“My sister Delia. She works for the chapter president over here. She’ll be able to help us locate Josh. But we have to go to London to see her. From what she has already told me, I’m pretty sure that’s where Josh is too, but she’ll be able to give us more details once we are there. I brought my family’s plane to take us as well.”
“Oh.” Norah’s voice was barely a whisper. “Thank you Clint.”
Norah’s head then jerked twisted back and forth as she studied them. “That’s so nice of you two — to want to help me I mean. I really appreciate that you want to do this for me. My Dad assures me you two are the best for guys for this job, and I trust...my Dad.” Norah then went and hugged both Samuel and Clint, taking them into her arms in a friendly and warm embrace. I was beyond mystified by her behavior. I couldn’t fathom how she could be so normal around them after everything they had done. Perhaps her coping abilities and her Dad’s assurance was enough.
After she hugged them both, and they were both smiling like they were heroes, Norah gestured to me with her hands. “Tess, my best friend, can you come and stand over here next to me, please?” I quickly walked over and stood next to Norah who was now standing next to the dresser near her bed. Once I was by her side, she quickly opened the top drawer and in one swift movement, she withdrew her gun and pointed it at Clint and Samuel.
WHOA!
“EEEEEEASY, Len,” Samuel said, stepping closer to Norah, not at all surprised by this turn of events.
“See, I told you it would look bad,” Clint hissed at Samuel.
“Please lower your weapon. We are here to help,” Samuel said as calmly as he could.
“No you are not! I know alright! I know!” Norah was yelling at them both.
Know what?
“Josh told me about what he did to you both, and I’m sorry guys, very sorry that happened.” Norah lowered her eyes and her gun as she said it, but then squeezed her hands and lifted it back up to the guys, holding it even tighter. “Is that why you are here? Are you going to use me to get close to him and take him out? Is that your plan?”
Wait, what did I miss? Josh did something to Clint and Samuel?
Both guys didn’t move. They didn’t say yes and they didn’t say no. They just looked like they were caught out and didn’t know how to respond.
“I can tell by the looks on your faces you two know exactly what I’m talking about.” Norah’s hand was shaking. I had absolutely no fucking idea what was going on, but the fact that Norah had a loaded gun pointed at her two ex-boyfriends who may have been here under false pretenses, was certainly not good. This couldn’t end well, and I had to do something to calm her down. I couldn’t let Norah get blood on her hands after everything she had already gone through. She deserved so much better than that. I moved closer to Norah and put my arm around her shoulder as her hands, and then her body began to shake. She did however, relax a little in my grip. I could sense she really needed the support and with my arms around her, it seemed to give her some kind of mental relief.
“It’s not what you think Len. Really. I know how it must look and I know you don’t believe us, but we are here to help. You need to take a second and remember what your Dad just told you. He would never lie to you. Not about this. He told you to trust us, didn’t he?” Norah’s hand was still jerking from side to side but I could tell she was thinking hard about Samuel’s words. Samuel stepped forward ever so slightly and made a movement with both his hands, bringing them from his chest and raising them down to his hips, almost like he wanted Norah to follow the same movement with her hand and the gun.
“Now please Lenorah, lower your gun. I promise you, Clint and I are not the enemy here. We are here to help you,” Samuel pleaded, and as his words sank in, Norah slowly lowered the gun. Clint breathed a huge sigh of relief as Norah appeared to at last be seeing sense of the situation.
Suddenly, Norah lifted the gun again, and began waving it towards both guys. Both backed up a few steps in sheer shock, not sure if this was about to escalate.
Norah’s voice was low and harsh but steady as she spoke. “If I find out either of you are deceiving me...if you are here to hurt Josh...if I’m sideswiped by some big huge gigantic lie...I WILL SHOOT YOU BOTH! Do you understand me?”
They both swallowed and nodded.
“Answer me!” she yelled at them.
“YES,” both guys said in unison.
