Some Way

by Tiffany Jade

  "Take a nap baby girl. I'm going to need you to have some energy later." He kisses my shoulder and snuggles into my neck. I start to doze quickly, completely content, my body feeling loved and only slightly sore.

  "And I love you too Liviana." His whispered confession follows me into my dreams.

  The vibrations of the phone on the bedside table pull me out of my nap. Smiling at the tattooed arms wrapped around me I try to fall back asleep but the vibrations start again. Grayson groans behind me.

  "Tell your brother he's too late, he didn't get to interrupt this time!" We both laugh as the phone stops and starts up again. As I reach for his phone the doorbell rings.

  "D probably forgot something, he was just going to stay with Jenna tonight." Gray rubs his eyes as he starts to rollover. Getting out of bed I throw on his hoodie and hand him his phone.

  "Here, you answer this, I'll go let your interrupting brother in."

  "Hey!" Gray shouts as I head for the door. I jump and turn around. "You should keep that hoodie it looks fucking amazing on you," Gray winks at me. Before I can respond the doorbell rings and his phone goes off again. We both roll our eyes.

  I try to straighten out my hair a little bit as I head for the door.

  Glancing at my phone I'm shocked to see over thirty new notifications. Missed calls from my dad, mom, sisters, Dax and even Jenna.

  What the fuck.

  I call Dax back first to tell him to quit ringing the doorbell.

  "Why the fuck aren't you answering your phone?" Dax yells into the phone on the first ring.

  "Was a little busy bro," I answer, getting out of bed and throwing on my sweatpants. "Stop ringing the doorbell."

  "Fuck!" He groans into the phone. "Don't answer the door Gray!" Dropping the phone I run for Liv.

  Opening the door at the Demonte boys’ house I guess I shouldn't be surprised to be met by some girl wearing ridiculously tight clothes and too much makeup. But not exactly how I wanted to spend my night.

  "Um hi," I say as the gorgeous woman at the door smiles at me with a look I can't read. She takes in me wearing Gray's hoodie, it hitting me about mid-thigh and I'm sure my hair clearly says 'Hey I just got laid!'

  As for her, she's put together like she's got money, and lots of it. Black heels, black dress, beautiful long black hair and wearing jewelry that probably cost more than a year’s worth of rent for me.

  "Hello!" She answers in a fake sweet voice, a light accent in her tone. "I'm looking for Grayson Demonte." Of course she was.

  Remembering I was in his apartment and it would probably be rude to just slam the door in this chick’s face, I try to calm down. As I turn to yell at Grayson to come to the door I see him rushing into the hall.

  "LIV DON'T ANSWER THE—" his face falls as his eyes land on the woman in front of me.

  "Oh! I forgot to introduce myself!" She sticks out her left hand, on which her ring finger is sporting a rock that would make Beyoncé jealous. "My name is Serafina, I'm Grayson's fiancé."

  Chapter 17

  You know those moments in a movie where something that changes everything happens and they freeze frame for a few seconds.

  No one breathes.

  No one blinks.

  A moment stuck in time.

  I had always thought it was a brilliant trick of the movie industry—until I experienced it for myself.

  Liv's mouth, still swollen from hundreds of my kisses, stays slightly open in shock. Her hands balled into tight little fists holding onto the cuffs of my too large hoodie that's drowning her small frame. Serafina's hand outstretched with my grandma's ring sparkling in the entryway light. An evil grin pulls up her blood red lips. My dumb ass, frozen in the hallway, absolutely unsure of what the fuck I'm going to be able to do to fix this fuckery.

  Serafina glances over at me, breaking the trance.

  "Clearly you've been missing me immensely my dear," her voice drips with the sickly sweet venomous tone she had surprised me with after her betrayal. At her words Liv flips around.

  "Liv, it's not—"

  "Oh don't even bother trying Grayson," Serafina pushes past Liv, pulling a black suitcase in from the hallway behind her. "You had your fun, but now I'm home. It's time to send your little whore back to where she came from and prepare for the wedding."

  "Shut the fuck up Sera." My voice comes out as more of a growl as I try to maintain some semblance of control. I head for Liv but as I reach out for her she ducks my arms, shaking her head and rushing back to my bedroom. Thank God she's not leaving.

