Revealed by You (Torn) (16 page)

My phone dinged, startling me from my thoughts.

All moved in, lover?

I smiled.
Yes,
I typed and hit send.

Good. Now go to our bedroom.

My stomach flipped. Our bedroom. Why did those two little words get me all excited?

I want you naked. Kneeling on the bed. With your back to the door.

My body heated.
And if I don’t?

I could almost hear him chuckle. I loved playing games with him. He liked that I gave him a challenge. I knew that. He knew that. He also knew that I would be ready and waiting for him. Always.

The keys jiggling in the door made me gasp.
Shit
. I ran to the bedroom but not before Brett saw me dart away.

“I see you didn’t listen to me,” he yelled from the doorway.

I backed up, holding my hands to shield him off. My heart raced, my body blooming as I tripped against the bed and fell on my ass.

A bubble of laughter left me and I pushed to all fours when my feet were pulled out from under me.

“Why are you not on the bed naked like I asked?”

I rolled my eyes. “You didn’t ask. You demanded it.”

He bit the side of my neck. “And?”

I struggled out from under him. “I’m making you work for it.”

He chuckled. “Oh, lover.” He reached under my dress and ripped my panties. “I sure love a fucking challenge.”

***

“I cannot believe you just told me that,” I laughed and shook my head at Tatiana. Not having many girlfriends, she was one that I could always count on to tell me straight up how it was.

It was a couple of nights later and she and I had decided to meet up for coffee to give our boss a much needed break while he stressed the hell out.

She blinked innocently. “What? You asked, I told.”

I sat back and took a sip of my coffee. “Kane is my best friend. Please don’t give me any more details about your sex life.”

She giggled and ran a hand through her shoulder length dark purple hair. The piercing in her eye brow twinkled in the dim café shop lighting. “You happy, babe?”

I smiled and sighed. “Yes.” And I was. Living with Brett for just over a week felt normal. It was like Mexico all over again. We didn’t fight. Unless you counted arguments about who got a shower first which then in turn ended up with both of us taking a shower at the same time.

“Are
you
happy?” I asked, placing my cup on the table between us. I waved at Anna as she came into the coffee shop.

Tatiana shrugged. Her caramel skin glowing as she blushed. “For now. It is what it is.” She smiled at Anna as she joined us.

Tatiana tried to play it off that her relationship with Kane was casual but I knew they both had feelings for each other. They just needed to get their heads out of their asses and realize that before it was too late.

Speaking of that… “Anna, have you talked to Evan?”

Her smile faltered. “No. He won’t…uh…return my calls.” She cleared her throat. “How was Mexico?”

I bit back a frown and sighed at her change in subject. “It was wonderful.”

“We heard you guys opened a club,” Tatiana said, crossing her legs as she sat back in the couch.

It didn’t surprise me that the news had travelled fast. When we got home, a newspaper was at his door with a picture of the two of us smiling for the cameras in Mexico.

I nodded and explained what had happened. It was fun, exciting, exhilarating but also scary and overwhelming. I knew nothing about running a business and Brett promised he would help but the benefit that he was holding was the next day. He was stressed to the max. His controlling side wanted to make sure that everything was perfect. My nurturing side wanted to please the tension in his body but I hadn’t seen him enough to take care of that. You’d think living with the guy meant seeing him more but not so much. I saw him if I woke during the night but that was it.

“You talk to Claire?” Anna asked, ringing her hands in her lap.

My stomach twisted at the mere mention of that woman’s name. “Not since she showed up at Brett’s birthday party.” Everyone had found out about Claire and that she originally said she was pregnant with Brett’s baby. After having a miscarriage, it was like she fell off the face of the earth. No one knew who the father of the baby actually was except for her and it wasn’t like she was going to admit that anytime soon. It could have been Brett’s or Ethan’s. My brother. God, what I wouldn’t do to end that situation. I made a mental note of visiting him.

“Evvie?”

I looked up at Tatiana. “Hmm?”

She smiled. “You lost in thought?”

“Sorry. I was…” My gaze landed on someone as they came into the coffee shop. Someone I never thought I’d see again.

Stefan Price.

What the hell was he was doing here?

TWELVE

“Why, hello again, Evvie.”

