Page 24 of The Tempted

“Yeah, we went out for a few drinks.”

“Did you learn anything?” he asked eye on the road ahead of him. He was like a goddamn statue.

Were these people kidding me? They made it like they were training me to be a soldier fighting in a cold war.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I suppose so. We weren’t there very long before Nikki wanted to leave.”

“Nikki wanted to leave?” he let it stir for a moment. “That’s unusual.”

“She seemed tired of it all,” I said, remembering that she had been upset with the drug scene. “There were a lot of drugs in there.”

He gripped the steering wheel tightly while stealing a quick glance in my direction. “Anyone approach either of you?”

I didn’t even know what he meant by that. “Excuse me?”

“Did someone approach you to buy?” he asked sounding impatient.

“No,” I shook my head. “Nikki went to the bathroom and ran into some girl who was ripping lines. She asked Nikki if she wanted any but we left after that,” I paused, watching as his grip tightened even more. “She was upset when we left. She asked me if I was into drugs and claimed that she was dead against the whole drug thing because of what happened between you and Adrianna.”

“She told you?”

He almost came to a complete stop which was fucking scary as shit since we were on the Garden State Parkway. The cars behind us sounded their horns. We were going to fucking crash all because I mentioned Adrianna. This day was shaping up to be a nightmare. First, I have an emotional meltdown and now I was going to crash talk about walking in my parent’s footsteps.

“Jesus Christ! No, she didn’t tell me. Ant either pull the fucking car over or drive the damn thing!” I shouted. A Mack truck honked its horn as it passed us the trucker shouting obscenities out his window as he drove alongside us. Anthony slowly veered the car onto the shoulder.

He climbed out of the car slamming the door behind him before punching the roof of the car. Talk about a loose cannon that man needed a fucking leash or something. I rolled my eyes. Against my better judgment, I followed him out of the car. I should’ve let the animal throw a tantrum on the side of the road. I could’ve made a video and that shit would’ve gone viral, but instead, my curiosity got the best of me and I decided it was now or never. If I wanted to know, what the hell had gone on between him and A now was the time to do it.

“Mind cluing me in on why I was almost road kill?” I asked nonchalantly as I leaned against the car.

“No,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Well, that’s too fucking bad because I’m not getting back in that car with you until you start talking,” he raised an eyebrow, looking at me. He was probably going to leave my ass on the side of the road.

“It’s none of your business,” he growled.

“No, I suppose it’s not but be a friend I lost my shit in the shooting range and could use a distraction,” I said granting him a hopeful glance.

“I don’t give a fuck what she told you anyway,” he said getting in my face.

I raised a single eyebrow as I stared into his cold eyes. “Getting pretty bent out of shape for someone who doesn’t give a fuck.”

“You looking to get your teeth knocked out Mike?” he spat through clenched teeth. His fists curled at his sides.

“It would give me an excuse to get those veneer’s I’ve been wanting,” I rolled my eyes and pushed against his bulky chest. He didn’t budge. I kicked off the car and used both my hands to this time. I don’t know if he just gave up or if I actually succeeded in moving the beast. I was going to go with the latter I could use the boost of confidence. I wiped my hands on my jeans before crossing my arms against my chest and showing Anthony who was the boss. Or the boss in training. I was hightailing it to the nearest liquor store if I ever made it home.

Anthony bent his head, releasing an exasperated breath. I watched him carefully his shoulders slumped in defeat as if he was surrendering in a war. He lifted his head slightly to meet my cautious stare.

“There was a time when you and I would tell each other everything,” I tread lightly gauging his reaction. He didn’t appear so vicious anymore. “I’m pretty sure I told you the first time I rubbed one out.”

“Mike…,” he shook his head. “Let’s not go there, yeah?”

“The point is we aren’t strangers Ant. I used to be your best friend. It wasn’t my choice to end our friendship. My old man died and well, I was fucked, I’m still fucked. Probably even more now than ever before, but I’m here now,” he just stared at me blankly. I don’t know what I was expecting, but maybe a nod something just to let me know I wasn’t standing on the side of a highway trying to be a good friend for no fucking reason.

“I was there. I watched as you and A danced around one another for years and while we were real young, I was still able to see that there was something between the two of you. I thought we were too young for that shit, but I knew it was inevitable. I even wondered if I would be a third wheel when it happened,” I paused watching as he swallowed. His eyes drifted towards the highway, but he didn’t look like he was going to shoot me so I continued, “I would think about you guys every now and then. For fuck’s sake, I remember you telling me you had taken her virginity,” he shoved his hands into his pocket, his head miles away as I spoke. It was as if my words were bringing him back to a different place and time. “You were so fucking scared that Victor was going to find out,” I held back my chuckle reminiscing of a time when he dragged me all over Brooklyn trying to buy a bulletproof vest with the money he had won in a game of C-low.

“Anyhow, I come back and I’m completely dumb fucked because I would’ve sworn on my old man that you two would’ve been married with a kid or two but instead you look like you hate one another.”

Anthony turned his gaze to me abruptly. “I don’t hate her. I could never hate her that woman owns me,” he combed his fingers through his hair roughly.

“What happened to the two of you?” I asked, feeling sorry for him. It was so evident that he loved her still, his love burning in his somber eyes.

“I fucked up Mike,” he shook his head. “When you have everything, you have everything to lose and that’s exactly what I did. I lost everything because I was a greedy fuck. I had the most beautiful, fun loving girl who looked at me as if I was the answer to all her dreams and all I gave a fuck about was climbing the ladder of power,” he laughed bitterly at himself. “I like to blame Vic but the truth is it was all my fault,” he patted my shoulder. “It’s a long story man, but you’re right, we probably would’ve been married and Luca would’ve been mine,” he closed his eyes for a moment before sighing heavily. “Thanks for being a friend.”

I didn’t push him anymore feeling guilty that I had ripped open his wounds, allowing all the pain he harbored to break free. There was something missing and something inside me told me that whatever it was ran deep that this missing piece of the puzzle was the main artery that all the valves connected to.

He stepped around me climbing into the driver’s seat of his truck. I followed his lead making myself comfortable in the passenger seat securing my seatbelt in case we had any other emotional breakdowns and prayed for this day to end.

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