Replace Me (Kin #2)(57)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“When we met, was I an ass**le? Did I or did I not stay up with you all night and never ask for anything else?”

Megan waited until we were inside and seated to answer me. “When we met, I already knew things about you. You weren’t an ass**le, but it’s probably how you work. I can see how you would meet a girl and charm her into thinking you were nice. Then, when they finally let you in their pants, you showed your true colors.”

“How I work? Damn, woman. Should I give you the knife to cut off my genitals now, or can we have dinner first?” I had to laugh at the way she thought she knew everything about me. “Can you clarify that for me?”

“How you swoon women into sleeping with you. It’s ridiculous. I don’t get it at all. How could someone give themselves to a complete stranger?”

The waiter brought us our drinks and I pondered on how to respond. This girl was determined to bring me down and I wasn’t going to be taken easily. I was going to get in this girl’s pants, whether she believed it or not. “There is no swoonin’. Did you ever think that maybe they want to know what it’s like to be with me, to f**k me? Have you considered that they enjoy it as much as I do? Besides, let’s face it, all you know is what you’ve heard. Maybe I’m not as bad as you think I am.”

“I have a good idea of exactly how you are.”

I pointed to her. “I’m goin’ to prove you wrong.”

“Fat chance.”

“Can we please enjoy our meal? I didn’t ask you to dinner to rehash your hate for me. I’m tryin’ to make peace here. I’m tryin’ to show you that I’m not the ass**le you think I am.”

She went to open her mouth when my phone started ringing. I grabbed it, preparing to ignore the call, until I saw who it was.

“Lacey?”

She was crying hysterically. “Shayne, can you come and get me?”

“Where are you? What’s goin’ on? What did he do to you?” I was freaking out and I think Megan was embarrassed at how loud I had become.

“I’m at the airport. My flight just got in.” She sobbed harder and I knew that it wasn’t worth asking her for details when she was in this sort of condition. Something bad had to have happened for her to come home so upset.

“I’m leaving now. It’s goin’ to take me a few hours. Can you hang tight until then?”

“Yeah.”

“See you soon, Lace. I don’t know what’s goin’ on, but it will be okay. I’ll make sure of it.”

I hung up the phone and looked at Megan, who obviously wanted an explanation. “Megan, I know I basically forced you to come here, but Lacey’s in trouble and I have to help her. You should stay and enjoy your meal. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I pulled out my wallet and tossed money on the table before starting to walk away. My mind was on Lacey and hearing her so upset had me worried.

Megan grabbed my arm. “Wait! Do you want some company?”

“She’s at Dulles. It’s a far ass drive.”

“I don’t have plans. Besides, she may need to talk to a woman about whatever’s going on. I can take my car so we all fit. Unless, you want to be alone?”

I didn’t have time to consider if this was some kind of female test. There was always one happening and I was forever failing them. Still, I knew that whatever was going with Lacey wasn’t going to end in the two of us sleeping together, plus the ride was long and boring alone. “Yeah, it would be cool if you came. I’d like the company.”

We grabbed our things and headed toward the airport. Joey messed with the wrong girl this time. He was going to pay for hurting her, even if I had to fly to Italy to do it.

Megan and I talked about a lot of things before we reached the airport. Traffic was moderate and it took us an extra half hour. After over three hours of being stuck in the same vehicle, I felt like we’d made progress. Megan was starting to ask me personal questions. She wanted to know me, which was the first step.

As we approached the terminal for arrivals, I saw Lacey sitting on the curb. She had her hands up to her face and was clearly emotional. I threw Megan’s car into park and went running over to her.

After scooping her up in my arms, I held her tight and let her cry. “Shh, it’s goin’ to be alright, baby. You’re safe now.”

Seeing her so upset made my blood boil. More than ever, I needed to settle a score with Joey. If Lacey wouldn’t tell me what was going on, I’d call him and find out. He wasn’t getting away with breaking her heart. She didn’t deserve it yet again, from another man she loved.

Lacey

I’d spent four hours stuck in an airport, after an even longer flight. I was exhausted and lost. My heart, soul and everything that kept me together had shattered into pieces. I’d walked away from Joey, without giving him a chance to fight me. I knew myself better than that and it was clear that I couldn’t allow myself to trust him, not when he was so far away.

Shayne ran toward me, before I even noticed a car sitting there waiting. He threw his arms around me and for the first time since I watched Joey walk out of that bedroom, I felt safe. I wasn’t using him, asking him to come and pick me up. I may not have trusted Shayne with my heart, but I trusted him with my life and I knew he cared enough to help.

I didn’t expect him to have been on a date and for him to have brought her along. I watched a familiar girl get out of the front passenger seat and climb in the driver’s side. She said nothing and neither did Shayne about her being there. Honestly, I didn’t care. I just wanted to go home and lock myself inside where nobody could get to me. We both got into the backseat and pulled away from the parking spot.

Shayne continued asking me what was wrong as we drove away from the busy airport. I stared out the window, until I couldn’t take him asking anymore. “I left him there.”

“You what? What do you mean?”

“He was so happy to see me,” I cried while I tried to explain. “We were so happy, all consumed in each other. I thought he was coming home with me, so that we could be together. It’s what we both wanted. We were finally on the same page.” I cried even more. “So I thought.”

“I’m not followin’ you, Lace.”

I knew I wasn’t making sense, but it was difficult to explain when I didn’t want to talk about it in the first place. “Joey wanted me to stay there with him. He said he couldn’t leave until his job was complete and that his future was at stake.”