This Time Around: A Second Chance Romance (Finding Love in Scotland Series Book 2)

by Gina Azzi

  “Where would Everly be? Did you get into a fight?”

  “We had a conversation last night, one we started and never finished. I was supposed to pick her up for breakfast today so we could talk but she’s not answering my calls or responding to my messages so…”

  “So?”

  “I think she flew back to Tennessee.”

  “When Liv’s sick?”

  “She doesn’t know it’s meningitis. Just that Liv had a fever last night. I’m worried about her, Finn.”

  “Liv or Everly?”

  “Both. I’m so goddamned worried I feel sick.”

  “I’ll swing by Everly’s flat to check in on her. What’s going on, Aar?”

  Hanging my head, I close my eyes, trying to sort out my own jumbled thoughts and quell the rage burning me from the inside out. My daughter has meningitis. I fucked up. Corey hurt Everly. He put his hands on her and marked her and broke her heart and probably a hell of a lot more than I even know.

  Kate wants to live in Spain with a musician she’s known for a year instead of raising her daughter. When the hell did that happen? How could I have fucked up so many things, not seen what the hell was really happening, in such a short amount of time?

  “Aaron?” Finn prompts.

  “She’s hurt.”

  “Who?”

  “Everly.”

  “What happened?”

  “He’s going to hurt her again.”

  “Aar, start at the beginning.”

  Dropping my head back, I stare at his ceiling. “Things between Everly and me developed quickly.”

  “Aye. Just a few months. But that’s more likely when you have a history, which you guys do, and when you’re older.”

  I narrow my gaze and he shrugs. “I’m not being a bawbag about it. When you’re in your thirties, you usually know more about what you want in a partner and the type of lifestyle you’re looking for than when you’re twenty-five.”

  “I guess. Things escalated quickly, and aye, we have history. But there have been several, I don’t know, moments, when I felt like I was missing an important piece of the puzzle. Like there was something important I wasn’t seeing. Or, fuck, I was seeing it but not admitting what the hell it all meant.”

  “Is this about what I said at the pub? Are you pissed because of what I said about Kate?”

  “No, I’m pissed because I didn’t trust my gut the way I should have. And now, Everly’s running back to him because she’s scared for me and Liv.”

  “To who?” my brother practically growls.

  “Her ex-boyfriend.” I force myself to look at my brother. “He hurts her, Finn.”

  Since I’m staring right at him, I see as the confusion in his eyes fades to surprise and then flickers with unbridled fury. “No fucking way.”

  Rolling my shoulders forward, my left knee bounces up and down, and it’s all I can do to stay seated, to tell Finn everything I know. “That first day, when I saw her at The Fringe, she said she was here ‘hiding out.’” I quote her words. “And we laughed it off. But then, at the hospital, the doctor wanted to speak to her privately about her X-rays and left her his card.” I pause, other memories, moments that caused me a flicker of unease, come rushing back. “There have been times when she was jumpy, jittery. She’s got these fucking scars…” I shudder, digging my fingers into my eyes to try to erase the image of burn marks on Everly’s inner thigh.

  Why didn’t I press her harder to confide in me that night? Why did I wait?

  Because she asked you to trust her.

  But doesn’t trusting her also mean recognizing when she needs me to be more than a comforting presence? To know when she’s not okay?

  “What?” Finn asks, his teeth clenched.

  “There are marks on her inner thigh. Like a fucking cigarette. He burned her, Finn. And now, she’s gone.”

  “Are you sure? I’m going to go by her flat, mate. I promise.”

  Tapping my head against the wall behind me, I nod. “She’s gone back to Nashville.”

  “And now you can’t leave.”

  “My number one priority is my daughter. It always will be.”

  20

  Everly

  Landing at Nashville International Airport, I feel dead inside. Not just numb, but like a corpse. I know he’s waiting for me, and I know I need to pull myself together before I step off the plane, but on the inside I have nothing left to give.

