Takedown Read online

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. And I’m done with this conversation. I’ve been done with you. And if you want to continue training here, leave me alone.”

  “Fine.” Jessica straightened her shoulders, leveling her eyes at him. “But I know exactly what I’m talking about. I used to know you better than anyone. And if for one second you think you haven’t changed, then you’re not as smart as everyone thinks. And just for the record, your heart wasn’t the only one that was broken. I wasn’t always this person either.” With that Jessica turned sharply on her heels, her ponytail swooshing as she walked away.

  It must have been his lucky day, because after taking a few steps away in the opposite direction of Jess, he ran smack-dab into his sister. They hadn’t spoken since the night before he and Kiki broke up. The night that she predicted once again that he would hurt Kiki. Just like he had.

  “Wade.” Her voice was soft and sad.

  “Don’t, Vi.” Wade inhaled deeply before letting out a sigh. “I don’t have time to fight with you.”

  “I come in peace. I promise.” Vi’s eyes were soft with pity. A look that made his heart ache. His sister was hurting for him, and he hated it. He’d seen that look before, and once again the present bringing up the past.

  “Okay. What do you need?” he asked flatly.

  “I know about you and Kiki. I wanted to tell you I’m sorry if I had anything to do with it. I should have stayed out of it. You’re a great guy, and I should have been building you up, not breaking you down.”

  “You’re right, you should have stayed out of it. But don’t be sorry. I broke up with her.” Wade shrugged. “I just hope I didn’t hurt her too badly.” He wanted the words to come off sarcastically, but even he could hear the pain in his voice. Hurting Kiki was the last thing he wanted to do, but it seemed inevitable.

  “I don’t want to talk about her. I’m here for you. I haven’t been the greatest sister recently, but I wanted to let you know that I’ve got you. It will always be us against the world,” Vi said with a hopeful smile.

  He appreciated his sister trying to comfort him, but it was a lie. It was no longer them against the world, she had Colin. But Wade wasn’t about to feel sorry for himself. He could take on the world alone, he had been doing it already. He just had to make sure that the past stayed where it belonged.

  “Thank you.” Wade opened his arms. “Come here,” he said, pulling his sister into a hug. “Let’s not fight. It’s exhausting, and you’re much better at it than me,” Wade teased.

  “You still going to walk me down the aisle?” Vi asked, looking up at him.

  “Yes. Always.” Wade rolled his eyes at the dumb question. Nothing in the world would keep him from doing that, especially a stupid argument. “Are you still going to invite my friends?”

  “Ugh.” Vi sighed. “If I must,” she teased.

  And there it was; just like that, one piece of his complicated life was put back in place. It was a small victory that he greatly needed.

  * * * *

  “Are you going to tell us what’s going on with you? Did you fail a final or something?” Parker asked.

  Wade picked up a French fry, only to toss it back on his plate, his appetite lost. He’d been able to brush off his friends the last couple of weeks using school as an excuse. It was no wonder they thought that was his problem. He hadn’t talked to anyone about what transpired between him and Kiki. And surprisingly enough his sister had stuck to her promise of staying out of it. And that only made him wonder more about Kiki and how she was handling things.

  “School is fine. I...ugh. Kiki and I broke up.” Wade shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. It’s just weird going to the gym and stuff.”

  “Why did she break-up with you?” Parker asked.

  Wade shook his head, combing his hands through his hair. He was about to catch hell, and the embarrassment of telling his friends the truth was almost enough to make him lie.

  “I broke up with her.” The words tasted like vinegar on his tongue.

  “No way, man. No way you broke up with the perfect girl...unless, was she another cheater?” Parker asked.

  Wade scoffed. How dare his friend think that about Kiki. “She’s a great girl, she would never cheat on me. It’s just complicated.”

  “So complicated we couldn’t understand?” Landon pushed. “Bullshit,” Landon called out, leaning his forearms on the table. “She was just right. You fucked something up.”

  “Give him a break, Landon,” Parker chastised.

