Flaw (The Flaw Series) (13 page)

Breathless, panting, I step away from her, shocked by what I just did. Jordyn’s chest rises and falls, her eyes piercing into mine. She doesn’t say anything. I shouldn’t have done that. I stumble back, searching for the door I came in through, running to make a quick exit from her place. Wrenching the door shut behind me, I sprint down the cement steps.

The night air that should be clearing my lust-filled haze doesn’t. At the bottom of her steps I look back up at the brick home. I can’t bring myself to walk away. The need for her is still so strong. She wasn’t saying no. My body makes the decision for me to climb back up. Standing in front of the green door, I will myself to knock.

I don’t have to. The door opens. Wordless. Rushed. She grabs the front of my jacket, pulling me back into the house.

We crash and bump our way over to the couch, her fervent lips locked onto mine. Her hands claw at my clothes, tearing off my jacket, kissing my skin, impatient fingers raising up my shirt. I finish lifting the shirt over my head and toss it, going back again for her buttons. With stumbling, trembling hands, getting her out of that shirt is taking too long.

“Rip them,” Jordyn commands in a throaty whisper. There’s no hesitation. The shirt is torn from her a second later and the lacy bra she reaches up to unfasten gets thrown onto the floor next to it.

My mouth moves down to her breast to take the first sweet taste, feeling her perk up against my tongue. “Oh God, I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” I moan, rubbing my hands up the back of her thighs, shoving her skirt up, my fingers slipping over the lace panties hidden underneath.

“Me too,” she says, her words coming out like a soft breath. “I’ve wanted one night with you since the moment I saw you at the shop.”

One night? She said ‘one night.’
That’s all this is. I know I should stop now. I also know that I can’t.

We fall down onto the couch and my fingers slide over her body, teasing, afraid if I do anything more she’ll stop me. She reaches up, red nails digging into the cushions, her body arching. She lowers one hand down to mine, urging me to explore her deeper.

Her teeth nip at my shoulder between loud moans, while my hands and mouth discover every inch of her willing body, wanting to feel all of her at once. My mind still tries to fight with me, telling me this is all wrong.

“Aidan, I want you so bad,” Jordyn moans, tugging at my pants, lowering them the best she can.

There’s no thinking anymore. The rest of our clothes are removed and once I’m inside her, she screams my name out. Our bodies move fast and wild. I feel her letting go quickly, her body tightening around mine.

“Jordyn, please slow down, I need this to last.” The words catch in my throat through my deep ragged breaths. I know that once this is over, it’s over. They’ll be no more. And I don’t want this to end.

It’s too late, her body quakes underneath mine, gasps and sighs of delight explode from her. I close my eyes and let myself go, clutching her in my arms. We collapse, my head resting on her shoulder, lips pressed up against her neck. I can’t bring myself to move away from her just yet. The scent of her, her taste, the feel: I try to burn it all into my mind. Her fingers run delicately down my back, gently, almost… lovingly.

The intimacy of the moment forces me up. A moment like this will only make it worse. I reach for my clothes, placing them back on as quickly as they came off.

Jordyn grabs a blanket from the back of her couch and wraps herself up in it. “Are you leaving already?”

I nod my head, zipping up my jacket. Her hair is tousled and her eyes go dark looking up at me in question.

“I never should have done that,” I say, letting my head drop down so I can’t see those eyes.

“You don’t have to go.” Her voice is quiet. “Aidan, stay the night with me.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?” She comes towards me. Her arm reaches out from under the blanket to touch me.

“I’m not what you want.”

She stays silent. The silence proves I’m right. I don’t want to be right. But the truth is she doesn’t want me. This whole flirtation and build up between us was all about a safe girl wanting some reckless fun. Just like the first night with the tattoo.

“Listen, you wanted ‘one night,’ a night of slumming. You got it.” The same word I lit into Becca for saying comes flying from my mouth.

Jordyn gasps before standing up straight to compose herself as best she can in the throw blanket she’s wrapped up in. She walks over to the front door, holding it open, waiting for me to leave.

I step outside and the door closes behind me. The taste of her still lingers on my lips and every wrong decision I made lingers in my mind. I lost all control. I wanted her. She wanted me back. But she made it clear all she wanted was one night. I can’t be mad at that.

