Hungry Heart: Part Two (3 page)

“Okay, let me go ask him.”

Of course, Ethan agrees after I give him a brief idea of what happened, and goes to join Benedict. It’s not that I don’t want to hear what they have to say, because I do, but I think it’s better if I’m not in the room with them at all.

Unfortunately, that leaves me alone with a freaking out Destiny at the bar who asks me a bunch of questions and insists on wanting to go check on her brother. I’m not sure what I should or shouldn’t say, so I just try to keep her as calm as possible while we wait and finish my drink, followed by another.

About a half hour after they go into the room, I receive a text from Nathan.

“
I need you to come home right now. We need to talk.
”

Frowning at the vague yet urgent tone of his message, I send back, “
Okay. I’ve had two drinks though and I didn’t drive. Come get me?
”

“
K, be there in ten
.”

Waving at Frank, I wait until he’s close to say, “Looks like I gotta go. I’d text Benedict but I don’t want to interrupt him. Let him know Nathan needed me at home and came to get me okay?”

“Of course. Merry Christmas, Caroline.”

“You too, Frank. Keep an eye on this one.” Turning to Destiny after he nods, I tell her, “Stay here and wait okay? Be calm. I’m sure they won’t be in there much longer.”

Not even waiting for a response, I make my way to the front door, which takes a bit as the club has even more people than when I arrived barely an hour ago.

By the time I get out front, Nathan is waiting in the car. Once I’m buckled in and we’re on the road, he says without even glancing over at me, “I need to go on a trip tomorrow morning.”

“What? To where? For what?”

“Work needs me to fly to close some deal across the country. I could be gone anywhere from three days to a week, depends on how negotiations go, but they want someone there in person.”

“Oh…okay.”

I’m not sure what else to say in the face of his matter of factness about the whole thing, not seeming to even care they want him to go on Christmas day, and my heart plummets as I look out the window. We’ve always spent the whole day together and now we won’t get to. Yeah it’s his job, but couldn’t he go the fucking day after? Seriously.

“…somewhere else to go?”

Focusing back on him, I frown at what I did catch of the sentence. “I’m sorry, what?”

He sighs, covering my hand with his as he turns the corner toward our home. “I said, I’m sorry it’s such short notice and that I’ll miss Christmas with you. But, I don’t want you to be alone, and we’ve never been apart like this. Leaving you alone in the house by yourself worries me. Will you be okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’m not afraid of empty houses. Besides, it’s not like I don’t have anybody to call to come hang out with me.” Turning my hand over under his, I lace our fingers together. “I’m glad we can spend the evening together at least.”

“I wish I didn’t have to go,” he says, kissing my hand before releasing it. “Come on. Let’s go inside where it’s warm and make the most of the night.”

Once inside, we get ready for bed and as Nathan puts a movie in as is the tradition, my phone buzzes like crazy. I send both Ethan and Benedict the same message without reading what they said: “
Can’t talk tonight. Nathan going on trip in the morning, spending evening with him. Talk tomorrow.
”

I don’t know what they say, because I put the phone on silent, and snuggle up to Nathan as he returns to my side. It’s not long before I fall asleep.

And when I wake up in the morning, he’s gone.

4

I text Ethan at ten a.m. and it’s not long before he arrives at my house eager to fill me in on the details of last night. We’re barely sitting at the table eating the breakfast he brought before he’s talking a mile a minute.

“We get in there and Miranda get’s all nasty, asking him what I’m doing in there. And when he says he needs witnesses, she freaks out asking him what he thinks they’re gonna do. He says ‘besides what you already have been doing and are doing’ and she didn’t like that. He sat behind his desk after saying that, and I just kept standing by the door. They were both sitting on the couch. Len looked like shit but he wasn’t bleeding anymore.”

“Did he break his nose?”

Ethan makes a slicing gesture in the air. “You know better than to interrupt my stories! But no, he’s fine although he kinda deserves it huh?”

“You tell me, mister story teller.”