  The horror in Aaron’s eyes when I admitted, out loud, that I let Corey hit me chafes against my memory, causing shame to line my stomach. And then he offered to handle everything with me, to make decisions together. He truly believed that we could take on Corey Hughes and somehow win. The corners of my mouth turn up at the thought.

  But I know better than to believe in miracles.

  Corey Hughes always wins.

  And he destroys everything and everyone on his path to victory.

  Glancing at my phone, I leave it turned off. The truth is any messages from Aaron will scrape at my fresh heartache and the lack of any messages will hurt just as badly. Either way, I lose.

  Ducking into the first-class bathroom before I exit the plane, I pull out my makeup bag and fix my face. Puffy from crying, pale from heartbreak, I look awful. But as luck would have it, I’m a master with a makeup brush, and I quickly transform myself into Nashville’s own sunny and free-spirited Everly Pierce. Slipping studs into my ears, clasping my signature strands of beads around my neck, and donning a boho chic sweater that falls off one-shoulder, I look like any other woman after an international flight, tired but not depressed.

  Cheers to small miracles.

  Shouldering my bag, I take a deep breath and exit the aircraft, grinning at the people I pass on my way to baggage claim.

  “Oh my God! Everly Pierce, we love you!”

  “Is that Everly Pierce?”

  “Her single, ‘Mending Broken,’ is everything.”

  “She looks so skinny. Do you think she does yoga?”

  Entering baggage claim, my eyes spot him immediately.

  Where the hell is Addison?

  Standing front and center, with a few paparazzi bumbling about, Corey’s holding a sign that reads “welcome home love.” My heart sinks because the “love” is a dig at Aaron. He’s going to make me pay.

  His eyes meet mine and spark to life, a malicious twist to his mouth.

  He’s going to make me pay, and he’s going to enjoy it.

  “There’s my girl! I missed you, love,” he calls out, pausing as a few cameras flash. Passing his sign off to whomever stands beside him, he strides to me with long, purposeful steps, pulling me into his arms and smashing his mouth against mine.

  Cheers and whistles erupt around us. Flashes blink like a strobe light against my eyelids. Frozen with emptiness, Corey molds my body into his, nipping at my bottom lip with more zest than necessary. I wince and he grins.

  “Did you miss me as much as I missed you?” he asks, but I hear the threat behind his words.

  When I don’t respond, he pinches my skin underneath my sweater until I nod.

  “She’s speechless,” Corey announces, laughing, the crowd following his lead.

  His fingers dig sharper into my side until I’m grinning like a cartoon character, fake and plastic and overkill for the scene.

  Corey leads me over to the baggage carousel and snaps his fingers at someone to gather my suitcases. Linking my fingers in his, he pulls me toward the exit, grinning for the cameras, for the people.

  Panic begins to swell in my throat, entering my chest and squeezing against my organs until I think I’m going to explode. Black floaters appear in my line of vision.

  Stop being his stupid puppet. Don’t let him pull all the strings.

  You’ve spent three months rebuilding yourself.

  Don’t collapse now.

  “You landed early! I’m so happy you’re back.” Addison swoops into the airport, squealing as she throws her arms around me an
d pulls me from Corey’s clasp. “We have so much to discuss for your Grand Ole Opry performance, and then there’s your tour. Girl, do we have to get to work!” Addison speaks louder than normal, putting on a show for the cameras, pulling me from Corey without drawing suspicion. But under the thin veneer of her cheerfulness, I hear the concern. I note the daggers her eyes shoot at Corey.

  “Come on, Addi. Everly’s exhausted; she needs to come home and rest.” Corey steps forward. “Jet lag is —”

  “Part of the career of a country artist.” Addi links her arm with mine, pulling me toward the exit. “Y’all can drop her suitcases in my car over here.” She ushers me along, settling me into the front seat of her car and talking a mile a minute to all the people surrounding us because of the attention Corey’s drawn.

  His mouth twists, his eyes emitting pure hatred.

  Offering him a small wave, I slip on a pair of sunglasses and close the passenger door. Addison slides into the driver’s seat and flips the ignition. “You good, babe?”

