Exclusively Yours (Joe & Ella Book 2)

by Nikki J Summers

  ​When lunchtime came I rose from my desk, grabbed my bag and drifted out of the office full of the joys of spring, or should that be motherhood? I hopped into my little red run around and navigated my way around the bustling city traffic until I was finally heading out towards the lush green countryside to the club. My stereo was cranked up loud and I sang along with Katy Perry at top volume. The traffic Gods were kind to me and I made it to the long drive towards Joe’s club in record time.

  ​The usual sight of workmen, scaffolding and general building materials was absent now. The place looked regal with its glowing chandeliers glinting from inside the breath-taking mansion house, visible from the outside to hint at the opulent splendour that lay within. Silver grey draped curtains hung at every window, and the outside steps were now adorned with lights at the end of each step, to guide the guests on their way once the sun had set, I didn’t need them today though, I knew my way well enough.

  ​The gravel drive looked like it had been swept to a perfect carpet of stones and the water feature outside trickled and pitter-pattered an enchanting musical greeting. This place was amazing, I couldn’t believe Joe had done all this. I took each step up towards the highly polished doors in slow graceful movements, wanting to savour the feel of the place and have time to look around and take it all in from every angle.

  ​Once I got to the top I turned round to look over the gardens and imagine a dark haired little boy or blonde curly haired girl running around there playing in the grass. The thought made me smile and feel the warmth inside. Everything was falling into place. I felt like the luckiest girl alive.

  ​I pushed the heavy front door open to find Josh and a young girl sitting behind the reception desk. Josh was explaining the computer systems to her ahead of their opening, and she looked as timid as a mouse sat behind the huge imposing marble desk. I glanced around before approaching them, it was amazing to think that only months earlier the place had been ravaged by fire. Now it looked perfect, stunning, and not a hint of damage or smoke was evident anywhere.

  ​“Hi Josh, I’ve just popped in to see Joe, it’s okay if I head on down to his office isn’t it?” I said out of courtesy.

  ​“Erm, give me one minute Ella, I just need to double check he’s available for you.” He was visibly jumpy and grabbed for the phone next to him but clumsily dropped the receiver as he tried to pick it up. He grinned over at me in embarrassment as he tried to hide his nerves. What was up with him today? Maybe he was feeling shy around the new receptionist, she was quite pretty. Or could something have gone wrong with the wedding plans? I didn’t want to know!

  ​“You don’t have to check anything Josh I know you’re busy. I’ll just make my way down there I know where I’m going.”

  ​I went to walk down the corridor only for Josh to come bustling from behind the desk and walk out in front of me.

  ​“It’ll only take a minute Ella, please.”

  ​“No.” I barked getting slightly irritated now, and I saw him wince before he stepped aside then followed me as I darted down the corridor towards Joe’s office door.

  ​“You can go now, I’m okay.” I smiled at Josh but he didn’t move. I rolled my eyes and knocked on the door only for Joe to shout, “What, I’m busy!” from the other side.

  ​“Charming!” I huffed as I pushed the door open and almost lost my balance when I saw who was in there with him.

  22

  ​“I tried to ring through to you Joe but she insisted on coming down to you herself.” Josh was panicked. I glared over at him. How dare he make out that I was the imposter in this little ‘situation’! Joe casually brushed him off.

  ​“It’s okay Josh, Ella is always welcome in here anytime. She doesn’t need to be announced.” I wasn’t entirely sure he meant that right now though as I stared across at an immaculately dressed Anna.

  ​She glared back at me, her green eyes full of hate and loathing. She wore a loose fitting A-line summer dress that was pink with white daisies on it, and flowery pastel pink sandals. If it was anyone else I would have complimented them on their pretty outfit, but not her, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything remotely nice to her. I wanted to drag her out of there by her hair and tell her to never come back. She was the proverbial bad penny that kept reappearing to torment me. Not to mention she made me feel utterly drab next to her, in my dark blue shift dress and comfy court shoes.

  ​“Thanks Josh, you can go back to training Tina now.” Joe nodded to Josh. Josh closed the door and Anna turned to Joe.

