He returns moments later with our drinks. I smile as he hands me my glass and take a sip. The dry liquid coats my throat, almost immediately clouding my thoughts. Yes, definitely a good idea to stay away from the hard stuff.
“Now, shall we move this somewhere more comfortable?” he asks. He raises an eyebrow. I’m opening my mouth to respond when I hear the doorbell ring. Sighing, he puts down his glass. I can see he’s annoyed. “I’ll be back in a moment. Wait here.”
As soon as he leaves the room I’m on my feet. I’m behind him, back far enough that he doesn’t notice me. I stand behind the archway leading into the foyer where I have a perfect view of the front door. I hold my breath as he opens it.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he asks, his voice hushed. Brynne smiles at him coolly and pushes her way inside.
“Aren’t you happy to see me, Ryan?” She walks through the foyer with such confidence that I feel a twinge of jealousy. “It’s been a long time.”
“Not long enough,” he mutters. “Do you need more money? Is that it?”
She laughs. “Not everything is about money, Ryan. Why can’t we just chat, like old friends?”
He wipes the sweat from his forehead and shifts uneasily on his feet. Glancing back in the direction of where he left me, he curls his hand around her forearm.
“Hey,” she cries out, trying to shrug him off. He drags her away from the door in the direction of his office. I follow them, making sure I stay far back enough that I won’t be noticed. With any luck, he’s completely forgotten I’m even here. I watch as they go inside his office, the door slamming shut behind them. I creep over, my heart racing. I’m fine so long as they stay in there, but if he comes out I really have nowhere to hide. I’ll have to risk it. It’s my only chance.
Their voices filter through the closed door. Biting my lip, I press RECORD on my phone and wait. My hands are shaking as their voices rise.
“What do you want from me, Brynne? What part of ‘disappear forever’ did you not understand? You’re risking everything being back here.”
“Risking what?” she says with a laugh. “I’m not scared of you anymore, Ryan. I don’t care what you do with that damn video. I’m sick of hurting the people I’m supposed to love.”
“You think he loves you back?” Ryan lets out a harsh laugh. “Jaxon isn’t capable of loving you, Brynne. He never lets anyone close enough to trust them.”
“And whose fault is that?” she retorts.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ryan growls. I wince as something slams against the wall. Brynne cries out and my blood runs cold. What’s happening in there? I reach for the door handle but hesitate. What am I going to do once I’m in there? I can’t overpower him. Not on my own.
“Spit it out, Brynne. What are you insinuating? That I had something to do with his parents’ murders?”
There’s a long pause before Brynne answers.
“You forget what you were using me for in the first place,” she says, her voice lower. Speak up! God, I hope my phone is picking this up. “Why else would you want to know what he knows about their deaths?”
“I should’ve gotten rid of you while I had the chance,” he mutters. I hear the unmistakable sound of a gun being loaded. He’s going to kill her? Panicking, I find Jaxon’s number and press CALL. My hands shake as I hold the phone against the wall and Ryan’s rage continues. “You want answers? I’ll give them to you. It’s not like you’ll be in the position to pass the information on.” He lets out a short laugh.
“I didn’t kill his parents, but I hold myself responsible every fucking day. We were in love, you know. She was supposed to leave him for me, only she couldn’t do it to Jaxon.”
“What happened?” Brynne whispers.
“I owed the wrong people a lot of cash and I couldn’t pay up. So they killed her.” He says it so simply, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“So why this vendetta against Jaxon?” she presses. I have to commend her bravery in trying to keep him talking when any minute he’s planning to put a bullet in her. She must have really loved him. Are those feelings still there?
“Because he keeps digging. If he finds out, I stand to lose everything. For the record, I don’t hate Jaxon, just what he’s capable of doing to me.”
“Maybe if you had just talked to him—”
“He’d what, understand?” Ryan says with a laugh. “Would you be understanding toward the man who was having an affair with your mother and is the reason your parents were murdered?”
