Stalker

Jack

When she finally walked into the kitchen wearing nothing but my T-shirt, I almost turned her ass around and marched her right back into the bedroom. Ignoring the throbbing in my shorts, I stared into her nearly empty refrigerator. “You have no food,” I complained, closing the door.

“I eat out a lot.” She shrugged. “But I have cereal. And bread.”

She put four slices of bread in the toaster, and I led her by the hand to the kitchen table, pulling her chair out for her. I placed an empty bowl and spoon in front of her, followed by the milk and a box of cereal. Then I sat next to her, filling my bowl to the top with the crunchy shit.

“Can I hear about the stalking now,” she pleaded as she poured milk into her bowl.

“First of all, Kitten, you have to understand that I made myself a compromise. I had to put you in the back of mind until the season was over. I knew that if I lost both baseball and you, I’d have nothing in my life. I’d never be able to survive that much loss.”

I was sure she understood this, knowing me as well as she did, but it still needed to be said. The mere thought of not having baseball or my Kitten gutted me inside and left me hollow.

“I get that.” Her eyes softened with understanding before narrowing devilishly. “Now get to the stalking.”

Slowly I spooned a large heaping of cereal into my mouth before saying another word. My pace of storytelling was torturing her and I knew it. I liked having the upper hand in a situation where I really had no hand at all. I was lucky she didn’t slam the door in my face last night. Normally not one for second chances, this girl broke all her rules for me. I’d give her anything she fucking wanted. I’d answer every question twice if she needed me too.

“You’re stalling,” she said, rising from her chair to grab the toast.

My compromise ended the moment we lost the last home game and our postseason finished. I had two weeks to pack up my temporary apartment in Arizona and move out. I didn’t have very many things there since most of my stuff still sat unattended at the house in Alabama. The house I’d shared with that bitch Chrystle. I knew I’d have to head back there to pack it all up before my life could move forward again, but I dreaded the very thought. If I could help it, I’d never step foot in that fucking state again. Thank God Alabama doesn’t have a major league baseball team.

Grabbing a bottle of water, I walked into the living room and fell onto the couch. I reached for my cell, searching for my lawyer’s name in my contacts. I selected his number, pressed Call, and relaxed into the cushions, pushing my head into the pillows.

“Hey, Jack, what’s up?” Marc’s voice rang out loudly, cutting through the noise in the background.

“Do you have a minute? I need to talk to you.”

“Of course. Hold on a sec.” With the slamming of a door, the previous distractions were silenced. “OK, I’m here. What’s going on? Are you OK?”

I nodded, forgetting for a minute that he couldn’t see me through the phone. “Yeah. I just want to talk to you about what I need to do to end the marriage.”

“Right,” Marc responded quickly, and then I heard him typing. “OK. So, obviously your two options are a divorce or an annulment.”

I realized my jaw was clenched, and I tried to relax it. The fact that I was even having this conversation pissed me off. “An annulment means the marriage never happened, right?”

“Yes, but you can only file for one under certain circumstances.” He continued typing.

“Chrystle lied about being pregnant,” I said, longing to make this bullshit marriage disappear completely. I hated waiting this long to deal with everything, but I couldn’t take the necessary steps during baseball season. If I needed to be in court to testify or make a statement, I wouldn’t be available while we were in play-offs. My personal life outside of my baseball had to wait.

“I know.” The rapid tapping continued as I waited. “OK, here’s the deal. We’ll file the dissolution of marriage under the fraud category, and the burden of proof is on us, if necessary. I’ll file the paperwork first thing tomorrow morning. It should be a no-brainer.”

I sucked in a deep breath. “Awesome. Thank you, Marc.”

“You’re welcome.”

“So, is there anything else I have to do? How long does it take?”

“You don’t need to do anything yet. I’ll find out if you have to make a legal statement in front of a judge or not. As soon as Chrystle signs it, we submit the paperwork, and it should only take a few weeks to finalize.”

“Shit. Seriously? Only a few weeks?” My mouth dropped open before transforming into a huge grin.

“Yeah. It’s just a process, but it’s not a long one. I’ll be in touch.”

“Alright. Thanks again, Marc. Talk to you later.” I pressed End before tossing my phone onto the coffee table and reaching for my laptop.

Only a few weeks. Fuck, yes!

I opened my Internet browser and typed a name in the online search engine: “Cassie Andrews.”

When a ridiculous amount of options appeared, I narrowed down my search: “Cassie Andrews photographer.”

Her name came up first with a link to her new position in New York. I clicked it and found myself on a page filled with her contact information. I scrambled for a pen and something to write on, as if I didn’t get it down on paper immediately, it would disappear forever and I’d never get it back. I jotted down her work number, followed by her work e-mail address just in case.

Just in case what?

You cannot call her until you have your shit together. Until Chrystle is out of your life for good. No calling or e-mailing Cassie until you’re rid of all your baggage.

I glanced at the clock on my DVD player. Eight p.m. That made it eleven in New York.

I thought we just covered this?

Desperation coursed through me at the very idea of hearing how she sounded. I suddenly needed to hear Cassie’s voice. Convinced there was no way she’d still be in the office, I dialed her work number, my heart thundering in my chest with each ring.

“You’ve reached the desk of Cassie Andrews, junior photographer.”

My abs contracted as the sound of her voice coursed into my ear.

