You're the Only One Page 16

  I smiled, hoping Titus had a sense of humor. He didn’t.

  He began to stand up, so I did the same.

  “Okay. Thank you for coming in. We’ll be in touch.”

  That was fast.

  I shook his hand one more time before walking out.

  As I passed the rows of cubicles again, I couldn’t remember a time I’d felt so low. I’d been in the building for only an hour, and I could already feel the life draining out of me. The thought of coming to this place every day scared me more than a lifetime of chasing my dreams and failing.

  Later that evening, I sat in my living room, working on a few of my older songs, when there was a knock at my door. Kuma let out one bark as I set my guitar down and went to answer it.

  Natasha was standing on the other side with a look of apprehension on her face. “Hey,” she muttered, her eyes studying mine.

  “Hey.” Leaning down, I kissed her on the cheek before stepping back to let her in.

  She slowly walked in, her eyes assessing my apartment. I wasn’t sure what she expected to find.

  “I hadn’t heard from you, so I thought I’d stop by and see how your interview went.”

  I rubbed my hand over my short hair, still adjusting to the change. “Yeah, sorry about that. I kind of got caught up with stuff here.”

  Natasha turned to face me. “What’s going on?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked as I went to sit back down on the couch.

  I knew exactly what she meant, but I wasn’t ready to address what I was feeling yet.

  “I mean, why are you being so distant? Is it this stuff with your mom? Because, if it is, I want to be here for you, Dillon. Don’t push me away.”

  “That’s not it.”

  “Well, what is it then?” Natasha moved to stand in front of me.

  I peered up at her. “I’m afraid you need things from me that I can’t give you.”

  “Like what? Is this because of the interview?”

  “It’s not just that, Natasha. Look around you.” I swept my arm out, motioning toward my small apartment and secondhand furniture. “This is me. I don’t have money. I don’t wear suits. I remodel houses and play music, and I’m okay with that. But I don’t think you are.”

  “Dillon, it’s not that. I was trying to watch out for you. I know you don’t want to think about it, but there’s a real possibility that you’re never going to make it big.”

  I stood up, fed up with hearing her say that. I had enough uncertainty, and I didn’t need my girlfriend doubting me, too.

  Natasha took a step back, her eyes hardening.

  “I don’t need you to remind me of that, Natasha. Don’t you get it? Don’t you think I doubt myself every goddamn time I get up on that stage? I need you to support me. I need you to believe in me.”

  “I was just trying to help. Jesus, what’s wrong with you? We all have to grow up sometime, Dillon.”

  My jaw tightened as I tried to reel in my anger. It didn’t work.

  “Grow up? Is that what your daddy told you? Is that why you asked him to find your boyfriend a reliable job? So that you don’t have to be embarrassed to bring him home? So that you don’t have to tell daddy that your boyfriend makes less money than you do?”

  She shook her head and let out a sarcastic laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Do you hear yourself? Don’t try to make me feel ashamed of my success. I’ve worked hard for everything I have. Don’t you think there’s more to life than moving from one struggle to the next, Dillon? If something isn’t working, then find something that does!”

  I stood there, looking down into eyes I’d thought I knew. Nothing hurt more than having my weakness thrown in my face by someone I’d thought I loved.

  “This isn’t working,” I said, motioning between the two of us.

  Natasha’s eyes narrowed, and a muscle twitched in her jaw as she ground her teeth. “Fuck you.”

  She stormed out of my apartment, slamming the door behind her.

  SKY

  “How could I have been so stupid, TJ?”

  I took a sip from my Bahama Mama as the bartender gave her another martini.

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself, girl. He’s good at what he does. I mean, any man who can convince a woman to go to a sex party with him and let him have multiple girlfriends has to be good.”

  “He was good. That’s the problem. He hypnotized me with his crazy eyes and gifted tongue. He’s a fucking warlock, I tell you!”

