Stray

by Solveig Yrsa

  Catherine and Layla both looked at him wide-eyed. “Umm… thank you, sir.” Layla smiled.

  “Though I don’t agree with the subject, I enjoy seeing drive and purpose, I feel you have that, hopefully you’ll rub off on my son.”

  “Matthew,” Catherine whispered.

  Layla furrowed her brows. “What son are you talking about? You can’t mean Spencer?”

  “Of course I mean him. You don’t see my other son, do you? That’s because he is currently in China helping run my company. What is Spencer doing? Playing video games, buying another car or writing some fairytale?”

  Layla crossed her arms over her chest. What was with everyone downing on Spencer? “No, actually your son has been a little preoccupied, what with Catherine, and then arranging a funeral, dealing with his grieving cousins, and of course all of that came after he saved me from dying from pneumonia, then saved me from getting raped and beaten to death.

  Matthew puffed out his chest and glared at the small girl. “You best watch your tone, little girl, I own everything on you,” he warned.

  At this point, Spencer had taken notice that his father was talking to Layla and headed over, already knowing it would end badly. “Lay, is everything alright? Why don’t you come sit with me?” Spencer said calmly while putting a hand on her waist to pull her.

  “No, Spencer, it’s fine, your father and I are having a pleasant talk. I was just reminding him of all the amazing things you do around here and how it would be best that he show you a little gratitude.” Layla’s eyes never left Matthew’s. She wasn’t terrified of him. She could read people faster than most could blink. She knew that he would not lay a finger on her. All he could do was throw her out. So she had to live on the streets again, while not ideal, she would manage.

  “Gratitude? Now listen here, you little bit—”

  “Dad, stop!” Spencer yelled, getting between Layla and Matthew. “Leave her alone.” Spencer turned to Layla. “Please, Layla, stop before something is said that can’t be unsaid.”

  She blinked and looked at Spencer’s pleading face and sighed. “Fine,” she whispered and looked away.

  Matthew smirked. “Good girl, it’s best you learn your place now.”

  Layla glared at him. “It’s amazing how a bit of money can make the tiniest of men feel like giants. The problem you will have with me, Mr. Williams, is that amount of money does not impress me at all. Your expensive house, your nice suit, that gold watch, those mean nothing to me. You cannot intimidate me with your wealth and power, because I’ve seen men that were just like you at one point, lying in a pile of their own filth, fighting over a rat carcass, and sobbing uncontrollably at night.”

  Matthew turned red with anger, Catherine held his hand to try to calm him down but he jerked it away. “You ungrateful brat, I want you out of my house immediately. You have nothing that is actually yours, so you will not be permitted on the grounds ever again. You get out of here now before I call the police on you.”

  Layla glared at him. “Gladly.” She spun on her heel and stormed out.

  She’d begun walking down the sidewalk when Spencer ran up to her and grabbed her wrist. “Layla, wait, stop.” She spun and stared up at Spencer. Her body was shaking from the adrenaline. “Get in the limo,” he said.

  She shook her head. “That’s your father’s limo.”

  He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Layla, get in the goddamn limo before I throw you in it,” he barked. She stood there for a second before walking to the limo and getting in. Spencer hopped in after her and put down the divider. “John, take us to my penthouse, and if my father inquires about this, you know nothing.”

  John nodded and rolled the divider back up before taking off. “Where are you taking me? Your dad kicked me out.”

  Spencer patted his pocket and cursed when he remembered he wasn’t carrying his flask. What a time to try to limit his alcohol consumption. “I’m taking you to where I lived before my mom got bad and I had to move back home. You can stay there until this blows over.”

  She raised a brow. “Until what blows over? He kicked me out, and even if he hadn’t, I won’t live somewhere where one man is given that much power, I already did that back at the nest. I refuse to do that again. Especially when your leader is as weak as that man.”

  Spencer sighed. “Look, Matthew is an asshole, but he this is the first time he’s been home in eight months, so it’s not like you would have to deal with him.”

