Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
“Excuse me, Tyra, are you okay?” The dude comes up behind her. My fingers flex along the curve of her lower back, digging in. A slight whimper leaves her before she clears her throat to respond.
“Yes, give me just a few moments, Brian, and I’ll meet you back at the bar.” I don’t allow her to turn around, making it awkward with how she acknowledges him. I don’t say a word. If I do, I know myself, it won’t end on a nice note.
“You’re sure?” Brian asks again.
“I am.” The nod and small smile must work because he gives me a sardonic look yet does what Tyra suggests, proving he’s not worth the time of day.
“Come with me.” I bend down, my lips whispering into the shell of her ear, pushing my luck because she may be putty beneath my hands, but I know Tyra; she’s not going down without a fight.
“Please release me. If this is about Von, lead the way. If not, it’s time for me to get back to Brian.” My own mother set her up on a date with Brian the accountant. He’s never been married, has no children, and while he looks good on paper, my father’s words come full circle—he’s not an Ayala, and he’ll never be good enough for his daughter-in-law.
“It’s not about Von. It’s about us,” I reply. My teeth nip at the lobe of her ear, pressing my luck further.
“There’s no us, Mace. There hasn’t been for a year.” The slight tremble of her body gives her away. She’s not as immune to me as she’d like to pretend to be.
“Eleven months, nineteen days, and eight hours,” I amend. Her eyes catch mine as I remove my mouth from the woman I’m hoping sees that I’m trying to make things right.
“I can’t do this, not right now, maybe not ever.” She shakes her head, and this time when she takes a step back, I allow it. I figured this would be a long shot; that doesn’t mean a seed hasn’t been planted, one that I know she wanted more than a year ago.
“One more night, Tyra, that’s all I’m asking.” The hesitation is no longer there, a victory I’m going to take as a win, even if it means getting on my knees to make things right between us.
FIVE
Tyra
Where was this man standing before me a year ago? No, excuse me, eleven months, eighteen days, and whatever hours he spouted off? My hand touches my mouth, trying to understand where Mace is coming from. I mean, literally months ago, he texted me, begging to help him with Von when he was sick. Then Mace got sick, and it was me nursing my ex-husband back to health when it should have been anybody but me. I’m a sucker, though, and never could say no to the devilishly handsome man before, until tonight.
“Mace, I gave you so many tries. I begged you not to buy that monstrosity of a house, to cut back on hours at work, to be a husband and a father. You didn’t choose us; you chose money. Making partner was more important than your family. I can’t and won’t put myself back in that situation again.” Mace has no idea what he’s doing to me. This is nothing like before; he’s ripping open a wound I swore was slowly closing, and while I would love nothing more for the man in front of me to be true to his word, I’m not sure I trust it.
“One night, siren.” Son of a bitch. I haven’t heard Mace use that term of endearment in so long, it has my breath hitching, and I’m ashamed to say what it does to that place between my legs. I’m weak for my ex-husband. I shouldn’t be, and yet here I am, already conjuring up an excuse to Brian, ready and willing to take Mace’s hand even though I’m jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.
“This isn’t a good idea. You know this as well as I do.” I try to make him see the light of day on what’s only going to turn into an epic disaster. We’re cordial with each other. Okay, we’re more than cordial. We do everything we can together for Von as long as Mace isn’t working. Birthday celebrations, holidays, school functions, we sit together and make it work, for Von. Christmas was the hardest. The first of everything truly is, but Christmas, when we had a family tradition and Mace didn’t wake up with next to me in bed, it took everything I had to finish my crying jag and make myself presentable to open the door so he could be there when Von opened presents.
“I’m not giving up. Did that already. Lose the loser and come with me. If what I have to say by the end of the night isn’t enough to make you believe in me, I’ll let you go.” My biggest fear could possibly come true, Mace letting me go, our so-called friendship deteriorating. I could really use Celeste’s opinion right about now. Too bad I can’t be like ‘Hold this thought,’ sneak away, have a meltdown, call my best friend, get her advice, and then come back being the kick-ass independent I usually am. “Please, siren.” Right in the fucking feels is where Mace hits me with that plea.