by Alicia Rae
“I wasn’t the one who got cheated on. Autumn was, his freaking wife. Yet, here I am, aching with a broken heart over a man who was married.”
I exhaled and told her, “Iris, you didn’t know he had a wife. That’s not your fault.”
I tried to ease her pain and guilt. Joshua was the one in the wrong here, not Iris.
“No, it isn’t.” Iris peered over at me with sorrowful eyes. “But it still makes me feel so…dirty, used, and naive. I was oblivious. I should have recognized some kind of sign that he was taken. Heck, I never even once questioned any of his so-called sudden business trips.”
“Well, apparently, Autumn didn’t either,” I pointed out. “You are both victims here. Joshua is the pond scum.”
“Ha!” Iris straightened her spine. “Pond scum is putting it too kindly. He’s a cheating parasite. A heartless, cheating parasite.” She bolted upright from her stool. “And one without clothes, at that!”
“Huh?” My face contorted with confusion. I had no idea what she was talking about. I was clueless.
Ignoring me, she grabbed my hand and said, “Let’s go!”
We only took two steps before she spun around. “Wait, we need our wine.”
Iris and I each grabbed our glasses.
“We’ll need this, too,” she stated. She stretched her arm over the counter to snatch the wine bottle.
Then, I watched her march toward the hallway.
“Oh, boy,” I breathed, realizing it was going to be a late night.
My steps quickened to keep up with her as she entered her bedroom. She set down her glass and the wine bottle on her dresser before heading straight for the closet doors. Flinging them open, she yanked a handful of men’s dress shirts off the hangers and draped them over her forearm. Then, she strode over to the window and opened it.
My eyes bulged when Iris sent the clothes sailing outside to the ground while shouting, “So long, sucker!”
Iris slapped her hands against one another, as if dusting off the dirt. She met my gaze. “Wow, that felt amazing.”
And so it began—Operation Remove Any Evidence of Joshua from the Apartment, via the window.
Soon, music was blaring from her stereo, and Iris bellowed out the lyrics. The wine continued to flow heavily, especially on Iris’s part.
All of Joshua’s shirts, pants, shorts, briefs, pajamas, coffee mugs, pillows, and everything else that belonged to him—boom—was chucked outside. He was completely and effectively evicted from the apartment. By the time we were done, it was as if he never existed.
Right before we were about to call it a night, Iris went to the window one last time. I came up beside her and instantly noticed her hazel eyes were flooded with unshed tears.
“That felt so good,” she murmured on a shaky breath, “but it hurts so much more.”
My heart split in two for Iris when the first deep sobbed racked through her. I wrapped my arms around her, tightly hugging her, as she sank to the floor and cried.
“I know, Iris. I know,” I whispered, collapsing with her. “I’m so sorry.”
I wanted to tell my best friend that everything would be okay. I didn’t though because it wasn’t now.
Today, Iris’s heart was broken.
twenty-two
Raelyn
Saturday, after Iris and I had some coffee and a morning chat, she offered to drive me home, so I could get showered and dressed for my meeting with Ashton at the office today. She was quiet for the whole car trip, and I left her alone with her thoughts. I felt an overwhelming heavy sadness in my heart for her. She deserved love and happiness, just like the rest of us. Instead, she’d been betrayed by Joshua in the worst imaginable way.
When she pulled up into my driveway and stopped, I shifted to face her. “Are you sure you’re okay, Iris?” I asked softly. “Maybe I could reschedule my appointment with Ashton. I’m sure he would understand.” I had no idea if he would, but I truly hoped so.
“No, no.” She lightly waved a dismissive hand. “I’ll be perfectly fine.”
“Are you sure?” I couldn’t help but ask again because her eyes were so somber and blue.
“I’m positive.” She forced a reassuring smile. “I’m going to distract myself by going shopping today. I need some new scrubs for work, and I might even go furniture shopping. My couch and table are on their last legs.”
