PHOENIX
I was used to having a hangover for months since my disastrous relationship with Samantha, but I groan as I feel my stiff body for being curled up long. I sit up straight on the couch and begin rubbing the back of my aching neck.
I look around the small living room of her apartment, nothing to see other than the boring cream-colored wall, a flat tv screen, a set of couches, and a black glass coffee table.
The memories of last night are ambiguous to me, except that I remember pissing off the security guard, and how Samantha helped my drunkass up into her apartment.
She was still so magnificent even in her beige baggy sweater and baby blue pajama bottoms.
I wonder how it feels to touch underneath those baggy clothes she wears.
I missed those feelings.
I missed her skin against my hands, and I missed those lips I kissed days ago.
Jesus, I’m instantly a boner. It’s been a while, buddy.
My head snaps to the door unlocked from the outside.
My eyes are instantly narrow.
Fuck! It’s the asshole!
I stand up quickly and stride to him. He freezes the moment he sees me.
“What the fuck are you doing in my apartment, Williams?” Tyler yells, glaring at me.
I glare back. “And what the fuck are you doing here in my building, Payne in my ass?”
He’s caught off guard.
He doesn’t know that I already own this building. When I found out Samantha is renting here, I closed the deal just last week.
“What the fuck, Williams? You may own the building, but we are paying rent. Get out of my fucking apartment!” He looks pissed, but I am more than pissed at him.
“I will not get out. Samantha let me stay here last night. And you left her, now why are you coming back?” We are now facing each other.
He is breathing heavily.
My nose flares, and so as his. He clenches his jaw, and I do the same. He forms his fists into balls, and I am doing the same thing.
I may have lost some weight, but I went back to the gym last week and started kickboxing again. I am two inches taller than him and I’m pure muscles. I can knock him out in one punch, but I won’t do that to piss Samantha even more.
I won’t even punch back if he’s going to punch me, just to get Samantha on my side-that’s how much I want her back in my life.
How pathetic, Phoenix!
“I left her because I was giving her the space she needed. I am not like you, asshole! And I left a note, and you? What did you leave her? Nothing!” He growls. ” Oh, yeah. You left her broken!”
I’m blink because the truth hurts, and he is right.
This asshole is right!
But I’m losing control. I want to punch him pretty badly. My knuckles are itching to punch something; to punch someone.
“We didn’t break up, and she’s still my girlfriend. And I am not breaking up with her anytime soon, buddy. It’s your loss,” he snorts.
I blink many times because he’s getting on my nerves. I am trying hard to control the anger that is now quickly spreading in my veins, and he’s testing me.
He doesn’t see me when I am mad. I’m insane when I lose control.
“You left her, asshole, the moment you left her, it means you and her were over. I will take her back whether you like it or not. It’s not that I need your permission, and she will be mine. Again,” I say calmly with pride
Then he grabs my shirt! Fuck!
My hand instantaneously grips his throat and pushes him stronger to the wall that causes the wall to shake. I clench my jaw and my free hand is already formed into a fist.
I narrow my eyes at him without breaking eye contact. “Did you forget that I told you once to stay away from her if you still value your goddamn life?” I hiss, and my body shakes with anger. I can feel the rage is taking over me.
His face turns red at how strong I am gripping his throat, but he wants me to punch him because he doesn’t let go of my shirt.
He struggles to loosen my grip using his hands and tries hard to kick me in my crotch, but he miserably fails. I just grip him and haven’t punched him yet.
“Answer me! Fucking answer me!”
His eyes start to roll back-he’s going to blackout. I raise my fist, then I hear a loud thud. We both look at each other in shock.
I release my hand from him quickly, and he almost falls. He’s catching for air, wheezes, and coughs at the same time.
I rush to where the sound comes from, squeeze the doorknob, and open the door widely only to see Samantha is lying on the floor beside her bed.
Tyler follows me. Samantha is struggling to stand up from the tangled blanket around her legs.
“Princess!” “Babe!” we squeal in unison.
We both look at each other, then back to Sam who now looks shocked and pissed to see both of us at her bedroom door. I even forget my anger towards Tyler.
