Rita finished pouring everyone's second shot and looked at each of us with a sneaky half-grin. "If you had one night...with any man...no strings attached, no complications...who would it be?" She looked at me pointedly. "And you can't pick your own boyfriend."
She looked at each of us while Kate and Jenny started giggling again. Thinking of my answer, even though I really didn't want to, I started blushing. Rita sighed. "Okay, well it's an easy one for me...Kellan." She sighed dreamily while I paled. "God, I'd do that boy again in a heartbeat..."
Kate giggled and then gave me an odd look. I wondered for a split-second if she suspected what Jenny had suspected, and paled even more. She daintily shook her head and shrugged. "Kellan...definitely."
She and Rita shared a knowing glance and turned to stare at me, waiting for my answer. My throat went dry and I felt ill. I tried to think of someone else, anyone else...someone innocuous, but my mind went completely blank, and only one name was shouting through my head. And it was the one name I dared not utter...not here.
Jenny popped up beside me. "Denny," she said cheerily.
Kate and Rita both turned to stare at her, then at me, and then back to her, like she had just committed the act she had spoken of. I could have kissed her. With one simple word, she had shifted all of the focus off of me and my stupid answer, which, was of course also Kellan. They were still staring at her in disbelief, well, Kate's look was disbelief, Rita looked more amused and possibly impressed, while I forced a fake frown.
"Cheers," Jenny said in her still bubbly voice and we all did our second shot, everyone forgetting that I never actually answered Rita's stupid question. "Ready to go, Kiera," she asked calmly.
"Yeah," I said in a displeased voice, even though I wanted to hug her.
Rita laughed, while Kate gave me a quick consolatory hug. Out the door and out of earshot, I thanked Jenny profusely.
I came downstairs a few heartbeats before Denny the next morning. Our house had been quiet last night, apparently once a day was enough for Kellan. Well, at least he had his limits. The quiet hadn't helped the hurt in my heart though. I frowned when I saw him sitting at the table with an elbow propped on it and his fingers tangled in his hair. He was staring at the table, looking deep in thought. He glanced over at me when he noticed my entrance, and opened his mouth like he was going to say something. He immediately shut his mouth when Denny followed me a few seconds later.
His latest hurtful comment stung my brain and, feeling a little snotty, I turned to face Denny. "I know you're dressed already..." I ran a hand down his dress shirt and rested my fingers on his belt, "but, do you want to run up and take a shower?" I angled my face so that Kellan could see me raise my eyebrows suggestively and bite my lip.
I flicked a glance at Kellan while Denny chuckled, he didn't look happy, as he concentrated a little too hard on the tabletop. Good.
Denny kissed me softly. "I wish I could, babe, but I can't be late today. Max is on a rampage with the holiday coming."
"Oh." I over exaggerated my disappointment. "It could be a quick shower?" I bit my lip again and flicked another glance at Kellan. His jaw clenched and I resisted the urge to smile.
Denny grinned wider. "I really can't. Tonight though, okay?" He whispered that last part, but I was completely sure Kellan heard him.
I kissed him deeply, running my hands over every inch of his body. Denny seemed a little surprised at my enthusiasm, but kissed me back eagerly. I watched Kellan from the corner of my eye as we kissed. He stood and not looking at me, sniffed once and stalked into the living room. I pulled away from Denny, smiling warmly at him as I heard Kellan's door close...rather loudly. Inwardly, my smile was vindictive. Two could play at this game.
Chapter 19
You're Mine
The Thanksgiving holiday came and went, with Denny making a truly fabulous meal and Kellan ducking out with a, "Have a nice dinner," not even bothering to join us for it. We didn't see him again for the rest of the evening. Denny had made a small turkey for us, with some glaze he saw on a cooking show, cranberry stuffing, and mashed potatoes. I made the salad...which was all he would let me help with. I sat on the counter and kept him company throughout the day while he cooked though. He smiled a lot and kissed me a lot, and seemed genuinely happy. I tried to match his good spirits. I tried to not worry about where Kellan had taken off to...and who he might possibly be with.
While Denny cleaned up after dinner (really, how great of a boyfriend was he?), I called my family, wishing them lots of love...and avoiding any direct conversation with my sister, I still couldn't deal with that yet. I knew it was ridiculous, and eventually I would have to speak to her again, but not now, when things were so odd between Kellan and me. My parents wanted to know if I was coming up for Christmas. They had already bought our tickets (hint, hint) and had my room all ready for the both of us. That surprised me a lot. They had never let us both stay under their roof before, they must really miss me. With a heavy heart, I told them that Denny wanted me to go home with him, and I hadn't decided yet. And knowing Denny, he had probably already bought those tickets as well...just in case.
They were clearly upset at hearing that, and although the conversation drifted to other things, I knew what they would all be discussing over the next several days. It hurt my heart as I hung up the phone with them. I hadn't answered Denny either on what I wanted to do, and he had asked me again on several occasions. I still didn't know. I didn't know which path to choose, who to hurt...I hated these kinds of decisions. There was no winning, someone would be hurt, either my parents or Denny. And then Kellan...although his latest cruelty towards me was sure making the thought of leaving him easier, that still hurt my heart too.
My irritation towards him was escalating just as surely as our flirting had been escalating none too long ago. Just a few weeks ago, Kellan and I had been nearly inseparable, but now, he was "inseparable" with nearly half of Seattle...and Candy. She had taken me up on my stupid suggestion, and shortly after Thanksgiving she showed up at Pete's. Recognizing her, and throwing me a look that clearly said, 'I know you recognize her too', they were attached at the hip all evening. And by all evening...I mean allllll evening. I had to listen to her "appreciation" of Kellan's talent over and over through our agonizingly thin walls.