  Layla shook her head. “I’m not living somewhere that someone doesn’t want me to.”

  The limo stopped and John opened the door. “Well I want you to live here for right now, so get your ass out of the limo and into the elevator.”

  Sighing, she followed him to the elevator. They reached the top floor and Spencer unlocked the door and let her into his penthouse. Layla raised a brow. “This looks… nothing like I thought it would.” The apartment was modern and cold. Everything was white or gray. She looked around and saw nothing personal anywhere.

  “Yeah, after Rachel, I kind of destroyed the place, so I just had a designer put neutral stuff in here until I decide if I’m going to keep the place or not.”

  Layla nodded and looked out the large, floor to ceiling windows overlooking beautiful green hills. “It’s really pretty.”

  Spencer smiled. “So, there is a gym on the second floor, if you want food, there are a thousand delivery menus in that drawer, I’m leaving my credit card, use it. Um, there is plenty to drink in the fridge, and if you need anything, Jensen lives on the floor below.”

  Layla looked at him nervously. “So, I’ll be here alone? How…how do I call anyone?”

  He smacked his head. “Okay, I know, I forgot to get you a phone, so I’m going to go do that now, why don’t you go relax, take a shower, I’ll run home too and bring you some clothes.”

  She shifted uncomfortably but nodded. “Bring Meow too?” she asked softly.

  Spencer smiled. “Of course.” He looked at her and sighed. “You didn’t have to say all of those things to my dad. I’m used to him being a dick to me.”

  “Just because you’re used to it, doesn’t make it right. You’re a good man and you do so much, people should realize that.”

  He blushed. “Layla, you’re really sweet, but now I feel it’s because of me you can’t stay in your home.”

  She gave him a sad smile. “Spencer, I don’t have a home, your house, I knew it was temporary, all beds are. I loved being there, and I loved getting close to all of you, but I knew it would end, and that’s okay. I don’t regret what I said to your father. It’s the truth, you are an amazing, caring, and giving man and you deserve happiness and to be treated with respect.”

  Spencer walked over to Layla and wrapped his arms around her small waist and pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you,” he whispered.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head into his chest; The only place I truly feel at home, is with him. He is my home, and he is the one thing I fear of losing.

  Spencer broke the hug and smiled. “Try to relax, I’ll be back in a while.”

  Nodding, she stood there as she watched him walk out the door. Once he left, she looked around the empty apartment and sighed. It was too quiet. She turned on the television to create some noise before exploring the penthouse. She went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. “Hmmm… beer, beer, and… what’s this?” She pulled out the dark bottle and looked at the pale pink label. She raised a brow. “D-D-Dom? I can’t be saying it right.” She ripped the foil off the top and found a cork underneath, wrapped in a wire cage. “Ohhh… I’ve seen this in those moves with Sammy, it’s alcohol.” She sighed and went to put it back but stopped. “Screw it,” she muttered and started twisting the wire.

  Finally, the cork popped out and Layla ran to the sink as the bottle overflowed. Once it settled, she took a sip. “Oh wow, that’s delicious.” She took another long sip, the feel of the bubbles in her mouth made her giggle. Sh
e carried the bottle with her as she made her way down the hall and entered the bedroom. It looked just as cold and sterile in the bedroom as the rest of the apartment; it made her miss the house. It was warm there.

  She opened the walk-in closet and saw a few of his shirts and pants hanging, when a green box on the shelf caught her eye. She opened the box and noticed it was a yellow-gold watch. “Oh, this must’ve been the one he got Rachel…” She sighed and sat the watch back before taking another drink and heading to the large bathroom where she found a walk-in shower. She saw a towel and a robe too, so she shrugged, turning on the water and undressed.

  ***

  Spencer ran up the stairs to the house and walked in, he got Layla a cell phone and had just spent about forty-five minutes programming it to make it easier for her, now he had to grab her some clothes. When he walked in, he was greeted with a tear-stained Catherine. “Oh Spencer!” Catherine sobbed as she hugged him. “Where is Layla? Please tell me she’s alright.”