  “Doing the best I can.” I admit, staring out the windshield. “Thanks for coming.”

  “As if I’d let Corey pick you up from the airport. There’s no way you’d be able to avoid him with so many curious eyes on y’all.”

  Plucking at my lower lip, I nod. “Now what?”

  “Now, you gear up for your performance. You kick ass on tour. And you get the closure you need.”

  “Everly?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m so sorry, babe. I have to take this meeting. It’s with this new duet who is making some serious waves. Leo and Lila, have you heard of them?”

  “Nope.” I respond, walking into Addison’s kitchen. “Thanks.” I grin at the mug of coffee she passes me. “But I’ll check them out.”

  “You should. I think you’d really like their sound. Anyway, I’m meeting them at the office. I’m so sorry, I canceled all my other meetings for today and —”

  “Addison, stop. You can’t cancel your life just because I’m back. You should keep your work commitments. Honestly. You’ve already taken too much time off.”

  “Says you!” Addison laughs before pausing. She leans her hip against the kitchen counter and studies me. “You’re different, Everly.”

  “I miss Aaron.”

  “I know, babe. But you’re also stronger.”

  Nodding, I sip the coffee. “That’s what I keep telling myself. Today, I turn on my phone and face reality again.”

  “You haven’t turned on your phone yet? Everly, it’s been three days!”

  “I know. But you know how well I do denial.”

  Addison snorts, shaking her head. “Can I pick anything up for you on my way back?”

  “Nope, I’m good. I think I’ll head to the gym for a bit. See if Mark is there for a training session.”

  “You think that’s a good idea?” Addison shoulders her purse, but her eyes stay trained on me.

  I shrug. “I can’t quit living my life either.”

  “I know. Just, be careful, okay?”

  “I will. Have a good meeting, Addi.”

  The clip of her heels echoes as she walks to the front door and slips outside, locking the door behind her.

  I spend some time lounging in the living room, drinking my coffee, and thinking about Aaron. And Olivia. I hope she’s feeling better by now. I really need to turn on my phone and get in touch with Aaron. Let him know that this is for the best. That I need to confront Corey on my own in order to move forward with my life.

  Jesus, how did I make such a mess of things?

  Forcing myself to change into workout gear, I toss a pair of headphones and my phone into a gym bag, promising myself that I’ll reach out to Aaron after my workout. Just need to clear my head first.

  Stepping out into the breezeway of Addi’s apartment, he moves faster than I ever gave him credit for.

  “Where’re you heading, love?” Corey’s voice causes me to jump as I swing an arm in his direction. He chuckles, gripping my upper arm easily and using his other hand to catch the door before it can close behind me. “The gym? That’s probably for the best, you’ve gained weight while playing house.”

  “Let me go or I’ll scream.” I tug at my arm.

  Corey chuckles, clucking his tongue. “Come on, babe. We both know Addison left thirty minutes ago for a meeting. Leo and Lila are becoming a famous duet around here; she’d be stupid to pass up the opportunity.”

  “You planned it, didn’t you?”

  Corey shrugs.

  Opening my mouth, I let out a piercing scream just as Corey shoves me backward, through the open door and into Addison’s apartment. Stepping inside, he kicks the door closed behind him and leans against it. Folding his arms across his chest and crossing his ankles, he grins down at me, a wicked glint in his eyes. “We’re going to play a game.”

  “Fuck you.” I spit out from my place on the floor, scrambling to stand again.

  “Ah, I see you’re time abroad as made you feisty again. Just think how much fun it will be for me to break you once more.”

  Retreating, I look around for my bag, desperate to get to my phone.

  Why the hell hadn’t I turned it on yet?

  Why didn’t I have it in my hand in case I needed to make an emergency call?

  “You used to be smarter than this, Everly.” Corey chides, guessing at my thoughts. “You got lazy in Scotland.”

  Not lazy. Safe. I felt safe in Scotland and I let my guard down.

  Stupid, stupid, stupid.