“I’m sorry I missed your call, but please leave me a detailed message and I’ll return it as soon as possible. If this is urgent, please press zero to return to reception. Thank you.”

A beep played, and I quickly pressed the End button on my cell, my breathing ragged. She sounded happy… cheerful, even. My heart pinched with pain at the realization that she could be just fine without me. I longed for her happiness, but in all honesty, I wanted to be a part of it. She had become a permanent fixture within me. I struggled to remember what it felt like before she burrowed herself into my soul. I couldn’t remember existing without her. Every part of me had become tied to her. It was in that very moment I realized how fucking desperate I was for her to feel the same way about me, and how I honestly had no idea if she still did.

“You called my work phone and hung up? I love it.” She leaned her head against my shoulder before pressing her soft lips against my cheek.

“I did that a lot.”

“How much is a lot?”

“Almost every night,” I admitted, reaching my hand through the open space in the chair and resting it on the small of her back. I hoped she’d think my actions were cute instead of creepy.

“You called my work voice mail almost every night, but you never called the real me?”

Shit.

“Not while I was still…” I paused, not wanting to say the word “married.” I shuddered.

“You’re so stubborn sometimes,” she chastised.

“I know. But I swear my heart’s in the right place.” As if I hadn’t asked her to understand enough already, I longed for her to understand this part as well.

“Your heart and I are going to have a chat later. Get on the same page.”

“I look forward to it.” I raised my eyebrows, and she swatted my shoulder.

“So, once your season was over, did you move back home with Gran and Gramps in California? I think I remember Melissa telling me that you were back there.”

I pushed my chair back from the table, grabbed both of our bowls, and placed them in the sink. I’d wash them later. And for the record, I do not do dishes. But for Cassie I’d do the whole city’s dishes if she asked. “Yeah. I flew back to stay with Gran and Gramps right after the season ended. I really missed them.”

“I bet they missed you too.” Her green eyes twinkled with her words. I love how they do that sometimes when she’s excited or reminiscing.

“It was nice being home, you know? Surrounded by people who actually give a shit about you and your future.”

I wiped my hands on a dish towel before leading her toward the living-room couch. I pulled her head onto my chest and sighed as she wrapped her arm around me, her fingers gripping my skin.

“Is it weird that I miss your grandparents more than I miss my own parents?” She giggled against my chest.

“Nah, your parents sorta suck.”

“So do yours,” she shot back defensively, her body tensing.

“No shit.”

“Well, aren’t we a pair?” She relaxed her shoulders and my nerves eased.

“I think so.” I kissed the top of her head, breathing in her shampoo. She always smelled so damn good.

“Were Gran and Gramps freaking out about everything?”

My stomach tightened at the memories currently flooding my mind. “They were really sad, mostly. I think Gran took it the hardest. It hurt her knowing something was happening to me that she couldn’t fix or make better.”

Cassie’s head nodded into my chest. “Poor Gran.”

“Yeah. It sucked. I felt fucking horrible. I still do.” My breath hitched.

She arched her neck, pulling back her head to look at me as cold air filled the now empty space on my chest. “Don’t do that to yourself, Jack. It’s over now.” Her mouth formed into a smile, and I tried to smile back but failed.

“Do they know you’re here? With me?” she asked, her voice trembling. What the hell would Cassie have to be nervous about when it comes to my grandparents? They adore her. She had to know that.

“They know. They’re over-fucking-joyed about it.”

“Really? Were they scared at all that I wouldn’t take you back?” Her eyes focused on mine with intent.

I grinned. “Not really.”

Her jaw dropped slightly. “What do you mean, not really?”

“Gran said she knew real love when she saw it. She was convinced that you’d forgive me. That it might not be easy, but eventually you’d come around.”

Cassie’s lips formed a closed-mouth smirk. “Gran’s smart.”

My fingers twisted through long blonde strands of her hair as my mind drifted for a moment, convinced this was only a dream. I’d waited to be right here, holding this girl in my arms, for so long now I almost couldn’t believe it was really happening.

“Back to the story.” Her words cut through my thoughts.

“I’ve missed you!” Gran squeezed me before looking me up and down. “You look healthy, so that’s good.” The smile expanded across her whole face until her eyes were scrunched into half moons.

“I missed you too, Gran.” I leaned down to plant a kiss on her well-aged cheek.

“You look bigger,” Gramps said with a nod of approval, and I laughed, hugging him tight.

“I’ve been working out. I have to at this level.”

“You always worked out,” Dean said as he walked out of his bedroom and into the living room. Since I left home to play ball, I don’t think Dean ever planned to move out. I couldn’t blame him really. Gran and Gramps were the best.

I reached for him and pulled him into a tight bear hug before he choked out an unrecognizable sound.

I laughed. “Not like this. Not to this level, this many days or hours. It’s literally a whole new ballgame being in the majors.”

“Is it harder?” Dean asked.

“Way harder. They can hit my ninety-four-mile-per-hour fastball. And they can hit it far.”

“That sucks.”

I opened my mouth to respond. “How’s the kitten?” Gramps interrupted with a cheeky grin, and my smile fell.

Gran tapped her foot against the carpet. “Let Jack put his things in his room. We can talk about all of this over dinner.”

I shot Gran a look that screamed “thank you” before walking down the hallway to my old room. I looked around at my things, untouched since I’d been gone. A framed picture of Cass and me sat on my nightstand. I reached for it, running my finger across the curves of her face. Overcome with the desire to call her, I grabbed some loose paper and started writing. I’d only do this sort of bullshit for her. No one else. Ever.