“Furniture shopping?” My brows rose. I’d just found out that she’d put in an offer on a house yesterday, but I was positive she hadn’t heard anything back from the homeowners yet. “Isn’t it a little early to pick out tables and sofas? You don’t want to jinx yourself!” I teased.
“Actually, I’m going with the whole belief in the law of attraction,” she countered. “I’m envisioning a new couch and a new table in a lovely new house. And, bam, good things will happen.”
“All right.” I grinned, thrilled to see Iris was in good spirits about the house. Maybe it would help sidetrack her from dwelling on Joshua. “Don’t go too crazy while shopping without me though. I hope I get to see this new house soon!” I set my hand on the door and pulled the lever to open it.
“Oh, you will.” She winked. “Good luck at your meeting with Ashton!”
“Thanks!” I beamed before heading up to the house.
I only had an hour and twenty minutes to shower and get to the office for my meeting with Ashton, or I’d be late, so I rushed inside and flew up the stairs to the master bathroom.
Damien was standing before the mirror, adjusting his tie. I skidded to a halt a few feet away from him where I silently admired him. He looked dashing, dressed in a charcoal-gray pinstriped suit, whereas I probably looked like a train wreck, wearing a crinkled dress that I’d slept in. I was sure the rat’s nest in my hair didn’t look any cuter.
“There you are.” He turned and hit me with one of his handsome smiles. “I was just about to text you. Don’t you have an appointment with Ashton this morning?”
“I do.” My eyes widened at the reminder. The clock was ticking, and I didn’t have much time to spare. My hands came to the hem of my dress, and I yanked it over my head in one swift motion.
Damien’s irises darkened when he took in my black lacy undergarments. “You wore that under your dress last night?” he accused with a teasing yet lust-filled voice. He sauntered toward me with that exquisite muscular frame of his, making his intentions to have me crystal clear.
“Yep.” I gave him a naughty grin and reached around my back to unclasp my bra before tossing it aside. My panties were gone in a flash, too.
He came to a stop before me. As soon as his arms reached for me, I went up on my toes and gave him a light peck on the lips.
“I gotta go, or I’ll be late!” I skirted around him and threw myself in the shower.
Damien came after me with lightning speed and made a grab for me. “Oh no, you don’t.”
I squealed when he caught me just inside the stall and pinned me to the side wall. The tiles were damp from his shower. The coolness sent a shiver racing up my spine, causing a shudder to ripple through me.
Those grays of his shimmered with mischief as they simmered into my greens with purpose and desire. His hands came to my legs, and he ran them up my sides. “You don’t get to come in here, looking all gorgeous in lace, and then strip down to that beautiful naked body of yours right in front of me, only to leave me hanging.” He rocked his pelvis into me, instigating a moan from me. “That’s not how this works, gorgeous girl.”
“You’ll survive,” fell from my lips as a feeble attempt to ward him off although my tone sounded more breathy than I’d intended for it to be. It was impossible to ignore the effect he had on me.
“I won’t.” His hands came to my backside, and he hoisted me up while keeping his gaze locked on me. “I wouldn’t survive a single day without you in my life, Raelyn.”
His mouth captured mine. He trailed his tongue along my lips, seeking entrance. I succumbed to my own primal need to dee
pen our connection, and my lips parted. A burning hot rush of longing for him to claim me settled at the apex of my thighs when his hand skimmed along my sex. That was all it took for me to want him, desperately so.
He had me right where he wanted me.
A teeny, tiny sliver of my rebellious side surfaced long enough for me to extend my arm, so I could flip on the shower. If I was going to be late, he was going to be, too.
“Now look what you’ve done,” Damien stated with absolutely no concern in his voice. His warm breath trailed kisses along my throat before he returned his mouth to mine. “You’ve made us both late.”
“I know.” I grinned against his lips, and then I pulled him to me.
With less than sixty seconds to spare, I flew through the front doors of Jennings Accounting Services with my briefcase in tow. Ashton was sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting room.
“Hi there.” I smiled at him, trying to slow the rapid beat of my heart.
