Red, White and Beautiful (The Red and White Series Book #2)

by Bec Botefuhr

  “I’m not with her!” he snaps.

  “Well, she seems to think so. Your father is holding her back, but it’s only a matter of time before she barges past him.”

  Marcus turns to me, frantically. His eyes dart around the room, then he settles the back onto me.

  “Pick up your things and put them in the top of the cupboard, go!”

  I stare at him in shock, Julie does too. Pack my things? Is he serious? What the hell should I do that for? Surely Chayne won’t come down here? Will she?

  “Did you hear me, Sierra? Put them away.”

  I don’t move, still unsure why he is demanding that I hide my things. I thought he and Chayne were separated, so why should it matter who he’s here with? She shouldn’t be able to just barge into his house and demand to see him. He should be telling her to just get lost, not ordering me around. Seeing that I’m not moving, he turns quickly, shoving my clothes into my suitcase and opening the high cupboard, shoving my things inside before slamming it closed.

  “You need to make yourself disappear until I can get rid of her.”

  My eyes widen. “What?”

  “Sierra, don’t argue with me, just do as I ask.”

  “Marcus! I know you’re not alone! I’m going to take you down! You cheating bastard!” Chayne screams down the hall.

  “Go!” Marcus hisses, shoving me towards the window.

  He’s not fucking serious is he? He wants me to climb out the god damned window? When he opens it and shoves me towards it, I realize that’s exactly what he’s doing.

  “Marcus!” Julie snaps.

  “Just trust me, climb out and stay low. I’ll get rid of her.”

  “You’re hiding me?” I whisper, lifting my leg and hoisting myself up on the window frame.

  “She can’t know about this.”

  Hurt and truly heart broken, I climb out the window. As soon as I hit the dirt below, Marcus slams the window shut. He might as well have crushed my heart in it while he was at it. I listen closely, pressing my face to the faded wood panels of the house as I try to hear what’s happening inside. I can hear Chayne yelling, and I can hear cupboards being slammed and Marcus’ angry voice. A few words come through clear, though.

  “She’s not fucking here, Chayne. Fuck, can’t I even visit my family?”

  “You’re cheating on me, you bastard.”

  “No, I’m not. We’re not together and you know it. We both know exactly why you’re here, you’re trying to get me for something you know I can get you on, so you don’t lose everything.”

  “I’ll find her Marcus, I will get my proof and you will go down with me. I won’t let you ruin my life. I won’t let you ruin everything I have worked for, do you hear me? Now where is she? Where is she?” she screams.

  “I’m not with her,” Marcus snaps.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “I have better things to do with my time,” he hisses.

  That’s enough for me, I turn and storm into the darkness. Hot tears thunder down my cheeks as I rush forward. Splatters of rain hit my cheeks, I didn’t even know it was raining. I swallow over and over, sobbing and jogging into the dark night. I don’t know where I’m going, I have no idea if I’m about to run into a large dam or some animal’s yard. All I can think about, is Marcus’ harsh words. I get that he was saying them because Chayne isn’t meant to know, but the fact that he shoved me out his window, hurt me more than words can ever describe.

  I run past an old barn, by now I’m soaked. I see car lights flash on and I quickly duck down. I watch as Chayne’s car speeds past and flicks rocks as it hammers down the driveway. When she’s out of sight I stand and begin a slower pace as I try to gather my thoughts. I hear Marcus calling my name, but I don’t stop walking. Why should I? He shoved me out his window. That’s something children do, or naughty teenagers, who are about to be busted for sneaking their lover in middle of the night, but it shouldn’t happen with a grown man who can make his own choices.

  “Sierra!” Marcus calls.

  I keep walking. I see a flash light swing past my face and the sound of footsteps quickening.

  “Sierra, stop!”

  I pick up to a run, but I’m not as quick as Marcus. He grips my arm in a matter of seconds and swings me around, causing me to slip in the mud and fall to my ass. I cry out, kicking out and connecting with his shin. He roars in pain and hops a few steps backwards. God damn him for shoving me out a window. How dare he do that, especially after everything we’ve been through. It was wrong and so completely unfair.

  “What the fuck?” he snaps.

  “How could you?” I cry, slamming my hand into the mud. “You shoved me out your window, and then you told her that I was nothing!”

  “I couldn’t tell her about you, do you know what would happen if she knew? I wouldn’t be able to take her down, because she would have the same thing to bring me down.”

