Always Been Mine (20 page)

Alex watched as she did everything to avoid looking at him straight in the face. She gripped her mug. “He blames me for getting thrown in jail.”

Alex stood very still and breathed in deeply. If she told him this guy had done anything to hurt Valerie, he didn’t want to lose it. “Why?”

Valerie glanced at him then looked back at her mug. He hated seeing her so tense. He leaned over and put his hand on her knee. “Baby, just tell me.”

Valerie finally looked him in the eye. “We went out for a few weeks, and he started getting really weird on me, then I found out he was married. I broke it off immediately but he became obsessed. He followed me around and called nonstop. I warned him I would tell his wife if he didn’t stop.” She stopped and glanced up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. “When he didn’t stop, I called his wife and told her. She was hysterical. Apparently, it got so ugly when she confronted him about it, he pulled a knife on her. She pressed charges, and they locked him up. He was supposed to do three years. Instead, he got out after only nine months. Now he blames me for everything wrong in his life. His divorce, the loss of his job, the fact that he can’t see his kids. Everything. He says I did this to him.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“I know, but he’s not all there. He thinks I need to make it up to him one way… or another.”

Alex stared at her big frightened eyes. Why hadn’t he hit the asshole
harder
? He’d knocked him out, but now he wanted to kill him.

Valerie shook her head. “But it is. I should’ve never gotten involved with him in the first place. I should’ve known from the moment I started to get to know him how disturbed he was.”

“No.” Inundated by a gentleness he’d never felt before he caressed her face. “This isn’t your fault, babe.”

He couldn’t help thinking if he himself hadn’t been such a stubborn ass for so long, she may have never met this guy. “So, has he been specific about what he wants, or is he just taunting you?”

She stared at the floor. “We never did anything more than kiss... he says since he lost everything for me, it should’ve at least been worth it… he wants us to…”

Never
. Not in Alex’s lifetime. The animal wouldn’t get within miles of her. He’d make sure of that.

“And…” Valerie stopped.

Good God, there was more. “What?”

“He said it’s going to happen no matter what. He’s already showed up at one of the properties I was at for an inspection and tried to corner me.”

“What happened?” Alex realized he spoke through his teeth now, but it was all he could do from completely losing it and going out to look for Bruce right then.

Valerie stopped clutching the mug and put her hands together on her lap. “He’s determined to ruin me if I don’t give in to him. He’s starting with my reputation at the office, my sanity.” She looked up at Alex. “I’m pretty sure he’s following me again. I can feel it. He knew every time I was with Luke. Just the other morning…”

Alex studied her expression. Something seemed to have come to her. “Just the other morning what?”

“He called the morning after I had dinner with Luke.”

It took Alex a second but he figured out why she’d stopped. “Just the other day? I thought you said you’d broken up with him weeks ago?”

When Valerie’s eyes met his, she seemed nervous, and Alex felt a new tension in his muscles. Whatever it was, he was getting it out of her today. All of it.

Alex remained cool. He did not intend to blow up the first morning after they’d gotten back together. He spoke calmly but firmly. “First of all, all the dinner or lunches or anything with Luke are going to stop, right?”

Valerie nodded.

He stared at her for a moment. Her agreeing so easily should’ve been more satisfying. Knowing she’d be seeing the guy everyday took from the satisfaction, still he continued. “But you’re telling me the text yesterday is not the first time he said Bruce has threatened you? There’ve been more times?”

Alex was glad she wasn’t looking at him or she might see how incredibly annoyed that made him. He was determined to get through this without blowing up. “Anything else I need to know, Z?”

“That’s it. Other than he calls my cell all the time, but I don’t answer.”

Alex got up and walked to the sink. He poured his coffee out; his appetite for anything right now shot.

Valerie stood up and walked toward him. She put her arms around his waist. He was completely tense but her touch soothed him. “Alex, I hate to burden you with all this. You have so much on your mind already. Let me handle it. I don’t want you worrying.”

Was she insane? The guy was threatening her. “Valerie, I want you to tell me everything when it comes to this idiot, right down to every call you don’t answer.”

Alex rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. He’d been a fool to keep her out of his life for so long. She looked up at him. “Are we good?”

He smiled. It amazed him that minutes ago he felt ready to tear down a wall with his bare hands, and now just having her in his arms soothed him so deeply. What peaked now was his curiosity, and he reached down under her shirt. He’d been right, she wasn’t wearing any panties. His hand caressed her naked behind. Feeling a rush of heat, he picked her up. Instinctively she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

He’d always loved that about her. She was always so ready for him. He devoured her mouth, walking over to the pool table in his den. He set her down and pulled the shirt off. Seeing her completely naked in the daylight on his pool table had him so hard it hurt.

But he had something else in mind first. Part of that conversation left him wanting to make sure she knew no other man could love her as much as he did. He wanted to drive her insane with pleasure. “Lay down for me, baby.”

She did as he asked and he pulled her legs up, kissing her inner thighs. Her trembling aroused him to no end. All his muscles clenched at once. He worked his way inward. Kissing and sucking her soft inner thighs, and he spread her legs wide. She was so petite. It was easy to pull her behind off the pool table and closer to his face, his mouth, his tongue.

Alex licked his lips, taking in what his dumb ass missed for too long. This was just the beginning of making up for lost time.

The front door had all three locks on, including the inside chain. That was odd. Maybe Isabel got the creeps being alone. Valerie sure did when Isabel was gone overnight, but Isabel normally didn’t. That suddenly worried Valerie. Had Bruce come by and spooked Isabel? She knocked softly and waited. When Isabel didn’t open up, Valerie began to fish for her phone in her purse.

