I don’t expect Eloise to respond. It’s seven in the morning; I doubt she’ll even be up yet.
“Stan?” I frown as I climb into the van. “Tony still hungover?”
Stan shakes his head. “No, he just didn’t want to work with you today.”
Now I’m perplexed. “Any idea why?”
“I was hoping you’d tell me.”
I shrug, the wheels in my brain turning, and then it clicks. “Fuck.”
Stan waits for me to continue.
“Nothing.” I shake my head. “Just a misunderstanding.”
I hope…
Eloise
Jordan stands in the doorway, laughing as I peel the wet cloth off my face.
“You’re not funny,” I bite out, throwing the rag back at him.
“I’m funnier than funny.” He starts doing a very bad moonwalk around the living area.
Okay… so he’s a little funny. “Arsehole.”
My phone lights up as I climb off the couch and rub my tired eyes with the heels of my palms.
“You drooled on your book again.” Jordan picks up the book, showing me the damp spot.
“Piss off,” I grouch, trying to grab the book as my phone goes off yet again.
Jordan holds me back with his hand on my face, laughing hysterically. He’s such an idiot.
Shit, it’s past two in the afternoon.
“Bloody hell,” I choke when I see the seven messages and thirty two missed calls.
I’m about to open the first message, it’s from Hayley, when there’s loud banging at the door.
Jordan looks at me a little confused before answering it.
Everything in me soars when I see my favourite person in the entire world standing at my door.
“Hayley!”
We both run to each other and embrace, squealing like girls the entire time. I have missed this girl way too much.
“That’s my cue to leave,” Jordan chuckles and grabs his jacket off the back of the couch. “Have fun, ladies.” And he’s gone.
“Oh my gosh, what are you doing here?” I hold her at arm’s length, noting immediately that she’s got a tan which means she’s been going on the sunbeds.
“You didn’t get my messages?” She becomes wary and nervous. “Any of them?” I shake my head no. “Your dad’s?”
“I’ve just woken up. I was at work until two in the morning.”
Her mouth forms the shape of an O as she takes her hands in mine. “There’s a reason I’ve travelled to see you.” I wait for her to continue as we sit on the large sofa. “It’s about Isaac…”
My heart begins to race as nausea attacks my stomach. Thoughts of him mangled in a car wreck flood my brain, along with others of similar irrationality. “Is he okay?” I go to grab my phone but Hayley snatches it away.
“He’s fine; he’s more than fine.” The scowl on her face and sneer does little to alleviate my fears. “Oh he’s way more than fine, that stupid, dumb, fuck of an arsehole. I swear to God, Elle, I will kill him when I see him.”
And now I just feel sick, my eyes beginning to burn. “What’s he done?”
She shakes her head, as if trying to clear it. “Your dad called me this morning. He asked me for advice…” Now I’m sceptical. “A work friend of Isaac’s… caught Isaac…” Even though I know what’s coming, I’m still not prepared. “Cheating with his girlfriend, or his date or whatever.”
I feel winded. I double over in pain and my mouth falls open as words hang on the tip of my tongue but don’t form into anything other than a garbled, choke of pain.
“I’m so sorry, Elle.”
I stand and bite my lip, “You’re sure? You’re sure my dad isn’t just trying to cause trouble?”
She nods. “I’ve seen a picture.” Her voice is so quiet I almost don’t hear her.
A sob leaves me as my hands fly to my mouth. “There’s got to be some mistake… what’s the picture of? Where are they? What are they doing?”
“Elle…”
“I need to know!” I grab my phone and flick through the messages.
Isaac: I miss you. I’m going to come and see you tomorrow; how does that sound?
Isaac: It’s not what you think. Please answer your phone!
Isaac: Elle, I swear, you have to answer your phone, baby. I’m innocent. I pushed her away! Let me explain.
There are two from Hayley and two from my dad promising to kick Isaac’s arse if I require it. I don’t.
I want to see the picture.
“Are… are you sure?” Hayley looks unsure of what to do next. “Babe…”
“I want to see the picture,” I blurt, feeling hot tears sting my cheeks. “Please…”
“Once you see it, you can’t un-see it.”
“I don’t care. I need to see!”
She nods and hands me her phone after tapping away at the screen for a long moment.
And now I see it, as plain as day, in colour, on my couch… some bitch straddling my Isaac. Or is he her Isaac?
“Fuck,” I cry, sniffing unattractively. “Fuck…”
Hayley goes to put her arm around me but I shrug her away. I’m too mad, too angry for comfort. I can’t see straight. I want to commit murder.
“He’s fucking kissing her, Hayley!” I wish I hadn’t looked at the picture. Everything in me is shattering, every single part of me. “I need to see him!”
“But…”
“So I can punch him in the face!”
“I can…”
“And then her! Who the fuck is she?”
“Her name’s… shit…” She scratches her head. “Flower or something…”
“Petal?”
“That’s it.”
I stop pacing and stare at my phone. “I need to see him.”
“Why don’t we calm down first?” She suggests, guiding me to the couch. “I’ll make coffee. How does that sound?”
