“I’m sorry...”
“You ruined my happily ever after, Amanda. And it wasn’t a one-time thing either. This was going on for months! Behind my back! How could you even live with yourself back then? How could you smile at me and hang out with me knowing damn well that you...” I couldn’t look at her without getting angry, and I suddenly felt my hand twitching. “You let me hang out with you with no fucking remorse whatsoever—you just let me go about my life as if nothing was going on. But the whole time you knew! You knew what the fuck was going on and you just—”
Before I could complete the bitch-slap of the century, I felt someone grabbing my wrist from behind and holding it still. Jonathan.
I saw Amanda squinting her eyes shut as if she were still waiting for my hand to connect with her cheek, then I slowly turned around to face Jonathan.
His eyebrow was raised and the look on his face was one of confusion, uncertainty—disappointment.
“Step outside, Claire.” He wiped a tear away from my face. “Now.”
I didn’t even bother looking back at Amanda. I wanted to remember her face how it was seconds ago for the rest of my life.
Cowardly bitch....
I stepped outside and headed into the ladies’ restroom that was next door. Frustrated, I leaned over the sink and splashed my face with water over and over again.
“I really didn’t mean to push you...” Ryan cleared his throat, startling me and forcing me to turn around.
“Stay the hell away from me, Ryan. I’m not in the mood for any more of your bullshit and you’ve caused enough trouble. Go comfort your wife.” I strolled past him, but he grabbed my elbow and pressed me against the wall.
“Listen...” There were tears in his eyes. “I didn’t expect you to come see her, but thank you. Regardless of if you forgave her or not, I think you coming here meant a lot to her. And to me.”
“You really do need professional help...” I tried to move away, but he was pinning me against the door.
“For the record, it was just lust, Claire—what she and I had. It eventually grew into love, but...”
“I honestly don’t give a fuck about you or her. I don’t know how many ways I can possibly say it, but if you could just...” I looked at his arms and darted my eyes to the door. “Just let me go so I can leave.”
“Not until you listen to me.”
I sighed. If my legs weren’t so stiff, I would’ve attempted to break free and run for the door, but I knew there was no way I’d get past him.
“Ryan...” I sighed again for emphasis. “There are priests all over this city who are willing to listen to your problems for free. Find one of them because I don’t have the time.”
“I would like a second chance with you, Claire.”
The earth fell away at my feet and I lost the ability to speak.
I was shocked. Blown Away. Disgusted.
“You heard me...” He brought his face close to mine. “A second chance. You and me. It can be calm and easy again. I know it because that’s who we were.”
“The moment I lost you I felt empty,” he continued. “I had no idea that you would pack up and leave the way you did. I mean, just because I said that I’d always had feelings for Amanda, didn’t mean that I didn’t have any left for you. I was just...in a tough spot in my life. I thought you would at least reconsider the divorce, but you just...You filed the very next day. I wasn’t expecting that...”
“Ryan...” I barely managed. “Stop it...Stop it right now.”
“Everything happened so fast...Months later you moved all the way out here and you just cut me off like I was—”
“Worthless? Pathetic? Full of shit?”
“You were just angry.” He pressed his thumb over my lips. “And you had every right to be...But people make mistakes Claire...I tried making it work with Amanda—I did the right thing and I married her but...All we ever did the first year and a half was talk about how guilty we felt over what we did to you.”
I tried my hardest to block him out. I didn’t want to hear the rest of this shit. I didn’t care.
“You know I never meant to push you down those steps...” he said as he cupped my chin. “And even though your new fiancée got me fired and blacklisted me from every single firm in Pittsburgh...I think that you and I could rebuild what we had again. I have enough saved up and I really believe that. Amanda is talking about divorce for the fifth time and I think she finally means it...Can’t you see? Our lives weren’t worth much without you in it—which is exactly why you should take me back. I know how badly you’ve missed me, because I’ve missed you too.”
I felt my eyes widening as far as they could go. This was a painful sight to see, but for some reason I couldn’t look away.
“What the two of us had was special...” He caressed my cheek with the back side of his palm. “It was something I’ve never felt before. All these years I’ve wished that I could go back in time and change what I—”
The next thing I saw was a fist connecting with his jaw. It took me several seconds to realize that it was Jonathan and he was punching the shit out of him, so hard that I heard his bones cracking.
Ryan tried to fight back, swinging his fists in the air, but Jonathan sent a fist straight into his eye—knocking him against the wall.
I thought he would leave him alone—that he would allow him to suffer with a bloodied eye and a cracked jaw. But he stepped closer and jabbed Ryan in the ribs again and again—until he slid down to the floor, murmuring—pleading for him to stop. Unconvinced, Jonathan stood over him and punched his face repeatedly, until he couldn’t utter another word.
I clutched my chest and gasped at the ugly sight in front of me: Ryan was curled up into a ball with his eyes swollen shut, bleeding all over the floor.
Calm as ever, Jonathan walked over to the sink and rolled up his sleeves, taking all the time in the world to wash his hands. When he was done, he reached for a paper towel and dried them as if he hadn’t just beat someone to near death.
