Anguished (Crimson Elite 2)

“I have so much work to do.”

“It’s just a small party, nothing too extravagant. We have some big news,” she says excitedly.

“I can only stay for an hour or so, is that okay?”

“Of course, I would like you there. I like you and hope you consider me a friend.”

“I do.”

“Great! Here’s my address. Be there in one hour, okay?”

“Sure, I’ll go home and change first.”

She skips off as I walk to my car. Maybe my day won’t be such so terrible after all. Being hungover and working all day, is not what I had planned. Why does it take longer the older I get to get over the effects of alcohol. I felt seedy all day.Her house is beautiful, it reminds me of a small country cottage in the suburbs. The house is white with a large porch. Well, large compared to the size of the house. There are many cars parked out the front—I thought she said this was going to be a small thing. I count at least fifteen cars. The bottle of wine in my hand won’t make a difference there are that many people.

“Didn’t think I’d be seeing you again.” My hand pauses before it knocks on the door. To the left of me, Tracey’s brother is sitting in a white rocking chair with his cell in hand.

“Is Tracey home?” He smiles and I know he’s trouble, not just from what Tracey says about him either. It’s all in that smile he holds. It’s mischievous.

“She is, but I’m not sure you want to go in just yet, maybe you should wait?”

Knocking on the door despite his words I smile at him. He sits back, his leg lifting to sit on his other knee as he watches me with that smile still etched on his face.

“You’re here. Thanks so much for coming.” Tracey pulls me in, and the last bit I see of Tracey’s brother, Falcon, is his devilish smile.

“I brought wine.” Tracey takes it from me and pulls me through the house. Stopping at a few people to introduce me before she gets to a woman who’s smiling so brightly.

“This is Jordan, my wife. We are going to be parents.” I’m sure my eyes bulge, but I manage to a smile anyway.

“Congrats guys, that’s amazing.” Tracey kisses Jordan on the cheek and they look back up at me.

“Falcon only just told me. I’m sorry about what happened, Storm.” I give her a puzzled look. “About you and Echo. Falcon tells me everything, and I mentioned you were coming, so—” I wave her off.

“It’s fine.”

“The thing is—”

“Storm.” My heart rate picks up, I know that voice, I know it very well. I know it from the way it leaves his mouth in breathily whispers when he’s inside of me, to how he calls me when he wants me.

“I tried to tell you, but—”

I cut her off. “It’s fine.” I turn to Echo. Who makes me pause with what I was about to say just by looking at him. He’s someone you think looks better in your head until you’re in front of him. Then you realize you could never really do the picture in your head justice because in real life he’s certainly a ten. “Nice to see you again, Echo.”

His eyebrows scrunch at my words. “Is it, Storm?”

“Look, we’re just going to go…” I see them leave but don’t turn to face them.

“Of course, it is, Echo. How are you?” I say in my best acting voice, when inside I’m screaming.

“I would be even better if I could touch you. Have you thought about that, Storm, about the way I touch you.” I’m trying really hard to not pant at his words. The way his lips move when he says it, or the way his eyes track me up and down like he knows perfectly every inch of my body. Which he does.

“We ended it, or did you forget? When your lips touched someone else. That was part of our deal, remember? To only be with each other while we needed each other. You broke that, but I’m happy to be friends. Would you like that?”

He doesn’t falter when he speaks, “I see you’re bringing out your boss attitude. But the thing is, Red, I’m already a boss. So, it doesn’t work on me the way it would intimidate others.” I didn’t realize I was coming across that way until he says it. He clasps my hand with his and pulls me from the main room until we are out the back. No one is here but us, and the sun is starting to set. “Do you want to hear what happened, or just keep making assumptions?” he asks me.

“I really don’t need to know. I saw all I needed to… from the way you got up when she asked and walked off without a backward glance… honestly, that was all I needed to know. That’s why I went after you because I knew what was happening, I just wanted to see it with my own two eyes.” I go to turn to walk away from him, but he traps me again with his hand on my wrist.