by Nola Marie
“Josephine we are still engaged,” he snarls at me. “You are my fiancé.”
“The fuck she is. Josie and you are done.”
“Josie?” Robert smirks. “She hates being called Josie.”
“Unless I’m the one saying it you fucking dumbass.”
Robert’s smirk falls as he realizes the truth behind Angel’s words. I see his fists curl while I feel the muscles in Angel’s arms and chest flex and ripple in anxious tension. I squeeze his arm in an effort to soothe him. “Robert, we are done. I left the city without telling you. I left the ring for you to find. I haven’t returned any of your calls or texts. I am with Angel now.”
“He’s your rebound,” he says flippantly like I couldn’t possibly feel anything for someone other than him.
“In order for him to be a rebound, I would have to have loved you in the first place. I’m sorry if that sounds cold, but the truth is, I have always loved Angel. That will never change.”
His face contorts in anger. Redness creeps up to his scalp. He takes another step forward, this time Angel pulls me behind him, handing me off to Ryder, who I didn’t even realize was standing there.
The two men stand toe to toe. Robert is bigger than Angel but he’s nowhere near as volatile as I remember my best friend being. I don’t think Robert would know how to throw a punch if he wanted to, but he’s one of those guys that automatically thinks his size means he’s tougher or meaner or whatever it is that guys think.
I lean forward a bit, peeking around Angel as much as Ryder’s grip will allow. I see that familiar glimmer in Angel’s eyes. The way the tendons in his neck throb. The way his shoulders coil. Lithe and ripped. A snake ready to strike.
“I don’t want to disrespect my father by kicking your ass in his backyard, but if you don’t back the fuck up, I will end you right here,” Angel tells him.
“Angel,” I say softly but loudly enough for him to hear, “please don’t.”
I see his head turn slightly in my direction. He’s listening to me while watching Robert. “I won’t if he doesn’t give me a reason, Baby,” he answers my plea.
“Robert, you should go,” I call out. “This is Angel’s father’s house. This is entire thing is for him and his band. You should never have come.”
“Your mother invited me,” he says as his shoulder begin to slump.
“She shouldn’t have. She overstepped.”
He starts to talk again, but I cut him off. “Let’s go find Lily,” I grab Angel’s arm.
I watch as the tension in his body melts. He turns away from Robert and we walk away in search of his little sister.
Cami, Lily, and I sit around the pool giggling over nothing at all. The weight of the world feels like it has been lifted from my shoulders. The afternoon has been absolutely amazing.
I notice Cami watching Dane’s every move with a smile. They keep saying they’re just friends, but she doesn’t look at him like she looks at the other guys. I just keep my mouth shut.
The other little missy beside me, though? Her I will say something to. I don’t know who she was looking for when we first arrived, but she seems to have long forgotten him in favor of ogling a certain hot road manager. I can’t blame her. Any woman that didn’t feel the need to ogle Liam would have to be dead because a lack of a pulse would be the only logical explanation. I just hope Lily realizes Liam is too old for her. Fifteen years too old.
I turn to her to say something when a shadow falls over us. “Josephine, can we talk?” my father’s voice calls out.
I look up to see him standing a couple of feet from me. His eyes the exact shade of my own plead with me. I excuse myself from Cami and Lily as I stand to follow my father.
We wind our way through the crowd of people until we’re standing on the boardwalk heading toward the water.
“Josephine, I – I don’t even know what to say to you. I’m sorry doesn’t feel like it’s enough, but I wanted you to know that I am not guilty of all the things I’m accused.”
I scoff with doubt. “The evidence is pretty solid against you, Dad,” I charge.
“Josephine, the only thing I am guilty of is tax fraud. I did that and I have admitted that. I didn’t do the other things.”
“I find that hard to believe,” I cross my arms over my chest.
“You know better than anyone how many different documents that crossed my desk also crossed many others. As far as I knew, every project was being developed. You worked on many of those plans yourself. It was a case of not being as involved in my company as I should’ve been.”
