Andie chuckled, the feeling of happiness suddenly foreign to her. “We had a fight, Melinda,” she murmured. “Now, this is just between you and me. When I needed him the most, to be at a meeting with Lucas Burr which ended… badly, he was with Vanessa, talking about that stupid party. My sanctuary’s party.”
“No,” Melinda said, completely in shock. “Oh my God, Andie, I am so sorry.” She frowned, though Andie couldn’t see it. “What a dick. No offense or anything. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’ve been living in the guesthouse for the past couple of days,” Andie explained.
“Oh my God, And, you moved out?” Melinda asked, her voice laced with concern. “I mean, I know what Jack did was absolutely the lowest of the low, but you’re not breaking up, are you?”
“I don’t think so, Melinda, but to be honest, I’m not sure,” Andie admitted, closing her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose between her index finger and thumb. “I mean, I thought me and Jack would be able to work out anything together, but… It just really hurts. I never really expected something like this from him, you know?”
“Yeah,” Melinda agreed, nodding a couple of times. “Are you okay? Do you want me to come over tonight? We can watch American Psycho and oogle Christian Bale’s delectable ass.”
“As tempting as that sounds,” Andie said with a small smile, “I’m going to have to refuse. I just kind of want to be alone, you know?”
“Of course,” Melinda agreed. “Hey, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re still coming to my bachelorette party, right? I mean, I totally understand if you’re not, but I really hope you will.”
“Of course I’m still going to your bachelorette party,” Andie said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Like I’d ever refuse a trip to Disneyland.”
“I’m glad,” Melinda told Andie warmly. “Hey, And, I gotta go. A certain appendage just walked back in for lunch. I hope the two of you work everything out, because, let me tell you, it’s really hard to deal with him when he’s so… cranky.”
“All right, I’ll see you this weekend,” Andie agreed. “And thanks for talking to me.”
When she had hung up the phone, Andie sighed and leaned back in her chair. Before she realized it, she was dozing lightly in her office.
Unbeknownst to Andie, Jack felt just as empty as she did. As Black Wing, he would look over the guesthouse for long portions of time, camouflaged by the black night. He did it primarily to look after her; it made him feel better (albeit slightly) to watch out for her safety, to know that even though he wasn’t around, that she was safe, but mostly he did it because it brought him closer to her without overstepping his boundaries. He hated this – absolutely detested this separation. But he would endure it if it meant that she would come back to him. He would do anything, really, if it meant that she would come back to him. He hadn’t seen her, smelled her, touched her in two days.
It was absolute hell.
Jack didn’t realize just how much he needed Andie until the moment she walked out of his life.
Would she come back?
He wouldn’t even allow himself to think that there was even a possibility she wouldn’t.
In fact, he tried not to dwell on it. A new criminal had begun to terrorize the streets of Onyx. He called himself the Tracker, notorious for slipping into heavily-secured buildings, finding people who put all their money into not being found, and escaping from things that were labeled ‘escape proof.’ Jack had Beverly running checks on different people, but there was still unresolved tension between the two. And Jack was certain that she would sneak over to the guesthouse and give Andie leftovers of dinner and whatnot. He managed to get her to speak on how Andie was doing, but she remained firm that if Jack wanted to know so badly, he should go over and ask her himself.
But Jack was just as stubborn as Andie. And, to be honest, Jack didn’t want to go until he knew exactly what he was going to say, and what he was going to do to make it up to her.
He couldn’t sleep well without her either, and what troubled him the most was knowing that she was right across the street, yet he could not go to her. So Jack tided himself over by spending a long portion of the night perched outside the guesthouse where she was surely sleeping. He might not be able to go in there and hold her like he was accustomed to doing, but certainly he could be as near to her as possible, making sure that she was safe and thinking about what he could possibly do to make her come back to him.
