My Sweet Demise (Demise #1) (39 page)

“I’ll take that,” I offer.

He looks over at me. “It’s no problem.”

“Are you sure? You shouldn’t have to clean up after him.”

He smiles. “I’ve been cleaning up after Kent for a while. This,” he says, holding up his t-shirt, “is no trouble.”

“I bet,” I grumble, earning a knowing laugh. “Where is he, Mr. Greene?”

“I believe he’s in his bedroom. Find the stairs past the foyer and take the fourth door down the hall.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

I enter the house through the side door Kent and I exited from after the fight. It’s near noon now and the mess of breakfast has been cleaned up. I walk through the kitchen to the fridge. I need something to drink, and since it can’t be whiskey, I’ll settle on water.

Willow walks in as I’m closing the fridge.

She pauses when she sees me. “How is he?” she asks softly.

“You don’t get to ask that anymore.”

She holds my eye contact. “Maybe not, but I still worry about him. Despite what he thinks I’m not some cold-hearted bitch.”

“He does think that.”

She smiles a little. “Trust me, he’s told me on more than one occasion. How is he?” Her green eyes are seemingly sincere and worried.

They weren’t sincere when she was with Scott. “He didn’t know until yesterday.”

“It’s the Nicholsons’ fault. They hide everything from him because they’re afraid of his response. What they don’t realize is Kent needs time to work things out. He has the ability to be a calm thinker. But he can be impulsive sometimes too. Unless he understands his actions he’s a tornado.”

I’m irritated she knows him so well. I picture them together, naked bodies intertwined. I have half a mind to search for something stronger than water. I’ve never had to deal with an ex before.

“Congratulations on being pregnant and your engagement.” It only seems right.

Her smile is large and happy. “Thank you,” she gushes. “I’m so happy it’s kind of scary.”

“How far along are you?”

“Six weeks.” She touches her belly. It’s still relatively flat, but there’s a slight bump under her shirt.

I feel like I’m the only one who’s awkward here. She’s clearly happy and I’m clearly confused. Where’s the heartless whore Kent described? Where are her claws and evil intent? “Is Scott excited?”

She frowns at her belly. “He is.” She looks into my eyes and hers fill with tears. “But I think he might want to hurt Kent more.”

I am uncomfortable. I don’t want to comfort my boyfriend’s pregnant ex-girlfriend. “Don’t cry. I’m sure he’s just nervous.”

“No. He couldn’t wait to tell Kent, because he knew Kent would be devastated.”

She’s looking at me like I have answers. “What’s his problem?” I ask.

She sighs and shakes her head sadly. “I think he knows exactly how Kent feels about me.”

I watch her claws come out. She suckered me in and I fell for it. I smile sweetly at her. “Kent’s with me, Willow. I think he’s more bothered by what his brother did.”

She smiles back, glad I’m playing along. “We both know he’s still in love with me. He’s loved me from the moment our eyes met.”

Bitch
. “We both know he isn’t. He loves me now.”

She laughs as if that’s the funniest thing she’s heard all year long. “Sure, sweetheart. Kent loved me more than he’s ever loved anyone. Poor thing was obsessed with me. Wanted me all the time. So I found a man like him, but better. I could have him if I wanted. I could have him right now,” she promises me.

It’s my turn to laugh. “I’m sure Kent would love to father his brother’s baby.”

“Me too.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “There’s no way Kent wants you the way he wants me. You can’t even handle him. You’re naïve and inexperienced. He’s using you to forget about me. He’ll drop you like he drops them all and call me when he gets drunk, like he did last week, begging me to come back.”

“You’re face isn’t pregnant. Keep talking and I’ll show you which one of us can handle Kent Nicholson.” I shove around her, but before I leave I turn around and point at her threateningly. “You leave him alone. You’ve done enough damage to that man. He’s mine now. We’re in love. If you step your slutty little foot in on our relationship I’ll saw it off. Do you hear me?”