  “That’s all this is about, isn’t it?” I scream, standing. I’m covered in mud, but I don’t care. “It’s all about your career and how it will look on you.”

  “I’ve worked my entire life towards this career, Sierra. Do you really expect me to just throw it away?”

  “No,” I snarl. “I didn’t, but I certainly didn’t expect to come second best the way I did tonight. You shoved me out a window, do you really miss how horrible that was?”

  “I had no choice,” he yells, throwing his hands up. The torch flashes around a moment, then settles back by his side.

  “You always have a choice, Marcus, you’re choosing to put me second this way. You didn’t even have to speak to that woman, but you did. You could have walked out of the room, told her to get out and left me inside the window, but you didn’t. You just don’t see it, do you? You don’t see what you’re doing to me? God dammit, Marcus, I’m in love with you and you’re breaking me.”

  I turn and try to storm away, but he grips my shoulder and pulls me backwards.

  “Sierra, stop.”

  “Why should I?” I cry. “You have made it perfectly clear where I stand, and I don’t need it. I’ve had enough to deal with, I don’t need this. You hit the roof when I wanted to take a job with Ben, but when it comes to you I have nothing. I have no part of you, I have no part of any of this.”

  “Bullshit!” He yells. “You’re god damned part of everything. I did that, for you, Sierra. I know what she’ll do if she thinks you’re a threat. I am protecting what I’ve worked hard for, but can you blame me? I am not going to just give it all up to her, I won’t let her take everything I have worked for. But what you’re missing, Sierra, is you’re part of what I worked for. Don’t you understand that, she’s not just going to take my job, she’s going to take you too. I can’t let her do that. I shouldn’t have pushed you out the window, but god, Sierra, I did it because…”

  “Because what?” I rasp.

  “Because I fucking love you too.”

  I make a strangled sobbing sound, and lurch forward. Marcus catches me in his arms and I can feel the mud transfer from my body to his but I don’t care, it feels so good to hear him say those words. I have waited so long to hear him say those words and mean them with his whole heart and the way he just said them, tells me he means them with everything inside him. When my lips find his, I kiss him deeply, roughly, angrily. I wrap my arms around his neck and drag out every sensation in my body, pushing them into him. He groans and tangles his fingers in my hair and presses my body firmly against his.

  “You hurt me,” I murmur against his mouth as I pull away.

  “I know, baby, I wasn’t thinking.”

  I grip his arm and I pinch his skin so hard he leaps back with a curse.

  “Don’t do it again.”

  He’s silent a moment, then he roars with laughter.

  “Did you just abuse me, Sierra?”

  “I did, and if you ever shove me out a window again, I’ll repeat it, twice as hard.”

  He steps forward, wrapping m
e in his arms again.

  “I promise, I’ll never shove you out a window again.”

  I fall silent a moment, and then I rest my head on his chest. We’re drenched and I’m shaking.

  “Come on, let’s get you to the shower,” he murmurs.

  “What are we going to do about Chayne?”

  “I don’t know sweetheart, I truly don’t.”

  “Me either.”

  “We’ll just deal with it as it comes, ok?”

  I nod, and let him take my hand and begin leading me to the house. I hope he’s right, because something deep inside me is warning me that this…is far from over.

  CHAPTER 11

  SIERRA

  “You can’t keep calling me, I said no, Ben.” I snap into the phone as I pace outside the White House waiting for Marcus.

  “You said no because of him,” Ben barks.

  “No, I said no, because I really don’t feel the need to work with you.”

  “Do you honestly believe you’ll ever get another job after losing that one with him?”

  Ouch.

  “Ben, please, I don’t want your job. I’m grateful, I truly am, but…”

  “Just meet me, for five minutes. Please. If you say no at the end of it, I won’t push.”

  “That’s not a wise idea.”

  “Sierra, this is a job opportunity, and a good one. You know that, you’re just ignoring me because of Marcus.”

  “Ben…”

  “Five minutes, it’s all I’m asking. If you say no, I’ll leave it.”

  I look down at my watch, Marcus doesn’t finish for another twenty.

  “You meet me out front of the White House in five minutes, and I’ll speak to you.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  He hangs up and I sigh loudly. He won’t give up until I at least tell him no to his face, and I figure I’m safe enough out the front of the White House. I don’t get a chance to think much longer before a car pulls up and Ben jumps out. I feel an old sting in my heart at the sight of him, but I’m not sure it’s a good one. It’s a painful one, that much I am totally sure about. When he strides over and stops in front of me, I take a weary step back. He smiles, and shakes his head with amusement. I’m glad he thinks my weariness is funny.