Kitten,

The postseason is officially over. I was going to move out of my apartment in Arizona and fly straight to Alabama to pack my stuff, but I missed Gran and Gramps. So I’m sitting in my bedroom at home, thinking about the last time we were all here together. I miss you almost as much as Gramps does. Ha!

I forgot how much being home makes me feel secure. Maybe it’s just nice to be surrounded by people who genuinely love and care about you, instead of people trying to take advantage of you. Who would have thought I’d be so easy to manipulate?

I talked to Marc the other day about the annulment and he got the paperwork started. Hopefully it will all be over soon, and I’ll be there before you know it, begging for your forgiveness and praying you’ll take me back.

Please don’t give up on us.

I’ll always love you.

Jack

P.S. I saw your photographs online today. They’re really beautiful, Cass. I’m so proud of you.

Heading into the kitchen, Dean and Gramps were already sitting while Gran finished up at the stove.

“Can I help you, Gran?” I asked before reaching my seat.

“No, dear. You sit down and start talking.”

I laughed. “Talking? About what?”

“Oh, you know what! What’s going on with everything? When will your divorce from that awful woman be finalized?” The spoon in Gran’s hand shook with her anger as she mumbled something under her breath.

“Marc filed the paperwork for an annulment. We’re just waiting for her to sign it.” I shrugged, feeling the weight of Dean’s and Gramps’s stares on my shoulders.

“She will sign it, right?” Dean asked, his tone concerned.

The weight of my little brother’s question was something that hadn’t occurred to me until he asked. “I don’t know why she wouldn’t,” I said, looking around the small kitchen I’d spent most of my life in before locking eyes with Gran.

Dean choked back a laugh. “I do. Have you met her? She’s a total bitch.”

“Dean! Language!” Gran’s forehead furrowed as she waved her wooden spoon in his direction.

“Sorry, Gran.” Dean slumped lower into his chair.

I leaned forward, placing my elbows on the table before adding, “But it’s so over between us. She signed a prenup before we were married, so she doesn’t gain anything by not signing.”

“Except control,” Dean remarked.

My temper flared. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“How many times do I need to remind you both to watch your mouths?” Gramps interrupted before giving Gran a nod.

I huffed out a long sigh, willing my temper to calm. “Sorry, Gran.”

“I just meant that she’d have control over you if she didn’t sign the papers. She knows how badly you want out of this marriage, so it wouldn’t surprise me if she pulled a bunch of sh—” Dean paused before continuing, “stuff just to mess with you.”

I considered my brother’s words carefully as Gran appeared, placing dishes filled with steaming food in front of each of us.

“He’s right, Jack. She’s been so evil from the very start. What’s to stop her from being difficult now?” Gran asked, her voice shaky.

I reached out my hand, placing it on Gran’s shoulder. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just hoping that she knows this is over and there’s no point in delaying the inevitable.”

“I hope you’re right,” she said with a sympathetic smile.

“How’s the kitten doing? Have you talked to her since she moved to New York?” I watched as Gramps’s face lit up like a kid at Christmas.

“Gramps, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you had a thing for my girl,” I joked.

“Your girl?” Gramps teased back.

My fork clanged against the side of the plate. “Uh-huh. My girl.”

Dean laughed. “Maybe I’ll make her my girl. Keep her in the family.”

I glared at him, the heat instantly spreading across my cheeks. “And I’ll disown you before I kick your—”

“Boys, that’s enough.”

Dean shoved a spoonful of rice into his mouth as he grinned at me. “You’re lucky she’s like a sister to me.”

“Yeah? I’d say you’re the lucky one. ’Cause I’d kill you if you touched her and you know it.”

“I’m your only brother and this is how you treat me?”

I tried to stop the smile from spreading across my face as Gramps interjected, “You’re trying to take the man’s kitten, Dean.”

Gran laughed and my smile widened.

“Worry about your own nonexistent girlfriend, little brother, and leave my girl alone.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” Gran’s focus shot to Dean as her eyes widened.

Dean shot me a warning look through narrowed eyes. “No. Jack’s just talking about Melissa.”

“She’s Cassie’s best friend, right?” Gran asked.

“Yeah.”

“Did you talk to her yet?” I asked, putting him on the spot for once.

He shrugged one shoulder. “No.”

“I told you to talk to her,” I reminded him.

“I told you she’s not into me,” he snapped back.

“That’s crap and you know it. She is definitely into you.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Gramps dropped his chin into his hand, his gaze shifting back and forth between me and Dean.

“I don’t know. She says she doesn’t want a boyfriend, but I think she just doesn’t want me as a boyfriend. Can we talk about something else now?” Dean fidgeted in his chair as he filled his mouth with more food.

“Who wouldn’t want you as a boyfriend? Rubbish,” our ever-loyal Gran said with a huff.

“Can we please talk about something else? Anything else,” Dean pleaded.

Taking pity on my poor, uncomfortable brother, I changed the subject. “I found some of Cassie’s photographs online today.”

Silence filled the air as everyone stopped chewing their food, directing their stares at me. “What?” I asked nervously.

“How did you find them?” Gramps asked, blotting the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

“I went to her magazine’s website. They had a feature online about moving to New York, and all the photographs in the article were hers.” My chest swelled with pride as I talked about her.

