Page 3 of Something More

Chapter Three

____________

Payton

I can't believe we got in. I left all of that up to Hadden and sure enough, she got us in. I'm not sure how and a part of me doesn't want to know. Tonight I'm not asking questions. I'm not thinking about what’s back on the island waiting for me...or not waiting for me. And most importantly I'm not thinking about Ford.

Me and Hadden stand looking around us for a long time just taking in everything around us. It's loud and noisy and just too much. Too much everything. Too many people, too much commotion, too much color and bass. And it happens to be just enough to make me forget about that fucker waiting on the island for the hussy he's with, whoever she is.

I'm not about to start slut shaming or girl bashing just because things didn't go my way. She might not even know about me. Besides, it’s not like me and Ford are married. Is it really cheating...yeah, okay even I'm not that open-minded. It's fucking cheating and bile works its way up into my throat at the thought of someone else being with the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

"Let's dance!" I pull Hadden out on the floor, no longer content just to watch. I want to do it! I close my eyes and lose myself in the thump of the bass hammering through the floor and through me. I need to forget that my heart is breaking right now. I need to leave all the expectations I had for my future behind and just focus on the now.

I start rocking my hips back and forth while the music washes over me. God, I love a good song. It doesn't take long before arms come around me. I immediately stiffen and move to pull away. The floor is packed though and turning really isn't an option. Not to mention the guy behind me won't let me.

"Listen Jerk!" This is not what I need tonight. "You need to let me go before I pepper spray your ass. This is your only warming Asshole."

The guy is holding me so tightly to him that I can feel his chest move when he laughs at me. This fuck is about to be the lucky recipient of all the pent-up anger I have saved up over this Ford thing. I might just feel a shit ton better if I kick a guy's balls up into his throat tonight. I try to pull away from the big ass again before he moves so that my arms can't come up to strike him. It sends me into a realm of pissed-off I've never been before. And maybe a little curl of fear mixes in there as well.

Lips come to my ear and a shiver courses down my body but it’s not the feel of him whispering to me that makes me shiver. It's his voice.

"I'm very happy you're keeping what's mine safe, baby."

It's Ford!

He twirls me around in the tight space so expertly that I don't bump into other dancers.

"But next time use a taser. I'll make sure you have one as soon as we're back on the island."

I just stand in the cage of his arms not doing anything. His voice sounds deeper. He seems different. He doesn't even look like Ford. Where are the glasses he usually wears? Where is his badge and the..., oh, I don't think that’s his gun digging into the softness of my belly.

My eyes shoot over to where Hadden was. Damn, I thought she was still beside me. I'm not sure if that makes me the bad sister or her since we both agreed not to leave one another alone tonight for safety reasons. She's being cornered by...is that Dirk? Oh my God, Dirk is giving her what for by the looks of it. I don't have to be close enough to hear what they are saying to know it's bad. Those two don't get along at all.

Something inside of me snaps at seeing Dirk here. I know it's stupid but I thought maybe just for a second...I thought Ford was bothered that I hadn't answered his text messages or that I wasn't returning any of his calls. But the fact that Dirk is here makes it crystal clear what this is.

"No one asked you to play babysitter tonight, Ford!" He's doing what he's always done and watching out for me. "Consider yourself off duty."

I turn away from him. The words kill me because I realize they're the ending. But I don't want to be just a responsibility to him while he moves on without me. He catches my hand and pulls me back into his chest once again. "There's a lot of things I want to do with your ass, baby, but sitting ain't one of them."

I glare at him. His words just make me madder.

"Really?" He's had three days to do something with my legal ass and hasn't made one move to be alone with me. "What's that old saying - put up or shut up. I believe that's how it goes. Is that how it goes, Ford?"

He laughs and walks us backwards. He doesn't even pretend to look at all the people clearing the way for him as he comes back with me in his arms. A smirk is on his lips and he's pulling at something inside of me that makes me want to slap the hell out of him.

"Okay, wild cat. Come on."

"What?"

Is this...does he...is he offering me a mercy fuck to shut me up? What the fuck? Who the fuck does he think I am? Does he really think I will just roll over and let him hand me parts of him, something that is not all of him? I want it all damn it! Not just the mercy fuck.

"Let's go."

"Go? Go where?" I look back over at my sister who is still arguing with Dirk.

"There's something I need to show you. Hadden is fine. Dirk won't let anything happen to her."

"I'm not worried about Hadden. Clearly, you know my sister about as well as you know me."

He doesn't let me go. Even when I antagonize him. I huff and try to pull myself away from him. "Fine! I'll go wherever just so you'll leave me alone for the rest of the night." And maybe the rest of my life.

His arms drop from me and a sudden coldness comes over me that wasn't there when I was in his arms. Damn it! I'm quickly learning that love and hate are surprisingly similar emotions connected by the same heartstring.

Ford grabs us a cab and bundles me inside as he gives the driver an address. My mind flashes back to the night he told me he was going to be a police officer and that meant he had to leave the island...and me!

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