11. CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 11
KASON
This week was better than the last. Sierra didn’t run from me; in fact, when she wasn’t working during the day, her time was spent with me, including her nights, and I loved every minute of it.
As much as I wanted to have sex with her despite her period, it was beneficial that we didn’t as we were able to get to know each other better. She knows I don’t have a good relationship with my dad and I know she loves her uncles. I haven’t met them, but I hope to one day. I also want her to meet my mom, something that is completely out of character for me. Louise—who has worked for years as our family’s housekeeper—blabbed to my mom about me having a woman in my house and my mom called me up as soon as she heard. Sierra was initially concerned about officially meeting Louise after that awkward first impression, but like everyone else Sierra comes into contact with, she won Louise over and Louise gave Sierra her seal of approval.
Sierra spoke highly of her friend, Ky, and Ky’s daughter, Riley, who Sierra gushed about. Along with other family, they will be driving up for a visit next week. Although Sierra and I shared so much about ourselves, we still didn’t talk about her mom. The one time I tried to bring it up, she distracted me with the blow job of my life. I knew what she was doing, and I let her. Hopefully, she will open up to me one day and talk about her, but this is clearly a sore subject with her.
On Monday a picture taken by paparazzi showed up on the internet. It was a shot taken at Saturday’s signing when she kissed me to distract me from confronting Meegan. Although her back was to the camera and there wasn’t a good view of my face, I couldn’t deny it was us. I thought it would have bothered her, but she took it in stride.
I was astonished Meegan was even there with Alex. I thought he would have dumped her cheating ass, but she must have convinced him to take her back. Regardless, I don’t know what game Meegan is playing, but she needs to stay the hell away from Sierra. Next time she comes anywhere near her, no amount of distraction will stop me from confronting her.
Sierra didn’t ask any more questions about Meegan after that day, and I was relieved she didn’t let Meegan’s shit-talking stop what we are building.
It’s Friday, and I’m meeting Sierra at a bar that’s close to where she works. I’m running behind after a meeting with Brax lasted longer than I expected. She texted me a half hour ago to let me know she was there, and I texted her back to let her know that I was on my way.
Opening the door to the bar, I spot her sitting on a stool, her head down. She is rubbing one hand with the other in concentration. She startles when I sneak up on her and ask close to her ear, “Is this seat taken?”
“Hey. I hadn’t realized you came in,” she said as she blows out a breath.
I hadn’t planned to frighten her. I take the stool beside her and face her after giving her a quick peck on the lips, but her head is down once more looking at her hand again and continuing to rub it.
“Did you hurt your hand?” I take her hand and examine it. Outside of her palm seeming to be redder than usual, there doesn’t appear to be any swelling. We both look up at the same time, and she gives me a mischievous smile. I have to wonder what brought that on.
“Yes, it hurts, but it was so worth it.” Her eyes start to sparkle, and I’m curious what has brought about the change in her face.
“What was worth it?”
“Smacking some prick right across his smug face. God, I’ve waited years to let him have it.”
I sit back on my stool. I’ve yet to see Sierra angry so whatever this guy did, must have been bad. I’ll have to remember never to piss her off. Now I’m wondering what this man might have done to anger her and it has me wondering if I should go hunt him down.
“What did he do to you?” My tone is tight and my back straightens. If he hurt her, I will find him and beat his ass.
“Relax. He didn’t hurt me, at least not directly. Do you remember my friend Ky that I told you about?” I nod. “Well, her baby daddy lives here in the city and in all my time living here, I haven’t run into him, and in a city this big, I never really expected to.”
Ah. This part of the story is new to me; she hadn’t talked about this guy before. “Did you see him here? What happened?”
“Yeah, he was here. You just missed him. I was on my way to the restroom and literally bumped into him on his way out.” She leans towards me, her voice hushed now. “Some skanky blonde followed him out. I’m sure he was getting busy with her since he’s back to his fuckboy ways.” She grimaces.
“Then what happened?”
“When I got over the initial shock of seeing him, I let him have it about hurting them, and he had the nerve to act like he was the one hurt by Ky and it was her fault.” Her eyes turn fierce with the retelling. “He doesn’t care that he left that sweet little girl fatherless. Then he said that he should have just kept a friendship with benefits with Ky because she gave good benefits. I smacked him right across his stupid face. ”
I don’t have children, but if I did, I couldn’t imagine walking away without a care in the world. I hope Ky appreciates Sierra’s protectiveness toward her and her daughter because she’s lucky she didn’t catch an assault charge for hitting him.
“Remind me to never make you angry,” I joke.
“Do you have any children out there that you don’t take care of?” she asks with one brow raised and a small laugh. Despite the mirth in her voice, I feel like she means her question.
“Hell no!”
She leans forward and kisses me on the lips before patting the side of my cheek like I’m a good boy. “Then you don’t have to fear my right hook.” She leans back, appearing to be in thought before she asks, “Do you want children someday?”
Are we at the children talk already? I know our relationship is moving forward quickly, but I wasn’t expecting this question.
Sierra takes my momentary pause wrong. “You don’t want children?”
“I never said that. Sure, I’ll want them someday, just not today.”
“That’s good.” It’s all she says after releasing a puff of air at my response and looks relieved. I’m not sure how to take it. I know I want to continue to explore this connection between us, and I have told her so. I know with each day I grow more attached to her and miss her when we’re not together, but I’m also not marrying her any day soon let alone having babies.
Even so, it has me wanting to know what her mindset is as far as a family goes. “Do you see yourself with children?”