“Hey.” He rose to his feet. “Did you make it through this crazy Saturday traffic all right?”
“I did.” I fought off a grin, knowing that wasn’t the reason I’d been so pressed for time this morning. It was my hulk of an alpha and his unreasonable ways to take me whenever he pleased, regardless of our schedules. Not that I was complaining. Nope, I’d been utterly ravished until every cell in my body was completely sated.
I gestured to the right and asked, “Shall we go into the conference room?” It was the most spacious room, especially since I had a ton of files on my desk. I made a mental note to grab a few files for this weekend to prepare myself for my upcoming appointments on Monday.
“Sure,” Ashton replied, following behind me.
I went toward the conference room and opened the door for us. Ashton took a seat in the center of the rectangular table while I went around to the opposing side to sit directly across from him.
We each opened our briefcases and pulled out the legal documents.
“Did everything in the contract look okay to you, or would you like to make any changes?” I queried, looking over the papers.
“It all looked great to me.”
The two of us briefly discussed the details in the agreement, including how we’d manage the merging of our clients. Our new company name would be Heathman & Parker Associates, and it would take effect directly after Damien and I were legally married. Ashton and I set up a budget for our marketing expenses to brand the new company name.
The pay for our employees would remain the same through the rest of the calendar year. Then, we discussed how to distribute raises, agreeing it would be based on performance and given after yearly evaluations. We decided that Cale was a valuable asset to the company, so he’d remain a permanent part of our accounting firm.
Ashton signed the legal documents first, and then I did.
“We’re officially partners.” Ashton beamed, rising from his chair.
“We are.” I reciprocated his expression, feeling as though a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
This was the right step for Jennings Accounting Services. I was grateful to have the extra hands to expand my company. Plus, Ashton and I were like-minded with the same drive and determination to achieve our goals.
“Thank you. I’m really looking forward to continuing working together as a team.” He extended his hand out to me.
I shook it. “Me, too.”
Ashton filed his signed documents in his briefcase, as did I, before we both walked over to the door. I paused at the threshold, causing Ashton to hesitate.
“Are you leaving, too, or are you staying here for a bit?” he asked curiously, as if expecting us to leave at the same time.
“Yes, I plan to stay for a bit.” I pointed behind me. “I need to head to my office. I have a few files that I need to grab, so I can look over them this weekend to prepare for some meetings on Monday.”
“Would you like me to wait for you, so we can walk out together?”
It was Saturday, and I didn’t want to hold him up, so I shook my head and said, “No, that’s okay. Just be sure to lock the door behind you, please.”
“Sure thing.” He smiled. “Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“You, too.”
I momentarily watched as Ashton headed for the front doors to make his exit. When I heard the flip of the lock, I spun around to walk to my office. I let myself in while doing a mental recollection of my follow-up appointments on Monday. I located one of the files I needed on my desk before going to the filing cabinet to pull a few more. There were sticky notes on the front of two of the files. I read them, noting that I needed to grab a blank financial report sheet for one client and an annual sales report update sheet for the other, so I went to my shelf to retrieve them.
I paper-clipped each document to the correct folder as my phone beeped from the front pocket of my briefcase. I pulled it out to see a message from Damien, so I slid my finger across the screen to open it.
Damien: I’ll be finishing up with Tryston soon. This building has great potential, and it’s in a prime location. He and I are going to make an offer on it. How about you? How did your meeting with Ashton go?
Me: That’s great news! Ashton and I signed our contracts. I should be home in twenty.
Damien: Congratulations, gorgeous girl! I’m glad everything worked out. And that sounds perfect. I should be only a few minutes behind you.
Damien and I hadn’t been apart for more than a couple of hours, and I was already anxious to see him.
Me: Thanks! See you soon. ♥
I returned my phone to my briefcase and neatly tucked all the files I needed to catch up on the inside of it, too. Then, I went to the master to-do list on the corner of my desk to be sure I wasn’t forgetting anything. I was. I’d missed Zachary Gallenburg’s file, so I went back to my filing bin to add it to my bag. I was bummed when I realized I’d be spending my Sunday afternoon working.
