Flawed Love: House of Obsidian (2 page)

“Can you see him?” Mimi yells into my ear.

“No,” I call back.

“We’ll dance until he shows up. This bar is great.”

I nod and we dance, and dance, and dance. What seems like hours pass, and still there’s no Rainer. I’ve gone through three drinks and two bottles of water, because this dance floor is making me crazy sweaty. I wave to Mimi and point to an empty booth. She nods and gives me the thumbs up, and I make my way over to it, dropping down on my ass and sighing with relief. It’s much cooler here.

I sit at that booth for another hour, when finally a man appears at the bar. I’m way too far back to see if it’s Rainer or not, but whoever it is, he’s massive. I stand and push through the crowd, keeping my eye on the guy who is grinning at a pretty, strawberry-blond woman, who is sitting by herself on a barstool. My heart starts pounding as I near, wondering if it’s him.

The anticipation is killing me.

When I’m close enough to study his face, I do just that. I look at him, and I know, I just know. I suck in a shaky breath, because oh, oh wow, he’s so . . . breathtaking. Rainer always had good looks, but now . . . God, now he’s panty-melting handsome, dangerous and rugged, sexy as sin. The more I study him, the more my heart pounds.

He’s mesmerizing.

His eyes, which were always dark brown, seem almost black in this light. His hair is cropped a lot shorter than I ever remember and is now only a few inches long, the bottom curling around his collar. It’s messy, and sexy. He’s got a cover of two-day growth on his chin and around his mouth, and his face is so masculine it almost hurts to look at him.

His body, oh God, his body, it’s double the size I remember. He’s taller and so much bigger. He’s a mass ball of muscle. His biceps are bulging from his black tee, and his forearms are probably bigger than my legs. He’s ripped. Hardcore. I don’t realize I’m tearing up until I feel a subtle burn behind my eyelids. I take a deep, shaky breath, and walk over to the bar, stopping next to the strawberry-blond girl he was just talking to.

She’s watching me, but I’m too busy watching him. My lip is trembling and my eyes are wide as I look at the only person I ever shared my soul with. God, I’ve been through so much with this man, and I honestly thought I’d never see him again, and yet here I am, right in front of him.

He slides the girl a drink, smiling at her, showing two dimples that I remember so well. Then he turns his eyes to me. I wait for it, my heart pounding, my skin clammy, and my eyes big and round. I wait for him to recognize me, but it never comes. He just stares at me, his face blank, absolutely no recognition in his depths.

“Can I get you something?”

It feels as if someone has slapped me hard across the face. He doesn’t know who I am. I spent more than seven years being his best friend, he took my virginity, and he doesn’t know who I am. My face must register the hurt, but he seems not to notice. I don’t know what to do, what to say or how to feel. I only just manage a croaky, “No, ah, no. It’s fine.”

Then, with a broken heart and a body full of shame, I turn and rush out. The girl who was sitting at the bar follows me, and catches me at the entrance. Maybe she’s his girlfriend—who knows? “Hey, are you okay?” she asks, her blue eyes full of concern.

“Ah, I’m sorry, do I know you?”

She shakes her head. “I just saw that you were upset with Rainer. I wanted to see if you were okay?”

I was right; she knows Rainer but what she means to me, I have no idea. Still, I ask, “You know Rainer?”

She nods. “Yeah, do you?”

I look over to him, already talking with another person, as if I was never there. Nothing prepared me for this. I thought he’d be angry, maybe even excited, but never in a million years did I think he’d forget me. “I thought I did.”

Then I turn and run out.

“G
ive me a ride, jerk-face,” I snap, slapping Rainer’s truck with my open hand.

“Hell no. You’ll kill my cool, woman.”

I cross my arms and tap my foot. Rainer just grins at me.

“You’re seriously going to make me walk home?” I say, jumping up and leaning through the window.

He puts a hand to my forehead and pushes me out. “Hell yes I am. I’m taking Missy home.”

“Missy is a ho.”

He winks at me. “Good for me then.”

“You’re a piglet. Come on, Rai, I don’t wanna walk! You can poke Missy anytime.”

He snorts. “Down, tiger. I have business to take care of.”

I huff and jump off his truck, turning just in time to see Missy approaching. She’s the prettiest girl in school, so of course she’s in love with Rainer, considering he’s the best-looking guy in school. At least to everyone else but me, anyway. Okay, that’s kind of a lie; I can admit he’s good looking. Horribly so. Damn him. The older and more popular he gets, the more I feel like an ugly little boy next to him.

