Rough Water (Songbird #7)

by Melissa Pearl

  I’d threaded my fingers through his and smiled down at my gold ring. It sat perfectly beneath my glistening sapphire with the diamonds either side. He said as soon as Jane had shown him the design from my sketchbook, he knew he had to make it happen for me.

  Blake told me later that Justin had borrowed money from his parents to have the ring specially made. I’d always loved sapphires. The stone reminded me of clear blue skies and crystal waters.

  Justin said the color made him think of my eyes, and that’s why he loved the ring so much.

  I glanced at my fingers, adjusting my engagement and wedding rings so they sat straight. They’d lost their sparkle, much like my eyes had. I needed to get the rings cleaned, but…

  “You okay, chica?” Jules nudged me with his elbow.

  “Yeah.” I nodded. “I’m gonna be fine.” I was determined to make that statement true. Jane would leave for England the day I landed in Paris. She’d done some whirlwind arranging and was off to discover herself. It made me sad to think she had to. It made me even sadder to think that I did too.

  I didn’t know how I was going to do it.

  But at least Justin was getting what he wanted. That gave me a small sense of peace.

  Julian’s phone dinged. He pulled it free and read the text, his mouth lifting with a grin.

  “Your boyfriend?” I couldn’t help asking.

  “No.” Jules shook his head with a grin. “The boss.”

  My stomach hitched.

  “He’s decided to swing by Paris after Rome. He’ll make it for the show after all.”

  “Oh, great.” I couldn’t have sounded enthusiastic if I’d wanted to. My voice was flat and dead. I didn’t want to see Enrique in Paris. I didn’t want to have to party with him after the show and put on a brave smile, pretending like what we’d done in Vegas was something we could just forget about.

  I didn’t know if I could ever forget, and then having to face the cause of my demise outside of work… I’d promised myself I’d tell my family when I got back from Paris.

  Threading my fingers together, I squeezed hard in an attempt to quell the shaking.

  What the hell was I going to do? Life would never be the same for me again.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Justin

  I sprinted past reception and up to my desk. I had no idea what time Sarah’s flight left. Did I really have the right to stop her? It was a big deal, going to Paris, and I didn’t want to do anything to hinder her career.

  By the time I reached the exec floor, my brain had slowed enough to figure out that it’d be best to wait until Sarah returned before making my big move.

  But I was going to make it.

  I was sure of that.

  I’d move back home while she was away, and when she returned, I’d be there with an open heart and nothing but raw honesty.

  If I had to cry in front of her, then so be it. If that was what she needed from me, then that was what I’d give her. I’d never wanted to pour my emotions out so badly in my life. I’d always been about keeping it in, locked down…and where had that gotten me?

  I sped down to my office, bustling past people who were packing up for the day. They’d be heading home at any minute, leaving work to go and hang out with their loved ones.

  That was going to be me again.

  Sarah deserved to have someone love her. Not some rich asshole who was already married, but me. The guy who would have done anything to make her happy. I might have failed as a son, as a law student…even as a brother. But I wasn’t going to fail Sarah. I could love her better than anybody.

  We would get that happy ending. It wouldn’t necessarily be perfect, but it’d be ours.

  Swerving into my office, I jerked to a stop when I noticed a new pile of files on my desk. A bright orange sticky note curled up from the center of the top file.

  For Justin. Need these by Monday morning.

  Everett’s name was slashed across the bottom.

  I picked up the stack with a dark scowl and huffed out a breath, my upper lip curling.

  “Screw this,” I muttered, and with a roar slammed them into the trash can before storming out of my office.

  I took the stairs up to Everett’s floor. Walking straight past his receptionist, I pounded on his door once before barging in.

  “Everett, we need to talk.” I flicked my jacket back and rested my hands on my hips.

  “Sorry, sir.” His secretary scuttled in behind me. “He just walked right past me.”

  “That’s okay, Annie. I’ll take it from here. You get ready to head on home.”