I gape at him in disbelief and anger. “Are you accusing me? Are you the reason they are investigating me?
“Josephine, no. I told them you would never do anything like that. I told them you were innocent of all this mess. I just wanted you to hear my side. I wanted my beautiful daughter, of whom I am so damn proud, to know the truth.” His eyes glisten with unshed tears.
“You’re proud of me?” my voice cracks with emotion.
“Baby girl, I have never been prouder of you than I am right now. Do you think I didn’t know how much you hated working at the firm? I knew, Josephine, but I let your mother bully you just like those kids you went to school with.”
I suck in a breath. A few tears spill over from my eyes. “You knew about that?”
“I did, but I knew it would get worse if I stepped in. At least, where other kids were concerned. I knew Angel stayed in trouble because he was always taking up for you. The damn kid nearly got expelled twice his senior year over you. Hell, Michael paid a small fortune in medical bills over that Jason kid when he sent him to the emergency room. I didn’t do anything about that, but I should’ve stepped in when your mother pushed so hard for you to join the firm. You’re probably the best architect I’ve ever seen but I know it’s not where your heart lies.”
Tears are now flowing freely down both my face and my dad’s. I wrap my arms around him letting my tears soak his shirt. We stand there for a while, finding comfort in the truth.
“I love you, Daddy,” I whisper into his chest.
“I love you more my beautiful girl. Don’t you ever forget that.”
We spend a few more minutes talking and laughing before I go in search of Angel. I round the corner to the kitchen and my heart splinters and shatters into a million pieces. Pieces that had only recently put themselves back together.
The saying, history repeats itself flies through my mind as I watch the scene before me. The two seconds I watch as Erica presses her mouth to Angel’s feel like an eternity.
I clasp my hand over my mouth to stop the sob that falls from me. I turn to make my way back outside quickly as my feet will carry me, until I bump into a wall of solid muscle. “Whoa, Beautiful. Where’s the fire?” I look up to Maddox, not really seeing him at all. “Josephine, are you okay? You look like you’re about to be sick.”
I shake myself out of my stupor. I let the fire of anger fill my veins. “I’m fine,” I tell him brusquely.
I move to go around him, but he blocks my path with his big body. “You sure? Because you don’t seem fine,” his keen, observant eyes search my face. It makes me wonder how much more Maddox would see of people if his head was clear.
“Perfectly,” I snap, not caring in the slightest that my tone is rude, rough, and cold.
“Yeah. Right,” he says doubtfully as his face hardens against my tone. “Angel? Have you seen him?”
“Why don’t you try the kitchen,” I snarl then walk around him. I call a cab and make my way through the gated driveway without a word to anyone.
Angel
Song
Never Be the Same
Dane and Ryder are rambling on about something I’m not even hearing as I watch Josie with my sister and Cami by the pool. Her long legs dipped into the heated water of the pool are distracting as fuck.
“Dude you are so done,” Dane laughs as I turn to him with my bottle of Corona up to my lips.
&
nbsp; “What?” I ask in confusion.
“He’s right, Mate. You are totally gone.”
I have been gone over Josie most of my life. I don’t say that though. I just smirk as I turn my attention back to her. She is following her dad now, heading toward the board walk. I start to follow, still worried about her being cornered by her parents, but a very un – fucking – invited guest catches my eye.
“What the hell?” I mutter lowly.
“What’s up?” Dane questions looking at me with worry.
I shake my head, shrugging him off. “Nothing. Just some trash I see. I’ll be right back.”
I make my way through the throng of people, mumbling apologies as I bump into a few, but I don’t take my eyes off the blonde walking through my dad’s backyard like she belongs here. When I reach her, I grip her arm firmly to lead her out of sight as quickly as possible.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I hiss as we walk inside the house.