Brynne begins to whimper.
“Please, Ryan. Don’t do this. I won’t tell anyone, I promise. I’ll go away and never come—”
“Like you were supposed to in the first place?” he growls. “The beauty of this is that you’re already considered dead, Brynne. I can kill you right now, dispose of your body, and no one will be suspicious.”
“Except the people who know I’m here,” she replies, breathless. I gasp, knowing where she’s going with this. Don’t do it, please don’t say my name…
“Who?” he asks, his voice tight.
“Charlotte. You think she really trusts you?” Brynne says with a laugh. “Come off it, Ryan, she’s under Jaxon’s spell and you know it. She’s not the only one who knows I’m here, either. Kill me and I guarantee you’ll find yourself in more trouble than you could’ve ever imagined.”
Ryan curses and hurls something at the wall. I jump, losing my footing. I stumble back into the hallway wall. The talking stops. I hold my breath, praying my clumsiness hasn’t cost me my life. Because I don’t doubt for a second that he would kill me given the chance.
The door swings open and Ryan stumbles out. I gasp, holding my hands up when I see the gun. His eyes fall on me and he smiles. My heart sinks. His eyes wild, he gestures for me to come inside. I step forward, my heart pounding.
God, please hurry, Jaxon.
Brynne refuses to look at me as I’m led through the door and shoved in her direction.
“What the hell?”
I look up and see Ryan struggling to close the door. My heart leaps when I see why it won’t shut. A foot. And not just any foot. Jaxon’s foot is lodged between the door and the frame.
“He’s got a gun,” I hiss, warning him as he pushes his way inside the office. He lunges at Ryan, wrapping his arms around his neck as he struggles to gain control of the weapon. I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to watch as they struggle.
“Give it up, Ryan. It’s over,” Jaxon says. He now holds the gun and is pointing it at Ryan.
“What are you going to do, shoot me?” He laughs. “You don’t have it in you because you’re a weak pussy.”
“I’m not going to shoot you,” Jaxon says, his voice remarkably calm. “I’ll let these guys decide what to do with you.” He nods toward the door, where four uniformed policemen are standing. “Attempted murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit fraud, accessory to murder…I’d say you’re going away for a long time.”
“You called the cops on me?” he asks in disbelief. “You have no proof I’m involved in any of that.”
“Oh, but I do,” I say with a grin. I toss Jaxon my phone. “Your little confession to Brynne right before you thought you were going to kill her? I recorded the whole thing.” I wink at Ryan as his face clouds with anger.
“You stupid little bitch. You still think he’s worth it? You don’t think he’s going to drop you like a sack of shit now that he has what he wants? Or now that she’s back in the picture?” he snarls. He curses as two officers cuff him and lead him out of the office. I bite back a response, refusing to let him see that he’s gotten under my skin. Because Brynne doesn’t appear to be over Jaxon, as far as I can tell.
Jaxon talks to the other two officers for a moment before walking over to me. I glance around for Brynne and realize she’s gone. Probably wanted to disappear before the cops started talking to her. No doubt she’s in a lot of trouble too.
I smile
at Jaxon, glad it’s all over but still buzzing with adrenaline.
“How did you get here so fast?” I ask, my voice shaking.
“Because I’ve been following you,” he says, his eyes flashing. He’s angry at me? Why the hell is he angry? God knows what’s going through his mind right now. “I knew you were keeping something from me. I just didn’t realize it would be her.”
Oh shit. “Let me explain—”
“Explain what?” he says with a laugh. I wince at the hate behind each word. He’s so angry. “That you’ve betrayed me again? You’re as bad as her, Charlotte. I trusted you and this is how you repay me?”
“Jaxon, please—”
“No,” he growls. He shrugs me off as I reach out for his arm. “I’m done listening to your lies.”
“Jax—”
“For God’s sake, Charlotte, just stop,” he cuts in, his eyes dark with anger. I shudder, knowing there’s no way I’ll make him see the truth. “I promised you a story and you’ll get it, but that’s all. I’m done with this.”
