Chapter 5

Five

Elle

C ocky, pushy bastards. Where had my head been last night? Horrible thoughts burned my mind. It seemed all our collective brains shut off and we let our bodies do the talking. But seriously, what the hell was wrong with me? I didn't just fall into a man's arms, much less two. It didn't matter why.

But I had with them. And so easily. I leaned on my bathroom counter and tried to find the woman I knew versus the woman I became with them. One look, a stroke of a hand and I succumbed to all my desires. I couldn't even blame it on the alcohol either. Well, enough of that. I didn't have time to frolic and play in night clubs with ex-boyfriends.

Freshly showered minutes later, I gathered my dry hair in a twist and braided the length down my back. Standing naked, I used my towel to clean off the mirror and froze at the clear view of my body. My nipples were still sensitive, hard. I swiped a finger over one tip and jumped from the jolt.

Last night I realized something. I thought what I felt for Cade and Jace was a thing of the past. Clearly that wasn't the case. My heart raced just thinking about them. My whole body tingled all through the night, and I couldn't help but question why I stopped. Why I refused to go home with them. I frowned as a thought struck me. "They had to think the worst of me."

Part of me wanted to call them. Tell them how sorry I felt for jumping on them the way I did. It felt as wrong as it did good. But mostly it felt unfinished.

I stole a glance at the clock on my nightstand. I didn't have time, and maybe that was for the better. Just leave it and move on.

All the steel nerves I found last night dissolved the second I locked my apartment door behind me anyway. Cade and Jace dropped me off with a kiss and a promise to be back tonight at six sharp for that talk . Before they let me go, both made sure I had their contact numbers. After work, I would make sure to delete them before I did anything stupid.

Call me a coward, but I made sure I left my house well in advance of six. I had work and it was my turn to close up tonight. Old boyfriend and feelings from the past needed to say where they came from.

If anything, being early gave me time to check in on my parents and maybe grab a bite to eat before my shift started. And try to put last night behind me.

How I would manage that still eluded me. Forgetting I had gotten off on my ex's face and his friend's insatiable taste for my nipples didn't sound like an easy feat. But, if I rolled with it and just continued my routine, it should be no big deal, right? Yeah, that sounded like a good, safe plan. Reasonable plan. When they didn't find me at home, they would get the hint. Last night happened, sure, but it also came with a no repeat option.

Only my palms were sweaty and I couldn't help but look over my shoulder every five seconds to see if they were the ones tripping the bell over the door as I delivered countless rounds of beer and chicken wings through my shift.

The place didn't hold a flame to the elegance of II, but the pay was good and the people were nice enough. Not exactly shabby is how I would describe the nightclub, with tables scattered across the entire place and private booths lining the walls. Only these didn't have curtains. Exhausted after a back-breaking shift, I stumbled out of the nightclub, my legs heavier than two lead bricks. Swollen feet and aching all over, I wanted a hot bath, quick food and bed, all in that order.

My phone went off at the same time I gave the security cameras one final check and locked the door on my way out.

"Hello." I gripped the phone between my cheek and shoulder, switching out the club keys for my car's.

I tried to drum up more energy at the sound of my mom's voice. "Hey, hun. You okay? I tried calling earlier but got your voice message."

"Sorry, Mom. I had to close tonight and got busy. All okay your way?"

I crossed the empty parking lot and palmed my keys. Bright lights made this side of the building seem bathed in sunlight in comparison. The owner didn't like her employees walking out into pitch black. A gesture I appreciated, especially on moonless nights.

"Sure. I know I'm calling late, but I wanted to make sure you are home and safe."

Keys in hand, I find my car easy enough since it's the only one in the lot. Painted pale blue, it's older than me by a decade, maybe two. It belonged to my dad and he held a firm belief in if it did the job, it was good enough for him. Probably why his pizzeria failed. He refused to grow with the times.

I slipped the key in the door. "Not yet. Just heading out now."

"Good, I can stay on the line while you drive."

"Overprotective much, Mom?" I replied on autopilot.

Rust ate at the metal in spots and the doors creaked on their hinges, but all I cared about was the low gas mileage. I chuckled and swung the door open. Then I spotted it. The flat tire. Left front wheel. Crap. Now what?

"You'll be the same way when you have kids. Trust me."

Making her voice soft in the way she did when she wanted something, my mom said, "Look, I called for another reason. A friend is in need of a personal assistant and wants to offer you the job first. She's willing to teach you the ropes and pay you for it."

That piqued my interest and made me forget about the flat, if only briefly. "That kinda sounds like a dream job."

"It's real. Trust me."

I did.

"And the pay...more than your two jobs put together," Mom continued. "I thought you might like that. Your dad and I would love to be in the same city as you for once."

That did sound nice. No more killer heels to earn higher tips, worrying about the mortgage and wondering if I'd ever get back to college. Plus, I could kiss solo walks in parking lots at night goodbye.

But what about Cade and Jace?

I silenced the voice in my head. "Can I have a couple of days to think about it?" I asked and kicked at the deflated rubber.

"That's about all I can give, hun. She's desperate. You'd think we lived in New York and not Miami with how quick she makes decisions."

My family moved around a lot when I was younger until one day my mom said that she was done. Seattle was it. They bought a house, set up a pizzeria and things went well for a time. Until they didn't and ended up in Miami to help out my uncle with his restaurant. I stayed, kept the house and picked up the tab on the mortgage.

I breathed out. "Yeah, message received. I have to go now, Mom. Talk to you soon, okay?"

"Be careful, babe. Love you."

I disconnected and sighed.

Looking at the rusted lug nuts, I knew I had limited options. I thumbed on my phone and hovered over the local taxi number. I didn't realize I bypassed the taxi number and hit the next contact in my list until the deep baritone voice came over the speaker. Why I did it, I had no idea. Curiosity, fear, self-sabotage? Or, maybe a Frankenstein cocktail of all three.

But mostly, deep down I felt a need for closure. To find out what could have been before I accepted any job offer and moved on to the next phase of my life.

Biting at my lip, I wondered if I should hang up, run off to Miami and just let last night be it. Part of me knew forgetting Cade again would never happen. And now that I had a taste of Jace? A toe-to-tits shudder washed over me. Make that all of me.

I thought back to their dark warning. We need to do filthy things to you, Elle Morgan. You better run while you can.

What if I let them catch me for a night? Would that be such a bad thing? I could get my fantasy and then be on the next plane out of here and onto my new life.

I took a deep breath and liked my new plan. Everything would be perfect.

"Cade? It's Elle. I need your help."