  “Okay. Thank you, sir. Have a good night.”

  “You too.” He smiled before turning his gaze to me. The cordial expression slipped from his face the second she was gone. “You better have a damn good reason for barging into my office this way. You’re lucky I wasn’t on a conference call.”

  “My reasons are good, believe me.” I blinked, suddenly aware that I hadn’t stuttered once since stepping into the room. Sucking in a breath, I puffed out my chest and kept going. “Everett, I have to quit this job. I hate it. I always have.”

  Rising from his chair like a giant sea monster, Everett slowly buttoned his jacket and pierced me with a look I was so used to shrinking away from. “Then why the hell did you take it?”

  I stood my ground. “B-Because, I wanted to make her happy. I-I thought if I c-could just work hard enough, then everything would be okay.” I swallowed, willing my strength not to fail me. “It’s not okay.” My eyes started stinging. “I need to make it right, and part of doing that is quitting this job. I can no longer give a shit if you don’t think I’m good enough for your daughter. I have spent my life trying to excel in every area I thought mattered, yet I failed at the most important one.”

  My voice trembled, but my stuttering was under control, so I kept going, grinding out the words with everything I had.

  “Sarah cheated on me.”

  Everett balked, his brows dipping into a thunderous frown. “How dare you talk about my daughter that way.”

  “It’s the truth. So, I asked her for a divorce, and she’s finally giving me one. She signed the papers today. And you know what? I’ve never felt worse in my entire life.” Emotion got the better of me. The stinging in my eyes turned to water as I stared down the man I’d spent so many years trying to impress. “I promised her that no matter what we had to go through, I would never give up on us. I’d never let her go…and what did I do? The first sign of trouble and I let her fall right through my fingers.” My hands shook as I held them up—two empty palms. “I’m tired of feeling this way. I’m not letting go again.”

  My voice rose as the tears I’d been denying myself since Blake’s funeral finally trickled free. “I can’t manage this life without her, and if I’m going to give her my best, I’ve got to get out of this place. I quit. And I’m quitting law too. It’s time for me to stop trying to impress everyone else. The only thing that matters is getting Sarah back. Think whatever the hell you like, but for the first time in my life I’m fighting for something that actually matters.”

  Everett had no response. He just stared at me in stunned silence while I slashed the tears off my face and walked out of his office. The second I reached the elevator, I drew in a deep breath. My chest actually expanded all the way, like it was finally capable of taking in the oxygen I needed.

  Traveling down a floor, I found my lips curling at the corners as I relived the look on my father-in-law’s face. I couldn’t believe I’d actually gone off on him like that. It’d felt amazing. My mind then flicked to Sarah, and my smile grew to full beam. When she walked in the door after Paris, I’d be waiting there with open arms…open everything. I didn’t care how long we had to talk; we were working our shit out.

  We needed a fresh start—a new home, definitely a new job for me.

  If she wanted to keep working for DeMarco, then that was up to her. It’d be something I’d have to come to t
erms with. Something we could talk through together.

  Talk through together.

  Damn that sounded good. Slightly terrifying, but really good.

  I paused at Kelly’s desk, ready to apologize for acting like a madman earlier, but she wasn’t there. I’d look for her before I left. With lighter feet, I headed down to clear my desk. I was leaving Clay and Everett in the lurch, but I was positive a few hundred applicants would be just around the corner. It was a lush job with a good company. Someone who was actually passionate about contractual law would love it.

  Striding into my office, I looked up to find Kelly placing an envelope on my desk. She must have heard me coming because her sad frown was already in place.

  “These are for you,” she murmured then looked up at me with hopeful eyes. “Do you still want them?”

  I just smiled at her.

  “Oh, thank God.” She tipped her head back, touching her chest with relief. “Okay, you’ve gotta go.”

  “What?”

  She spun her hand with an urgent gesture. “I’ll drive you to the airport myself.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Hello!” Her eyes popped wide.