“It was bad, Caro. Benedict asks her if there’s something she needs to tell him, and she starts crying like the manipulative bitch she is, and Len got all defensive. He’s like, ‘oh we were gonna tell you, just trying to find a way’ and Benedict said, ‘you mean you were gonna tell me how you were fucking Miranda before we opened our relationship?’” Ethan laughs at his own memory and rolls his eyes. “Len’s like, ‘oh I thought you were talking about her being pregnant.’ I about died at the ‘you’re an idiot’ look he gave Len.

“Then he tells Miranda to stop crying and say what she needs to say so they can all get on with their lives. Of course she cried harder while telling him she was almost five months pregnant and it was over between her and him because she wants to marry Len. Benedict said finally, now both of you get the fuck out.”

My mouth drops open. “You’re exaggerating.”

“Of course I am. We were in there a long time, a lot of other dumb shit was said by those two, but it’s not important. They tried to justify what they did by saying they wanted to make sure they would work out before she left him. Uh huh. He wasn’t believing it either.”

“Poor Benedict. He deserves better.”

“Yeah,” Ethan agrees with a scowl. “Poor him. He needed comfort too and comes out to find you gone. Frank told him Nathan came to get you for something not even ten minutes before, and he understood, but didn’t look happy about it.”

My phone buzzes and Ethan gives me a knowing smile before finally digging into his food.

Of course the message is from Benedict. “
Good morning. Are you alone?
”

“
No. Ethan is here. Sorry I had to leave like that last night. You okay?
”

I poke Ethan in the arm while waiting for Benedict to answer. “Where’s Destiny?”

“With her parents. She’ll text me when she is free to get together.”

“You two spend a lot of time together.”

Buzz.

“Yeah, we do. She’s awesome.”

“I’m happy for you.”

Buzz
.

“I know you are. Answer him before he shows up at the door and drags you back to his cave by your hair, and so I can eat in peace.”

Rolling my eyes, I pick up my phone and read what he’s sent.

“
Not really, but I’m sure Ethan filled you in. It’s over. They said they’re going to get married. I may or may not be drinking.
” Followed up with, “
Any chance you can come over?
”

“He wants me to come over. Says he may or may not be drinking.”

“That means he’s probably drunk.”

“Strange reaction for a man who told me he stopped being hurt by Miranda a long time ago.”

“Caro, don’t be an idiot.” When my mouth drops open at that, he uses two fingers to shut it and gives me a disapproving look. “He might’ve known her breaking up with him was inevitable, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less no matter what he tells himself. I mean, they’re getting married
and
having a baby. That would hurt anyone who loved someone who didn’t want to be together anymore after eight years together.”

“Yeah, you’re right, I guess. I know I’d be pretty upset. If I go, will you drive me over?”

“When you go, you mean? Yes I will take you.”

I text Benedict back with a sigh. “
Yes, I’ll be there in a little while
.”

His reply is instant. “
Good. I need a hug.
”

And just like that, my heart melts. I would need a hug too, but not sure my biggest reaction would involve drowning my pain in alcohol. However, I’m not him and I barely see him drink, so I’ll let him do it his way as long as it doesn’t get out of hand and comfort him the best I can.

“Sooooo.” Ethan raises a brow at me, unable to speak since he’s chewing. “When you going to your family’s for dinner? Are ya taking Destiny?”

“Usual time and no. I guess Len and Miranda are planning to tell his parents all their bullshit so it’s absolutely necessary she’s there.” He says the last few words with immense sarcasm and rolls his eyes. “Merry Christmas to me. I told her she’ll meet everybody at New Year’s though, so she’s pretty excited.”

“You two are pretty serious.”

“Says the girl with two boyfriends?”

“I would say touché, but I’ve yet to meet either of their families, and I like it that way.”

His head rears back, eyes going wide. “What? You’ve been with Nathan for how many years and you haven’t met the fam? That’s not cool, Caro.”

“It’s no big deal, especially since I don’t want to meet them, and I told him so.”

“Why? After all this time they probably think you hate them, or you’re a snob.”

“Guess I’m a snob then.”

“Caro…”

I don’t need to explain it to him because he already knows, but every so often he thinks he has to try and make me admit I hate my parents for not being around. I refuse to say it because there’s so much more to it than that and I’m not engaging with him today, so I shake my head. Then, with a huff of irritation, I grab my stuff off the table and throw it away, turning to head toward the steps one that’s done. “Just drop it. I’ll go get ready and we’ll leave in like…ten minutes?”

