“I was there. I watched as you and A danced around one another for years and while we were real young, I was still able to see that there was something between the two of you. I thought we were too young for that shit, but I knew it was inevitable. I even wondered if I would be a third wheel when it happened.” I paused watching as he swallowed. His eyes drifted towards the highway, but he didn’t look like he was going to shoot me so I continued. “I would think about you guys every now and then. For fuck’s sake, I remember you telling me you had taken her virginity.” He shoved his hands into his pocket, he head miles away as I spoke. It was as if my words were bringing him back to a different place and time. “You were so fucking scared that Victor was going to find out.” I held back my chuckle reminiscing of a time when he dragged me all over Brooklyn trying to buy a bulletproof vest with the money he had won in a game of C-low.
“Anyhow, I come back and I’m completely dumb fucked because I would’ve sworn on my old man that you two would’ve been married with a kid or two but instead you look like you hate one another.”
Anthony turned his gaze to me abruptly. “I don’t hate her. I could never hate her that woman owns me.” He combed his fingers through his hair roughly.
“What happened to the two of you?” I asked, feeling sorry for him. It was so evident that he loved her still, his love burning in his somber eyes.
“I fucked up Mike.” He shook his head. “When you have everything you have everything to lose and that’s exactly what I did. I lost everything because I was a greedy fuck. I had the most beautiful, fun loving girl who looked at me as if I was the answer to all her dreams and all I gave a fuck about was climbing the ladder of power.” He laughed bitterly at himself. “I like to blame Vic but the truth is it was all my fault. “ He patted my shoulder. “It’s a long story man, but you’re right, we probably would’ve been married and Luca would’ve been mine.” He closed his eyes for a moment before sighing heavily. “Thanks for being a friend.”
I didn’t push him anymore feeling guilty that I had ripped open his wounds, allowing all the pain he harbored to break free. There was something missing and something inside me told me that whatever it was ran deep that this missing piece of the puzzle was the main artery that all the valves connected to.
He stepped around me climbing into the driver’s seat of his truck. I followed his lead making myself comfortable in the passenger seat securing my seatbelt in case we had any other emotional breakdowns and prayed for this day to end.
Chapter Nine
Mondays were my day off the salon was closed so I usually used the day to take care of my errands. However today I didn’t even want to move from the couch. Last night Rico surprised me taking me to dinner and a movie. Rico surprised me last night, taking me to my favorite sushi restaurant and a movie afterwards. He was really trying I’ll give him that. He apologized to me again at dinner even tried to embrace my friendship with Mikey asking me if I thought he was grasping the whole nightlife scene. He offered to talk to him if I thought it would help him. Rico was a prominent figure in the club scene headlining the hottest clubs. He was even offered a gig at this year’s upcoming music conference in Miami so any insight he could provide Mikey would probably be helpful. I thanked him for the offer, but we both knew that I wouldn’t mention it to Mikey. He would never accept Rico’s help.
I tried to enjoy Rico’s efforts tried to be the girl that once was completely taken by the man in front of me, but in the back of my head I kept wondering what Mikey was up to. My fingers betrayed me itching to text or call him. I actually had to turn my phone off to stop myself. After the movie, we went back to Rico’s apartment he had my favorite wine chilling in hopes that our dry spell would be rectified. He started kissing me and I kissed him back more out of habit than out of lust. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I wanted sex. I craved it but I couldn’t get into it. His mouth traveled down my neck, his hands were everywhere I closed my eyes, trying desperately to get into the moment working my hands down his body when I felt him suck on my neck his teeth grazing my delicate skin branding me.
Suddenly I snapped, pushing him off me with all my strength. His words from earlier ringing in my ears telling me he claimed me as his. Now he thinks he can mark me like a dog pissing on his territory. Hell. Fucking. No. He tried to reel me back in telling me that I was overthinking things he wasn’t marking me. Bullshit! His patience teetered and he told me to go get my head fucked. Real nice Rico that’s the way to a woman’s heart. I slammed the door in his fucking face and haven’t spoken to him since.
So now I’m sitting on my parents couch watching daytime television wondering if I did overthink it because my head was all over the place. It wasn’t like it was the first time Rico gave me a hickey in fact, it was in one of the less offensive places than where he usually likes to leave them. I sometimes find myself blushing in the shower when I see a trail of love bites down the inside of my thighs reminding me all the ways his mouth traveled up and down bringing me pleasure.
My phone chimed alerting me of a text message.
Mikey: Hey. What are you up to?
I bit my lower lip nervously contemplating whether I should answer. I think I’m spending too much time with him and the more time I spend with Mikey the more I want him the more I think of him. For someone who is so against drugs and despises the power of addiction, I am becoming an addict and my drug of choice is Mikey. Point proven as my fingers work to respond to his text because heaven forbid I ignore him. Nope. I need my fix.