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Chapter Twenty-One

Tatum

“So, what happened last night?” I hear Smith ask from the front seat of the Camaro as I pretend to sleep in the back. Emma and Nix invited the whole club over for a barbecue and although I was reluctant to go, I wasn’t given much of a choice since Lincoln’s been a little pissy today. I smirk.

“What are you talking about?” Lincoln asks.

I peek my eye open just enough to see Smith shrug.

“I don’t know. I thought I heard y’all talkin’ last night.”

Lincoln glances in the rearview mirror before sighing and shaking his head. I don’t think he saw me watching him.

“Naw, man. We didn’t talk.”

“You sure? ‘Cause I could have sworn I heard y’all.”

“What the fuck are you trying to get at, Smith?”

Smith starts laughing. “Streak sent the camera feed to my phone, too, dumbass. I watched the whole thing.”

I bite my lip to hold back my giggle as Lincoln growls.

“What the fuck do you mean you watched the whole thing?”

“I mean,” he replies, getting himself under control. “I watched the two of you go at it like rabbits as soon as I went upstairs and I saw her tase your stupid ass before she walked away. That had to hurt like a bitch.”

“I could give you a demonstration so you’d know for sure,” Lincoln snaps and Smith laughs again, holding up his hands.

“Naw, man. I’m good. When are you going to give it up though?”

My heart pounds in my chest as I wait for Lincoln’s response. Last night turned out to be more real than I intended it to be. I wanted to get back at him; I wanted him to know how much he’d hurt me but I never intended to let him see past my defenses. I never once intended to admit that I missed him so much it was hard to function sometimes.

“Never. I’m never going to give up on us.”

Smith sighs, looking out of the passenger window for a second. “I don’t know, brother. Sometimes you’ve just got to cut your losses. There may be too much damage here.”

“I don’t believe that for a second. What I feel with her… I’ve never felt it before and it’s something I won’t feel with anyone else so I’m never giving up on that.”

Oh, hell, why does he have to say things like that?

“She might never forgive you.”

I open my eyes and find Lincoln staring at me in the rearview mirror. “Then I’ll spend every day of the rest of my life trying to win her back because there’s no one else on this earth for me.”

“It’s really too bad you couldn’t figure that out before you ruined us,” I snap, hoping he doesn’t pick up on how half-hearted it is. Truthfully, each day I’m warming up to him more and more. I’m still pissed as hell and nowhere ready to forgive him but I can’t confidently say I’m through with him either. In those few weeks we were together, despite the multitude of lies he told, he also managed to steal my heart and mark me as his and if I walk away now, it will be with an empty chest.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Smith says, smiling at me and I roll my eyes.

“You’re lucky I don’t pluck your eyes out for watching me have sex, Lucas,” I tell him and he has the decency to look embarrassed. He rubs the back of his neck and nods.

“Yeah, sorry about that.”

I shrug. “You should ask Lincoln to describe what it feels like to be tased so you can make a more informed decision next time.”

Lincoln flicks an annoyed glance to the mirror.

“You wouldn’t do that to me,” Smith says with little confidence.