Hard

“You ever talk to a woman like that, hurt them in the way you did my sister, I’ll personally find you and break your legs.” Corbin took a step back, and with a pinched-up expression toward Crestin, as if Rich didn’t know what in the fuck had just happened, he all but hauled ass out of the house.

Once it was just the three of them, silence filled the living room. Corbin turned around and looked at Crestin and Izabella. Izabella had her arm around his sister, and he saw Crestin’s tears had dried.

“He’s an asshole.”

Yeah, he really was.

“I doubt he’ll be bothering me again.” Crestin shook her head and chuckled humorlessly. “He was just pissed that he got caught.”

“Crestin, he shouldn’t talk to you like that,” Izabella said.

Crestin looked at Izabella. “I know, and I shouldn’t get upset because I planned on getting rid of him anyway.”

“But you were upset.” Corbin moved closer to his sister.

“I was upset because he’s a prick. I shouldn’t have let him get to me.” She shrugged.

“What if we hadn’t shown up? How far would he have gone?” Corbin said, his voice rising as his rage coming forward again.

Crestin shook her head. “He’s a pussy, always has been, and him cheating on me cements that.”

“I could have beat his ass for the things he said to you, Crestin.” Corbin clenched his hands at his sides.

“It’s over. Believe me, he won’t bother me again, not if he’s smart.” Crestin exhaled.

“It’s okay.” Izabella gave his sister a hug, and he looked at the two most important women in his life. Crestin pulled back and smiled. “What in the hell are you guys doing here anyway?”

“Surprise?” Izabella said, a little unsure, but then she and Crestin started laughing at the same time.

“We figured it was time to come see you. We worked out our schedules so we could hang out for a little bit.”

“Is that why you asked if I had the weekend off?” Corbin nodded.

“And we figure we can talk about...” Izabella gestured back and forth between herself and him. “You know, about what’s going on. Talking over the phone wasn’t what I wanted from the beginning.”

The girls gave each other hugs again, and he knew that he’d do anything for them.

They were important in his life, and he’d lay down everything to make sure they were also happy and safe.

18

“So this is all... real? You two, I mean?” Crestin asked, sitting across from them at the kitchen table in her house.

They’d been here all day, and with the sun setting, the empty pizza boxes in front of them, and a six-pack of beer already drank amongst the three of them, this felt like old times.

Izabella looked at Corbin, seeing the relaxed composure he always possessed. “It’s real,” she said, not realizing she’d said the words out loud. Corbin looked at her and smiled, reaching out and cupping the side of her face. It was a very “aw” moment, and Izabella felt her cheeks heat.

“Well, I’m glad you guys got together,” Crestin said.

Izabella glanced at her friend. “You really are?” Although Izabella had spoken to Crestin about this on the phone, actually hearing her say it in person felt so nice. It made this whole thing so much more comfortable.

Being with Corbin when Crestin wouldn’t have approved would have been hard, and she would have felt guilty the entire time.

“Of course I’m happy. I knew things were happening between you two the last time I was down because you were both acting so odd. I had a feeling, but I didn’t know for sure.” Crestin was smiling. “I’m glad he found you because you’re good for him, Izabella. You won’t make him such a bad boy anymore.”

Corbin grunted, and Izabella had to laugh at that. “I think Corbin will be a bad boy no matter what,” she said.

And that turns me on like nothing else.

She looked at the man she loved, the man she cared about more than she’d ever be able to express in words. It was so crazy that things had worked out this way, but she was glad they had. She was happy she’d talked to him, and they’d ended up here.

Taking chances didn’t always work out for the best, but in this instance, that little bit of fear, and going out on the ledge, made her life perfect.

Crestin got up to use the restroom, and Izabella looked at Corbin, not able to contain her grin. He leaned forward, held her face in his hands, and before she knew what he was doing, he kissed her soundly.

When he pulled back, she was breathless, her lips feeling damp from their kiss, and her pulse racing.

“What was that for?” she said softly. His hands still cupped her cheeks, and his focus was trained on her eyes.

“It was for nothing more than the fact I’m so in love with you.” And then he leaned in and kissed her again as if to seal those words.