Her smug look, when I ran into her in the halls Monday morning, was what finally broke me, I think. That one look screamed at me, 'I just took what I know you secretly want - and I loved every damn second of it'.
I was done. That very evening, I finally snapped.
Pete, and I'm assuming either Griffin or Kellan had a hand in this, had decided to make Monday night ladies' night, with $2 shots 'til midnight. As a result, the bar was jam-packed full of college-age women, getting drunker by the minute. The band was there, of course, and having a wondrous time with their expanded, inebriated, harem.
Kellan was being...blatant. Some pixie haired harlot was nestled provocatively in his lap, sucking on his neck. He was immensely enjoying it, stroking her thigh. None of the other guys paid them any attention; they all had women of their own. She pointed suggestively to the backroom. He smiled and shook his head at her. Well, of course not. Why would he want the hussy now, when he could take her home and march her upstairs later, driving me crazy, all night long? The thought incensed me. Why did this bother me so much?
I was angrily scrubbing a clean table, when I noticed him walking by me. Too late, the words slipped out. "Wanna try keeping it in your pants, Kyle."
He had walked a few steps past me, before what I had just stupidly said registered in his mind. He turned around, his eyes suddenly intensely angry. "That's rich." He laughed once, rather haughtily, I thought.
"What," I said flatly.
He walked over to where I was standing at the empty table and leaned in close, pressing his body against mine. He grabbed my arm and pulled me tight against him. My heart sped at his touch. It had been a long time since he had actually touched me, and the unexpectedness caught my breath.
He leaned even closer, to whisper angrily in my ear. "Is the woman with the live-in boyfriend, that I've had sex with on not less than two occasions, really lecturing me on abstinence?"
My face heated in anger. I glared daggers at him and tried to pull away, but he held my arm firmly and the table behind me allowed no escape. His sudden anger not quite finished, he put his lips directly on my ear. "If you actually marry him, will I still get to fuck you?"
The following incident became known as, 'The slap heard around the bar'.
Acting on its own, my hand came around and smacked his face shockingly hard, ten times harder than I had ever hit him. He staggered back slightly and inhaled a sharp breath. Red marks appeared on his skin instantly where my hand had connected with him. He looked completely stunned.
"You stupid, son of a bitch!" I yelled at him, momentarily forgetting that we were in a jam-packed bar full of witnesses.
Despite how badly my hand was stinging, it felt good to release my long pent-up frustrations. I brought my hand around for another hit, but he caught my wrist in his hand and twisted it painfully. His eyes snapped to mine and were filled with an anger to match my own. I struggled in his painful, tight grasp, desperate to hit him again...wanting so much to hurt him.
"What the hell, Kiera? What the fucking hell!" he yelled back.
He grabbed my other hand so I couldn't hit him, so I made a move with my knee, hoping to drop him. He saw it coming though and shoved me to the side, away from him. My hand throbbed as blood finally rushed back into it. My pent up anger beyond reasoning, I immediately sprang back and leapt at him again. A strong set of arms around my waist held me back and, irritated and confused, I struggled against them.
"Calm down, Kiera." Evan's gentle voice broke through my fog of anger.
He was holding me from behind and pulling me away from Kellan. Sam had his hand on Kellan's chest. Kellan was seething in anger, glaring viciously at me. Matt and Griffin had moved behind Kellan. Matt looked concerned, Griffin looked wildly amused. Jenny was in-between Kellan and me, both arms outstretched like somehow her tiny body could keep us apart if we were going to attack each other again. Aside from Griffin's chuckling, the entire bar was deathly quiet, watching us fight. Sam looked unsure what to do. Normally he would just kick the troublemakers out, but we both kind of worked here...and were friends.
Eventually, it was Jenny who, looking around at the bar full of bystanders, grabbed Kellan's hand and then mine. Furrowing her brow and not directly looking at either of us, she muttered, "Come on," and drug us to the backroom. Kellan and I studiously ignored each other, and the mass of people, as we allowed Jenny to pull us along. I noticed Evan nod his head at Matt, who nodded back, and forcibly made a very disgruntled Griffin stay where he was, then Evan followed closely behind us.
Once in the hallway, Evan passed our unhappy trio and opened the door to the backroom to usher us all inside. Taking a final look up and down the hallway, he closed the door behind us and stood in front of it, keeping us in the room and also keeping any curious bar patrons out. He crossed his tattooed arms across his chest as he barred the door, with the still broken lock, and a pair of flames lined up perfectly on his forearms. My mood matched those flames.
"Okay," Jenny said, releasing our hands. "What's up?"
"She-"
"He-"
Kellan and I both started speaking at the same time and Jenny, still standing between us, held up her hands. "One at a time."
"We don't need a mediator, Jenny," Kellan snapped, turning his glare to her.
Not intimidated by his fierce look, she calmly said, "No? Well, I think you do." She pointed back to the bar. "Half the people in there think you do." She eyed him up and down warily. "I happen to know a thing or two about your fights. I'm not leaving you alone with her."
Kellan gaped at her, then looked over her shoulder to glare at me. "You told her...she knows?" I shrugged and cast a glance at Evan. He still looked confused, and concerned. "Everything?" Kellan asked, still stunned.