Ruined: Loving An Alpha Male: BWWM Romance (30 page)

I was quiet…thinking hard. I glanced out on the dance floor and found her eyes were on mine. I typically can be a mask. You’ll never know what I’m feeling or thinking, if I don’t want you to. But at that moment, I wanted her to know I was pissed and hurt, and it was because of her. I couldn’t hide how I felt at that moment. She has told me everything about her…so I thought, anyway. To hear that she kept something secret, that was this deep and serious, has me seeing red.

“So after she got out of the hospital, she left? She moved?” I asked, not taking my eyes off Max.

“Actually, no. She stayed for a while. But there was another attempt to snatch her. This time she was with Tiff. She thought that she would endanger her by staying in Dallas, so she left.”

Cory saw that Max was looking over at us, and he started to get up just as my brother came back to the table. I looked at my brother. I needed to get out of here…now.

“Hey, do you mind taking Diane back to the hotel?”

Marc frowned and looked at me. Clearly he knew something was up, but I couldn’t tell him anything. He nodded, though.

“Yeah, of course. Anything you need, Mason.”

I nodded and walked out. I didn’t look back for fear that if I did, and I made eye contact with her, shit would hit the fan. I couldn’t believe this shit. I mean, she told me about almost being raped. She told me all about Trip, even though it was days later. Why would she not tell me about being kidnapped? I sighed deeply. I really knew what the answer was. If I had known, I would have already found her father and put a bullet in his useless fucking skull. She knew I would have hunted his ass down and made him pay for everything he has ever allowed to happen to her. Hell, I wanted to do that right now.

As if clarity suddenly came over me, I grabbed my phone. I ignored the call coming in from Diane and looked for someone that would definitely help me solve this problem.

“I need a favor,” I spoke into my phone.

“Really?”

I knew this would intrigue him. I have never asked him a favor, ever.

“Well, ask, and it shall be.”

“I need you to find someone for me.”

Roland chuckled.

“Is that it?”

“No. I not only want you to find him, but I also want you to watch him…sit on him. I need twenty-four hour surveillance on his ass. I want to know where he sleeps, what he eats, when he takes a piss and fucking shits, and who he shits on. I want to know who his friends are and who his enemies are. Hell, I even what to know who he sticks his dick in and when. Every fucking thing you can think of and more, I want on this son of a bitch.”

He was quiet for a moment, and I let him think about what I’ve said.

As if he was questioning how serious I am, I said, “I need you to be silent on this, Roland. No one needs to know what you’re doing for me. Understand?”

“Roger that, Reap. I understand,” he replied with a little more seriousness in his voice. “Is this business or personal?”

“Oh, it’s very personal…and, Roland, I need this…like…yesterday.”

“No problem. Who is the mark, and where is he?”

I gave him his name. When I told him where he was, he whistled.

“You’re pissing in your own pond.”

“You’re damn straight I am. It’s my fucking pond.”

“Alright, Reap. Let me get started and get back to you.”

“Anything you need, Roland, you let me know. And money is no object, understand?”

“Copy that. I’ll get back to you when I find him.”

I hung up the phone, confident that Roland will find Maxine’s dad. Ever since we went to find what happened to Alex, I’ve been helping Roland and his team. I’ve invested their money well. When I feel the need to unleash frustration, I go on a few missions with him.

I’ve funded most of his highly desired equipment that they use to make their jobs easier. So I have no doubt that he will give me what I ask. My issue is going to be what I want to do to him once he’s found. I smiled, just thinking of all the things I planned on doing to make this son of a bitch pay.

When I got to my room, Diane was lying there in wait. She wore this next to nothing nightie that looked really good on her. The crazy thing about it is, I wasn’t in the mood.

Yeah, I know. Crazy, right? I walked past her, took my clothes off, and laid them on the chair. I went in the bathroom, took a leak, and brushed my teeth. Diane watched me get in the bed, and I turned off the light.

“That’s it?” I heard her say.

“Good night, Diane,” I replied.

I then gave her my back and went to sleep.

****

When I woke the next morning, it was late. I was alone in the bed, which was fine with me. I got up and threw on some shorts and a t-shirt and sneakers. My stomach was growling, and I was in desperate need of a cup of Scotch with a splash of coffee. Oh, who am I kidding? I just want the cup of Scotch.

I mumbled my good morning to everyone, and they all watched as I placed my glass down on the table. Everyone seemed to be used to me and my preference of a pick-me-upper, except Max.

She frowned and said, “Really? You’re drinking this early? What happened to coffee or juice or milk, even?”

“Oh, it’s in the same place your steak and eggs are.”

I frowned at her grapefruit she had in front of her.

“What’s wrong with my grapefruit?”

“What’s wrong with my glass?” I retorted.

I felt everyone’s eyes on us, but I didn’t mind the attention. This is the most she’s spoken to me since we laid eyes on each other.

“Nothing. I guess that explains it, though,” she replied, and started on her grapefruit.

I was, of course, bothered by her statement and took her bait.

“Please enlighten me. What does it explain?”

She looked at me wondering whether or not she should elaborate.

She then sighed and said, “It explains how I could tell the difference between you and your brother. You look like you aged like ten years. I guess your new drinking hobby has taken a toll.”

“You think I have a problem with drinking? That I’m an alcoholic?” I asked incredulously.

She shrugged. She actually shrugged at me. I laughed.

“Wow, angel, that’s…um…interesting…as it seems I’m not the only one that has changed at this table.”

She frowned as I knew she would. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Let’s just say you need to eat more than a grapefruit for breakfast.”