She smiles.
Challenge accepted
. “Didn’t expect that out of you, sweetie pie.”

“Really? Because I expected this out of you.”

I march out of the kitchen with my water bottle, squeezing the plastic as I follow Mr. Greene’s directions. When I find Kent’s bedroom I barrel inside and slam his door, screaming at the top of my lungs. Kent sits up in bed like someone stabbed him, staring at me in shock.

“Witch!” I holler, pointing at him with my water bottle. “You called Willow when you were drunk last week? I thought you stopped drinking?”

He frowns and lies back down. “She got to you, I see. I told you about her. Don’t believe a word she says. Her number’s not even in my phone. How can I call her?”

“By memory.”

“I don’t know her number. She changed it a long time ago. I haven’t had it. I didn’t call her. Plus I haven’t had a drink in weeks.”

“What’s her problem? She’s pregnant with another man’s baby!”

He cringes and touches his ribs where Scott landed a hard punch, nestling down in his dark blue covers. I look around his room. It’s large, with floor to ceiling windows, creamy white carpet, and a sterile appearance like his bedroom has at home. I kick off my sandals and sit morosely at his desk, at a loss for words.

He peeks at me through the ice pack over his eye. “You see why I’m still messed up over this? It’s hard to get over something when they rub it in constantly. It was hell all summer.”

“She acts like she knows you better than me. Because you loved her once, that gives her the right to own you forever. And Scott is no better! Scott is an evil bastard for what he did to you. ” I spin around fast in his chair, getting dizzy. I stop and stare at him. “Calm me down, please. I’ve never been this mad in my life. Not even when Arissa fought me in the laundry room.”

“Marry me, Rain?” He’s looking at me desperately.

“Why? So you can rub it in her face?”

“No. So I know you’re mine forever. I feel like I’m losing everything right now. My mind, my girl, and my self-respect. Not that I had much to begin with, but still.” He smiles a bit, but it’s sad, and now I’m sad too. “I need to know I’m not losing you over this weekend.”

“You’re not losing me at all. That’s going to have to be enough.”

He sits up and removes the ice from his swollen red eye. “Dad wants to go play golf at the country club. Are you up for it?”

“Are you?”

He smirks. “I can beat him with one eye closed and one hand up your skirt.”

“I’m not wearing a skirt.”

“You should put one on. We bought a few last night, didn’t we?” He opens my suitcase and starts digging through it, coming away with a white skirt and a light pink Lacoste polo shirt. “Put this on.”

I eye the clothes he picked out. Becca would hurl.

He drops his ice pack and disappears into his closet.

“Yes, Kent, sir,” I call.

“I’m not in the mood for your smart mouth,” comes his dangerous reply.

As Kent and I travel down the long hallway after changing I hear a female voice shout. Kent smiles to himself.

“Trouble in paradise, Will?” he whispers.

“Don’t call her that. No cute nicknames.”

“She can’t stand being called Will. Trust me, try it. She’ll burn.”

“Grow up.”

He puts his hand around my shoulder and brings me close. “I promise to grow up right after you marry me. Before then I’m a bad boy who occasionally warns people off.”

“Bad boy,” I scoff, and he laughs, bending down to kiss me just as Scott and Willow come out of their room.

I make sure to kiss him deeply. He blinks at me. “Naughty girl,” he whispers, kissing my temple before pulling away. He puts his mouth over my ear. “I know what you’re doing. And I’m not sure I like it.” He gives me a tight look when he pulls away. “Don’t.”

Forget whatever reasoning he has. He’s mine and Willow is going to know it. I grab his hand and pull him along down the stairs, feeling both their eyes on us as we take them down to the foyer.

“They let anyone in this place,” Scott sneers.

“I’ve noticed,” Willow agrees.

Kent tenses.

“Don’t,” I order.

“Oh look. Someone to tame the beast,” Scott mocks.

“I tamed him once,” Willow plays along.

I tense up.