Norah immediately lowered the gun. “Good. Then I’ve made myself perfectly clear on the matter. Now let’s get moving and go see your sister Clint.” She paused, taking a second to breathe steadily and compose herself. “Please.”
Norah then strode back into the bathroom, gun in hand to go get her backpack. She yelled out to me as she walked away. “Tess, come into the bathroom with me and I will fill you in on the details about Josh. You should know about what he did so you can help me keep an eye on these two.”
I nodded and went to follow Norah into the bathroom but stopped when I saw Clint glance at Samuel with a look of dread on his face like they should have come clean. I didn’t miss it. I saw the way Clint’s eyes bulged at Samuel and the way his head motioned to Norah. Samuel’s head did a tiny shake, ignoring Clint. But it was clear that these guys were here for something else, and whatever their reason was, I intended to find out. There was no way I was about to let these two clowns hurt Norah again. No, not on my watch. Game on.
Where was Norah? I couldn’t find her in the crowd of art enthusiasts, media representatives, and her Dad’s ‘family’ who had come to support Norah’s latest show. Norah had been posing for photos all evening for the press and interviews. Her show was a resounding success, not that I had any doubt it would be. She had natural talent. Her creativity came from parts of her past that she used in conjunction with her hopes and dreams. It was a combination that made her work very inspiring and almost impossible to take your eyes off.
The murmurs in the crowd were all praise, and also talk that she would be the next big thing in the art world. I wasn’t sure how Norah would handle anymore spotlight than what she had already achieved. Her career as a successful artist would only make her more known, which would in turn, place her at further risk with the dangerous worlds which surrounded us both. It was contradictory to what she really wanted, but her rebellious need to follow her dreams, appeared to win more than her need to keep herself safe. She would most certainly argue that it was the story of her life. I myself, was also in the same kind of tug-of-war. As much as I wanted to support her dreams and be proud of her success, I also wanted to keep her locked up from the public eye so she’d never have anything to fear.
I pushed through the sea of people, hoping to find my girl who was a vision in blue tonight. She had on a long beaded navy-blue dress that hugged her body, accentuating every curve. It was hard to focus on her art and the people around me when she looked so stunning herself. She had always been her own version of a masterpiece, and now she was all mine to admire.
I hadn’t seen Norah for almost an hour since I stood with her, holding her hand, while she was engaged in talk with a gallery owner from downtown. Now, she was strangely missing. It always made me feel nervous when I didn’t know where she was. I couldn’t stop my greatest fears circulating in my head. Fears like someone taking Norah, or Norah running away from me. Both scenarios were very real possibilities, given my past indiscretions, and the danger growing in both our worlds. The idea of safety and security were loose concepts.
My eyes kept searching but came up with nothing. I headed towards the back of the gallery to where I knew there were stairs leading up to a second-level office and balcony. I had a feeling she may have retreated there. We had a number of security guards floating through the crowd as well. As much as this was a publicized event, it was also by invitation only. Her Dad had put me in charge of security, knowing I would ensure everything ran smoothly. He liked to keep me on my toes when it came to Norah’s safety, making sure I could be depended on in any and all
situations. A security guard grabbed onto my arm as I tried to move through the crowd.
“Mr. Hollows, we have another situation again. The same one.”
I groaned. Again. How many times in one night would this guy try and get in? Couldn’t Clint Weston take a hint? He wasn’t welcome here. I had told the guards earlier in the night that there was a possibility Norah’s two ex-boyfriends might make an appearance and try to weasel their way in. I hadn’t told Norah that Clint had tried to get into the event numerous times already during the evening, but I had him escorted off the premises each time. Samuel even appeared earlier in the night as well, but getting him to leave was apparently a lot easier than Clint. Weston seemed determined and relentless.
“Haven’t I already told you Mason that Mr. Weston is prohibited from this event? The same as Mr. Voltaggio. I told your crew earlier that if they tried anything, to make sure they were escorted out. Now, go get rid of him. I don’t want to have to clarify my orders again, alright?”