Andie wasn’t sure if she was still invited to Jack’s pool party. She had thought about calling him to discuss it, but her pride wouldn’t let her pick up that cell phone, nor would it allow her to dial his number. What should she do, then? Should she not go? But if she didn’t go and was expected to, the press might catch wind of their little fight. But if she did go and she was turned away at the door, that meant that Jack was either really mad and didn’t want to see her, or something much worse. And would Jack show up to one of his own events dateless? He had in the past, hadn’t he? Only the Halloween party, which took place at his own manor last year, she realized. This party might be too important for him to show up without somebody else.
And he didn’t call her to ask her to go in the past week either.
So Andie reasoned Jack had one of two options. Either he took a date–whether that was some movie star or somebody he knew nothing would happen with, which was beyond Andie’s reasoning–or he went dateless.
What about Vanessa? a voice inquired. What if he went with her since it’s supposed to be her investment in the first place for this party?
“It’ll break my heart,” Andie murmured quietly to herself, as she studied her reflection in the mirror. At that moment, Andie knew she had to make a decision. If Jack does, in fact, go with Vanessa to his party as his date, then she would end things with him. The only reason she moved into the guesthouse was because she needed space, not because she had any intentions of breaking up with him. But if he saw her move as the beginning of a break up… well, then that’s what it would be.
Andie decided to go with a vintage style one-piece bathing suit. It was a navy blue color with white polka dots with halter-style red straps. The bust was ruched with a red tie, showcasing Andie’s chest in a tasteful way. She pulled her hair over her left shoulder in order to braid it as best as she could when she realized that her hair now had to stay that way lest she want it to look unkempt. It didn’t bother her, nor did it bother her when she realized she had left the majority of her makeup back at the manor. Oh well. It wasn’t like she was going to wear that much makeup anyways. It was a pool party, for goodness’ sake. She debated for a long moment whether or not to wear heels or sandals, but she realized that if she chose the former, it might look a little odd, and it wasn’t like she was trying to win a beauty pageant or anything. So matching flip flops it was.
Once Andie was completely lathered in sunscreen, she was ready to go.
She showed up to the party a half an hour late, but she was sure no one would notice. If anything, Jack probably wouldn’t show up until much later to maintain his superficial playboy billionaire reputation the richies actually took seriously.
“Fancy seeing you here,” a familiar dry tone said from behind her. Andie beamed and spun around, happy to find one person she knew at such an event. “Are you all right, Miss Shepherd?”
“I’m okay, Beverly” she assured her, though her words sounded weak, even to Andie’s own ears. She ignored the paparazzi who seemed to have some sort of fascination taking her picture speaking to Jack’s aunt. It was then that she was glad she had wrapped that short, white sarong around her waist before leaving. “Just doing the best I can.” She paused, desire to learn about him overriding her pride, at least this time. “And him? How’s he doing?”
“How he’s always doing when you’re gone for a portion of time,” Beverly told her, with a slight undertone of how this was supposed to be the most obvious thing in the world. “He’s cranky.
He crawls over Onyx as an even meaner version of Black Wing, taking his frustration out on the criminals he encounters. He doesn’t sleep because he can’t. He’s snippy at work. I swear, Miss Shepherd, if he hadn’t trusted me with the keys to his vast assortment of liquor, I’m sure he’d be long gone in some drunken stupor.”
“If I drank, I’d probably feel the same,” Andie murmured, trying to search for Jack.
“Are you coming home soon?” Beverly asked, trying to keep the hopeful inflection out of her voice and failing miserably.
Andie shrugged, returning her gaze to the woman in front of her. “It depends,” she began, but someone seemed to have cut her off by clearing their throat. When Beverly saw who it was, she nodded courteously towards Andie, but scuttled off in hopes to find her ward.
“Andie,” the voice said, and when Andie cocked her head to the side, she caught eyes with Vanessa. Vanessa, as usual, looked absolutely beautiful. She was wearing a silky two piece, leaving almost nothing to the imagination, but she had the body to pull it off. Her red hair was in a fashionably high ponytail, and she was wearing some makeup. “To be frank, I’m surprised you showed up.”
