Unraveled (Love in Salem, book 2) (17 page)

He looked her directly in the eyes and said, “The same thing I just did.  I would
not
have slept with her.  She is not who I want, no matter how hard she tries to persuade me,
you
are.  I don’t even know what she’s after, but I assure you it’s not because she genuinely wants me back.”

Atayla sighed and looked towards the bedroom.  “Do you think it is because she heard you were dating someone new?”

“No.  She probably knew about you shortly after we started dating, but she’s not the ‘If I can’t have him then no one can’ kind of girl.  She is after something specific, though for the life of me, I have no idea what it could be; nor do I think she will ever admit to it.”

Quietly, Atayla processed what Aidan said. 

“Do you still love her?”  She knew the question was redundant, but she had to be absolutely sure.

“I thought I did at one time, but I honestly didn’t know what love truly was until I met you.”  His heart was in his eyes, but still…

“So that’s a no?”

He smiled.  “That’s definitely a no.”

Atayla nodded.  “Then get her out of here.  I don’t care what her objective is, I just want her gone.  I don’t want to see her anywhere near either of us again.”

After Britney came back out of the bedroom, Aidan retrieved his house key from her and tersely informed her that she was never to come to his family’s businesses or his house again.  He also told her, much to Atayla’s pleasure that he would get a restraining order issued against her for stalking if he had to.

Call her juvenile, but this time she felt a lot of satisfaction when Brittney slammed the front door on her way out.  Aidan turned to her and twined his fingers with hers.

“I want things to be right between us again, baby doll.  Are you willing to try and make this work between us?”

“I’m willing to try, Aidan, but I can’t give any promises right now.  I feel as though I have been rubbed raw, my wounds reopened, whatever you want to call it.  It took me a long time get past my issues, but now they are back rearing their ugly head.”

Aidan rubbed up and down her arms and kissed her forehead before enfolding her in his embrace.

“We will take it one day at a time.  Hopefully I can help heal those wounds, too.”  There was an uneasy pause before he asked, “Will you stay with me tonight?  I have a need to hold you, feel you next to me.”

Atayla nodded.  “Let me run home and get a few things and make sure Jake has enough food and water until tomorrow.”

Still visibly upset, her hands shook as she reached for her purse that had lain forgotten all this time on the entryway table.  Aidan stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“Let me drive you over there, okay?  You look like you could use a few minutes to settle your nerves.”

She nodded her affirmation, not saying anything as she turned and walked out the door with Aidan trailing behind her to lock up.

The trip to her house didn’t take all that long.  Atayla packed a bag while Aidan fed and watered her cat.  She thought about packing him up and taking him with her as well, but she had dealt with enough drama today.  And there was sure to be drama the first time Pete and Jake made their acquaintances.

On the way back to Aidan’s they decided to stop and pick up dinner at a small Greek restaurant that sat, oddly enough, between the Quick
Stop convenience store and the Super
Saver’s gas station. 

By the time they pulled into the driveway, it was already after six in the evening.  Trudging into the house, Atayla ate without actually tasting anything.  She was weary all the way to her bones.  She would have loved to take a nap, but it was already too late for that.

Her fatigue must have been apparent because after Aidan cleared away the dishes he led her into the bedroom.  She stopped inside the door and frowned at the bed.

“I don’t mean to be childish, but I can’t sleep here knowing that
she
was on your bed.  Most likely while she was naked.” 

Aidan looked at her and shoved her towards the bathroom.

“Go get ready for bed, and I’ll take care of this.”

By the time Atayla emerged, Aidan had changed the bedding and pulled down the covers.  She was so grateful that tears blurred her vision.  She could hear him turning on the washing machine to rid the linens of Brittney’s essence, and it appeased her enough to crawl into bed and settle in.

She was already half asleep when she felt the bed dip and Aidan’s arm surround her. Being here with him again was like being in heaven.  She was glad that Paxton had stopped by to talk to her yesterday, it made accepting Aidan’s word all the easier.  Especially after facing his ex and finding her naked in his house as though she belonged there.

“Thank you.”  She whispered

His kiss lingered on her temple.  “Go to sleep.  We can figure everything else out after we have rested.”

Within seconds, they both succumbed to their exhaustion.

Chapter Sixteen

The ringing of her phone woke Atayla from a deep slumber.  Blinking to lift the fog from her mind, she realized she had slept clear through the night.  She had meant to call Abby and Carla and let them know all was well, but once she was lying in bed wrapped in Aidan’s arms she slept for the first time in a week.

Figuring it was probably one of the girls, she leapt out of bed and ran to the kitchen where her phone rested on the counter.  Too late to answer, she snatched up the phone and pulled up her missed calls.  The last call was a California number.  Her mother? 

She hadn't spoken to her mother in years, though she always made a point to call and update her contact information when it changed.  Usually her call would be answered by Annette, her mother’s maid, who would politely inform her that her mother was unavailable to take her call.

It was most likely untrue since her mother did nothing but sit around smoking and drinking all day until she passed out, but Annette was no doubt following orders by delivering the message.  Atayla never could figure out why her mother found her so deplorable and to be honest she truly didn’t care anymore.  She gave up trying to understand her parents’ years ago.

She jumped when her phone started ringing again.  It was the same California number.  Well, best to get this over with and find out what she could possibly want.  She answered the phone.

“Hello?”

