Patrick Dempsey as Noah Thorpe

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Stuck on You: Kapitel Sechs

The tension in the restaurant was so thick, not one person could breathe without coughing through the smoke. Hot adrenaline was flying through my veins, burning up and coating every stem of me. Who did she think she was? I let out a sigh, my hands curling into fists as my body grew hotter and hotter. My body was trembling, not from fear, but from pure unadulterated anger.

"It seems that eight years has been a long time. Wouldn't you agree, Anthony?" My eyes raked the figure of the cold and manipulating, condescending and negative, snobby and disgusting Emilia Karas, the ever so dear mother of Santiago. "I would, but then I realized that it's not exactly my fault that it has been that long, wouldn't you say, Santiago?" I folded my arms, glaring over her shoulder to the bane of my existence. "But Emilia, eight years is too short for you, huh?" I breathed through my nose, willing myself to calm down. That's right, my friends had no idea who these people were and I wasn't trying to tell them.

It just irked and got on my everlasting nerve. She treated me like utter shit when Santiago and I were together and I never knew why. She hated me so much, it was completely ridiculous. Santiago's dumbass never realized it, which is probably a good thing that we ended when we did because I wouldn't have been able to put up with her stinking bullshit. "I mean, I would say I missed you," Emilia clicked her tongue before looking at her fresh manicure. "But of the many things that I am, I'm not a liar." I could sense Demetrios getting ready to stand and come to my defense, like the awesome best friend/homie that he was. Unfortunately, since I was the baddest bitch since birth, I got this.

"Well I would say the same thing, but I didn't want you here and yet," I put a hand under my chin, pretending to think and act like I found an epiphany. "Yet here you are, right in front of me. You got something to say to me?" I tilted my head, wanting to say so much for the things she put me through, the atrocities she called me, the disrespect I tolerated. She may have wanted the absolute best for her son, but the least she could've done was treated me like a decent human being; not like I belonged in the trashcan.

"Hm," Emilia smirked as her eyes trailed my figure, nodding in mock approval. "Looks like you stopped dressing like you traded clothes with homeless people." I stared in disbelief, knowing that she would never leave me alone to rest in peace. She always had something to fucking say. Some things never change, huh?

"But yet you still dress like you've decided to make a living for yourself, but we all know you mooch off of others." I rolled my eyes, watching as she cut her eyes at me, her mouth turned up into a snarl. Now she knew how it felt to be mistreated. Eight years ago, I wouldn't have said shit but let her walk all over me like a damn doormat, but nah, not to-motherfucking-day. I'm tired of everything. "Mom, let's go." I could see Santiago pulling on her shoulders to move her along as we were gathering enough attention, but knowing Emilia Karas, she liked to have the last word. "Oh?" She bemused. "Look who decided to grow a pair?" She raised a brow, her voice dripping into patronization and I fought the urge to yell.

"Maybe he took yours," I heard Micah clip in and I snorted, loving my friends. "Be careful lady. I wouldn't want to make him my enemy." Derek whispered as all eyes turned to him. She stood there in undisclosed shock, masking her features with hate. "What they said." I turned back to her, wondering when I decided to let her treat me like so. "So if you have an issue with me, let me know and we can hash it out. If you don't, then please move along so that I can continue my dinner with my friends." I raised a brow and motioned for her to keep walking. "It was nice meeting you again, Emilia." I smiled sarcastically, my voice flowing with venom. With her head turned, she twisted on her heel and sashayed over to their designated booth.

Santiago kept his eyes on me even as he slithered into the side facing me.

How nice.

I rolled my eyes and cursed, sitting back down next to Demetrios, who had an odd look in his eyes. "Was that the lizard family!?" Micah questioned as he pumped up his fists. "Luzardi," I corrected, smiling softly. "And yes, it was." I let out a breath of agony, memories of the past me coming to my mind. She belittled me, made me feel so inadequate, made me feel like I wasn't enough for Santiago and it really hurt. Once upon a time, I would have been willing to do whatever Emilia needed me to do, no matter how terribly she did me, but now, she can kiss my asshole.

"That fine chocolate man wouldn't keep his eyes off of you," Derek mentioned as he took a sip of water, enticing a roll of the eyes from me. "Yea, well, I don't give a shit." I kind of did. I couldn't lie to myself. I missed him. I mean, Jesus fuck, how could I not? He gave me so to remember, so many memories, so much love. At one point in my life, I remember feeling like I was the most important person to Santiago; that he couldn't live without me. The problem is that I got too deeply attached and when he left, I just felt lost and empty.