The woman on the floor looks sexier and hotter only on her baggy sweater from last night, but no more pajama bottoms.
Her messy bedhead gives her looks even better, and it will be perfect in my grip while I’m taking her from behind. Her face flushed maybe from embarrassment, and those luscious red lips that devoured me once are pressed into a thin line.
Good lord in heaven! Her bra-free-gorgeous tits are begging for my attention as her nipples are poking through her thin sweater.
I can even see the white cotton panties peeking every time she tries to get free from the tangled blanket around her gorgeous legs that have been wrapped many times around my waist.
I’m so hard right now.
“Are both of you just gonna watch me while I am trying to free myself from this?” she yells, narrowing her eyes to both of us. She looks hot when she glares
Her hands are busy unwrapping her legs from her blanket. We both move toward her in one quick sprint to help her untangle herself from the blanket.
“What are those yelling that wakes me up?” she asks, placing her hands on her hips, still shooting us a glare.
We both don’t answer because I am busy gawking at her, and I want to punch Tyler in his eyes because he’s also eye-fucking her.
“Talk!” she yells.
I’m jarred from my dirty thoughts.
Jesus, this woman can yell. But she’s not that of a screamer in my bed. Yeah, she screamed my name many times, but not like this that irritates my eardrums.
I clear my throat. “Um, maybe you can wear something first,” I tell her and grin sheepishly.
Tyler looks at me or more like glaring at me. “Yeah, babe.”
I want to poke his eyes and punch his throat.
She scowls. “What’s wrong with what I am wearing?” she asks lifting the edge of her sweater that shows the complete view of her white cotton panties.
Tyler and I turn back quickly, not to see her more because I can feel my cock hardens and strains in my pants.
Samantha groans. “Both of you, get out of my room now! And wait in the living room,” she commands.
We both walk away towards her door like goddamn robots under the remote-controlled.
“Oh, and don’t kill each other, yet!” she adds.
***
They’ve been together in her room for ten fucking minutes long, and I can’t hear anything other than muffled sounds and murmurs. I wish I have a super hearing power at this moment to know what they’re talking about. What took them so long?
I’ve been pacing back in forth in her living room, then sit back to the couch, then back to pacing again.
I flinch many times at the thought of them-
Stop punishing yourself, Phoenix!
It’s all my fault.
I was an ass because I let her go for the thought that she would hate me. Now, I’m lucky she’s giving me somehow a bit of her attention, and I’m very thankful for that.
What if they’re getting back together? My blood boils! That is not going to happen.
She is mine!
I stride to her bedroom door and raise my hand to knock, but it hangs up in the air.
I release an exasperating sigh. This is killing me.
I press my ear against her thin wall.
“Are you gonna take him back, Sam?” Tyler asks.
I listen intently not even bother to breathe.
I wait and wait for her answer, but it never happens. I press my forehead against the wall, accepting my defeat. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. She doesn’t like me anymore. This is the end. My end.
The door flies open. They both emerge from the door with creased brows
“Were you eavesdropping this whole time?” Sam asks who looks pissed.
I stand straight, shake my head innocently, and shrug.
“I have to go, babe. Call me if this asshole will do something that you won’t like,” Tyler says, kissing her on her forehead.
“Like what, Payne in my ass?” I growl.
“Phoenix!” Sam snaps.
“Bye, babe.”
Samantha waves and smiles at him-that smile is supposed to be for me.
Tyler shoots me a glare before he closes the door behind him.
“Phoenix, you can leave now.” Samantha takes my attention back.
My head snaps in her direction. “You gave him more than ten minutes and where is my turn?” I ask annoyingly.
“You don’t have a turn, Phoenix. I gave him time because he is my boyfriend, and you are not,” she says casually, then walks to her small kitchen.
I blink many times, ignoring the pain squeezing inside my chest.
I follow her. I won’t give up. This is my chance.
“He left you already, Samantha.”
She turns to face me.
“And you didn’t?”
I wince. That caught me off guard.
I take a huge breath and turn my face away from her. I don’t want her to see me in pain.
“Just give us another chance, Samantha,” I say softly without looking at her.
