Clash (The Forever Duet #2)

by Jennah Thornhill

  “Neil, I’ve just found this on the windscreen.”

  Opening my arms, I let her snuggle into my side and keep her close while shaking out the note. I hold it in one hand and read the words written in marker:

  This is just the start of it.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Bonnie

  When will we ever get a break? We don’t deserve all of this. Yes, we had an affair and went behind peoples backs, but that doesn’t mean we’re bad people. You can’t help who you fall in love with; the power of love is stronger than any other feeling in my eyes. When it comes along, you never let it go—even if at the time it’s wrong.

  Two threats in one day we’ve had now. Whoever it is, is now stepping up their game to scare the ever-living shit out of us. And it’s working. Well, I’m scared. I don’t know about Neil because every time something happens, he just gets angrier. I can’t blame him—I’m angry too—but I’m starting to think nowhere is safe for us. Tonight, was supposed to be a fun night, celebrating Dylan and Serena’s impending nuptials, but now it’s ruined.

  Seeing yet another note that was left for us, has quickly sobered me up and has left me wanting to puke my guts up all over the car park.

  Neil bundles me and Serena inside his car when he sees that I’m shivering in the cool night air, whilst he and Dylan wait for the tow truck. Taking out a spare jacket he keeps in the boot, he grabs it and makes me put it on, wrapping it around me. I sit in the driver's seat and just stare out of the windshield and I begin to wonder if whoever is doing this is ever going to leave us alone.

  I’m soon pulled out of my thoughts when Serena rubs her hand up and down my arm.

  “We will get to the bottom of this, Bon. Clearly someone just has nothing better to do.”

  “I… I just want my life back. I’m constantly on edge, wondering if today’s the day that something more is gonna happen or that Neil doesn’t make it back from the office in one piece. I just want it all to end.” I haven’t told Neil what I’ve just told Serena. If he finds out how I was feeling he’d be glued to my hip more than he already is.

  Snapping my head in her direction, I throw my hand over my mouth before I start to apologise to her. “Shit, Serena. I’m so sorry. This has totally ruined your night.”

  “Hey, we’ll have less of that. Anyway, we still have my hen party and the wedding yet. I’m sure we’ll make up for it then.” She gives me a small smile. I want to be as optimistic as she is, but right now, I’m not so sure how to be.

  We sit in a comfortable silence, watching the guys talking like two little old women out of the windows. Neil’s got one hand in his trouser pocket and one hand running through his hair. I can see the stress lines forming around his eyes and forehead, yet even so, he’s the most delectable man I’ve ever seen. If we weren’t stuck here right now, I’d be licking every single ridge his body has. Underneath the suit he’s still wearing, the man is a work of art, and I can see why Sarah didn’t want to let him go.

  Taking his phone from his trouser pocket, I watch him type swiftly across the keyboard, just before I see a smirk spread across his face.

  Eventually the tow truck rocks up and takes the car away, the guy telling Neil he can pick it up tomorrow afternoon once his wheel has been fixed.

  All four of us head in the direction of the taxi rank, and Dylan says, “Do you two want to crash at ours tonight? If this maniac found you here, the office and at Bonnie’s, it’s probably best you don’t go back there.”

  “Thanks, mate, but I’ve already thought about it. I’m gonna take Bon to the Embankment Hotel; I’ve just emailed them and told them we’re coming. Luckily, I have an old college friend who’s the manager there, so we’re sorted. Thanks, though—we appreciate it.” He gives my hip a squeeze and pulls me in closer to him as we stop at a line of taxis.

  “Ok, mate. Well you know where we are if you both need us.” Dylan gives Neil a swift nod of his head before turning to Serena. “Come on you, let’s get you home before you fall on your arse and I have to carry you up the stairs.” We all chuckle, and they both head for the first taxi with Serena giving him a smack up the side of the ear.