  “No way. I gotta hear this. She was a hard ten, and not just on looks alone.”

  “Just ’cause she picked up some chicks for you at a bar? You didn’t get to know her that well.” Wade’s tone was harsh. These were his friends; they were supposed to be on his side.

  “That was cool, but that wasn’t why.” Landon shook his head. “She brought you back, man. There was a Wade I hadn’t seen in a while, and I liked it.”

  “Leave him alone, Landon,” Parker defended.

  “Fine. But look at him.” Landon gave him a sorrowful look. “He was heartbroken over that whore, and here he is heartbroken over this nice girl. Maybe he needs his friends to give him a little kick in the ass so he can get his shit together.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Where was all this talk about the old Wade coming from? No one had brought it up before, and now everyone was coming out of the woodwork to tell him how much he’d changed.

  “Hey now, guys. Let’s just calm down a bit,” Parker interjected, trying to keep the peace.

  “No way. This has been a long time coming.” Landon leaned in. “You had some shit happen in your life that changes a man. But you let it control you. You never talk about it, not even with us. We don’t need to hold hands or hug it out, but you’ve never said anything.”

  “Stop it,” Parker said sternly as he looked around the room, hoping they weren’t making a scene.

  “No. You can keep treating him with kid gloves, but it hasn’t helped yet.”

  “Why does everyone think I need to talk about the past, pour my heart out about the shit that has happened? What’s it going to change? Just drop it, ’kay, guys?” Wade asked, serious now.

  “No, I can’t drop it. You found a girl who was starting to bring you to life again, and you go and fuck it up. I’m just saying if I found a girl like that, I wouldn’t let her get away just because I’m scared of the past.”

  “I’m not scared!” Wade insisted.

  That was just another lie that he’d practiced so much it almost sounded like the truth. It was the helplessness he felt, how powerless he was to stop his mother’s cancer, to prevent his father’s death. There was nothing he could do to save his family, and that terrified him the most. He felt betrayed by them and then by a woman he loved, someone who should have been his rock but crumbled under the pressure. The only thing he could control was how he handled the situation, and the best way to do that was to push it away and forget it. Each time he faced it all the old feelings came to the surface, and he was unable to take control over them.

  “Fine. But I’m not staying for this pity party.” Landon got up and left.

  Landon’s words, but more so his actions, were shocking. He’d never walked away from Wade before. Sure, they’d had fights, but Wade wasn’t sure if he’d consider this a fight. It was clear that Landon had strong feelings about this, and if someone so close to him, someone he considered a brother, felt this way, then maybe it was worth considering.

  “You cool, bro?” Parker asked.

  “Is he right?”

  Parker sighed. “I’m not sure, but I don’t think he’s wrong, exactly. What do you think?”

  Wade pressed his lips together as he thought about it. Landon, Parker, Jessica, Vi, and Kiki all thought that his past was so important, that it was a part of his future. He couldn’t be so stubborn to ignore it anymore. He had to do something about it before he lost more than his friends, befor
e he lost himself.

  “I think you’re right.” Wade nodded.

  “You gonna fix it?” Parker asked.

  Wade smirked. Parker was a good friend. Landon was too; he and Parker were like two sides of the same coin, and they both were always in Wade’s back pocket.

  “It sounds like I gotta fix something or I’m fucked either way.”

  Chapter 19

  Kiki sat at the long table reserved for the wedding party as she watched the happy couple dance close together ignoring the outside world. It was beautiful, and made her envious in the best way possible. And even though she was sad, she knew in her heart that one day she too would get a happily ever after. She hadn’t given up on love, and wouldn’t because of a couple of bad seeds. It was easier than she’d thought to put on a smile, she was surrounded by the best friends she ever had, but every so often her eyes would wander over to where Wade was sitting. Kiki was now grateful of the fact that Vi hadn’t paired her with Wade to walk down the aisle.

  Kiki was startled out of her thoughts when Leena clumsily fell into the chair next to her.