“But Mr. Hollows, he keeps saying that Ms. Rossi...”
“No Mason. The guy is trouble. We are not going to bother Ms. Rossi with this little problem, are we? She doesn’t need to know about this. She has enough going on tonight. And I’m the one in charge.”
“Okay, okay, Mr. Hollows. I’ll tell him he’s not allowed in, for the third time. The guy is persistent though. Are you sure we shouldn’t tell Ms. Rossi?”
I waved him away with my hand. “Go Mason, you have your instructions.”
Mason spoke into a little receiver on his collar and charged away from me at a rapid pace. I watched him disappear into the crowd, thinking about the situation outside. Clint Weston. I would have thought the guy would have a new girlfriend by now. He had been seen leaving Lappell club meetings with many women over the past few months, so I assumed he had finally moved on from Norah. I figured he was no longer a problem, no longer a concern. And now he just suddenly shows up out of the blue, trying to waltz back into Norah’s life. I don’t think so. I had to make sure he didn’t ruin Norah’s important night. She didn’t need the drama. She didn’t need to dredge up the past. She didn’t need to see Clint. It was a night of celebration, not a night to reminisce. Although, if I was being honest with myself, I didn’t want to know how Norah would react if she saw Clint again. Would there be a glint of happiness in her eyes? A look of regret? There was still a tiny part of me that wondered that if I hadn’t altered her destiny the way I did, would it really be me she would be with right now? Had I really changed things for the better and not for the worse? I thought about that every day. I had screwed with fate when it came to her and Clint, and that can’t have been a good thing in cosmic law or whatever it was that made things come round again. Fate doesn’t favor the wicked, and I had the odd sense that I was running on borrowed time. But I couldn’t let the thought weigh me down. My focus was my future, and my future was with Norah.
I made my way up the stairs to the second-level office and poked my head in. A stream of air flowing in off the balcony caught the curtain near the window, making it billow inwards toward the desk. My eyes darted out the window, catching the flecks of blue from Norah’s dress. There she was, and I felt instant relief.
My heart, my home, my girl...
Norah.
“What are you doing out here?” I asked, climbing out onto the balcony. Norah was leaning over the railing, staring out across the city’s lights, lost in thought. She turned to face me, the wind catching her hair and whipping it around her face like a smokescreen. She gracefully pulled it away from her face, and walked towards me.
“I needed to get away from the crowd. Have a few minutes to myself to think is all. Just taking in the moment.”
I should have known that this was where she would be. Norah loved her success, but she wasn’t one to get caught up in the commotion. She was somewhat of a quiet achiever. Her humility was part of the reason her art was so beautiful. It never felt forced. Its edge looked so natural. Its flow came from an inner passion that burned brightly when her body came to life on canvas. Plus, the spotlight also messed with her head at times. It brought up memories of her past when her Dad, and herself, were thrust negatively into the media with a trial. It depicted her as the daughter of a monster, and that had also made her a social outcast for most of her teenage life. I guess it’s hard to bury the scars of your youth when they still stain your mind. Some pain just becomes a part of who you are, and you can’t escape, no matter how far you try to run and hide.
She looked back out to the city and back to me again. “Josh...there is something I should have told you about tonight.” The look on her face was strained. I could see the worry as she looked at me.
I reached out to her elbow, encouraging her to get closer. “What is it?” I asked.
“I know I should have mentioned this earlier, but...I invited Clint and Samuel to my show. I’m sorry Josh. I didn’t mean not to tell you. I...wasn’t sure they would even come.”
“You invited Clint and Samuel?”
I was completely thrown by this new information. Why would she invite them?
“Yes, well...I didn’t send them an official invitation. I only sent them an email. It’s just...They helped inspire the other two sets of my collection. I only thought it would be right if they got to see what they helped create. You know, a friendly gesture. They were my best friends for different periods of my life. I haven’t forgotten that. I was just hoping...oh God...I’m really stupid...I shouldn’t have even tried...”
