Untangle Me (Love at Last #1) Read online

  “You’re driving me crazy. I better book my ticket before my cock explodes,” Kayden muttered, shaking his head with amusement.

  Skype made the distance bearable. It helped me deal with his absence, but it made me want to be with him even more.

  11

  Kayden

  A Tangled Web

  Ding.

  I rolled over to see what Sophia said, but it wasn’t her. It was Lisa. My heart sank. Lisa had become a thorn in my ass. The bitch knew exactly how to fuck with my life. She’d become a master manipulator toward the end of our relationship.

  Lisa: I’ve missed you terribly, and I haven’t heard from you in a long time. Where have you been?

  I sat there deciding how to handle her. Even though she ruined my life, I had gone back to her for a short time. I was lonely, at rock bottom with no salvation in sight, when Lisa called me after my arrest. She wanted me back and convinced me that she still loved me.

  I went against the court-ordered no-contact order and spoke to her. Of course, it was all in the past, but a part of my past I was ashamed of.

  I was already living in New Orleans when Lisa called to say she missed me and regretted all that had transpired between us. I had nobody serious in my life but my regular girls, and Lisa knew I still harbored feelings for her, so she used that to her advantage.

  I bought her a plane ticket to spend a weekend with me. I thought her feelings were sincere, but I soon learned I was just being used. The entire weekend her phone was turned off or placed facedown, so the screen was hidden from my view. I knew something wasn’t right, but I put it out of my mind for a chance at happiness again. She asked for money to help pay her bills, and like a fool, I still believed she was there for me and not my money.

  Me: Stop playing games. I fell for your shit once before. What do you want?

  Lisa: Don’t be shitty. I was cleaning and found something you may want.

  The bitch always looked for leverage.

  After Lisa returned home after visiting me in New Orleans, she turned into the same rotten bitch I had known she was. My despair had led me astray. She took the nice guy in me, chewed him up, and spit him out. The result was a callous-hearted person. But Sophia had been changing me, giving me faith in love again, and I felt Lisa wanted to rip it into a million pieces.

  Me: You have nothing I want, Lisa.

  Lisa: I have your grandmother’s wedding ring. Want me to just pawn it?

  Me: Fuck no! I need that back.

  Lisa: I’ll be in NOLA in a couple of days with some friends. Want to meet for a drink, and I’ll bring it to you?

  Motherfucking bitch.

  I left Florida with nothing. I had a no-contact order and could never go back to get my things. I wanted something, anything that was mine. My grandmother’s ring meant so much to me, and I wanted it back from her. But at what cost?

  Me: I just want the ring, no drinks.

  Lisa: If you want the ring, you’ll have a drink with me. I’ll call you when I’m on my way to Bourbon Street.

  I couldn’t tell Sophia about seeing Lisa. I’d have one drink with the bitch and only one drink. Any feelings of love I had for Lisa died during her last visit. I wanted nothing from her but the ring.

  A few days later, Lisa texted me that she would be in the French Quarter on Friday around seven. We’d meet at the Cats Meow, but I had to come up with a lie for Sophia. She would be expecting me to Skype with her.

  Me: Hey, baby doll. I’m going to meet a couple of the guys for a drink for an hour on my way home from work. Can we Skype a bit later tonight?

  God! I fucking hated lying to Sophia. My stomach turned as I waited for her reply.

  Sophia: No problem. Just text me when you’re on your way home. I’ll wait up for you.

  Me: I will. I’ll still have my phone if you want to text me or need me.

  I arrived before Lisa and picked a spot at the bar. My goal was to get the ring and fucking jet. I ordered a shot and a beer while I was waiting. I needed a drink to calm my nerves. I wasn’t nervous about Lisa. I felt like shit lying to Sophia. I downed the shot of tequila and sipped my beer as I saw Lisa walk through the door.

  She looked beautiful, but I knew the devil that hid under the veneer. She walked toward me as I looked away and turned my attention back to my drink.

  “You never change,” Lisa said.

  “Neither do you,” I said without looking in her direction.

  She sat down next to me and ordered a glass of wine. She touched my arm, and I recoiled as if it burned.

  “What the fuck, Kayden?” she said due to my abrupt movement.

  “Don’t touch me, Lisa.”

  “You once loved my touch.”

  “I don’t love you anymore. You’ve devastated me for a long time, but I’m on the right path again, no thanks to you,” I said while looking her straight in the eye.

  “What do you mean, you’re on the right path? You’ll always love me, even if you can’t admit it,” she inquired with her eyes squinted to display her leeriness.

  “I’ve found someone. She is kind and loving and nothing like you. I’ve moved on. I know you did way before your trip to see me months ago.”

  “A love like ours lasts forever. She may occupy your time for now, but you’ll be back,” she told me with a smirk on her face. “You always come back.”

  “Never! You’ve done enough damage to me, and I don’t think I could survive another round,” I responded. “Excuse me for a minute.”

  She was driving me crazy. I walked to the restroom and stood at the sink for a moment. I looked at myself in the mirror, not happy with the person staring back.

  I shouldn’t be here right now, alone with Lisa.

