5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

TUCKER

I took a drink of my ice cold water, busy imagining my future date with a cold shower later tonight. Feeling Izzy's curves against me, the way I knew her hips could move, on and off the dance floor, had my mind in overdrive.

Stop thinking about it. It's not going to happen. It can't happen here, anyway, even if we were still having sex.

That helped a little, knowing it couldn't happen now either way. Izzy wasn't one for public escapades. We didn't need to do it in public. We could heat up the bedroom just fine on our own…

Argh! No! I downed the last of my water in one big gulp, hoping for a waterfall effect of the shower ploy. It seemed to help a little, so I ordered another, downing that one just as fast as I watched Izzy twirl by with Mateo. Her smile had been plastered to her face since we got here, and I was relieved to see brightness touch her eyes, even if it was just for the night. I was not going to ruin it.

I'd just ordered another water, for good measure's sake, when Nic walked over and ordered a beer.

"Damn, that sounds good. "

"It's not liquor, but it'll do." Nic took a long pull. He lowered it with a slight face but then tipped it back for another drink.

"Hey, Tucker. Where's your girlfriend?"

I cringed at the voice behind me and sighed, picking up my cup and taking a sip of water. Watching the workers pour drinks behind the bar as I tried to ignore the trainwreck of my past decisions behind me.

"Uh, hello. Earth to Tucker."

"What do you want, Lisa?" I barely held back a growl.

"Why so rude?"

"Why so obsessive?"

"This isn't like you. You used to be much nicer before you started your thing with Izzy ." Her nose scrunched in distaste at my girlfriend's name.

I took a deep breath. "I'm still nice."

"Not to me."

"Being nice doesn't work with you. I tried that."

"I was hurt back then. You stabbed me in the back. Used me and ditched me. Just when I thought we had a shot."

My grip tightened on my water, and my eyes rolled in frustration. Not this again. How many times did I have to go over this with her?

"Lisa, we hooked up. Twice. And yeah, that's more than other girls got from me, but that's all it was . I had already told you I didn't want you before I got with Izzy. You didn't listen. Just like you haven't listened any of the dozens of times I've told you since Izzy and I got together. You need to get over me."

Lisa paused but only for a few moments. "See, I don't buy it. I was hurt and did some stupid stuff, yeah, but I don't think I'm the one that needs to get over something. You're the one clinging to something that doesn't have a shot."

I tensed, my eyes glued to a woman dragging out a bucket of ice from the back, watching her struggle to lift and dump it into the bin of sodas. Anything to focus on to ignore what Lisa was hinting at.

"I get why you're upset," she continued.

"I doubt that."

Lisa stepped up to my side as a space opened at the bar and placed her arm beside mine, her fingers reaching for my hand. I tensed, the cords of my muscles hardening into steel in warning, and she paused when my grip started to crush the bottle I was holding, my water threatening to spill. She placed her hand down on the polished wood of the bar instead.

"You don't have to be all noble and everything. You're not tied to her anymore. Not with the baby gone, and she turned down your ring. You don't have to stay with her."

"Go. Away. Lisa." I clenched my teeth.

"No. I'm trying to get through to you."

"There's nothing to get through to me about."

"Oh, I think there is. I think you need something more than what you have. Something that Izzy isn't willing to give you. At least, not anymore."

I froze, the water a mere inch away from my lips. Those words were an instant reminder for why I'd needed the drink in the first place. Slowly, I lowered the bottle back down. "What Izzy and I do is none of your business."

My voice had grown cold and hard, but it was like she was immune. I felt her shoulder brush against my upper arm as she leaned in, looking up at my stony expression with one she must have thought was seductive.

"I wouldn't turn you down." She ran a finger along my arm, and I jerked it away. If my stomach wasn't already churning, that had done it.

"You just don't get it, do you?" I spat.

"Yes, I do," she insisted. "You don't have to worry, though. I wouldn't trap you like that."

"No, you'd just fake it. Argh." I dragged a hand back through my hair as I glared. "You just don't know how to fucking listen, do you?"

ANNIE

My foot tapped against the floor to the beat of the music as I watched my friends dance, anxious to be in Jet's arms again. Every second without his touch now felt like hours, he'd been gone for so long.

