Forever (Destroyed by Love #1)

by Abrianna Denae

  Marley obviously got her small nose from Albert and Jodie, because her mother’s is long and skinny, not unattractive, but not Marley.

  “You have Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon?” she asks, her voice, it’s harsh, unlike Marley’s soft Georgian accent.

  “We do. We just received a case yesterday.”

  “Perfect. I’ll have a glass of that.”

  “And for you, sir?”

  “Water is fine.” Albert doesn’t even glance at me. His attention is solely on Marley’s mother.

  “I’ll be right back with your wine.”

  I grab one of the busboys and have him deliver the wine to Marley’s parents’ table. When she passes me, I hiss, “What’s her name?”

  “Olivia.” She looks up at me with dead eyes. Her beautiful eyes are concealed by contacts, but I can still see the pain they hold.

  “You’re coming home with me.” Where the hell did that come from?

  She nods and scurries off to her next table.

  When I make my way through my tables, I keep watch on Albert and Olivia, he stares at her, mostly, and she looks everywhere but at him. They exchange as few words as possible. A man with graying dark blond hair approaches the table, and Olivia stands to greet him. He gives her a chaste kiss on the cheek and shakes Albert’s hand. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out who he is. This just keeps getting better and better.

  “Would you like something besides water to drink?” I ask when it’s time for me to stand at their table again.

  “No, thank you.”

  “Okay, are y’all ready to order?”

  “We are,” Olivia says, “I’ll just have the classic salad, light on the dressing, extra tomatoes.”

  Both men order the grilled salmon. Only Olivia’s blond partner asks if we can do plain rice. “Of course, sir. I’ll go put these in and get them out to you shortly.”

  I’m walking away when Olivia says, in not so quiet of a tone, “You’d think they could afford to hire more sophisticated servers.”

  The thing about privileged people is that they don’t consider the help people, which means they’ll say anything around them and not care that someone else is overhearing. This proves to be true about the former Mrs. Olivia Fallon.

  I’m just setting her ridiculously overpriced salad in front of her when she says, “She just needs to get over it already. It happened. Richard and I are perfectly happy. She needs to stop being so damn emotional and come back to Georgia. Do you know how annoying it is to hear Dakota whine about how she won’t call her back? Seriously, she gets her stubbornness from you, Albert.”

  “Now, Olivia. I’m sure the poor girl is just in shock. It’s only been a few months. I bet by July she’ll want to come home.” Richard places his arm around Olivia while I place the rest of their food on the table. And like the good little server boy I am, I walk away without saying a word.

  The rest of lunch goes by quickly, nothing more is said about Marley and what she needs to do. I’m ready to hand over the check, which Richard insisted they only needed one of, not that Albert protested very much, when the very thing we tried to avoid happens.

  Marley got stuck with a table at the other end of the section, andshe’s been doing all she can to hide from her parents. Olivia looks up right as she passes by, with her face pointed down instead of facing away. Olivia’s red-tipped fingers grab onto her daughter’s arm.

  I watch as the girl I knew drains away at one touch. I get to the table as fast as I can, but the damage has already been done. I can tell by the look on Marley’s face that nothing will ever be the same.

  “…You just need to come home. This little game you’re playing is ridiculous.”

  “Oh, I’m playing a game? I’m playing a game?” Marley looks up when she hears me approach. “Did you hear that, Wyatt? My mother thinks because she fucked up my life, I’m the one playing a game.”

  I place the check on the table, not saying anything. I pull Marley into my arms and lift my hand, signaling Tony. I look directly at Albert when I say, “It’ll be okay. I’m going to take care of you.”

  At least he has the decency to look away. He knows what I mean. I’m the one who is going to try my hardest at making sure this poor girl doesn’t fall to pieces. Not him. As soon as this lunch is over, he’ll probably slink back to his office.

  Tony touches my arm. “I’m calling, Nash. She’s done.” Marley is supposed to work for another two hours, but they’ll understand. Everyone knows who Albert Fallon is; it won’t take long to connect the dots. We all have baggage. We take care of each other. That’s just what we do here.