I just want to know why.

If it was something so serious, then maybe I'd think about repairing what we had. But if it was something so simple like him cheating on me, then I'd want absolutely nothing to do with him. He would have just broken my heart further.

"That woman seemed like she knew you," David pointed out with a knowing gleam in his eye. "She called you by your real name and everything. Bad blood, I take it?" He raised a brow and I nodded, smiling sadly. "Wait a minute," Micah sputtered, his mind gears clicking into place. "Was Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy the guy you were talking about?!" Since there was no use in hiding it, I nodded. "Yup." I said and Micah's jaw fell through the ground to hell.

"Damn, son. He was extremely attractive and that's putting it lightly." Derek muttered and I shrugged. "Yea, well, he's the one who ended it. Not I." I smirked and they all turned to me, shock evident on their faces; it was comical. "He ended things with you? You of all people?!" Micah shook his head. "You're a catch. I don't know what he thought but he's dumb as hell for letting you go." They all chorused in agreement and I let a soft smile consume my face. "You think so?" I replied with a small voice. He was indeed the one who left, but I was the one who continued to love.

I thought about every single that we've been through, wondering if he thought that I was worth it. I mean, he was the one who pursued me first. He was the one who fell first, but he was the one who left first.

He treated me so well, I guess that's why I can't unlove him. "Bradley, he's staring a hole into us." Demetrios leaned over to whisper in my ear and I giggled, his breath tickling my cartilage. "What for?" I muttered, flicking my gaze two tables down and to the right. There he was, sitting on the side facing us, his cheek on his hand as he leaned on the table, two big brown orbs staring right at us. He was analyzing us, that was for sure, but that smirk never left his lips. I felt uncomfortable under his scrutinizing gaze, wondering what he was thinking. He was always like that, so unreadable, so unpredictable.

Guess I never realized it until now.

Then my phone buzzed in my pocket, letting me know that someone texted me. I pulled it out, smiling when I saw my daughter's name.

Ivory Thorpe: I miss you, daddy.

"The fuck you smiling for?" Micah grunted out and I flicked my eyes up to him. "My daughter just texted me the sweetest thing!" I gushed, my cheeks flushing red as Demetrios peered over to see the message. "Guys, Brad Thorpe, the world's manliest father." Derek snorted as David coughed, trying not to laugh. "Eat a dick, hoe." I stuck my tongue out at him and replied to Ivory.

Brad Thorpe: I miss you too, sweetheart. I should be home in a few.

"I already do, every night," Derek winked at me and I fought the urge to throw up all over my filet mignon. "Disgusting." I clicked on my apple watch to check the time to make sure that everything was on schedule. I had to go into work tomorrow to discuss this dumb ass fucking case with dumb ass fucking Santiago. I wondered if I could kill myself an hour before I had to leave.

Demetrios sat in thought, staring at me with such an incomprehensible look like he was studying me. "What's the matter, daddy Metrios?" I raised a brow and he snorted, shaking his head. "Nothing, just running a few things through my mind. That and the fact that I can't wait to see John." He stated and I frowned slightly. Everyone at this table had a significant other to return to tonight and while I had my daughter, it would be nice to have someone to hold me while I slept. It would be perfect if I had someone to run their hands through my hair and tell me they loved me.

"I'll be right back, buttmunchers." I threw the peace sign as I dropped my phone and key on the table, looking around for the sign that would point me in the direction of the restrooms. My jeans were snug around my hips as they were stretched out and I sighed in annoyance, remembering that I had just bought them. "Remind me to tell Micah to stop forcing me to do squats." I murmured to myself as I pushed the door to walk in the bathroom. I walked over to the sink and turned the faucet on, needing cool water to bring my senses down. It wasn't that I felt lonely, but I wished I had what they had sometimes. I wished that I had someone to love and to cherish.

But I didn't.

The cool water slapped my pores and I sighed in relief. I needed this refresher. Everything was just rushing towards me and I couldn't defend myself. Santiago came back and brought his dragon along (sorry, Emilia, not sorry), and he won't leave me alone. It's too much for me because it's making me remember what we had and it's tearing down the walls that I built in order to keep him out. I let out a long sigh, reaching for a napkin to dry my face off with. I heard the door open with an eerie creak but I ignored it, leaving my face buried within the napkin.

