Theirs To Want

9. Natalie

It was a regular work schedule for me. Dylan and I were going over the schedule for the week. I was going to be extremely busy. Especially with the photoshoot that was happening that Saturday with Ayden.

"That photoshoot with you and your boyfriend needs to be top-tier," Dylan told me.

"I know." I told him. "I just hope Ayden comes through for me."

Just as I said that, I got a call on my phone. I answered it before placing it to my ear.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Natalie, hi. This is Bryce."

I looked at Dylan.

"Hello, Bryce. What can I do for you?"

"Saturday, I forgot that something big has come up. So, I'm going to need you and your boyfriend to come in tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Are you sure?"

"Is that a problem?"

I was not about to mess up my one time opportunity with Bryce. After all, he was the one that everybody was trying to book with. So, of course I was going to accept that offer.

"No, of course not. We'll be there."

"Great! I'll be seeing you at 1pm tomorrow."

"Thank you so much, Bryce, I'll let Ayden know."

I hung up the phone and glanced back at Dylan with a raised eyebrow.

"What did he say about tomorrow?" Dylan asked me.

" The photo shoot was moved up." I sighed.

Dialing Ayden's number, I waited patiently for him to answer his phone. However, it went straight to voicemail. Sighing, I put my phone back in my pocket and turned to Dylan.

"He didn't answer." I shook my head.

“He’ll call you back.” Dylan told me. “Besides, I want to know about you two. I mean like… You never mentioned this dude before.”

“I know. I try not to interfere my dating life into business. Ayden and I.. We’ve been talking for a minute. Well, I was talking to his brother, Alias, first.”

I stopped talking when I saw Dylan raise his eyebrow at me.

“You were dating his brother?” He asked me.

I rolled my eyes.

“Don’t start.” I told him.

“What do you mean? I want to know how you ended up with the… Older brother?”

“Younger brother and it’ s complicated.”

I never told Dylan about the relationship I had about the abusive relationship. The reason he hasn’t noticed was because I was able to hide it behind the make-up. Thank goodness for that.

“I was in a bad situation months ago and… Ayden and Alias came to help me. Alias ended up leaving as he was with Jesslyn at the time. Ayden stayed with me and I didn’t know he liked me until I was over at Alias’ house.”

“You f****d your ex’s brother at your ex’s house?”

Dylan chuckled when I didn’t respond back to him.

“You are naughty, indeed.” Dylan smirked at me.

I shook my head at him and looked in the other direction. My phone rang and I quickly answered it, already knowing it was Ayden.

“You finally answered?” I smiled.

“I was busy.” Ayden told me. “I had some new employees come in, so I had to make sure they knew what to do.”

“Oh okay.”

The phone got quiet for a second. I glanced at Dylan before I walked away from him.

“Um, I was wondering can you come to Bryce’s studio tomorrow?”

“What for?” Ayden asked.

“He wants us to do a couple’s photoshoot.”

Ayden sighed.

“I have to work.” Ayden told me.

Now, it was my turn to sigh. Glancing down at the ground, I nodded my head to myself.

“I get it.” I told him. “Well, thanks for letting me know.”

“I’m sorry, honey. I just can’t. Why did he change it from Saturday?”

“I..I don’t know. He just called me and asked me. I told him yeah as I thought you would be able to.”

“Oh… Yeah, I’m sorry. Maybe we can get it back on Saturday?”

He wasn’t getting it. Once Bryce put his mind to something, he never changes it. He has a set schedule that he truly follows. So, why would he change his mind for me? Just hearing him ask me that, really annoyed me.

“I’ll see and I will talk to you later. I have to get back to work.”

“Okay, babe.”

I hung up the phone and sighed, heavily.

“What the hell am I going to do?” I asked in a low tone.

“Is everything okay?”

Dylan walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. I looked over at him and shook my head.

“He can’t come?” Dylan asked. “What are you going to do? Bryce really wants him at the photoshoot.”

I grabbed my car keys from my pocket and pressed the remote key to unlock the

car doors.

“I’m going to head home, if that’s okay with you.” I told him, then walked to my car.

“I’ll see you later on tonight at the club?”

“Of course, girly. See you later.”

I got into my car and slammed the door shut.

“Damn it!” I shouted, slamming my hands down on the steering wheel.

Today was starting off really bad. Without Ayden, I was screwed. He was the reason I was able to work with Bryce. I swear to God, I didn’t want to talk to him after he said he couldn’t do it. He knew this shoot was important to me. I started the car and drove away from Dylan’s studio.

***

An hour later, I pulled into my home and parked the car. Once I got out, I stopped in front of my car as I saw Alias standing at my front door. I shut the car door and locked it. Alias leaned against the door, staring at me. I walked over to him and stopped at the stairs.

“Does Jesslyn know you’re here?” I asked him.

“Don’t worry about her.” He told me. “I came to see you for a reason.”

Alias pushed off the door and walked closer to me. His cologne brushed past my nose and I couldn’t help, but to take in the amazing scent radiating from that muscular bod of his.

“What do you want?”

I moved past him and went to my door. However, when I opened it, Alias grabbed the door knob with my hand on it and shut it close. I tried to remove my hand, but Alias tightened his grip on it.

“You’re going to listen to me nice and well, Natalie.” Alias whispered.

Again, I tried to remove my hand.

“Alias, you’re hurting me.” I told him.

Sighing, he removed his hand and I pulled my hand away from the door knob, immediately. I rubbed it before I turned to him. He had a serious look on his face and I knew he was not over here for games. I backed into the door, keeping my eyes on him.

“I want you to stay away from my wife and Ayden.” He told me.

“Did she tell you to tell me that?”

“I’m telling you that.”

Something told me to just tell Alias to ‘f**k off’, but seeing how just from that simple frown on his face, Alias wasn’t taking that answer.

“And why is that? I love being around your wife.”

“Right now, I’m asking you, nicely. I’m still pissed off at you and my brother for f*****g on my couch and you’re so lucky I don’t harm women in that way. Otherwise, I would’ve killed you where you f*****g stand.

I squinted my eyes at him for a second.

“I’m not your girl, anymore.” She told me. “So, it shouldn’t matter.”

Alias smirked at me.

“You and my brother have crossed the line with my trust, already. If you want to be on my bad side, just say so, Natalie. I’ll treat you like the other girls I got rid of.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“It’s not a threat : it’s a promise. You know all about that, right?”

Yeah, I did. Feeling defeated, I wiped the silent tears from my face and nodded my head. What else could I say?

“Fine.” My voice cracked after agreeing to his terms. “I’ll stay away from the both of them.”

“Good.”

Alias backed up and I watched as he got into his car, which he parked down the street and got into his car. He drove away and I stood there for a minute, thinking about what he said. Jesslyn was someone I enjoyed hanging out with, but it’s clear her husband hated me hanging out with her, which to me was sad. However, I couldn’t say anything about it. If he wanted me to stay away, then I was going to do exactly that.

After I calmed down for a few minutes, I turned back to my front door and opened it, walking inside.