  I know I have Neil holding me together through all of this, but if I’m honest, I don’t know what I would do without those two in our lives. Let’s just hope and pray that all this shit is sorted before their wedding: the last thing I want for them is for my drama to ruin it for them both.

  “Come on, baby. Let’s get you to the hotel, and tomorrow we’ll try to dig deeper into this.” Wrapping his arm around my shoulder, he leads me to the next taxi that’s waiting. All the while I say nothing, my entire thoughts on what ifs…

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Neil

  You’d think being in such an extravagant hotel room, we’d make good use of it. No. Instead, we’re lying in the huge king-sized bed, snuggled up together in silence.

  I know why Bonnie’s quiet: I know she’s scared, and in all honesty, she has every right to be. Who wouldn’t be with some crazy fuck watching every move they make? Me: I’m scared, but more than anything, I’m fucking angry that someone could be doing this to us.

  All we want to do is live our lives.

  Trailing the tips of my fingers up and down her bare arm, I place a kiss on the top of her head. “You okay, baby?”

  “Not really… I just don't get it. Why us, Neil?” Bonnie asks in a meek voice—one I’m not used to hearing her use. “When is it going to end?”

  “I have no idea, but I promise I’ll keep you safe. Do you trust me?”

  “More than my life’s worth.”

  “That’s all I need to know.” Inching myself down the bed until we’re at the same level and our noses touch, I lean in until my mouth is on hers. “I love you, Bon. Please don’t ever forget that. If this all gets too much and you forget everything that I’ve ever told you, just remember I love you, and no one can break us,” I whisper against her lips. “It’s me and you against the world.”

  She nods before adding, “I love you more than anything.”

  I see a tear leak out of the corner of one of her eyes. Lifting my hand, I softly wipe it away and place small, soft kisses over every inch of her face. Her eyes close, I move back to her lips, kissing her. I keep it slow and steady, proving to her how much love I have for her and how she holds my heart in her hands. When we’re done, her eyes flicker open, a smile spreading across her mouth. The fire that was dimming in her eyes, soon reappears.

  “Why don’t we get some sleep, you look tired.”

  Nodding again, she dips her head, placing her cheek against my chest, and wrapped up in each other, we go to sleep, putting today behind us—for now at least.

  If there’s one thing this fucker has done, it’s brought Bonnie and me closer together even faster. We’re barely apart these days. I keep saying I’m going back to my house, but if I’m honest, I don’t want to. That house represents everything I don’t want. For one, it has memories of Sarah. I don’t need her in my head every time I go to sleep in my old bedroom. I may just sell it

  I don’t understand why we stayed together so long—maybe because it was familiar. We’d been together so long I’d forgotten what fun and real love felt like. The day I’d met Bonnie, she’d been a bout of fresh air on a stuffy day, and I’d not been able to get enough. She is everything Sarah isn’t and once I’d realised that, there had been no going back.

  Bonnie comes out of the bathroom, dragging me instantly from my thoughts. She sits next to me on the end of the bed. “What are you thinking about?”

  “I’m wondering how much time we have before we have to get going?”

  “Well we, Mr Montgomery,” she says, smoothing her hands down the lapels of my jacket, “don’t have much time at all.”

  “You’re no fun.”

  “We have to go home, and I have to get out of these minging clothes and get to the office.”

  “I’
ll tell Dylan we’re spending the day in bed—he’ll understand.”

  Pulling me to her by the same lapels she’d just been smoothing her hands down, she puts her lips to mine, pushing my head back slightly with the firmness of her kiss.

  “Fine, you win,” I mumble against the seal of her lips, cutting short how I’d like to respond to her kiss. I let go of her and ring us a taxi to take us back to Bonnie’s or should I say home.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Bonnie

  After last night, I want nothing more than to stay in the comfort of Neil’s arms and the king-sized bed we’ve been huddled up in since we arrived at the hotel, but we can’t hide forever. This means I have to hold my head up high, straighten my shoulders and show whoever it is that’s trying to bring us down that they aren’t getting to me. If I show any weakness, it will just make them think they’re winning at their pathetic little game.

