The Evil Twin? (6 page)

“This guy in my school. Reyan was giving me tips on how to get back at this guy.”

I felt a pang of jealousy when I realized that Meg had discussed her school stuff with him when she had refused to talk to me about it earlier that day. I took a deep breath and looked at Reyan. “Thank you for riding with Meg!!”

“My pleasure. You guys have a good night, I got to go,” Reyan said smiling at us.

“Bye, Reyan. I will text you later,” Meg bubbled walking her bike towards the side door.

“You guys exchanged phone numbers already?” I asked almost in shock.

“Yup, we are best buds now. I am still trying to figure out what you and I are…” Reyan winked.

“You are just some guy who fell asleep at the wheel, and I am that girl who rescued you,” I retorted.

“That’s a good start, but I want more,” he said coolly as he bore through me with his mystical looks.

“I have nothing to offer, Reyan. I have no time for anything other than what I have going on in my life right now,” I said adamantly.

He did not respond and stood looking at me and after what seemed like eternity, he finally broke the silence. “You are the most interesting person I have met in my life, and I am not taking no for an answer.”

My heart fluttered at the genuine admiration in his eyes and in his voice.

“Well, I did tell you I was awesome, didn’t I?” I smirked.

“You were pretty awesome at that bike store earlier today. I will never forget the expression on that guy’s face when you asked him to box the bike and take off the installation fee,” he said laughing.

“Hey...I got to pay my bills man…how do you think I make ends meet?” I snorted.

“Seriously? We are in front of your
house,
not an apartment, in a very decent part of San Francisco, and you are talking about making ends meet?” he observed.

“I don’t own the entire place. I rent a room that was converted from a garage, my aunt and Meg rent a part of the house, and my aunt kind of takes care of the elderly couple who are the real owners of the house,” I clarified.

“Sweet deal!!” he whistled.

“Yeah, it kinda is...” I couldn’t finish the sentence as memories of days prior to us moving to the house flashed in front of my eyes. A shiver ran through my spine, and I automatically crossed my arms across my chest.

“You okay?” he asked as if he sensed the shift in my mood.

“I am fine Reyan, you should get going.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said with his eyes twinkling.

“Reyan, it’s no use. I am not going to change my mind about going on a date.” I shook my head.

“Did you just challenge me?” He walked towards me and when he got too close for comfort, I took a few steps back and stopped when my back was against the sealed garage door.

“Reyan…” I flattened my palms on his chest looking up into his deep eyes in the dim light that shone right outside the garage. I took a deep breath in reaction to the blood rushing to my heart and the smell of his cologne combined with his raw masculinity sweeping over me. He stood with his face inches from mine shifting his gaze between my eyes and my lips and every time he looked at my lips, my heart flipped in sheer anticipation and anxiety. I stood still with my palms on his chest as he continued to stare at me.

I kept telling myself that I needed to put on a strong front so he would not be able to read the effect he was having on me as he observed my face. Being resolute when it came to men was my thing, but I had no resolve with this man who I barely knew for a week.

“What the heck do you think you’re doing Reyan?” I finally managed to say in a calm but steady voice.

“I’m just making sure you are very clear about my sexual orientation,” he said his voice husky with his breath warming up my cheeks.

Meg!!!

“Reyan…I…” I barely spoke before he brought his index finger to my lips. My lips shuddered at his touch, and the skin on my palms tingled as I became more aware of his tight chest through his soft t-shirt.

“There is no need to explain. I think it’s very clear to you what I want,” he whispered bringing his lips close to my ear.

When I did not respond, he smirked looking down at his chest. “You can’t keep your hands off me, can you?”

My hands dropped to my sides in a flash, and I saw the victorious grin on his face that was capable of causing damage to my resistance. He moved a few inches closer, and my body quivered as he brought his lips to my forehead.

“Sleep tight,” he uttered against my burning skin.

“Good night, Reyan. Thanks for your help,” I managed to say casually.

“So, did I hear you say that you didn’t want to see me tomorrow?” he asked as he walked back to his motorbike.

“I did not say that…”

“I am pretty sure, I heard that,” he smirked.

“Whatever!!!” I rolled my eyes at him.

“I won’t go to the bar, but I will still see you,” he said with an enigmatic expression.

“You have to stop the creepy stalker business. It’s not cool,” I warned.

“I know, I won’t stalk you.”

“Okay, then…I will see you when I see you,” I said with a fake smile on my face.

“Oh, and who said anything about going to the bar to see you?” He paused for a moment and added with a wink, “It’s a free country. I get to go see my favorite bartender anytime I want.”

I smiled at him as he hopped onto his sports bike, and I stared at the diminishing taillight on his bike as he roared down the street.

Very interesting guy!!

Chapter 6

I was in the back room of the bar closing up for the night. I looked at the heap of glasses and bar utensils that needed to be cleaned. I took a deep breath and picked up the delicate brush and started working on the champagne flutes.

“Can I lend you a hand?” I jumped when I heard the familiar voice behind me and almost dropped the glass I had in my hand.