“That’s fantastic news! I want you to show me after dinner.” Gramps’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm as he slapped his hand against the table.

“Wait.” Dean tilted his head as a smirk appeared. “You follow her magazine online?”

I squared my gaze, meeting his directly. “You’re goddamned right I do. I want to know what she’s doing every second she’s not with me. And if there’s a photograph she takes for that magazine, I want to see it.”

“I think that’s sweet,” Gran said.

“I think it’s psycho,” Dean countered.

I changed the topic of conversation for him and this is how he repays me? “Really, Dean? After everything Cassie and I have been through, you think my following her work online is psycho?”

“It’s a little weird, don’t you think? You won’t even talk to her in real life, but you’ll follow her online?”

The chair scraped against the floor as I shoved back, jumping to my feet. My breathing hitched as my defenses rose. No one talked about me and Cassie like that. Not even my brother.

“Jack, sit down!” Gran said sternly. “And Dean, stop calling your brother names! You two are acting like little boys.”

I inhaled a sharp breath before sliding the chair back toward the table and sitting down. “I can’t talk to her until I’m not married anymore, OK? So until then, yeah, I will follow everything she does online. And if that magazine can give me a glimpse into how she’s seeing the world, I’ll take it. Because until I’m back in her life, that’s the only Cassie I get. And if that makes me psycho, then I don’t give a fuck. Sorry, Gran,” I offered before she swatted my shoulder.

“I’m going to ground you! I don’t care how old you are,” she threatened with a slight chuckle.

“He started it,” I said, nodding my head toward my brother. “Let’s talk about Melissa some more.”

Dean waved his arms in the air in defeat. “I’m sorry. Truce?”

Before I could respond, Gran asked, “How long are you planning to stay home?”

Gramps looked up from his plate and directly into my eyes. “Your whole off-season?”

I swallowed my last bite of food. “I don’t know. I figured I’d wait for Marc to call me about the annulment, and then I’d go to Alabama to sign the papers and pack up the house at the same time.”

“And then what?” Dean asked.

“I’ll have to bring my stuff back here, but I want to get to New York as soon as possible to make things right with Cass,” I admitted. “I only have a few months before I have to be back in Arizona for spring training, and I still need to find a place to rent.”

“That’s not much time.” Gramps sounded worried.

“I know.”

“What are you planning on saying to Cassie?” Gran tilted her head toward me. “How are you going to win her back?”

“I don’t know yet. But it will be something along the lines of how much I suck and how much she doesn’t.”

Gramps laughed at my words, and I smiled.

“Very romantic.” Dean sarcastically popped two thumbs up in the air.

“Shut up, Dean. No one likes you.”

“You know you’ll have to give her more than just some nice words, dear,” Gran said as she eyed me meaningfully.

“Trust me, Gran. I know.”

Cassie’s face relaxed as she leaned up to kiss my cheek. “I like that you followed me online. I followed you too.”

My adrenaline started racing as I adjusted my position on the couch. “You did?”

“Of course I did. I still loved you, Jack. I cared about you. I wanted to see how you were. It was a big deal that you’d made it into the major leagues. I wasn’t going to miss it,” she explained, her shoulders shrugging like she had no choice in the matter.

“So you don’t think I’m psycho?”

“I didn’t say that,” she teased playfully.

I pounced on her before she could get away, pinning her body beneath mine and against the couch cushions. Her chest moved heavily up and down, and it took everything in me to not rip her shirt off and lose myself in her body. My shorts tightened as I leaned down to kiss her, brushing my tongue along her bottom lip. She moaned slightly as she arched her head back, her lips parting. I pressed my mouth against hers, my tongue and hers touching erotically in a playful tease of push and pull.

I wanted to tear her clothes off and devour her inch by inch. I sucked on her neck, the taste of her skin almost sending me into a frenzy. She ran her hands down the length of my back as she pulled my shirt up. She pressed her fingers into my skin as I kissed and licked her ear and neck before working my way back to her mouth. Jesus, I wanted this girl. She fired me up like no one else. Trying to maintain some semblance of self-control, I pulled back from the kiss, and her hands tightened around my neck. I chuckled and asked, “Don’t you want to hear more?”

Her grip tightened as she pulled my face to hers. “In a minute,” she said, as she grazed her tongue across my lips.

My hands explored the length of her body, stopping at the top of her thigh. “I want you so fucking bad. You make me crazy.”

“Then take me.” She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, and I longed to put something of mine in there instead.

I grabbed the bottom of her top and lifted it over her head, unable to get it off fast enough. She reached for my shirt, tugging and pulling before I sat up and tore it off myself. My insides flared as she ran her hands down my bare chest, stopping at the button of my shorts. When her fingertips gently grazed over my hardness, I shuddered. Just that single touch from her and I almost came unglued.

It’s twisted how much she owns me. She always fucking has, but still.

I kicked my shorts off, silently giving myself a pat on the back when I noticed where Cassie’s eyes were locked. Half tempted to make some smartass remark about how much she loves looking at my dick, I stopped myself. I hadn’t even been back in her life for twenty-four hours; no need to screw it up already.

My gaze moved from her eyes down to her naked body. “You’re so fucking sexy.” I meant the words, but they came out in a lusty growl and she bit her bottom lip again. I dropped my mouth to hers, sucking that lip between my teeth, my body falling to meet hers.