“No, Hayley, I… I need to see him.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s my husband and he’s saying that it’s a mistake.”
Hayley scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Of course he is.”
“He deserves to be heard.”
“Does he?”
“Yes.” I nod, wiping at my eyes. “I’ll know if he’s lying.”
“Will you?” I shoot her a look and her hands go up defensively.
Eloise: We should talk. Face to face. We can meet half way?
I look at Hayley. “I’m borrowing your car.”
She rolls her eyes and throws me the keys. “Of course you are.”
Guilt throbs in my heart as I look at my best friend with tear filled eyes. “Thank you for coming, Hayley.” I wipe away the tears as they spill down my cheeks, hating how broken my body and soul feels right now. “Would you be angry if I left to talk to him for a little while?”
She looks annoyed with me. “Of course not, you dumb bitch. I get it. I’d be wanting to talk to him too if I was in your shoes right now. Go tear him a new one. I’ll be waiting with ice cream when you get back.”
Isaac: No need, I’m outside.
I grab my coat, kiss Hayley and race from the building.
Isaac
She exits the double doors. Her coat is wide open, revealing a thin vest and tight jeans. She must be freezing.
I take note of her eyes and how swollen they are. A tear makes a track down her cheek and my heart breaks. “Eloise…”
She stops and stares at me with shattered green eyes that hold so much hurt. I just want to take her in my arms and hug it away.
“Can we go inside?”
She hesitates before shaking her head and motioning to the car. I pull open the door for her and wait for her to climb inside before I walk around and get in the driver’s side.
I watch her trembling hands fumble with a tissue before she dabs under her eyes and nose.
“Okay, I went out with Tony and Petal… remember how I told you that Tony really likes Petal?”
She
nods but says nothing.
“Well it turns out Petal doesn’t like Tony; she likes me…” I clear my throat, praying with every fibre of my being that she believes me. “We all got a little drunk and came back to our place with pizza. Tony was throwing up in the toilet when she kissed me.” I grab her hands but she pulls them away and my own heart breaks with it. I’m going to lose her… I just know it. The thought makes me ill. “She kissed me; I was drunk…”
“That’s no excuse.”
Finally, she’s spoken! “No, I know,” I quickly interject and kiss her hands. “I didn’t reciprocate.”
Her mouth falls open. “I’ve seen the picture.”
“You’re not letting me finish.” She closes her mouth at my words and allows me to continue. “I was drunk. I didn’t know how to react. I just kind of sat there for a moment.”
“You should have pushed her away!”
“I tried! I put my hands on her hips; I didn’t know where to fucking touch her. I was… it was…” I shudder a little. “It was fucking awkward. And then she climbed on top of me and then the front door slammed shut, so we separated. It was Tony leaving. He’d seen it, taken that picture and left, but I swear Petal went after him. Nothing happened.”
She stares at me for a really long while, her eyes holding mine as if searching for a lie. “I don’t know whether to believe you.”
“You can believe me, baby, please… trust me. I only want you. I only ever want and need you.” She has to believe me. I kiss her hands again and rest my forehead against hers.
“Part of me does believe you, but the other part” she pulls her hands away, “is screaming at me to stop being such a mug. It’s calling you a liar and saying you’ll do anything to get away with it.”
“You know that’s not true. Come on, Eloise. You know me better than that!”
With blank eyes she asks, “Do I?”
“I love you. I left my life for you…”
“Your life?”
Oops… “My job. My career.”
She rolls her eyes. “So you keep reminding me.”
“I gave up so much to be with you. Why would I throw it all away for some bitch who works in a bar I like?”
Again she stares. “Tell me why you want to be with me.”
“What?”
“Why do you want to be with me, Isaac?”
“Because I love you.”
“Why else?” Her blank eyes hold mine. She’s no longer crying but she’s definitely angry.
My mind goes blank. “Umm… you’re kind… sweet, funny, caring, intelligent, you know how to make me feel good.”
“Seriously? You’re just giving me a bunch of adjectives…” She goes to open the car door but I stop her by grabbing her arms.
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“I want you to tell me why you’re even with me, Isaac.”
“I just did…”
“No, you gave me a bunch of adjectives.”
What does she want from me? “Women are so fucking cryptic. Just tell me what you want me to say!”
“Let go of me!” She tries to tug her wrists free from my grip but I won’t let her. I can’t let her.
“Please, Elle. You believe me, don’t you?” Her eyes begin to fill with glistening tears once more. I shake her arms a little. “You believe me, don’t you?”
“Get off!” I let her go out of fear that I’ll hurt her if I keep her restrained. She kicks the door open and slams it shut behind her as I’m climbing out on my side.
I chase after her, wishing she’d talk to me about this. “Eloise…”
“DON’T!” She screeches, turning to face me with her hand raised. “Don’t…”
“Please, you have to…”
“Believe you?”
I nod. “You do. I know you do.”
“Whether I do or don’t, I can’t stomach what I saw in that photo…”
“So you need time?” I ask, feeling hopeful for the first time since this conversation began.
“I don’t know what I need!” She pulls open the doors, using her key fob to open them, and stands between them. “Just… go home, Isaac.”