  I lied to Sophia and felt like shit about it. I wanted to be different in this relationship, and I’d started it with lies and secrets.

  I’m an asshole.

  I splashed water on my face and dried off before looking in the mirror one last time. I needed to get the ring and get the fuck away from this bitch. I needed to see Sophia and be reminded that not all women were users and abusers. I reached into my pocket for my phone, but it was missing. Fuck. In my haste to get away from Lisa, I left it at the bar with her. That sneaky bitch always crept through my personal shit. I prayed she hadn’t looked through my phone, but who was I kidding? I quickly returned to the table to see that my phone was still where I had left it. I picked it up and flipped through it, and everything seemed in order.

  “I’m tired from working all day. Can I please just have the ring?”

  “Sure. I’ll be here a few days. Want to get together another night?” she asked, ignoring my question.

  “No. I just came for the ring. I want no part of you,” I said as I stood up and threw a twenty on the bar.

  “Come on. I have many parts that you’ve always wanted.” She grabbed her breasts.

  “Just the ring. That’s the only thing I want from you.” I held out my hand, waiting for her to hand it over.

  “Here, but if you change your mind, all you have to do is call.” She placed the ring in my hand.

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” I jammed the ring in my pocket, ready to get the hell out of there.

  I didn’t look back as I walked out.

  She was my past, and I needed to get home to my future.

  12

  Sophia

  Deceit

  I wanted to wait for Kayden before falling asleep. I needed to see his face and wanted to find out if he enjoyed his evening out with the guys. I heard the chirp from my phone and practically ran to grab it, but I didn’t recognize the number sending me the text.

  Unknown: Do you know where your boyfriend is?

  What the fuck?

  I ignored the message and continued washing my face and changing into my pajamas. It chirped again moments later. I glanced at my phone a little more warily this time.

  Kayden: I’m on my way home. Call you in a bit.

  I di
dn’t respond to his text.

  My head was swimming with thoughts.

  Unknown: He was with me.

  A picture popped up on my screen of Kayden with a female at a bar. They looked happy and were smiling. There had to be a mistake. Had he been lying to me this whole time? Was I just a fun fuck? Another girl to add to his list?

  I stared at the picture in shock. His arm was around her shoulders, their heads were touching, and her hand rested on his forearm.

  I couldn’t believe I’d been such a fool. He didn’t want me for anything more than he originally stated. He didn’t do relationships, only friends-with-benefits.

  I never responded to the message.

  I knew by the picture that it was Lisa. I’d seen a picture of her before. I seethed, and I felt like my heart was being torn into a million little pieces. Kayden had lied to me. Was this the first lie, or had everything been a lie? I didn’t want to know the answer. I was done being a fool and a pawn.

  Kayden: Logging in to Skype now. See you in a minute.

  The last thing I wanted to do was see his face. I held my phone and switched back to the photo from Lisa. I climbed into bed, logged in to Skype on my iPad, and waited a moment before hitting the video button. I held the phone screen up to the camera.

  “What the fuck?” Kayden asked.

  I couldn’t see his face, nor did I want to, but I knew he saw the image clearly.

  “Fuck off. You’re lying prick,” I said, hitting disconnect before he could respond.

  I can’t believe I fell for him. I can’t believe I was blinded by his charm, good looks, and the sex… Oh, the fucking sex.

  Immediately the video tried to reconnect, but I hit cancel. I didn’t want to see or talk to him. I was through with his lies.

  My phone began to ring, but I resisted the urge to answer. I decided to turn my phone off and try to sleep.

  The anger turned to sadness…sadness about what could have been and the hole left in my chest. Tears flowed down my cheeks like a swollen river after a storm. I buried my face in my pillow and sobbed.

  How could I not know he was seeing other people?

  I was falling in love with him, and I’d been delusional.

  13

  Kayden

  Damage Control

  What the fuck just happened?

  Why had there been an old picture of Lisa and me filling the screen? None of this made sense. My heart felt like someone was trying to squeeze it until it burst. I could barely breathe.

  I tried to reconnect the video call, but she wouldn’t allow it. I called her phone, texted her, messaged her online, but she ignored me.

  Panic set in. Sophia couldn’t ignore me all night, could she?

  I needed to explain. There had to be some misunderstanding. How did she get that picture of us? I looked through my phone again and saw nothing to clue me in. It had to be Lisa.

  Me: What did you do, Lisa?

  Lisa: What are you talking about?

  Me: Don’t play stupid with me. I know you sent something to Sophia.

  Lisa: I just let her know that you’re mine.

  Motherfucker.

  Sophia knew I lied to her about the entire night, but she didn’t know why. All she knew was that I lied. I shouldn’t have told her about being such a manwhore when we first started chatting.

  Me: Goddamn you! I’m not yours. Stay the fuck out of my life. Did you tell her that I was with you?

  Lisa: Yes, you’re MINE, and Sophia won’t stand in my way.

  All I could think about was explaining everything to Sophia, hoping she would forgive me. I had to get to her…had to hold her. I hopped in my car and headed east. On the way, I kept trying to reach her. I called a coworker to have him fill in for me for a couple of days. Physical exhaustion set in, but my need to see Sophia kept me awake.