Chapter 27
Jaxon
My phone rings for the ninth time this evening. I hesitate but pick it up, even though I’m sure it’s Charlotte again. As much as I don’t want to speak to her, I ache to hear her voice. Sure enough, her name flashes on my screen. Hurling it across the room, I watch as it bounces off the wall. I laugh as it continues to ring.
I feel like such a fucking fool. I reach forward and grab the half-full bottle of vodka I’m consoling myself with. I should’ve known Ryan was involved in Brynne’s disappearance, but that Charlotte knew her too? That’s just too much.
The doorbell rings and I sigh. How the fuck did anyone get past the gate? Angry, I drag myself up from the chair and stumble to the door. I swing it open and laugh.
“What makes you think I want to listen to anything you have to say?” I grumble. Brynne winces but holds her ground, insisting she’s come to explain. In the end I leave the door open and head back to my drink.
“You look like shit,” she comments as I sink back into my seat. I glare at her. Seriously? “I’m sorry, but you do. I know you’re angry at me, and you have every right to be, but I don’t think you’re being fair to Charlotte.”
“It’s none of your business,” I retort. “My life stopped being your problem when you took money from Ryan to fuck the hell off.”
“What I did was wrong, Jaxon, I can admit that, but I’m not the only one who fucked up our relationship,” she says, her green eyes narrowing.
I laugh. Typical. The nerve of her. “You’re going to try to turn this around on me? In what fucking world was this any fault of mine?”
“Because you’re a stubborn asshole who refuses to let anyone in,” she fires back. “There was no trust in our relationship long before I did this. We both put other things before our relationship. When Ryan tried to blackmail me, I thought, What the hell? Eventually you were going to leave me, so I might as well make some money.”
“I loved you,” I reply, my voice hoarse.
“No, you loved the idea of me. You weren’t capable of loving anyone back then, Jaxon.” She pauses, lifting her eyes to meet mine. “You and Charlotte, I can see it’s different. Don’t let yourself ruin this, Jaxon.”
Her words echo through me as she leaves the room. I sit down, resting my head in my hands. There’s much more truth to what she said than I care to admit, but the one thing I can’t deny is that my feelings for Charlotte are real.
My phone beeps. Getting up, I walk over and pick it up from the floor. My heart jumps when I see it’s a text from Charlotte.
Charlotte: I need to send Jess for my things if that’s okay. I’m sorry.
I read the text over and over, Brynne’s words haunting my thoughts. Am I prepared to let her walk out of my life, or am I going to fight for her? I press Call and hold the phone to my ear, still unsure of what I’m going to say.
“Hello?”
“You can come for your things yourself,” I say, the words coming out harsher than I intended. I rub my forehead and sigh. Why can’t I just say what I feel? “This afternoon suits me,” I add in a softer tone.
“Okay,” she agrees.
“I’ll see you then.” I end the call and sit on the arm of the sofa, staring out the window. I’m so bad at expressing how I feel, but I know I have one chance at fixing this. I just hope I can do it.
Either I tell her how I feel when she comes over, or she walks out of my life forever.
Chapter 28
Charlotte
“I guess this is it.”
I place my bags on the floor and wait for him to say something. I want him to tell me not to go, but as he sits in his armchair in front of me, I’m convinced that’s not going to happen.
“Is it?” he asks, raising an eyebrow. I sigh and cross my arms over my chest, not wanting to give away how badly I want him to tell me to stay. “I think we still have a lot to talk about.”
“Like what?” I retort. How he’s gone back to her? How I was just a distraction, a means to an end? My stomach clenches as I realize how much I feel for this guy. A guy who clearly belongs to someone else.
“You haven’t finished asking me questions for your big story,” he points out.
“It can wait.” The truth is I can’t stand to be under this roof any longer knowing he’s aware that she’s still alive. My heart is a mess not knowing where I stand.