“Don’t,” Kent orders. “You wish you tamed me. I cheated on you, Will. Remember? You weren’t that good.”

“I cheated on you with Scott in your apartment before we even broke up. In your bed,” she adds, “while you were at school. Scott never came down to see you. He came down to see me.”

Oh no.

The realization of her comment hurts even me.

All this time Kent thought he ruined this relationship. He couldn’t even give himself to me because of the things he did and what he thought he’d lost because of it. But Kent didn’t ruin everything. Willow did long before he even got a chance.

I let Kent’s hand go. “Just once,” I allow him.

Before I know it Scott is laid out on the stairs. Willow is screaming at Kent, but Kent won’t stop. He’s pounding into Scott’s face like a crazy person.

“Kent!” I snap. “Enough.”

He freezes and shoves Scott’s face away. “I wish you luck, big brother. I wish you all the luck in the world with this thing you picked to marry. I got me a girl who’s better than you could ever get. She’s going to make me one happy son of a bitch. And all you’ll have is Willow. Who won now?” Kent rises, stares down at his brother in disgust, and then he grabs my hand with his bloody knuckles and leads me downstairs to where Brent and Mr. Greene are talking near the front door.

They both look up as we come in and then frown when they get a look at the blood on Kent’s shirt.

“Round two was much more successful, Dad,” he says, grinning easily.

I, on the other hand, feel slightly sick.

Brent looks heartbroken. “What am I going to with my children?”

“Don’t start. He did it. Not me.”

“Do you love her at all?” he asks, nodding toward me.

Kent doesn’t miss a beat. “I do.”

“Then you have every reason in the world to let it go. Do you want to deal with this forever?” Brent asks me.

“No. In fact I’m over it.” I look up at Kent.

He looks impassively at me. “Let’s go play golf. Scott’s not coming. He’s probably nursing his wounds.”

“No. I’m feeling fine.” Scott and Willow come downstairs. “Barely felt it, bro.”

“Maybe I’ll try a 9 iron next time.” Kent glares so darkly at his brother I shrink against him.

“Whatever you got, bro.”

Brent sighs. “We’re taking separate cars. Kent and Raina will ride with me. Scott, get there when you get there. I wanted to play golf with my sons like we used to. I think that’s a lost cause at this point.”

Scott’s face is raw and swollen, but even I can see the sadness from his father’s comment. “Don’t be like that.”

“Yeah, I mean, you’re going to lose anyway.” Kent smacks his dad on the shoulder.

Brent is over it. “Let’s go.”

Willow shoots me an icy look when I reach for Kent’s hand, so I interweave our fingers and bring it to my lips, kissing the back of it.

Kent looks down at me crossly.

Before we follow his father into a dark blue Audi he pulls me to a stop. Willow and Scott stop at a Mercedes and disappear inside.

“Stop it,” he orders.

“Stop what?”

“You know what. Don’t touch me to make her jealous. Touch me because you want to. Don’t kiss me to make her mad. Kiss me because you can’t help it. I’ve never done anything with you with Willow in mind. I expect the same from you. I don’t want her. I don’t care how bad she makes you think I do. I don’t. You’re going to have to trust me.”

“She’s under my skin. I’m sorry.” I give him my hopeful face.

He groans and covers his eyes. “Still mad.”

“But you can’t stay mad at me.” I slide my hands over his chest, ignoring Scott’s blood, and reach up on my tiptoes to kiss his swollen red lips tenderly. “Please forgive me.”

He removes his hand from over his eyes and taps my chin with his thumb. “That pouty face is killer.”

“It’s my secret weapon.”

“It’s not that secret,” he argues. “Get your cute ass in the car before I make good use of that skirt.”

Brent rolls down the window and glares at his son. “Is that any way to talk to a lady?”

“Rain isn’t a lady. She’s my woman. My women have to put up with my irresistible charm.”

He father gawks at him. “Who raised you?”

I shove my face into Kent’s shoulder to hide my smile. “He has his gentlemanly moments,” I assure his father.