  “My sweet Kiki, are you having a good time?” Leena asked, putting an arm around her shoulder.

  “Yes! Of course. This is the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever seen,” Kiki replied with enthusiasm and truth.

  Leena gave her a look with soft eyes and a half-smile. “It won’t be hard forever.”

  “Stop it, Leena,” Kiki warned. It took all she had to hold back the tears in her eyes.

  Leena took deep breath, surely holding back her domineering words, showing Kiki some compassion.

  “Hey, Kiki, how about you give me this next dance?” a deep, familiar voice asked.

  Kiki looked up at the tall man standing over the opposite side of the table. Gav was a wonderful man, and it was a sweet offer that made a silly smile take over her face.

  “Actually, I was hoping I could get the next dance?” Wade approached, head lowered and hands nervously in his pockets. His fresh haircut and the black tux was an unbeatable combination. He was the most handsome man she’d ever seen, and it made her heart sink looking at him.

  Kiki swallowed hard, and the feeling of her heart beating in her chest almost drowned out the question. “Oh. Ah. Um. Gav asked first. It would be rude.”

  “Sorry, Kiki, you missed your chance, Gav’s offer is no longer on the table,” Leena said with her normal sassy air. “Come on, handsome, let’s try to not outdo the bride and groom.” Leena moved swiftly out of her seat, looping her hand with Gav’s as she pulled him to the dance floor.

  “Looks like your dance card just opened up. What do you say?”

  She sat there almost frozen as her heart and head battled out what should be done. Say no! But it’s Wade, say yes!

  She must have taken too long to reply, because before she knew it Wade had come around the table, holding out a hand for her. “Please.”

  Kiki’s heart won this round as she took his hand, standing up. She noticed the clamminess of his hands and wondered if it had been her doing. Could he be as nervous as she was?

  Entering the dance floor, Wade pulled her close, as if they were still lovers, giving her no choice but to wrap her hands around him. She could feel Wade’s eyes burning into her as she avoided eye contact, only looking around the room, feigning disinterest, not wanting him to know the effect he was having on her.

  “Are you going to look at me?”

  She looked up at him with a flat smile “Are you having a good time?” she asked, deciding to keep the conversation casual with small talk.

  “I wish I was having a better time.” Wade paused. “I need to tell you how sorry I am for how things ended with us.”

  “Thank you for your apology. How’s school going?” Kiki asked, desperate to change the subject.

  “Really, that’s what you want to know about? That’s what you care about?”

  “You forget, I use to care about everything in your life.” Kiki looked away as a blush hit her cheeks and she viciously tried to blink back the warm tears in her eyes. “Including you.”

  “So, you don’t care about me anymore?” Wade asked after a moment of silence.

  “What do you want, Wade?” Kiki asked with a huff.

  “I want you. I miss you. I need you to understand how awful I feel, how much of a jerk I know I am for treating you the way I did. I could have handled the whole thing better.”

  Her heart melted at the confession. The first couple of nights she’d stayed up crying, hoping he would come back, and that she would let him fix this. And as much as she wanted to cave now, she needed to stay strong.

  “I miss you. But I was so hurt. I’ve been disappointed by men, but never from a man I loved.”

  “You loved me?”

  “You know I did.”

  “Just give me a second chance? Let me earn a second chance. We can start all over, we can start fresh.”

  What? “Start over?”

  “Yeah,” Wade said with a hopeful tone. “Yes, let’s put this all behind us. I won’t disappoint you again.”

  Kiki scoffed. “Really? Because you just did. I don’t want to start over. I don’t want to forget the past. Forgetting the past won’t remove the hurt I feel. It may be easy for you to move on, but it’s not for me. The past will always be a part of our story, and good or bad, it would have made us a stronger couple.”

  “Would have? What can I do? Tell me, and I’ll do it.”

  Kiki smirked at the thought. “As cliché as this sounds, you need to figure that out. I can’t do it for you. I’m not sure if there is anything you can do, but if there is, if you really want this, then you’ll find a way.” Kiki kissed Wade on the cheek. “Thank you for the dance. Tonight wouldn’t have been complete without it.”

