Page 42 of Heartless (Scathing Hearts #1)

Chapter Thirty-Seven—Let’s write about it

Sienna

“Would you like to see our dessert menu?” our server asked me.

“No, thank you. Everything was delicious but very filling,” I replied before turning my grin to Matt seated across from me. “You?”

His gaze hooked onto mine. “Dessert at your place?”

“Good idea.”

He lifted his charming grin to the server. “We’ll take the chocolate fondant and the fig tart to go.”

“Of course.” She came back a few minutes later with a paper bag and the check, which Matt refused to let me share.

Twenty-five minutes later, the car dropped us in front of my building. He took my hand, and we headed to the elevator bank.

Once we’d gotten past my front door, Matt perused the wide room before his smiling gaze returned to mine. “This is a great place.”

While placing my purse on the narrow table of the hallway, the weight of my decision to bring him home after our first date suddenly pressed on my chest, and I smiled to hide my nervousness. “Thank you. I love it.”

He followed me to the kitchen island, and I pointed at the bag hanging from his fingers. “I’ll get some plates for—”

In one swift move, he placed the bag on the counter and wrapped his arm around my waist. I placed my hands on his shoulders, and his gaze heated. For me. Not as a clog of a two decades-long plan to bring down an admittedly asshole of a man. Just me, so I looped my arms around his neck.

His breath mixed with mine, and I shut my eyes. Our lips touched. There were no shivers, no racing heartbeat, and my throat tightened. I pressed closer into the soft kiss, but it wasn’t...

Damn freaking Jake Rhodes. My hands glided down to his waist, and I dropped my forehead on his chest.

Matt curved his hands around my face. “Hey, hey, Sienna. What’s going on?”

I shook my head. “I can’t,” I whispered. “I... I’m sorry, Matt. I can’t.”

He pulled me fully against him, and his tone was gentle. “Breaking up with him didn’t make things simpler, huh?”

During dinner, Matt had asked me rather playfully if my situation had simplified, to which I’d replied with great conviction that my relationship with Jake was over and done.

“Does he know that?” Matt had teased. And again, I’d vehemently confirmed.

After all, that torrid kiss had led to nothing. No text, no showing up at my door. Nothing.

So maybe he’d come to the same conclusion I had. We had no future as a couple. It was for the best. I was going to keep repeating that to myself until my heart got the message. Now, I realized I’d been lying to myself, and inadvertently to Matt.

Matt’s gaze was soft, and my heart pinched further. “I’m so sorry, I thought being away from him would make things less confusing, but—”

“Damn, you’re one of those women who cries pretty.” Still holding me, he smiled. “Want to write about it?”

I gaped at him. “What?”

“Let’s write about it. Me having blue balls. And you navigating your relationship with Mr. Complicated.”

I couldn’t help my chuckle. “Seriously? You want us to... write? Together? Now?”

He pecked my head. “Get me a pen and a notebook and grab your laptop while I take care of drinks and dessert.”

When I kept staring, he grabbed my shoulders and twisted me toward the living room. “Go.”

So, I did.

****

Later. Much later, I peeked at the bottom right corner of the screen. It was twelve past three. Matt and I were settled head to feet on the sofa. I was seated cross-legged, at one end while he’d laid down on his back with his head propped up on a couple of cushions.

He lowered the black, brand-new notebook I’d given him. “I’m hungry.” Uncurling in a seating position, he combed his fingers through his tousled hair. “Do you have bread, eggs, cheese, and bacon? I’m going to make us a sandwich.”

My mouth watered with approval. “Can I have sliced tomatoes in mine?”

“You got it.”

I returned to my keyboard while he busied himself in the kitchen.

A couple of paragraphs later, Matt was back with two plates. “Sustenance, my cutie muse.”

Giggling, I placed my laptop by my hip. After shaking the stiffness off my legs, I set my toes on the rug and lunged for the plate on the coffee table. I took a bite and hummed. Oh my God, that was almost better than sex.

When Matt half-coughed, half-choked, I realized I’d spoken out loud.