  I was on my third drink and feeling pretty drunk. TJ, God bless her, had been listening to me talk about Logan ever since Monday night when I overheard his phone call with Sasha. It was now Friday, and I had a feeling my grace period was about to expire at any moment.

  Turning her back toward the bar, TJ casually observed the people around us, her eyes finally landing on someone. She smiled, and I turned to look over my shoulder.

  “Don’t stare, Sky,” she muttered under her breath when I saw the guy she was watching.

  He was checking her out, too.

  “Be careful. He might be a polyamorist with jealous girlfriends.” I pouted and took another sip.

  “Dude, you know I love you, but you’re being a real downer right now.”

  I tilted my head back and groaned. “Ugh! I know! I hate it!”

  “Then, do something about it. Stop sitting here and sulking over Logan. You’re in an open relationship anyway, aren’t you?”

  “I’m not in any relationship!”

  “Well, you haven’t officially broken it off yet. I see you checking your phone every time it rings. How many times has he called you?”

  “I don’t care.”

  TJ cut her eyes to me and pursed her lips.

  “Like, five or six.”

  “Just break it off, and move on with your life, Sky.”

  “No. If I break it off, I’ll be doing exactly what he wants to do anyway. I’ll be saving him from telling me the truth. It’ll be too easy for him. It’s not fucking fair. He lured me in with all his charisma and orgasms, only to turn around and dump me!”

  “So, what? Are you back on your revenge plot?”

  I chewed on my bottom lip as I considered it. It wasn’t that I wanted revenge anymore. I just couldn’t let him get away with hurting me and walking away, unscathed, again. We’d break up, and then he’d go on with his life and his two other girlfriends, like I’d never even existed. There had to be some way to give him a taste of his own medicine.

  “You’re thinking way too hard over there. You’re scaring me.”

  “What if I pretended like I didn’t know? Just to see what he does.”

  “Then what? You pretend you don’t know, he breaks up with you, and that’s that? Wouldn’t you rather be the one to break up with him?”

  I shrugged. “It’s going to suck either way. But I’m curious to see how he’s going to do it. I wonder if he’ll try to sleep with me first, or maybe he doesn’t plan to tell me at all.”

  TJ raised her eyebrows and turned back around to rest her elbows on the bar. “If he did that, he’d be an even bigger bastard than I thought.”

  “Exactly. If he’s man about it and tells me what’s going on up front, then at least I can live with it. I can accept that he doesn’t love me the way he loves them.”

  I paused as my heart ached in my chest again. The truth hurt like a bitch.

  “But, if he tries to play me…then maybe he can stand to have a dose of his own medicine.”

  Her lips curled into a devious smile. “So, what’s the plan?”

  I woke up the next morning to my phone ringing and someone knocking on our front door. Rolling out of bed, I groaned when the sun shone in my tired eyes. I grabbed my phone and squinted at the screen to see who was calling.

  It was Logan.

  There was another knock at the door.

  I plastered a fake smile on my face, so I would sound convincing as I answered the phone, “Hey!”

  “Hey
, babe. Where have you been?”

  Another knock.

  “Work has been crazy this week. Sorry I didn’t return your calls.”

  Another knock.

  “Can you hold on? Someone keeps knocking on my door, and I’m about to kill them.”

  Marching past TJ, who was asleep out on the couch, I swung the front door open and found Logan standing there with his shoulder resting against the frame and his arms crossed.

  “Too busy to call me? I haven’t heard from you since you sent me that text on Monday.”

  I froze as his familiar smell drifted into the apartment, and his pretty eyes looked at me.

  Shit. I’m not prepared.

  “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry. Frederico has been on this rampage, and I’ve barely gotten any sleep or anything.”

  He grinned, obviously believing me, and took a step into the apartment.

  “I’ve missed you.”

  I gave him a weak smile, hoping it was enough to hide my true feelings.

  “I missed you, too.”

