© 2018 Shay Spencer. All rights reserved.

Something New

[ Chapter 2 ] You Kiss Like Your Mother

. . . . .

Scarlett

9 Months

. . . . .

Sitting here, looking at the man breaking down beside me, it was hard to believe I had ever looked at him any other way.

"You can say it." His voice was gruff and his breath reeked of the hard alcohol he and the others had put away earlier in the night. "I know she broke me."

The silence encased us, which was a rare occurrence to put it mildly. Never, not once, had Axel Reynolds been at a loss for words. His usual class and undeniable charm had faded further with every shot he had downed in the hours prior to the ride I had given him to get here.

Now, a man who was merely a shell of himself sat on the couch beside me, elbows resting on his knees and head in his hands.

Knowing Axel first as the man that had messed up my now step-brother's chances of graduating college, and as the man that had made more than a few passes at me, I had been less than eager to learn that I would be staying at one of his many rentals while attending NYU these last two semesters.

Don't judge a book by it's cover had never resonated with me so greatly.

From Axel showing me all that New York had to offer to him helping me pick a major, I couldn't deny the sparks that flew between us. It was only when he met Josie Hartman that our time spent together became fewer and further between.

The two's attraction could be felt by anyone within a ten mile radius. From that night forward, Axel had been denying his feelings for Josie, right along with Zane and anyone else with eyes.

The tall red head commanded a room, not only with her looks but with her confidence. Despite losing her job towards the latter part of the year before, she had held her head high enough for Axel to pick her out of the crowd. Now, the two acting as best friends worked side by side on any and every endeavor; Josie was his assistant and had been more than helpful in gaining Axel's promotion to head of the company next year.

She even acted as his wingmen and had gotten him laid more times than anyone could count. Though the nights they spent apart were only becoming more painful by the day according to Axel.

It felt like I didn't stand a chance when compared to her.

Even still, anytime I spent with our resident play-boy, he made me feel as if I was the only one in the room. Though I couldn't shake the name that was Hayden Pennington from my mind or heart, it felt as if Axel might be able to help me get through the next four to five Hayden-less years.

"She didn't break you," I offered. He neglected to say anything, keeping his eyes shut as he rubbed his temples. I could tell the after effects of the rum were currently turning his mind to stone in the most painful of ways.

The excitement taking place on the street below became the only sound that echoed through his lavish apartment. I had learned to expect that of those in my life now. After my mother had married Elias Pennington it seemed anyone than ran with our family was wealthy beyond what I had  envisioned.

The large apartment was clad in stark white walls and a mahogany wood floor that made any room pop. The floor to ceiling windows stretched from one end of the apartment to the other, giving anyone the perfect view of the city. The leather sectional had been a gift from Zane and Josie upon Axel moving in last month, and for some reason, he had kept it.

Though it always reminded him that the two were closer than ever to becoming a couple; if they weren't already.

"I fucked up the night of the wedding." Axel started once more, referring to that of his father's wedding seven months ago. It was also the night he had met Josie, the night the two had a less than perfect first meeting. "I knew from the get go she was different. I shouldn't just assume some girl sitting in a strip club is desperate enough for a one night stand."

"If things went as badly as you say they did, why did she come to work for you? Or want to be friends with you?" I sighed, placing a hand on his upper arm. "She likes you, Axel."

"That's what everyone says," he murmured. Without warning, he turned to face me. The deep bags under his eyes became all the more apparent in the dull lighting from the building across the street, and strangely enough, it half looked like he wanted to cry.

"There are so many women that think the world of you," I tried, taking his hand this time. "If Josie can't see that-"

"Then what?" Axel smirked with his words, "she's blind? I adore the cliche's, Scarlett Blaine. But we can't ignore the fact that she can indeed see."

I couldn't help but smile.