"I missed you like hell," That familiar, dark voice broke the silence and I snatched my head up from my napkin, hearing crisp footsteps hit the floor. My heart thundered within my chest as I stared up at him, the tiniest bit of hope growing. "And judging by your reactions thus far, I'd say you missed me too." Santiago stood in front of me, his arms folded with his signature smirk as he stared down at me, his eyes glazed over with some emotion that I recognized from before. 

Adoration.

This was it. The last wall came crumbling down. I jolted my head away from his penetrating gaze, cheeks reddening on sight. "Yea well," I cleared my throat to make myself sound like awkward. In this enclosed space, his proximity made me all the more aware and conscious. "How could I not?" I whispered, slowly losing my mind. What was he doing here? Right here, right now? "Santiago, what do you want?" I muttered, trying to force myself to build back those walls in an instant, to keep him from worming his way into my mind. "I thought I made myself very clear, Anthony," His black dress shoes clicked against the floor as he took several steps towards me, his cologne waving all around me and I could feel his intense body heat. 

"I want you."

How I longed to hear those words leaving his lips. I stood straight up, craning my next to meet his cocoa brown eyes, my lips turned into a quiver as his arms reached down to wrap around me. I missed this, being in his arms. I missed placing my head against his chest and feeling his heartbeat syncing with mine. I missed inhaling his natural scent and feeling warm and content. It was no use, I wasn't over him and I doubted that I ever would be. I knew waiting for him was painful and I also knew that forgetting everything that he gave me would be even more painful, so I allowed myself to still hope.

Hope that he would come back to me.

I was contradicting myself, I knew it. "Yea?" I said as he tilted my head up with his lithe fingers and I was staring into orbs that held so much sorrow and so much regret. His fingers reached up to trace along my skin, rubbing past my lips as if he was trying to commit them to memory. "You're even more beautiful than in my dreams," His eyes flicked back and forth between my own, a soft smile coming to his lips as his free arm gripped my waist. "You have no idea how much I missed you. You'll never be able to comprehend how much I thought about you." My hand came up to rest on top of his, soaking in his touch. I needed this, it reminded me so much of who I used to be. I missed who I used to be and I missed being with him. He seemed too as well, so why would he leave me? "Why did you leave that night?" I croaked out, wanting the answer that I have been pondering for the last eight years. His movements on my face stopped as I looked at him, noticing that he was fighting an internal battle. He looked so sad, so distraught and he cupped my face with his hands.

"One day, I promise you'll know." Santiago pushed out forcedly and I could sense some underlying hues of hatred, anger, and sadness dipping beneath that rich timbre of his voice. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my forehead before slowly withdrawing from me. 

And like that, he was gone again.

I stood there in shock, the door closing with a soft slam and my hopes melted down into ashes as tears made their presence known. Why did he keep doing this to me? Why did I keep letting myself take the bait? You said it yourself. You're still in love with him; always have been and always will be. How ironic. I thought that I would have given up on him, but it appears that I can't. He took my heart with him when he left.

"Brad, are you okay in here?" I heard a familiar voice break the silence and I stopped sniffling, wiping my eyes as quickly as possible as I stood to my feet. "Yea! Yeah, I'm fine." I replied in a neutral tone, making sure to plaster a fake gin on my face as I turned to look at Demetrios. "What's up?" I asked in a calm tone and he looked me up and down, trying to analyze me. "Don't cry. He's not worth it." He stated in a casual tone, his blue eyes coated in concern and empathy and I nodded, knowing full well that I didn't believe him. Once upon a time, he was worth more than anything to me. "Hey, just give me a second." I walked towards the stall. "I need to pee." He stared at me for a good few seconds before slowly nodding and I closed the stall behind me.

I unbuckled my pants and made sure the seat was covered with sheets before sitting down to relieve myself. I pulled some toilet paper out and wiped myself clean before flushing the toilet. I pulled up my pants and opened the stall to see Demi standing there, his face contorted into some weird expression. "Why are you looking at me like that?" I questioned before going to wash my hands. "Brad?" He asked and I nodded in response. "Why did you go into the stall when there are urinals right there?" There were no words to describe how deep my heart dropped and I began to sweat.

"Uhhh..."