One night with a girl like her should be enough. It’s not. Even though I knew better and Becca warned me, I let myself fall for her. Her beauty, her elegance, her kindness. I fell for the princess.

The images of my hands all over her perfect body play back in front of me as I bare the cold winds, jogging back to my apartment. I stop short.
I didn’t use anything
. No form of protection, just a rushed passion.
Reckless fun
.

I made so many mistakes tonight.

Josh

I hang up the phone with Jordyn and wait for him to come home. Wait for the guy who just cheated on the perfect girl and broke the heart of my close friend at the same time. For the guy who doesn’t know how fucking good he has it. I know what will happen when I confront him. But I don’t care. Let him kick my ass. I’ve had guys come at me before over things I’ve cared about far less.

Aidan walks in, tossing his keys on the counter. His hood is pulled up and he leans an arm on the counter, running his hand down the front of his face in the darkness of our kitchen.

“You were out late tonight? Anywhere special?” I ask, causing him to startle. I stand up from the leather chair in our living room walking into the kitchen where he’s standing.

“What the fuck does it matter to you?” He turns to face me.

“Asking you a simple question is all. Shouldn’t be a big deal. Becca know where you were tonight?”

“You don’t need to worry about Becca.” Aidan raises his voice, shoving his hand into my shoulder, knocking me back a few feet. “I’m not sure why you can’t seem to get that through your thick fucking skull.”

“Why? Is that your job? Are you worrying about Becca, Aidan? Making sure nothing bad happens to her?” I shout back. This guy could kill me but I don’t care.

Aidan pounces on me. His hand goes around my neck, slamming me into the refrigerator with a loud crash. “What the fuck you getting at, Josh? Huh? Is this your way of finally telling me that you got a thing for her?” He spits out the words at me. “You think you’re better for her than me?”

“Yeah, I think I am better for her,” I say and the grip around my neck tightens.

“What did you say?”

“You heard me,” I manage to squeak out. “At least I’d never fuck another girl behind her back.”

He releases his grip, sending me stumbling back, gasping for air.

“What the hell did you just say?” His eyes go black. “What do you know?”

“Enough.”

“What did she say?” He makes a fist at his side, pacing over to the counter. “What the fuck did she say?” He’s shouting now, slamming his fist on the marble.

I step up to him, my chest knocks into his. “Looks like I’m not the only one who can be an asshole.”

The fists at his sides unclench. His head drops and he rubs a hand over his good eye. “I want you gone. Pack up your shit. It’s time you left us.” He pushes past me, grabbing his keys, and storms out of the apartment slamming the door behind him.

I already knew it was time to go. It’s
been
time to go. Aidan… the situation with Becca, we’ve been a ticking time bomb ready to explode since the day I moved in.

In my room I pack the essentials into a duffel bag. I can hire movers to come in and pack up the rest cause once I leave I’m not coming back. Giving one last look around the tiny apartment, I take a breath.
This is it
. I place the key from my key ring on the counter and walk out.

In the hallway I pause in front of Becca’s door and roll my hand into a fist, lifting it up to knock. I should at least tell her I’m leaving and say goodbye. “
I can’t be around you anymore, Josh
.” My chest constricts replaying her words. I lower my hand back down. It’s time to just leave.

Back home to my parents. They knew I’d be back, maybe not this soon, but I’m sure they knew. How could they not…
I’m a joke
.

Part Two

Becca

I didn’t sleep. I cried. All night.

I’ve been struggling since the day he moved in. Instantly attracted to the spoiled rich kid; drawn to the guy who asked me to ditch a bimbo for him. Laughing with the guy who shared my obsession for chocolate chips; falling for the guy who expected his mother to carry in his laundry; lusting for the guy under the blanket.

Nothing happened. I knew he would only break my heart. I knew it before I was even warned. And warned…
and
warned.

It seems almost every girl I come in contact with has a horror story about Josh. Sadly, they’re all the same story - sweet talk and flirting, a selfish one-sided hook-up, followed by a nasty goodbye where the girl is kicked to the curb. Even Patrick approached me one day on campus after a class. When he started off by mentioning Josh, I knew right away I was in for yet another warning.