He reached out with the hand I wasn't clinging to, brushing the hair from my face and studying me with all the focus he could muster in his state. His thumb brushed over my bottom lip, tugging it down a bit before his fingers trailed down to my collar bone. Goosebumps laid in their wake, every movement making me shiver and yet setting my skin aflame.

"I couldn't get you out of my head after that first day," he whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear. "Penn never looked more protective. I just thought it was because of what I'd done to him. But-" he cut himself off, instead looking deeper into my eyes and leaning in just a bit closer.

"What?" I chanced it.

He shook his head, "you're gorgeous." The chuckle that ghosted past his parted lips left me weak. "Hayden could never have passed a girl like you and not've fallen for ya'."

Without giving myself a chance to think, I leaned forward, brushing my lips against his own. The surprise at my sudden courage left Axel paralyzed for nearly a full second, one that I could feel with every fiber of my being. But none of that mattered the second his lips began to move with my own.

He groaned, probably because of the pounding in his head with his impending hangover. I ignored it, and slid in closer, placing my hands on either side of his chest.

His left hand now enveloped the side of my neck, reeling me in closer as his right hand found my waist. The feeling of his him spurred something in me that I hadn't felt for some time, it left me feeling dizzy against his all too supple lips.

The taste of alcohol flooded my mouth, but it wasn't what I had expected. It was tart, and somehow made the kiss all the better.

A warning should have gone off in my head when he pulled away with a chuckle, but I kept on, pulling him back into me despite his undying laughter.

After what seemed like an eternity, I pulled away. "What?"

His smile looked closer to that of the Cheshire Cat than I had been expecting after a moment like that.

He bit his now swollen bottom lip before whispering something I couldn't make out.

"What?" I groaned myself. I had known Axel was frustrating in every sense of the word, but I had never felt this kind frustration with him before.

I never thought that I would, actually.

"You kiss like your mom," he laughed.

I could taste the bile in my mouth before I had a chance to think of a response. I could feel the unlikely weight pressing on my chest as the words playing over and over again, taunting me to the furthest corner of my mind and back again.

I kissed like my mother.

Axel had kissed my mother.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I swallowed hard against the all too apparent lump in my throat, trying my best to work through the nauseous feeling that settled over my body.

"Now you sound like Elias," Axel continued with his hilarity. "Angel tried to deny it. Then Elias came in like a big man-"

"What are you talking about!" I yelled, shooting up from my place on the couch. "When did you kiss my mother?"

He merely shrugged and fell back into the leather, his cheek resting atop of the couch.

The memories hit me like nothing ever had before. All those times he had made comments about my mom, saying she had a 'thing' for him.

In reality, it was Axel who had made a move on her.

"Axel," the name came out like venom.

He refused to say a word until the crack of my hand slapping against his cheek elicited a cry in pain from him.

"Scarlett." He hissed, his eyes showing no signs that he would remember this tomorrow. "Fine. I kissed her after Jay's try-out's. We had a moment and I went for it."

"You're sick," I said. Taking every step backwards with caution, I only paused to pick up my purse.

"Says the girl who fucked her step-brother."

I bit into my tongue as the tears stung my eyes. With every ounce of me I wished I could take back what I'd done; what I'd been feeling for this man over the last eight months.

"Hayden is more of a man than you'll ever be." I covered my mouth to contain the sobs.

He didn't dare say another word, instead, he weakly motioned towards the door before falling face first into the couch cushions below. The sound of his snores rang through my mind like a siren as I rushed out of the apartment.

I didn't want to know any more of what happened that night, but I knew that I needed to as I slammed the door behind me.

The question of why my mother had kept that from me, why she had allowed me to practically live with such a bastard of a man without saying something plagued me more than I wanted to admit.

But instead of calling, instead of taking a stand against the man that had hurt me, I cried. My back slid down the door of his apartment and the tears streamed down my cheeks faster than I could track. I couldn't seem to catch my breath as the utter shame washed over me.

Never in my life had I ever regretted anything more than having feelings for Axel Reynolds.