I haven’t seen Xandry since that encounter at my parents’ house. He did call me once, but I’m still pissed to even talk to him.
It doesn’t bother me though, but what bothers me these past days is about Liv Mendéz. How did Dad know about Camila’s mom?
I wanted to ask Kyland, but he might suspect me that I’m up to something, and he’s the last person I want to piss off right now.
I stare at the bar in dismay when I can’t find Kyland, and everyone is busy serving the patrons. He’s never been late or ditches his work without informing me. It freaks me out of the thought that he might figure out what I did to Camila.
Forrest is giving a dry Martini to a woman in a black dress, and he doesn’t even glance at the woman who’s giving him a flirty grin.
Forrest Wood is a year younger than Kyland-they’re both tattooed. His uncle owned the tattooed shop where Kyland works as a tattoo artist.
“Forrest, where is Wright?”
“Didn’t you receive the memo, Boss?” he answers right away with a question. I might be offended if I’m not used to his sour mood. He’s a serious type-kind of intimidating with six foot and four inches of a muscular physique, broody, and mysterious. A perfect bad boy persona.
“What memo?” My curiosity strikes. I let my bruises to heal before I get back to work, but the purple under my eye will take time to disappear.
“We swapped offs starting today.” His dark eyes rake me in confusion.
I nod. “Did he tell you the reason why?”
“Family matter.” He shrugs.
“Did he mention something like going to his mom?” I hope I don’t sound suspicious. I’m so curious about Liv, but my parents never share any pieces of information with me. Kyland’s mom probably knows about her cousin, but I can’t just ask her out of the blue, can I?
“I really have no idea, Boss. Why don’t you call him instead?” He throws me a scrutinizing look, then he finally asks. “What happened to your face?”
Sometimes, I’m curious about his personality. Forrest doesn’t laugh, nor talk if not being asked. He’s a loner most of the time, unless if Kyland is around. I wonder if he had a hard time growing up. He never gets into a fight, though, despite having a bad boy image-he’s good at his job as well.
“I don’t think it’s any of your business, Forrest,” I retort, shooting him an I’m-your-boss-looked.
He nods glumly. A small smile slips across his lips. “It just, Xandry happened to have a face worse than you, so I put two and two together.”
My blood boils at Xandry’s name being mentioned-it’s like venom to my blood. How can he keep a secret of letting Camila involve into his game?
“I have to go. Do you think you can manage the club while I’m out?” I didn’t wait for him to answer. “Call me if anything, okay?”
On weekdays, the club is not that busy unlike weekends-the crowd triples the number.
“Sure, he deserved it anyway,” he mumbles.
I stop from getting up off the stool. “What did you say?” My anger suddenly rises up.
“He was drunk yesterday, he thought you would be here. He mentioned something,” he pauses and hesitates to continue, “… something about the bet.”
Taking a deep breath, I move closer to him and observe if I catch everyone’s attention. “Who was here when he said that?”
“Everyone was busy, I was left alone with him. He drunk his ass out. I even called a taxi for him. I heard him said something like he lost his car in a bet, that he came by taxi,” Forrest explains.
“Did you mention it to anyone?” I eye him for a lie, but I don’t see any.
His brows arch. “I’m not stupid, but I know it was wrong. I could’ve told Kyland if I wanted to-if I wanted to sabotage your game. I unintentionally overheard you and Xandry in an argument before your brother showed up. I was just getting out of the restroom that night.”
I lean my elbows to the counter and warn him. “Don’t tell anyone, Wood. Kyland in particular.”
“You have my word.”
I nod slowly then stand up and walk away. I feel a little relief, but until when I can keep this from Kyland? Our friendship is at stake. I’m willing to take every punch he will throw to me, but I know he won’t give his trust back. Xandry ruined everything.
No, I ruined everything.
***
I drive all the way to Kyland’s apartment. The cold rain starts pouring down across the windshield, the wiper sweeps in a sad rhythm that reminds me of how sad my life lately. The lightning doesn’t go unnoticed despite the tall buildings all over the city-it streaks with anger across the dark skies-a reminder of my angry cantankerous Camila.
“Man, come in.” Kyland extends his arms with a brotherly hug, sadness filling his eyes. He doesn’t have any idea what I did with Camila in this apartment because he doesn’t give a blow to my face, yet. Guilt is slowly swallowing me up. I literally betrayed him.
“Thanks, who’s with you?” I ask, scanning the silent living room. My nerve is shaking, and it’s still raining outside, making the temperature in their apartment drops, it gives me shiver, adds to the thought of what I am keeping from him.
He walks me to their couch where I leaned on Camila’s warm shoulder days ago.
The coat. Shit!
“You okay?” Kyland’s curious voice makes me swallow.
“Yeah,” I mutter. I don’t realize I’m holding my breath, and my ass doesn’t reach the couch yet.