“Are you saying I’m too skinny?” she asked.

I shrugged but didn’t reply. She dropped her spoon. “I am not too skinny.”

I laughed. “Yeah, okay.”

“And how would you know? No… You know what?… Never mind. I’m not too skinny. I eat just fine.”

“Oh yeah? Then let me order for you.”

She folded her arms in front of her. “Okay, then. Give me that glass.”

“I have no problem with that. As soon as your food gets here, you can have my glass.”

The waitress came, and I ordered myself two orders of two scrambled eggs, using egg whites only, and a medium well T-bone steak. She nodded that she had my order.

Then Max added, “Can you bring a large coffee—black?”

“Of course,” the waitress said and walked away.

Maxine and I had a staring match, until my brother cleared his throat.

“So…uh, Tiffany…what do we have on the agenda today?”

I finally removed my gaze from a stormy and very sexy Max, and I turned my attention to her friend who was sitting next to her.

“Well, we have a date with a fishing boat this afternoon. Are you guys ready to teach us girls how to fish?”

“I think I’ll leave the fishing to you guys, but lying out on the deck sounds like a plan,” Marie added.

Conversation started about the kind of boat we’re going on and what type of fish we could catch. I watched Maxine reach in her pocket and pull out her cell. I watched her expression change from bewilderment to shock then, what looked like, fear. She got up and looked over at Tiffany as she stood and walked away. Tiffany followed her, and Cory sat with the rest of us, stunned.

My brother leaned into me and whispered, “That foreplay that I just witnessed between you and Max was hot. And what’s up with the ‘angel’ term of endearment?”

“What?” I looked over at him.

“You called her ‘angel.’”

I shook my head, “No, I didn’t.”

There was no way I used the nickname I used to call her back when we were together. But looking at my brother grin at me and nod his head, I knew he was right. I wondered if anyone else noticed.

Marc said, through the amused look plastered, on his face, “Tell me something. Was it always like that between you two?”

I rolled my eyes at him then sighed, “You have no idea.”

He laughed and sat back. Ten minutes later the food came, and I started eating part of my share. But I wanted to wait for Maxine. I wanted to make sure she ate her food, or I wasn’t letting go of my glass that has been calling me for the last fifteen minutes.

Finally, Tiffany returned to the table with tears in her eyes. She went to Cory and whispered in his ear. He rose quickly and left the table. AB grabbed Tiffany’s arm.

“What the hell was that all about?” AB asked.

Tiffany sighed.

“Maxine is leaving.”

“Why?” Marie asked.

I looked at Tiffany and asked, “Who was that on the phone?”

Tiffany looked at me and said softly, “Her father.”

“Did she give him her phone number?”

This was something that I needed to know. If he could get ahold of her, no telling who else could find her.

“I don’t think so.”

Cory came back in looking exasperated. He looked at Tiffany and shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Kat. She’s hell bent on leaving. She thinks he’ll find her and…”

“Who will find her?” AB asked.

I felt my brother and Marie looking at me. I returned their gaze. I then knew what they wanted me to do.

“Fuck,” I said, and then I took the Scotch to the head.

I stood and left the table in search of Maxine. I saw her popping the hood of a car. She had a lot of bags in her hand, and she had to put the keys on the hood of the car so she could grab the bags on the ground. I snatched the keys from the hood. Then, as she turned to see who took the keys, I closed the trunk. Maxine turned all the way around and gave me the evilest eye I had ever seen.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“You aren’t going anywhere.”

“Give me my keys, Mason.”

I put them in my pants pocket and looked at her.

She frowned and said, “What? You think I won’t go in your pocket for them?”

“I hope that you do. He misses your touch.” I smirked at her.

She sighed, and I could see the emotion creep up in her eyes.

“You don’t understand, Mason. I need to leave.”

“Actually, I do understand. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about being kidnapped.”

She stepped back slightly and looked over by the hotel. “Who told you that?”

I walked closer to her, not caring that my rage was surfacing. “Does it fucking matter? The point being you should have told me.”

“And what good would that have done?”

“What good would that have done? Allura, I’ve shared with you my deepest secrets. For you to have kept something like that from me…”

“Oh please, Mason. Don’t act like you give a shit that I didn’t tell you.”

“What the hell do you mean by that?”

“Please, let’s not pretend I meant anything to you. If I did, you wouldn’t have lied to me.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve never lied to you.”

I walked closer to her. She moved closer to me.

“Fuck you! Yes, you have. Every fucking day you lied to me. You had me believing that I was the most important person in your life, that you couldn’t breathe without me, that your life was meaningless without me. You said no one has ever made you feel the way I did. But it was so easy for you to throw me away like I didn’t matter. You sent your fucking brother to tell me you didn’t want me anymore because you didn’t have the guts to tell me to my face. So, yes. You fucking lied to me.”

“Look at me,” I said to her. But she wouldn’t, so I raised my voice. “Look at me, Allura.” She did. “I want you to take a good look at the man in front of you. Do you really think I’m living without you? I miss you so fucking much it hurts. I’m empty and lonely and a miserable son of a bitch because you’re not with me. But I had to let you go.”

“Why?”

“Because I couldn’t come back to you the way I was. I couldn’t take seeing the sadness in your eyes that no doubt would’ve turned to pity, and then to loathing. I know you would have done everything you could to help me, and I was so far gone, I would have taken you with me. I was trying to protect you from me. So yes, if you want to say that I broke a promise to you, then fine, I did. But I have never lied to you about how I felt. I did some unspeakable things in the name of revenge, and the man that came out of that jungle wasn’t worthy of you.”