  ​“Are you going to tell her or shall I?”

  ​“Tell me what?” I spat out looking between the two of them. Joe wasn’t looking at me, he had his hands around his neck and was shaking his head in what appeared to be frustration, but I was having trouble reading this whole situation right now.

  ​“It’s complete bull shit and you know it.” He lurched over to Anna, as he spoke, and you could feel the venom dripping from his words.

  ​“I have proof, even you can’t deny that.”

  ​“Can’t I? I might not remember the night at all, but I remember the morning pretty well and I know for a fact that nothing happened. You’re a crazy woman, mental! You need to get out of my office now before I call someone to have you removed. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer before the end of the day.”

  ​ “That’s fine Joe, doesn’t bother me. Don’t you think she deserves to know the truth though?” She was loving this, grinning across at me with an evil glint in her eye.

  ​She reached into her bag and pulled out a brown envelope and stalked across Joe’s office to where I stood rooted to the spot by the door.

  ​“Don’t you dare!” Joe hissed, but that didn’t stop her.

  ​“Oh get over yourself Joe, you have to learn to live with the consequences of your actions as much as the rest of us.” She snarled.

  ​I ripped the envelope out of her hands and looked inside. Photographs, I was getting pretty sick of seeing threatening and hateful photographs just lately. I pulled them out and my hands started to shake. I tried not to react as I saw pictures of Joe naked in a bed. When they’d been taken I had no idea. I also had no idea whose bed it was so I just took a deep breath and put them back into the envelope.

  ​“Thanks for that. Are you leaving now?” I said trying to appear bored.

  ​“Yes she is.” Joe responded, but Anna only laughed.

  ​“Don’t you want to know whose bed that was? Where he was sleeping and with who?” She shook her head as if she was the righteous one and I was the lying little slut.

  ​“Not really no, you’re boring me now so can you just go…please?” I didn’t like all this one little bit.

  ​“Haven’t you ever wondered what he got up to all those months ago, you know, when you two were ‘on a break’?” She was goading me now. I wouldn’t take the bait.

  ​“Not really no.”

  ​“It’s all complete bullshit lies anyway. You aren’t getting a penny out of me Anna, just fuck off and never come back here again. If you want to speak to me or Ella you can do it through our lawyers.” Joe was fuming, his hands fisted at his sides and his jaw tense.

  ​“Oh OUR lawyers is it now? I don’t think Ella will want there to be an our anything when she hears what I’ve got to tell her.” Anna said spitefully.

  ​“For God’s sake just spit it out then and stop talking in riddles. Maybe then we can all get on with our day!” I shouted.

  ​“Joe stayed with me for the night…at my apartment…when you and he had broken up. One thing led to another and well…you’re a big girl you can figure out the rest without me painting the picture for you.” I looked over to Joe, he was looking straight at me now.

  ​“It’s not true Ella, I went to a bar one night, got totally shit faced and woke up in a strange apartment the day after. I had no idea how I’d got there, but there was nothing and nobody in that apartment, no photos or post, nothing to tell me who it belonge
d to. I left there as soon as I could. I admit I woke up in that bed but nothing happened with anyone that night, I know. I’m one hundred percent sure of it. I’d have known if I’d done something. I hadn’t, honestly. It’s a set up Ella, remember what I said to you Friday night okay baby?”

  ​I nodded, knowing full well this was just Anna’s style. Trick Joe and take pictures of him to torment me later.

  ​“If that’s true why wouldn’t I have come forward months ago to show her? If all I wanted to do was split you two up I could have done that well before now. It wouldn’t have been hard seeing how insecure Ella always is. Why do you think I’ve left it until now? Why do you think Ella?”

  ​I had to agree with her, it seemed strange for her to sit on something like this for so long. The Anna I knew would have been itching to come and tell me, flaunt it in my face months ago.

  ​“Anna, you need to stop this now, I don’t know why you’re doing this but please, just stop it. You’re playing with lives here.” Joe had gone from fury to part begging her now. I was confused.