  Spencer hugged his mother and noticed his father standing behind her, glaring, arms crossed. “She’s fine,” he said quickly before heading up the steps.

  “Where are you going in such a hurry?” Matthew asked.

  Spencer rolled his eyes and turned around. “I’m going to go change. Any more questions?”

  “Yes, where is the girl?”

  Spencer crossed his arms. “Not on any of your properties, so what does it matter?”

  Matthew shifted uncomfortably as Catherine continued to cry, he looked at her for a moment before looking back at Spencer. Spencer noticed this and smirked. He knew what had happened. His mother had ripped Matthew a new one. “She’s not coming back, if that’s what you’re wondering. She made that abundantly clear. She didn’t want to be anywhere she wasn’t welcomed.”

  Catherine gasped and walked over. “She’s welcomed here! Matthew, you find her and tell her this is her home, and she’s welcomed here!” Matthew groaned and looked away.

  “This isn’t her home, Mom.”

  Catherine looked at her son wide-eyed. “How could you say that?”

  Spencer shrugged. “Layla said it to me. She said that this house was temporary, all beds are.” Catherine began sobbing again; Spencer got closer to his father and whispered, “Let me know when you’re ready to stop acting like the cock of the walk around here. Until then, I’m going to go change… Father.” He smirked and turned before heading back upstairs while listening to his mother scream at Matthew for treating Layla and him so poorly.

  Spencer stuffed a backpack with a couple outfits and her stuffed cat. He figured that he could bring her home this evening, but since his father was apparently staying the night to smooth things over with his mom, he decided it would be best to have her stay at his penthouse tonight.

  He headed down the stairs and was stopped at the door by Matthew. Spencer sighed. “I need to go, what is it now?”

  Matthew grunted. “Look, I don’t like how that little… how Layla spoke to me today.”

  Spencer raised a brow. “Well, I don’t like the way you speak to and about me either. Now I’m not happy she decided to fight my battle, but I love her for having my back when no one else apparently did.”

  Matthew ran his hands through his hair. “I know you’ve been through a lot. But imagine how I feel. I cannot watch the woman I love waste away.”

  “You’re right, you can’t watch her waste away, you’re too much of a coward. Instead, you make your son have to watch the first woman he loved, and the only woman to ever love him, waste away. And the thanks and support he gets for it? Constantly being talked down to and ridiculed by the man too afraid to stay here and help her. You do whatever you want, Matthew, but I’m done. Layla is the only woman besides Mom who has actually given a shit about me. She will be back in this house with me and if you ever decide to come home again, you will welcome her and show her respect.” Matthew looked at his son, he looked as though he was ready to fight him again, but he moved to the side and let Spencer pass.

  Spencer went to the garage and hopped into his mustang before speeding off.

  Once he parked in the garage of his penthouse, he grabbed the backpack and headed to the elevator. He walked to his door and stopped when he heard the loud noise of the television. Raising a brow, he unlocked the door before walking in. He set the backpack on the floor and walked over to the blaring television and turned it off. “Layla?” he called out. His eyes widened as the tiny brunette stumbled out of his room wearing nothing but her black bra and panties and one of his dress shirts that looked like a blanket on her.

  She giggled as she walked up to him. “Spencer! I missed you!”

  He was about to question what was going on, but the girl grabbed either side of his face and pulled him into a kiss. It didn’t take but a second to smell what was happening. Breaking the kiss, he looked at her. “Have you been drinking?” He looked around and saw his bottle of Dom Perignon Rosé lying empty on the counter.

  “Layla, you did not drink that entire bottle.” He smacked his head as he watched the heavily intoxicated girl try to hop onto his counter, only to fall on her bum on the floor. He walked over to help her up onto the counter and looked at her. She had the biggest grin he had ever seen on her face.

  “I’m sorry I drank your stuff,” she slurred. “But I feel soooo amazing. And you know what else?” She grabbed his shirt and pulled him close to her. She went to kiss him but Spencer dodged it.

