Chapter 25
Nate
Itook her back to my place, which wasn't the brightest idea I'd had lately, but then again, keeping an eye on her was my top priority. She'd stepped into a world that was too big for her. Too dangerous.
That Erik Bertinelli was trying to play savior to my girlfriend left me with the sound conclusion that the fucker had fallen for her too. I wouldn't be caught off guard again. If he wanted to find her he'd have to come to my place and come through me.
And this time, I would be ready.
I sat in Mikey's favorite chair, watching Jenna sleep soundly while curled up on my couch. After fixing her a big sandwich, I turned on some TV and cleaned up the kitchen. She wanted to talk, but I wasn't ready. I didn't know what to say, and the idea of opening up left me feeling vulnerable.
She wanted someone to kill Ash, but it would only be in her pulling the trigger that she would ever gain peace. It was sick. Fucked up. But it was true. I knew the truth all too well.
If I let her go with Erik, and she took Ashley out, then we'd kill two birds with one stone. She stabs me in the heart by killing one of my childhood friends, thereby letting Mikey's theory play out in tit for tat, and all at the same time, save me from whatever horrid death Ash had planned for me. It was only a matter of time before Ashley showed up and pulled a gun on me.
She didn't trust me anymore. I couldn't blame her.
I was sleeping with the enemy.
My eyes moved around Jenna's pretty face as I studied her full lips, long eyelashes, button nose. Could a sweet woman like her actually pull the trigger? My cock grew thick just thinking about it.
"Stop it," I whispered softly.
How fucked up was it that mine and Ashley's tricks were coming back to bite us in the ass. Ash had given up years of her life to play wife to some shrimp dick rich boy, or old man really, for the first time, and what had I done? Killed for the umpteenth time? And now she was going to die because I'd fallen in love with the wrong girl?
I got up and let out a long sigh before walking to the kitchen and kneeling beside the dishwasher to pull out the vodka. The small shot glass I used was already sitting out by the sink.Odd, but whatever.I needed to lose myself for the night. Maybe Jenna would wake up horny and forget the need to play twenty thousand questions.
Could I kill Ashley? No.
Could I forgive my girl for doing it?
"I don't know." I filled up the small shot glass and threw it back. Bitter. Really bitter, but I ignored it.
Would Ashley ever in a million years have let someone hurt me? No. Never. I'd used and abused that poor girl more times than I cared to admit, and she still loved me. She loved me no matter what happened.
I left the shot glass sitting on the side of the sink and decided to drink deeply from the bottle instead. There was no way around the situation. Well, none that I wanted to take advantage of.
Jenna killing someone might be hot, but we were all underestimating Ash. She was a violent, sick bitch. She was partially my bitch, but she wasn't going to go down without a fight.
I needed to do something. Fast. I took another drink and wiped the back of my sleeve across my mouth as I groaned in pain. The liquor burned so fucking good.
"Nate?" Jenna's voice surprised me.
"Hey." I set the bottle down and moved toward her. "You all right? You passed out while I was rubbing your shoulders."
"Yeah. I'm good." She rubbed her eyes and leaned against me as I wrapped my arms around her. “Nate. I need to know who Denise, or whatever her name is to you.”
I bit my lip and stared at her. “She’s an old friend, but I need to tell you something. If you wanna leave after or stab me with a butter knife, I get it.”
“Tell me then.” Her lips pursed into a tight line.
“She called me a few days ago, beside herself because of her newest guy biting the dust. I didn’t know it was your brother, baby.”
“And?” She put her hand on her hip as her eyes narrowed. If I wasn’t about to lose the best thing in my life, it would have been hot.
“And I went over to your mom and dad’s to help support her so she wouldn’t have to be there alone.” I slipped my hands into my pockets as my stomach soured. I couldn’t tell the whole truth. I just couldn’t risk losing her over a fucking mistake.
“And you figured out then that yourold friendwas withmy brother?”