Thankfully, she heard the chain unlatch. Her phone was hopelessly buried somewhere in the pit of her purse. Isabel opened the door. She appeared to have just gotten out of bed. “Were you still asleep?”

It was only nine but Isabel was usually out of bed by eight on the weekend. It drove Valerie crazy, because she’d always liked to sleep in. Isabel just nodded and hurried back to her room. “I’ll be right out.”

She was wearing a robe. She never wore a robe. Valerie dumped everything down on the sofa then rummaged through her purse again for her phone. The phone in the kitchen started ringing.

“I got it.” She yelled, still digging through the messy purse.

The phone was on its third ring when Valerie finally found her cell and started toward the kitchen. She was halfway there when a bare-chested Romero walked out of the restroom into the kitchen. They froze at the sight of one another. He wore last night’s jeans and nothing else. Valerie glanced away from his very impressive chest. She knew he had a good build but seeing him shirtless was something else.

He cocked a crooked smile and gestured toward the kitchen. “You gonna get that?”

She shook her head quickly. No way was she taking another step closer to her roommate’s half-naked boyfriend. “It’s probably just a fax.”

That’s really the only reason they even had a landline. Her dad called her on it occasionally when he couldn’t get her on her cell. She’d let the answering machine handle it, if that was the case.

Her own voice came on the machine apologizing for not being able to answer just as Isabel walked out of the bedroom. She’d donned a pair of denim shorts and a t-shirt. She attempted to calm her wildly tousled hair with her hands. Valerie pressed her lips holding back a smirk. Isabel’s night had obviously been as pleasurable as her own. The machine beeped, someone cleared their voice then spoke.

“Isabel, this is Michael, I just wanted to tell you I had a fantastic time with you Friday night…”

Valerie’s eyes grew wide. Isabel started toward the machine, but Romero stepped in front of her blocking her way. To both Isabel and Valerie’s horror, the message went on. “…I’ll be here a little longer than I thought, so, I was hoping I could see you again before I leave...”

Romero stared at Isabel the whole time. Valerie’s feet were stuck to the floor. She had visions of leaping over the counter and kicking the machine to its death, but it was way too late for that.

“…I hope we can make this happen.”

He rattled off his number before the agonizing message was finally over. Valerie didn’t know whether to leave the room or stay there for moral support.

The room was deathly silent until Isabel spoke up. “Funny story.”

“Yeah, Isabel? Tell me about it.”

Uh, oh. What happened to Izzy? Romero looked anything but amused. He backed a step away from Isabel. Valerie still stood there clutching her cell trying to think of something to blurt out that might save the day. But her mind had gone blank.

“My sister set this up before I even met you—”

“You were on a date with this guy Friday night?” Romero’s voice rose slightly but his tone was definitely on the verge of erupting.

As if anyone had asked her anything or was even looking in her direction, Valerie shook her head violently.

“No, we just had dinner—”

“That’s a date,” Romero snapped. “What else did you
just
do with him huh?” His hands flew up in the air before she could answer. “You know what? I don’t wanna know.” He charged toward the bedroom. “Whatever you did, it was fucking fantastic.”

Isabel’s panicked eyes met Valerie’s as he fumed past her. Valerie gestured for Isabel to follow him. “Go! Explain!” She whispered loudly.

The bedroom door closed behind Isabel, and she could hear Isabel’s muffled voice plead her case. Romero’s voice boomed but she couldn’t make out all he said. One sentence came through very clear though, because it was the loudest. “You lied to me!”

Valerie had inched her way into the kitchen. She chewed the nail on her thumb wishing she could think of a way to help Isabel. The bedroom door flew open, and Romero stormed out wearing shoes now but holding his shirt. He glanced at Valerie. The anger in his eyes didn’t hide the hurt, and she felt for him, but not a word came to mind that she could say to fix this.

Isabel came after him, her eyes welled with tears. “Romero, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, I am too.” He grabbed his keys and wallet off the counter. “Go call him back, Isabel.
Make it happen
.”

The door slammed shut behind him and Valerie rushed to Isabel. Not sure what else to do, she hugged her tight. Isabel cried softly on her shoulder, then Valerie heard her chuckle sarcastically. Valerie pulled back to look at her. Was she
that
hysterical?

“God, I’m stupid.” Isabel wiped her eyes. “This is all because I let my sister get to me about the kind of guys I should date. If I’d have had the backbone to tell her truth, that I was already dating someone—someone she wouldn’t approve of, this would’ve never happened.”

Valerie bit her lip. “Well, maybe when he calms down…”

Isabel looked at her exasperated, “It’s not even about the date, Valerie. I think he’s madder about the fact that I haven’t told my family about him. He asked me in there why my sister hadn’t just cancelled the date since I was seeing someone already. When I didn’t answer he stormed out the door before he could even get his shirt on. He couldn’t stand to be in there with me another minute. He thinks I’m ashamed of him.”

Valerie felt so bad for both Isabel and Romero. “So, what are you gonna do?”

Isabel grabbed a napkin from the counter and wiped her face clean. She took a deep breath. “I’m gonna call my sister, then I’m going over to Romero’s. He has the whole day off. We were supposed to spend it together.” She scrunched her face. “Maybe if he’s not too mad, we can have lunch with my mom and my sister.”

Valerie patted her on the back. “Good, Isabel. The sooner you clear this up the better.” She tried to sound as optimistic as she could. “Everything will work out. You’ll see.”

She really hoped things would. Somehow, she got the feeling it wasn’t going to be so simple.