Ready to go, I grabbed my briefcase and pulled out my car keys while walking toward the front of the building. I flipped the lock, made my exit, and relocked the door behind me. My hair blew in the slight breeze, and the sun warmed my face as I strolled down the sidewalk and through the alley to the parking lot.
I pressed the Unlock button on my key fob, so I could enter my car. After tossing my bag onto the passenger seat, I faced forward and stuck my key in the ignition while glancing out the windshield.
A frown spread across my face when I noticed a large piece of paper tucked under my wiper blade. It was flapping in the wind. I exited the car to grab the paper before returning to my seat. It was a newspaper—a very old one, at that.
The heading instantly made my blood run cold, and my heart failed to beat.
SELF-DEFENSE OR MURDER?
HENRY HEATHMAN MAKES HEADLINES YET AGAIN. AS HIS TRIAL COURT DATE NEARS, CONTROVERSY CONTINUES TO STIR. A CONFIRMED SOURCE CLOSE TO THE SUSPECT SAYS HEATHMAN IS GUILTY OF NOT ONLY MURDERING HIS STEPFATHER, TERRANCE STEVENS, THE MAN WHO LOVED AND CARED FOR HIM, BUT THERE IS ALSO STRONG EVIDENCE THAT HEATHMAN’S RUTHLESS ATTACK ON STEVENS WAS PREMEDITATED.
I stopped breathing entirely. My body swayed in my seat, as I was dizzy and overcome with emotions. The tears began to flow. Vicious tremors rolled through me as my whole world came to a standstill.
I couldn’t read another word of the article. My mind was shutting down, as if protecting itself.
I collapsed forward, folding over at the waist. My hands went to my steering wheel, and I pressed my forehead on them and closed my eyes.
I gasped for air while trying to make sense of it all.
Damien’s handsome face entered my mind. The way those unique gray irises would light up and fill with love every time he looked at me gave my heart the spark it needed to contract again.
I opened my eyes. This newspaper couldn’t be true. It had to be fake. Someone was playing a cruel, heartless joke on me. Damien wasn’t capable of murder.
I recalled what Damien had said to me in the bathtub not long ago.
“I only hope, if and when the truth comes out, that you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me. Promise me that you won’t leave me.”
The tears flowed harder.
I sat there in my car, crying, praying, and reminiscing through each and every memory we’d shared together—for how long, I was unsure.
When my tear ducts couldn’t possibly shed another droplet, I inhaled and released a shaky breath before I numbly started my car. I clung to the word self-defense in the first part of the newspaper title as I began the short drive home. I needed answers, and only Damien could give them to me.
Fear of the unknown consumed every part of me. I had no idea what the future held. All I had was my faith, my hope, and my love for Damien to keep me going.
I didn’t go inside when I arrived at home. Instead, I grasped the newspaper in my hand, crinkling it, and went around the side of the house. I wanted to be alone when I forced myself to read the rest of the article. Then, I’d confront Damien.
Actually, I’d take a breather and then confront Damien.
My lifeless legs nearly gave out when I reached the edge of the shore. I trembled as I lowered myself to the sand. The magnificent beauty of the ocean, the normally refreshing smell of the salty air, the bright sun—none of it gave me the sense of tranquil peace it usually did.
I lifted my arm to open the newspaper and prepared myself to read the rest of the article about Damien. The title “Self-Defense or Murder?” blasted my eyes once again.
My lips quivered as a new wave of emotions slammed into me, hard, knocking the wind out of me.
I couldn’t read this.
But I had to read it.
I was unable to hold back the overwhelming urge to weep again, wondering how Damien could possibly keep this grave of a secret from me. I had a right to know the history of the man I’d completely and irrevocably given my heart and soul to.
“I love you,” carried through the breeze. It was guttural, low, broken, yet resolute and unwavering.