  I parked my car in front of her house and sat for a minute. How could I get in the house without Sophia knowing? If she wouldn’t answer my calls, I had to find another way. Suzy. I grabbed my tablet and sent Suzy a message.

  Me: Suzy, I’m here to surprise Sophia. Can you let me in so I can wake her up?

  Suzy: Hell yes. She’ll be so excited.

  If she only fucking knew, excited was not the emotion that Sophia would be feeling. I still had my work clothes on as I stood at the door and waited for Suzy. I looked a mess. I hadn’t slept or showered.

  The door opened, and Suzy greeted me with a giant hug.

  “Thanks, Suzy. I appreciate this. I wanted to surprise her,” I whispered in her ear.

  “It’s so romantic, Kayden,” Suzy said, hugging me tighter.

  I walked down the hallway to Sophia’s room and stood there a few seconds to calm my nerves. I opened the door as quietly as possible. The blankets were tangled around her body as she slept. The light was streaming in through the windows, illuminating her face, and I could see where the tears had dried on her cheeks. Her face was puffier than normal, and I knew I had caused her tears.

  I sat on the bed beside her and touched her face, following the path of dried tears down to her neck. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake. I leaned down and placed a light kiss on her lips. Her eyes flew open. She looked at me with wide eyes before speaking.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” she asked before pushing me away. She sat up quickly and covered her body with her blanket. I reached for her, but she moved away. “Don’t touch me.”

  “Sophia, what happened? Why did I see an old picture on your phone?” I asked her.

  “I know you were with her,” she snipped.

  “It’s not what you think. Please let me explain,” I begged.

  “I don’t need to hear more lies. I can’t trust you, and I was a fool to ever think I could.”

  “That picture Lisa sent you was from last year. It wasn’t from last night.”

  “I don’t want to hear it. Just fucking leave. Get the hell out of my life,” she said while staring down at her hands.

  “You’re going to listen to me and let me explain.” I reached for her hands and placed mine over hers.

  “She contacted me about my grandmother’s ring. I left it behind when I was arrested. She knew I’d want it back. She wouldn’t send it to me, but she was going to be in NOLA for a weekend trip. I met her to get the ring and nothing else,” I explained.

  “I sat at the bar and waited for her. She tried to touch me, and I wouldn’t let her. I told her I was happy and had finally found someone. I told her I was with you. I had to get away from her for a minute and forgot my phone at the table. She must have looked through my phone and found your number. I came out of the bathroom and demanded the ring and left. I wasn’t there more than thirty minutes total. I swear. I’m not seeing Lisa. I want only you… I love you, Sophia,” I groveled.

  “I was falling in love with you Kayden. I trusted you, and you ripped my heart out. How could you…with that evil woman?” Sophia asked as tears began to flow from her eyes.

  “I didn’t. It’s on my phone. Read the messages on my phone between her and me. You’ll see I’m not lying to you about why I saw her. I didn’t want you to freak out. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” I would not let her throw us away. I would fight for us… for her. I stood up and pulled my phone from my pocket. I flipped to the messages Lisa and I had exchanged. I held out the phone to Sophia.

  “Read them, please. You’ll see I’m not lying to you,” I said as she snatched the phone from my hand.

  I sat on the edge of the bed and just watched her. I prayed that once she read the conversation, she’d forgive me. She moved her fingers on the screen to read earlier messages that were sent between Lisa and me. She put the phone down in front of me.

  “Why weren’t you just honest with me? I would’ve understood,” she said, wiping the tears off her cheek.

  “I didn’t know how you’d react. I didn’t want to lose you,” I explained, reaching out and wiping a tear trickling down her face. “I’m used to being
with jealous women. I should have known better. I’m so sorry, Sophia.”

  “I’m not jealous. I don’t like being lied to, and I don’t know if I will ever fully trust you again,” she replied, reaching out to touch my hand as it lingered on her face.

  “Just try. You’re the only one in my life. My heart is filled by you. I don’t think you realize how important you are to me. I’m in love with you.” I laid it all out for her. I was not going to be coy with my feelings, and she needed to know how important she was to me.

  She didn’t respond to my words, and I needed her to feel the love I felt. I reached my arm out, and she didn’t back away. I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close. I kissed her with all the love and passion she evoked in me. If she didn’t believe my words, I wanted her to feel them through my kiss. I backed away and looked at her face. Her eyes were still closed. I watched as they fluttered open and looked at me with the softness I had seen before.

  “I love you, too, Kayden. Don’t hide things from me anymore,” she asked.

  “I promise not to lie to you again. I can’t imagine my world without you,” I told her while drawing her into an embrace.

  She felt right in my arms. I was glad she couldn’t see my face. There was so much about me that Sophia didn’t know.

  I hadn’t lied to her before, but I hadn’t been entirely forthcoming with my past.

  I would share all the gory details when the time was right.

  We needed to get through this moment before I could share my entire story.

  14

  Sophia

  Forgiveness

  After reading the messages between Lisa and Kayden, I knew he told me the truth. I would try to trust him, but it would have to be earned over time.