civil suit against
that bastard." My mother's voice rose significantly.

"Mom, it's all good. Don't get worked
up, and don't let Val hear you. I just got her to calm down." I picked up
the TV and walked to the door. "Don't come into the living room without
warning me."

"Oh Lord." She rolled her eyes
and opened the door for me. "I swear, I raised a heathen."

"Something like that." I
chuckled and walked back down the hall. Valentine was sitting on the couch with
an old photo album in her lap and a smile on her face. "You find something
of interest?"

She glanced up. "Oh, yeah. You've
known Sam for a really long time, haven't you?"

I put the TV down on the empty stand and
started to work at getting it hooked up.

"All my life. He used to live down
the street when we were in preschool, but the neighborhood was much better back
then. After his folks finished up college, they got good jobs and moved to a
better part of the city." I shrugged. "We never stopped seeing each
other. We used to ride our bikes ten miles in the snow just to hang out."

The sound of her laugh warmed me. "I
love it. I'm close to Amy, Katelyn, and Lucinda, but we knew each other from
high school. I didn't have too many friends as a kid. My father was running for
public office and kept us half-locked up just to make sure we didn't do or say
anything that might hurt his chances."

"Yeah, no offense, but your father's
a piece of work." I popped in an old black and white movie and moved to
sit beside her on the couch.

"He's nothing compared to my mother.
Had she come to see you, you likely would have shit yourself." She reached
up and ran her hand over my back, pressing her fingers into the muscles.

"I doubt it, but I'm sure I'll get
the opportunity to prove my bravery." I bent over and worked to get her
boots off before tugging mine off, too. I leaned back and lifted my arm.
"Come here and let me hold you."

She moved toward me, tucking her long legs
under her as she cuddled up to my side.

I pulled a thick blanket from beside me
and we worked together to get it around us.

"I like this," she whispered
almost reverently as she looked up at me.

"Good. I'm not sure how much of the
movie we're going to see, but it's a good one. Take my word for it." I
leaned down and brushed my lips by hers, teasing her as I let my tongue snake
out and lick at her mouth.

"I don't wanna see the movie."
She pressed into another long kiss and ran her hand down my stomach to cup my
dick. Her fingernails teased me as I deepened the kiss and let out a long groan
against her mouth.

"Keep it up, and we'll be naked in
the bathroom with me taking complete advantage of you and your sexy little
body." I ran my fingers through her long hair and gripped a good handful
of it tightly before pulling down a little and forcing her to look up at me.
"Did you not hear me?"

She was undoubtedly in the mood to play
because her fingers had yet to stop teasing and stroking me. The wicked smile
on her face left my heart racing in my chest.

"Let's go to the bathroom,
then." She ran her nose along my jawline, pulling hard against my hold on
her hair.

"You're supposed to be mad at
me." I pulled back a little and pressed my hand to the top of hers as I
stroked myself with her help.

"I'm having a hell of a time wanting
to stay that way." She moved up to press her lips to my ear. "I wanna
taste you."

A shiver ran through my body and I
groaned. The girl was far more than I deserved and way too hot to say no to.
What the hell had I been thinking almost
letting her go?
It was going to be a steep climb to having a healthy
relationship with her, but I wanted to give it a go.

"Get under the covers and get to it
then." I smiled as she moved forward and nipped at my mouth.

"With your mom in the other room? I
feel like a wayward teenager again." She lifted her eyebrow at me.

"Yeah, I know. Feels great,
right?" I shoved the blanket back and worked on unbuttoning my jeans as
she watched me. I could tell by her breathing that she was slightly panicked
over my request. It would only enhance the moment. Fear always did. Some part
of me wanted to tell her that my mother would make a hell of a racket coming
out of the back to warn us, but I decided against it.

"Tate." Val touched my chest as
I lifted up a little and pulled my jeans over the curve of my ass, leaving my
cock on display as the damn thing stood fully erect.

"What, baby?" I stroked myself
once before touching her back with my free hand. "Come here and enjoy
yourself. You said you wanted it."

She glanced up toward the darkened
hallway, but started to work her hair into a ponytail anyway. "If we get
caught doing this, I'm never coming over here again."

"We won't. Lay down and take your
time with me." I leaned back and slid my hand into the opening at the back
of her jeans as she placed soft kisses up and down my shaft. Her skin was silky
smooth, and I almost enjoyed touching the top curve of her ass more than the
attention she was giving me. She was refined and high class, and I was a poor
boy that wanted to be something more just for her.

"So sexy," she mumbled against the
head of my cock before spreading her lips and taking in far more than I thought
her possible of doing.

An arrow of pleasure lodged itself in the
center of my groin, and I let out a long growl as I closed my eyes and dropped
my head back on the couch.

Her soft panting and moans as she worked
me into a frenzy were enough to drive me over the edge.

"Baby, wait. I don't want it to be
over just yet." I ran my hand up her back and gripped the back of her
neck. "It's too damn good to be over."

"Just come more than once." She
flicked her tongue over my swollen, tight flesh as the air left my lungs.

I nodded and pushed at her head softly.
"Yeah, just do it. I need it. I need you."

"Good," she whispered before
taking me over the edge.

I cried out, not caring who was in the
other room or what anyone might think. Some part of my heart mended in her
tenderness and the way she was willing to take care of me unselfishly.

She brought me to come three times before
snuggling in next to me and kissing the side of my neck over and over again.
"I love how you taste."

"Good. I'm gonna need that
often." I smirked and turned to face her. "It's not something I'm
used to.”

"No? I thought you said you had a ton
of one-night stands." She moved her knees up and rested them in my lap as
I pulled her as close as I could get her.

"Just a quick fuck and then I'm out.
Nothing too intimate." I shrugged, thinking that maybe I should shut up.

"I understand." She kissed me
once more before tucking her face against my neck and letting out a long
breath. "I'm staying here tonight. That okay?"