Page 73 of Bend
Six fucking years I wasted with her. I should’ve ended it, seen the writing on the wall long before finding out she’d been cheating on me. Instead, I was too busy looking at expanding our company and taking care of my mom.
“Oh, J, your lawyer called for you earlier.”
I stopped in my tracks to stare back at my little sister. “And you’re just telling me now as I’m walking out the door?”
She shrugged and ran a hand over her baby bump. “I’ll say it was pregnant brain.”
That got me to smile and shake my head. “What time did he call?”
“Right before you got home.” She pulled on her ponytail of jet-black hair that matched mine and tilted her head in that curious way she’d done her whole life. “What’s going on?”
“Exploring options to get away from Monica.”
She nodded. “Good. That bitch needs to go down.”
“I thought you liked her.” I peeked over to look at Mom’s snoozing silhouette.
“I did, but then she fucked with my brother. Honestly, she turned into someone else over the last few years. I couldn’t relate to her anymore.”
“You and me both.”
It was true. Cassie and Monica had been close in the beginning. Back then, they were a lot alike. When Cassie opened up her gourmet pet store, I thought she was crazy. Three years later, she had a booming business, married one of her customers, and happier than I’d ever seen her.
I pulled open the door, but didn’t get my foot over the threshold before she called me back. She padded into the entryway. “Give me a call if you need a lift, okay?”
I leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Will do.”
A short drive later, I parked my truck in back of the restaurant right next to Dex’s.
As soon as I entered through the back door, eyes landed on me. Granted, if I’d walked into some place in Carmel, it would’ve been worse, but at Union Jack’s, in the heart of Broad Ripple, only my muscles made me stand out.
Not that I normally minded the attention. After all, I covered my skin with art and had a hot body. My full sleeves were highly visible with the short-sleeved shirt I had on.
My problem today was how fucked up I’d been lately. I didn’t want to deal with curious eyes and stupid chicks looking to hook up with a bad boy.
I found Dex at the bar and hopped onto the stool next to him. He cocked his head and pushed a bottle my way.
“Gonna be a few for a table.”
“Always is.”
Union Jack Pub had the best Chicago-style pizza in town. The downside? It took about an hour to cook. Then again, that left us lots of time for drinking, which I desperately needed.
The Reds were on one of the TVs and we sat in silence, watching the game and letting the alcohol work its magic. One or two minutes later, the pager went off, and we headed to the hostess stand. She led us to our seats, which were back in the bar area.
Fine by me—closer to the drinks.
My skin vibrated as we reentered the section, a shudder rolling down my back and through my legs before pulsing into my cock.
“Fuck me.”
It was the same feeling. The one that hit me the moment she walked in the church and never left me. The one that haunted me. She was there. She had to be.
I scanned the room, my eyes transfixed on a curvy figure a few feet away as I slid into the booth seat, and everything slowed down. I began to wonder if I’d really lost it. My torturer from the church pews was parading around in barely-cover-her-ass shorts and a vest that pushed her tits up and out, begging for me to bite them.
I prayed for her to be our waitress. At the same time, I was scared—uncertain if I could control myself with her so close.
Dex waved his hand in front of me. “Yo, Jared, what the fuck? See something you like?” He followed my gaze.