Andie immediately narrowed her eyes at the tone Vanessa was using, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh?” she asked. “And why is that, since it’s my company you’re planning to invest in.”
“Let’s face it, Andie,” Vanessa said, shrugging her shoulders slightly. “I mean, look at you and look at me. It would behoove Jack to be with someone who has timeless looks compared to the girl-next-door. I mean, really. The fact that you’re strawberry blonde just adds to this poor man’s version of me theory I have. I’m sure it’s been fun between you two. Jack really likes you – even I can see it. But this whole relationship thing isn’t going to work, especially with me back in the picture.”
The last phrase caught Andie off-guard and she blinked a few times, trying to figure out if she heard Vanessa correctly. “I’m sorry, I think I misunderstood you,” she mumbled before cocking her head to the side and raising her brows, indicating for Vanessa to please go on.
“I’m back in the picture,” she said, as though it was obvious. “What, Andie? Just because Jack Phillip asks you to move in with him doesn’t mean loves you! You can’t possibly believe that! He chose one of you normal people in order to earn the public’s trust. I mean, even I like you when I don’t want to. The public adores you, and because you’re affiliated with the brooding billionaire, they love him too. But he doesn’t love you. What we had back in college doesn’t just disappear. We’re still in love, Andie. I’m sorry you didn’t realize it until just now, but I think it’s time for you to leave.”
Ever since Jack got there–dateless (unless, of course, his aunt counted as a date)–he had been searching for Andie, hoping she would come. It took him twenty minutes before his eyes caught sight of her familiar red hair, pulled into a braid that cradled her shoulder. She looked… Well, how she always looked… Was she talking to… Vanessa? Jack narrowed his jade green eyes and nearly choked on his dry martini. What in the hell could they possibly be talking about?
He started to walk over to them when he watched as Andie took a couple of steps back before turning around and heading for the exit. Jack wanted to go after her, to make sure she was all right, but something inside of him told him to confront Vanessa about what, exactly, she had said.
“Jack!” the redhead said cheerfully upon seeing him make his way over to her. “How are you enjoying–”
“What did you just say to her?” Jack asked, his eyes like glaciers, cutting into Vanessa’s very soul. He could be quite intimidating when he wanted to be.
“I’m not sure I know what you mean,” Vanessa said, shifting her eyes so she wasn’t looking at him.
“Vanessa,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’ve had a very shitty week so do not test me. What did you say to my girlfriend?”
Vanessa shrugged her shoulder as nonchalantly as possible. “The truth,” she said, although her voice wasn’t as firm as it had been with Andie. “I mean, come on. Were you really intending to be with her now that I’m back in Onyx?”
“Oh my God,” Jack said, placing both hands on top of his head. For a moment, he just stood there, looking up at the sky in hopes that he could fix everything with Andie before he narrowed his eyes at the woman in front of him. “Actually, Vanessa, I do intend to be with Andie. I don’t love you, and truth be told, I never really did. I only went out with you for a year because I didn’t want to date and it was easier to say I had a girlfriend rather than say no altogether.” He paused as a smile touched his features; an epiphany had struck him and it felt right. “You’ve caused more trouble than your worth. You know what? I don’t need this party, I don’t need you, and we sure as hell don’t need your investment.”
With that, Jack spun around on his heel and exited the party, hoping to catch Andie and make everything right between them once again.
The hotel Vanessa had picked to throw the pool party was adjacent to a beach, and from what Jack could see, Andie had decided to walk along the shore instead of head back home. He was inwardly glad for this, only because if she had gone back to the guesthouse, she might not have let him in. At least she couldn’t exactly run away from him on the beach, and even if she tried, he was definitely faster. But instead of immediately approaching her, he decided to lag a few feet behind and simply watch her frame. Andie’s body language was so revealing, and he always gauged her emotions from how she stood, what her hands were doing, what her eyes said. Since Andie’s back was toward him, however, he had to decipher everything from behind, which might have been difficult for him in the beginning of the relationship, but over the months together, he knew her and her body quite well.
