Hyde and Seek (41 page)

After what he’d heard at the police station, he’d started calling or texting more often to check on me. I didn’t want to leave him hanging.

“Hey, hon, now’s not a great time. Can I call you later?”

“Yeah. I just wanted to double check with you about cancelling the cake with Green. I wouldn’t blame you. That dude is a half-ass voice with a full-scale ego. But you seemed so determined.”

I shook my head as if he could see me. “I’m not cancelling.” Looking out the window, I watched Jake pace as his hand rubbed the back of his neck.

“And that’s why I was calling to see. Jake texted that you decided not to do the cake. He offered to pay someone else to take over on such short notice.”

“I have to go. The cake is still a go. Sorry about the confusion.”

“Cut him some slack, yeah? He’s used to making the decisions. It comes with owning a business,” he explained, knowing it wasn’t a misunderstanding that caused Jake to text. “You know he’s protective of you. This is all new to him.”

“Maybe not as new as everyone thinks. Bye, Rhys.” I hung up on him talking.

I’ll feel bad later, but right now I’m pissed.

Beyond pissed.

Furious.

I was barely out of my car when Jake started talking. “I talked to Ray. And Edge. I have no clue what the fuck that message was. I haven’t sent shit to Chloe.”

“Does she send you naked pictures?”

“She could. I delete anythin’ from her without lookin’. I swear to you, I haven’t seen or texted her.”

“Did you cancel my cake order?”

Guilt flashed across his face as he reached for me.

On clumsy feet, I took a few steps back. If he touched me, I’d give in.

I always did.

No wonder he thinks he can just do what he wants
.

“Piper.” His voice was rough as he looked at my feet. “I kept thinkin’ about what Green said to you, all the shit about the trash I fucked. How you fuckin’ me made you trash. Then Z told me about some shit he overheard him sayin’. We got enough with the fuckin’ sicko out there. You don’t need to be puttin’ yourself through that.”

“You don’t always get to tell me what to do!” I screamed, stomping my foot. “I’m an adult.”

Minus the foot stomp.

“You need to trust me to know when it’s too much. And it isn’t. I can ignore him. I don’t know where you’re getting all your information from, but he barely says shit to me. He’s a joke. What’s not a joke is you promising to trust me, and then going behind my back to do what you want.”

“Piper, just—” Jake said softly as he reached for me again.

And again, I backed away. It was unmistakable, such was the distance I put between us.

Pain followed by anger shrouded his face.

“I’m supposed to trust that the screenshot I
saw
, with
your
name,” I said, pointing at him, “from
your
number, isn’t you. You expect me to believe you, but you won’t do the same for me.”

“But—”

“I’m not some trashy skank looking to bed hop. Why would anything he says make me change that? What’s the point of being together if you think that little of me? I told you, I’ve got a handle on it. I’m fine!”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “Are you fine, Piper?” His voice was low, his tone misleadingly soft. “How fine? You so set on doin’ this cake ‘cause you like spendin’ time with Green? Hearin’ all the things he wants to do to you? I know you email with Jet and the guys all the time, sendin’ shit to them wherever they are.”

I threw my hands up in frustration. “Yeah, ‘cause we’re friends.”

“Maybe you really are just a fuckin’ act. No one’s this naive.”

“I’m not—”

As he prowled towards me, I backed away until my body hit the side of the building. Not in fear.

In heartache.

“Slummin’ it with a fuckin’ mechanic gettin’ old for you? Does it turn you on to have famous rock stars hard for you? Knowin’ they jack off thinkin’ about you? Make you wanna go all groupie on their rocker dicks?” Jake’s voice was malicious as he fired off his questions in rapid succession, each one hitting like a physical blow.

“Whoa, too far, man,” Xavier barked before I could say anything.

“Step back, dude,” Kase warned, wedging himself between Jake and I.

After all we’ve been through, this is what he thinks of me? What he thinks of us?

Ducking to the side, I stumbled as I moved away.

Jake shifted to steady me, but Kase blocked him.

Though I wished I sounded fierce, my voice was small and shaking. “Fuck you, Jake.” Tears blurred my vision as I turned and ran to my car as fast as my wobbly legs and heels would carry me.

My fingers shook as I tried to fit the key into the ignition. Involuntarily, my eyes focused out the window to see Kase toe-to-toe with Jake as he got in his face.

I started the car and put it into reverse. Every instinct I had screamed at me to slam the car back into park, but I ignored them.

We needed a break.

Chapter Thirteen

^{Killer Insecurities}

“I’m sorry, Jake. I just think it would be best if we ended this now,” I said through the crack in the door.

He’d tried to gently push it open to get to me, but that wasn’t happening.

It was too late.

“What the fuck are you talkin’ about, Piper?” Jake asked, his brows drawn down.

Even Kase looked stunned. Though he was giving us space, he was still there to have his boy’s back. He must’ve given Jake a ride since we’d taken my car that morning.

Has it really been less than an hour since I left him?

“Things just aren’t going to work between us. Here.” Wiggling my engagement ring off my finger, I held it out to him.

Adding a head tilt to the lowered brows, Jake glanced blankly at it and then back at me, like he didn’t comprehend my words or action. He made no move to take it.

My sweat slickened fingers shook so badly that I lost my hold on it. It fell between us, hitting the ground with a ping.

Neither of us looked to see where it landed.

“But you’re mine.”

“I’m not.”

“You are. You swore you wouldn’t take your sweetness from me.”

His words made me regret the promises I often gave him. “Things change.”