  We make a quick stop at my house to shower and get a change of clothes, making us only an hour late for today's meetings.

  When we arrive, I go straight to Serena’s office and Neil heads over to his, where Dylan was waiting for him.

  “You don’t have to be here, you know?” Serena uses her soothing voice, but I put a stop to it.

  “I have to be here: I can’t sit at home and do nothing, I’ll go crazy, but thank you. I appreciate your concern.”

  We make our way to the conference room that’s starting to feel like my second home, our arms laden down with my sketches, the plan for the show and all the materials I want to run by some of the models that will be coming later this afternoon. Out of nowhere, Tommy pops up and makes me jump, nearly dropping everything.

  “Do you ladies need any help with all of that?” He waves his hand at all the things we’re holding, but before he can say anything else, Serena pipes up in her best boss voice.

  “As much as we appreciate the offer, Tommy, you, and I both know that if Neil catches you within an inch of this lady next to me, you’ll be eating out of a tube for the next six months. So let me give you a bit of advice: if you want to keep your job and your ability to swallow normally, then I suggest you let us past and carry on with whatever it was you were doing. Are we understanding each other?”

  At this point my arms are aching, and if I don’t put it all down soon, I’m gonna drop it. I don’t say anything, though, because what she’s just said, is bang on.

  Risking a glance at Tommy, I see him pull his lips into a thin line as he gives Serena a slow nod of his head before answering her.

  “I understand.” Turning on the heel of the ugliest shoes I’ve ever seen a man wear, he swiftly goes back to wherever he came from.

  We start walking again, and just as we reach the conference room, Serena and I look at each other and start to giggle.

  That was impressive,” I tell her, whilst I try to catch a breath.

  Throwing everything onto the large table, she plants her flat palms on the wood and turns her head to look at me. “I was only telling him the truth; it’s not my fault if the thought of Neil beating the shit out of him makes him piss himself in fear.”

  “Who’s pissing themselves in fear?” Neil asks as he and Dylan walk in behind us.

  I look at Serena and I can feel panic rising in my cheeks.

  Sensing what I’m feeling and being the best friend, she is, she plays it down for me. “Oh, we were just on about Tommy and how he’s scared of you two.”

  I mouth a ‘thank you’ to her and I give her a small smile before she gives me a quick wink before the guys catch her.

  “That fucker even looks at my woman again and I will gouge his eyes out with a rusty fork.” Neil’s tone is straight to the point, and I have no doubt that he would actually do that to Tommy. “That guy needs to learn to keep his eyes to him fucking self.”

  “I hear ya, brother. If someone did that to Serena, I’d do a lot more than gouge his eyes out.” They discuss us as if we’re not even in the room, whilst they pour their morning coffees.

  Fuckers.

  “Hello! We can hear you two, you know?” I wave my hand to make a point that I am in actual fact standing no less than two feet away from them.

  “Oh, we know you’re there, ladies, and we’re just making a point that no twat looks the way Tommy was looking at you when you belong to me.” Neil turns with a cup of coffee in his hand, and as he brings it to his lips, he smirks and winks at me over the rim.

  He can be a right caveman when he wants, but if I’m honest with myself I wouldn’t change him for the world.

  Today has been a welcome distraction: Serena and I have finally picked my best forty designs to showcase in the show, Dylan loves the idea I had for how I want the runway to go and, because we’d been making progress and hadn’t really wanted to stop, he’d ordered lunch in again for us before Neil had to leave to go and fetch his car from the garage.

  He’s only been gone ten minutes, and I miss him already. I have a serious problem where that man is concerned.

  I’m on my second model, pinning material here and there to her body, when Hayley, Dylan's assistant, comes in.

  “Bonnie, there’s a woman on the phone for you. Says it’s urgent and it can’t wait.”

