Page 56 of Dash

“Jake and Blake?” I mumble to myself, but he hears me.

He laughs once again. “Our parents weren’t all that creative.”

“I didn’t know he had a big brother,” I say truthfully. He goes to speak, but I beat him to it. “I’m seriously not in the best of moods. I really just need to be alone right now.” Before he can respond, I get up and walk away from him. I make my way to the front doors, wanting some fresh air, but see my father and Dash standing on the other side of them. Dash’s hands fly around in the air as he speaks quickly, and my father hangs his head as if he’s trying to calm his anger.

I spin around and walk away quickly, not wanting them to see me. I don’t want to explain things to Dash. The wounds he has caused me hurt more than the cuts on my face that required stitches.

I walk until I find a quiet hallway. A bench sits up against the far wall. I plop down on it and place my head in my hands. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Do you ever think back and regret every decision you have ever made? Do you regret the person that you allowed yourself to fall in love with? I regret that I ever allowed myself to feel anything for Rodger. He wasn’t the right kind of guy for me. I also regret that I ever got in bed with Dash. He is not the type of guy who settles down. Hell, he kissed Valerie, and then twenty minutes later, he told me that he loved me. Who does that? A man who doesn’t know what he wants, that’s who. A man who is keeping his options open.

“Tabatha.”

My head shoots up, and I stand quickly when I hear my name called by the last man that I want to see. Rodger’s father stands before me in his perfect black suit and red tie. Just looking at him, you can tell he’s wealthy. From the smell of his expensive aftershave and the way his dark eyes stare at you. They always unnerved me. It’s like they are looking into your soul. As if they are trying to suck the life out of you. It’s sad, really; if you were to just see him passing on the streets, then you would think that he is good looking. His square jaw is mouthwatering and intimidating at the same time.

“What are you doing here?” My words come out in a rush, and he smiles at me, as if he can hear the concern in my voice. I straighten my shoulders and take in a deep breath and the smile drops off his face. He hates when women show any kind of power. Or any kind of happiness, for that matter.

He places his hands in the front pockets of his black dress pants, and it causes his chest to bow out even more. “I came to bond my son out of jail.” If he’s angry with Rodger, his voice doesn’t show it. Rodger had woken in the hospital and only had minor injuries. He was taken in, but obviously, he won’t be staying long.

“And what? You want to me apologize?” I say placing a hand on my hip.

“I…”

“You’re wasting your breath with me.” I interrupt him, and his eyes narrow on me. No woman interrupts him. “I won’t give him shit.” By the time I finish saying those five words, I’m breathing heavy. My heart is racing, and my hands are sweaty.

“Are you finished?” his deep voice demands. I just nod. I’ve already said too much. “I was going to tell you that you will not have to worry about Rodger anymore.”

“I won’t?” I ask with surprise.

“No. He has embarrassed me and our family enough over something that’s not worth his time.” He wrinkles his nose as he looks me up and down. I know I look like a mess. I have yet to shower. I probably still smell like the club along with the sweaty men I danced with and then my fighting with Rodger. I look absolutely awful and feel just as bad.

“Not worth his time?” I ask taking a step toward him. He makes no move but looks down at me as if I’m a bug he wants to smash under his shiny black shoes. “Maybe he’s not worth my time. Maybe if he would have left me alone like I told him to do, then he wouldn’t have been arrested,” I shoot back, finding my anger. I lift my right hand and shove my finger into his chest. “You treat that man as if he can walk all over women. And I assure you that I’m not the one for him to fuck with.”

Once I realize what I just did, my body wants to cower to him. To take a step back and crawl under the bench I was sitting on, but I don’t. I stand tall. I’m tired of men making me want to be someone who I’m not. My father raised me to be a powerful woman and to know right from wrong. And what the men in his family do is wrong.

He stands tall with his hands still in his pants pocket. His eyes fall from mine and they look down my exposed legs that this short dress puts on show. Then his eyes lift up to my messy hair. I have the urgency to run. I hate the way he looks at women. As if he’s waiting for them to serve him dinner and then lie flat on their backs waiting for him to service them.

“It’s a shame, really,” he says with a sigh. “My son had no idea what he had.” He pulls his left hand out of his pocket and reaches up grabbing a lock of my hair. I hold my breath in true fear. He leans down and whispers into my ear, “I could break you. Easily. The confidence that you think you have is nothing but your fear. But I’m in no mood to do my son’s dirty work.” He pulls back, and I stare at him with big eyes. “My son is arrogant and immature. But he will learn. I was right when I told him to walk away from you. That you would destroy him. You were a good learning experience for him, and I appreciate that.” He actually gives me a smile. “I give you my word. You will not have to worry about him ever again.”

“Your word?” I breathe. “Why should I trust your word?”

His smile widens. “Because my word is the truth.”

Arrogant son of a bitch. He then turns around and walks away. Just like that.

I fall on my bench once again and close my eyes as I fist my sweaty hands in my lap. Although that man scares me, I know that what he just said is true. I will never have to worry about Rodger again. That’s one problem dealt with. But I still have Dash…

I hear a pair of shoes coming down the hall this time, and I open my eyes to see the devil himself as he comes to stand in front of me. He looks as bad as I do. And I hate how much it makes me feel for him. His long, shaggy hair is messy and standing every which way. His gray eyes are red and puffy. His beautiful lips are frowning. He actually looks sad. As if he regrets something. As if he made a mistake. Well, get in line, buddy. He might regret kissing Valerie, but I regret ever sleeping with him. I regret that he made me fall for him. I regret that I wasn’t strong enough to walk away when I saw him in my father’s house the morning after I slept with him. He was a stranger.

His face starts to harden, and his gray eyes narrow as they search my face. He looks at me as if he just realizes what my night has consisted of. A physical fight with Rodger. Whereas, I’m sure he got drunk and laid.

I actually throw my head back and laugh out loud. I laugh so hard my body shakes, and it feels good. I lift my head and look up at him as he stares at me with those beautiful gray eyes. They look hard as I watch his eyes follow the line of the stitches that are on my face once again.

I throw my hand up as I continue to laugh. He frowns when I snort, and it makes me laugh even harder. “Sorry…” I try to calm my laughter; it makes my aching body hurt, but it feels so good to laugh. “But this is just too funny.”

“Your ex-boyfriend beating the shit out of you is funny?” he questions. “I don’t see how that can be funny.”

My laughter dies immediately. Instead of standing, I lean back against the bench and cross one leg over the other. His eyes quickly scan my bare legs, and I feel my body heat start to rise. No! Don’t go there, Tabatha. You regret ever sleeping with him, remember? “No, the fact that you keep showing up is what I think is funny. The fact that you think I wanna talk to you is funny.” Oh, good one. Make him buy it.

“You wanna talk about funny?” he asks raising his voice. “I have woken up to you running away. Not only once, but twice. What the hell is your problem?” I take a deep breath that makes my chest rise. Is he really gonna do this? “And why was Rodger there after I happen to leave?” Oh, he’s going all the way. “Huh? Did you call him to tell him how bad I hurt you?” My mouth drops open. “Did you ask him to come over and kiss your wounds?” he shouts.

---