“Yeah, but don’t worry. I got a locksmith to change the locks. He just wanted to know where you were…and he wanted to know about Will. I’ve never seen him so agitated.”
“I don’t know what’s gotten into him. It’s weird.”
“Well, anyways. Tell Will thanks for trying. I’m sure Luke appreciates it. How are you doing?”
I shook my head. “Fine, I guess. This whole thing with Ben is really stressing me out. I think I need to tell him that it’s over, ‘cause he obviously isn’t getting the message.”
I glanced at the article splashed across the website: Will Pardini Spotted with Petite Beauty. My ears burned whenever I read the title. Underneath was a photo of us kissing at O’Hare. That was only half an hour ago.
I hated this. All of these photographs and articles would only incense Ben further. I wished it would stop.
Suddenly, the jet engine roared to life. “I’ve got to go. Plane’s taking off.”
“Okay, we’ll catch up when you come home.”
I ended the phone call, refusing to acknowledge William’s presence one foot away from me, but he would not be ignored. He tapped impatiently on the desk with his fingers. I shut my laptop and finally looked at him.
"What?"
“You should file a restraining order against Ben."
I laughed at him, looking up at his furious face and swallowing my laughter. "No."
"I'm serious, Natalie. He's crossed the line by visiting your home without your permission."
"Maybe, but I don't want to escalate things. Ben would never hurt me. He's not dangerous, he's just being a bit pathetic because his heart’s been broken.”
“He's had nine months to get over his broken heart."
I bit my lip so hard that I drew blood. “Maybe I'll send him an email warning him."
He sat down across from me and gave a slight shrug. “Do what you have to do, but don't expect it to work." He grasped my hand. “I don’t have a good feeling about this guy. He reeks of desperation."
I felt a rush of affection for my dark-haired paramour. He was so concerned with my safety. It was cute and touching at the same time. I squeezed his hand and leaned over the table to kiss him.
"I guess I'm lucky that I have you to protect me,” I said, an inch away from his lips.
I felt his smile against my lips and he grabbed my head, deepening the kiss.
Whatever I said, I was worried about Ben. The thought of returning home without Will made my insides churn, but I really wanted to get back to see Jessica.
“You should stay with me tonight,” he said in a low voice.
My skin was tingling all over at the thought of being alone with Will in his apartment.
“I’ll come over tomorrow. I have a lot of things to do. I still haven’t finished those newsletters, and I know I’ll be too distracted at your place.” I winked at him and he smiled.
* * *
“Don’t forget—tomorrow.”
His throaty voice echoed inside my head as I bounded up the stairs to my apartment. I had only been away from Will for a few hours and I felt myself shaking, as though I were suffering from a fever. I barely stepped three feet into the apartment before Jessica threw her arms around my neck, nearly knocking me over.
“Ouch—hey!”
Strangely enough, I felt relieved to be back. There was nothing like coming home after a long trip, even if home was a two-bedroom apartment with wall-to-wall carpeting that was slowly rotting away.
Jessica asked me excitedly how the trip went, what Italy was like, if Will and I were a couple. I was more curious about what had been going on here, but at the same time I didn’t want to ask her about Ben. There was just so much crap in my life lately, and I wanted for once, to focus on the positive things.
I sank down on the couch habitually with my laptop sitting on my knees.
“I need to send an email telling Ben to back off.”
Jessica groaned sympathetically.
Ben,
I’m really sorry about these past few weeks, but as you know, I’ve been busy working abroad. I was not trying to ignore you.
It’s over. I’ve realized that I really have moved on and I just don’t feel the same about you anymore. Please give me space and respect my boundaries. I don’t want to hear anymore about you visiting or calling my parents. I’ve also changed the locks on this apartment. I’m not angry with you, I’m just done.
Goodbye,
Natalie
I slid the laptop for Jessica to read and she nodded approvingly. I just wanted it to be straight to the point and I wanted him out of my life. I sent the email, hoping that he would read it and give up.