“What does that mean?” She pulls the doors closed as I go to grab them, effectively locking me out. “Elle!” I bang on the glass as I watch her press the button for the elevator. “Elle! What the fuck does that mean?” The elevator doors open and she steps inside. I pull on the door, my heart racing with fear and panic. “ELLE!” I bang on the glass again and rattle the door but she doesn’t return.
Pulling out my phone, I call her quickly but she disconnects and no doubt switches her phone off as I can’t get through when I call again. I try Hayley but get the same results.
Fuck.
Chapter Twenty Two
Eloise
“Do you believe him?” Hayley asks as I cradle my hot chocolate to my chest.
“Yes.” I respond, because I do believe him. I saw it in his eyes… I think. The issue I’m having is that I don’t know if I believe him because I want to believe him, or because he’s being truthful.
Thinking that he could hurt me that way, it kills me. But when I believe him, it doesn’t hurt as much. I don’t tremble with sorrow and anger. I just feel hollow.
“You’re sure?”
I nod. “It’s all just one stupid misunderstanding.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Hayley doesn’t look convinced and I don’t blame her. “Just promise me you’re not going to become one of those pathetic women with the word ‘mug’ tattooed on her forehead.” I wince because that’s what I’m scared of. What if I’m wrong and he is having his cake and eating it too? “Don’t let him keep doing this to you. You’re worth so much more than that.”
“I said my vows and so did he. I didn’t marry him just to divorce him at the first sign of trouble.” As I say these words, I realise I’ve said them or thought them before. I can’t remember why I said or thought them, though. Am I being taken for an idiot by the one man who has sworn to love and protect me until I die? “I have to trust in us.”
“What are you going to do?”
I shrug. “I… I don’t know. I’m so mad at him right now.”
“As you should be.”
“Should I, though?”
“Elle, I don’t mean this in a bitchy way. You know I love you and you know I love Mr Price.” She snorts. “I mean Isaac.”
“Go on.”
“Look…” She blows out a breath. “He’s… he has too much power over you.”
What is she talking about?
“Let me finish.” She curls her legs beneath her and plays with her hair with one hand. “You’re too in love with him. I’ve seen it; it’s unhealthy. You let him get away with too much.” Eye roll. “He’s possessive and jealous, and he can be mean. Yes, he loves you, but… he treats you like you owe him something.”
“I kind of do.” I shake my head. “He gave everything up for me.”
“Fuck that, Elle!” She practically yells, throwing a pillow at me. “Did you even hear what you just said?”
I throw the pillow back. “It’s true. He did give up everything for me.”
“I want to fucking shake you.” She hits me with the pillow this time, straight around the back of the head.
“Hey!” I whine, placing my drink out of the danger zone. “Stop it.”
“You owe him nothing. You’re equal; you’re partners. You made a decision together. He didn’t give up shit for you; he gave it up for him! For both of you.”
I open my mouth but she clasps her hand over it and pins me to the couch. Her legs straddle my hips as my stomach takes her full weight and she glares down at me. “Don’t talk. I don’t want to listen to your stupidity.”
Ouch. I bat her hands away. “Are you kidding me? You’re mad at me right now?”
“No, I’m mad at this situation.” She ruffles my hair and hits me with the pillow again. “You’re so blinded by lov
e that you don’t see how toxic your relationship is becoming.”
“And how would you know? You only know what I tell you.”
“Wasn’t it just last month you were saying how you wished you’d waited to get married?” She’s not wrong and I cringe. I wish I hadn’t said that now. She continues. “Exactly. Now what kind of happily married person wishes something like that?”
I try to buck her off but end up in a slap fight with her, which I lose when she pins my wrists. This would be funny if I wasn’t so offended and irritated.
“It’s not like that. I just… I feel guilty.”
“Guilty for what?”
“For him not having everything he wants because of me.”
“You shouldn’t feel guilty.” She shakes her head, making her blonde hair fall around our faces like a golden waterfall. “He shouldn’t be making you feel guilty.”
I stop struggling, now resigned to my fate and her words. She’s right. He shouldn’t always remind me of what he gave up. I shouldn’t feel bad about it, either. It was his choice.
“You walked away, Elle. He came after you. You left him alone and he followed you to France.” She stares intently into my eyes, imploring me to see reason.
The door opens. “Holy fuck…” Jordan exclaims, looking at our current position with wide eyes and his mouth wide open. “Please… please can I join in?”
“Who’s this tool?” Hayley scowls at my roommate.
“Hayley, meet Jordan.” She releases my wrists so I can sit up and see him over the back of the couch. “Jordan, this is Hayley.”
He grins a slow and seductive smile. “Hey.”
Hayley sits up, pushes out her chest and smiles her own equally seductive smile. “Hey to you too.”
“Can you let me up?” I snap at my friend, smacking her thighs with my hands.
She climbs off me and smooths her clothing down with her hands before sashaying to Jordan with her arms wide open. “Where I’m from, we hug.” And hug him she does. She also strokes his back and grabs his arse.
He blinks in shock but doesn’t pull away.
Destruction: The Distraction Trilogy #2 Page 26