A deep masculine voice replied.  “Hello, Tay”

Randall
.

She was shocked into silence.  How in the world did he get her number?

“Now, Atayla, is that any way to greet your fiancé?”

“You are not my fiancé!”  She snapped, brought out of her stupor.

“Come on, Tay, don’t you think you have proved your point?  You’ve had enough time to gallivant around and ascertain your independence.  Now it’s time for you to grow up and face your responsibilities.”  He scolded.

“Are you out of your mind?”  She asked incredulously.

His voice became harsh, and her body began to tremble as she remembered his anger and malice.   Atayla remembered all too well what he was like when he sounded like that and was glad that he was a state away.

“I’ve waited long enough for you to come home.  Don’t make me come there and get you.  You won’t like the consequences.  Now get packed and get your ass back here!”

She controlled her fear and responded in a calm even voice. 

“You come anywhere near
me, Randall, and I will have you arrested.  I'm not the scared little girl I used to be, and I will do whatever is necessary to protect myself.”

“Fine.  Have it your way.”  He hung up.

She didn’t believe for even a moment that he would come to Salem.  Randall was many things, but a fool wasn’t one of them and she knew him well.  He had already evaluated the risks of traveling to Salem to get to her, which is why he called her instead.  It was the only tactic that would keep him out of jail.

He had no way of knowing how she would react to him after all these years of separation.  He was testing the waters and testing her resolve.  If he thought he had a chance in convincing her to return to him, he knew better now.  He would also know that it wouldn’t be worth the fight to try and force her either.

No, she wouldn’t hear from him again.  Randall would move on and find some other poor girl to terrorize.  If only she would have pressed charges against him after that night then maybe she could have stopped it from happening to someone else.

It wasn’t possible, though, and she knew it.  Maybe he would have went to jail, but only until he bailed out.  Then he would have been free to continue on.  She could have gotten a restraining order, but a piece of paper doesn’t make a very good shield and if she angered him enough to come after her, he wouldn’t give her an opportunity to call for help.

She handled it the best way she could and now that he tried his hand and failed he would leave her alone.  After all, the game loses its appeal if she doesn’t cower like a child and beg for his forgiveness and his mercy.

Atayla jumped, letting out a terrified scream, as arms wrapped around her from behind.

“Whoa!  Hey!  What’s this all about?”  Alarmed, Aidan grabbed her and turned her around to see if she was alright.

Her heart thumped erratically and tears overflowed her eyes.  Trying to get a handle on herself, Atayla sucked in a breath and puffed her cheeks out while blowing it out in a steady stream.

“I’m okay.  You just startled me is all.”

Wiping away the tears on her cheeks, he looked at her doubtfully.

“Startled you?  I think this is a little more than startled.”

“Fine.  You scared the crap out of me.  I thought you were still in bed asleep.”

Her knuckles were turning white from the tight grip she had on her cell phone.  Seeing it, Aidan pulled the phone from her hand and laid it back down on the counter.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

Atayla laughed, suddenly feeling very silly.  She nodded.

“I’m very alright.  Or at least I will be once you kiss me good morning.”  She batted her eyelashes in attempts to lighten the mood.

“Can’t very well pass up such a request from a purty lady now can I?”

He dipped down and took her lips in a sweet languorous kiss.  Lifting his head, he gave her that Cheshire grin that made all her girly parts tingle.  Damn man.  She didn’t know how she managed to stay away from his for so long.

“What is on your agenda for today?”  Aidan asked quietly, trailing a finger down her cheek.

“Well, I have this lost time I have to make up for with an extremely sexy man and I thought today would be a good day to do it.”  She teased.

His grin widened.  “Really?  Do I know him?”

“Perhaps.  He lives around here and is your age, so it is possible you might have met before.”

“And what do you plan on doing with him?”

“Mm.  I plan on getting him naked and doing wicked, naughty things to him.  Do you know what I mean?”  She nipped his ear with her teeth causing him to suck in a breath.

His voice was husky with arousal.  “No, I don’t.  Maybe you should demonstrate on me so there is no confusion.”

“I don’t know.  Do you think he would mind?” she asked playfully.

“No.  In fact I think he would prefer it this way.  You know, kind of like a test drive…Fuck, yes!” 

He forgot what he was going to say when she scored her fingernails over his nipples, her teeth latching on to a particularly sensitive spot on his neck.

“Shh.  Such language in front of a lady.”

She sucked one of his nipples into her mouth, tonging it, grazing it with her teeth.

His voice was shaky, as was his entire body.  “What you are doing isn’t very ladylike.”

“Is that a complaint?”  She kissed her way down the center of his chest, his abs, before reaching the waistband of his boxer briefs.  “Do you want me to stop?”

“Hell, no.”  His fingers threaded through her hair so she couldn’t pull away.

Smiling, Atayla licked the skin along the top edge of the band before tracing that sexy line leading to his groin.  She gently pulled his underwear over his engorged cock and slid them down his legs where he hastily kicked them away.

His body trembled beneath her hands as she slid them back up his thighs and around to clutch his ass.  Squeezing each cheek in her hands, he bumped his hips forward in silent request.  Ignoring him, she skimmed her fingernails around his hips to his groin and rolled his balls in her hand.

“Stop teasing.”  He admonished in a breathy command.

His head was thrown back and his hand tightened to a fist in her hair, pulling her closer to where he wanted her mouth.