by Evie Monroe
I hurried after her and spun her around. She struggled against me, but I wasn’t about to let her go without a fight.
“I’m sorry, Liss. I’m ending it. I swear. There’s not been a relationship there for years.”
“You make me sick. I want to go home. I’ll never trust you again.” With each word, I grew angrier and not knowing if they’d hold was a total head fuck.
“Fine, you want to go! Go! Run home to Daddy and throw away anything we could have because of one tiny piece of paper. That’s all it is, Liss. A fucking piece of paper that I have long forgotten the significance of.”
“It’s everything. You said that you loved me. You led me to think it was real.”
“It is real, Liss. Sweetheart, please.”
“No! You don’t get to tell me to run home to daddy and then call me sweetheart!” She turned and headed out, and before I could catch up with her, Weed pushed past me to follow.
I walked out and found her in the hall, she was in Weed’s arms, and he rubbed her back for reassurance. She stepped away and looked down the long hall to me on the other end.
“I’ll stay. But only for Weed. I’m not going to leave him in the middle of a show. I don’t have anywhere to stay.”
“You can stay with me. There’s no reason not to. You won’t have to worry about me, Liss. I won’t bother you anymore. I’ll have Jack make up a different room for you if you like. I know you probably want to be as far away from me as possible.” I tucked my hand in my pocket and walked up to the hall that led to my office and paused. “I’m really sorry, Liss. I wish I ended things with her way back, but she’ll take Mad Mode. That’s been her plan all along, and why I haven’t. I’ve never had a reason to let her, until now. There was nothing I wanted more before you came along.”
“I’ll see to it that she gets home safely,” said Weed.
“Thanks.” With that, I left, and I didn’t go straight home. I thought of all the times that Victoria had wanted me to sign those damned papers, and I wouldn’t do it, knowing what she was asking for. At the time, my business hadn’t been worth much, so in the end, my prolonging the inevitable had cost me much more.
But the greatest cost through it all would be Liss. I’d finally found someone I loved more than Mad Mode.
Chapter 22
Liss
Staying on at Mad Mode for four more days until the next shoot had been a painful decision, but deciding to stay at Johnny’s house was worse. I had enough money to go anywhere, sure, but I didn’t know anyone other than Weed and Nate, and I couldn’t stay with them for various reasons. Luckily, Johnny had kept his promise to stay away, and I hadn’t had much contact with him other than passing, at which time no words were spoken.
The longing for him was torturous, but I knew it’d only be worse for me if I had to stay somewhere else and wonder. No, this way I got a front row seat to how he was handling it. Which, was about as good as I was.
I woke up the morning of the shoot and let out a sigh of relief that the day had finally come and once it was over, I could go home.
Johnny’s words had hurt, and even though I didn’t feel like I was running home to Daddy, I suppose in a way, I was. I’d have to swallow my pride and admit he was right, and of course, Sabrina would be disappointed that her new job was a wash. I’d try to bring her on with me if I could manage, but I’d never really expected to hire help until much later. I’d still have time to call and take some of the orders that I had gotten calls about, so maybe the income would be there. Maybe not.
I rolled out of bed and was ready and waiting to go by the time Johnny came downstairs. He rattled the change in his pocket and then held the door open as I passed through. As usual, I sat as far away as possible in the car and kept my eyes trained out the window. I didn’t expect much in the form of conversation, and from the few glances I allowed to go in his direction, he was fixated on his phone.
I wondered if he was talking to someone new. If he was one of those men, who couldn’t go a day without the flattery of a woman falling all over them. The model, Mandy, had been a long-time friend of his according to Weed, but that was all the information he’d been willing to share. That and the woman was seeing someone. I wondered if that had changed. Perhaps now she was seeing Johnny or sneaking around with him.
We arrived at the venue and found Weed in a panic.
He rushed the car as we pulled in and opened Johnny’s door as soon as the car stopped. “We’ve got problems, man!”
“What’s the matter?” Johnny stepped out of the car, and I slid across the seat to exit behind him as Weed explained.
“Two of the photographers we had lined up are no-shows, and the one is threatening to leave saying he had another engagement.”
“Are there any other events locally? I mean, we didn’t try and shadow any other event, right?” Johnny’s expression was grim, and Weed let out a groan of frustration that sounded like a growl.
“No. Not unless someone did something on the spur of the moment.” Weed turned and headed inside, and Johnny and I followed. We found the last remaining photographer who was already packing up his equipment.
“What are you doing?” Weed took off across the room to where the guy was putting his tripod into a bag.
“I’m out of here. I’ve got another gig across town. Orders from my boss, sorry.”
“Better gig?”
“Yes, Victory Fashions is having an impromptu fashion show. My boss told me to head over if I wanted to keep my job.” The guy slung his bag over his shoulder and walked away.
“Victory Fashions?” Weed looked at Johnny whose nostrils were already flaring.
“That fucking bitch.” Johnny’s phone rang about that time, and he glanced down and pushed the phone to Weed. “It’s Gretta, find out what she wants.”