It wasn’t all the stories of his bad boy behavior, the “love them and leave them” way he behaved that surprised me. I had seen some of that first-hand myself. It was the persuasive sweet talk and actions Josh took to reel a girl in that threw me off. The way he could lead a girl to believe his feelings were genuine, building them up only to crush and humiliate them in the end.

I felt a connection to Josh and almost fell for it. Only, those things I was feeling between us weren’t real. He’s a liar and a manipulator. A very good one. Thankfully with all the warnings, I was able to back away before it was too late.

My tears start back up again. If I know all these bad things about him, why am I crying like this
? Because I’m stupid and fell right into his trap
.

Knock, Knock
.

My clock says six thirty am. Who’s knocking this early in the morning?

I open the door to a very disheveled Aidan leaning in my doorway. He walks in, sits down on my couch, and buries his head in his hands so that I can’t see his face. I can’t tell if he’s angry or upset.
Is he hurt?

“What’s going on, Aidan? You’re scaring me.”

“Becca.” He looks up, his eyes bloodshot and watery. “What are we?”

My stomach lurches and I begin biting my nails. Is that why he’s here? This thing we’ve been doing lately, this odd turn in our relationship, he wants me to label it.
Shit
. I should have an answer to this question. The answer should be simple. I love Aidan. “I don’t know.” For some reason, the tears start back up. “I’m sorry.” I crumple down on the couch next to him.

His hand eases into my hair, sliding his fingers through it gently. “Shh, Becca. I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m the one who fucked up.”

“Why? You didn’t do anything,” I sniff, lifting my head up and looking at him.

“Josh is gone.” He pauses, clenching his jaw. “He packed up and left last night. I’m guessing he’ll send someone today or tomorrow for the rest of his things.”

“Why?” My voice goes hoarse and I spring back up, panicked. Knowing the answer, knowing it was because of me and what I said. When I said I couldn’t see him anymore, I didn’t mean for him to move out. “It’s because of me, isn’t it?”

“No, it was because of me. Something I did. Something I’m afraid to tell you.”

“What did you do? Did you hurt him? Oh my God, Aidan, Did you hurt him because of what I told you?” I should have never told Aidan about what happened with Josh on the couch that night. It was my jealousy of him spending the night with Jordyn at some fancy wedding, sharing a hotel room and most likely a bed that caused me to tell Aidan about it. The second the words left my mouth, I regretted telling him.

“I didn’t hurt him.”

“Good,” I stand up, wiping away at the tears still streaming from my eyes. “Good, then I can fix it. I can talk to Josh and tell him not to move out. I can apologize for what I said to him and make him stay.”

“Stop it Becca, he’s gone.” Aidan pulls on my arm to stop me from running out the door. I yank my arm, trying to free myself from Aidan’s grip. “Dammit Becca, let me tell you what it is I’m trying to say. I need to tell you something and you’re not letting me. Please, I need you to sit down.”

My legs start to tremble as I collapse back down next to Aidan. Fear tears through me. Every sense in my body is on high alert. What is he going to tell me? Whatever it is, I don’t think I’m prepared.

“I went to Jordyn’s tonight. I’ve seen her a few times since that first day when she came here to talk with Josh. We’ve texted a few times. I saw her at the gym. I helped her out with something one day. And then, last night, I went to her home.”

“You’ve been seeing Jordyn and keeping it a secret from me? Why? Are you with her?”

Aidan wipes his hands down his face, releasing a slow breath of air out. “No, but…”

All this time while we were discussing a future for us, he was going behind my back and acting on his feelings for Jordyn? Things slowly start making sense. I don’t let him finish whatever it is he was about to say. “That night I came to the gym, you were texting her, weren’t you? But then I came along and ruined your plans.” I don’t know if I should laugh or cry. “There I was thinking I was giving you what you wanted, but that wasn’t the case. Tell me, Aidan, were you feeling guilty kissing me that night or oh, what about when I had my hand down your pants? Did you feel guilty then?”

“Wasn’t the night you came to see me the same night you somehow moved over to the couch and things heated up between you and Josh? Or are you still not sure if maybe it was his phone in his pocket?” Aidan barks. “Did you come down to see me that night because you wanted to be with me or did you just come down as a way to escape the way you were really feeling about Josh? This thing with me and you, it was all just some game, wasn’t it?”