Heat shot through me as we touched. The feeling of her skin pressed against mine caused my lust to hungrily take over. I curled my fingers in her hair, forcefully tugging her head back so I could kiss her throat and jaw.

“Oh God, Jack. I want you inside me. Please. Stop teasing.”

I pressed my hardness against her, and when she howled with pleasure, I pulled it away. “Goddammit, Jack. Stop fucking around.” Her fingers dug into my backside as she forcefully guided me to her.

Without another word I pushed inside, my body shivering as the warmth of her completely enveloped me. “Jesus Christ, Cassie. Why do you always feel so amazing?” My breath was labored as I worked in and out of her. The sight of her nipple drew me, so I traced a finger gently around it before I sucked it into my mouth, my tongue flicking around it.

Cassie moaned, her body arching beneath me as she clawed her fingernails down the length of my back.

“You better stop that,” I breathed out.

“Or what?” she teased, running her fingers along my back once more.

“Or I’ll be done before you are,” I admitted.

She shook her head. “We can’t have that.”

“Then behave,” I demanded, grabbing her arms and pinning them above her head, as my thrusting continued. She laughed beneath me, and I swept my tongue across her lips before pushing it into her hot mouth. She mumbled something unintelligible against me, and I kissed her harder.

“Jack,” she whispered, her breathing quickening as her hips rose up and down to meet mine. “Oh.”

She moaned again as her body shuddered against mine.

Thank fucking God.

I rocked into her one last time before exploding. My thrusting slowed as I collapsed on top of her, my weight pushing her body further into the couch.

“Why do you enjoy suffocating me?” she said, swatting my shoulders.

“I like lying with you this way.”

She cocked her head. “What way? With me dead?”

A quick laugh ripped from my throat. “No. I like being inside of you.”

“Well, get out.” She smirked. “I need to pee.”

I pulled out slowly and she scooted out from under me, hurrying to the bathroom.

Stay

Cassie

I walked back into the living room wearing a new thong and nothing else. Jack was sitting on the couch, his shorts pulled up but still unbuttoned, his shirt pooled on the floor next to the one I had been wearing. I reached for the crumpled shirt, slipping it back over my head before plopping down next to him.

“That was a nice distraction,” I said, leaning my body into his waiting arms.

His fingers combed through my messy strands of hair before tucking them behind my ear. “More stories or more distractions?” he asked with a mischievous tone.

My cell phone beeped in the background, and I eyed him, contemplating whether I should see who was texting me. “I’m gonna see who that is.”

He nodded and smacked my ass as I ran into the bedroom. I settled back into his arms before tapping the screen on my phone. “Oooh, it’s from Melissa.” I turned, looking into his deep brown eyes. “Does she know you’re here?”

Jack shrugged. “The trade would be reported by now, so she might be wondering.”

Another sound beeped and this time, Jack reached for his phone before laughing. “Text message from Dean.”

“They’re so predictable.”

Pressing the buttons, I read the message from Melissa:

OH MY GOD! CASSIE! JACK GOT TRADED TO THE METS!!!! DID YOU KNOW THAT? IS HE THERE? IF HE’S NOT, HE PROBABLY WILL BE SOON SO HEADS UP! AND CALL ME ASAP!!!!!!!!

I chuckled out loud.

“What’d she say?” Jack asked, his eyebrows raised.

“Well, she used all caps so this is a very serious message.” I smiled, handing my phone to him so he could read it.

“Oh, she’s yelling at you. Isn’t that what all caps means?”

“Yeah, but I think that’s her way of showing me she’s freaking out. Or excited. Or yelling,” I agreed with a smile.

“Heads up. I might be on my way over.” Jack pressed his lips against my forehead, and I closed my eyes with his touch. So much had happened between us. So much more than any one couple should ever go through, but there we were. Together.

“I should probably text her back or she won’t ever stop.” I quickly typed out a response.

He’s here. We’re talking. Working through things. Call you from the office Monday.

I lowered the volume button on my phone before it beeped again.

MONDAY?!?! Like hell you’re making me wait that long!

I laughed and typed out one last message before turning my phone to silent.

You’ll survive. I can’t talk now. Talk later. Love you.

“What did Dean say?”

He scanned the phone screen before smiling and handing it to me.

Dude, you got traded to the Mets and didn’t tell me? Is this because of Cassie? Of course it’s because of Cassie. How the hell did you get them to let you do it? Good luck. Call me after you see her.

“How can you not love Dean?” I handed him back his phone, smiling.

He straightened his back and pushed away from me slightly. “Good question. Speaking of Dean, why doesn’t Melissa love him?”

“What?” My tone came out more surprised than I meant.

“No, really. What’s her deal? Dean’s totally into her, but she’s not having it. I don’t get it.”

Jack’s demeanor and tone gave away the fact that this situation bothered him. I found it sweet, if you wanted to know the truth. He cared about his little brother, and since I didn’t have any siblings to care about me, I found it inspiring. “She’s always been like that.” I knew I’d answered his question unsatisfactorily, but it’s all I had when it came to her.

He shook his head, not accepting my answer. “You’ve known her forever, Kitten. Hasn’t she ever had a boyfriend?”

I scratched my head, contemplating his question and forming my response. “Not really. I mean, she’s always hooked up with guys, but she’s never really had a serious boyfriend.”

“Why not?” he asked, apparently determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.

“I don’t know.”