  “Call John too.” Tony tells me.

  “I still have five hours.”

  “Davis will understand,” Tony uses his boss voice on me, and I know there’s no arguing with him.

  “Excuse me, but this is a private family matter. I need to speak to my daughter,” Olivia says in a haughty tone. She’s like my mother. She’s used to getting what she wants when she wants it.

  How can someone like that produce someone like Marley?

  “Marley is at her place of employment. She is our server until she leaves club grounds. If you want, I can call my supervisor,” Tony says, his voice is hard. He sounds nothing like the Tony we’re used to.

  “I suggest you do that,” Olivia says.

  “Livy.” Albert sighs. “Don’t cause a scene.”

  Marley pushes away from me. “Please cause a scene. Maybe then everyone can see you for the soulless bitch you are. I hate you. What part of that do you not understand? I never want to see you again. I want nothing to do with you.” She doesn’t yell, she doesn’t cry, she doesn’t do anything but stare at her mother.

  Gently I pull her back into my arms, her whole body is shaking. She’s breaking from the inside out. Wrapping my arm around her waist, I say, “It was a pleasure to serve you.” And walk away with my beautiful broken girl in my arms.

  Chapter 15

  Marley

  I suppose I could cry. I suppose I could scream. But where would that get me? Nowhere. No-fucking-where.

  So I sit. I sit at the table in the break room. I listen as Wyatt calls John in. I sit as Nash comes in, her dark eyes filled with worry. She’s already in uniform. She’s supposed to be working the Café this afternoon.

  “Don’t worry about it,” she says when I tell her this. “The bar isn’t busy, if Kenneth needs help, Nick can always send over one of his girls.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” This is from Wyatt. “You’re ours, you’re our family. We take care of family.” Family.

  I don’t know what that word means.

  Tony comes in now. “Davis averted a crisis. He agreed that you should go home. Come back tomorrow, he wants to talk with you both.” Tony kneels down and looks in my eyes. “Do not feel bad about this. We all have fucked-up families. We all need to take a break once in a while. We’re here for you. For whatever you need. You’re ours now.”

  He leans forward and places a kiss on my forehead. And then he’s gone. I think that’s the most I’ve ever seen him stay in one place for more than twenty seconds. I think that’s the slowest I’ve ever heard him speak.

  It’s now that I hear them. I really hear them. And something inside me comes together. It’s a very small piece. But it’s better than nothing.

  Wyatt stretches out his hand, and I take it. Nash grabs my bag from one of the lockers and hands it to him. Then she follows us as we walk hand-in-hand to the dining room.

  I hold my head up high, because this will not break me. This cannot break me.

  I am stronger than that. I am stronger than them.

  ***

  Wyatt and I race up the stairs at the house. It takes me seconds to find a bag, and I’m stuffing it with random clothing. Wyatt moves into my en suite bathroom, I hear him rummaging around.

  I grab my school bag because I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. I stuff my books and homew
ork in my bag, and Wyatt dumps my bathroom things in the other one.

  We almost make it to the front door when Gran stops us. “Albert should be here any minute. He’s very upset.”

  “He’s upset?” Wyatt spits. “What about her? Oh wait, I forgot. She doesn’t matter. They’re probably more concerned with the scene she caused than anything else.”

  “I like you, Wyatt. I really do, but I will not be spoken to like that in my own house.”

  “I’m sorry, Jodie. I really am. But your son is a fucking asshole, and your ex-daughter-in-law is a bitch. And I will not let her stay here until they’re gone.”

  “This is Marley’s home. This is Albert’s home. I will not give my son that ultimatum. And do you really think that the right thing to do is speak for her? Marley is a strong girl and she can make her own decisions.”

  “I am a strong girl. Which is why I’m leaving. I’ll be back when they can act like adults.”

  “Running is never the answer.” I already know that.