“Yeah,” he says in a strained voice. “I’ll be waiting in the car.”

I don’t even turn back to look at him before heading upstairs and barely a minute passes before the door slams behind him as he exits.

5

I send Benedict a text minutes before we arrive at his house, and Ethan waits while I walk up to the front door and ring the bell.

The second the door opens, I’m staring at a half-dressed drunk and grinning like a fool Benedict, and it’s not much longer before Ethan speeds away. But I’m not paying attention to that; all my focus is on the gorgeous bare chest in front of my eyes.

Oh, and the overwhelming scent of liquor.

He steps back, extending his arm in invitation with a flourish, which causes some of whatever he’s drinking to slosh over the rim and onto the floor. Shutting the door behind me and locking it, I step toward him with my hand out and he frowns at me.

“You don’t need that now that I’m here.”

He hasn’t said a word to me yet, and I start to wonder how much he’s had to drink, even though he isn’t showing any signs of intoxication. The downturn of his mouth becomes more pronounced as it equals the pain in his gaze, but he places the glass in my hand with a curt nod.

I set it down on the table by the entryway, take his hand in mine, and say, “Let’s go lie down.”

He’s like a puppy, following me without question with his hand tight on mine, and I know he’s drunk for sure now. The fact he hasn’t said anything, not one word, has me worried. His demeanor, which is usually lively and commanding, is subdued and…well, heartbroken I guess. It’s possible I could lead him to a slaughterhouse right now and he’d let me, which is fucking terrible.

As we enter his bedroom, I’m wishing I could punch both Miranda and Len in the face for what they did. Shit, for what they’re still doing. Anger at the way they’ve treated him when he loves them both boils inside me, seeking an outlet even though I don’t have one, and I stomp it down like I’ve had practice doing for so long.

I’m so lost in my thoughts I don’t notice Benedict’s let go of my hand until the door is clicking shut and I jerk back to the present as Benedict grabs me. Whirling around, he imprisons my body against the door, and I wrap my legs around his waist. He seizes my mouth with his own as it opens on a gasp, his actions leaving me in a desperate bid for air after he steals my breath. It’s not even a split second before his tongue swoops in and gives me no rest, tangling and toying with mine at the same time his hands find my wrists and he’s raising mine above my head, holding them there with a strong, firm grip of one hand.

My body responds while my brain tries to catch up, his now free hand slipping between us and underneath my skirt, pushing aside the silky material of my panties and slipping one finger followed instantly by another inside me. I whimper into his mouth as he strokes me just right, getting me nice and wet until I’m sure I’ll have no issue taking his cock into my body, and his hand leaves just as quickly as it arrived.

“Fuck, I’m sorry,” he mutters against my mouth before invading it again while I feel his hand fumbling between us to undo his pants. I count
one, two, three
before he moves the fabric aside once more and the head of his cock is pushing inside my pussy. He grabs hold of my ass, his voice raw and gravelly, and full of desire as he drags his lips away to speak. “I need you. I can’t wait.”

He slams into me, swallowing my cry with his mouth once again while thrusting into me over and over, so fast I’m not even sure if I’m breathing anymore. However, I feel everything even as my arms go numb from the way he’s holding me, as if all the feeling in my form is floating toward where our bodies are connected.

I’ve marveled on his strength before but the way we’re standing, the way he’s holding me, and the way our bodies match perfectly even at his pace is nothing short of amazing to me. The hand gripping my ass keeps me angled in a way I’m protected from hitting it on the wall and getting bruises, yet I know I’ll feel the effects of this tomorrow.

When he releases my arms with no warning, they fall to my sides as if I’m a rag doll, and his hand slides down until it’s squeezing my other ass cheek. He rips his mouth away, resting his forehead on my shoulder, but if I even think for a second it gives me a chance to say something, it doesn’t. His new hold gives him extra power to lift me as he draws out before entering again, the long hard strokes hitting me just right when he yanks me down, over and over.

“God, Caroline.” He moans into my neck, pressing rapid kisses up and then down it as his grip tightens to an almost painful level. “You feel so fucking amazing. You always feel so fucking incredible.”