  "Get the fuck out of my house Serafina." My anger turns fully towards her smiling face.

  "House?" an exaggerated laugh escapes her as she looks around. "Sweetheart, your tiny apartment funded by your father is far from a house. But don't worry, as soon as the marriage is complete your father has promised us a real home. Away from this place and it's," her eyes bounce behind me as her hand runs across my chest, "classy residents."

  Pushing her hand away, I turn to find Liv standing behind me, still in my hoodie with her phone in her hand. Without a word she tries to slip by me but I reach out and grab her hand.

  "Liv please," I try to meet her eyes but she avoids looking at me, "let me explain."

  "Let me go Grayson." The words leave her mouth so quietly I can barely hear her. I instantly let her go.

  "Baby, it’s not—she's not—" she holds her hand up to halt my rambling.

  "fFancé?" Liv asks Serafina, not me.

  "NO!" I exclaim. "We were, but it's over, she—" she holds her hand up again.

  "I'm sorry to be the one to have to inform you, Liv is it?" Serafina looks Liv up and down. "Pretty name for a basic girl, but I guess when you're just looking to get off, looks don't matter huh babe?" Serafina tries to wrap her arm around my waist as she speaks but I push her arm away.

  Instead of taking offense she just laughs again. "Aw just like the old days, just reversed now. It's okay my love. I cheated on you—you cheat on me. I believe we are even now."

  Liv's eyes move back and forth, watching the shit show that is unfolding. "Now please, take the trash out so I can fill you in on what your mother and I have planned for our engagement reception next week."

  Serafina waves and begins pulling her suitcase down the hall. My brain has completely stopped fucking functioning as I look at her and back to Liv.

  "Queen—"

  "Fuck you Grayson," she looks me dead in the eye as she says it, hurt and anger coating every syllable. I reach for her again but the look on her face has me quickly retracting my hand. "Please, just—" she pauses as tears fill her eyes, every fiber of my being wants to pull her into my arms and hold her until the pain stops. A million words rush around my head that I need to say to tell her how wrong this all is and how much I need her. How much I love her. A single tear falls from her eye, and my hand twitches with the need to wipe it away. But she starts backing up.

  She takes a deep breath and wipes the tear with the sleeve of my hoodie. "Just leave me alone, for good Grayson. I want nothing to do with this," she waves towards where Serafina has walked off to.

  "Liviana," her name falls out of me on a whisper as she exits my apartment, gently closing the door behind her. In a second my hand is on the handle, ready to chase her, ready to stop her. But her words float through my head and stop me. I wait to hear her door across the hall close but no sound comes. I don't know where she would run to but I pray it's to Jenna and that Dax has gotten her to listen.

  "Oh Grayson, I need to wash these sheets, where is the washer?" Serafina's question comes down the hall, the sound of her voice releasing my anger, without a thought my fist meets the door. I should probably feel the pain in my hand but all I feel is a stabbing pain in my chest. My back hits the door and I slide down, resting my face in my hands.

  What the fuck am I going to do?

  The vibration of his slammed fist sends shocks through my body as my back presses against the door. I don't know what I had expected
. Him to come after me, hold me and tell me it was all a terrible misunderstanding?

  I guess he had tried and I had pushed him away. But all I wanted right now was to feel his strong arms around me while he whispered in my ear that everything that had just happened wasn't real.

  As the minutes ticked by it became clear that he wasn't going to even try. Which I guess answered most of the questions I had. Wiping away the runaway tears with the sleeve of his hoodie, I stand and pull out my phone. A bunch of missed calls from Jenna and Dax.

  Was Jenna in on this whole thing to?

  Shaking my head clear of the thought I stand up and head for my apartment. Jenna had been my rock for years, there was no way. My brain was clearly just fried. But as I enter our living room I glance around and quickly note that she is not there...that means she's still with him. Pulling out my phone again I send her a text, might as well just ask. Seconds later I get a reply.

  1 New Message

  Jenna: I'm with D, we are coming, it's not what you think.

  Or I could be wrong.