Right now, he was busy twirling Emma, and I rolled my eyes as I watched another guy cut in to dance with Izzy. Poor Mateo had only gotten one song with her before the first spring breaker had cut in. Thankfully, Megan's sister, Katy, scooped him up, but I was still frustrated for Izzy. She did not look thrilled, and I could already see another guy waiting in the wings for his chance to ask her next. I was annoyed just watching it.

Considering joining Tucker for a drink, I glanced at the bar. Oh, hell. You've got to be kidding me. My eyes flashed as I stomped over to save my friend .

"Nobody put out the pathetic bitch warning sign tonight."

Lisa looked over at me with a hiss. "Takes one to know one."

"Wow, put a lot of thought into that one, huh?" I smirked, every ounce of what I said condescending. "I don't even want to know what you're over here saying to Tucker, but I can tell you it's two parts pathetic and one part delusional. So, why don't you fuck off and let him have a decent night without your clingy ass trying to attach to him?"

"God, you're such a bitch. And no, I'll talk to whoever I want."

I raised an eyebrow, leveling her with a warning look. My patience was done.

"Come with me," I commanded, grabbing Tucker's arm. "You, stay. I've had enough of you." I glared at Lisa before dragging my friend away.

He breathed a sigh of relief and tossed his water in the trash as I pulled him along. "What are we doing?"

"Just come with me."

"Annie, what's going on?" he pressed, sounding nervous as I dragged him up front, but I ignored him, speaking to the DJ for a moment as Tucker shot me a look.

"Trust me." I raised my brow, pulling him onto the stage with me and grabbing a mic as the song came to an early close. "Excuse me. Attention, please." Several seconds passed in everyone's confusion as they all paused to look up at the stage.

"I just have a couple of things to say, and then I'll get out of the way. For all of you girls out there who are here on vacation, and for some of those here who are not ." I sent a pointed look to Lisa. "I would like to point out that my friend here is not on the market."

Tucker groaned and pressed a hand to his face, running it back through his hair before dropping it back by his side, but he smirked, letting me know it was fine. He had his kicks, and I had mine.

I grinned and then looked back out at the crowd. "He's actually pretty serious about dating my sister. Proposed and everything. Izzy, can you raise your hand for me?" Slowly, my twin's hand rose from the middle of the dance floor. "Thanks. That's her. Can't miss her. The girl here who looks exactly like me but in a dress, okay? So hands off. The same goes for all y'all guys, too. Leave them alone so they can dance. There are plenty of other girls here that I'm sure wouldn't mind a good time. But you might want to steer clear of catty strawberry blondes. I've heard they can be a little… clingy ."

There. That ought to take care of things. Oh, wait.

"One more thing. Anyone here to spy on Emma Kooper for her dad? Could you please be a decent human for once and leave so the rest of us can enjoy our evening? That's all. Thanks." I handed the mic back to the DJ, tempted to smack my hands together like I was dusting them off.

"Holy crap, Annie. But thanks." Tucker shook his head at me even as he grinned.

"You're welcome. Now, go dance with my sister."

"On it." He hurried down the stage steps, and I took off after him to find Jet. I'd waited long enough. It was my turn.

Emma stepped back as soon as she spotted me, and I rushed into Jet's arms, throwing mine around his neck .

"Hey, you." He twirled me so that my toes lifted from the floor, and I laughed as he set me back down, cuddling into his chest.

"Wanna get outta here?"

Jet's brow rose, asking if I was serious. "If you're hinting at what I think you are, then as a rule, yes."

We held each other's gazes, our eyes flitting back and forth, checking, laughing, promising, desire mixing with mischief, and we took off at the same time, Jet taking my hand in his to pull me across the crowded dance floor. All I was picturing was everything I was going to do to him, with him, the second we were in his car. But then my eyes landed on Zane.

Instantly, my hackles raised, but it was when I followed his gaze and how he'd zeroed in on my sister that my excitement fell flat.

"Damn it. Babe, look." I tugged him back and pointed to where Izzy had slipped away to massage her feet against the wall with dozens of discarded shoes, Tucker nowhere in sight. And Zane was moving in, fast.