  “Sierra, you look gorgeous.”

  “Let’s just get this over with, Ben.”

  He frowns and crosses his arms. His dark grey suit pulls across his hard chest. I swallow and look away, remembering how, at one point, I loved the way he looked.

  “I want you to reconsider my offer, I think you’re being childish saying no and you’re not saying no for yourself, you’re saying no for him.”

  I glare at him and cross my arms. “I am saying no for me, Ben. I don’t think working with you is a good thing. We don’t mesh, we have a past and it would never work.”

  “I’m hardly ever there, it’s not like we’re going to be sleeping next to each other, seriously, Sierra, you’re over thinking this.”

  “I know it’s not a good idea Ben, I’ve known that since you offered it to me. I should have said no then. I won’t change my mind on this.”

  “You’re making a mistake.”

  “The only mistake I ever made, Benjamin, was falling for you.”

  His face softens and he looks pained. “You loved me?”

  “Whatever I felt, is in the past.”

  “Answer me, Sierra. Did you love me?”

  I growl and clench my fists. “Of course I loved you, Ben, trusted you with everything I had and you ruined that for me. You broke it apart and hurt me. I can never go back from that, not now, not ever.”

  A pained look crosses his face, and he steps forward and reaches out. I flinch when his palm rests against my cheek. I close my eyes, forcing myself to take a breath so I won’t punch him clean in the jaw. How dare he act nice and caring now after what he did? Does he honestly think I’m that weak little girl again? I hear the sound of a camera clicking, and I snap my eyes open and turn to see a man with a camera clicking photos. I open my mouth to snarl at him, when Ben is sent flying backwards. It takes me a moment to realize he’s been sent backwards by Marcus’ fist.

  Ben leaps up, charging towards Marcus and ramming his head into his stomach. Marcus stumbles back into the fence and then launches forward. Before he hits Ben, I step in the way, stopping him. His eyes are wild with anger and jealousy, as he wraps an arm around my waist, pulling my back into his chest. I can hear the camera man clicking over and over as he tosses me behind him to lurch forward again. He’s stopped this time by guards, they pull him back and another two show up to grab Ben.

  “Stay away from her!” Marcus barks. “She belongs to me now.”

  “Just admit you’re jealous of me, Marcus Harrison. You know she used to love me, and it burns you that she considered, even for a second, taking a job with me.”

  “She was being nice, but god only knows why. She should have told you right where to go after what you did to her.”

  Ben chuckles. “Think what you like, Marcus, she just admit to me that she used to love me and you heard it, didn’t you?”

  I flinch and wonder if Marcus did hear me admit I used to care for Ben. Honestly though, he used to care for Chayne and he doesn’t now, I don’t understand how it’s any different. The guards bark an order at Ben, and he throws his hands up, backing up towards his car.

  “I know how much it must hurt, knowing your girlfriend just keeps coming back to me. By the way, she asked me to meet her here. Have a good day.”

  Then he gets in his car and leaves. Marcus pulls my arm towards his SUV and shoves me harshly inside before slamming the door. When we’re on the road, he turns to me.

  “Did you ask him to meet you there?”

  “He kept calling me. I was waiting for you and he called me this last time. I told him he could meet me so I could tell him I wasn’t taking the job and to back off.”

  “You couldn’t have told me, so I could deal with it? You went out of your way to meet him, Sierra!”

  “No,” I cry. “I didn’t. It wasn’t like that.”

  “I heard you tell him you used to love him. You let him touch your face.”

  “Fuck, Marcus, I was letting him touch my cheek because if I moved, it was going to be to knock him out and I didn’t that would go down well. Why don’t you trust me?”

  “It’s not you I don’t trust,” he barks.

  “Oh bull. You honestly believe I still have feelings for him. You of all people should understand how it feels, Marcus. You put me next to Chayne for a long time, and you’ve spent weeks trying to convince me she means nothing to you and yet you can’t possibly believe I’m over Ben. I was trying to do the right thing, I was trying to make him understand that it was never going to happen. Do you think if I wanted to see him for my own personal reasons, that I would have done it outside the White House?”

  Marcus drops his head into his hands and his breathing becomes deep and ragged. I put my hand on his back, running my hands up and down.