  I enter my room and through blurry eyes the first thing I see is my duffle bag in the corner.

  Without a second thought I start throwing my stuff into it. Cell phone charger, a couple changes of clothes, and my makeup bag.

  Catching a glance of myself in the mirror I realize I look like a crazy person with my hair even more wild than normal and tear stained cheeks. Quickly heading to my bathroom I splash water on my face and brush through my hair before throwing it back up into a pony.

  I slide Grayson's hoodie off and quickly throw on a pair of joggers and another hoodie. After slipping into some sandals I grab the duffle, my purse, and my car keys.

  A text notification comes through on my phone, without looking at who it is I just turn it off and slide it into my bag. With a final look around I stuff Grayson's hoodie into my bag and sling it over my shoulder.

  As I step into the hallway I hear the arguing coming from across the hall. Unable to make out words just enough to be able to tell they are both pissed.

  Not my problem. I force myself to walk by. And without a backwards glance I head out of the building.

  She shut off her fucking phone.

  As the annoying ass voice of the automated recording fills my ears again I chuck my cell across my room. Grimacing as I hear it shatter as it hits the floor.

  Fucking great.

  Not even bothering to walk over to pick up the pieces I end up face down on my bed. Serafina's voice ringing in my ears as she talks away about meeting with my mother and some dumbass reception they have scheduled. Of course my father didn't give me the time he promised.

  "WHERE IS THE BITCH? I HAVE A CURB I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE HER TO!" Jenna's voice shouts down the hall as the front door opens.

  Oh, this is going to be a shit show.

  "I feel like I have made quite the impression on your friends." Serafina chuckles as she continues to pull shit out of her suitcase. Not even wanting to waste words on her I just glare and walk out of the room, just in time to see Daxon yanking Jenna away from the hall and into the living room. Jenna looks fucking livid, as I walk into the living room to join them she is in the process of pulling her hair up and trying to duck around Dax.

  "I just wanna talk to her," she glares at me as she notices me in the room. "And you. YOU! WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK GRAYSON?!" Her normally bronzed cheeks are tinted red as she yells at me. Liv had told me she was not someone you wanted to piss off, I definitely believed her now.

  "Babe, breathe," D wraps his arms around her but she has quit trying to get around him now that I am there.

  "I—"

  "NO! Fuck that, I don't even want to hear whatever dumbass excuse you are going to have for hiding A WHOLE ASS WIFE from us!" Instead of heading for Serafina now she is ducking D to get to me.

  He lets her.

  I don't blame him, I deserve whatever she has for me. I look directly at her, meeting her eyes, normally a golden brown—I only know because Daxon talks about them all the fucking time—they are now a menacing shade of black. They soften a bit as she looks at me though, I can't imagine how shitty mine probably look.

  Taking a deep breath she grips my shoulders, tightly. "You two have some serious explaining to do," she glances between the two of us.

  "Interesting company you boys have started to keep," Serafina enters the room with a smug smirk. "This one seems rather...fiesty." Her eyes run up and down Jenna, who's hands tighten even more on my shoulders now. "A far cry from the girls you usually toy with Dax, funny how leaving New York has you both slumming."

  Now it's my turn to hold onto Jenna as she flips around, not that I wouldn't enjoy watching her lay into Serafina and fuck up her ten thousand dollar nose job, I just know the bitch probably has a blade on her somewhere and I don't want Jenna hurt.

  Dax heads over and gently pulls Jenna from my arms and replaces them with his. Tucking her into him he turns to face Serafina.

  "So who do we owe for the pleasure of your company SeraPsycho?" D chuckles as Serafina's eyes land on him full of anger, but she keeps the rest of her Botoxed face under control. Or the Botox does, who knows.

  "Daddy dearest of course," she breezes through the room and plants herself down on the couch, settling in. "He told me you boys were absolutely failing at the job he sent you to do so lucky me, Gray Bae doesn't get out of the wedding he's so naively trying to end." Turning her evil eyes to me she paints a smile on her face. "By this time next month I will be Mrs. Grayson Demonte. No more running, no more backing out. Your deal with your father is over Grayson, he accepted the money from my family. We are now under the protection of the Demonte name. Starting now."