“How can you, of all people, not know? You’re her best friend. You’re chicks. Chicks talk about this kind of shit all the time.”

My body prickled with heat as my defenses quickly rose. “First of all, calm down. Second of all, I don’t fucking know. I’ve never really thought about it before. Guys have always liked Melissa, and she makes out with them or whatever, but she’s never really said anything to me about liking them back. I never questioned it because I just accepted it. That’s the way she is. I don’t know why. I don’t know when it will change. And I don’t know why the fuck she doesn’t fall head over heels in love with Dean. Maybe you should ask her instead of sitting here grilling me.”

I started to get off the couch, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me right back down. He reached for my face, turning it, forcing me to look at him. “I’m sorry, Kitten. I didn’t mean to get so fired up about it. I just don’t get it. My brother’s a good guy. And I know he likes her. It just makes no sense to me why she doesn’t like him back.”

He loosened his hold on my face, but I refused to turn away from him. “I can’t answer that.” I shrugged, my annoyance fading.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.” Jack’s lips twisted into a smile, forcing his dimples to appear.

I am such a sucker for those dimples.

“Let’s get back to our story,” he suggested. With his emphasis on the word our, my anger quickly disappeared.

“OK. But now I’m too pissed off to remember where we were,” I admitted.

He wrapped his arms around me, and I allowed him to pull me close. “We were talking about Gran and Gramps. Don’t be mad at me.”

My breath hitched. “Fine,” I relented, feeling my annoyance fade with his nearness. I hated how he affected me sometimes. “So, how long did you stay there with them?”

He inhaled a long breath before releasing it against the top of my head, causing strands of my hair to fall in front of my eyes. I pushed them away as I waited for his response. “A lot longer than I intended. My plan was to stay there for a couple weeks before heading back to Alabama to pack up my stuff and finalize the annulment. I honestly figured two to three weeks was enough time. That the bitch would sign it and I’d be on my way here before Christmas.”

“Good thing I didn’t hold my breath.”

He huffed. “Yeah. The past six months has been nothing but drama, Kitten. I’m not sorry for leaving you out of it, but I am sorry for letting it go on for so long.”

I leaned away from the warmth of his body and into the cold cushions, squaring my shoulders toward him. “Why did it take so long? How could she fight the annulment, anyway?”

My cell phone rang, waking me from a deep sleep and forcing my eyes to pop open. Anticipation rushed through me as Marc’s name appeared on the screen. “Hey, Marc,” I said, my voice groggy.

“Jack, we have a problem.”

“What kind of problem?” I asked, scooting my back up against the wall.

“She won’t sign.”

“Huh? Who won’t?” I stopped short before continuing. “What do you mean, she won’t sign? I thought this was a done deal? An easy fix?” My heart slammed itself against my rib cage.

“Her lawyer’s stating your claims are ridiculous. That no fraud was committed and therefore his client won’t sign under those terms.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? What terms will she sign under?” I fought to keep my anger under control.

“She won’t sign an annulment. But she’ll consider signing divorce papers, although his client would rather work things out.”

“Work things out? Are you fucking joking?”

“I wish.”

“You have to fix this, Marc. She faked a pregnancy to force me to marry her. How is that not fraud?” I threw the magazine sitting next to me against the wall and watched it fall to the ground.

“It is. But the burden of proof is on us.”

“So, let’s prove it then,” I insisted.

“We’re going to have a hard time doing that since she has plenty of documentation supporting her claims,” he sighed.

“What kind of documentation?”

“Well, doctor’s reports, for starters.”

Fuck.

I’d forgotten about the fact that Chrystle had doctor’s prescriptions, appointments, and paperwork.

“Can’t we sue the doctor for malpractice or something?”

“We would have to prove that he lied as well, which would be extremely difficult given the circumstances.”

When people allege that anger has the ability to shoot through them with such force that they see red… well, it’s true. I saw red. Literally.

“This is so fucked up. What can I do?”

“Nothing, Jack. Right now I want you to stay where you are and let me handle this,” he said, his tone calm and professional.

I gripped the edge of the mattress, my fingers digging into it. “All my stuff’s still in Alabama.”

“Don’t step foot in that state until I tell you it’s OK. You hear me?”

I cringed as he told me what to do. “We’ll see.”

“Jack, it’s my job to look out for you. For once, let me do that. Please.” His voice sounded strained, and I sighed.

“OK.”

“I’ll call you soon.”

I pressed the End button on my cell phone and threw it against the wall. Why the fuck was this girl so hell-bent on ruining my life? I can’t move past this one mistake if I can’t put it in the past. Why couldn’t she be a decent human being and sign the damn papers?

Knuckles rapped on my bedroom door. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah.”

Dean walked in and glanced at the phone on the floor before closing the door behind him. “What’s going on? I heard you yelling.”

I looked him straight in the eyes. “You were right. She won’t sign the papers.”

He moved toward my bed, sitting down at the opposite end. “Shit, Jack. I’m sorry. So, what does that mean?”

I closed my eyes, pinching the skin at the bridge of my nose to relieve the stress. “I don’t know. Marc’s working on it.”

“Do you want to go out or something? Get out of the house for a bit?”

“I need to be alone right now.”

Dean stood up from my bed without another word and left my room. I grabbed the notebook sitting on my dresser and flipped it open to a blank page. How quickly this whole letter-writing thing turned into habit. It helped to put my thoughts somewhere when all I wanted to do was pick up the phone and dial Cassie’s number.