  Taking a deep breath, I square my shoulders and remind myself that I can do this. I’ve spent the past three months building myself up. And countless months before that in therapy. I can confront Corey. I can take back my independence, my worth, my life. “It’s good you’re here, Corey. We should talk.”

  His grin grows as his eyes narrow. “Talk? Okay. Do you remember the rules Everly? For every lie you tell, I’ll —"

  “Coffee?” I ask, keeping my tone flat as I walk into the kitchen and pour two mugs.

  End this. Stand up for yourself. Don’t let him get in your head. Don’t let him take your control. My therapist’s voice sounds in my head and I know I can do this; I can stand up to Corey.

  “Have to give you a consequence.” He continues, following me into the kitchen, undeterred.

  I sigh, leaning against the counter, the candlestick holders I bought Addison for Christmas last year at my back. “No game and no more rules, Corey. I’m no longer playing. We’re over, done. I didn’t come back for you.”

  “We’ll never be done, Everly. Surely, you must know that.” He cocks his head to the side, looking at me like I’m daft.

  Every muscle in my body fires to life at his proximity, at his unwavering glance.

  “Our careers are too intertwined.” He steps closer, his pace slow, his voice deceptively soft. “Our lives enmeshed.” He stops a few feet from me and pauses, letting out a long exhale. “I missed you, babe. Now, are you still planning to have a career, or are you too caught up in playing house with a man who will never love you the way I do?”

  “Aaron loves me more than you can comprehend,” I spit out, taking the bait.

  Corey’s hand is lightning fast when it connects with my cheek. The burn races through my body like adrenaline, spurring me on, even though I know better. Clenching my teeth, they rattle in my mouth, my eyes smarting with tears.

  Don’t let him get in your head, Everly.

  “I’m sure he’d move on quickly if you keep packing on the pounds like this.” His hand drops to my waist and pinches my side. “I’ll call Mark. We’ll get you in for two sessions a day until you look relatively fuckable again.”

  “Fuck you, Corey.”

  This time, his fist connects with my stomach and I hunch forward, winded. It hurts, my god, does it hurt. But the physical pain Corey inflicts almost soothes the hurt my heart is grappling to process.

  Almost.

  “You know better than
this, baby. Why do you do this to me? Question how much I love you all the time? You make things so difficult when they could be so perfect between us. We’ll never be done. I’ll never let you go. Ever. You made it hard enough with disappearing to Scotland, but even there, I found you.” His fingers circle my wrist as he tugs me into his frame.

  Wrapping his arms around me, the scent of his cologne mixed with the gin on his breath burns my nose. Vomit. I want to vomit. Struggling against him, I try to lift my knee to connect with his groin.

  He chuckles, slamming my back against the counter and grasping both of my wrists in his large hand.

  Over his shoulder, my gaze connects with Addison’s mantle. With the framed photo of us from an awards ceremony.

  I can do this. I can end it. Reclaim my life.

  “How-how do you know so much about my time in Edinburgh?”

  “Oh, baby, for such a smart woman, sometimes you really are stupid.” Corey’s mouth lifts in a lop-sided grin, his eyes glinting. “Think, sweetheart. How would I know about your comings and goings? Have the stock of photos I do? Who would know that information and be able to send it to me? Hmm?”

  “Dan.” The name leaves me on a strangled whisper.

  “Good girl. Took you long enough to sort that one out. Then again, you always were a bit slow.”

  My heart stutters in my chest as a new wave of betrayal washes over me. How didn’t I realize it sooner? Of course it was Dan. There is no one in my professional life, save for Addison, that Corey hasn’t won over.

  Corey’s free hand strokes up and down my right side, his fingertips grazing over the scar he marked me with years ago. “I missed you, Ev.”

  In my peripheral vision, I glance at the heavy candlesticks. If I can just get my hand on one. Stay calm, stay focused.

  My body stiffens, unyielding under Corey’s touch as my mind focuses on what I need to do. I will no longer be a willing victim in Corey’s sick charade. I will fight for myself.

  I will fight.