Top Love: An Alpha Billionaire Romance (Young Adult Stepbrother and Billionaire Romance Stories) (44 page)

Suddenly, he walks out on the stage.  God, he’s so beautiful—like a Botticelli angel sitting there beneath the harsh stage lights, but they have no effect on his smooth skin.  He looks perfect.  He opens up talking about love. 
What does he know of love
, I ask myself?   He talks about ‘unrequited love’.  My love wasn’t ‘unrequited’.  It was ‘redirected’ as I thought he was in love with Jen.  I mean, he was with her a lot longer than I was with Jimmy, if you add up actual time we spent dating, that is. 

I find myself looking at him and feel my heart growing soft.  The fire that I have held for him still burns.  I’m so torn.  What about Jimmy?  He’s the perfect man, but maybe not the perfect man for me.  I don’t deserve him.  He is so thoughtful, but stoic.  Gasp!  Eddie’s eyes are locked with mine.  He sees me now.  Is the show over?  Oh, I missed it, didn’t I?  I was far too lost in the torrential sea of my own thoughts to truly pay attention to what he was saying.  I must have him.  I feel a surge of lust rise from below, deep from within my belly.  I need him.  I know I love Jimmy, but Jimmy is nothing more of an afterthought at this point.  It’s more like, ‘Jimmy who’.  Seeing Eddie here like this has driven me wild.  I am consumed with my need for him.  Like fire and ice, we clash, yet we are the same. 

The next thing I know, I’m telling him to ‘shut up’ and I’m on him.  The feeling of our lips pressing together is an intense electrocution and a welcomed assault on all five of my senses.  I feel his lips beneath mine.  I smell his intoxicating aroma that only he carries. I have seen him on stage, and I’ve become enamored with him once more.  I hear his heart beating wildly as I continue to kiss him.  I taste the sweetness of the orange soda he had shortly before stepping on stage.  Combined, it was all too much for me to handle. 

Just then, thoughts of Jimmy wandered back into my mind. 
Jimmy
, my mind said to me.  Oh my gosh, how was I ever going to face Jimmy again after what we have just done here in the bathroom of a club?  The man forgave me once.  He certainly wouldn’t do it again.  Would he?  I’ve got to get home, but first, I’ll drive around for a bit. 

***

Jen

Life is going to be very different for me.  I know I’ve got to get an attorney and deal with all the mess that comes along with a divorce.  I hate the idea of it.  I’m just glad that I haven’t had any children with Eddie, yet.  Divorce is always hardest on the children. 

I look around our apartment.  He isn’t here right now, which is a good thing.  I couldn’t handle him being here in this moment.  I need to be alone with my thoughts.  I loved Eddie.  I still do, but my heart can’t handle the hurt.  I don’t even see how Jimmy has been with Krystal all this time.  I wonder if he even really knows what happened.  If he does, then I suppose I may be angrier.  I hate being the last to find out important things.  It’s absolutely driving me batty. 

I walk into our room and grab my set of suitcases.  I know I have to pack, but this is so hard.  This isn’t some business trip I’m going on.  This isn’t just a visit to my folks’ cabin in Tennessee.  This is a forever kind of trip.  I call my cousin up, Jimmy’s friend.  He’s been like a brother to me since we were tiny. 

“Hello?” the voice on the other side says.

“Yeah, Chris?”

“Hey, Jen.  What’s up?  You sound—upset.”

“I am.”

“Wanna talk about it.”

“Oh, Chris!  He cheated on me!”

“I’ll break his legs!”

“No, Chris.  I will need your help, though.”

“What?  Yeah, he needs his legs broken.  He broke your heart.  Since it’s a crime to murder, I can’t break his.  He needs something broken, though.”

I laugh.  “Chris, assault is illegal, too.”

“Bah, it’s just a misdemeanor.  I’ll just get probation.  It will be well worth it.  I’m sure I can get some help.  So, who did he sleep with?”

I didn’t want to tell him.  Jimmy was his best friend, but I felt like I would be talking about Jimmy’s personal business.  I hated to gossip, but it was my business to tell, too.  So, I began to tell him.  “Chris, he slept with Krystal.”

Silence. 

“Chris?”

“Yeah, I’m here.  I’m just processing this.  You mean to tell me that he slept with Jimmy’s Krystal?”