That would be too lucky.
I shut my phone off and watched TV with Jessica, gabbing happily about the new season of American Idol and laughing at the ridiculous auditions.
“What kind of pizza do you want?”
“Surprise me.”
Thank God for online ordering. We were settling in for a girl’s night complete with margaritas and I was in charge of getting the pizza. I was too tired to go out, so I paid for delivery.
“Now, what should we watch? Rom-com or should we just nerd out on Gundam Wing?”
The anime cartoon was our favorite when we were children and it was fun to watch, especially with the horribly dubbed voice actors. Last time we watched it, I was reduced to tears of laughter and I really needed a laugh.
The pizza arrived and Jessica blended the margaritas, forgetting to place the top on the blender and getting green ice all over the counter. We scooped the remains into glasses and brought everything to the living room.
BAMBAMBAM.
I jerked from my seat and Jessica’s widened eyes made a hot drop of fear slip down my throat.
BAMBAMBAM.
“All right, I’m coming.”
The door was pounding so hard that the walls rattled.
“Open the fuck up!”
My heart lightened when I recognized the voice. “Will?” Relief washed over me. I was just glad that it wasn’t Ben. Annoyed, I yanked open the door. “What are you doing here? I told you—”
My voice stopped at his whitened, shaking face.
“I’ve been trying to call you for over an hour. Why the fuck didn’t you pick up your phone? There’s something you need to see right now.”
I stepped back as Will entered the apartment. He waved briefly at Jessica, who was halfway out of her seat.
The expression on his face was really starting to worry me. “Sorry, I turned it off. I just didn’t want to hear it ringing with Ben’s calls. What’s wrong?”
“I need to talk to you alone.”
I nodded, sharing a scared look with Jessica as we walked into my room. Will spun around as I closed the door and gently took my shoulders. His lips were shaking and he couldn’t seem to keep still.
“You’re starting to freak me out.”
“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “Just go to your LinkedIn profile right now. Ben did something to it.”
Blood roared in my ears. “What?” I immediately sank into my chair and grabbed my laptop. “What did he do?”
“You’ll see.”
The deadly calm tone of his voice filled me with horror. Something was seriously wrong. I typed in the address. Enter.
My profile picture was gone. Instead there was a webcam shot of my breasts and naked torso, sitting on the same chair I was. It was me.
I scrolled downwards and saw a half a dozen more pasted crudely in my job descriptions. They were all naked pictures of me that I sent to Ben ages ago. Private, intimate photos that he was never supposed to keep. I attempted to login and was rebuffed. Sobbing, I entered a dozen different passwords, but Ben had locked me out of the account.
“That piece of shit! I cannot believe he did this! Where’s my fucking phone?”
Looking scared, Will backed away as I barged out of my room, sprinting past a bewildered Jessica, who turned around on
Will.
“What did you do to her?”
Enraged, Will turned on Jessica. “I didn’t do shit. It was her psycho ex!” He grabbed me. “Natalie, forget it. He’s not going to answer the phone!”
He was right. It went straight to voicemail. I screamed a long line of obscenities, screaming so hard my throat was raw. Will finally wrenched it out of my hands and closed the phone.
I lunged for it. “What are you doing? Give it back!”
Will’s eyes wrinkled with sympathy.
“What the fuck is going on?” Jessica demanded.
On edge, Will spun towards her and snapped. “This isn’t any of your fucking business, so stay out of it.”
“She’s screaming! I think I deserve to know—”
He gritted his teeth, ignoring Jessica. He took my hand as I collapsed to the floor, crying.
“Everyone’s going to see: all of my old clients, my former employees, my colleagues. They will all get a notification that my profile was updated. He’s going to ruin me. That’s what he wants.”
Jessica marched into my bedroom before I could stop her. Will sprinted towards her and yanked her away from the computer, but not before she let out a horrified gasp.
