Pieces of You(23)

Koki Beach. They had this all planned out, but I just found out about it this morning.

“All right,” he begins. “You do what you have to do and I’ll do the same. I know you would never do anything to hurt me, intentionally. And I hope you know I won’t do anything to hurt you, even unintentionally. You have my word on that.”

I’m so annoyed that I can’t even be more annoyed by that intentionally remark. “You already hurt me by keeping this from me until this morning, even if it was unintentional. You’re no angel, Adam, so please stop making me out to be the devil in this relationship.”

He sets the trophy on the pavement at his feet and it’s so tall it almost reaches his hip. Third place in his first competition. This is not the first time he’s going to leave me.

“You’re right,” he replies. “I apologize. I never should have said that. And I can’t keep you from having a relationship with Chris. Whatever works for you two works for me, as long as it doesn’t infringe upon my boyfriend duties, if you know what I mean.”

I smile reluctantly and he seizes the opportunity to grab my hand and plant a soft kiss on my palm. I step forward and throw my arms around his neck. He lifts me up and pins me against the car as I wrap my legs around his waist.

We hug like this for a few minutes in silence as I try unsuccessfully to fight the tears.

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” he whispers in my ear. “I’ll break all the rules to keep you.”

He leans his forehead against mine and my mouth stretches into the biggest, uncontrollable grin I’ve worn in a long time.

“I love that smile,” he murmurs as he leans in to kiss me.

Our lips haven’t touched yet when a car pulls up so close behind Adam that my heart stutters in my chest.

“Claire Nixon,” a voice calls out as Adam turns around to see who it is.

I see the black Porsche and I’m about ready to kill Chris, until I see Tristan sitting in the driver’s seat. Chris is on the passenger side calling my name.

“What the fuck!” Adam and I both shout at the same time.

“You almost hit him!” I shriek.

Tristan laughs, but Chris at least attempts to hold in his laughter. Before I can even process what’s happening, Adam is wrenching open the passenger side door and Chris’s eyes are locked on him as he steps out of the car and pushes Adam back.

Adam is only a couple of inches taller than Chris at six-foot-two-inches, but he’s solid as stone from years of surfing and training. I’m actually afraid for both Chris and Adam right now. Adam is still on probation for another six months. If he gets cited for anything, even something as minor as being a public nuisance, he’ll probably go straight to jail.

Adam lunges forward and swings at Chris’s face. The sound of his fist connecting with Chris’s jaw makes my stomach lurch. Chris falls backward toward the seat just as Tristan scrambles around the back of the Porsche and rushes Adam.

“Stop it!” I shout as Tristan and Adam roll around on the asphalt, fists and curse words flying in all directions.

Chris stands up from the passenger seat, rubbing his jaw, and I push him back before he can join in. “Get your fucking friend off of him!” I shriek.

He glares at me. “You should keep your boyfriend on a fucking leash!”

I step toward them to attempt to break it up, but Chris grabs my arm and pulls me back. He struggles for a few seconds to get a grip on Tristan’s arms, but he finally yanks him off and I immediately grab Adam as he gets to his feet.

“Get out of here before the cops come!” I whisper-shout at him. “Hurry up!”

His lip is bleeding and there’s a bloody scuff from where his cheek must have scraped the asphalt. I want to reach up and wipe the blood from his mouth, but a small part of me is afraid that if I try to touch him right now he’ll hit me. His chest is heaving and his hands are still balled up in fists as he glares at Tristan and Chris over my shoulder.

“Go!” I shout to break him out of his rage-trance.

Finally, he looks down at me, and the guilty look on his face kills me. “Fuck! I’m sorry.”

He kisses my forehead and takes off running toward where his car is parked down the street. I spin around and Tristan is laughing as he uses the front of his T-shirt to sop up the blood pouring out of his nostrils.

“You think that’s funny? What are you twelve?” I push him as hard as I can and he falls back against the Porsche.

He continues to laugh as he makes his way around the back of the Porsche to the driver’s side.

I round on Chris. “I never would have expected this from you.”