“You got my name tattooed on you. Your name is fuckin’ inked permanently on me.” His hand shook as he touched his chest, reminding me of the night he’d first shown it to me.

I looked at him with a bored expression. “Tattoos can be covered. Just blend it in with your other ink.”

“Are you fuckin’ serious?”

I wished I was joking, but I knew there was no going back. I had no other choice. “It wouldn’t have worked, Jake. I… I need to be with someone more my level. Like James. Or Blake. You were right. I need better than a mechanic.”

“I fucked up. That was fuckin’ stupid today. When you asked what the point of us bein’ together was, I just lost it. I’m sorry.” His words were sincere and I knew he’d put the effort in to never act like that again.

It was just too late.

“Don’t apologize. You were right because I do like that stuff. That’s how I know things aren’t going to work between us. Goodbye, Jacoby. Bye, Kase.” I tried again to close the door.

“Sweets… Fuck, Piper. Please, just talk to me,” Jake pleaded, the tortured strain in his voice painful to hear. “I’m sorry I said all that shit. I’ll never say anythin’ like that again. But you can’t leave me, Piper. You promised.” His eyes went bright with unshed tears. Tears I’d never thought I’d see from him, let alone be the one putting there. “You can’t do this. You can’t give me all that’s you, make me so fuckin’ happy for the first time in my life, and then walk away like it meant nothin’.”

I’ve gotta get him out of here. This is too fuckin’ much.

“It
was
nothing, Jake.” My voice was cold and firm so he’d get the point. “I’m too young to settle down. I thought we were just having fun but then things kinda spiraled out of control. I should’ve put a stop to it earlier. It was fun, and you taught me a bunch, but there’s nothing else to get from this.”

“I’ve
taught
you a bunch?”

I shrugged. “Even you had to get your experience from somewhere.”

Jake threw his arms out. “Are you seriously fuckin’ tellin’ me you’re gonna suck and ride some other man’s dick the way I taught you I liked it?”

“Well, yeah.” The implied ‘duh’ went unsaid. “It’s not like I’m never going to have sex with anyone again.”

“It was supposed to be me.
Only
me.” He thumped his chest for emphasis. “You fuckin’ said it!”

Balling my fists at my side, I leaned forward. “And I fuckin’
lied
!”

His voice was hoarse as he shook his head. “Piper—”

“I’ve gotta go.”

“Wait.” Leaning heavily on the doorframe, a single tear started down his stubbled cheek.

I shut the door in his face.

*******

Jake

“I don’t fuckin’ get it, man. I’ve gotta go back. She’s gotta talk to me.” I was ramblin’ but I couldn’t help it.

“Dude, just give her time. This is Pipe we’re talking about,” Kase said, trying to calm me, but it wasn’t workin’.

“Exactly. Piper doesn’t play games. She wouldn’t say that shit to me unless she was sure.” My gut felt painfully empty and my head was poundin’. “I love her. Fuck, I’ve never loved anyone
but
her. She’s everythin’ I’ve been tryin’ to find but so much fuckin’ better. I had that sweetness, and now she just wants to take it away? I have her fuckin’ name tattooed on my chest.” I rubbed the spot where I knew her name was. I smiled every day when I saw it there.

I smile every fuckin’ day
‘cause
of her.

“I was supposed to give her my name. She was supposed to be my
wife. Mine.
I know I fucked up, but I’ve done it before. She calls me out on my bullshit and we move on.”

“You gotta relax. The shit you said? That was seriously fucked up, brother. Just give her time. She’ll come around. Piper isn’t like this. She’ll call you, and shit will get straightened out,” Eli put in.

Eli didn’t know. He hadn’t seen her face when she’d told me that we were a mistake. Or when she’d handed me back my ring and just let it drop between us like it meant nothin’.

After Piper shredded me, Kase had to drag me away. I kept hopin’ she’d throw open the door and laugh as she explained it was all just a really fuckin’ bad joke.

I believed her every time she’d told me she loved me. That she needed me. That she’d never leave me.

I could tell, from a fuckin’ mile away, which women were connivin’ and tryin’ to blind me with biker bitch snatch like I was fuckin’ dumb. They wanted to use me for my money, my name, my dick.

But that wasn’t Piper.

She’d never been an act. She wanted and loved me for me.

Didn’t she?

Fuck.

“Dude, you gotta chill. All the pacing is making me dizzy.” Kase pulled out a bottle of scotch and some glasses from the bottom drawer of my desk.

I kept it in there for bad days.

And since Piper came into your life, how many days have you had to dip into it? How many nights have you worked yourself to exhaustion and then drank yourself to oblivion before crashin’ on the couch in the break room?

Yeah, that’s what you have to look forward to again.

I stared at the dark amber liquid in the heavy tumbler. Liftin’ it, I side armed it at the wall and watched the light reflect off it as it exploded into worthlessness.

As incredibly expensive scotch dripped down the wall and soaked into the carpet, I knew I had to go.

“I gotta get the fuck outta here,” I growled, reaching for the door as Kase blocked it.

“Give it time. Nothing good will come from you going over there when emotions are so high.”

“It’s not that. Okay, it’s not
just
that. I’ve gotta get outta
here
.” The whole place smelled like her. Her fuckin’ pictures were coverin’ the wall. All I could think about was the shit we’d done on the desk, what she’d done under it… “I can’t fuckin’ breathe. I won’t go to her. I just gotta get out of here.”

Kase moved, allowin’ me to throw the door open.

I started for the garage when I turned towards the break room.