I turn my back on him in the alley, and even though my heart, my body, every single thing in me is screaming for me to turn around, I do what’s best for me and walk away.
And I’m not at all surprised that he doesn’t chase after me.
*
Cameron
I’m dragging my ass to work on the Monday after making love to Eve. It was spontaneous, primal, raw, but it was love. I felt it with every slide of our bodies, the connection of so much more than two animals seeking out pleasure, but two souls finally coming together.
Rather than hitting the weights first, I head toward the heavy bag, hoping to blow off some of the frustration that’s been building since Eve blew me off. She’s wrong if she thinks I’m going to just let her turn her back on us. I’m going to get her back, but after this weekend I’ve realized how fragile she is and need to have a plan.
I love you, Cameron Kyle.
Her words ring through my head on a loop as they have been since she said them.
I’m not strong enough to hold on to you.
But I can be strong enough for the both of us.
I pop in my ear buds and find the playlist that suits my mood. Social Distortion’s “When She Begins” blares in my ears so loud it feels as if my ears will bleed. Good, anything to push the memory of Eve to the back of my head.
Gloves on, I throw my first few punches to warm up. Every hit, the resistance of the bag, pushes back and makes me hit harder. Left—right—left—right. I step back, kick. Lean in, punch. Back and forth, I beat away all the shit that plagues my mind in search for the clarity and simplicity that only comes when I train.
Sweat dampens my shirt, drips down from my temple. I hit harder, concentrating on getting the most behind every throw. The music drives me. Finally warmed up, I move quicker. Duck. Hit. Lean. Hit. Kick.
An earbud pops free from my ear. What the fuck? I stop and look to see Blake standing next to me with a satisfied grin.
“Daniels, what’s up?” I rip off my gloves and pull out my other earbud.
“Think the real question is what’s up with you?” He crosses his arms over his chest. “Looks like you’re trying to strike gold on that heavy bag, man.” His eyebrows drop low.
“This is what real training looks like.” I toss my gloves to the side. “Might wanna take notes.”
He shrugs. “I’ll give you that because I know you’re pissed.”
“Who says I’m pissed?”
He tilts his head, as if he’s trying to read me. “My woman said you and Eve aren’t speaking.”
Shit. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Layla’s noticed. Now that I think about it, I find it strange that she hasn’t asked. She’s usually nosey as hell.
“Your woman would be right.” No use in lying. Chances are the whole story has made it through the gossip chain already.
“Probably for the best.” He shoves the heavy bag. “Eve’s been through hell already, and you’re a moody son of a bitch.”
Been through hell? First Jonah and now Blake.
I wipe my forehead with a towel and take a swig from my water bottle. “You talking about her pops?”
“Nah, I’m talking about Vince.”
Vince? Who the fuck is that, and why is this the first I’m hearing about it?
“You mind elaborating?”
His eyes narrow. “She hasn’t told you?”
I grind my teeth and my muscles tense. “She told me, you think I’d be askin’?”
“Huh.” His gaze drops to the floor, as if he’s thinking about whether or not to share, and then shrugs. “Figure you’ll find out sooner or later. Vince was Dominic Morretti’s right hand.”
My fists flex at the idea that someone who even breathed the same air as a sadistic fuck like Morretti was anywhere near my girl.
“Dominic needed to get the inside scoop on Raven; best way to do that was through her best friend.” His jaw gets tight. “He sent Vince to do the job.”
What the fuck does that mean? He needed information out of Eve so he what? Held her captive? Tortured her? My thoughts whirl into a tornado of horrific scenarios. “Go on.”
He recoils, but it’s slight. “Guessin’ you lookin’ like you’re gonna kill someone shows Eve didn’t share this shit with you.”
I don’t answer.
“Right, well, best guess is he saw her weakness, preyed on it.”
“Meaning?” I hope it’s not what I’m thinking.
“He seduced her.”
The breath rushes from my lungs in a quick burst.
“Told her all the fluffy shit chicks like to hear, weaseled his way in there, and when I say in there, I mean in there in every way a man can be. Her home, her bed, her body.”
“Fuck.”
“That’s not the worst of it.”
My chest aches and my body readies for a fight.
“Dickhead roughed a dude up pretty bad at a club one night for talking to Eve, dragged her and Raven’s asses out, let Eve go so he could kidnap Rave. Luckily Jonah showed up, but not before Vince marked Raven’s neck up with bruises.”
“Fuckin’ hell.”
“Worst part is Eve was jealous of that shit. Vince was lying to her the whole time, using her body, taking all she offered, but his eye was on the prize and that prize was not Eve.”