“Oh my God. That bitch! She had a doctor give her falsified pregnancy paperwork?” My eyes widened as the shock and anger sunk into my bones.

“Yep,” was all he managed in response.

“No wonder you believed her,” I said, shaking my head

“What do you mean?” His body tensed and his jaw tightened.

“Well, I never really understood why you believed that she was pregnant in the first place. Without checking or making sure, I mean,” I tried to explain.

Jack cracked his neck as tension visibly poured from his body and rolled onto mine. “You thought I just stupidly accepted her at her word? Married her without any proof? Why didn’t you just ask me?”

His bitter tone shocked me, causing my defenses to rise. “I don’t know. Maybe because I was too caught up in my own heartbreak to ask you when I had the chance. And it’s not like we were really talking at the time.”

He reached a hand out to touch me, laying it on my leg. That one single movement shattered my defenses and I wanted to take back everything I’d just accused him of. “I’m sorry, Jack. It’s just…”

“Don’t. I’m sorry.” His hand raised in a defeated gesture in the space between us. “You weren’t there. You didn’t know what was going on. I’m sure it looked shady as hell from the outside.”

A shudder ripped through me. I never again wanted to be on the “outside” of anything when it came to Jack Carter. “But I shouldn’t have just assumed.”

“You didn’t know.”

“So, she had doctor visits and stuff?” My mind still raced to wrap around the elaborate plotting and lies. How could one girl be so malicious?

“Appointments, paperwork, vitamins, baby books, charts, schedules—she had it all.” He exhaled, and I grabbed his hand in mine, our fingers intertwining as I leaned back into him.

“Can I ask you something else?” My voice sounded muffled against his chest.

He kissed the top of my head. “Anything.”

“Did you ever think the baby wasn’t yours? I mean, I get that you thought she was pregnant, but did you ever think it was someone else’s?”

“She was a very convincing liar. She agreed with no reservations to do a DNA test after the baby was born. I honestly thought that if she were lying, she would have been nervous, or at least fighting me on the whole thing, but she encouraged it.”

And then he took me back to when his world first started crashing down around him. When he was living in Alabama and playing on the Triple A team for the Diamondbacks. The night after he pitched his perfect game when Chrystle came on to him at the bar where he was celebrating with his teammates and he finally stopped resisting her. He gave in to her advances that night, and my life as I knew it would never be the same. I shuddered as I remembered the way my world started to spin around me and my heart felt like it was shattering inside of my chest when Jack called that afternoon to deliver the news. Not only had he cheated on me, but also the girl he had slept with was pregnant.

I ignored the knock at the apartment door, assuming that one of my roommates would answer, and continued folding my clothes. When I heard the sound of Chrystle’s voice filtering through the entryway and into my room, my whole body tightened. So we’d had a drunken one-night stand, and I threw her out when I came to my senses. What was she doing here?

She tapped on my bedroom door before walking in and closing it behind her.

“What are you doing? Get out of my room,” I snapped, refusing to give her the time of day.

“I need to talk to you.” Her voice shook as she spoke.

I exhaled through my nose, my impatience clear. “What is it?”

“I’m pregnant,” she whispered, tears falling down her cheeks.

“So? How is that my problem?” I asked before the realization punched me square in the gut.

“Because it’s yours,” she said before sitting on my bed.

I sucked in a breath, my mind refusing to believe her. “Bullshit,” I shot back.

“Bullshit nothing, Jack! I haven’t been with anyone else since you. Ask anyone if they’ve seen me around. Or if they’ve hooked up with me. I haven’t.”

“I will ask. I’ll fucking ask right now.” I stormed out of my bedroom and into the living room, where three of my teammates were eating lunch and watching TV. When I asked them if Chrystle had been with any of them, they all shook their heads and threw their hands up in the air in denial. I asked if they’d seen her with anyone lately, and once again, they all answered no. And then they proceeded to inform me that come to think of it, they hadn’t seen her around at all the past few weeks.

Shit.

My legs trembled as I stepped back into my room. My world spun around me as I willed my stomach to stop twisting. I didn’t want this. Not with her. Not now. Not ever.

“It’s yours, Jack. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I never wanted this to happen.” She buried her head in her hands, her body shaking with each sob.

I lacked the desire to comfort her, so I finished folding my clothes. “What are you going to do?” I asked, my tone cold.

“What do you mean?” She peered up at me, her face red and wet.

“I mean, are you planning on keeping it?”

I watched as her jaw dropped open. “Of course you’d ask me that.”

“We don’t even know each other. Why the hell would you want to keep it?” My temper flared in a vain attempt to drown out the fact that I was scared shitless.

“Because it’s a baby, Jack! It’s a life, and I’ll love it even if you won’t!”

“I need you to leave.”

This cannot be fucking happening. Please don’t let this be happening.

She stood up, wiping her eyes with her hand before saying, “Way to be a man about this.”

The heat flooded my body as I stepped toward her, my fists clenched in anger. “Oh, I’ll be a man about it, alright. I’ll drive you to the clinic. I’ll pay for it. And then I’ll even drive you home. What do you say?”

“I’d say you’re an asshole.” She tried to push me aside, but I refused to budge.

“I am an asshole. An asshole who doesn’t want to have a baby with a complete stranger.”

“Well, it’s a little late for that, don’t you think?”