I’m no Missy.

Is her hair even real? I don’t think so. It looks fake blonde, like the yellow type, but it’s long and flowy. It’s her body and her face that get men. She’s got big knockers, which are most certainly fake. I heard a rumor that her parents paid for them. She’s all ass and tits. Her face is pouty, with big lips and giant brown eyes. She’s like a doe-eyed little dear, when really she’s as loose as a horny dog.

“Better get walking, Nerdy Turdy.” She smirks at me as she steps up to Rainer’s truck. “It’s going to rain.”

“Best you jump in then, Spastic Plastic. I wouldn’t want you to melt.”

Rainer snorts from the truck and her lips pout as she glowers at me. She swings the door open and I blow Rainer a dramatic kiss. He winks at me, and I turn before I can witness him suck-facing with Missy. Walking home it is. Fine by me. I probably need the exercise after the eight doughnuts I had today. Damn their doughy goodness.

I start down the main street, backpack slung over my shoulder. I’m wearing my chucks today, thank God, because there’s no way I could walk this far in anything else. My jeans are the oldest pair I have, and the shirt is one I stole from Rainer when he grew out of it. He’s got mega muscles now, the giant stud. My hair is shorter than I would like, but hey, who’s complaining? It’s low-maintenance.

I, unlike Missy, have real blond hair.

“Yo, Ems.”

I turn and see one of my close friends, Kenny, running towards me. He’s got his backpack over his shoulders and it bounces with every step. His long blond hair is flying around the in wind, and he keeps pushing his glasses up on his nose because they’re sliding down. He’s adorably gross.

“What’s up, K-dog?”

He stops when he reaches me, drops his hands to his knees, and starts panting.

“Dude, you need to get fit, seriously. You just ran, what, five meters?”

“Bite me, Em,” he grunts, straightening. “What the hell are you making me run for? Where’s Rainer?”

“Getting STDs with Missy.”

He wrinkles his nose. “Fucking gross.”

I snort. “Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I’m walking home, so if you wanna join you better stop that panting.”

“Dammit, you have my phone. Otherwise I wouldn’t be enduring this hell.”

I hook my arm through his. “Don’t be a hater. How was school?”

He shrugs, studying the side of my face with his light green eyes. “Are you wearing makeup?”

“No,” I snap, rubbing at my eye.

I am wearing mascara, but I couldn’t apply it properly, so I only put it on one eye. It wasn’t my finest moment. I don’t even know why I’m wearing it. I guess . . . well, there’s this guy . . . God who am I kidding? Most of the guys think I’m a dude.

“You so are,” he teases. “Who are you trying to impress?”

“I put it on one eye. It was an experiment.”

He shoves me with his shoulder. “Spill, Ems.”

I sigh. “Fine. I might have a crush.”

He whoops loudly. “There’s hope for you yet.”

“Eat me, dickhead.”

“Don’t be so mean.” He grins. “Now spill. Who are you checking out?”

I can tell Kenny anything. He’s been my friend all through high school. Not the kind of friend Rainer is, but close.

“It’s Jack.”

He wiggles his eyebrows. “No shit?”

“Yeah, but he’ll never notice me.”

He stops and swings me around with long, bony fingers. “Why not? You’re pretty.”

I blink. “Did you just call me pretty?”

He shrugs. “You are. So what?”

“I look like a man.”

He grunts. “Because you want to. If you wore a dress, and didn’t act like a tomboy, you’d look like a very pretty girl. Prettier than Missy.”

“Now you’re just being mean.”

He chuckles and throws his arms around my shoulders, walking beside me again.

“So, tell me about Jack. Have you spoken to him?”

“No,” I mumble. “I don’t even think he knows I exist.”

“Then make him know you exist!”

“That’s not possible.”

“It is. Wear something sexy.”

I scoff. “I don’t own anything sexy.”

He tilts his head back to the sky and rolls his eyes. “Then find something. Come on, if you want him to notice you, then you have to make the effort. Do you want to die a virgin?”

“Shut it, douche. You’re more likely to die a virgin than me.”

He grunts. “Probably.”

“Anyway, let’s not talk about it. Jack will never notice me—end of story.”

“If you say so,” he sings.

Bloody Kenny.

~*~*~*~

M
y window slides up and a booted foot comes through, followed by another, followed by Rainer’s big body. I’m on my bed, eating popcorn and watching
Top Gun
. I glance over and see Rainer turn and slide the window shut. Then he kicks off his boots and throws himself onto my bed. His hand goes out and takes some popcorn, and he fluffs some pillows behind his head and settles in.