“The one and the same.”

“And Jimmy didn’t rip him apart?”

“You know Jimmy isn’t like that.  He’s a gentle giant.”

“Yeah, I know.  So, what do you need me to do?  I’m up for anything.”

“I need help collecting my things from this apartment…and need a place to stay until I can find myself an apartment.”

“I’m on my way.”  The line went dead.  Chris wasn’t one for sentimental small talk and rarely actually said ‘bye’ on the phone.  He said what was needed and that was that.  It was just his way.  I am sure at this point, he’s in his truck and on the way to my house—and calling Jimmy.  Man, I wonder how Jimmy is going to take this.  I don’t even know if he truly knows everything.  Eddie sure gave me a major information dump.  Screw this!  I’m leaving Eddie and Jimmy can sort out his own problems with Krystal. 

I open the dresser that hold mine and Eddie’s clothes.  His are to the right while mine are to the left of each drawer.  I grab my clothes and begin putting them neatly into the large suitcases.  The drawers look so empty now.  It’s just how I feel at this precise moment.  The similarities are hilarious, actually.  I feel…numb.  I know I’m hurting, but I feel absolutely numb to the sensations of the pain his admission has caused me.  Why would he even bother marrying me if he loved her all along?  Why would he have let her marry Jimmy without at least telling her how he felt before they even got engaged?  Why even ask me to marry him? 

I place the last pile of clothes in the suitcase that belong to me, and hear a knock at the door. 
It must be Chris
, I think to myself.  I walk out of the bedroom and to the door.  Sure enough, it’s Chris.  Without saying a word, he wraps me in his big arms and give me a bear hug.   He kind of reminds me of the ‘Hulk’, only less green.  He’s huge.  This is why he’s my ‘brother from another mother’.  He protects me like a kid sister. 

“So, what all am I loading up for you?” he asks.  Definitely right to work it is.  I point out various boxes that I’ve packed up along with a few pieces of furniture that I bought or that were given to us for our wedding.  He’s definitely strong.  A lot of the furniture he was able to grab with no help whatsoever.  The only thing I had to help with was my favorite recliner, and that was just because it was bulky. 

We loaded up the last of the stuff.  He went down to start the truck.  I stood in the threshold of the door looking back on the echoes of our life in that apartment.  We had so many happy times together.  I would have never seen this coming.  So, I close the door and lock it for the last time, and then I slipped the tiny envelope holding my key underneath the door.  It was finished.  I was gone. 

***

Eddie

I stare at the apartment that I shared with my wife.  A sense of relief comes over me.  I know I love Jen, but my heart is still aching for Krystal.  Why am I doing this to myself?  I just let this amazing woman leave my life because I am pining for another that I can’t have.  I lay in the bed I have shared with my wife for the past year.  I want Krystal, but as I lay here trying to sleep, I find myself growing a little saddened by the empty spot beside me.  

I feel like I’m coming off of drugs or something.  Krystal is an addiction—one I have fought for a long time, but I just can’t get her out from under my skin.  She’s as much a part of me as my own skin, but I’ve just allowed this amazing woman to exit my life over her.  I’ve got to have Krystal.  If I don’t, then maybe I’ll chase after Jen. 

***

Krystal

I arrived at my parent’s house to pick up Gage.  I decide to spend the night there in my old room because honestly, I don’t want to deal with the fight that I know will happen because I was out.  Jimmy isn’t controlling or anything, but for me to leave the house so late—I’m sure there will be some sort of argument.  Besides, I need to think about what I’ve just done.  I mean, I essentially cheated on my husband again.  I don’t know what came over me.  I can’t believe I’ve been such a horrible wife to such a wonderful man, but the heart wants what it wants.  I need Eddie like I need the air to breath.  He has been my best friend for such a long time, and they often say that your true husband is supposed to be your best friend.  So, why didn’t I let it be known how I felt for Eddie long before marrying Jimmy?  Why did I lead him on? 