“I can’t because I still have a boyfriend, and I’m not gonna cheat on him,” she replies firmly.
“You cheated on me already.” I look at her this time and scowl at her.
“I cheated on you?” She exclaims and points her finger to my face.
“I freaking cheated on you? I just came back from New York, and I found out you have already Gabrielle in your arms!” she yells at me that makes me wince in pain-a kind of pain that can’t be relieved by any analgesic. It fucking hurts.
“I didn’t cheat on you, Samantha. You know the reasons why I did that.”
“Yeah, I know,” she simply says. “Can’t you at least warn me or send me a notice?” Her sarcasm makes me flinch.
“I’m sorry-”
“It doesn’t change a thing, Phoenix,” she snaps. “We are not getting back together. So, forget it!” She makes her busy in the kitchen, opening the cupboards, and takes a mug.
I wait patiently. One thing I learned from my miserable life since we parted months ago is to be patient.
She starts brewing coffee, then places a coffee mug on the kitchen counter. Yeah, a coffee mug.
One fucking coffee mug!
We are supposed to be doing these together, living together, and I am supposed to be making breakfast for her every morning.
Christ, it’s killing me.
“I won’t give up, you know. Not until you are mine again. Just remember that, princess.”
She stops from whatever she’s doing, but she doesn’t face me.
“I let you slip once, and I’m not gonna let that happen again. I’ll make sure to do everything in my power to take you back, tit for tat.”
She doesn’t even fucking move, but I’m sure she is listening.
“You are born to be mine! One fucking mistake doesn’t mean it ruins us for good! And it doesn’t mean we are over because we are far from over, and I do believe in a second chance, Samantha. If you gave Tyler a second chance, don’t you think I deserve that too?” I sigh deeply.
I’m so desperate.
“We made to be together, and we will be together in the end. I will chase you to the end of this fucking earth.” I pause. “I will chase you, princess.”
I hope that’s enough for her to know that I’m so fucking serious, and I’m not giving up because she’s fucking ignoring me.
I walk away out of the kitchen, grab my coat from her couch, and leave without fucking saying goodbye because that’s not the end.
That’s only the beginning.
“I see, it didn’t go well as you’ve planned,” my brother says while blocking my punch with his arms.
“She’s so fucking stubborn!” I punch him with my left arm, and Hawk ducks.
“She’s not stubborn. She’s smart, dumbass.” He stands straight and lowering down his arms.
I wipe my sweaty forehead with my arms.
“She won’t make it easy for you, so be ready for the challenge, Phoenix,” he continues.
“I know, and I won’t give up until she’s mine again.”
“That’s my brother!” He announces proudly and smirks. “So, what’s your plan? Does she know, you own that apartment building?”
“Not that I know of, but her ex does,” I answer.
“You told me they didn’t break up.”
“I doubt that. Samantha just wanted to piss me off,” I retort.
“Whatever brother.” He laughs.
“I need your help,” I tell him.
“Anything. Just say it.”
“I need you to help me, and I’m running out of ideas.”
He laughs his ass out, and that makes me scowl.
“Ever heard of google? Book for dummies?” He smirks mischievously.
I roll my eyes. “I’m not gonna do what’s on the net, fucker. I am not like you. I’ve never been so helpless like this, and I never pursued any woman before,” I admit and start stripping off my gloves.
“There’s always a first time, brother. We’ve extended our family. I, Abby, and Izzy can help you with your problem.
While in the shower, I can’t help but think of how we enjoyed ourselves as I pressed against the wall. My nerves calm a bit just thinking that that asshole is not staying with her anymore. I couldn’t fucking think straight when I found out they live in one apartment together.
I shove the thought out of my head because I want to fucking kill him slowly till he begs for me to kill him quickly.
I’m turning myself into a ruthless and immoral person.
My phone suddenly rings that jars me out of my irrational thought.
“Abby?”
“Alexander Phoenix, I need you in my home, right now!” She sounds anxious and panicking.
“Calm down, Abby. What’s wrong?” I ask quickly.
“I said I need you, now!”
I blink. “Home? Where? What’s going on, Abbygail?”
“It’s Sam.”
“Fuck! I’m on my way.”