  ​“Why have you come here today?” I asked in utter confusion.

  ​“Because little Ella, my baby needs a father. I need the support he can give, and he’s not going to get away with this. He needs to face his responsibilities.” Ella smoothed her hands over her stomach and I recoiled in horror as I saw what was hiding under that pretty A-line sundress. A bump, an obvious baby bump. I couldn’t breathe and staggered backwards, one hand on my own flatter belly and one on the door in an attempt to hold myself up.

  ​Joe went to come towards me but I held my hands up.

  ​“Don’t.” I scolded. Anna grinned in satisfaction.

  ​“I’m not the father of your spawn Anna, I have no idea who is but I promise you Ella it’s not me.”

  ​I didn’t know what to believe right now. I was becoming broken, lost and hopeless all at once. Every bit of energy I could muster in my body was concentrating on trying to remember to breathe right now.

  ​“How far along are you?” I asked Anna.

  ​“Just gone five months.” She beamed, opening her handbag and fishing out a scan picture. She held it up for me to see, but I didn’t want to look, I couldn’t. All I could think of was, she was having his first baby, not me. My baby would be second. Did that mean my baby and I would be second best?

  ​She would always have the firsts, first smile, first tooth, first crawl and walk. My baby would be side-lined, what would be so special about the second smile, second tooth? She’d stolen this from me, and my heart was truly breaking now. I could just imagine what life would be like even if he did stay with me. She’d be constantly calling him to go over to hers to tend to the baby or some such emergency. She would use everything in her power to come between us. To destroy our family unit in favour of her own. She would forever be the black cloud hanging over our lives.

  ​“I can’t believe you’re pedalling this bullshit Anna. I will be instructing my lawyers to arrange a paternity test as soon as possible to prove you wrong, and when I do I will sue you for every penny for what you’re doing to us right now. You’ve always been a twisted bitch but I never thought you’d go this far.”

  ​I felt claustrophobic and grabbed my tummy gasping for breath. Anna looked down at my hands and raised an eye brow.

  ​“Got news of your own to share Ella?” She must have sensed the protection I was giving my tummy and I panicked. I had to get away.

  ​I flung the door open and made a run for it down the corridor towards the exit.

  ​“Ella wait, please baby. Don’t run away. It’s not true I promise you. Please stay so that I can talk to you. I’ll throw her out, please just stop. Stay with me.”

  ​I yanked the heavy doors open and ran down the steps outside. As he came to the door I spun around looking up at him.

  ​“No Joe. I won’t stop.” Anna appeared behind him smirking at my pitiful demise, as Joe just pleaded with me like a lost little boy.

  ​“You know what Anna, you’re welcome to him. You’ll probably deal with all the skeletons in his closet a lot better than I ever have. You two deserve each other.”

  ​“Please Ella, don’t do this. I love you. Stay so we can talk.” He begged.

  ​“No, it’s over Joe. Good luck with the baby Anna.” I said staring at her with as much hate as I could muster.

  ​“You too Ella, you’ll need all the help you can get doing it on your own.” She knew I was pregnant too, she as good as admitted it just then, but Joe was such a dumb male he wouldn’t pick up on her subtle innuendo.

  ​He gritted his teeth and went to run down the steps but I jumped into my car. I watched as he grabbed his phone, no doubt to call me, but my fury was so overwhelming that I picked up my mobile and threw it with all the power I could muster at the steps towards where they were standing. It shattered into pieces at Joe’s feet and he opened his mouth in shock as he dropped his hand that held his phone down to his side then glanced back to me.

  ​“No more tracking me, or stalking me. It’s over. I never want to see or hear from you ever again.” I was crying now but I lifted my chin up trying to keep myself from totally crumbling before I’d made my escape.

  ​“Oh and don’t come to find me, I won’t be with Robyn or Chris. In fact I won’t be anywhere that you’ll be able to get to me. I’m getting myself as far away from you and your vile disgusting lifestyle as I can.”

