Who knew Nat had a mean right hook?
As soon as I’d done that I decided I had to tell the guys. There is something about admitting you’re wrong about something that makes you feel worthless. Admitting you’re wrong about something important, even more so.
I called a meeting in the conference room with my newly broken nose. Once the guys were seated, I explained what had happened. Max was the first to react. He got up out of his seat and left the conference room without a word. And it hurt more than any words could.
Ghost asked what happened to my nose with a twitch of his lips.
The jerk already knows.
They have CCTV at Safira. I responded with, “Your girlfriend should become a boxer.”
Last was Trick. The look on his face was pure disappointment. Disappointment in me. I didn’t like that. Trick has always been my buddy, even at the worst of times. This is the first thing that’s happened that’s ever gotten in the way of our friendship. He doesn’t have my back here.
No one has my back here. I fucked up. I’m backed up against a wall with three men and three women threatening to pounce on me at any second. That’s never a good feeling. What makes it a worse feeling is when those people are your friends and family.
Which brings us to today.
It’s been two days and not a word of new information from my guy. He called to say her phone is still off but he’s keeping a constant eye on it. It doesn’t make me feel any better. With every day Tina is missing, worry and apprehension tear away at what’s left of mind.
The days go slowly and the nights aren’t any better. I can’t sleep not knowing where Tina is sleeping. Nat said she hasn’t been able to contact her but Tina has sent her a text twice to assure she’s okay.
I don’t buy it.
If she were okay, she’d have come back by now.
Frustration at my own stupidity is a good way to describe my feelings right now. This is all my fault.
Just as I’m about to start banging my head on the table, my cell rings.
I jump and almost drop it. I juggle it for a few seconds before I put it to my ear and say a little too loudly, “Yes?”
“We got her.” That’s my guy…and he knows where Tina is! I’m giving this man a bonus. I want to kiss his feet right now. I’m beyond relieved.
He gives me the details and I chuckle. Of course Tina would stay at a hotel three minutes from her apartment. I thank him with a promise of a swift money transfer and we’re done.
I decide to shower and change my clothes before I see her, I need to shave too.
No, don’t shave! She likes the scruff.
Yeah, my baby likes the scruff.
I shouldn’t call her that right now. That’s, of course, if she is willing to be my baby again. I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t. What I did was almost unforgivable.
Why are you still sitting at your desk?
God, I’m such a schmuk. I wait for days for this information and now I’m hesitant about using it.
Nope.
I move before my body tries to resist. I walk past the ‘chill out’ room, down the hall and I hear Max shout out, “Where you going?”
I yell back to him, “To pick up precious cargo.”
***
It was surprisingly easy to get a spare key to Tina’s room. And it only cost me a hundred dollars.
Okay, so I spouted some story about sneaking in to surprise my girlfriend who thought I was coming the next night. The girl at the main desk was an obvious romantic and fell for it.
Mental note; never use this hotel.
The girl at the desk had no way of knowing I wasn’t dangerous. I could’ve been Omarr, for Christ sakes.
So, here I stand in front of Tina’s room with my bag full of candy. I check my watch. It’s 11:49pm. I’m sure she’ll be asleep. Or at least I hope she will be.
That was my plan. Sneak in when Tina’s asleep; there will be less of a chance of her punching me in the face when she’s sleepy.
Wait…
Didn’t she go all Bruce Lee on me and put me in a choke hold when she was sleepy?
Great. Just great. I forgot about that.
I shake my head and slide the key card in. The light turns green and I gently open the door being careful not to make a sound. I carefully walk in and see Tina asleep in the bed. She’s sleeping on her stomach which she never does. She always curls up on her side. It looks as though she’s naked under the sheet that’s pulled just above her behind. I step closer and what I see makes me want to roar and punch something.
Tina’s back and shoulder are purple with bruises.
This is why she’s sleeping on her stomach. She hurts. I hurt her. I don’t deserve Tina.
But I want her.
I sit on the edge of the bed, careful not to wake her and lean forward with my elbows on my knees. I run my hands through my hair.
Maybe Tina’s better off without me.
***
As soon as I smell him, I wake.
I know it’s Nik and regardless of what happened the other day, I’m not afraid of him.
Nik didn’t mean for me to trip. And that’s exactly what happened. I tripped.
I’m still hurting, physically and mentally, though. This is why I take cowards way out and pretend to sleep. I remind myself to breathe in and out deeply and to not react at all.
I feel his hand lightly brush my bruised shoulder and I shiver.
Thanks traitorous body!
I feel the sheet lift from my bottom to cover my back and shoulder. I don’t understand it but even the small amount of pressure from the sheet hurts. I’m careful not to flinch.
Nik whispers hoarsely, “I’m so sorry, baby.”
I almost forget to breathe. A small part of me is chastising myself for pretending to sleep but another part so desperately wants to hear what he says to my supposed sleeping form.
He continues in a whisper, “Never meant to hurt you. Come back to me, baby. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
My heart skips a beat.
Nik wants me back. He must know what really happened.
This is great!
Don’t do it. Don’t give away your heart again. It hurts too much.
I do hurt. I don’t know if I could handle that again. After Jace was hard but after Nik I actually thought I’d die from heart-break.
I have to think about this.
I feel his breath close to my ear. He kisses the side of my neck so softly I could’ve imagined it and whispers, “Love you, Tina.”
He shuffles around and makes some strange noises for a few minutes, the door opens then closes and he’s gone.
I sit up in bed and see something on the desk in the corner that wasn’t there before. Needing a little light, I switch on the bedside lamp and move my sore body over to the desk.
What I see makes me smile. The first real smile I’ve had in days. Nik has obviously spoken to Nat about my candy preferences.