Tatiana and Anna both looked at me. Their eyes filled with curiosity.

“Tatiana, Anna, this is Stefan. We met him in Mexico,” I mumbled.

They both watched as he sat down beside us, casually crossing his ankle over the opposite knee. It was like he thought we were lifelong friends but really, he bothered me. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but something was off about him. Different. I didn’t trust him. At all.

“What are you doing here, Stefan?” I asked, my gaze darting from him to the door every so often. Brett was working so I didn’t expect him to show up but it wouldn’t surprise me if he did. It’s how he was. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he was there now, watching this whole messed up interaction. Waiting to strike when the moment was right.

“I wanted coffee. So here I am,” he said, shrugging.

Anna rolled her eyes as Tatiana scoffed and fiddled around with her phone. Her gaze met mine before quickly glancing away.

I frowned. “Who did you text, T?”

“No one.” She looked at Anna. Anna’s eyes drifted down to her phone, her cheeks flushing when they popped up to meet mine.

“Tatiana,” I said, my voice firm.

She looked back at me. “I didn’t text,” she glanced away again. “anyone.”

My heart raced and I reached for her phone, quickly grabbing it before she had a chance to react. I swiped my fingers across the small screen while ignoring her protests. My stomach sunk. “You texted Kane?”

Stefan chuckled. “And here I thought my night was going to be boring.”

I threw the phone on the table.

“I’m sorry, Ev,” she said, her voice small.

Kane would tell Brett that Stefan was here and then Brett would definitely show up. I loved him, with all of my heart and more but his jealousy was going to get him into trouble. Why the hell did no one see that but me?

“Evvie, why don’t we go back to your apartment?” Anna offered.

“Yes, Evvie, why don’t we do that?” Stefan suggested, licking his lips.

My stomach cringed at the innuendo that rolled off of his tongue.

I ignored the girls and watched for the door. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t be a big deal if Brett showed up. But Stefan was here. He had caused enough problems in Mexico. Brett had just finally gotten over the whole issue with Nick. Everything was starting to feel…normal. For us anyways. Anna moved out, Claire disappeared, and his mother hadn’t tried contacting him again. It was the calm before the storm, we both knew that, but took advantage of the peace and quiet anyways.

“You shouldn’t be with a guy that’s so jealous, Evvie.”

My gaze slowly glanced at Stefan. “What would you know about the guy that I’m with?”

Stefan smirked. “I know more about Brett MacLean than you think, darling.”

My stomach clenched. “What the hell are you talking about?”

He grinned. “Let’s just say that we have a mutual friend and I’ve heard all the juicy details about that man of yours.”

“Please. The only one that knows the true Brett MacLean is my girl,” Tatiana scoffed.

“I’m not going to sit here defending my relationship with Brett to you or anyone else for that matter,” I snapped. My blood boiled. At that point, I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t stand Stefan. So much for me being nice. He was going to get the full wrath of the Neal family way if he didn’t watch out.

“Oh? Is that so? How were those pictures that I sent you, Evvie? Did you get a good look at your boyfriend fucking Claire?”

A mutual gasp erupted between Anna and Tatiana.

I stared him, my mouth set in a firm line. I wouldn’t let him know that he got to me but I wasn’t Brett, I didn’t have a poker face. My emotions showed in my eyes and I couldn’t change that. “What happened before me is none of my business.”

Stefan looked at me hard. “Hmm…guess I thought you would have reacted differently.”

I did. When I got the pictures. Now that I knew who they came from… “How the hell did you get those pictures?”

He grinned. “A little slow are we?”

“Answer me,” I demanded.

“Like I said, Brett and I have a mutual friend.”

I swallowed hard.
Claire
.

“I see the light bulb turned on this time.” He laughed.

Tatiana slammed her cup on the table. “That’s it. Listen asshole, whatever you want with Evvie—”

“No, you listen, bitch. This has nothing to do with you.”

“What the hell do you want?” I demanded.

Stefan grinned. “You’ll see. In time.”

Chewing my cheek, I waited. Anxiety swirled deep in the pit of my belly. Screw it. “Tatiana, Anna, I’ll see you later.” I couldn’t sit there anymore. I rose to my feet and headed out of the small coffee shop. Just as I rounded the corner, I bumped into a hard body.