I turned slightly to look into smiling brown eyes as Reyan leaned against the counter next to me.

“You can’t be back here, and I thought you left a while ago…”

“I did, but I came back,” he said scanning my face.

“Why?” 

“Because I wanted to see you,” he shrugged.

I turned off the faucet and turned to face him.

“This is getting out of control. I told you I wouldn’t go on a date,” I barked.

“It's not just a date anymore. I want more than that.” His voice was cool but deterministic.

I took a deep breath and shook my head.

He took one step towards me and took me in his arms.

“You just need to listen to your inner self.” His warm breath tingled my cheek.

I looked up into his eyes as I took in the musky smell of his masculinity.

Where is my resolve?

Reyan brought his lips to mine in a crushing hunger that sent jitters through my body. My body very soon started to give in to his hunger, and I leaned into him as I wound my arms around his neck. I moaned when he ran his palms on my behind and pulled me closer to him. I felt his arousal against my abdomen; in reaction to the hardness digging into me, I ran my fingers through his thick hair and pulled him closer to me.

He grabbed my behind and lifted me off the ground and I inadvertently wrapped my legs around him. He set me atop the counter while his tongue engaged with mine. I moaned and rolled my eyes closed when his lips left mine and went lower. 

“Reyan... not here…” It was a futile plea.

“No, here...now!!”

“Dave is still here...” I uttered weakly.

“No he is not...I sent him home.” His voice was muffled against my neck.”

Reyan went straight to my dark spot that was radiating my need for him. I felt his fingers on my inner thighs and threw my head back and closed my eyes.

He nipped on my neck as his fingers teased my clit through the now damp panties.

“It's amazing how wet you are for me...how could you deny yourself of such pure pleasure?” his voice was gruff.

He continued to tease my clit with his fingers, and I knew I was close to losing it.

“Open your eyes and look at me,” he ordered.

I ignored him and moaned with the pleasure of disobeying him. 

“I want you to scream my name when you come,” he demanded.

“Vinnie, can you hear me?” Meg called out.

Holy shit!!! Meg?? What the fudge??

“Vinnie, I need you to take a picture for me.” She continued to speak while I went crazy with the sensations.

Shit!! What the heck is happening?

My eyes shot open, and I saw Meg standing over my bed with a puzzled expression.

Shit that was a dream? One hot dream.

“Vinnie you are sweating. Are you okay?” Meg asked sounding concerned.

“Yeah...what do you want Meg?” I said shaking off the lingering sensations from my dream.  

“Can you take a picture of me with my new bike?” she pleaded.

“Sure,” I said getting out of bed still feeling the sensations all over my body.

What a start for a day. I wonder what I have to deal with today.

“Vinnie your phone is going off in the back,” Jen said when she came back to the front counter.

“Cover for me.”

An unknown number flashed on my screen as I fumbled with my phone.

“Hi, this is Vinnie.” The call was from the principal's office of Meg's school.

“Is Meghan okay?”

“Yes, she is fine, but we need you to see the assistant principal this afternoon if possible.”

Assistant principal meant she definitely got into trouble.

“I will be there in the next twenty minutes.”

“I gotta go Jen, tell Bob. School emergency,” I called out to the store manager at the coffee shop as I pulled off my apron.

Fifteen minutes later, I ran past the main entrance of the San Francisco high school. I saw Meg in the lobby right outside the row of offices. I put my arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

“You okay, Meg?”

“I'm scared Vinnie. Mom is going to be pissed.” Her voice was shaky.

“I got this Meg.” 

I walked into the office to find a man in his mid-forties looking rather matronly.

“Hi, I am Meg’s cousin. Thanks for calling me.”

“We couldn't get hold of her mother and you were our next listed contact.” My aunt's work required her to keep her phone turned off while she was at work.

“You can speak to me about Meghan. Is everything alright?”

“We had an incident earlier today, and one of the juniors had to be taken to the hospital. We just got word that the kid has a broken nose, but he is doing okay.”

“What?”

“What does Meghan have to do with this?”

“Well, she was the one who broke the kid’s nose.”

“You are kidding, have you seen her? There is no way she can break a toothpick let alone someone's nose.”

“That is what is puzzling. No one seems to recollect what happened, and I know Meghan was the only one close by. She has not denied that she caused the damage, but is unwilling to speak about the incident.”

“How did you let this happen? Who is this kid and what did he do to her for her to react?” I asked anger creeping up.

“We were hoping you could find out and let us know so we can proceed accordingly.”

“I would expect that you would have more insight into what happens at school.”

The assistant principal shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Please let us know when you have had a chat with Meghan.”

“Thanks!!” I said with a touch of sarcasm as I turned around and left the office.

“Vinnie...please don't ask me anything. I don't want to talk about it yet.”

I took a deep breath and said, “You need to when we get home.”

Vinnie and I walked back home from her school as she walked her new bike. We turned around the corner and saw a familiar bike parked on the driveway.

Reyan? What the heck?

Reyan stood on the driveway smiling at us as we approached him. I wondered why he was on our driveway way at that point.

“Hey!!” Meg squealed.