  I raised my hand to calm her down. “No, it’s okay. I’m not stopping her success in Paris. When she gets back, I’ll be waiting at home for her.”

  “No, that’s not good enough.” Kelly’s dark hair swished as she shook her head at me.

  “Kelly, I’ve just quit my job. I can’t afford to fly to Paris.”

  Her shocked surprise was quickly bulldozed by another expression that had a ripple of fear curling in my belly. Her eyes glittered with a mixture of guilt and shame.

  “What?”

  “You can’t wait until she gets back.”

  “Why not? It’ll give me a chance to get out of here, move back home, think of what I’m going to say to her…” My voice trailed off as Kelly’s eyes began to glitter. “What?” I snapped.

  She spun the engagement ring around her finger, struggling to make eye contact. Her gaze kept flicking over mine then back to the files in the trash can. “I just found out that my dad’s going to be in Paris after all.”

  Her words slapped me in the face. I blinked then swallowed, my nostrils flaring as I grappled to hold on to my composure. “Doesn’t matter. She won’t do it again. I trust her.”

  “It’s not about trust. She didn’t mean to cheat on you the first time. My father…” Kelly huffed, making two fists before dropping her hands to her sides. Her voice was small and filled with shame. “He’s an asshole, okay? He totally seduced her. She was downing shots when he found her. She can’t remember much, but she said he bought them a bottle of champagne. He totally took advantage of her, Justin.”

  “What!” I spat. “Are you saying he—?”

  “I’m not saying he violated her.” Kelly held up her hand then gave me a pained frown. “I’d like to think my father has just a touch more class than that, but…” She sighed. “Look, when Sarah says she can’t really remember, she probably can’t. I’m guessing she was off-her-ass drunk and got caught up in a moment. My father should have walked her to her room and put her to bed, but instead he…”

  A new kind of rage I’d never felt before bubbled inside me. It was a struggle to talk as I pictured my wife’s floopy body being guided to his hotel room. She giggled a lot when she was tipsy, and she got really affectionate. Was that what she had been doing with him? Was that why he thought he had the right to strip her naked and have sex with her?

  “Do you think he’ll do it again?” My voice had an edge so sharp it almost vibrated.

  “Look, I don’t know. I just… He saves his affairs for traveling. He likes to put on the show that he’s the perfect husband, so his little trysts are always out of town. He travels a lot, so…” Kelly pushed her finger into the corner of her eye and started blinking like she was fighting tears. “I just hate the idea of Sarah being vulnerable again. She’s just signed these divorce papers. She didn’t want to. She’s not in a great place…” Kelly released a shaky sigh. “I do think you’re right to trust her, but my father…I’m not so sure.”

  “I should’ve been there to protect her,” I croaked.

  Kelly’s eyes locked onto mine. They were bright and fierce, perfectly matching the tone of her voice. “Do you want to make that same mistake twice?”

  I scrubbed a hand down my face, images of Sarah’s sweet smile flashing through my brain. Tipping my head out the door, I turned on my heel and growled, “Let’s go.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Sarah

  I was shattered. The eleven-hour flight had been bearable, but keeping up a happy façade for Jules was exhausting. He prattled on about his love life for most of the trip, while I pretended to be the happily married wife who wasn’t freaking out that her boss was going to make another pass at her in Paris.

  “I should have just quit after Vegas,” I muttered to myself, flipping open my suitcase and digging out my toiletries.

  We’d gone straight from the airport to the venue, spending a few hours there unpacking our designs and checking everything was perfect for the show the next day. After that, Jules forced me to a fancy restaurant where we ate French food and he tried to get me drinking French wine. In the end, I had one glass just to shut him up. The food had been delicious…and I couldn’t enjoy a single bite.

  My stomach was a mass of knots.