An arm reached out, stopping my fall.

I looked up into deep blue eyes that had captivated me from the very start. “Brett.”

He smirked and cupped my cheek. Rubbing his thumb along my bottom lip, he placed a hard kiss on my mouth. “Where do you think you’re going, lover?”

I took a breath. “I…I was going to see you.”

Brett leaned down and brushed his nose along the side of my neck, inhaling deep. “I want coffee.”

“Brett…” He was lying. He wanted to see Stefan and pound his face in. I could tell by the cold look in his eyes. “Take me home.”

“Hmm…home,” he purred.

My heart soared. “Please. I don’t want anything to happen.”

He nibbled my palm and kissed the band on my ring finger. “What do you think would happen?”

“I think you’ll end up punching Stefan in the face…” I frowned as Brett’s gaze turned icy cold.

“Stefan? That fucker from Mexico is here?”

My heart dropped. “Yes. I thought that’s why you’re here.”

“No. I came to see
you
. Tatiana texted Kane and he told me to meet you here but no one mentioned Stefan,” he said, his voice rising.

Shit
. “Okay, well…” I swallowed. “Take me home.”

A wicked grin spread on Brett’s face before he grabbed my hand and pulled me back into the coffee shop. “We don’t want to be rude, Evvie. Let’s say hi to our dear old friend.”

My heart raced, thumping hard against my rib cage. “Brett, please, just take me home.”

His hand wrapped around my neck and he leaned down to my ear. “I will, but right now, I’m going to remind Stefan, who you belong to.”

“Brett,” I cried and grabbed his arm, stopping him. “He knows Claire.”

Brett paused in his steps and turned back to me. “He does?”

I nodded. “He’s the one that sent those pictures of the both of you to me.”

His jaw clenched, his eyes turning black. “Now we definitely have to say hi.”

I frowned and followed behind Brett as he led us back to the table where Tatiana, Anna and Stefan were still sitting. All three of them looked up as we neared it. Tatiana’s eyes widened and Stefan sneered. Anna chewed her bottom lip, brushing a dark strand of hair behind her ear.

“Well well well. Now isn’t this interesting?” Stefan said, rubbing his chin.

Brett grunted and held me tight beside him, practically placing me on his lap.

“Um…we should go.” Tatiana grabbed her stuff.

Anna nodded. They both gave me hugs.

“Whatever happens, Brett loves you,” Anna whispered in my ear and headed out the door before I could protest. I stared after her. I knew Brett loved me. It was the one thing that I was certain of.

Now that he knew who was responsible for the pictures, I didn’t blame him for being furious.

I didn’t know what Brett had in mind when it came to showing Stefan who I belonged to. I knew how he showed me in the past but it was unlikely he was going to have sex with me in public. Even though he had threatened it several times before.

The jealousy that Brett had, took over sometimes. I wasn’t even sure if he was aware of it. He needed to not worry and trust me. Trust in the fact that there was no one else for me. That he was it.

As I sat there watching the guys have a macho he-man stare down, my stomach clenched and twisted. Anxiety swirled deep in my belly. If Brett wasn’t careful, his jealousy would get the best of him or worse. It would destroy what we had worked so hard at getting back.

THIRTEEN

After sitting for what felt like forever in uncomfortable silence, my nerves got the better of me and I couldn’t take it anymore. “Stefan, what do you want?”

Stefan smirked and rubbed his chin. “Now what makes you think that I want something?”

I rolled my eyes. “I told Brett about the pictures.”

“I know. That’s why I told you about them in the first place.” Stefan shrugged.

Brett stiffened beside me and grabbed my hand. “You hassled us on the plane, in Mexico, and now here. What the hell is your deal, fucker?”

“Paranoid? Worried I’ll take your girl, Brett?” Stefan laughed.

My stomach twisted.

“That’ll never happen, asshole,” Brett growled.

“Brett, we should go. He’s clearly not going to tell us what he wants.” I rose to my feet when my hand was tugged.

“Sit,” Brett demanded.

I sat back down and huffed.

“You going to let him boss you around like that, Evvie?” Stefan frowned. “If you were mine—”