“Cam is staying with Megan since three days ago,” Kyland says in a sad tone, sighing exasperatedly.
Three days ago-the same day I left her in this apartment-the same day she despised me.
“Is she okay?” I ignore the lump forming in my throat.
“She found out that I and Bianca are dating,” he says, rubbing his scruffy face, “She didn’t take it well.” Guilt is coating his voice. He’s not alone. I wish he knows that.
“She never suspected, I guess.”
“She warned me once, but I never listened.” He blows a breath. “God, I love her best friend, and I’m serious with Bianca. Cam thought I was just fooling around. I can’t blame her though, she knows our rep when it comes to dating.”
I feel guiltier as this conversation goes. My soul is burning in hell as of this moment. He might feel the same if he finds out I slept with his cousin. In my defense, I slept with Camila because I wanted to. I was willing to take another step with her if things didn’t crash down on us before I can make a move.
“S-she left because she found out about you and Bianca?” I inquire, sounding like shit.
Shit!
“Yup. I’ll get us some beer.” He makes his way toward their kitchen.
I stand up, scanning their small living room to ease my tense muscles. The small wall mounted wooden cubbies piques my interest. I grab the yellow miniature car out of the three. Surprisingly, it’s heavier than it looks, perhaps, it’s made from pure iron. The windshield is painted with black, a blue and two white stripes on each side-the same as the hood. I let my thumb rub the number 45 written on the top.
“Oh, that’s Cam’s. Dad’s friend gave her on her fourteenth birthday. The other two, on her fifteenth and sixteenth.”
“Thanks, so, what happened on her seventeenth?” I grab the can of cold beer he offers. We walk back to the couch. I sip the beer then he starts scanning on the TV remote and stops on the sports channel.
“He became sick then stopped his work. For seven months, we frequently visited him to the hospital, until he died.”
“I’m sorry, man.”
“Thanks, he treated Cam like his daughter. She was so devastated when she found out about him being sick. I enjoyed watching them like a real father and daughter together in the repair shop, maybe because Cam found a father figure in him.”
“What about her real parents?” I look intently at Kyland. He can lie to me or simply ignore me of being suddenly inquisitive, but I’m hopeful he can spare a little knowledge about her parents.
“Cam never met her parents. They abandoned her, I mean, her father never claimed her as his. While her mother’s pregnant with Cam, she became an alcoholic and started to snort, that’s what I learned from my parents when I started asking about why Cam is not a Wright. Good thing Cam was born normal. I thought Cam is my real sister. I saw an old picture of her mom though.”
My blood boils at her father. He’s a total asshole. No wonder Cam hates men who fucked around. No wonder she slapped me hard on my face to teach me lessons.
“What are you smiling at?”
“H-huh?” I blink.
“You’re smiling.”
I ignore his question and chuckle instead, “When is she coming back? I miss her infuriating big mouth.”
I actually miss her. No. I really miss her. Not only her big mouth though. I miss her eyes-the way she looked at me that night. Her lips, her taste, her body on me, her sweet pussy. My cock twitches. Shit!
“She’s still ignoring us. She didn’t even reply to our messages. Bianca still calling her every now and then, but she shuts us out completely. Megan says Cam is okay though, and that gives me peace of mind. She goes to work at the GhostRides.” He pats my arm. “Thanks for that, man. You made her happy.”
I nod slowly. His sincere words squeeze my heart painfully. I made her hate me, too.
“I just wanted to help. She’s also a friend.”
She’s mine, too. You wish, asshole!
“Just give her time, Wright. She’ll come around. Why did you not tell her in the first place?”
“She will freak out. She won’t accept it. They have this girl’s code shit.” He laughs, scratching his growing beard.
“Don’t you have a plan on shaving that? Duck Dynasty has no plan renewing for another season.”
“You’re not my girlfriend and besides Bianca loves it, she said it tickles between her thighs.” He laughs-a belly laugh.
I suddenly remember how I ate Camila’s pussy. My pants tighten. I want to taste her again. Fuck! Calm down, dude!
“How’s your Apa?”
“Healing.”
“Did you bang already?”
Yeah, I banged- Fuck! “Nope.”
“I don’t think an Apa can reduce libido, man,” he says, half laughing.
Yeah, because I only want to be buried deep in Camila’s pussy. Bare. Skin to skin.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?” he asks, pointing at my pocket. I don’t even realize my phone is already ringing.
“Oh, excuse me, this must be Forrest.” I stand up, fishing out my phone.
It’s an unknown number. I was thinking of Camila. Why would she call you, asshole?
“Yes?”
“Pyke, it’s me, Megan, remember me? Cam’s best friend?”
My eyes slightly widen. I glance at Kyland who’s focus back on the TV screen.
“Megan, yeah, of course. How can I help you?” I whisper enough for her to hear.
“I need your help. I mean, not me, it’s Cam.”
My heart thuds in my chest. “Is she okay?”