Rich Prick by Tijan
31
Aspen
“This place is lit! Holy pussy shit.”
“Zeke,” Blaise warned.
“Sorry, but wow.” His mouth hung open, and he hadn’t even stepped into the garage yet. We were still standing in the driveway.
This was a surreal moment for me. I never thought I’d have people over.
Owen was the one who made friends, and I’d thought his were mine—until after. Then it just seemed too much work.
Now I was getting the point. Kinda. But this was also surreal because it was Zeke Allen.
He’d been the most popular guy in our school until Blaise came.
I talked to Miss Sandy and Benny. Both were under strict instruction not to mention my last name. Blaise was worried about Zeke’s freak-out meter. I’d told them not to discuss what my parents did for a living—because again, freak-out meter.
I mean, he might already know but why bring it up? Why make it something when it might not be something. If that even made sense?
He finished gawking at the front of the house, and when he turned to me, his eyes warmed. “Hello there.”
Blaise introduced us, a hand to the small of my back.
Zeke looked me over before throwing Blaise a smirk. “I can see why you’re keeping her to yourself.”
Blaise’s hand pressed harder to my back. “Yeah?”
“You are one fine piece of as—”
“Dude.” Blaise glared.
I felt myself blushing. “Thanks?”
Zeke grinned.
Blaise put his hand on my hip to propel me back inside. “Aspen, you do not have to thank a guy for telling you that. Any other guy who said that would be hitting on you with your man right next to you. That’s not cool.”
Zeke followed us. “But not me. That’s me giving my approval. I can tell you’re nice, and you’re going to take care of my boy for me.”
I almost stumbled, those words were so unexpected, but Blaise caught me. I looked up, and he was smiling. Five minutes in, and I was beginning to see why Blaise liked Zeke.
I never could before.
Zeke proclaimed almost the same sentiments when he met Miss Sandy and Benny, though fortunately he didn’t comment on their looks. And Blaise had given up trying to censor his friend.
After we sat to eat the breakfast spread or to watch Zeke eat, he leaned back and lifted his chin. “So, man, what’s the word? What are we doing today?”
My eyebrows lifted. Not one word had been spoken about what had happened with Blaise last night, and Blaise had been tense. I knew he’d been waiting. With this question, he relaxed. His hand had been gripping the back of my chair, but it eased down and he shrugged.
“I’m thinking that’s up to you.”
Zeke nodded, eyes falling to the table. “Yeah.” Then he looked back up. “Anyone called you today? Your family or…anyone?”
Blaise’s hand stalled on my leg. “Nah, man.”
Zeke went back to studying the table. “You turned your phone off after my call?”
Blaise’s jaw clenched as he leaned forward. “The phone’s on. If you got something to say, say it.”
Zeke didn’t blink. “That piece of shit needs to go to jail.”
My stomach dropped. I froze in my chair.
“He put his hands on you,” Zeke added. “I’ve got a big fucking problem with that. I don’t know if your girl knows about this—” His eyes slid my way, an apology there. “But I’m your best bud, and I fucking love you. You’d be okay if someone did that shit to me?” He nodded at me. “To your girl?”
Blaise’s fingers gripped my leg. He wasn’t hurting me, and he pulled me in closer.
I looked over.
He wasn’t looking at Zeke. And his jaw kept clenching, unclenching, and clenching again.
A wave of sadness pierced me. I felt a tear fall, but I let it go.
My voice was hoarse. “You were beaten?”
“No,” Blaise hissed.
“Yes,” Zeke said at the same time. “‘You beat me, you miserable piece of fuck.’” He paused. “That’s what you said. Locked in closets. He threatened you. He threatened your mom. He used belts on you.” He leaned forward in his seat, his voice dropping low. “If you don’t think those words are going to be permanently engrained in my memory, you’re a fucking moron. You saved me when I was kid, and then you went home and were beaten on by an adult, a parent.” He placed a fist on the table. “Make that fucker pay.”
