Tagged & Ashed(27)

She rises up, her eyes locking with mine, and then her lips part slightly as she tries to assess what I’m saying.

“What does that mean?”

I pull an arm behind my head while letting my other drape around her deliciously bare body.

“Bity fucked Erica two years ago when we were all in Vegas for the wedding party.”

Ah shit.

There I go again - just blurting things out.

“Erica? As in Wren’s fiancée? And… wedding party?”

I exhale heavily while nodding.

“Yeah, they were engaged once before. They were a few days away from tying the knot in Vegas - not some Elvis sham of a wedding either. Erica went off with the girls, got wasted outside her head, and then she went to Bity’s room. He had such a chip on his shoulder about Wren getting married because 'things are just so easy for him,' that he actually fucked her.

“The next morning, I woke up, went to Bity’s room to wake him up, and Erica walked out in his shirt before I could even knock. I got sick when I saw her holding her dress and shoes in her hands, and she burst into tears when she saw me.”



***

Ashiara



I swallow hard, trying to digest the words that just came out of his mouth. There’s no way Billy could do such a vile thing to his own brother.

“Are you sure they had sex?” I ask, my voice trembling.

“Positive. She was drunk, but she remembered it. When Wren confronted him, he admitted it. They didn’t speak for about a year, but Wren’s too good and forgiving of a guy to hold a grudge forever. He finally forgave him, and then he forgave Erica as well. After a few months, they started dating again, and before you knew it, here we were all over again.”

I’m in shock. Billy and I have been best friends for years, and I had no clue about all of this.

“Why didn’t he tell me?”

“Because you were the one person he had left that didn’t hate him, I suppose. After that, Wren has been different toward him. He had always protected him, stood up for him, and he had been devoutly loyal. Now, he acknowledges he’s his brother, but he doesn’t feel the same. Everyone always thought it would be me who fucked one of Wren’s girls, but I wouldn’t do that to him. No piece of ass is worth losing a brother, and Wren’s the closest thing to a brother I’ve ever had.”

It’s amazing he can be so genuine, so full of love for others, but he refuses to be in a relationship. The mere mention of dinner forced his whole body to tense up. It’s obvious this can never be more than a fling, but I knew that from the beginning.

It wasn't fair for me to even suggest dinner. He's Tag Masters. I have no right to even want to change him.

I wish I didn’t love being in his arms. It feels so natural to be with him. There’s nothing forced, and it never feels awkward or uncomfortable. It’s like we’ve known each other forever, though it’s only been a couple of days.

“Well, I definitely get the whole best man thing now. You deserve it much more. As for Billy, you’re right about one thing, he had no right to jump my ass.”

He smiles before pulling me closer to him. He’s so different than how he describes himself. I’m sure all girls are confused when they’re lying in his arms like this.

“How about coffee? I can go get us some,” he sweetly offers, and I give him a light smile and a nod as he stands up and pulls on a pair of track pants.

“Please don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

I force a smile and nod again as he dashes out the door. I have to move though. I need to get my stuff packed so I can get out of here by noon. It’ll be the perfect escape because I heard Erica talking about getting the wedding party together for a cliff-side pose while the sun was so high.

I hate slipping out on Tag, but it’s not like he’ll be devastated. He might be single, but he’s more unavailable than a married man. Within a few minutes of my departure, he’ll be in the arms of another girl, and I’ll be a distant memory of some girl he fucked at his best friend’s wedding.



***

Tag



I should have said yes to dinner. I wanted to. Now I’m regretting turning it down, but I don’t trust myself not to hurt her. I wish I was that guy who could change for a girl, but I don’t have such high hopes.

My whole life my bastard father has broken women left and right, making promises he couldn’t keep. At least I’m honest. If a girl falls for me after I’ve told them how I am, then it’s on them, not me.

With Ash though, it’s all different. I’m down here watching a pot of coffee brew so I can hurry back up to her. I begged her to stay in my bed so she’d be there when I returned. I’m that caught up in her.