From the slump of her shoulders to the downward tilt of her head, Jack could immediately tell that she was defeated. Her feet dragged in the sand, and not just because she was wearing a pair of flip flops. Hadn’t Beverly warned him he would be the cause of her pain if he didn’t just watch it? Even Andie mentioned that Vanessa had wanted to break them up, but he didn’t even believe her. He couldn’t allow himself to think that way because the investment was the only thing on his mind. He was in, for lack of a better term, denial. And now it wasn’t he who ended up hurt, but the one person he loved the most in the world.
To put it bluntly, he fucked up. He strayed off onto the wrong path, and just hoped Andie would somehow let him redeem himself.
And he realized he really didn’t need Vanessa or her investment. Andie’s Pet Day at the shelter already had more money than his pool party; maybe if he talked to Andie about helping plan a party, then they could raise the money themselves – without any unnecessary outside help.
And everything could go back to the way it was.
It could happen, couldn’t it?
“I know your following me,” a voice called from in front of him.
Jack blinked once and looked back up at Andie, who had stopped walking in order to turn her face and look out at the sea. Ever since Jack had known her, Andie had loved the sea. She was mesmerized by the waves rolling in and then crashing on the shore. It was no wonder that whenever the two had a fight, she came here. The sea always managed to calm her down. It should be noted, however, that the woman had yet to actually turn around and face him. But… at least she was all right with talking to him.
At this point, he would take what he could get.
“What do you want?” she asked him, her eyes firmly focused on the water before her as her hair was gently lifted into the soft breeze the sea provided for its visitors.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” Jack said, taking a step towards her. He was close enough where he could reach out and touch her if he wanted, but he refrained. Andie didn’t like being touched when she was mad at him; Jack had found out the hard way. “For everything,” he added. Andie cocked her head in his direction, her eyes heavily guarded as she tried to read sincerity in Jack’s
. “You were absolutely right, about everything. The whole Vanessa thing – I didn’t see it. To be honest, I didn’t want to see it. I didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that her investment would come with strings attached. I didn’t want to even think about the concept that she might have been trying to hurt you – to hurt us. You have to know that I don’t see her that way, right? Everything she told you was a lie. You know that, right?”
Finally, Andie turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest. The sun was slowly setting, causing the sky behind the horizon to explode with color, but Jack couldn’t take his eyes off of the woman in front of him. “Why did you break up with her?” she asked him, tilting her head slightly to the side. “And why didn’t you tell me about her before?”
Jack sighed through his nose, running his fingers over his cropped locks. He really should have explained his previous relationship with Vanessa, if only to help put Andie at ease when he and his ex had to interact because of business. “Vanessa and I started going out my junior year in college,” Jack explained. “She came from a wealthy family, and I didn’t want to date anybody that was after me for my money. Even in college, people knew of my parents’ death and how much I inherited. Vanessa was pretty and she was a sophomore. She was smart, too, though she could be mean when she really wanted to. The thing was, I just didn’t want to date, period, and so I thought it was easier keeping a girlfriend then rejecting girls who asked me out. But Vanessa and I didn’t click on a deeper level of intimacy. The reason I broke up with her was because just before summer break, she came to me saying she was pregnant. Truth be told, I was freaked out. I was already stressed about graduating, about returning to Onyx to head my father’s company – I couldn’t deal with a baby. But she said she wanted to keep it, and that we had to get married because her parents would disown her and she’d be dirt poor. I didn’t even love the girl, and here she was, demanding we get married. I told her I needed to think about it, and she said okay. So I was at this bar adjacent to the campus, nursing my third beer, when I overheard one of her friends talking about how Vanessa faked the pregnancy in order to get me to marry her. She was going to say she had a miscarriage when she didn’t start to show. So I broke up with her the very next day, and refused to have anything to do with her after that… until now, of course.
Sacrifice: Book 3 of The Dark Paradise Trilogy Page 23