Belong to You(27)

"Did you make some new friends?" Crap. She wasn't going to stop until she got an explanation.

"No, mom. I met someone. I wasn't going to mention it because it is so  new." If you counted Hawaii, it had been almost two months already, so  new wasn't exactly the truth.

"Oh." I knew how my mother worked. When she wanted more information, she  would say "oh." And me, being the type of person I was, would not be  able to take the awkward silence that ensued and would vomit an  explanation. But I wasn't planning to give on the subject of Jack.

"Yes, mom. I just don't want to talk about it yet."

"Oh."         

     



 

Damn her. "I don't want you to worry about me, mom. I'm fine."

"So I should be worried about the new man you are seeing?"

Yes mom, he makes pornos and has control issues. "No, mom, I didn't mean that you should worry."

"Oh."

God damn it, I needed to get out myself out of her web.

"What I meant was, I knew you would worry about me being in a relationship so soon after what happened with Michael."

"Of course I worry about you honey, that's what mom's are supposed to  do. So it's more than dating then, you're in a relationship?"

Shit, now I've worried her and put her into full on interrogation mode. I  had no choice but to tell her something to make her feel better.

"Yes, mom. His name is Jack and he is very good to me." I breathed out a sign of relief as I finally spoke the truth.

"Where did you meet him?"

Shit, shit. I was completely unprepared for that one. "I met him at  work, mom." I was too mortified to tell my mother than I met a man on  what was supposed to be my honeymoon.

"Oh, so you work with him."

From the frying pan to the fire. "Sort of. Look mom, my doorbell just buzzed. I have to run."

"Okay, but I am thinking of coming down for a weekend, maybe next weekend?"

Oh god, what have I done. "Sure, mom. Call me during the week. I have to run."

I kicked myself as I got ready for work for not being better prepared  for my call with my mom. I had her worried and was going to be subjected  to grueling in person interrogation.



The night went by fast and the club was pretty quiet for a Thursday. It  was almost midnight and we were on our final song when I caught him  staring at me from his seat at the bar. Michael. What the hell was the  asshole doing at the club? I looked away, but it was too late, he knew  that I saw him. I finished up and he wasted no time in making his way to  the stage.

"Why are you here?" I wasn't even going to pretend to be courteous.

"I needed to speak to you and you won't return my calls Syd." Michael  took a step toward me and I took one back. I knew Travis was at my side  before I actually saw him just from the look on Michael's face.

"It's okay Travis, I know him. But thank you." I smiled wearily at Travis to reassure him.

I saw a look of relief on Michael's face as Travis nodded and walked  back to start packing up. "What do you want Michael. Why do you keep  calling me? " My voice was low to keep Travis under control, but I made  no mistake that I was angry.

"Can we talk?" A pause as he searched my face for something. "Please?"

I exhaled loudly. "Fine, but I have pack up, so you can wait."

Michael nodded and went to wait by the bar.

I took my time packing up and had to reassure Travis I was okay three  more times before he would leave. There were still a few stragglers in  the club, so at least I wouldn't have to be alone with Michael.

Eventually I walked over to the bar, even though I dreaded looking at  Michael, no less having a conversation in my place of work with him.

"Do you want a shot of tequila?" It annoyed me that he knew that I did,  but I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing how well he knew  me.

"No." I stood a few feet from him as he sat on the bar stool.

"Can we sit at a table so that we have privacy? Please?" Michael looked  to the bartender standing a few feet away and back to me.

I walked to an empty table a few feet from the bar and sat without saying a word, leaving him to follow me like a puppy.

Michael sat and I stared at him, waiting for the reason he was in New  York, the reason he was at my job. He looked uncomfortable as he sat  there looking back at me. He reached for my hand as he spoke. "Syd, I  don't know where to start. I'm so sorry and I need you."

I pulled my hand away from his like his was on fire and I was burned. I  was suddenly passed angry and closer to irate. I stood and spoke loudly  "Is that why you came here?"

