Taming Alec(14)

I’d already told her everything. Her mouth had literally fallen open when I told her how he’d shown up in my bedroom to apologize. After his scene at the bar, she’d never expected him to try and make things right. She’d also been shocked over what I’d done with him because it was so out of character for me.

“I wish I never had told you to go after him. If I had known how things would turn out, I would have forced you to stay away from him,” she said, not bothering to hide the irritation in her tone.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do!” I cried. “He wants nothing to do with me, Arie. He barely says hi when we pass each other in the hall. Whatever was going on between us is gone now.”

She shook her head. “He’s avoiding you for a reason. You need to find out why. If not, you’re going to drive yourself mad.”

“What do you expect me to do? Beat on his door and demand to know what happened to make him change?”

“That’s exactly what I expect you to do! Grow a pair, and figure out what the hell is going on. Then, move the f*ck on.”

“You make it sound so simple,” I muttered.

“Because it is. Look,” she said, softening her tone, “I know I’m being a hard-ass, but I’m only watching out for you. You obviously care about this douche, so you need to find out what is going on with him. If he’s as much of an * as he claims to be, he would have f*cked you senseless at least three times by now. You told me that he has women over all the time, right?”

I all but growled, “Yeah.”

“Well, maybe he’s using them to distract himself from you. Did you ever think of that?”

I laughed humorlessly. “Yeah, because I’m such an important part of his life. The man avoids me like the plague. If I tried to talk to him, the only thing that would come of it is that I’d die of embarrassment when he kicked me out of his apartment.”

She shook her head. “You’re hopeless. I’m tired of talking to myself, so I’m going home. Figure out what the hell you’re going to do.”

I watched as she stood, grabbed her coat, and walked to the door.

I sat on my couch and stared at the wall for a long time after she left. I kept imagining myself walking over to Alec’s apartment to talk, only to find him with another woman. If he weren’t with someone, then he would probably slam the door in my face when he realized what I wanted.

I was so tired of living in limbo like this. I wasn’t the kind of woman who worried about men. On more than one occasion, I’d laughed at my friends for being so needy and obsessed with their boyfriends. I couldn’t understand how they could become so obsessed with one person. If they could see me now, they’d laugh in my face.

Damn Karma.

I stood from the couch and walked to my door without really thinking about what I was going to do. I threw open the door and made my way across the hallway to Alec’s apartment. I knocked loudly and took a step back. I was going to get my answers once and for all. Once he told me to get lost, I’d do just that. I’d accept his dismissal and move on with my life.

He didn’t answer the door. I beat on it again, but there was still nothing. I pulled my phone from my pocket and looked at the time. It was well after midnight on Friday, so I guessed he was probably at work. I groaned at my own stupidity. Of course I would decide to take matters into my own hands on one of the nights he wasn’t around.

I walked back to my apartment and closed the door. Instead of dropping back down onto the couch, I headed for my bedroom. I peeled my sweater and gray dress pants off before walking to my closet. I had nothing even remotely close to what Arie had dressed me in before, but I was determined to find something appropriate for where I was going.

Finally, I found a low-cut silver tank top and a pair of tight jeans. I threw them on before slipping my feet into a pair of flats. I headed back into the living room and grabbed my keys off the table.

If Alec wasn’t home, then I would go to him.



The bar was just as packed as the last time I’d been there. I shoved my way through the crowd as I headed for the bar. Once I reached it, I groaned. The crowd around it was at least three people deep on all sides. No matter how hard I tried to squeeze through, people refused to part for me. I finally gave up and started weaving my way around people to get to the side of the bar. There were still a ton of patrons around, but I could at least see the bar. I frowned when I saw that Alec wasn’t behind it.

A bartender came over and started handing drinks to the people in front of me. As soon as they moved, I shoved my way up to the bar and took their place. By the time I worked my way to the front, the bartender had moved away. I waved my hands frantically until I caught his attention.

He smirked as he walked back over to me. “You need something?”

“I’m looking for Alec,” I practically shouted because the music was so loud.

He looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. “Alec?”

I frowned. “Yeah, the guy who owns this place.”

He gave me a knowing grin. “You mean Spike.”

“Huh?”

He shook his head. “I’ve never heard someone call him by his actual name before. Who are you?”

“I’m his neighbor,” I said. I couldn’t help but wonder why people called him Spike. I probably didn’t want to know. “Is he working tonight? I need to talk to him.”