by Bella Bennet
David took a deep breath and opened the car door. He walked up to the front door, trying not to let the dread overtake him. He knocked on the door and waited with his hands in his pockets. That pose was nonthreatening and casual, right?
The door opened and David saw Henry. It physically hurt being this close, able to touch him, but unable to do so because Henry had backed off. The scent of hot toddy wrapped around him and David breathed it in, worried that he would never smell it again.
Henry was running his hand through his hair and chewing his lip. He was nervous. That gave David some hope. If Henry was nervous that meant he had feelings for David. If he had opened the door with no emotions, just like a stranger, David might have gone to his car and cried. But that little relief still had a huge hill to climb to get Henry to talk to him. He didn’t even know where to start.
“I thought I’d stop by and see how things are going with you.” David thought it sounded lame, but he didn’t know what else to say. Other than the obvious but he had more finesse than to just blurt things out.
“I’m doing well.” Henry looked down at his feet. David longed to touch him. What had happened? What had gone wrong? He wanted Henry as his omega and thought Henry did too. How did it go wrong?
“I’m here…” He didn’t know what to say. All his finesse, smooth confidence deserted him. This wasn’t a jury he was playing with, it wasn’t a client he was working with, it was Henry. Who he wanted as his omega like he had wanted nothing else. He decided honesty would be the best policy with Henry. Complete honesty about his intentions, his goals and what he hoped for with Henry.
“I’m here because I want to date you, I want this to end with us a bonded alpha omega pair.” David thought Henry would be happy to hear that. Henry was still looking at his shoes though. What else did he need to hear?
“I am protective, honest and loyal to those I care about. Ask my family or even Penny. I would never use you or betray you.”
Henry looked up when he said family. Hopefully that meant Henry was thinking of a family with David. David smiled, he had him. He knew Henry wanted a family more than anything.
“That’s what I’m concerned about. I don’t know your loyalty. I don’t know why you were so concerned with being investigated or if we even looked like we were more than a client talking to an attorney. It makes me think there’s something you’re trying to hide or cover up.”
David’s face fell. He didn’t have a response. All he could see was Henry’s face. His beautiful face, his lips moving and hearing he didn’t think it was a good idea, he got out of a relationship, he was happy with David’s work as his attorney but that’s all he needed from him. It was like he was in a thick fog, or everything was filtered through water. Henry closed the door.
David fell but threw his hand out and braced himself against Henry’s door jamb. He felt physically ill, nauseous. His stomach hurt. It was as if a knife had been shoved in his abs and heart. He didn’t think he could move, let alone get to his car. Was he having a heart attack? Is this what a heart attack felt like? He couldn’t believe it was unrelated to Henry breaking his heart. It had to just be the feeling of dying while still being alive. The pain and agony of his heart being torn out of his chest.
David didn’t know how long he leaned against the door jamb. It felt like an eternity and just seconds at the same time. He shuffled, walked and finally made it to his car. He got behind the wheel and couldn’t think of where to even go. What purpose did his life have anymore? He was caught unaware. David didn’t expect this. He didn’t plan for this. He had no contingency plans. David couldn’t think. He told his car to call Penny.
“This is Penny.”
David said nothing right away. He didn’t want to say he lost the love of his life. That his love didn’t even give him a chance.
“David? Is everything ok?”
He was slumped, staring at the emblem in the center of his steering wheel. “I need you.”
He couldn’t go back to the office today. He didn’t know when he could. David wanted to climb in a boat and just let the ocean take him. He didn’t care where.
“My god David you sound horrible! What’s wrong? I’ll come get you. Where are you? What happened?”
David could only think of Henry. His face. The scent of hot toddy. The only man he’d ever loved and fell for. “Henry.”
“Oh David… I’ll be right there. Don’t drive.”
David just sat there, behind the wheel, not seeing anything but Henry and the feeling of the pain in his chest. If this was a heart attack, then he was lucky that he wouldn’t have to live the rest of his life knowing the only man for him, the omega he wanted, didn’t want him back.
Chapter 7
Henry looked down into his coffee. He felt guilty, very guilty. He had almost called David several times, but held himself back on the strength of Ned’s words. That David had lots of short relationships that there was a reason he was so careful about not appearing to be unethical. Henry wondered if he was an idiot. Did he break David’s heart based on a rumor? Henry clenched his teeth and winced.
He would never forget hearing another car pull up, looking out the front window and seeing David slumped behind the wheel of his car. He was terrified for the man. Henry opened the door to the house but Penny heard it, glared at him so fiercely that he had stepped back into his house. She pointed at him and along with that glare he got the message to stay back.
So he watched, hidden by the front door, as Penny helped David out of his car. He couldn’t seem to move. Henry couldn’t see David’s face well. Did he have a stroke? Henry bit his lip and didn’t know what to do. He finally called Penny after 45 minutes had passed. She told him David didn’t have a stroke or heart attack not that it was any of his concern anymore and hung up on him.
He pushed down the stray thought that maybe he had broken David’s heart. But that was impossible. Henry chewed his lip.
“Did you hear anything I said?”