  Looking at Serena, I put the pins down on the table and shrug. “Thank you, Hayley. Can you put her through to the phone in here please?”

  “Of course.” She dashes off, and within seconds, I’m picking up the receiver and placing it back down once I’ve pressed the button to put the call on speakerphone.

  “Hello, this is Bonnie Jones. Can I ask who’s calling please?”

  “Well hello, Bonnie Jones. I get to finally speak to you.” A man's voice comes down the line, and I start to shake uncontrollably.

  “W… who is this and what the fuck do you want?” I somehow manage to ask.

  “All in good time. All in good time, my little beauty. Right now, I just want to hear your voice.”

  Serena and Dylan are by my side in a flash, and I can see Dylan typing on his phone like a mad man, no doubt telling Neil to get back here asap.

  “Now, I know if I had called you myself, you wouldn’t have been able to speak to me. So, I had to get a little help from a friend of mine. I hope you don’t mind?”

  I don’t recognise the creepy voice. All I know is, I’m frozen to the spot, and before he can say anything else to me, I slam the phone down. Everything that surrounds me starts to spin and I fall to the floor, succumbing to the blackness that’s taken over my body.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Neil

  When I get the call that my car is ready to be picked up, I’m like a kid getting a new toy again. I can’t wait to get out of the office to get my baby. We’ve got so much shit done today, and watching Bonnie in her element, has thrilled me no end. I get such a rush seeing her take charge.

  I call a taxi as I leave the office, and after a ten-minute drive I arrive at the garage. I throw a fiver at the driver and thank him as I exit the car. Heading inside, I see my baby sitting at the back of the garage and rub my hands together. It’s been less than twenty-four hours since the tow truck took her away from me, but I can’t wait to get my arse inside and enjoy the way she purrs when I fire her up.

  My phone sounds with a message at the same time the mechanic shouts me.

  “Neil. How’s it going?”

  “I'll tell you, once you tell me I can take my car.”

  He hangs the keys from his fingers as he nears me and smiles, dropping them into my palm.

  I thank him.

  “I’ll send the bill to your insurance.”

  “How much are we talking, you know, with mates rates and all that?”

  “Jesus, Neil. You know that’s an R8, yeah?”

  “Obviously.”

  My phone goes off again, and this time I drag it out, opening a message from Dylan.

  I need you back here. Bon is having a panic attack. Just
hurry up. I ‘ll explain when you're back.

  Oh fuck!

  “I have to go. Just let me know how much that bill is before you send it to insurance.” I tell him as I run towards the back of the garage, immobilising the alarm, and unlocking the car.

  “Erm yeah, okay. Is everything alright?”

  Pulling the door shut, I guide the car carefully out of the garage towards the shutters and putting my hand up out of the window in a wave, I race back to the office like a bloody nutter. I just hope no speed cameras have caught me because I’ve just broken about twenty traffic laws in my bid to get back to my girl—losing my licence is the last thing I need, but I’m willing to risk it for her.

  Locking the car, I run through the car park as fast as I can and towards the lift, stabbing repeatedly at the button. When it doesn’t come quick enough, I stab it again. As soon as the doors are open, I jump in and then back out again faster than I got in. As I run through the corridors towards the conference room where I left them, I find Tommy standing at the corner.

  “Neil.”

  Trying to ignore him, I jog past him and head for the door that will lead me to Bonnie.

  “Anything I can do to help?” Tommy shouts after me.

  Stopping dead in my tracks, I turn around and walk back towards him, pointing my finger into his chest. I probably shouldn’t even give him the time of day, but the fucker winds me up. “The best thing you could do right now is keep the fuck out of my face and stay away from Bonnie.” Turning back, I carry on to the office.

  When I finally get there, I see Bonnie slumped on the floor and Serena sitting with her. “What the fuck has happened? I’ve been gone half an hour at most.” Dropping to my knees beside her, I take her face in my hands and tip her head back. “Bonnie. Look at me, sweetheart. I need your eyes.”