  He moved closer, and before I could react, his big arms were around my waist, and his lips were against my neck. He pulled me in closer, and I could feel his hard-on through his jeans.

  “I can’t stop thinking about you,” he whispered as he rubbed himself against me.

  I squeezed my eyes shut and bit the inside of my cheek to counter the pain shooting through my heart. He was playing me.

  I put my hands on his chest and took a step back, careful to hide my anger with a smile.

  “I’m on my period,” I lied.

  He tried to pull me back. “I don’t mind.”

  “Well, I do. And, besides, I’m supposed to go to breakfast with TJ soon. I promised.”

  I tilted my head toward the couch, and Logan’s eyes drifted over to her body sprawled out on the cushions.

  “It doesn’t look like she’d mind either.”

  I gave him a look that left no room for argument, and he conceded.

  “Fine, I’ll leave, but can I at least get a kiss?”

  I shook my head. “Morning breath.”

  His eyes narrowed while he studied my face, and I did my best not to let anything show.

  “You sure everything is okay? You’d tell me, right?”

  “Of course,” I said, giving him my best fake smile. “Honesty first. Isn’t that what we promised each other?”

  He grinned and kissed my cheek. “That’s right.”

  Lying fucking bastard.

  “Can I see you later then?”

  “I’ll call you,” I said as I walked him back toward the door.

  “Okay. I love you.”

  I sucked in a breath, my will weakening with every lie he told. “Me, too.”

  I shut the door before he saw me flicking him off with both hands.

  After spending most of the morning plotting with TJ, I was ready to finally teach Logan a lesson. I knew I had to do it soon because I wouldn’t be able to pretend for much longer. If he told me he loved me one more time, I was going to punch him in the throat and kick him in the nuts. Funny enough, that was one of the top three plans TJ and I had come up with. But, in the end, we’d decided violence might be taking things a little too far. Besides, Logan was big and strong. I didn’t want to risk it.

  I went to my work that evening, wearing the highest heels I owned, the jeans I knew Logan liked the most, and a tight sweater that left very little to the imagination. Underneath, I was sporting my sexiest lingerie that I’d been saving to show Logan on a special occasion. But this occasion would have to do.

  Checking my hair and makeup in one of the mirrors, I stared into my eyes and could see the hurt lingering just behind the blues. Anger was an easy distraction, and I welcomed it.

  I’d sent a text to Logan, asking him to meet me here. I’d been sure to entice him with the promise of more than a kiss. He’d texted back a few seconds later, saying he was on his way.

  Walking over to my purse, I pulled out two pieces of rope and a blindfold.

  “Hey, sexy.” Logan was standing in the doorway across the room. He looked around the empty studio before meeting my gaze again. A devious smirk marked his lips before he licked them and came toward me. “Your period over already?”

  I nodded, and when he got close enough, he wrapped my arms around his neck. His went around my waist, and I closed my eyes and kissed him.

  This is for breaking my heart.

  I kept kissing him, my emotions shutting down a little more with every flick of my tongue, until I felt him growing hard in his jeans. He pressed my back against the wall. Lifting my sweater over my head, Logan tossed it on the floor before spreading my legs apart.

  “Fuck, I want you so bad, Sky,” he growled, his hands squeezing my breasts.

  “Yeah?” I asked, egging him on.

  “Yes. You feel this?” he asked, grinding himself against me.

  “Mmhmm.”

  He started kissing down my neck. “This is all for you.”

  Reaching down, I grabbed his cock through his jeans, and he sucked in a breath.

  “This? Are you sure it’s only for me?” I asked, squeezing him harder.

  He flinched in pain for a second before he gave me a devilish smile.

  He liked it.

  Looking over at my purse, I locked my eyes on the ropes and blindfold, waiting for Logan to follow my gaze. When he did, his smile grew.

  “Are those for you or for me?”

  “You,” I said, staring into his green eyes. “Do you trust me?”

  His eyes searched my face. “Of course.”