My room circled around me as the life that existed five minutes prior disappeared from view. Terror consumed me. “Don’t do this, Chrystle. Please don’t do this. Don’t ruin both our lives over a drunken mistake.”

I watched as she winced, pulling back her head with disgust. “I’m not ruining anything.”

“You’re ruining everything.” My voice rose barely above a whisper as thoughts of Cassie filled my head. Cassie was my girl, my world, and I knew she’d never trust me again. There was no way she’d ever forgive me for this. I’d never forgive myself. I didn’t deserve her, and she deserved a hell of a lot better than a screwup like me. I couldn’t believe I tossed away the best thing to ever happen to me for a piece of ass. I should never have gotten that drunk. It wasn’t an excuse, but my defenses were down, and I gave in. And I fucking hated myself for it.

“I’m sorry you see it that way. Hopefully you’ll change your mind. Maybe after the shock wears off. I’ll be in touch, Jack,” she said as she walked out the door.

Fuck.

If Chrystle kept the baby, there was no way she’d move away from her family. I would have to live here, in Alabama. Or at least have a place here if I wanted to see my own kid. I could kiss California good-bye for good. I’d have to spend all of the off-season here. My body sank to the carpet, my back firm against the bed, as my world crashed down around me. I wouldn’t be like my father. I wouldn’t leave my child the same way he left me and Dean. I’d experienced firsthand how a parent willingly leaving can royally fuck up a person. I’m a prime example. I wouldn’t do that to my own flesh and blood. I wouldn’t follow in my father’s footsteps, leaving personal damage in my wake. I would be better than he ever was.

I couldn’t believe this was happening. I wished harder than I ever wished for anything that it was all a nightmare. That I’d wake up any second and my body would flood with relief at it being all in my mind. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t make it stop being real.

“This story sucks.” I sucked in a breath before frowning.

“I told you it wasn’t happy,” he said, his hand running down my side, giving me chills.

“Are we almost to last night yet?” I gazed up at him, my expression hopeful.

“Not quite.”

“I think I need another break.”

“What do you have in mind?” He winked suggestively.

My lips formed a pretend snarl as I narrowed my eyes to glare at him. “Jack, really. We just did that.”

Reliving our time apart was honestly a lot to take in. I longed for all this information, but to say it didn’t cause my breath to catch every few minutes would be a lie. It also scared me. If one small-town girl could be so vicious, what were big-city women capable of?

“Do you want to get out of the house for a bit? Maybe go grab a slice?” I used my newly acquired New Yorker lingo for a piece of pizza.

“I could eat,” he answered with a large grin, and I leaned in to kiss each dimple.

I pulled away slowly, the rich chocolate color of his eyes mesmerizing me, as a thought hit me. “Wait. Where are you staying? Do you have an apartment or a hotel that you need to check in to?”

Nerves raced through me as I anticipated his answer. I knew I should have been more reserved or cautious or careful, but the truth was that I wanted him to stay with me and never leave again.

“I didn’t book anything yet. I came straight here.”

Yet. He planned to live somewhere else, and I was just the first stop. “Oh. Well, did you want to do that first?” I tried to hide my disappointment, but my tone betrayed me.

His thumb traced along my jawline before resting beneath my chin. “Not really. Anything that involves leaving you I’d rather put off until later.”

Relief washed over me. My lips pressed into a tight smile as I closed my eyes. “Then don’t leave,” I whispered.

“I don’t ever want to leave you again,” he admitted, as the warmth of his lips brushed across mine.

“You could live here.” The words spilled out before I consciously thought them.

Jack’s face relaxed, a peaceful calm spreading across it. “Yeah? You want to live together?”

His questioning inflection contradicted the happy look on his face, causing me to silently curse myself for being so vulnerable. “It was just an offer. Don’t get all full of yourself over it.”

He choked back a laugh. “Nothing would make me happier, Kitten, than to know my home is where you are.”

My heart jumped and thumped against my chest with such force I was surprised I didn’t topple over. “Really?”

“Really.” His grin widened. “I wasn’t going to leave, anyway.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I didn’t move all the way across the country to live alone. I moved here to be with you. And that’s what I’m going to do. Be. With. You.” He stared into my eyes with conviction.

My insides trembled with desire, heat spreading between my thighs at his confident demeanor. “What if I told you no?” I teased.

He pressed his forehead to mine, his eyes piercing right through me. “But you didn’t. You want me here just as much as I want to be here, and I know it. I’m not leaving and you won’t make me.”

“You’re so fucking arrogant.”

“Is it really arrogance when you’re right?” His lip curled up on one side before crushing his mouth against mine. He swept his tongue teasingly across my bottom lip before he pulled away.

After all the heartache he’d put me through, nothing could compare to the way I lived in Jack’s presence. The cracks and chips in my heart slowly dragged themselves together whenever he was around. My soul pretended the past damage didn’t matter, as it tugged and pulled itself whole again. I had been shattered and broken, but my body insisted on mending itself for him.

For Jack.

Because being with him, no matter how illogical it seemed considering he was responsible for my internal carnage, completed me. We made sense together. Melissa couldn’t have been more right when she described us as “the perfect mess.” I realized her assessment held more truth now than it ever had before.

“Pizza?” I suggested again, longing for a change of location.

“Will you at least put on some clothes?”

I rolled my eyes, knowing it would piss him off. “You first.”

Date: 2015-02-28; view: 794