“If you’re wet, or dirty, or sex stained, I’ll kick your ass, Rainer Torrence.”

He glances at me from the corner of his eye. “Sex stained?”

“Yeah, from slut-face. I mean, Missy.”

He grins at me. “Are you jealous, Emy?”

“Am I jealous for not having a bank of STDs?”

He chuckles. “Yeah, right. I get you.”

“Why are you here? I thought you’d be riding the pony all night long.”

He laughs, tossing a piece of popcorn at me. “I’m not the cuddling type.”

“So you only have one round in you? I’m sad for you, Rai.”

He wraps an arm around my neck, putting me in a headlock. “I’ve got plenty of rounds, smart-ass.”

“You smell. Let me go!”

“Nah,” he says, rubbing his underarm near my face.

“Rainer, I’ll break your dick off. Let me go!”

He lets me go with a chuckle and yawns, leaning back into my pillows.

“Your bed is better than mine,” he murmurs.

“You’re not sleeping here again. You snore.”

“Can’t make me leave,” he says, wiggling down into the sheets.

“I can, and I will. I’ll use force, and scissors.”

He raises a brow. “I don’t even want to know.”

“No, you don’t. Go home and torture someone else.”

“You love it when I’m here, Emy. Admit it.”

I grunt.

We fall silent and both of us focus on the TV. I glance over at him about ten minutes into our silence and decide to ask him a question, knowing he’ll give it to me straight. There’s not a lot I don’t tell Rainer.

“Hey, Rai?”

He looks over to me. “Yeah?”

“Do you think I’m pretty?”

He blinks at me. “Say what?”

Dammit, I didn’t say that right.

“I mean . . . do you think I’m pretty enough to ever get a date?”

He studies my face, and when he realizes I’m serious, he answers. “I don’t really see you like that, kid, but yeah, if I’m to answer honestly then yeah, you’re pretty.”

“Pretty enough to get a date . . .”

“Yeah, for sure. Why?”

I look away and shrug. “No reason.”

“Oh come on, you gotta tell me now. Are you crushing on someone?”

I laugh. “No one says that anymore, dude.”

“Spill, Emalie.”

“Ohhh, using my full name. Shit just got real.”

He reaches over and puts his arm around my neck again. “I’ll use force.”

“All right, yeesh. I . . . I might want to ask Jack on a date.”

He’s silent, for way too long.

“Did you hear me?”

“Jack the Sack?”

I burst out laughing. “Oh my God, that’s so mean.”

“Hey, you call Missy Spastic Plastic.”

“You’re right.” I giggle. “But Jack isn’t a sack.”

“He’s a fucking dick.”

“So are you, and I like you.”

He flexes his arm around my neck gently. “I’m a good dick. He’s the bad kind.”

“How so?”

“He’s a user.”

“Meaning?” I prompt.

“He just likes to charm and fuck.”

“And that’s bad because . . .?”

He lets me go and stares at me, horrified. “Because you don’t fuck, Emy.”

“Why not?” I snap, crossing my arms. “I’m a girl, I’m seventeen—I should be able to fuck if I want.”

His eyes widen. “No. Just no.”

That kind of hurts, and my back instantly goes up.

“What, because I’m not fake and plastic like Missy, means I can’t be interested in popping my damned cherry?”

“Yeah, fuckin’ exactly,” he snaps. “Because you’re not fake, you deserve better than men like Jack.”

“Oh, you mean like a nerd, who probably refers to his dick as penis, who says things like ‘I’m going to penetrate you now’?”

His lip twitches. “No, but . . .”

“Agh!” I cry, climbing out of the bed. “You’re pissing me off, Rainer. Can you go?”

“No,” he says, getting out of the bed too. “I’m not leaving because you’re having a hissy. I’m just telling the truth. Men like Jack don’t go with girls like you.”

“Then who does go with a girl like me?”

He shrugs. “I dunno . . . Kenny?”

“Are you fucking serious?” I screech. “So in other words, you don’t really think I’m pretty. You’re just trying to make me feel good.”

“He’s a good guy.”

“He stutters when he talks, if he’s nervous. He has oily hair. What the hell, Rainer?”

“Okay, maybe not Kenny, but . . .”

“Just stop,” I cry, throwing up my hands. “You’re digging a big fucking hole for yourself.”