Page 51 of Promise and Punishment

I grew silent.

“Strong beliefs, strong tequila…” I admitted, moved by his words to the point of being quietly stunned. I just wanted to stare at him, to remember him like this. He wasn’t the byproduct of hysteric fans and noises; he was the man who found my heart and turned my weaknesses into strengths. “Thank you,” I said firmly. “Thank you for showing me this… for letting me in.”

“You don’t need to thank me, just tell me you’ll try… try to accept the bad with my good.” He buried his head into my cheek, whispering into it. “I want you to stay with me tonight, no conditions but one. You’re free to choose any room that you want, to decide for yourself where you’ll sleep.”

“And the condition?” I asked, his tongue nearing my jaw as he licked his lower lip.

“The upstairs is mine… if you make it to my bed, if you ever cross that line, I swear I’ll take you as mine. No exceptions, no games. That’s your choice, Gemma, and the move is yours to make, but just know I’m still hellbent on taking you.” He cupped my face, leaning in for a slow, sensual kiss, one with enough pressure to melt the entire space around us. “So what’s it going to be?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer, his constructive hands desperate to shape me into the perfect example of who I ought to be; the good and the bad. Wasn’t this his way of trying? And him bringing me here, wasn’t that a positive step in the right direction? I took one look at the bottle, the one with my nickname on it, resonating on the fact that he took a piece of himself and included me in it. This was important to him, and it wasn’t just about tequila, it was about showing me that he cared.

“I’ll come with you… but like you said, I’ll sleep where I want.” I assured, “But I’ll need to make a stop first. I have nothing to wear…”

“Then wear nothing at all…”

I looked down at my drink, blushing, resisting the small laugh in my throat. If I decided to stay, I knew I’d have to see Parker; I’d have to go home and pack a bag to be with Alejandro. I wouldn’t let him take me shopping, I wouldn’t let him sweep me away without a piece of my own belongings; and although I was frustrated with Parker, a part of me still wanted to protect him as much as he protected me.

“I’ll need to go home first, and you have to let me do this.” I requested, easing my hand away from his.

Suddenly, his face lit up, brightened by a text that appeared on his phone.

Ivanna: 8 million likes. You’re done big guy.

Alejandro smirked, dropping his phone into his pocket. “Then let’s go together… we’re calling an end to this party. No lawsuits tonight.” He reached for the fire alarm against the wall.

“What are you doing?”

“Sending everyone home. We call the shots, Gemma… not the rest of the world.” He flicked it on, causing a roaring siren to pierce the venue. Immediately we stood as house lights popped on and the music stopped. “Another success,” he exhaled sweetly, directing me to an exit that was guarded by his staff.

His personality never ceased to amaze me, his character split into two distinct halves. Whether he excused it or not, there was a little bit of Alex Rivers in Alejandro. He was brash, confident, and did things with an unapologetic nature. I guess that was what made him so cool to others, but to me it made him the most complex human I’d ever encountered.

It was different.

He was different.

And maybe I was still unsure of what my future looked like, but I felt like I was getting closer.

Partly excited, partly reserved.

A little bit of Parker, a little bit of Alejandro…

Chapter18

Gemma

How could seeing my best friend, the man I knew since I was a child, be as equally intimidating as the party I just left from? I self-soothed my anticipation, reminding myself that I didn’t do anything wrong.Hewanted to meet Alejandro,heinitiated the first antagonizing words that set everything over the edge.

Still, I couldn’t pretend like I didn’t completely abandon him on the worst night of our decades-long relationship. That wasn’t something I could let go of, along with how he said my name the night I left him.

Gemma…I could hear him so perfectly in my mind, and he never sounded more broken.

“Just wait right here,” I said to Alejandro, unlocking Parker’s door.

“Absolutely not,” he reached for the doorknob, holding it still. “It’s not a good idea, especially with how he acted at the bar. I don’t trust him.”

“Well, he doesn’t trust you either. I can’t have another fight like last time. I won’t allow it. Besides, it’s late and he’s probably asleep.”

“And what if he’s not?”

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