  ​With that I pulled the car door shut and revved the engine. Then I sped off down the drive, the gravel whirling and whipping up in a frenzy, hitting my car in protest. I could hardly see the road through my tears. I wiped them away as fast as I could but more only fell in their place.

  ​I had to get away to somewhere that wasn’t flooded with memories of him. Somewhere I could heal and care for myself and this new little life inside me. I sat back taking deep breaths as I focused on what I had to do.

  ​I didn’t stop off anywhere to collect clothes or toiletries. I didn’t care if I spent the next six months surviving in the clothes I sat in right now. All that mattered was getting to a safe haven. There was only one safe haven in this whole world for me right now and it was miles away, but I would drive there. I would drive through the night if I had to, to get to my haven with peace, love, support and most of all family. Only one person could save me right now. I had to get to my Nanna Jean all the way down by the sea. She’d know what to do. She knew all about babies and single Mums.

  ​Thinking about her calmed my nerves slightly. I knew she wouldn’t judge me, she’d be there to support me through this. She’d already done this once before when I was a baby. Nan and I would be the parents to this child, that my city life could no longer offer. My car weaved and mingled itself into the racing cars on the motorway until it was pointing in the direction it needed to go.

  ​I was dumbfounded. This morning I had been beyond excited about my future, my life with him. Now all I had left was me and my little pea sized bubba. How could a few hours turn your life upside down so spectacularly? TV dramas had nothing on my life since he’d walked into it. Why did I have to meet him? Why did he have to pursue me so relentlessly? Why did I let him make me fall in love with him? Why? Why? Why? Questions were all I had now, questions about my future and no clear answers.

  ​I rubbed my flat belly lovingly.

  ​“I’m sorry little pea but Mummy fucked up, again. I promise you though, that no matter what happens from here on in, you will always have me and Nanna to spoil you rotten with love. We may not be rich like your Daddy but sometimes money isn’t everything. Love is far more important.

  Love and honesty.

  23

  Epilogue

  6 Months Earlier…

  ​How the mighty have fallen. From my well enclosed and private space in a cubicle not far away I can see him slumped over the bar, looking like the sad, pathetic loser he is now. It wasn’t hard to slip the drugs into his drink, not after the sixth double
whiskey chaser anyway. I’m going to savour his downfall as he did mine. I’m going to make it slow and painfully drawn out. I’ll drive him to insanity with the knowledge that I’m after him, somewhere hidden in the shadows. He’ll never know when that final blow will come, but he’ll know his time is up. He’s living on borrowed time, always has been. The sand is draining faster through the glass timer of his life at a rapid rate now. That is all thanks to me. I orchestrated everything. I’m the puppet master now. I control the game.

  ​Like a strategic game of chess, I have everything in place to take out his queen. She doesn’t need to be a part of this, she’s too innocent for a monster like him. He thought he could have a ‘normal’ life, a nice home, money, beautiful girlfriend, but I won’t let that happen. He owes me, and he’s going to pay with everything he’s got.

  ​I give the nod to my two ‘associates’ and they approach him as if they are lifelong friends, nudging him to wake and continue drinking with them. They roll their eyes in playful frustration to the barman and pick him up, one on either side of him, heaving his muscular frame up and out of the bar. No one stops them, why would they? He’s obviously had way too much to drink and should be lucky to have such understanding friends, giving up their night to drag him off home. Only he’s not going home.

  ​I slip out from the cubicle I’ve been sat in, watching it all unfurl and leave the bar unnoticed. Around the corner they have him propped up against a wall. I head to my rented van and swing it down the side of the alley next to the bar. They open the back doors and drag his sorry ass into the back of the van. He groans but doesn’t open his eyes as the back doors shut with a bang.

  ​My two ‘associates’ climb into the front with me and we head to our next destination. She doesn’t even need to be there though, the stage is already set. All I need are the photos, they should be enough to start the next phase of my operation to annihilate him. I couldn’t believe my luck when I approached her to see if she would assist me in my endeavour. The Gods really were on my side when she told me her news. It fitted perfectly. Now all I have to do is set the balls in motion and his world will come crashing down around him.