He gulped down the last of his wine and wiped the back of his hand on his mouth. “Fuck, Sienna. Give a man some warning next time.”

I winked at him. “Kay.”

He shook his head, and we went back to our sandwiches. After Matt had eaten the leftover desserts, we wrote some more.

It was brilliant. It was safe. I loved every minute of it.

As the silver rays of daylight intruded into the room, I rolled my neck and stretched my arms up slowly. Matt rubbed the pads of his thumb and index finger over his eyelids before checking his wrist.

He jolted up. “Shit. Book signing in six hours.”

Uncurling my legs over the space where his had been, I yawned. “I’m going to bed.”

Matt nodded. “I need some shuteye too. Can I crash here? All I need is a blanket.”

I got on my feet. “You can sleep with me if you want. I mean we can share a bed—”

He scoffed. “We can’t share a bed.”

That made me frown. “Why not? We’re both adults—”

“And I got hard when you said bed.”

Heat crowded my face. “Oh.”

Standing before me, he shook his head. “I could use a spare toothbrush though.”

That I could do. I went to my bedroom to get a blanket and a pillow I placed on the corner of the sofa while he used the ensuite bathroom.

When he came out, I was standing at the foot of the bed. His gaze slid slowly over me.

“Is that his tee?”

“Mm hm.”

“Are you going to talk to him? Clear the air?”

That was good advice, but although I’d told him about Mom, I hadn’t said a word about Nigel’s cloak of darkness coloring this whole mess.

“I will. Soon. It’s just that when he’s close, my brain kind of stops working.”

And all I wanted to do was kiss him. Naked. While he moved inside me.

“Fuck me,” Matt grunted, which made me giggle.

His lips quirked up. “Good night, Sienna.”

“Good night, Matt.”

The door of my bedroom shut behind him, and as soon as my head touched the pillow, I was asleep.

****

An unwelcome light touched my face, and I blinked at Matt’s head peeking between the doorjamb of my bedroom.

When I groaned, he sauntered in. “I’m going to get a quick shower here to save some time before going back to the hotel.”

I pulled my duvet over my head while he walked to the bathroom. I should get up. I really should. But I was so tired. A muffled clang coming from the bathroom spurred me on.

Rolling out of bed, I trudged out of my bedroom and stopped. Both the living room and the kitchen were clean. Matt had even neatly folded the blanket placed on the arm of the sofa. His jeans were thrown over the back of the armchair.

The least I could do was make him coffee. After grabbing his clothes and the bedding, I returned to my bedroom.

“Matt, I’ve put your clothes on my bed,” I said to the shut door.

Then, I set out to use the Bruvi coffee machine Camila and Bianca had given me as a housewarming present.

As I reached in the cupboard for a mug, a deafening knock on the front door made me jump, and I hurried to the hallway.

Through the peephole, Jake’s head was slightly bent down.

I opened the door and stared at him. His hair was disheveled as if his fingers had raked through it several times, but it was his haunted gaze that had my heart skipping a beat.

I instinctively moved closer. “Jake, what’s wrong?”

When he kicked the front door closed and cupped my face, I hooked my hands around his shoulders.

He touched his forehead to mine. “Sienna baby, I—”

“Cutie. Have to run, my agent’s going—”

Matt, coming out of the bedroom while pulling his sweater down to his waist, stopped abruptly. The next second, Jake’s hands dropped to his sides.

In an oppressive silence, Matt cleared his throat. His gait was slow as he walked farther into the living room. He picked up his jacket from the back of the sofa and slid his feet in his shoes.

“You fucked him?” Jake yelled.

He hadn’t yelled. In fact, the words had been between a hiss and a snarl, but it had slapped my brain. Standing between the two men, I whipped my eyes at Jake, and there was so much fury in the hard lines of his face that I stepped back.

Matt started toward me and Jake with a scowl. “Dude, don’t talk to her—”

Jake’s body lurched forth. “I’m not your fucking dude—”

I wedged myself between them. Matt’s cell rang, breaking through the overflow of testosterone-charged aggression clogging the room.

After he’d answered the call, he shifted closer, and I touched his arm. “Go, Matt.”