He looked into my eyes as he took out his cell phone. “Greg? Yes. I’m on the twenty third floor. Women’s restroom. Could you get someone up here to help Mr. Hayes down to the ER please? He’s in desperate need of assistance.” He paused. “I’m taking Claire down to return her ID badge and we’ll meet you in the garage. Have Sean take my car home. Thank you.”
He hung up and slipped his arm around my waist, walking me out of the room. There were no words between us, no glances either.
I wasn’t sure how I made it downstairs, or how long it took to get my license back, but the next thing I knew I was sitting in the back seat of the town car, watching the streets rush past in the window.
As we were approaching the expressway, I turned to face Jonathan. “You almost killed him...”
“He put his hands on you.” He narrowed his eyes. “He’s lucky I didn’t.”
I swallowed and sat silently by his side, still in shock at the scene that had unfolded in that bathroom. I had no idea he was capable of beating someone that terribly. He’d been so possessed, so obsessed with beating him within an inch of his life.
“Did you really have him fired...And blacklisted at every firm in Pittsburgh?” I whispered.
“No...Every firm in the country.”
Silence.
“You didn’t hit Amanda...” My voice was shaking. “Did you?”
“I’ve never hit a woman, Claire.” He looked into my eyes. “And I never will...I told her that you weren’t interested in being contacted by either of them again, and that I didn’t want my future wife to have any more sleepless nights due to their interference.” He lifted my hand and circled his thumb around my knuckles. “I paid for her surgery since it might be a little harder for them to afford since Ryan isn’t working, and I’ll have the hospital bill me for his injuries as well.”
I was sure there was still fear in my eyes, because he cupped my face in his hands and pressed his lips against mine. “I’ll hurt
anyone who hurts you, Claire. Anyone.”
I nodded and he pulled me up against his chest, stroking my back with his fingertips. “You’ll never have to worry about either of them ever again.”
Chapter 18
Jonathan
“Is there a reason why I just received a call about you assaulting a man in a hospital bathroom?” Milton walked into my office. “Please tell me that’s a joke.”
“I didn’t mean to break his nose. Only his jaw.”
“Well, thank god you broke his ribs and his clavicle bone too. I’m sure they were feeling quite neglected in the brawl.”
“I already paid his hospital bill, and that includes post-therapy treatment. It’s been over a week. Is he trying to sue?”
“Damn right he’s trying to sue, Jonathan! He’s a lawyer! What the fuck did you think was going to happen?!”
I shrugged. “I’ll take care of it. Is there anything interesting you want to talk about today?”
He rolled his eyes and handed me a folder. “Here are the stock options that will be changed over to your wife’s name. I’ve already added her as an accessor to all of your personal accounts and she’ll gain full access the day your marriage license is approved...Full access...to all of your money...All of your—”
“Anything else?”
“Yes.” He pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Congratulations. It’s a rare pen—just in case you change your mind over the next few days...There’s also a real gift in there for your wife to be. I like her more than I like you.”
“Thank you very much. I’ll see you at the wedding.” I laughed as he walked out of my office.
Just as I was getting ready to follow suit, Corey came in and slammed the door shut, narrowing his eyes at me.
“Yes?” I narrowed my eyes right back. “Is there a problem, Mr. Walters?”
“Yes. There is a fucking problem.”
“That’s a very loaded sentence, don’t you think?”
“Greg is not going to be the best man at your wedding, Jonathan. I am. And if you have a problem with that—”
“I do have a problem with that.”
“Greg isn’t your best friend.”
“Greg isn’t sleeping with my little sister.”
“Neither am I.” His eyes turned to slits. “I like Hayley—a lot. Hell, I might even love her—I don’t fucking know yet because I don’t even know what that word means, but it’s different with her. She’s not like the other women I’ve been with.”
“Other women you’ve been with total or other women you’ve been with this year? You’ve fucked over fifty women in the past nine months.”
“I know that.”
“Does she?”
He didn’t answer, but the look in his eyes said it all.
“I’m not Hayley’s guardian anymore.” I shook my head. “I can’t tell her what to do or who not to date, but you’ve known her for years. You protected her right there with me some of those years and now you...Surely you can see why I would have a problem with her entertaining the man who previously promised to A) never commit to one woman B) Fuck as many women as possible and C) Live life with no attachments. Forever. You want me to believe that you’ve changed overnight? Because of a few heart to heart conversations with my sister? Because she didn’t hop in bed with you right away like all the other women did?”
“Jonathan...” He looked sincere. “I’ve never not told you about a woman I was with because I didn’t care. I’ve never cared about any of them or their feelings. I care about Hayley. I always have...”
A thick silence hung in the air between us, and as much as I wanted to beat him like I’d beat Ryan, I couldn't do it. I didn’t want to admit it, but I had seen a change in Hayley and she was the one that mattered most in this equation.
Sure, she was still a terrible employee—always had been, but she seemed happier now. And she wasn’t fake laughing and smiling like she usually did just to get me to leave her alone. Her happiness seemed genuine for a change.
I still can’t believe this shit...
