Page 4 of Tryst

REALIZATION

“Maddie!” I hurled the football toward my best friend.

It wobbled in the air just as I let go and got grabbed from behind. Maddie’s platinum blonde hair bounced as she squealed, jumping to catch it at the last second before it knocked over our drinks on top of the blue and white cooler. Aiden pulled me down to the sand. Giggling, I flipped myself over, straddling his lap. I wiggled my eyebrows at him.

He and I had dated on and off but were only friends. Visually, he was perfect with an athletic build. He’d played sports throughout school and currently soccer at his college in upstate New York, but he still wasn’t my type. Besides our close ages, I didn’t like guys with light hairorlighter eyes.

Apart from that, he was a huge playboy. I wasn’t sure I could ever trust him. He made a great friend. I just didn’t think he’d make a great boyfriend. He’d slept with every popular girl in high school and bragged aboutall the pussyhe was now getting at college. We hooked up whenever we were home, but that’s all it would ever be.

A smirk twisted onto his lips. He gripped my arms, holding tightly as he pressed himself against my mound. “Don’t you want to wait until we’re somewhere private, at least?”

Laughing, I fell forward, pressing my lips to his. “Shut up.” I snatched my hands back, running my fingers through my hair as I playfully moved my hips in a circle on his growing dick.

“You better stop that.” He snorted, pushing me back.

I moved off him, still snickering as I stood. Dusting the gritty sand off my legs, I rolled my eyes, then jogged over to the cooler, taking my beverage off one of the cup holders on the lid. Maddie was staring at me, a smile smeared on her face.

“What?”

She shook her head. “Summer is gonna suck without you, but I’ll be getting a job too.”

“I might be able to hang out some, but you know how my dad is.”

She clasped her hands together, blushing. “Maybe you can talk him into letting me come over and use the pool?”

“Oh my God, stop!” I giggled, extending my middle finger.

“What are you guys talking about?” Maddie’s twin brother, Isaac, stepped over. He picked his beer up, taking a big swig.

“Eliza’s DILF daddd,” Maddie sang.

Isaac lowered the Koozie-wrapped can. His lip curled up, and he snatched his sunglasses off, revealing his ice-blue eyes. “You guys are weird.”

“And you,” Aiden stepped over, grabbing the disguised can from Isaac, “are going to get us in trouble for drinking on the beach.” He smirked at me. “And we all know this little sultry devil over here has to be good or her daddy’s going to lock her away from me for all eternity.” Draping his arm around me, he drew me tight into his side. “And then I won’t be able to—”

“Okay, okay.” I twirled out of his embrace. “Can we just not talk about us?” I pivoted to Maddie. “Or your infatuation with my dad, and just have fun?” I chortled. “This is my last day of freedom before I’m sentenced to my dad’s office, and I really just want to pretend it’s not happening.”

A grin grew on Maddie’s lips. “I wouldn’t mind being sentenced to his offi—” Her eyes grew enormous as she and Isaac stared through me.

“Stop!” I got ready to throw my cup at her before it registered in my brain that someone was behind me. I spun around, coming face to face with a police officer.

“What are you kids drinkin’?” The officer trod over to the cooler, plucking up one of the water bottles. He twisted it open, sniffing it.

His partner stood close by, arms crossed, eying us. “You’re not supposed to be consuming alcohol out here and I need to see ID.”

Damnit. I sighed to myself. We were all screwed. However,mylife was now over. Not only had I been drinking on the beach, which was illegal, but I wasn’t quite twenty-one. I wanted to bury my head in the sand.

Nothing the police officers were saying made any sense. My vision was tunneling. I was freaking out, planning what to say to my already disappointed father when he picked me up from jail. Aiden snaked his arm around me, holding me close.

“I’ll handle this, Mikey.” A deep, Long Island mixed with a subtle Italian accent beckoned my eyes.

Maddie and Isaac were gawking behind Aiden and me once again. Maddie’s nervous gape turned to terror. Isaac gulped with his gaze growing wider with each passing second.

My feet sank into the sand, and my mouth fell agape. “Oh my God!”

Vincenzo Falzone, my first crush and the reason I started liking older men. He was my father’s closest friend and client.I didn’t even know he was out of prison. I hadn’t seen him since I was around sixteen.Why was he here?He took his hands from his pockets, crossing his arms over his chest. His black button-down shirt tightened against his flexed muscles as he slowly inspected Aiden with hatred in his eyes.

Instantly, my throat went dry as I studied Vincenzo’s naturally bronzed, tattooed forearms stretching out from his rolled-up sleeves. Aiden withdrew his hand from my waist. Vincenzo tore his glare away, making brief eye contact with me before forcing his attention back on the cops.

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