He glanced at Jake before cupping my cheek, which earned him a grunt from Jake. “I can stay, my—”

I pecked his cheek. “I’ll be fine. Go. I’ll call you later.”

After I’d locked the door behind him, I turned to face Jake. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

****

Jake

When the neurologist had told me my father was dying, Sienna had been the only person I’d thought of. The only one I’d needed. Here she was in my tee that bared most of her long legs. Her hair was a curly mess, and her lids were heavy with the same look she had after I’d fucked her all night.

She’d fucked the poseur in my fucking tee. And I still fucking craved her.

Her voice softened. “Jake, what happ—?”

“That’s why you needed space for? Fucking other guys? You were mine!”

Her brows furrowed, and her head twitched back. “I’m no one’s. Not yours and not Nigel’s. And you have no right to barge in here and—”

Anger throbbed in my temples, and I towered over her. “I thought you were different. You were pure and—”

Her face flushed and her voice pitched low. “Will you stop with the purity thing? I wasn’t pure, Jake. I just hadn’t had sex.”

A red haze of rage burst through my head. “And now that you had a taste of cock, you’re just like the others. A Morrison whore.”

Her head jerked back, and her eyes took over her face.. Fuck her for looking like that after she’d fucking betrayed me.

She stepped forward with a little growl, and her face flushed. “I like sex. That doesn’t make me a whore, you freaking dense neanderthal.”

“You—”

“You’re not the only good lover in the world, and you’re definitely not the only man who wants me.” The hem of my tee flapped over her thighs under the force of her breath. “If that’s all you came here to say, please leave.”

“The day Morrison dies, I want you out of here. The fucking same day.”

“Screw you, Jake. I’ll move when—”

“I own the building. And I want you out of my fucking sight.”

She sucked in a sharp breath and rolled her shoulders back. “Fine.” Marching to the front door, she opened it. “Until then, out.”

Back in my truck, my cell rang with Sile’s call.

“Is he dead?”

“No. He’s hanging on. Is Sienna with you?”

My fists clenched around the wheel. “The little bitch is fucking the poet. When the fucker dies, she’s out. If she wants to whore around, she can do it somewhere else.”

Sile’s voice hardened. “Brother, I know you’re hurting, but don’t go there. Not with her. Never with her.”

“My father’s dying, and she’s fucking someone else. She’s out.”

I beeped off the call.

****

Seated on my father’s bed with his lifeless hand in mine, I watched him. The doctor had removed his breathing tube. He was gone. I sensed movement behind me before Cam touched my shoulder.

“Jake, sweetheart, let’s go have something to eat.”

Leslie Nuys came into my line of sight. “Jake, I’ve started the funeral arrangement we’ve discussed. If you wish to make any changes—”

“No changes. Thanks, Leslie.” I stood beside Cam. “Cam, let’s go.”

While we moved toward the door, the doctor called my name. “I’m sorry for your loss. If there’s anything I can do—”

“Thanks for taking care of him.”

“You’re welcome."

I strode away followed by Cam. In the parking lot, Sile had his back against the side of his truck parked beside mine.

Standing in front of my truck, Cam touched my arm. “Where’s Sienna? I thought you were going to bring her back with you.”

“I’m done with her.”

Her head jerked back. “What happened?”

“I don’t want her here.”

Cam’s frowning gaze slid to Sile’s. “What have you done now?” When Sile shook his head, she sighed. “I’m going to ride with Jake.”

My friends meant well, but their pussyfooting around me was starting to piss me off, and I didn’t have time for this shit.

“I’m good Cam. I don’t need babysitting.”

Narrowing her eyes on me, she said, “I know that because you’re not a damn baby. You’re my friend who’s grieving his father. So, I’m riding with you, and you can keep on pretending it doesn’t affect you.”

“My father died the day my mother did. And the man in that bed has been a breathing corpse for five fucking years.”

When she gasped, I softened my tone. “Bianc’s flight’s landing tomorrow. I texted her but if she calls you, you tell her not to text or call Sienna.”

She nodded, and I turned to Sile, who raised his palm. “Crystal, brother.”