  Reaching beside me, I picked up the ropes and blindfold and sauntered over to one of the empty clothing racks. “I need you to get naked.”

  Logan followed me, pulling his shirt over his head and quickly kicking off his jeans and underwear. I grinned and turned him around, so his back was facing the rack. It was the perfect size for his arm span. Taking one of his hands, I lifted it and tied the rope around his wrist before attaching the other end to one corner of the rack.

  “I had no idea you liked bondage,” Logan said, watching me as I tied his other wrist.

  “Neither did I.”

  Stepping back to admire my work, I let my eyes slowly rake over his naked body. When they landed on his hard cock, I slowly licked my lips, and Logan groaned. I moved in closer, lightly grazing the blindfold over his naked skin.

  Lifting my arms, I watched his eyes until I covered them with the black material, taking away his sight. I tied it behind his head, and he smiled his cocky smile when I pulled away.

  “Now what?” he asked, his dick playfully bobbing up and down.

  I didn’t respond. Instead, I walked over to my desk and put my sweater back on. Then, I grabbed my purse and coat. Walking back, I stood in front of Logan, and his breaths accelerated with anticipation. I stared at his face, and a tear slipped out of my eye.

  This was supposed to feel good. It was supposed to help erase the pain. But it wasn’t working.

  Closing my eyes, I leaned close to his ear and said, “You broke my heart again.”

  The smirk dropped from his lips, and his eyebrows furrowed under the black material. “What?”

  His arms flexed as he tried to reach for his blindfold, but I’d been sure to tie the knots extra tight. Turning around, I walked out of the room and locked the door behind me, leaving him there.

  “Sky!” he shouted. “What the fuck?”

  I lifted my chin and kept walking, despite the tears staining my cheeks.

  DILLON

  I’d spent the entire day staring at my phone, trying to decide if I should call Natasha. We hadn’t spoken since our fight the night before, and I felt bad for the way things had ended between us. I knew a lot of my anger stemmed from my own insecurities, and I had no reason to take those things out on her. But I also had a hard time forgetting how easily she’d used those insecurities against me. I’d never thought she could be so heartless. />
  I wondered if there had been signs throughout our relationship that I had been ignoring or pushing aside. Like when she’d missed my show at The Phoenix, despite knowing how important it was to me. At the time, I’d justified it in my mind, knowing she’d been at work, but it had hurt that she didn’t make more of an effort to be there. Maybe it was my fault for not telling her how it’d made me feel. It wasn’t fair for me to hold things against her if I hadn’t told her how I felt.

  Picking up my phone, I decided to stop hesitating and call her.

  “Hello?” Natasha’s somber voice came through the speaker.

  “Hey. How are you?”

  “I’ve been better.”

  “Look, I’m sorry for the way things went on Friday. I shouldn’t have raised my voice, and I shouldn’t have taken things out on you that weren’t your fault.”

  “I’m sorry, too. I said some things I didn’t mean. I do that sometimes when I’m angry.”

  “Can we talk? In person?”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Okay. Are you free tomorrow?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll call you tomorrow then.”

  “Okay.”

  Silence and uncertainty hung between us. I knew she was waiting for me to tell her that I loved her, but I couldn’t bring myself to say the words anymore.

  So, I said, “good-bye,” instead.

  When I hung up the phone, and set it down on my dining room table, I knew what I had to do.

  Walking into my kitchen for a drink, I was surprised when there was a knock at my apartment door. Kuma barked, and I checked the clock on my microwave. It was almost ten at night.

  I went to the door and looked through the peephole. It was Sky. It wasn’t until I swung the door open, that I realized she was crying. Streaks of makeup marked her cheeks, and hurt marred her eyes.

  I put my arm around her shoulders and ushered her inside. “What’s going on?”

  She shook her head and moved closer until her face was pressed against my chest. She sobbed in my arms as I hugged her.

  Logan.

  “Talk to me, Sky. Did Logan do something?”