Henry looked up at… what was his name again? Henry could not remember the guy’s name. The guy from the hospital, the one that helped with his donation. What was his name?
“I told you about the new project I got handed at work, that I get to manage and you weren’t even listening! I can’t believe you. I don’t even know why I let you take me out and buy me things.” The guy pouted and crossed his arms.
Henry didn’t know why either. He didn’t like him at all. He wasn’t his type of guy. He didn’t like his scent either. It was a cross between broccoli and mulch, or maybe used tennis shoes.
“I’m sorry, I have a lot on my mind. I need to go.”
Henry got up and left the coffee shop. Rich people could be eccentric, right? He’d chalk it up to that. Besides, it was obvious the guy wasn’t interested in Henry the man but Henry the moneybags.
He looked both ways and then crossed the street to the where his car was parked. Why hadn’t he realized until now that the guy, he still couldn’t remember his name, was only interested in his money? It was very obvious now that he looked back. They had gone out a few times, and each time Henry paid out of guilt. It was just like Greg had treated him. Maybe that’s why he didn’t pick up on it right away. He was used to being treated like that.
Henry started his car and pulled out into traffic. He would put up a dating profile on one of those online sites. Maybe he’d get Ned to help him. And try to get out of him what he was trying to warn Henry about. All he found on the Internet were references to David’s baseball playing in college, graduating law school and his divorce practice. He had won nasty divorce cases. Henry didn’t know how David did it. Being in the middle of that would drive him nuts.
Henry worried about David again. Henry would have thought he was in love with the any guy he was attracted to after Greg, right?
Henry stirred the sauce. He wasn’t sure how he felt about this. Henry was spending a lot of time worrying about David. He kept telling himself that he had just latc
hed onto the first hot guy that got his attention. But his body wasn’t even believing it anymore.
“Ok, come here. See if this is ok.”
Henry looked over at the dining room table where Ned had his laptop open. He had called Ned over to help him with his dating profile. Ned was all for it. Told him it was about time he embraced the wonders of the 21st century. Henry dragged his feet as he walked over. He was on the fence about telling Ned to just forget it.
“See, right there, your intro bio. Read it.”
Henry looked at it and read. He couldn’t stop thinking of David. It’s like the alpha had gotten under his skin, embedded deep inside him. He couldn’t trust him though. He had seen with his own eyes David surrounded by men, hands running all over him. Could he trust an alpha like that?
Henry nodded his head. He hadn’t even read the bio. He had more important things on his mind.
“Ned, when you mentioned that there was a reason David was worried about how things looked, and ethics, what did you mean?”
Henry turned and stared at Ned. Ned frowned.
“Why are you thinking about David? He’s not your attorney anymore.”
Henry chewed his lip. He didn’t like how evasive Ned was. It’s like he didn’t want him dating David.
“Because I’m curious. I tried searching for any info on him but only found baseball stuff from college and divorce cases from after law school. Nothing else.”
Ned took a long drink from his beer. He looked down at the floor and flattened his lips. Henry waited. He wanted Ned to speak and wouldn’t give him an easy out like the other times.
Ned looked up at him. “Ok, here’s what I know. There’s a surgeon I work with, he dated a Bianchi. Said she was a cousin of David Bianchi the attorney. There’s only one David Bianchi attorney that shows up for the entire country. It has to be him.”
Ned didn’t continue. Henry rolled his hand, motioning for him to keep talking.
Ned sighed. “She told me her family was in the mob. That they had to approve of who she dated. They ran my coworker’s name through whatever access they have and found out he was in debt up to his eyeballs and had a kid.” Ned shook his head.
“Can you believe that? Before he could even tell her he had a kid, she already knew, knew how much the monthly child support was and how in debt he was. She dumped him. I’ll never forget how shocked he was when she told him.”
Henry wasn’t sure he believed this story.
“Look, I can tell that you think it’s made up, but you didn’t see him at work that week. He was shaken up. He believed what the girl said.”
Henry chewed on his lip. He wasn’t sure he believed the story, but why did Ned warn him off?
“So you warned me off David, because his cousin’s family is in the mob based on one story from a coworker?” Henry realized how bad it sounded. He might have turned away the best alpha because he trusted Ned who believed some crackpot story. Dammit.
Henry turned around and went into the kitchen. He was angry. He didn’t know whether he was more angry at himself for believing Ned without checking things out or for Ned believing one story so he warned Henry off. Ned should be in sales. Henry pulled the fridge open and grabbed another beer. No. He put the beer back and opened the freezer. It was time for vodka. Henry got a shot glass out of the cabinet and downed a shot.
“Hey, I was just looking out for your best interests. This girl said all her relatives are in the mob. Therefore, David is too.”
Henry turned around and stared at Ned. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“So not only did you send me to this guy, so he’d be my attorney, you believed he was in the mob.” Ned opened his mouth and Henry turned away. He poured another shot and downed it. What the fuck was going on with his life.
“He’s the best divorce attorney in the tri-state area and in this part of the country. You needed him because Greg was set to destroy you. Thank God, right? You would have lost everything including your good omega name. No alpha would have gone near you if he had won. Everyone would have believed him that you had lied to him, didn’t want kids and prevented pregnancies. It’s a good thing you had Bianchi as your attorney.”