She doesn’t even hesitate. “Yes, I do. It’s probably why I spoil Riley with so much love and affection. I know one day, I’ll be a mother to some little boy or girl who can call me mom and know that they can rely on me to be there for them. I want them to live a life knowing they can count on me for the simplest things, like making them breakfast, tying their shoes, taking them to school, and knowing I will be there to pick them up. I want to give them everything my mom couldn’t give me…” Her little speech trails off, and I notice her eyes are glistening. Then her face morphs and her eyes grow wide followed by the tightening of her lips.
I think she realizes everything she just said. At first, I wonder if it’s because she thinks her passionate talk about being a mom might have scared me off, and with any other woman, I would have already been out the door.
But maybe it’s not that. She’s finally talked more about her mom and probably said more than she wanted to. I can’t deny that I want to know more, but she at least let me know her time with her mother wasn’t great and that’s why she doesn’t talk about it. I can’t help but wonder what all she experienced in that time with her mom. Where I’m an open book, Sierra seems to let her thoughts and feelings known when she feels it’s the right time or inadvertently like now.
I reach forward and grab her hand to give it a kiss. I’m saying more than I can verbalize in this moment, and I want to let her know that I’m here to listen if she ever wants to talk about it. I hope someday she will trust me enough to be vulnerable and let me in. I won’t push her for more right now because I know what she’s already said is a gift she doesn’t give freely.
When I look up at her, she gives me a soft smile. I think she got the message.
The bartender comes over, and I order an IPA while she takes a sip of the wine she ordered before I got here.
“When is your friend Ky coming in?” I ask, switching to a more cheerful subject.
Her grin grows bigger at the sound of her friend’s name. “The end of this week. You have one week left of having me all to yourself. Whatever will you do to me?” Her eyes twinkle with amusement.
There are so many things I plan to do to and with her. My mind conjures up images of the different positions I plan to have her in and with those thoughts, my dick starts to harden. I’m broken from those thoughts when the bartender delivers my drink. I shift my head and thank him before turning my focus back to the exquisite beauty next to me. Her eyes travel to my crotch, and there’s no way to conceal the bulge tenting my pants before she peers up at me, raising her brows.
“What can I say? He’s permanently swollen when you’re around.”
She opens her mouth to speak, but she’s interrupted by a male voice, “Hello Sierra.”
Her head swivels to the side and a look of surprise shows on her face.
“Hello, Russell. How have you been?” I look at the man she’s acknowledging and although he came over to greet her, the scowl on his face lets me know he’s not happy to see her. My body turns ridged.
“I’m a lot better now than when you last talked to me.”
She gives me a quick glance before looking at him once again. “I’m happy to hear that.”
“Are you really happy about it? That’s doubtful considering you had no trouble walking away when you broke me,” he sneers.
Now I’m sure this isn’t going to be a polite conversation.
She tries to placate him. “I’m sorry you feel that way, but this isn’t the time or the place to rehash it. I’m glad you’re in a good place, but we’re not friends, and I would appreciate you leaving and not causing a scene.”
“Wow, still have a heart of ice, I see.” Sierra’s eyes widen at the insult.
Who the fuck does this asshole think he is degrading my girl? I start to stand and set the piece of shit straight, but Sierra places a calming hand on my forearm. Her eyes plead for me to let her handle it. My hands ball into fists wanting to teach this guy a lesson he won’t soon forget.
Russell glances from her hand on me and back to her and shakes his head with a menacing chuckle. “I see you found some other poor bloke to sink your poisonous fangs into. Does he have any idea what a cold-hearted bitch you are and that you’ll soon dump him and break his heart for your next victim after he confesses his undying love for you? I wasn’t the first, as I met another of your victims. When we realized we had you in common we shared some beers and compared war stories.”
That’s it. I’ll be damned if I’ll allow him to insult her one more time. “You best be moving on because if one more fucking cruel word comes out of your mouth toward her, you’re going to find yourself in the hospital with a broken jaw.”
Now his attention is on me. He backs up a step, but the stupid prick doesn’t know when to shut his trap. “Leave while you can. You’ll thank me one day for warning you. She’ll act like she gives a damn, make you fall in love with her, but I promise you, the second she realizes she’s got you in the palm of her hand, she’ll dump your ass and laugh while she walks away. You’ll never see it coming because she’ll convince you that she cares. She’s a bitch like that.”
I stand, rising to my full height, more angry than I can ever remember being, but I’m urging myself to keep my hands to myself and not kill this bastard. I don’t hide the threat in my face; I want him to know that I fully intend to beat his ass if he doesn’t leave. I’m a full head taller than him and when I’m right in front of him, I have to look head down to meet his glare.
This time he recognizes the threat and his eyes show fear. I roughly fist his shirt, unable to keep my hands off him. “Unless you want to leave in a body bag, I suggest you get the fuck out of here.”
Giving him a little push, he stumbles back and falls on his ass but just as quickly, he scrambles up and runs out the door.
Good.
I don’t know how long I stand there with my hands flexing, forcing myself not to chase after him and make good on my threat. Eventually, I feel Sierra touch my elbow. “I paid for our drinks. We should go.”
Closing my eyes, I take a couple of deep calming breaths before we walk to the exit and leave. Normally, I would have called or texted my driver to pick me up, but I’m in no mood to wait so I hail a taxi instead. Opening the door, Sierra climbs in, and I follow after her. I curtly give the driver my address before he pulls out into traffic.
Although I’m angry at how the asshole treated Sierra, I now have other thoughts swirling in my head as well because his words are sinking in. Could this beautiful woman beside me be as bad as he painted her to be? I could be handing myself over to her on a silver platter only for her to leave without ever looking back at what damage she caused. Because I know she could cause damage to me. I hated her blowing me off for five days, and I’m even more consumed by her now.
I glance her way and take in her beauty. Could she be more snake than siren? Is she waiting to sink her teeth in me and kill me with her poison?
And for the first time since she came into my life, I have doubts about what could happen if I allow myself to care even more for her.