“God fucking dammit, didn’t I tell you to mind your own business?” he roared at her.
Tears of rage filled her eyes and she didn’t object when Will pulled her out of the room. “Natalie, I’m so sorry.”
“Listen, Natalie. I know some guys I could hire to put a big scare into Ben.” He looked down at me, his eyes glittering strangely.
“What are you suggesting?” I said, openmouthed.
“A couple guys. A baseball bat. They’re professionals, Natalie.”
I leapt to my feet. “No! You’re not going to hire goons to beat up my ex. I don’t even want to know how you know these people.”
“He’d deserve it,” Jessica whispered.
“It would be really quick.”
I stared at them both in amazement. “He is a lawyer. Are you both insane?” I jabbed him in the chest.
He held up his hands. “Fine. Whatever. But we need to go to his place.”
I chewed my thumb nervously. “You have to fucking promise me that you won’t hit him.”
Will’s jaw jutted out. His eyes crackled with electricity and I knew that it would be a struggle for him not to beat the ever-loving shit out of Ben. I had half a mind to let him. “Whatever.”
“Natalie,” Jessica said in a small voice. “I really don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Why is that?” he snapped.
She kept her jaw rigid as she looked at Will. “You both are pissed off and you’ll do something stupid. Just call the police and let them handle it.”
“The police won’t be able to do shit. It takes days for an investigation like this.”
I nodded furiously. “Let’s go now.”
“Natalie, it’s a really bad idea!”
“Shut up!” I screamed.
She didn’t fucking understand. Everyone in my professional life would see these photos. I would be surprised if some of them hadn’t blocked me already. Will and I tore out of the apartment, a team of violent, angry energy. Jessica begged me to stop. To think.
I slammed the car door shut and for once, I didn’t argue when Will sat behind the steering wheel. He was completely focused on getting to Ben’s house.
“What’s the prick’s address?”
I punched it into the GPS and Will sped off, not even waiting for the GPS to calibrate. He lived in Oakland and it would be about half an hour to get there. I pounded my cell phone over and over again, but he wouldn’t pick up.
“Don’t call him. It’s better if he doesn’t know we’re coming.”
“That son of a bitch,” I kept repeating. “I can’t believe he would do something like this. It’s just so fucking childish.”
“I could. Did you read his emails?”
My eyes narrowed at Will. “Will, when we get there, I don’t want there to be a fight.”
His fingers tightened over the steering wheel.
“I just want him to grow up and take the photos down. That’s it!”
“What if he says no?”
I sputtered. “He has to. He’s a fucking lawyer. I don’t understand this at all. Ben’s not this stupid.”
“People do stupid things when they’re pissed off.”
My rage boiled all the way along the highway. I kept cycling through a list of fiery emotions: rage, disappointment, hurt, and betrayal. Did he really think plastering naked pictures of me all over LinkedIn would make him look good? He could lose his career over it. It was such a monumentally stupid thing to do.
The car screeched to a halt in front of Ben’s apartment and my chest felt like a drum. Will got out of the car, looking like he was out for blood. In his black leather jacket, he looked like a clichéd Italian mobster. The glare of the yellow lampposts made him look older. Harsher.
He bounded up the steps and pounded on the door before I could make it up there.
“Ben!”
It was weird. He was definitely inside, but he wasn’t answering the door.
“Your car is out front! Open the door!”
I completely lost my head and slammed my body into the door, screaming as it flew open. It swung inside and I stumbled over the threshold. He left the door open?
I walked inside and behind me followed a very tense looking Will. His eyes darted down the unlit hall.
“Ben?”
No answer.
Swallowing hard, I walked toward the only lit room in the apartment: the kitchen. There was only the sound of the refrigerator quietly humming and our whispers to each other.
I half-expected to see a dead body, so I was almost relieved when I saw him quietly sitting at the kitchen table. The apartment looked bare without all of my kitchen appliances sitting on the counters. It looked unchanged from the moment I left him over nine months ago, as if preserving it would somehow lengthen the memories he had of me.