I watched in wonder as Meg rushed to where Reyan was standing. She let her bike lean against the garage door and ran into his arms.

“Nice going champ!!!”

“Reyan, it was so cool. You should've seen his face. He ran like a little girl.”

I listened in shock with jealousy and anger burning through me. 

“What are you two talking about?” I said my voice showing all the emotions I was experiencing.

“You should tell her how you kicked some rear.”

Meg's gloomy mood seemed to have disappeared completely, and she bubbled with joy as she spoke discreetly with Reyan.

“Meg!! Indoors, right now.”

Meg started to whine but followed my instruction when she caught my expression.

“Bye Reyan. I will text you.”

That's how he knew we were home.

I watched in silence as Meg walked her bike through the side door.

“What did you tell her?”

Reyan chuckled. “I taught her how to defend herself. You don't need to thank me. It was all her execution.”

“Are you kidding me? You taught her to break someone's nose?” I was outraged. 

“What, she broke that guy's nose?” he laughed victoriously.

“Stop it Reyan. It's not funny.”

Reyan stopped laughing.

“Do you have any idea what she was going through? You need to spend more time with her.”

I felt the punch from his words deep in my stomach. I hated to admit it, but he was right. I have been wrapped up in trying to figure out how to make and save more money and had completely ignored her.

“It's none of your business Reyan. Stay out of this.”

“It became my business when Meg talked to me about it. You are the one who has been checked out; be more present in her life if you don't want me to help her.”

“Fine!! Thanks for your help.”

I turned around, my nostrils flared with anger as I stormed away from Reyan. I heard the roar from his bike as I entered the living room.

Meg sat on the bench next to the bay window staring at her phone in amazement.

“Vinnie, I broke the guy's nose? Why didn't you tell me?”

He texted her already?

“Meg, stop it. It's not funny. You hurt someone physically, and it's not a good thing.”

“Vinnie, you have no idea what kind of crap he said to me…” she whined.

“So...you beat the crap out of the guy?”

“I didn't...I beat him at his own game.”

“What?”

“Vinnie, I tried everything there is that I could do to deal with him and his bunch of friends, and I finally started ignoring him.”

“And?”

“That idiot would stand so close to me when I was sitting on a bench without touching me and talk down to me. He would keep telling me that he is going to make me his sub because I would look away and try to ignore him.”

“Shit!!! You know what that means?”

“Well, I am not in kindergarten.”

“Why would he say that and why didn't you say something to the principal?”

“Because I kind of liked the attention in the beginning and didn’t report him, but it got worse....it’s complicated, Vinnie.”

“You are a freshman in high school. How can your life be complicated?”

“You have no idea!!” she shook her head.

“Wait!!! You shared all this with Reyan on the day you met him and you couldn’t tell me?”

“You are a bit weird, Vinnie. You are barely twenty- three, and you pretend like you are some forty-year-old taking on all the responsibilities.”

“Easy Meg, that is not true.”

“What do you think about all the time, Vinnie?”

“Ummm...”

“It’s not like your are thinking about Reyan all the time.”

That guy is bad news!!

“Why Meg, why him? We barely know him.”

“I don’t know, Vinnie. I felt like telling him. He knew what I was talking about. I didn’t have to give him any details, and he gave me some ideas to deal with the guy so I tried one, and it worked.” She shrugged.

“Hmm…looks like you guys bonded over a short bike ride and how could you hear with his bike being so noisy?”

“We used our headphones and called each other.”

“When you were literally a few feet away from each other?”

“Yup, and he almost fell off his bike when I told him that you think he is gay,” she giggled.

“Meg, I thought he was, but I knew when I met him the next day that he wasn’t.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? You know I would have appreciated knowing that I was right,” she whined.

“Well…” I mumbled unable to make up an excuse.

“I think you just wanted to believe that he was gay so you didn’t fall for him or dream about him all the time,” Meg said making a shiver pass through me.

“That’s enough shitty talk…are you going to tell me what happened and why that idiot’s nose is broken?” I asked sternly.

“So, Reyan gave me a few ideas about how to get back at this idiot and…” she started to say.

“They are all how to beat the crap out of him kind of ideas?” I interrupted.

“Do you want the details?” she mocked.

“Fine, I won’t interrupt.”

“I was hanging out with my girls and was getting ready to use my ‘Sneeze and Elbow’ technique…I’ll talk more about that later…but this guy came over to where I was sitting and started to hover over me.”

“And?” I prompted impatiently.

“So, I switched my technique. I decided to use the ‘Cry and Run’ technique.”

“What the crap is that?” I asked annoyed.

“Well, when he started to talk down to me, I sat in one spot and looked down and pretended like I was crying. He was very encouraged by it and bent closer so he could continue the insults and just as he was bending down, I stood up and took my head to his oh so delicate nose.”

“Holy shit!!”

“I freaked out when I saw his nose bleeding because I didn’t think he would get hurt that bad, but he totally deserves for his nose to be broken…and err…I think he will look hot later in his life with a crooked nose,” she said her wobbly voice.