Henry turned around again. The vodka bottle and shot glass still in his hands. He could not believe what he was hearing. Again.
“Just get out. I don’t want to hear another thing. Just get out.”
Ned opened his mouth but Henry pointed with the vodka bottle. “Out. Get. Out. I mean it. I’m so fucking mad I can’t even believe this shit. Just get out.”
Henry stomped out of the kitchen, through the dining room and out the French doors to the rose garden. The one he had designed and built just because Greg wanted it. He was such an idiot. He deserved to be alone. Henry poured another shot and slammed it back. He leaned back against the wooden bench and stared up at the stars. He would not think. He didn’t want to think. He would leave it all for tomorrow.
“Get up.”
The bed shook. He pulled his pillow over his head.
“It stinks in here. Have you been living in here all week?” David heard her gasp. He pulled the covers over his head too.
“Oh my God, David. What the hell. I thought you had the flu! You’ve been in here drinking!”
He heard what must be her shoe kicking bottles. David wished she would just leave him alone. He was planning on going back to the office tomorrow, anyway. Why was she here?
“Why are you here?” His throat hurt.
“I can’t hear your bullshit excuses from under your childish blanket cave!”
What felt like a large bottle hit him in the back. Probably the giant 4.5 liter of vodka.
“I told your mother you were sick with the flu! She was worried about you and I lied to her! I don’t want to lie to your mother! She’s scary!”
Penny was screeching now. When she hit screech, he was in for a long, bad time. He rolled over so his back was to her.
“Don’t you dare ignore me you asshole!”
Another bottle hit the bed. Ha, she missed.
“I’ve been rescheduling all your meetings, depositions, everything and telling them you had the flu and were sick!”
A bottle hit his ass. One hit the headboard. The last one hit his back too close to his head. This had to stop. She would kill him if she kept this up. He rolled onto his back and pulled the covers down.
“Will you fucking knock it off and take your screeching ass out of here?” Obviously, that was the wrong thing to say.
Her eyes widened, she screamed and launched herself at the bed. David tried to get himself out of bed but he was so tangled up in the sheets and comforter that he was a sitting duck. She caught him trying to crawl off the bed head first.
“Ow! Not my hair!”
She had grabbed his hair and was straddling his legs.
“You listen David Lee Bianchi. You lied. You said you were fine. That you weren’t upset over Henry that you were sick and it was just bad timing!”
She shook his head. He was trying to untangle her fingers from his hair but she was holding on. Also, he didn’t want to pull his own hair out.
“Do you realize how many times your mother has called me?!”
If the local opera needed a soprano to hit the high notes, he would recommend Penny. Maybe he could pay them to take her off his hands.
“You didn’t answer the door last week when she stopped by. You didn’t take her calls. I talked her out of sending your cousins to break into your condo. I lied to your mother!”
Penny was shaking his head like a Polaroid picture. She hadn’t gone postal on him like this since the last time he hid out and drank. Which again involved his heart. That time it was his fear of not being able to continue studying law due to his family. This time it was all him. Which did not make himself feel any better. Especially with a hellcat screaming on his back and shaking his head.
He raised his arms up. “I give up! I surrender! I’m sorry! I’m s
orry! Please just get off my bladder before I piss all over the bed!”
Penny let go of his head, only to smack it. Damn. He didn’t know why his mother and Penny didn’t get along. They were the same. Scary, ferocious, she beasts from hell when they were mad.
“You deserve it!” Penny got off of him and the relief was so great he almost wet the bed right then. He swung his legs off, still wrapped up in the sheets and stood up.
“I had no idea you were trying to drink yourself to death over here! How much did you drink? I’m surprised you’re even still alive! You jackass!” Then she cried.
Oh God. Not the crying. David pushed the sheets down and stepped out. He had to take care of himself first. “I’ll be right back, I have to really go.”
David walked into his black marble bathroom and looked at himself. Wow. He looked bad. He took care of things and went back into the bedroom. David supposed his hiding out was over. He had drank all his alcohol, anyway.
“Penny, I’m sorry.” He sat down on the bed next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She turned to him and hugged him. While crying all over his chest. He hoped she didn’t mind his ripe smell. When nothing seems worth it, showering isn’t top on your agenda.
“I had no idea you were so upset. I mean I knew it, but I thought you were sick. I can’t lose you David. You’re my best friend. Don’t do this again.”
David hugged her and rubbed her back. He rested his head on hers. She was a great friend. It was too bad they didn’t do it for each other or she’d be the perfect life partner. Whiskey eyes haunted him and he pushed the image of Henry away. He had had all week to wallow in misery and it was time to face the world again. He’d get over it. Eventually. Maybe. Probably not. But he had to go on, anyway. Life sucked.
“I’m sorry. I was just too wrapped up in my… broken heart.” David didn’t want to think about it, but just mentioning it to Penny brought up all the misery. His chest felt empty, like his heart was gone.
“I’m sorry too.” Penny sniffled and raised her head. “I thought you two were perfect and going to bond so fast it would set a record.”