  “Let me have this, Gran. I need this.”

  “Okay. Then you do what you feel is right.” She's giving in. She must see the determination in my eyes. She must feel the emotion that is radiating off Wyatt in waves, because Gran isn't one to back down.

  “Thank you,” Wyatt says. She nods. They share a look, and something I can’t understand passes between them.

  Gran and Wyatt, they have their own special bond.

  We make it to Wyatt’s car when Dad’s black Lexus pulls up, followed by a silver Mercedes. I’ve never seen that car before, but it doesn’t take a genius to know who’s in it.

  Wyatt opens the back seat and throws the bag he’s carrying inside, then he takes mine from me, and it follows his. He opens the passenger door for me, but not before I hear the shrill voice of Olivia.

  “Pagan you better not get in that damn car. I’m not done with you.”

  “Fuck,” I say, climbing into the car as fast as I can. Wyatt slams the door behind me and turns around.

  “Don’t fuck with me right now, Albert. I would very much like to hit you.”

  “Wyatt, this is a family matter.”

  I shouldn’t be able to hear them. At least not clearly, since all the doors and windows are closed, but they’re loud, and they’re pissed.

  “Oh, now she’s your family? Where the fuck were you when she was crying in my arms the other day? Where were you when it was me she was spilling her soul to?”

  “Just who the fuck do you think you are? You can’t keep me from my daughter. She’s sixteen for Christ’s sake!” Olivia steps forward, but Richard pulls her back.

  Wyatt doesn’t say anything. He just rounds the car. I watch him. I watch the way his fists clench, the way his jaw ticks.

  He starts the car, and we’re pulling out of the driveway as fast as we can.

  I can feel the anger rolling off him in waves. I’m surprised he just walked away. I know he’s pissed. I don’t understand how he could have just walked away.

  “Because I didn’t want to say something that I would end up regretting,” he says, as if he can read my mind. “I wouldn’t regret hurting them, but I would regret causing you more pain. And I swear I will never cause you pain. I will never hurt you the way they have. That’s why I walked away. I had to.”

  Tentatively, I reach my hand out. I touch his arm. I feel how tight his muscles are. How wound up he is.

  I rest my hand on his thigh and I can feel him relax slightly. He places his hand on top of mine, threading our fingers. We sit in our silence-consumed by thoughts that could destroy us both.

  Wyatt

  I lead her up to my room. I can hear Mary in the kitchen with the girls. But I don’t bother to take her in there. We need space. We need calm. We need peace. And there’s only one place to get that in this God forsaken house.

  I’m upstairs with Marley. Don’t ask. Doubt we’ll be down for the rest of the night.

  Mary: Don’t worry. I can stay.

  Thank you.

  She doesn’t reply. She doesn’t have to.

  “This isn’t what I pictured,” she says as she sits on my bed.

  “What did you expect?”

  “I don’t know. It’s so clean. And well, clean.”

  Marley removes her shoes and scoots back on the bed so she’s leaning against the headboard. She’s still in her uniform. We both are.

  I remove my tie. “Clean, huh?”

  “Yeah. Clean. Jonathan was never this clean. This isn’t the room you would expect a seventeen-year-old boy to have. You’re so organized, and adult, and-"

  “And clean,” I tease.

  She laughs, a real laugh. “Yes. You’re clean. That might be what I like most about you.”

  “Oh God, really? You like me because I’m clean?”

  “Yes, well, no. It’s complicated.” Marley sighs and throws an arm over her eyes. “Did you grab my solution? I need to get these things out.”

  “Yeah.” I open her bag and find the contact box, tossing it in her lap. I walk into my bathroom and remove my own contacts.

  My glasses are sitting on my bedside table, but when I reach for them, Marley stops me. She places her box on the table next to my glasses. “Wait, I want to look at your eyes first.”

  I can’t deny this girl anything. So I lay next to her, staring into those painfully beautiful green eyes of hers.

  “Farsighted or near?”