Michael jumped from his seat and reached out to grab my arm. "Syd, talk to me. You know … "

"Get your fucking hands off of her." I heard Jack's voce before I even saw him.

Michael turned toward the voice and didn't see it coming. Jack's fist  collided with Michael's cheekbone and I heard a loud crack. Michael fell  onto the table and struggled to regain his footing.

"What the hell?" Michael mumbled as he stood holding his cheek.

Jack's arm reached out and pulled behind him and he took a step closer  into Michael's face. "It didn't look like she wanted you touching her."         

     



 

Michael looked to me, confused. "Syd, who is this guy?"

The whole thing happened so fast, I just stood there looking at Michael.

"Babe, are you okay?" Jack's voice was softer when he spoke to me, but the anger was still there.

"I'm okay, he didn't hurt me."

"Babe? Who is this guy Syd?" Michael's voice was angry. Did the asshole  really think he could show up to my job to apologize after what he did  to me and then get jealous and angry?

"He's my boyfriend Michael, as if it was any of your business!"

"Michael?" Jack looked to me for confirmation if it was that Michael. I just shook my head.

I didn't expect Jack to be happy to have met Michael, but I also didn't  expect him to haul off and punch him again. The second punch landed on  Michael's nose and blood flew everywhere.

Security surrounded us, not that Jack needed any help. "Are you okay, Mr. Heston?"

"I'm fine. Why wasn't someone here to keep an eye on Syd?"

The security team scrambled for an excuse. "Ummm … she finished playing  and the club was almost empty and we were changing shifts … "

Jack didn't give them time to finish. "Get this asshole out of here and  be in my office at 7am. I'm not dealing with this tonight."

"Yes sir." The three security guards helped Michael to his feet and for a second I felt bad for him.

Jack grabbed my hand and took a two steps toward the door before  realizing I was still standing there. "Syd. Let's go." His voice brought  me back to reality and I took one last look at Michael before I started  to walk hand in hand with Jack to the door.



Mateo was waiting outside and I didn't say a word until we were half way  to Jack's. Then I remembered why I had been confused to see Jack, he  was supposed to be out of town until tomorrow. "I thought you were out  of town until tomorrow?"

"Is that why you were with him Syd?" Jack turned to face me, his face was masked and unreadable.

"What? No. I didn't even know he was coming, he just showed up."

"I came back because I didn't want to sleep without you next to me."  Jack said it like he was laughing at himself even saying it, no less  feeling that way.

I didn't know what to say. His words were so sweet, but the tone they  were spoken in contradicted their meaning. "You don't believe me?"

"I don't know what to think Syd. I walked in and saw that asshole  touching you and I lost it. Then I saw your face, and him reach for you,  and I wanted to kill him."

"I'm sorry Jack." I reached for his hand and saw his swollen and bruised knuckles for the first time.

Jack turned to me, "What are you sorry for Syd?"

"I'm sorry that he showed up. I'm sorry that it's my fault that you hurt  your hand." I spoke each word into his eyes and watched as his eyes  softened and I knew he believed me.

"It's not your fault."



Jack stood in his kitchen, his back against the island countertop, legs  crossed at the ankle, arms folded across his chest, watching me put  together an ice pack. I stood in front of him silently waiting for him  to give me his bruised hand. "Hand." I demanded.

Jack raised his eyebrows at my tone, but I caught a twitch upward at the  corner of his mouth that he tried to conceal. He gave me his hand and I  saw him try to hide his wince as I held the ice to his bruised knuckles  that were already a lovely shade of purple. He looked down into my eyes  "What did he want Syd."

"He tried to apologize and tell me that we belonged together and he wants me back." My voice was low.

Jack closed his eyes for a minute and I waited anxiously for his response to come. "Do you want to go back to him?"

"What?" I was shocked he would even ask such a thing. "No! I can't even  stand to look at him! It took me a while to realize it, but I never  really belonged with him."