"Looks like someone didn't get your message." He gave my hand a quick squeeze and rushed off, sliding in front of her in time to block Zane from her view. "Hey, Izzy. No Tucker?"

"Oh, he just went to the bathroom."

"Ah, then it's the perfect time for me to ask for a turn." He extended a hand to her, and she grinned, dropping her foot to take it.

"Of course."

Watching Jet whisk my sister out into the ever-moving crowd, I sighed in both relief and frustration. Izzy had enough stress without dealing with any more bullshit from Zane. I just wished it didn't mean putting things on hold for Jet and I. This afternoon had been great, but even that moment had needed to be stolen, thanks to his random ass cousin showing up. I released a huffed growl and crossed my arms over my chest. Irritating men screwing everything up.

"Now, who's got the attitude?"

"Oh, my God." I jumped, my hand flying to my chest.

Nic stepped up next to me, a smirk playing on his lips. "Sorry."

"Uh-huh." He looked anything but.

"So, who's that bloke?" He jerked his head towards Zane. "He doesn't seem too happy that Jet cut him off, does he?"

I rolled my eyes, so not in the mood. "Must we talk?"

"I figured it couldn't hurt since you're dating my cousin and all. I imagine we'll be forced into one another's presence at times."

I scoffed, though it really was the perfect way to put it.

"Again, so, who's the bloke?"

I scowled up at Nic, irritated for a moment at how much he looked like Jet because he was far from like him. What the hell did he want from me? I wasn't a fucking history book or a tour guide into the social relationships of Breaker Ridge.

Nic just raised an expectant brow and waited for his answer.

I sighed, resisting an eye roll, and shifted my gaze back to the thick muscled Hispanic that was currently shooting a death glare at my boyfriend.

"Basically, Zane is my sister's asshole of an ex. He moved here at the end of last year and charmed his way into dating her, only to cheat on her the second he got a chance and then hit her when she refused to sleep with him. If Tucker hadn't shown up…" I shuddered. "Well, none of us want to think about what he might have done. He's definitely done enough since then."

"Since then?" Nic actually looked concerned. "What else has he done?"

"He's been harassing Izzy ever since she dumped him for Tucker that night, saying he wants her back. Like what he did doesn't matter."

"Okay…" Nic crossed his arms over his chest, looking out at the crowd. "So, he wants her back. Is it so bad for him to fight for her if he thinks there's a chance?"

My head snapped to gape at him before I glared. "Are you even listening? He hit my sister. He severely injured Tucker a few months back over her. Izzy was in the hospital. He's the reason…" I trailed off. He didn't need to know everything, and it wasn't my place to tell.

"Sorry, but if he's that bad, if he hurt your friends like that, then why is he still around? Why hasn't he been reported?"

"Because of when, where, and how everything always happens. His parents are lawyers, so any charges we bring against him they'll throw right back at Tucker. He fought, too. Hurt Zane, too. Tucker could get in serious trouble since the fight was at a school event. Even with a solid defense on the why, Tucker's sunk if it's reported," I seethed, knowing we'd been lucky things had been easily swept under the rug after that game. Thank God for rich relatives. Tucker hated using his grandpa's reputation and pull for things, but that night ? That had been necessary .

Except that it also means Zane gets away with murder, even though Izzy refuses to see it that way, and Tucker won't even talk about it. My teeth grit with my frustration while Nic frowned in contemplation.

"Well, that does present a problem, doesn't it?"

I gave him a wry smile. "Unfortunately."

"What's unfortunate?" Izzy asked as she and Jet joined us, the tension of the conversation thick.

"Nothing." I quickly dismissed it. "Where's Tucker?"

"Emma took him up on his raincheck." Izzy gestured to the pair as they weaved around the other dancers, their height difference almost comical. "But, hey, Mateo's still looking for someone to dance with." She bumped my hip with hers.

"Ugh…Izzy…"

Izzy grinned at my scowl. "Come on. Help run interference."

"I take it Mateo and Emma don't think my request was taken seriously earlier?"

"Request? More like hostile demands."

Nic's comment was like a jab to my core, and I shot him another glare. "I thought it was more like informative advice," I retorted before storming off, officially done with the asshole and all the fucking drama of my life.