  “Near.” I take in every inch of her face.

  “How blind are you?”

  “I can see you perfectly, but if I wanted to look at the clock over your shoulder, I’d have to shift closer.”

  “How close?”

  I slide so close to her there is barely any space between us, and I’m not kidding. I still have to squint to see the red numbers on the alarm clock.

  “You’re really blind.”

  “Just a bit.”

  She smiles a real smile. It’s not the brilliant one from the picture at her house, but it’s something.

  “I want you to kiss me,” she whispers.

  “I want to kiss you,” I whisper back.

  “So do it.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why?”

  “You know why.”

  “I do. That doesn’t mean I don’t want you. That I don’t want this.”

  “I know. And it’s okay. I can wait.”

  “I care about you, so freaking much. I don’t know why or how, I just know that I do.” Thank fucking God.

  “I care about you too. So much.” Placing my hand on her waist I pull her closer to me, so close there isn’t an inch of space between us. She buries her head in my chest. I hold her even tighter.

  Maybe I’m naïve, maybe we’re too young. But I know that this is where we belong. I want her right here, in my arms, forever.

  This moment, right here, is the one I will remember. Even when she’s no longer mine. Because I have to face the facts, this won’t last. Everything comes to an end.

  Forever is only so long.

  Chapter 16

  Wyatt

  Pagan. The name echoes in my head. Over and over again, one simple word that can mean so many things, I just wish I knew what. I won’t ask. I can’t ask. I don’t want her to look at me with her sad eyes and tell me she’s not ready.

  There are things that Marley refuses to tell me. I respect her for that. At least I think I do. I don’t know anymore.

  I went from not wanting anything to do with her, not wanting to get too close, to needing her. It’s pathetic. How quickly I gave up my resolve. How easily I let her into my life. I’m supposed to be stronger than this. But I’m not. I’m weak.

  I pull her closer to me. Her soft breath tickles my bare chest. Her small hand rests right over my heart. We’ve stayed in this position all night, while she slept I held her. I watched her, I thought of her. My life has become everything she is.

  I should pull away. I should let her go. She’s not ready for m
e, and in reality, she might never be. But the thought of losing myself to her, of allowing her to hurt me-hurts less than the pain I know I’ll feel if I let her go.

  So I’ll endure my punishment. I have to be realistic.

  Feeling her shift against me, I know she’s waking up. I don’t want to end this moment. I’ve never felt so peaceful before.

  Pulling back I peer into her soulful eyes. “Good morning,” she whispers.

  “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

  “Surprisingly yes. You?”

  “I didn’t sleep, but I did rest.”

  “Wyatt.”

  “I’m okay. I’m not tired.”

  “You need to sleep more.”

  “So do you. I’m fine. I was happy to be your safe place.”

  “My safe place?”

  “Yes. The place that you feel completely comfortable in, the place you can feel free. If you’re anything like me, then you don’t sleep because you’re afraid. You’re afraid to be vulnerable. And that’s what you are when you’re asleep. You’re vulnerable to so many things.”

  “You’re right. I guess I’ve never thought of it that way. Thank you.”

  “No thanks necessary.”

  She’s thanking me for more than my words, more than my comfort. She’s thanking me for everything, even the things that have yet to happen. She might not realize it, but I do.

  “I know you heard my mother. I see it in your eyes. You want to question me, but you won’t.”

  “It’s not my business.”

  “Yes, it is. You’re-you’re important to me. You deserve to know everything.”

  “When you’re ready, I’m not going to push you.” I want to know. I need to know. But am I ready for the truth?

  “I’m not telling you everything. But that’s obvious. You know about the hair, the eyes, and the family issues. But you don’t know me. You don’t know who I was before I came here.

  I was like Kala. Rich, spoiled, I thought I was the shit because I had a decent boyfriend and I was “in” with the most popular girl. But I was lost. And I knew that. I knew I wasn’t happy. But I didn’t know why I was unhappy. I just knew that I was.”