Weed rolled his eyes and put the phone to his ear. “Yes, Gretta.” I was on pins and needles wondering what the traitorous girl was up to now. Weed’s eyes widened as he listened. “Yes, thanks. We’ll head that way.” He ended his call and put his hand over his mouth. “She said she wanted to give us a head’s up. That Victoria’s latest game is even worse than we could imagine.”
“Well, what is it?” Johnny’s eyes hardened, and his mouth set in a tight line.
“She wants us to come see for ourselves.”
“This sounds like a trap. We’ll get there, and the media will eat us alive.” Johnny shook his head.
“She said to tell you she’s sorry, and that this stunt was a bit too much for her. She’s about to walk out on Victoria.”
Johnny patted Weed on the back. “Looks like we’re going to a fashion show.” Johnny turned to head back to the car.
“I’m coming too,” I said. Johnny gave me a hard stare but didn’t say a word.
Weed rode between us across town to the venue, and once we went inside, we saw the crowd gathered around the stage.
Johnny and Weed pushed through the crowd and made it up front, but it took me a bit of time to navigate around people. When I finally made it, Gretta had come to stand by Johnny.
“She’s lost her mind,” I heard her say as I approached. “This is too far for me. I’m going home before it starts. I just wanted to apologize and give you a head’s up.” The girl was true to her word about quitting, and she walked away without another word.
I stepped next to Johnny, and the sick look on his face got worse as the first model came down the runway. As she approached, my heart sank. “That’s my fabric?” All of the models were wearing clothes that were dyed to match my original scarves.
“No, that’s not your fabric. That’s your clothes. The ones that were stolen. She’s cut them up and made different pieces from them.” My line of clothes had been altered into other pieces, and the crowd was going wild for Victoria’s hatchet job.
My scarves had been sewn together to make a romper of all things, and what was once a dress was now a pair of baggy pants. There were pockets I’d remember se
wing on skirts that had been placed on halter tops, and some of the patterns were so Frankensteined together that they looked like a patchwork quilt.
“She can’t do this! Those are my pieces. My property!”
Johnny put his arm around me. “I’m sorry, Liss. I hate that you’re caught up in this. I’m going to make her pay for this. She can’t do this and get away with it!” I turned against his arm and let him comfort me. My designs had been taken yet again. And even though I knew she’d done this to get at Johnny, it had hurt me too.
We stood and watched as the show continued and couldn’t do anything but watch as it got worse, the designs I’d created, ending up as everything from skirts to handbags. And to make it worse, the designs she’d created weren’t half bad.
“Talk about regurgitating fashions,” said Weed. “The tabloids will end up having a field day with this. It’s obvious what she’s doing.”
I’d never seen Johnny look so defeated. “Fuck the press. They would’ve never been on my side anyway.”
Finally, the models all paraded out for one last round, and the emcee announced Victoria as the creator of the line which she’d called Sweet Victory. She pranced her way out and pointed down at us as she came to the end of the stage; her hand is pointing like a gun and pulling the trigger.
When she turned and went backstage, Johnny took off like a bolt and Weed, and I followed. He pushed his way into the back and found her and her male companion, Chester entering her private room.
Johnny pushed in right behind Chester and Weed, and I followed, though he and Chester stopped to shake hands. “You can’t do this! Those were our property, Victoria.”
“I’m aware of whose property they were and I hear you paid a pretty penny for them too. One million dollars? Impressive. It’s more than you gave me when we started Mad Mode together.” My eyes widened. They’d started the company together?
“I had my company long before you came around.” Johnny’s muscular jaw feathered.
“You were wasting your time on sports apparel, and we all know it. Hell, even Weed agreed with my coming into the company. That’s when it grew; when Mad Mode became something, not before. What I’d made of it. And here you go again, doing the same thing. I knew the minute I saw this line that it wasn’t yours.”
“What you did was stealing, though. You can’t get away with that!”
“Oh, but I can. I know you’re young, so you’re not really aware of how these things work.” She turned her sly smirk on Johnny. “And before you go threatening me, as your wife, what’s yours is mine. I told you I’d bury you, Johnny. You should have listened to me. And if you think all of that sappy talk was going to get to me, you’re wrong.” She leaned over just inches from his face. “You see, I don’t really give a shit about what happens to your company. We built it together, and you took all of the spotlights. But now, it’s my turn to shine.” She turned her nose up and walked over to take her jewelry off and glared over at Chester who was still enthralled with Weed.
“Chester, show them out and if they don’t leave, call security.”
Johnny turned and headed out and I ran up beside him, taking his arm. “It’s going to be okay.”
He stopped once we got outside. “No, she’s won. Victory Fashions. Mad Mode is done; just like us.”
I had to give him some space, so as he walked away, I let him go.
Weed and I had the car take us back to the venue to clean up the canceled event while Johnny went his own way.
After I’d cleaned things up, I went back to the house and expected Johnny to still be gone. Jack was nowhere to be found, so I headed upstairs.
“When are you leaving?” Johnny asked as I tiptoed past his door. I leaned back and looked inside the dark room and found him sitting in the shadows. He was wearing a pair of jogging pants, and nothing else and his hair was still a bit damp from a recent shower.
“First thing tomorrow, I guess.” I waited for him to ask me not to go, but he let out a grunt, and after another minute of awkward silence, I started to turn away.