I closed my eyes.
I couldn’t.
Belts? Locked in closets?
Wave after wave of sadness sliced me.
My entire chest felt like it was caving in.
An adult did that to Blaise? My guy! The guy who held me, made me feel loved, who had started to show me a world I never thought I’d see, much less walk in?
I wanted to kill this guy.
“It was your father? Who did that to you?”
Blaise jerked toward me, and he stiffened even more. “Aspen.”
Zeke watched me. After a moment, he grinned. “I like you.”
I glanced at him, but stayed focused on my question. “Your father? Your non-bio dad did that?”
Blaise didn’t answer, but his eyes were bleak.
Zeke answered, “Yeah. His non-bio dad.”
I shoved my chair back.
“Where are you going?”
I picked up my phone. “My brother. He knows people who can hurt that man.”
Blaise muttered a curse. He shoved his chair back and took the phone from my hands. “Aspen, no.”
I looked at him. “He needs to hurt. A lot.”
He smiled down at me, his hand on my hip. “I know, and he will, but I gotta make sure he doesn’t hurt my real dad.”
I waited. “Your real dad?”
“My real dad beat the crap out of him last night. He was whaling on him when we walked inside.”
Wait. “Really?”
He nodded, sliding my phone into his pocket. “It’s all good. I won’t let him hurt anyone else I care about, but he’s hurting today. I bet he can’t even piss standing up.”
That made me feel better. Some of the tightness eased. “Good. He shouldn’t piss standing for the rest of his life.”
Zeke lifted his fist. “I really like you.”
Then it hit me what Blaise had gone through. There were pieces and holes, but I was putting together what had happened last night.
And he’d come to me.
He came to me.
I wanted to cry.
“Aspen.” Blaise’s voice came out thick. He was feeling it too.
I pressed my forehead to his chest, grabbing ahold of his shirt. His fingers slid through my hair.
I slid my arms around his waist and held on. After a moment’s hesitation, Blaise wrapped his arms around me too. We held each other, ignoring the world around us, or just Zeke since it was only him here.
Blaise leaned down to my ear. “Later I’m going to show you how much your reaction means to me.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead.
I looked into his eyes.
They blazed with an emotion that made my throat swell.
I didn’t dare name it. If I did, I’d fall even harder, faster. And I was scared of what I already felt.
“I wish Owen could’ve met you,” I whispered.
“Babe.” His face transformed with such tenderness and warmth. He cupped my face with both hands and lowered his head, his lips finding mine.
Yes. Owen would’ve liked him. He would’ve liked him a whole bunch.
The three ofus hung out the rest of the day.
Blaise suggested the pool, so we swam for the next couple hours. Miss Sandy brought out swim trunks for both of the guys. I went up to my room to change. I pulled out a one-piece and a bikini, laying them both on my bed.
I couldn’t decide.
I’d normally grab the one-piece, but Blaise was here, and I wanted to look good for him.
It wasn’t until Miss Sandy knocked once on the door, stuck her head in, and said, “The bikini, Miss Aspen,” that I made my choice.
She came in and disappeared into my closet. After I changed in the bathroom, she held out a cover-up for me. I took it, feeling sophisticated for maybe the first time in my life.
She took my hand and whispered, “I like your boy very much, even if he did stay the night.”
I nodded, fighting a blush. “Me too.”
“We’ll bring lunch out to you and your guests,” she said as she retreated. “They’re already enjoying the pool.”
“Miss Sandy.”
She paused, glancing back.
“Thank you.”
She nodded, her eyes blinking a few times. “Of course, Miss Aspen.” She started to leave, but looked back once more. “It’s nice to hear laughter in the house again. It’s been a long time.”
Oh. Now I was crying.
I took a deep breath, pulled the cover-up on, slid my feet into sandals, and headed downstairs. She was right. It’d been a long time coming, and I was going to enjoy this moment.
Who knew when I might get another one like it.