“I missed you, Angel. Didn’t you miss me?” she coos in the way she’s always done. The way that grates my nerves at the moment. The way that I never realized until this moment, that I had to be high or drunk to tolerate. As I think about it, I realize with an internal laugh that I was always high when I was with her. Not one moment of our time together in high school or the two years after college was I sober for long when she was around.
“Are you really that fucking stupid, Erica? No, I didn’t miss you. I haven’t missed you a single day since I threw your ass out. In fact, lately, I’ve kind of had the strong urge to wrap my hands around your throat and watch the life fade in your eyes.” My tone is harsh and menacing but being the complete psychopath I never realized she was, it doesn’t affect her whatsoever.
“But we were so good together, Baby,” she says running her hand up my chest. I take a step back to get the hell away from her.
“We weren’t good together, Erica. I was basically a functioning alcoholic and addict and you – I don’t even know what you were. Why don’t you go crawl back under the rock you live under?”
She wraps her finger around that bleach blond flirtatiously. At least, I’m sure that’s what she intends it to be. It only makes me feel sick. Sick that I ever touched her. Sick that because of her, I lost so much time with Josie.
“Let me ask you something, Erica. Do you remember the first time we fucked?”
Her glassy eyes light up as she tries to move closer. I hold up a hand, warning her to stay where she is. Once again, she doesn’t get the message. I don’t think I ever realized how stupid she is. “Oh, I remember. It was the beginning of you and me.”
“Why did you delete Josie’s text that she was coming over?”
I watch her split second falter. Not enough for anyone else to notice but I see it. With clear eyes and a clear mind, I see her clearly. More clearly than I ever have. But she recovers just as quickly. “I have no idea what you are talking about. Since when are you so worried about Josephine? You haven’t seen or spoken to her since we were in high school.”
“Since that night to be specific,” I acknowledge. “At least, until a couple of months ago. Don’t pretend like you don’t know she’s here.”
“I didn’t know,” she lies. She’s always lying. “I just received a message that you were here. I needed to see you. I want you back Angel.”
“That must be some grade A, premium blow you’re snorting if you thought that was a possibility,” I laugh incredulously.
“Let me remind you,” she says. Then before I can stop her, she presses her hands to my chest and lips to my mouth.
I grip her wrists and push her off with a little more force than necessary. “You really have lost your fucking mind,” I growl as I try to wipe the taste of her from my mouth.
“Come on, Angel. You know she can’t give you what I can,” she scoffs at my rejection.
“You know what, Erica? You’re right. She gives me so much fucking more. Stop pretending you didn’t know that the entire time I was with you I was in love with her.”
She moves to slap me. I grab her hand with gritted teeth. “I’ve never laid a finger on you or any other woman, but you should not push me, Erica. Go back to Jason. You both deserve each other.”
“What the hell is going on in here?” Maddox’s voice vibrates through the tension filled kitchen.
“Just dealing with the trash,” I tell him.
“We need to talk. Now,” he tells me looking at Erica with disgust.
“You have a son,” Erica calls out as I begin to follow Maddox. “I had a baby and it’s yours.”
Maddox freezes looking at me in utter shock. I just laugh. I know better. “If you’d had a baby that was mine, you’re gold-digging ass would’ve come after me long ago,” I tell her, “but we can go do a paternity test right now to solve the problem.” She pales and clamps her mouth shut. “That’s what I thought.”
I follow Maddox out of the kitchen. “What’s going on?”
“A whole lot more than I realized before I saw you in that kitchen.”
My eyes narrow. “What are you talking about?”
“Josie,” he says. “First, I know who got Danny to give her that contract, but you’ve got bigger problems than that.”
“Bigger than that?” I ask suspiciously.
He nods looking concerned, frustrated, and a little pale. The look on his faces makes sweat pop up on the back of my neck. I have the most sickening feeling I know where this is going, and it’s not good.
“When I was coming in here to find you, I bumped into Josie running like she couldn’t leave fast enough.”
