Something for the Pain
Page 39

I get ready to turn away, but Alex looks over and our eyes lock. Without another word to the girl, he starts heading my direction, leaving her there with her hands on her hips in anger.
He stops once he gets right in front of me and leans in close to my ear. “Let’s get out of here. There’s somewhere I think we should go tonight.”
I barely get a chance to answer before Alex places his arm around my waist and guides me through the crowd of people, not bothering to say goodbye to our friends.
“Where are we going?” I ask as soon as we get outside.
He smirks and opens the door to his truck, placing his hand on my ass to give me a boost inside. “Monty’s.”
I smile to myself as he shuts the door and walks around the truck. It’s been a long time since we’ve been to Monty’s at night, and I couldn’t be happier that he wants to take me there.
Being there is really going to make me fall farther than I already have . . .
Six 1/2 years ago . . .
IT HURTS . . . IT HURTS SO damn bad seeing Alex this way. The pain that he must be feeling has me fighting for breath and trying not to get sick. The last few weeks haven’t been easy for him, and there’s nothing more I’d wish for him than to be able to take away all of his agony.
How can someone be so strong after losing his mother to cancer, his brother to prison, and well his father . . . at his brother’s hands? I hate this so much.
By the time I get to the top of Monty’s roof Alex is already laying there, looking up at the night sky. His face is still bruised and swollen from that night a few weeks ago, and it only makes me believe more that Memphis did what he had to do. Alex could’ve died that night, and truthfully I don’t think I could live without him.
Without a word, I rush over to where Alex is laying, position my body next to his, and look up at the same night sky that Alex has probably been staring at for hours. I would’ve been here sooner, but I had to wait for my aunt Tara to fall asleep. I hate that he’s been here alone . . .
“Alex,” I whisper. “I’m so . . .” I choke on my sobs as they begin to take over. “I’m sorry. Oh my God. I wanted to be strong for you, but I can’t.”
Rolling over at the same time, now facing each other, Alex wraps his arms around my head and pulls me as close to him as possible. “Shhh . . . I know, Tripp.” He kisses the top of my head, and then his body starts shaking in my arms. “I’m lucky to have you. Thanks for being here.”
I pull my face out of his neck to look up at him. Instinctively, I reach out and wipe his wet face off with the sleeves of my sweater. “I’ll always be here for you, Alex.” I cry even harder as he tries to hide his face from me. “You’re my best friend, always and forever. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could keep me from being here for you.”
He smiles through his tears and reaches out to wipe under my left eye. “I know, Firecracker, and you better fucking believe that I’ll always be here for you too. I mean that. Okay?”
I nod my head before burying my face back into his neck and crying. I cry for him . . . for me, and for his brother that can’t be here for him when he needs him the most. The only person he has now for family is Jack. I know that Jack will check on him as often as he can, but that just doesn’t seem to be good enough for me. I want more for him. I want to be more for him.
“What are you going to do, Alex?” I ask against his neck that is now wet with both of our tears. “Are you going to live there alone? You can come stay with us. Tara won’t mind. I know it.”
Gripping me tighter, he pulls me into his chest and kisses my head a few times. “I’ll figure it out. You don’t need to worry about me, babe.”
“I can’t help it,” I admit. I love you.
I want to say those words, but don’t. Instead I just lay in silence, listening to the sound of him breathing until he finally falls asleep beside me. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the first time he’s slept in weeks. God, that hurts me so much.
I promise to never leave Alex alone. I can’t . . .
JADE COULDN’T HAVE HAD WORSE timing than she did. I tried my best to avoid her, but she just wouldn’t let me get away without at least trying to get me to leave with her. I noticed her when I was dancing with Tripp, but pretended that I didn’t see her to avoid dealing with her so it wouldn’t make Tripp feel uncomfortable. That didn’t work, because as soon as I was alone she was practically glued to my dick, thinking that she’d have her way with me regardless. Then, as soon as Tripp’s eyes met mine from across the room and I saw that split second of pain and doubt that crossed her face, I knew I had to get out of there and fast.
There’s really no better place to take Tripp than to our special little spot. When things were shitty for both of us and we just needed to get away and be alone, Monty’s is where we always seemed to end up. It only seems right to go there now and get her alone.
Tripp smiles and turns up the radio. “Oh my goodness. Remember this song?”
“Of course I do.” My heart beats faster as I listen to the sound of This Years Love by David Gray playing over the speaker. Looking over at Tripp has my heart beating out of my chest like mad. My mind hasn’t changed about this song and how it makes me feel. It’s fucking beautiful. “And I still meant what I said about singing this to the girl I fall in love with. When I fall in love, she will know for sure.”
Tripp quickly looks away and pretends to be looking at something out the window. She clears her throat a few times before speaking. “I think I can already see the roof of Monty’s. I didn’t realize you could see it from a few blocks over.”
I laugh to myself and just go with it, wanting to change the mood as much as she does. “Yeah, neither did I.”
After pulling up behind Monty’s I help Tripp out of my truck and grip the ladder to the roof right behind her. The whole way up all I can think about is lifting up that little dress and slowly teasing her pussy with my tongue all the way to the top. I’d be sure to catch her when she falls. That’s the one thing I can promise.
“Wow.” Tripp smiles so sweetly when we reach the top that I know she has to be thinking about all the memories we’ve made here. “I’ve almost forgotten just how beautiful it is up here at night.”
Walking over to our spot, I lay down and pull her down beside me. “I haven’t,” I say with certainty. “I don’t think I could ever forget.” When I look over at her, she’s smiling up at the sky. She’s so painfully beautiful that it hurts. “Come here.” I pull her onto my chest and wrap my arms around her head. “I don’t know why I let us go as long as we have without coming here.”