“Corey...” I kept my voice firm. “If you break my little sister’s heart, if you are responsible for one fucking tear that comes out of her eyes, I will have you murdered. And then I’ll really go to work on you...”
He blinked. Then he smiled. “How long have you been working on that speech?”
“All week. Too strong of an emphasis on the ‘really’?”
“No, that part was good.” He sounded impressed. “It was the last clause that threw me off. Say it a little slower next time so it sounds more threatening. It was a little too fast for me.”
“I was serious about having you murdered.”
He nodded and walked over to me, shaking my hand. “I won’t hurt her. Now, where is the best man’s box for this weekend?”
“It should be at your house already. Angela had it delivered this morning.”
Claire and I walked around the hotel’s outdoor garden, hand in hand. It was the day before our wedding, and even though we'd been with each other all day, we’d hardly said a word.
Earlier that morning we’d sampled the final sweets selection from Stella’s, listened to a few short songs from the full orchestra we’d hired, and driven around the newly built wedding venue.
She’d wanted to go inside and take a look at the reception room—to see how they were setting it up, but I wouldn’t let her; I wanted that to be a surprise.
“Do you think they’re going to remember what I said about the flower petals? How I want them to look on the aisle?” she asked.
“I’m pretty sure they’ll remember.” I pulled her close to me.
“And what about the chair sashes? I specifically showed them how I wanted them to be tied, but it looked like they weren’t paying attention to me.”
“That’s probably because it was your tenth time telling them. They’re professionals.”
She sighed. “I just want it to be a perfect wedding...”
“It will be.” I bent down to kiss her lips, but she was suddenly yanked away from me.
“That’s enough.” Helen scoffed. “God, you two kill me. You’ll see each other at the wedding. And then you’ll have all eternity. It’s time for your spa treatments, Claire.”
“Right now?” She blinked.
“Yes. Now.” Helen tugged her away from me and she blew me a kiss.
I smiled and blew one back at her before turning away in the other direction—impatiently waiting for tomorrow.
Chapter 19
Claire
I couldn't sleep.
My heart was pounding out of my chest, and even though the air vents in the room were blasting heavily, I was sweating. I couldn’t stop thinking—smiling, about what lay ahead in the morning, about how my life would change when I became Mrs. Statham.
Nervous, I slipped out of bed and headed into the bathroom. I held a towel under cold water and pressed it against my face, being careful not to touch the strange white patches Bobbie Jo and Kim had placed over my eyebrows.
The spa treatments they’d put me through earlier were more extensive than the ones in Costa Rica, and they hadn’t allowed me to say a single word about any of them. They didn’t even let me see Jonathan when he showed up to my suite with flowers, claiming that seeing the groom the night before the wedding was bad luck.
I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed. Sleeping without Jonathan by my side was never comfortable.
I decided to take a few swigs of wine to get through the night, but I heard a soft tapping at my door. I slipped into my robe and looked through the peephole.
Jonathan?
I cracked the door open, whispering, “What are you doing?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“Are you calling the wedding off?”
“No.”
“Then you shouldn’t be here. Go away.”
He rolled his eyes. “Come go for a ride with me.”
&n
bsp; I shook my head. “You’re not supposed to see me until the wedding.”
He pulled a pair of shades and a folded baseball cap out of his pocket. “Then I won’t see you. We need to talk...”
I slid the glasses over my eyes and pulled the cap over my head before stepping out of the room.
He took my hand in his and led me down the hall and onto the elevator, keeping his gaze straight ahead. When we made it to the lobby, valet pulled his car around and held the doors open.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“To our wedding venue.”
“Why?”
“Because we need to see everything together before tomorrow.” He waited for me to buckle my seatbelt before speeding off into the night.
Half an hour later, he pulled his car into the cobblestoned turnaround and helped me out. Slipping an arm around my waist, he walked me inside where Miss Corwin and her staff were busy decorating away—making last minute adjustments.
She raised her eyebrow when we stepped in front of her. “Shouldn’t you two be in bed?” She smiled. “Separately?”
Jonathan kissed my cheek. “We wanted to take one final tour together if that’s okay.”
She nodded and directed us down the hall, where her other staff was fiddling with ten foot tall flower arrangements. “The ceremony lawn is right through those doors, remember? And the reception room is down two halls and to the right. Actually...” She pulled a slip of paper from her pocket. “This is a scaled down blueprint of everything. Knock yourselves out, but I’m going to have to force you to leave in forty five minutes. I don’t want the photographers to have to edit baggy eyes from your pictures.”
We laughed and made our way down the hall.
I tried to steer us toward the reception room, to get a glimpse of the changes he’d asked her to make, but he held me close and sighed. “You’ll see it tomorrow.”
As we stepped outside and into the darkness, I could see hundreds of stark white chairs with ivory sashes, blush and pastel aisle markers, and a beautiful white gazebo that stood near the edge of the newly sodded grass.
“Come here.” Jonathan tugged me down the aisle and under the gazebo. He motioned for me to sit down on a bench and sighed. “I want you to look at this before I give it to you tomorrow—because after tomorrow, I don’t want you to ever take it off.”
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