Page 86 of A Dark Duet

“I’m following you,” Jaden says. My head turns to look at the Zenvo, idling.

Giving him a smirk, I say, “You were always a flashy guy. I guess some things never change. Are you sure you can keep up with that overpriced waste of money?” The guys chuckle.

“Are you sure you can handle that big bike?” he quips.

Licking my lips slowly, his eyes follow the movement. Admiring him in the well-lit garage compared to the darkness of the club, his black hoodie does little to hide the fact that his arms are massive. In the back room of the club, I noticed his body, chiseled to perfection. The reminder of the kiss we shared was not a dream as the scent of his expensive cologne is still on my skin. If he was good-looking before, now the man is pure perfection. Everywhere.

“I guess you will just have to find out for yourself.” I pause for effect. “If you can keep up.” I place my helmet on to play Revolution by UNSECRET, and he briskly walks to his supercar, sliding inside and revving the million-dollar sports car while Nick slides in the passenger seat. Jake and his other friends follow in their respective sports cars.

Revving the engine of my bike with the modified exhaust and power commander, he watches me as I expertly slide my gloves on before I mount the bike and roll it backward from the parking spot. Revving the bike hard, the sound echoes in the garage, giving the guard at the door of the club the cue that I’m leaving. Marcus opens the door and walks up to me, he fist-bumps me, a silent signal to ask if I’m okay. I give him a nod because he knows I can’t hear him well with the engine and music. He gives the guard at the door the signal that I’m good. Marcus takes care of all the employees, especially the dancers. They are aware that some guys can get out of line.

When I hit the main road, I am revving the bike as I take the highway and fly through the lane to the rhythm of the music. Jaden and Jake try to keep up, but I’m lighter, faster, with not a care in the world as I take the curves, leaning so close my knee almost touches the pavement of the road. The exhilarating feeling, the adrenaline coursing through my veins as the freedom from the wind runs through me. This is my therapy, my way of coping with my demons. The speed is my drug to withstand the impending darkness that waits for me in my dark bedroom. Where my demons await my arrival, taking me under, reminding me I belong to them and no other.

Getting off at my exit, his car moves up next to me. “Are you fucking crazy?” he roars.

I give him the middle finger and leave him in the dust as I roar down the street, losing him in my side-view mirror. My intention to speed off was for him to not know where I live. He must think I’m unhinged by the way I was riding my bike but I don’t care. Jaden is my past and he made sure I wasn’t in his future.

The kiss we shared in the room brought back memories of the love I felt for him, and it scared me. Because loving him again is not an option for me. The way he treated me and left me alone all this time showed me that I wasn’t an important part of his life like he was for me. He has been fine without me, undefeated as a pro-MMA fighter.

He doesn’t need me like I needed him. Now it’s too late. Because there’s a man playing with me in my darkness. That wants no love, no emotion, and it’s safe. No pity, no feelings. Just feeding a need without giving myself to that man entirely. Even if it’s only temporary.

Jaden

“Come on, pick up, Nate.” The phone rings as I dial Nate’s number after Brie took off and I lost her.

“This better be good because it’s three in the fucking morning, Jaden. Someone better be in trouble or something.”

“Nate, wake up Giselle. I need Brie’s number,” I tell him breathlessly through the phone. I’ve been driving everywhere down every street, looking out for a motorcycle with a sexy female dressed in skintight black riding gear.

“Are you out of your mind? Fuck no. I’m not waking up Giselle.”

“Please, Nate. I found Brie, and I lost her. She’s dancing at the Equinox.”

I hear cursing in the background. “Nate, are you there?”

“I have you on speaker and Giselle is listening,” Nate says.

“What do you mean she is dancing, Jaden?”

“Jake took us to this club called Equinox. It’s a private club for the super-rich. Let’s just say she is the star of the show and her one and only VIP client is Ethan Carter.”

“Ethan Carter the billionaire? The same—”

I interrupt him. “The one and fucking only. I try to get a lap dance from her in the room through the manager and let’s just say, she is not the same Brie.” After a few seconds of silence I can hear Giselle’s muffled crying.

“I hate you, Jaden,” she says, sniffing through her tears. “That is why she avoids my calls and doesn’t come around anymore, and it’s because of you. It’s been three years. You should have never treated her like that. She loved you. She loved you so much. She’s hurting and I’m not there for her. You don’t understand.”

She was in love with me? I treated her like a piece-of-shit hookup and let her go, all the while she was in love with me?Not anymore, asshole. She can’t stand you touching her. She won’t even look at you.

“What don’t I understand?”

She takes a lungful of breath. “There is more to Brie that she doesn’t let on. She hides it very well. Let’s just say she liked the fact you never took her to your house because it was convenient for her. Something she didn’t want you to see. Except…”

“Except what, Giselle? Tell me. I’m not going to let anything happen to her. I regret what I did, but I need to make sure she’s okay. What I saw today, I know she is not okay, and I need to help her. I want to be the one to do it.”

“Something more happened when she lived with her mom. Something really bad and she never told me, but I can imagine it must be very bad. She was handling everything well until that night when…”

“You don’t have to say it. I know. Keep going.” It pains me when she mentions that night and what those animals did to them.

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