Before Lucky (Forever Love #2.5)(5)
Author: J.S. Cooper

“Spare room? Take me home.” She walked out of the room. “I’ve never been treated so shitty in my life.”

“I’m sorry, I must have just sat down for a second and drifted off.” It took everything in me to not ask her how it was possible that this was the shittiest she had ever been treated. She was one of the biggest bitches I had ever met. I couldn’t believe that no one had ever let her have it before.

“Whatever.” She flounced down the stairs, and I followed behind her, watching her butt cheeks as she walked. Part of me wondered if I should just f**k her and be done with it. She was obviously aching for it, and I obviously was sex-starved if I was having dreams about some girl I didn’t even know. I frowned as I thought again of the dream I just had. It had felt so real, I could still feel the happiness inside me as Lucky had screamed out my name. But maybe that hadn’t even been a part of the dream, maybe that had been Emily shouting at me. I was uncomfortable at how much Lucky was occupying my thoughts. I didn’t understand it and didn’t want to think about her. She could bring nothing positive to my life. She could bring you love, a little voice whispered to me, and I stopped cold.

“Hey, come here.” I called out to Emily urgently. “Let me make it up to you.” My voice sounded unfamiliar to me, it was warm and wanting. Emily looked up at me hopefully, with her bra in her hands. “Come here.” I commanded her this time. She grinned at me and ran over, dropping her bra on the floor.

“I knew you couldn’t say no, not to me.” She pushed her br**sts into my chest, and I felt nothing. I made myself smile into her cold and calculating blue eyes.

“Of course, I couldn’t say no.” I leaned forward to kiss her. This is what I knew. Sex, for the sake of sex. My lips crushed down on hers, and I slipped my tongue into her mouth. Her lips remained motionless underneath mine, and her breath tasted foul. I tried not to recoil from her and ran my hands down her naked back. She moved in closer to me and ran her hands down my chest and to the front of my pants. She started to unbuckle my belt, and all I could see was Lucky’s face in my mind. I moved away from her slowly and rubbed my forehead. “I’m sorry,” I shook my head. “I, I, just can’t do this right now.”

She looked at me in shock and tried to reach her hand down my pants.

“No,” I pushed her hand away. “I’m not interested Emily, sorry.”

“You just told me you wanted to have sex.”

“I’m sorry, I thought I could do this, but I just can’t.” My voice was pained, as much for her, as for myself. I didn’t understand it. I just knew that I physically could not have sex with her, the kiss alone had been torturous. The feel of her body against mine did nothing for me. If I was honest with myself, I knew that I didn’t like her and didn’t care if I never saw her again. Braydon or not. I sighed and felt like slapping myself, but I knew there were other women. I’d get what I needed from one of them. “Are you okay?” I walked over to Emily as she threw her clothes on.

“Just take me home.” She growled at me, sounding very much like a male bear. I was taken aback as I stared at her and stifled a laugh. I guess her true colors were coming out.

“How about I call you a cab?”

“Whatever.” She flung her hair.

“Let me call you a cab.” I walked into the kitchen quickly and pulled out a number. “Hey, it’s me, can you send someone over right away? Thanks.” I hung up and walked back to where Emily was. She stood by the door and stared at me provocatively, I was pretty sure she was trying to look alluring, but she looked more like a rat that had nearly drowned.

“The cab will be here in a few minutes.” I nodded at her and averted my gaze, feeling somewhat sorry for her.

“Don’t bother calling me again.” She gave me the death stare and I pretended to look disappointed.

“I’m sorry. The night didn’t go as I intended.”

“I thought you had more class, but I should have known when you took me to the grease spoon that you were…”

“I think we should both stop before we get any angrier.” I interrupted her and stared into her eyes. “I don’t think we want to end the evening on an argument.” I knew that if she tried to disparage Lucky again, I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut.

“You’re scum, Zane Beaumont.” She spat at me and opened the door. “I’ll be outside.”

“I’ll come out with you.” I sighed, not wanting to join her, but not wanting to leave her outside by herself. I may be an ass**le, but I wasn’t going to let a woman stand on the street by herself.

We stood there for a few minutes silently before I saw the car come down the road. I said a silent prayer that the car arrived so quickly and whispered to the driver when he stopped.

“Don’t worry about the cost, I got it.” I smiled at Emily and she glared at me without answering, as she got into the back of the car. “Thanks for coming, I had a fun night.” I shouted out before she slammed the door, and I laughed to myself.

I walked back to the house and closed the door. I looked around the room and stared at the marble floor that sparkled so brightly, thanks to the light from the chandelier. The house was so quiet and I walked slowly, turning off all the lights. I thought back to the first time Noah and I had seen this place. He had known right away that this was the house he wanted us to get.

“Can you imagine the parties we could have here, bro?” He had punched me on the shoulder lightly, his eyes sparkling. “Look at the pool, right in the middle! This place is perfect.”

I hadn’t really agreed—the place was too ostentatious for me, but Noah had loved it. I felt my throat constrict as I thought about Noah. I didn’t want to think about him or about anything anymore. All I wanted to concentrate on as bringing Braydon down. He was responsible for Noah’s death. He had to pay. I walked up to my room and pulled out my phone. I needed to talk to someone. I didn’t want to go to bed yet; I didn’t want to face my dreams. I dialed the number of the only person I knew I could talk to.

“Special Agent Waldron.” He answered the phone on the first ring, and I was glad that he was always available. Ever since the day I had decided to call him, he had always been here for me. Even if sometimes he was so vague that I didn’t really understand what he was saying.

“It’s Zane.” I paused. “I just got back from my date with Emily.”