“Stay with me; one last night.” Part of me wanted to tell him to get lost, but the other part wanted to run into his arms and kiss him just one more time. I had stopped in my tracks, and so I slowly turned around. I didn’t want to refuse him. I decided to take what little I could. Maybe deep inside I had secret hopes that it would all work out and us being together would make everything alright. Like the act could wash away all of the ugly words, the pain, and the past, leaving nothing but a bright future ahead of us.
“Okay. If that’s what you want.”
“Don’t you?” He held out his hand as I stepped inside the room to join him. I took it, and he pulled me to him, sitting me on his lap. If I hadn’t wanted it, I’d have stayed back, but I knew I didn’t have to answer him, some things went unspoken. I ran my hand up his arms and then down around his chest. He held my head, his fingers twining in my hair and brought his mouth down on mine.
Our lips mingled, and he stroked my tongue with his, slowly, as if he were hesitant; unsure it should be happening. I wasn’t sure either, but I wasn’t going to hesitate a moment knowing it could be the last time I ever got to be with him in this way.
He pulled away and cupped my face in his hands, stroking my lips with his thumb. “Come with me.” I stood, and he joined me, taking time to kiss me one more time before we went to the bed.
His eyes were hard; his expression intense as he kept my stare; laying me back against the bed. I didn’t expect much in the way of foreplay, but he disappeared down between my legs and slipped my panties down from under my dress. He lifted his head and met my eyes again. It seemed like he was waiting for a protest, but that wasn’t going to happen.
I’d missed him too much, and I knew if he asked, I would strongly consider staying.
He kept his eyes trained on mine as his fingers slipped inside me. I shuddered at his touch, and a soft moan escaped my lips.
He continued his ministrations, and soon I felt the soft, warm tickle of his tongue against me as his finger probed my pussy, stroking the most tender parts of me. All it took was a little attention from his mouth, and I came, my body going into a fit of tremors, milking his fingers which he kept working me at a relentless pace.
“God, I’ve missed you.” His breath was warm against my mound and my eyes filled with tears as he said the words I’d wanted to hear. He’d missed me too.
I didn’t know what to say in return, so instead, I stroked his hair and moaned allowing the pleasure to overtake me.
He stood up and got his condom from the bedside table and slipped it on. Then he gripped me beneath my thighs, his strong hands lifting me up as he centered his cock at my entrance. His eyes stayed on mine again, as if daring me this time, to ask him to stop.
“Please,” I whispered. His brows lifted as if I’d soon protest, but I gripped his ass with my legs and urged him closer. “Please, don’t stop.”
“Not a chance.” He pushed his cock deep and the pressure of it filling me, the urgency to his thrust, I knew that he, like me, was going to make the most of our last time together.
His hips thrust hard, steadily fucking until one orgasm after another; I was a dripping pile beneath him. Another final orgasm consumed me, and I raked my nails up his back, digging in. He grunted and rutted deep as he came.
He lay behind me, and I turned over to find him staring up at the ceiling. “Thank you.”
The words went up my back and stabbed me in the heart. It wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I lay with him another few minutes and then headed to my room. Wound up from the sex; I spent the next half hour packing before turning in.
Chapter 23
Johnny
Knowing I’d let her go had bothered me for the next month, and being without her was crippling. The day had come when I had to make a decision about Mad Mode, and I’d decided to let her go.
“I can’t believe you’re going to let her win. Can’t you just buy
her part of the company?”
“It’s not worth it. Besides, I’m still Johnny Hatter. I’ve been the face for years, not her. The company was going stale anyway, and if bringing in Liss taught us anything, it was that our brand was growing stale.”
Weed cleared his throat. “Please tell me you have a plan. That warehouse is like my fucking second home.”
“You act like you’re the only one suffering, man.” Nate curled his lip at Weed. But I felt bad for the guy. I knew how bad it’d been for him, losing his friend. They’d become thick as thieves, the two and had both worked their asses off for me.
“No, I realize we all are, but I want him to understand how much this fucking job means to me. I’m not ready to retire. I’m too young and have more to give.” Weed pointed at Nate with his long, decorated fingernail.
I gestured for them to calm down. “I get it, which is why I called you both in. This hasn’t been easy for me, and I’ve had to do a lot of soul-searching to know I’m making the right choice, but I am going to sell Mad Mode. Victoria has had a buyer lined up for a long time, just for this reason, and I want to let her have her way. But, I’ve got plans to open another company, one where I’m not the front man.”
“Who would create the designs? Are you going to use your name at all? You are the draw we need, if not you, then who will be the face of the company?”
“We’ll use my name, of course, but we’ll find someone to collaborate with. We’ll present them as my partner. If you’re still willing to scout for me.”
“We need Liss,” said Weed with a shrug. “And before you shit on the idea, I want you to give it some thought.”
I shook my head. Liss wouldn’t want me to show up out of the blue and disrupt her life again. “I haven’t spoken to her in over a month.” I had, however, thought about her every single day. There wasn’t a moment of waking that she hadn’t been the first thing on my mind and she was the only person I longed for when I lay down at night.