“Good, now before you go, are you still okay to watch Arabella this Friday?”
“Yes, all good to go. You want me to come to yours or you going to bring her to me?” Payton asked me last week if I could watch Arabella. I thought it was for a hot date with a new fling. Now I know it’s for date night with Jett.
Yay me.
“I think it will be easier if she stays with you. Jett won’t tell me where we’re going, so I don’t know what time we’ll be back. Is that okay?”
“Yeah, of course. Why don’t I keep her for the night? I’m off on the weekend. You can pick her up Saturday or Sunday, whenever you’re ready,” I offer against my better judgment.
“You would do that for me?”
“Of course, Payton. You know I would.”
“You’re the best. Let me double check with Jett and I’ll let you know what time we’ll drop her off.” We chat a little more about Arabella, and some new eating habit she has acquired as I exit the car and make my up to my apartment. I’m laughing at my niece’s antics when I make it up to my floor and come face-to-face with Hetch, arms wrapped around a pretty petite brunette.
“Well, that didn't take long.” I can’t soften my blatant disgust, nor can I control the hurt rolling through me.
“What didn’t?” Payton’s voice breaks through my anger while Hetch’s attention comes to mine.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
“Nothing, I just ran into some douchebag in my hallway,” I tell Payton, my eyes still firmly on Hetch.
Jesus, two women in one day. Now I feel like a fucking whore.
“Who, Hetch? He’s there?” I hear Payton ask, but I barely register it when Hetch speaks.
“Liberty.” He steps back from the woman but keeps his arm resting on her shoulder.
What an asshole.
“Save it, Romeo.” I push my key into the lock, only to realize I had the locks changed over today, and he has my new set. “Can I have my keys please?” I turn back, humiliation burning my insides while his stare burns me on the outside.
I shouldn’t have fucking caved to him. Yeah, he made things clear we were just having fun, but he was only inside of me this morning. Now’s he’s seeing someone else on the same day.
“Sweetheart.” His annoying name for me doesn’t tighten my belly like it did this morning. Now I just want to punch his junk.
“No, Liam.” I use his first name as a punishment. “Just keep yourself and your dick away from me.”
“Don’t even think about being bitchy and jumping to conclusions.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I spit back, not believing what I’m hearing. The beautiful woman looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind, but Hetch looks like he’s enjoying this. “You had your cock inside of me barely”—I look down at my watch and count down to the moment I left this morning—“nine hours ago. You’re—”
“Liberty.” His full-bodied baritone voice cuts me off, and I retreat at his anger. “This is Dakota, my sister.” A dull ache drums through my head as the word sister ricochets through my subconscious.
Fuck.
“Oh, God.” Heat pulses through my veins, my rage replaced with dread. If ever there were a moment you wished the floor to open up and swallow you, it would be now.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t—”
“Yeah, I’m sure you didn’t.” He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a shiny new set of keys, and thrusts them into my waiting hand.
“Th-thanks.” I step back to my door, unsure if I should slink away without another word or try to apologize again. Hetch clears his throat like he wants to say more, but his eyes narrow and grow darker, forcing my retreat along.
“I should probably go. Ah, nice to meet you.” I wave at the woman, his sister, before I use my new key, and slip inside my apartment.
It takes a few seconds for the thumping in my head to clear, before I hear the unmistakable sounds of Payton’s cackling coming through on my cell phone.
Oh, fuck me. I forgot to hang up.
Kill me now.
Thirteen
Hetch
“Oh, my God. You fucked your neighbor. That’s a new low even for you, Liam.” Kota shrugs off my arm and settles her best condescending look on me as soon as Liberty slams her door shut.
“Don't start on me right now, Kota.” I force out a sigh, hoping it soothes the pent-up frustration building within my chest and my pants.
What the fuck was that bullshit? I don’t know whether to laugh or punch the fucking wall.
No woman has ever managed to turn me on and piss me off at the same time.
“When will you learn, Liam? Seriously. She may be beautiful, but you live here. Do you know how messy things can get when you shit where you eat?”
Jesus, what is the go with women saying that phrase to me?
“Kota. You need to go.” I point to the stairwell, hoping she takes the warning. I'm not going to justify to my sister who I fuck and why. She has no idea what she’s talking about. This, what’s happening between Liberty and me, is different.