He nods, his eyes moving away from me. My heart drops a little bit more. He’s really going to let me go. Just like that. I reach down, my fingers tightening around the handles of my bags.
All I can offer him is a small smile as I turn and make my way outside. If I try to speak, I’ll either cry or say something I’ll regret. My heels click as I move across the tiled floor. Marina stands at the door, holding it open for me, wearing her usual tight smile. Hell, I’m even going to miss her.
I walk across the grounds to where my car is waiting for me. In the safety of my car, I let my emotions out. I’m shaking, crying, and in a strange way happy to be free. But at the same time I’m not ready to let this go. All I can think about is him and what we could have been.
Forget him. He’s already made his choice clear.
Easier said than done.
—
“Wow.” Dee’s eyes grow wide as I nod. “Holy shit, Char. And he’s willing to let you run with all that? Do you have any idea how fucking amazing this is for your career?”
“I know.” I hesitate, looking down at the table.
We’re in Patty’s Bar, unwinding with a few drinks while I tell her everything I know about Jaxon Murphy. Well, minus the fact that I’m in love with the guy. I sneak a look at her face, wondering if I should just fess up and tell her everything. Jess sits next to Dee—who is still struggling to comprehend everything that’s happened—watching me through narrowed eyes.
“Spit it out, Char,” Jess orders, narrowing her eyes at me. “You’re holding something back.”
“I’m not sure I want to write the story anymore,” I mutter.
“What?” she squeaks. “Are you fucking kidding me? What could possibly be stopping you from—” Her face falls. She lets out a loud groan, her hands dropping onto the table dramatically. “You’re not. Please tell me you’re not.”
“Not what?” I ask, my voice weak.
“In love with him,” she hisses. My expression says it all. Rolling her eyes, she shakes her head.
“Jesus, Char,” Dee says with a laugh. “Of all the people in the world, him?”
“What’s so bad about him?” I protest. “I think we’ve proved he didn’t murder his last girlfriend—”
“The dude keeps chicks locked up at his mansion. For the purpose of fucking them!” Jess all but yells.
“No, he employs the services of several women to meet his needs.” I narrow my eyes at her, annoyed at her overreaction. “They could’ve left at any time.”
“Bullshit, and you know it,” J
ess retorts. “Those girls were brainwashed into thinking he needed them, when in actual fact any one of them could’ve been replaced at the drop of a hat.”
“There aren’t any girls now, anyway,” I say quietly. “He asked them all to leave.”
Except her. Brynne.
Jess sighs and reaches for my hand. “I’m sorry if I sound harsh, but you could do so much better than him.”
You don’t even know him. Nobody really does. Except me.
“Can we change the subject?” I plead. If I have to listen to her go on about him for a second longer, I’ll do something I regret.
“Yes,” she agrees, sounding relieved. “So, what next? You’ve been cooped up in that mansion for two months. You must be dying to let loose.”
Strangely, I’m not. I don’t miss the nights out with her and Dee, or any of my life from before. Not even Nick. I certainly don’t miss the job hunting and never getting anywhere. I sigh as reality sinks in. I have no job, and if I don’t write this story, I’m no closer than before to getting one.
“What is it?” asks Jess, taking a sip of her vodka and lime.
“Just the reality that things haven’t changed,” I sigh. “I have to write the story. I don’t have much of a choice.”
“And so you should. It’s not like it shows him in a bad light, for God’s sake. People still think he murdered her, even though she’s back. The tabloids will be falling all over themselves to buy that story from you.”
She’s right, but I don’t care about the money. A secure job would be good, but even then, the only thing I really want is unattainable. At least doing the story will mean seeing him again. My heart jumps at the thought.
After leaving the girls, I head right over to his house. If I put it off, I’ll find excuses. I need to do this now, before I lose my nerve. I pull up outside those familiar gates and press the intercom button. Marina answers, sounding surprised to hear my voice. I half expect her to tell me to leave, but then the gates swing open.
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