  All I wanted was a hot shower and sleep. If I looked the way I felt, I wouldn’t even be allowed access to the show. It’d be a huge day prepping all the models, making sure each outfit sat perfectly on them. Enrique wanted ours to look the best, of course, so Jules, Michael, and I would be under huge pressure. Some bigwigs in the fashion industry would be there. That’s why Enrique changed his mind about coming—the guest list had improved.

  With a shuddering sigh, I slipped off my clothes and headed for the shower. I hoped Jane had an easier time finding her way. Because I felt completely lost.

  Maybe I should be joining her after Paris?

  A knock at the door made me flinch. Heaving a sigh, I pulled on a hotel bathrobe and wound it tight around my waist before checking the peephole.

  Enrique’s face was warped through the fishbowl glass, his nose elongated as he leaned in close.

  “Shit,” I muttered. Alone in a hotel room in nothing but a bathrobe, with that guy outside my door. I’d never felt more vulnerable. I pressed my head against the wood and prayed he’d go away.

  “Sarah, I can hear you behind the door. Please open for me.” His Italian accent, so smooth and sexy, sent a cold shudder down my spine.

  Gripping the handle, I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath.

  Enrique cleared his throat and knocked again. “I’m not leaving until you let me talk to you.”

  I sucked in a breath and pulled the door ajar, just wide enough for him to see my face. “No.”

  Enrique wasn’t even put off by my icy greeting. If anything, it made him smile. “I have bought you champagne, my dear. We are in Paris. It is a time of celebration.”

  “I have nothing to celebrate with you.”

  “You are one of the youngest designers represented at this show. Talent like yours should always be celebrated. Tomorrow will be spectacular. I can’t wait to show you off once more.” His voice dropped to a husky whisper as he brushed a champagne flute gently down my cheek.

  I flinched away from the glass. “You need to go.”

  “Oh come, cherie.” He winked, obviously thinking his French endearment was oh-so charming. “We had such a wonderful time together in Las Vegas.”

  With a scoffing laugh, I shook my head. “You had a good time. I ruined my life.”

  He pulled a face that told me he was trying to brush off my insult.

  “Is that why you came to Paris? So we could be together again? Screw me while we’re out of town and your wife can’t find out?”

  He ignored my jabs, actin
g like I’d just told him he was sexy. His eyes wrinkled at the corners. “I could be with one of a hundred models right now, but I’m choosing you. You enchant me, Sarah. I can see wonderful things in your future. So much potential. Let me guide your way.”

  “How is sleeping with me guiding my way?”

  His roguish grin would have been charming if I weren’t so disgusted by it.

  “I want you to leave.” I hated how much my voice shook.

  “Bella, I can make your career. We could do wonderful things together.”

  Gripping the door, I blinked a couple of times then let out a revealing snicker. “All I ever wanted to do was design clothes that would make people feel beautiful. I thought working for you would be the best job in the world, that I would be the happiest version of myself while I stood in your amazing building and created to my heart’s content.”

  He nodded, but his gaze was drifting down my body, no doubt working out that there was nothing but a bathrobe between him and my skin.

  “But you know what I’ve worked out? I can’t create to my full potential working for you. You stole my heart’s content that night you took me into your bed. Shame on you. I was a married woman. I should have never let you touch me.” I ended with a dark whisper. “I quit.”

  His eyes shot back to mine. “You can’t quit. You are going to be my star protégé.”

  “No, I’m not.” I sniffed, biting my lips together and shaking my head. “It’s all worthless without him. Please, just leave.”

  Standing his ground, he studied me with a look that would probably make most girls swoon. I didn’t know what else to say to him, and I didn’t have the energy to stand and fight anymore.

  “You can’t do this, Sarah. I will not let you quit. You’re too talented.”

  “Just leave,” I whimpered.

  When he opened his mouth to yet again rebuke my resignation, I closed my eyes and rested my head on the door. If he said one more word, I was going to slam it in his face. He’d no doubt stand there knocking until I let him back in.