  Chapter 18

  Sofia's arms wrapped around me without a word as soon as the initial shock wore off of opening her front door to my face at 5 o'clock in the morning. Knowing I looked like shit with tear stained cheeks and sleepy eyes, I'm sure I was quite the sight.

  "Sissy, what happened?" her nurturing mom voice brings the tears that I had stamped down, right back to the surface and within seconds I'm a blubbering idiot again. Sof tsks her tongue as she guides me into her house. "Hush now sis, it'll all be okay." Pointing out kids' toys on the floor to step over, my big sister leads me into her living room and sits me down on the couch.

  "Sof, who was at the door this early?" Ryan's voice whispers down the hall as he stumbles in, clearly sleepy as hell but he smiles as his eyes land on me. The smile quickly fades as he takes in my sadness. Seconds later, he too is hugging me.

  When I had packed my bags I had fully planned on just getting a hotel in town and staying for a few days while I sorted out my thoughts. But as my drive around lead me to realize how many memories I had made with the boys in such a short amount of time I quickly realized I needed out. And the only place I had to go was my sister's place back in Arizona.

  The five hour drive had given me enough time to think about how I was going to apologize for barging out on her after she had tried to help take care of me after our mother died, how to make up for not speaking to her for the past three years. But right now, with her sitting next to me and rubbing my back, I knew, even with words unspoken, that I was forgiven. Because that's just who my sister was. A beautiful girl with a heart of gold, and truly the closest thing I had to a mom.

  Ryan gives me one last gentle squeeze before placing a kiss on Sofia's forehead and heading back down the hall, clearly giving us space to talk. He had always been a gentleman, I could see nothing had changed.

  Sof leans back a bit and wipes an errant tear off my cheek. "Well, I can tell what brought you here isn't good, but it's great to see you again baby bear." My childhood nickname tugs at my heartstrings, deepening my guilt but making me feel at home all at the same time. "Now tell me, what boy has you crying on my door step at sunrise?" A smile spreads across her face as she grabs my hands. Even through my tears a small chuckle escapes me. Funny how she knows me so well.

  "Oh
I fucked up Sof," I mumble, sniffling. I roll my eyes up to the ceiling. "Like royally fucked up this time."

  "What do you mean?" She reaches across her coffee table to grab me a tissue.

  "I fell in love." Wiping my face, I meet her eyes and notice the questioning tilt of her head.

  "Well that's not so bad bear," laughing a bit, she continues to rub small circles on my back.

  "It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't pretty positive that his family was some kind of mafia family, and if I hadn't been at his apartment when his fiancé showed up to claim her husband. Oh and mind you this fiancé is also the same woman who caused him to crash after a car chase a while ago, and said crash landed him in the hospital for months. OH MY GOD I LEFT JENNA WITH THE MAFIA!" Sofia's eyes widen as I stand up and head for the door, before I can reach it though Sof's hand tugs me back.

  "Liv, breathe," ever so calm my Sofia is. "Jenna is...well she's Jenna, if anything they should be worried you left them with her." I can feel the smile tug at my lips because, well true. "Now come sit down and tell me how the hell you got yourself into this mess." We settle back into the couch as Ryan brings us both in cups of coffee and sits next to Sofia.

  "Can I hear this story about the mafia man?" he asks as he wraps an arm around her shoulders. I stick my tongue out at him but nod, getting a small laugh from him.

  I take a sip of my coffee and then a deep breath. "Well, it all started with a game of beer pong..."

  "If you don't get her out of this apartment, I am going to cut her," Jenna whispers into my ear as Serafina begins laying out the deal her father made with ours. Grayson's attention is so far away I'm positive he can't hear a word she is saying. He looks like he got socked in the stomach—he keeps hunching over into himself. His eyes sunken in and dried blood on his knuckles from punching something. Dude was not doing ok.

  And for the first time, I could understand. While things with Jenna and I had started out as a convenient fuck buddy, I had figured out quick that she was a down ass chick and while maybe not the head over heels love Grayson seemed to be in, I was definitely catching feelings for her. The thought of her running away made my stomach turn, so I knew Gray was hurting.