  “Layla, no, you… we can’t do that.” It killed him to say that because every fiber in his body wanted to kiss her, but he wasn’t that type of guy.

  Her smile faded, and she hung her head as she not so gracefully slid off the counter. “I understand, why would you want someone like me.”

  “Lay, no, it’s not that, I mean… look, you’re very drunk, and now isn’t the time for this conversation. Come on, let’s get you into an actual shirt and to bed.” He tried so hard to avoid looking at the opened shirt. He was a good man, he did not deserve to be tested like this. He pulled the girl into his bedroom and sat her on the bed as he walked to his drawer and pulled out an old blue shirt. “Just wear this, I get the feeling you’re going to be getting sick and will need to change anyway.”

  She slipped off his dress shirt and went to unhook her bra before Spencer whipped around and looked the other way. “You could warn me!” he blushed. Layla struggled to get the shirt on before sitting back down on the bed. He peeked, and when he saw her sitting there, he turned around and picked up the discarded clothes. He noticed that her smile was gone, and she was sitting there with her head hung. “Why are you so sad?” he asked, sitting on the bed next to her.

  “Why don’t you love me?”

  Spencer choked on air as he blushed. “W…what? Layla… what are you talking about?”

  She looked at him, her eyes looked so sad and lost. “I love you, and you keep rejecting me.”

  He sighed. “Layla, you don’t love me, you’re drunk. I will not do anything with you with you like this, that would be wrong. And if you were sober, you would not be wanting this or asking these questions.”

  “How do you know?” Layla huffed, crossing her arms.

  “Well, because I tried a couple of times to talk to you about our kiss and you avoided the subject, and me.” Layla was quiet for a moment. Spencer looked at her scrunched-up face, he could tell she was trying to think and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

  “I didn’t want to talk about it, ‘cause what if you didn’t like it, or me?”

  His heart skipped a beat. Was that really what she thought or was this just her being drunk? He shook his head. “Layla, I want to have this conversation with you, believe me I do, but I want to have it with sober Layla.”

  She frowned and glared at him. “I talked to you drunk before, and I was way nicer than you’re being to me.”

  Spencer stood up. “Well, you’re a much nicer person than I am. We established that a long time ago. Now, lay down.” He
pulled the blankets back and gently pushed her onto the bed. She tried to sit up, but he pushed her back down. “You need to sleep,” he said sternly. Layla huffed but stayed down. Spencer went to turn off the light by his bed when a folded piece of paper caught his eye. The handwriting was shaky but it said ‘Spencer’ on the front. “What’s this?” he asked. Layla opened her eyes for a minute, then closed them again.

  “I made you a card, I told my teacher I wanted to learn how to spell your name. S-p-e-n-c-e-r, Spencer,” she mumbled as she drifted off to sleep. It stunned Spencer. He looked at the piece of paper, he opened it and saw a simple drawing of a heart. It was the most childish thing, but he had never appreciated something so much. She’d taken the time to learn to spell and write his name.

  “Layla?” When she didn’t respond, he looked at her and noticed she was fast asleep. He smiled softly as he leaned over and kissed her head. “I love you,” he whispered as he turned off the light and left the room.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Layla groaned as she opened her eyes. Her head was killing her, her mouth felt disgusting, and she felt like she needed to puke. She thought back to the night before. Things were a complete blur. As she sat up, she instantly grabbed her head and winced. Looking around the room, she saw a water bottle sitting on the nightstand. She opened the bottle and drank the liquid before slowly getting up and walking out of the room. She made her way down the hall to the empty kitchen. Had she been here alone all night? Wasn’t Spencer supposed to come back?

  As if on cue, Spencer walked through the door carrying coffee and a carryout bag. He looked all too handsome. Fitted dark jeans and a black t-shirt that showed off his broad shoulders and muscular chest. He removed his aviator sunglasses as he looked at Layla and smiled. “Hey girl, glad to see you’re alive.”