  Turning quickly, she left the dance floor, seeking the reprieve of the ladies’ room. Wade’s confession of wanting her back had torn at her more than she wanted to let on. But nothing had changed. If he wanted her back, he needed to prove that something had changed with him. If not, they were bound to relive the heartache again.

  * * * *

  Wade headed back to the table where his buddies were seated, knowing Kiki would find her way back to the wedding party table, and he wanted to give her space. Besides, this way he was at least a little hidden away from the knowing eyes of the guest. News of their break-up had made its way around the gym quite quickly, and since most of the wedding guest were from the gym he felt like a jackass. Kiki was perfect in everyone’s eyes, including his own.

  Why he’d broken up with her was something that he’d spent a lot of time thinking about. He’d spent a lot of time thinking about other things too, like Jessica. He couldn’t forgive her, but the things she’d brought to his attention made him feel like a jerk. Apparently, he was the only one unaware of the effect that his past was having on his present. He needed to get his shit together, if not for anyone else but for himself. If his unwillingness to face the past was losing him the potential of love, then he was worse than he knew.

  Wade looked over at Kiki, catching her eye, then she quickly turned away, walking out of the banquet hall. They’d played that cat-and-mouse game all night. He’d been so sure that in one dance he’d be able to win her back, but he should have known better. Anything worth having is worth working for. And she was going to make him work. He needed to figure out if he had enough in him to do so.

  Wade felt like shit moping at his sister’s beautiful wedding, at a day filled with love and excitement. And even though he wasn’t Kiki’s date, she didn’t come with anyone else, she’d agreed to dance with him, and even said he might have a chance to win her back.

  “Didn’t go so well?” Parker asked, nodding toward Kiki.

  “It was pretty dumb of me to assume that a simple apology would win her back.”

  “Nah, man, you gotta start somewhere,” Parker said with a hopeful tone.

  “Well, she didn’t tell me to eat shit and die, so I c
ould have done worse. But I’m gonna have to up my game if I want to win a girl like that back.”

  Chapter 20

  Kiki sat in her office, twirling a strand of her hair as she read the text message again. She’d gotten at least one text message a day for the last four days, since their dance at the wedding. All which she chose to ignore. But Wade’s persistence was starting to get to her. It was flattering and almost romantic.

  Him: Good morning, beautiful. I hope you have a great day.

  She’d written and deleted a dozen responses, knowing that if she replied it might give him the wrong idea. This wasn’t enough to win her back, but it had chipped away at the barrier she put up, and today she didn’t have the strength to deny it.

  Kiki: Thank you. Have a good day too.

  Him: So, you are getting my text messages. I thought my phone might be broken.

  Kiki: I’m at work. Do you need something?

  Him: Just you. How about I come pick you up for lunch?

  Kiki: I can’t, I have a lot of work to do.

  Him: Not a problem, I’ll bring you lunch.

  Kiki: Stop it.

  Him: Not unless you really mean it, which I don’t think you do. Tell me to stop again. Pick up the phone, call me and tell me to leave you alone and I will.

  Effin Wade! He’d called her bluff. She didn’t want him to stop. Her heart might be broken, but she hoped he would find a way to win her back. She didn’t even know what that would entail, but she knew she needed to be wooed, swept off her feet; he needed to give her more.

  Him: Good. I miss you like crazy. I’ll be in later today for work and I’ll come say hi!

  The knock on the door startled Kiki, causing her to drop her cellphone on the desk. She recovered just in time to see Rex letting himself in.

  “Hey, Kiki, you busy?”

  “I’m never too busy for you.” She gave the old man a big smile.

  While they hadn’t had much interaction in the past, she’d noticed the kindhearted man who Vi referred to as Uncle. As of late, with Kiki taking over the manager position and Vi being gone on her honeymoon, she and Rex had worked more closely.