Chapter 30 #2
Wiping the sweat off my brow, I wait for the memory to slowly sink back down to where it came from. It feels like a Kraken living in the depths of my brain just waiting for a weak moment to strike and pull me under.
And this is why I can’t cave to my carnal desires. Do I think Cy is hot? Um…yes. I always have. Do I still hate him? I don’t know. Do I think he’s changed? Maybe. But it doesn’t matter. The trauma he inflicted is still there.
Coming back and seeing him is proof of that.
I blink as my eyes adjust. Staring up at the blank ceiling, I realize that there is no more sleep for me tonight.
Throwing off the blankets, I stand and head for the door. Everything is quiet and dark when I poke my head out into the hallway and look around.
Shockingly, the guys chose to eat takeout and crash early after the concert. I almost took all their temperatures.
I tiptoe through the massive suite to the kitchen and spot the little light on and a shadow moving. I freeze before slowly making my way closer to see who it is. Let it be anyone but Cy.
My shoulders relax at the sight of Vex, leaning against the counter, eating a slice of cold pizza from the box.
“Hey,” I say, stepping into the kitchen. “Can’t sleep either?”
“Hey, and nope.”
“You never were one for long explanations,” I tease, grabbing a bottle of water.
“Why waste the words?”
“You may be onto something.” I point toward the box. “Mind sharing?”
“Help yourself,” he says, flipping open the lid for me. There is still half a box left, and my stomach growls at the scent.
“What is it about cold pizza that tastes so good?”
“No idea.”
I smirk and hold up the slice to Vex. “Cheers.”
He stops chewing, stares at me, and then taps his slice against mine. I laugh, and his mouth slowly curves up, blessing me with the very rare occurrence of his eyes filling with humor.
“You’ve always been weird, Gaillard.” He crosses his arms. “But it’s kind of charming.”
Hopping up on the counter beside him, I methodically pick off the toppings and eat them first. I can feel him watching me.
“What in creation are you doing?”
I pop a piece of pepperoni into my mouth.
“Eating. What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Massacring an innocent piece of pizza.”
I laugh hard, and it feels good. Since Cy dropped the bomb about Charles in my lap, I’ve spent my time crying or working so I don’t cry.
“Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.”
Vex turns and steals another slice before looking at me.
He really is sexy in a completely dark and brooding way.
Black hair. Silver eyes that look closer to the color of clouds.
Strong jaw and fit as hell body that’s covered in tattoos…
another life, a different situation…I would’ve been all over him.
Rolling the rest of my pizza up like a burrito, I take a bite. Vex snorts and shakes his head.
“So…I’m sorry about your fiancé,” he says.
The smile falls from my face, and suddenly I’m not hungry.
“It is what it is.”
“Did you break off the engagement?”
A sad chuckle bubbles up.
“If you call leaving him a voicemail because he couldn’t be bothered to answer the phone.
And then dodging all of his calls since breaking up because I don’t want to hear his excuses, then sure.
Luckily, I’d already moved all my stuff back to my dad’s house, so at least I don’t have to deal with that awkward situation.
” I rub my eyes. “How is it that I can be so smart and so stupid when it comes to men? They’re all assholes,” I say, looking at Vex. “No offense.”
He smiles and nudges my shoulder.
“None taken, and it’s his loss.”
“Maybe I need to become a nun, but one with a chest of sex toys cause I can’t go without sex.”
Vex snorts and then laughs, making me blush. I can’t believe I just said that.
“Now that is an image I’ll never get out of my head. But I don’t think that’s the solution.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“You really loved this guy, huh?”
My shoulders slump.
“It’s not even that. Honestly…I’m not broken up about the relationship ending.
That’s what’s so stupid. It’s that I’m a magnet for assholes.
I should’ve seen this coming. I dated ten guys before Charles, and every single one was either a cheater, a loser with no ambition, or had an arrest record.
I need to face it that I have terrible taste in men. ”
Vex shocks the hell out of me when he turns and hugs me. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Vex hug anyone before. He doesn’t let go right away and lets me lean my head on his shoulder.
“Like I said. It’s his loss,” Vex says.
“What the fuck?”
I jerk like I’ve been shot.
Cy is standing a few feet away, his eyes dark, face masked by rage.
“I’m going to kill you,” he growls, lunging for Vex before either of us can respond.
The scene unfolds in slow motion. One moment, Vex is hugging me, and the next he’s ripped from my arms.
Cy slams Vex into the wall. The force is hard enough to rattle everything in the room.
“I will fucking kill you.”
Cyrus looks…feral.
His face is vicious and unrecognizable. I’ve seen him cruel. I’ve seen him mean. I’ve seen him tear people apart with words sharp enough to bleed.
But this? This is different. This is violence. Raw. Brutal. Not like him at all. He is a totally different person.
“Cy! Stop!” I’m already moving, but I’m too late.
His fist connects with Vex’s jaw with a sickening crack.
“What the fuck, man?”
Vex raises his arm to protect his head from another blow. His eyes are furious, but he looks just as confused as I am by Cyrus’s outburst.
“Are you crazy?”
“Don’t you fucking touch her,” Cy snarls, like a goddamn animal. “I should rip your arms off and beat you to death with them for touching what’s mine.”
Vex blocks the next hit and shoves Cy back, but he grabs him again.
“It’s not what it looks like—”
“I don’t give a fuck what it looks like!”
Cyrus grips the front of Vex’s T-shirt and drives him into the wall again. His forearm is pressed to Vex’s throat, caging him in. They look like pitbulls seconds away from tearing each other apart. Teeth bared, muscles locked, neither willing to back down.
I grab Cyrus’s arm and try to pull him back.
“Stop it! You’re acting insane!”
His head snaps toward me, eyes blazing. The normally icy blue color appears black with fury and dark shadows. I swallow hard.
“Haven’t you heard?” Each word is emphasized like he’s spitting them out. “I am fucking insane.”
He yanks free from my grip like I’m nothing and gets right back in Vex’s face, breathing hard, chest rising and falling, barely holding himself together.
“Don’t you ever fucking touch her again.”
“Get the hell off me,” Vex bites out, shoving at him, but Cyrus doesn’t budge. He’s an immovable wall.
“Not until you say it.”
“You’re fucked, man.”
“Say the fucking words!”
Cyrus roars loud enough to wake the dead, the kind of sound that makes your bones lock up and your pulse spike for what comes next.
For a second, no one moves. No one breathes. Then…
“Fine! I won’t fucking touch her,” Vex snaps.
Just like that, the tension pops like a balloon. The air rushes back into the room all at once.
Cyrus steps back.
Vex glares at him, jaw tight, eyes burning.
“She’s a friend, man. Get over yourself.”