CHAPTER 42

Dimitri

The old blue truck made a groggy sound as I drove on the road. Fixing it up was taking longer than what I expected. Lillie was nothing but perfect tonight. I hadn't realized how talented she was. She played effortlessly with her group. A group that included this guy, Arthur.

I grimaced.

I felt like complete shit. Arthur was a type of guy Lillie was supposed to be with, a man her family and friends clearly wanted for her. Lillie's mother and Sassi made that obvious. They looked at me like I was the scum of the earth.

Fuck, maybe I was. I felt like it today. Unworthy of a woman like Lillie. She had too much going for her to be with a low life, ex-con like me. I'm sure her mother and Sassi would agree, and no doubt fucking Arthur.

I arrived at The Trendy Tavern, a bar near the garage. I needed to get away. I knew Lillie would be celebrating right now, and I would've done anything to celebrate with her...in another way, that included just the two of us.

I shook my head hard. She's with fucking Arthur now. The thought that she can get close to this guy killed me. Him touching her, holding her, feeling her, kissing her drove me to the fucking edge.

I blew out a deep breath.

Maybe she was meant to be with Arthur. The thought broke me. I couldn't even bring myself to give Lillie my gift. It seemed so pathetic.

I felt defeated.

I walked inside the crowded bar, ready to blow some steam. And took a seat at an empty bar stool.

My phone rang. I answered. It was Kyle. That's just my damn luck.

"Hey man," he said, the sound of music and people talking in his background.

"Hey Kyle," I replied miserably.

"Yo bro, you sound depressed. Where you at?" he said.

"At the Trendy Tavern," I replied evenly.

"Cool. Will meet you there, we can have drinks."

He hung up before I could say anything. I grunted but was willing for some company, even it was with Kyle.

After three beers, a whisky neat and a shot of tequila, Kyle didn't show up. I shook my head in irritation, but stayed a while longer at the bar.

A slender finger touched the side of my neck. I turned my head to see none other than Roxanne smirking at me leaning sideways on the bar.

"Hey lover..." she said easily.

I cringed at her words. I was about to ask what the hell she was doing here, but she placed her hands up in surrender, blaming Kyle. He apparently asked her to come in his place because it sounded like I needed a pick me up.

Damn Kyle, he keeps on making the wrong fucking choices.

"I just came for a drink... or two," Roxanne said sheepishly. "Besides, looks like you could use the company?"

I gave her a side look.

"Not yours." I said miserably.

"Ouch, is that a way to talk to an ex-girlfriend?" she asked, taking a seat on an empty stool next to me. I watched her sitting down. Clearly, she saw it as an invitation to spend time with me. I took another swig of beer.

Fuck!

"I'm glad you realize it's ex," I said, looking straight ahead.

She sighed and ordered vodka and cranberry, her signature drink. "What happened to us? We were the best together, fucking Bonnie and Clyde," she said.

I rolled my eyes and looked at her evenly, not saying a word. I took another swig of beer. She went on reminiscing about our time together... the clubbing, the underground fights where she would cheer me on, her and I spending the winnings I earned on shit we didn't need. Damn, she was one reason I got into such huge debt with Big Ben.

I was happy she didn't touch on the subject of my brother, which was a wise idea on her part.

She finished her drink and ordered another. "We were hot together, especially the sex. Nobody could do me like you, Dimitri." She whispered, coming dangerously close.

I could smell the sweet cranberry in her breath, hot against my cheek. She placed her hand on my leg and hiked higher, touching my thigh near my crotch. My dick gave an involuntary light twitch.

I instantly grabbed her hand and removed it from my leg.

"That was before you completely bailed on me when I went to prison," I scowled.

She gave a lazy chuckle. "Well, things are different. I was selfish and only thinking of myself, Dimitri. But you're out of prison now, and we can pick up where we left off." She said, as if her confessing to her selfishness was going to make everything better and erase what I've been through in that hellhole.

I gave her a pointed stare and finished my beer.

"When could you ever turn me down, Dimitri?" she said, inching closer.

"From today," I said, getting up and placing some cash on the bar.

The booze was playing with my head and clearly playing tricks on me. I was tipsy and horny as hell. With Roxanne here in her tight red dress, revealing too much cleavage was not a good combination. She knew how to work her body that drew men in.

Roxanne was a tiger on the fucking hunt, and she had her eyes set on me. She still thought we had something. We might have... but that something was distant in the past. I had to leave fast before she got her claws out. I had to get away from her before I did something I would regret.

"Is it because of her?" she said with a sneer.

Of course, it's because of Lillie, but I didn't bother to answer Roxanne. The move to the door was slightly askew, my head felt dizzy. I shook my head hard to gain my senses back. I walked through the bar's entrance, a cool breeze hitting my face. It felt good as it briefly refreshed me. I walked to the truck, but a hand grabbed my arm.

"Roxanne, what the hell are you doing?" I said, anger rising in my voice.

She looked at me, remorseful. "You supposed to be with me, Dimitri!" She said, coming up against me, pushing me against the wall. We were hidden in the dark, away from people. I took hold of her arms, but she fought against me, grabbing and slapping my face.

"We have history together that you want to throw away for some dumb goody two-shoes bitch!" she shouted.

"Roxanne." I sighed. "You need to understand. It's over between us."

She shook her head, finding it hard to accept. The dizziness was making my mind foggy. She snaked her hands up my chest and wrapped her arms around my neck.

Her lips met mine. She kissed me forcefully, trying to make me remember our past, biting and sucking my lower lip until it slightly bled. Her familiar kiss overtook me. I tried to will myself against Roxanne, but I lost the battle. I grabbed her ass and picked her up, turned her around, and slammed her against the cold concrete wall. I returned her rough kiss and ground my hips into hers. Roxanne moaned as she unbuckled my jeans.

But something was wrong.

She slid her dress strap down her shoulder, popping a breast out. She brought up one of my hand up to cup her exposed plump breast. It's been such a fucking long time since I did this that the sensation felt so good. I massaged it and kissed it, Roxanne moaned. It felt and tasted good, but something was still not right. I couldn't shake this nagging feeling in me that barred me from enjoying this to the full extent.

I teared myself and my throbbing erection away from Roxanne, leaving her exposed and panting.

"Dimitri, what's wrong?" she asked, confused.

I shook my head hard, feeling very much sober now. The gravity of what I just did hitting me... hard. "I gotta go", I said nervously, fixing my belt.

"Are you serious?" Roxanne said deadpanned.

I sighed and turned to her. "Sorry Roxanne, I shouldn't have allowed this to happen."

I walked away fast, leaving Roxanne speechless.