“What were you hoping for Norah?” I watched her carefully, trying to understand why she had contacted them. Why she still needed them. Just...why?
“I was hoping for their friendship is all. I know, I know. An awful idea after everything that happened. And I know I should have told you I emailed them. I didn’t mean not to tell you. I’m so sorry. It wasn’t intentional. I think I always knew that they wouldn’t show up, so there was going to be no need to tell you. And obviously they didn’t come, so friendship’s clearly off the table. I guess that even though I’ve forgiven them, they haven’t forgiven me for what I said.” She paused and then, quite regretfully, sighed. “I can’t blame them.”
She looked out towards the city as sadness ghosted her face. She missed their friendship. I could understand that. I knew all too well they were not the bad people I had made them out to be. Should have I told her Clint was here, and that they had both tried to come tonight? She had invited both guys as friends and to see her collection that they helped inspire her create, and again, I had a hand in changing the course of events. Norah was blaming herself for the way she acted with them as the reason they had not showed. I was starting to get a bad feeling that with what I had already done, and with what she was already thinking, that I was changing Norah’s real path. Our love shouldn’t be circling back around to these guys. Yet I had just stopped Clint and Samuel from seeing her and being part of her life again. I was manipulating her fate. I had spit in its face and taken control of it involuntarily. A sick feeling in my stomach was building. The way I was playing with all their lives was going to be my undoing. How long did I have before everything was exposed?
“Was it stupid for me to think we could ever be friends again after what happened Josh? Am I being one of those naive and selfish girls who thinks she can have more?”
I looked away from her gaze, trying to hide my guilt. “No, you are not stupid Norah. You shared a lot of yourself with those guys. Of course you are going miss that side of them which once made you happy. And I know how your heart works. It doesn’t just dispel people. I can understand why you would want to be their friend. It wasn’t an impossible thought.”
She was trying to find balance and peace in her life and missed the bonds she once had with them. And again, I had prevented Norah from knowing the truth about two people who probably genuinely wanted to be part of her life too. I was going to hell for this, but I couldn’t undo what I had done, so I just moved forw
ard, trying not to think about my wrongdoings. My love and need for Norah was all that really mattered to me. My own darkness was a selfish part of my own being.
“It’s their loss Norah,” I said, sounding sweet and understanding. I couldn’t be angry at her, especially after what I had done. “I’m sorry they didn’t come to your show. You don’t need them in your life. You have me, and Tess.”
Norah shrugged and turned back around and looked over the city, leaning over the railing again. I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her into my body.
“It’s just reminded me how much we are meant for each other Josh. You’ve always been everything I want and everything I need.” Norah pushed her body up against mine as she spoke. I could feel how much she meant what she said and in feeling it, all my guilt dissipated. It was so easy to forget when she was in my arms.
“I love you Norah. You know how deep it goes.”
“Yes, I do. And you know what Josh? I don’t want to wait anymore for us to make it official. I was thinking that we should elope, as soon as possible. I don’t want to get married in the city. It’s just not a place I want to spend my wedding day. I want it to just be about us. Just me and you in some foreign place where they are no old memories, only the new memories we’ll make together. What do you think?”
“Norah, I would marry you right now, this second, if I could. So yes, of course. Let’s go start our new life together and leave this old one behind.”
“Great, we’ll sort out tickets tomorrow and just tell everyone we are going on a holiday. I’m pretty sure no one will suspect anything. I’m thinking Prague. Sound like a good place?”
“Any place you pick will be the most perfect place in the world.”
Norah turned and kissed me very passionately, rubbing her whole body up against mine. I instantly got hard as she purposely ground up against me. She turned so her back faced out towards the city, and rubbed up and down my body again.
All The Pieces (Pieces of Lies 3) Page 5