An instrumental piece starts somewhere in the background as she backs up onto a four poster bed, the camera moving along with her. She settles herself so that her back is leaning against the headboard keeping her elevated. She's not laying down, nor purely upright, and her legs are spread wide, giving me a very good view of her perfectly hairless pussy.
"By the way, I love poster beds, they make getting tied up so much fun."
My thumb and forefinger stroke my chin as I watch her rub her too-large-for-her-hands tits playing with and pinching the nipple of each one.
"What the fuck are you watching?" I hear Troy's voice, but it's distant, far away. The moans coming from the girl, as she picks a huge fucking dildo up from under the covers and sticks it inside her, are what's filling my ears.
"Dude, you're fucking watching porn at a baby shower? You really are a sick motherfucker."
"It's not porn," I answer, not bothering to look at him. "At least nothing I set out to find. She sent this to me. It's fucking hot as hell!"
"Let me see," Noah pushes Troy trying to get in on the action.
"No way. You're with Lexi, you don't get to eye fuck girls anymore."
"Holy shit!" Troy almost shouts, "She's deep throating it!"
He's referring to the dildo that up until thirty seconds ago was pumping in and out of her. Now she's got it in her mouth licking and sucking it in a way that's making all three of us jealous.
"You are such a fucking pig, Cooper Sutton!" I turn to the shrill voice behind me. "We're here to celebrate your baby, and you're showing off your past conquests."
"Jealous it's not you?"
I don't know what hits me first, Marlene's palm, or Troy's fist. I slide off the bar stool onto the floor. Then the yelling starts.
"You ever talk to my wife like that again, I will fuck you up!"
"Troy, it's fine. He isn't worth it."
Marlena gets between us and works on backing him up. I don't know what's up his ass lately. Anytime I speak to her or mention her to him, it's like he wants to chop my junk off. Noah moves in front of Lexi so that she's protected in case Troy decides to dive after me. A few moments later, when things look a bit calmer my sister calls attention to the scene by sticking up for me and yelling at Troy.
Still sitting on the floor of the bar area, a shadow hovers over me. I look up to see who's standing there. It's Selene. She's holding my phone, watching. Tears stream from her eyes.
Fuck. Me!
Chapter 21
"Okay, but aside from the comment to Marlena, I didn't do anything," I plead my case to Noah on the ride home.
"Dude, you have some serious ass kissing to do."
"But I didn't do a fucking thing."
"Doesn't matter. She's not listening. Can you blame her?"
I shake my head. Yes, I can fucking blame her because all I've ever done as far as Selene is concerned is try to do the right thing, the responsible thing. But it's never been good enough for her. Nothing I ever do is good enough. For anyone.
I'm realizing that's the problem I'll never be enough, whether it's her or my mother, or anyone else. They'll always see what they want. All they see in me is the player, the liar. I thought, I hoped Selene sees the man. The man with a beating heart and feelings. I'm hurt because I let her see me vulnerable and broken back in Italy, but it still doesn't matter.
We drive the next thirty minutes back to my place in silence. I think Noah understands I'm at my breaking point. It's pissing me off to no extent that Selene won't talk to me and that my sister is not only driving her home, but siding with her as well. Never mind that Troy and Marlena made it perfectly clear after today if they never see me again it will be too soon. That's fine. I've had it with them as well.
Lexi meets us in the parking garage when we arrive at the building. Seems we're the last car to arrive. Troy and Marlena not only got here first, they're already done unpacking the car and are on their way home. I wonder if Noah drove like my grandmother on purpose so Troy and I wouldn't go at it any further. It doesn't fucking matter, I don't give a fuck about Troy, or Marlena right now. The only one I care about is Selene.
I grab one of the heavy boxes from Noah's trunk and shoot my sister a dirty look as I walk past her. She doesn't say anything, and I'm wondering if Noah's given her some sort of signal to back off. I don't bother waiting for them, I get into the empty elevator and head up to my apartment by myself, wondering what I'm going to find when I get up there.
The door to the apartment is unlocked. I trudge into the spare room and set the unassembled cradle down on the ground. I feel a twisting in my stomach as I approach the closed door to my bedroom. I clench and unclench my fists, then stretch my neck from side to side, hoping to calm myself before I go in there. With my hand on the knob I take a few breaths, until I think I've pulled myself together. I open the door and step inside to find Selene packing her clothes in a suitcase. I know I can't hold it together any longer.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"What does it look like? I'm packing."
Three steps is all it takes for me to step in front of her, grab the suitcase and fling it into the corner, spilling all of its contents onto the floor. Selene jerks away from me as she gasps and covers her mouth with her hand.
"No. You're not. You're not going anywhere."
"Cooper, you don't want me. Just let me go."
I close in on her, hoping the combination of my height and my anger will intimidate her into backing down. "You're blowing this all out of proportion. I didn't do anything."
"Hey, coop.” Noah peeks his head into the room. “We're going to get out of here. We'll finish unpacking the car later."
I nod, keeping laser like focus on Selene.
Her phone vibrates against her night table. I dart around her and grab it before she can. Just as I thought, Mateo.
I answer it, hoping to get rid of this fucker once and for all.
"Hey, Matt. Selene can't come to the phone right now. We're in the middle of something."
"Just put her on. I know she's leaving you."
My eyes seer into hers. He crossed a line, and it's her fault, she led him there. "Sorry for the confusion," I say with a bitter edge. "Selene isn't going anywhere. Tell him, baby. Tell your friend," I say the word with special emphasis, "that you're not going anywhere."
I put the phone on speaker and hold it against her cheek.
"I'll call you later," she says sounding beaten down and defeated.
"I don't like the way you sound. I'll be there in fifteen minutes.
I shake my head, signaling she needs to do better, and the way I'm pinning her down with my stare let's her know I mean business. Since she's not looking to say anything further, I do.
"See, Matty, like I said, she isn't going anywhere. Now leave her alone so that we can work things out."
"You hurt her and you're going to have to answer to me."
"Oh yeah tough guy?" I pull the phone away from her and bring it up to my ear, adrenaline pumps through my veins as my body tenses, and prepares to fight. I turn from Selene because the anger racing through my veins now feels overpowering and I don't need her to see it and back away further. "Why don't you come here right now so I can kick your fucking ass? Huh? You want to be the hero? Come on, I dare you, be the fucking hero."