My ex-fiancé looked up at me, an unfathomable expression stirring in his eyes.
“What are you doing in my house?”
“I think you know what the fuck we’re doing here.”
The blonde man’s face twisted as Will stepped into the kitchen. They were polar opposites juxtaposed against each other. Light vs. Dark.
“The fucking photos, Ben. I just want them taken down. Take them down and leave me alone, and I won’t press charges.”
“The fuck you won’t!” Will burst out. “Remove them or I’ll remove your fucking balls and boil them in motor oil, you pathetic—”
“Will!”
Ben smiled back at me, unperturbed by the insults. He had an infuriating look of superiority on his face. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. You should be more worried about whether I’ll press charges against you.”
“That’s cute,” Will spat.
“For what?”
“Breaking and entering. Trespassing. Take your pick.”
My body went hollow. Oh, fuck. I didn’t dare look at Will; I just kept staring at Ben. Please just do the right thing.
Will lunged forward but I grabbed the back of his jacket and wrenched back.
“No! That’s just what he wants!” I turned back towards Ben. “The door was open, Ben. There was no break-in. Why are you being so childish about this?”
“Listen, fuckstick. Even if you took them down, I’ve got screen caps of them. I thought that you might pull some kind of bullshit. I bet if the cops traced the IP address for the last login on her profile, it would lead back here.”
Or maybe not.
Ben cocked his head, still wearing that smile that made me want to vomit. He was a lawyer. He was too smart to admit to anything.
“To be honest, I was curious about meeting you,” he said to Will. “After all, you’re the one replacing me. The more I looked into you, the more I really didn’t understand why Natali
e would be into you.”
Will laughed harshly. “Is that all you’ve got?”
“You’re just a foul-mouthed, spoiled, rich boy with a body count. Three people died in that car accident.”
A ringing silence followed his words. He savored the pain on William’s face. For once, he didn’t have a retort. The disgust in Ben’s voice was somewhat justified, and that made me hate him even more. Why would he throw that in Will’s face?
“You’re unbelievable,” I told Ben. I tugged Will’s jacket. The look on his face scared me. He looked ready to pounce. “Let’s just go. Jessica was right, this was a waste of time.”
“What’s the matter?” he goaded as we turned around to leave. “Scared to lose in front of your girlfriend?”
Will pulled against me to sneer at Ben. “I’ve already won. Natalie is mine and you’re just a little bitch who can’t even get it up. Natalie told me—”
“—Will!”
Holy fucking Christ this is going from bad to worse. I clapped my hands to my face. I hadn’t told any such thing to Will, but it was true and Will had somehow guessed it.
The chair fell over as Ben stood upright, all 6’2” and 180 pounds vibrating with rage. The leaner, smaller Will was itching for a fight. His normally light, kind eyes narrowed at me, his face purpling. I could see a small gleam of hurt behind the rage.
“You told him our personal shit?”
I opened my mouth angrily but William beat me to the punch. “She told me nothing. I just guessed that you were a boring, lame asshole whose cock didn’t work. Guess I was right.”
My mouth lifted into a small smile. “Don’t look at me like that. What right do you have to judge me? You’re the one who put all my naked pictures online and tried to destroy my career. Fuck you, Ben.”
I took Will’s hand and turned around, not before Ben’s heavy footsteps launched across the kitchen. I fell to the side as William pushed me away and I screamed as I fell on the floor.
Ben’s huge body collided with William’s smaller one. The table and chairs went flying as he knocked them aside. Will ducked as Ben’s ham-sized fist came swinging at him.
“No! Stop fighting!”
William sank his fist under Ben’s ribs and the bigger man grunted. The blonde man slammed Will into the wall, cracking the plaster and knocking the wind out of his chest. He caught a vicious blow on the side of his head and Will stumbled, momentarily stunned.
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