“Shit,” I say pushing my hand through my hair. “Fuck, fuck. Did she say anything?”
“Not at first. She was in a daze but then she seemed pissed. Like really, really pissed. She told me I could find you in the kitchen.”
“No, no, no. Not this fucking shit again,” I yell. “Goddammit.”
“What did she see, Angel?” Maddox asks me almost accusingly.
“She saw Erica fucking kiss me, but she must not have stayed long enough to see me shove her off.”
“You’ve got to go after her, man. Explain it to her.”
“She’s not going to believe me. Not twice. Goddammit.”
“Well, you may as well know that it was Josie's ex that got Danny to make that contract. I overheard them talking. He was pissed that Danny hasn’t fired her. Danny claimed he only agreed to protect you, but once you opened that door he, couldn’t stop it.”
“Why? Why the fuck can’t I catch a fucking break with her? I just got her back and now I’m going to lose her again.”
“So that’s it?” his face bunches up in anger. “You’re giving up just like that?”
“No, but I have years of proof that getting Josie to listen isn’t as easy as it sounds. Do you know where she went?”
“Not a clue man, but I can bet she’s not here anymore.”
I shake my head. I need a plan but fuck if I know where the hell to even start. All I’ve got is hope that she’s back at the hotel when I get there.
She was gone. I wasn’t surprised. Although, I have no idea how she managed to get back to the hotel so fast much less pack her things to leave and be gone before I could get there. Damn cab driver must’ve had a rocket.
But she left little doubt she was gone. Not with the bright red lipstick message left on the mirror. The words are probably burned into my mind. ‘Fuck you, fuck your band, and fuck me for believing your lies. Hope you’re happy with that bitch.’
She also left me a stiletto punching a hole through a picture of the two of us from a couple of days ago. A few places on the walls suggested she tried to nail it up.
Part of me is angry that she just took off once again without giving me a chance to explain. Given our history, however, I don’t really blame her.
This is so fucked up. Fucked up that Josie saw that again. Fucked up that she ran without letting me explain. Again. And this time I r
eally could have explained with a better answer than I was drunk.
The guys have to convince me nearly every day not to ditch this damn tour and hop the next flight to New York. They all tell me to give her time to cool off. I’m not sure time is the thing Josie needs. It gives her too much time to put emotional and mental distance between us, but I stay because I can’t let the band down.
Eden says she won’t answer her either. She’s so worried, she’s nearly hopped a plane herself. Her fiancé has convinced her to just let Josie cool-off.
So here I am six days later, letting her cool-off. Giving her space. Six days of calling and texting incessantly. (Okay so that’s not giving her space but fuck off.) Six nights of going through the motions on stage, and then fighting the urge to bury myself in whatever bottle, powder, or other mind-numbing substance that always seems to be laying around backstage.
I feel like I am slowly losing my mind. Bit by bit and piece by piece my sanity is slipping away from me. Never mind my heart. It is across the country with her. How I am going to make it four more days, I don’t know.
I come off the stage, making my way to the dressing room without a glance to anyone else. People have kept their distance. They can sense that I’m not just the usual brooding artist right now. I’m pissed. Pissed at the entire situation.
In the dressing room, I’m all but tearing my clothes off. Cami is ducking as I throw them in whatever direction. I walk to the portable wardrobe to retrieve my clothes. I tug them on just a violently.
“I bet I can help you work off some of that rage,” a sickly-sweet voice hums behind me as distinctly feminine hand runs up my back.
I turn to find some plastic Barbie wannabe giving me a seductive smile. I look down to her with a quiet but clear warning. One that either she ignores or the bleach in her hair has eaten away at her brain cells.
“Come over here, Love,” Ryder encourages as another groupie wraps herself around him. “He’s not in the mood to play. Nursing a broken heart and all.”
I toss him a glare. The girl pays absolutely no attention to anything he says as she begins to run her hands up my chest. I direct my glare to her, but she is totally oblivious.