Gage is soundly sleeping in the crib my parents keep for him here that is next to me in my old room.  He is such a precious boy!  And even more amazing is that he has both of my best features, rather what I think are my best features, and his daddy’s best features.  He sure is a very handsome boy.  I couldn’t have asked for more than to give my husband a son to carry on his legacy and all that.  I think Jimmy wanted a girl, though.  He didn’t seem as enthused as I thought he would be when I announced that it was a boy.  I don’t know.  I’m sure he was just worried that Gage wouldn’t be healthy or something at first like all first-time fathers are. 

Jimmy is the perfect dad to Gage.  He plays with him, reads to him, takes him on walks outside, and shows him how to do things.  Gage was even walking at ten months because he wanted to go with his daddy outside and Jimmy told him he had to walk.  So, two weeks after starting to work with him a little, Jimmy had Gage walking.  I was floored. 

So, if my husband is really this amazing, why do I desire another man so desperately?  Why do I feel what I feel?  I’m definitely not going to get any sleep tonight. 

“Eddie, why can’t you get out of my head?” I say aloud to myself.  I can still taste him on my lips.  I get up and go to the bathroom.  I start brushing my teeth and swish the mouthwash so I can kill the taste, but it’s still there.  I walk back over to the bed and sit down.  Gage is starting to stir, so I rub his back gently.  My brain says I should shut up, take the baby, and go back to my husband.  My brain says that I should leave Eddie alone forever and just pretend he never existed.  My heart, however, disagrees quite strongly with my brain.  It says I should chase for what I want.  I deserve to be happy, but aren’t I happy?  I have everything I could ever want—except for Eddie.  Lots of decisions must be made and soon.

***

Jimmy

I’ve slept maybe a total of three hours tonight, but have tossed and turned the majority of that time.  I feel as if I don’t do something, I’m going to lose my wife to that twerp.  Part of me
is
angry—very angry. I just want to snap Eddie in half with my bare hands, but I can’t let myself do that.  Too much is at stake here.  There are parts in the ‘Good Book’ that describe love.  Now, I’m not entirely religious, but it has a point.  Love is not supposed to be boastful.  Love is supposed to be patient, kind, gentle, and all that good stuff, so I’m trying to be those things to my wife.  I want her to see my heart.  I want her to know that while the decisions are hers to make and as her husband, I’ll do what she sees fit, but there are more people than just her and Eddie involved here.  None of us are in high school any more.  I’ve been out for a few years now.  Eddie, Krystal, and Jen have been out a year less than me, but we’re all adults.  The time for being childish is over and to me, this is childish.  If Eddie really loved her, then he never would have put her in a situation where he would make her choose between her husband and child or him.   He’s being very selfish, but I don’t know how to put that across without sounding like a jerk.  Maybe I should spend less time with the fellas hunting and fishing and more time with her.  But then again, I go hunting and fishing to help provide food.  Sure, I enjoy it, but we get a few hundred pounds of meat out of hunting season and a few hundred pounds of fish each year I go fishing.  I do this so I can save that money on groceries so she can do things for herself.  I fix the cars myself—not because I actually like doing it, though it’s kind of therapeutic—but because I like saving the money on giving it to a mechanic to fix.  I try to spoil her as best as I can by giving her what she wants—even if she says she ‘thinks’ she wants it. 

The one thing I’m not willing to give her, though, is Eddie.  Maybe that’s what this is all about.  I’ve given her literally everything except Eddie.  I’ve pushed her toward him.  I start really thinking that this is my fault somehow.  What am I going to do?  How can I fix this?  So, I call up my good buddy, Chris.  I’m surprised when he answers.

“Hello?”

“Wow, Chris.  I didn’t think you’d answer.  It’s me, Jimmy.”

“Hey man.”

“Whatcha doing?”

“Well, Jen just left Eddie, so I’m taking her back to my place.”

“Yeah, I kinda figured that would happen.   So, hey, can you come over tomorrow?  I might need your help with something.”

“Sure, what time?”

“Noon.”

“Okay.  See ya then.”

I pressed ‘end’ on my cell phone and laid back down.  Hopefully, this whole ordeal would resolve itself very soon.  I don’t know how much more I could take of this, but I had a plan.  I just hoped that my son, Gage, wouldn’t get hurt in the process.  It was going to be tough, but I’ve won her heart before.  Maybe I’ll win it again.  I have been told that what it takes to win a woman’s heart is what it takes to keep it.  So, if I’ve ever truly had her heart in the first place, it will be mine again.