by T L Swan
I frown. “Simon, my Simon. Since when have you and Simon been close?” I didn’t even know that they knew each other.
“He’s been coming to the prison and we got to know each other,” he replies.
“Oh,” I answer. I did not expect that combo of friends. Mr Nerd meets Mr Bad Boy—what a combination.
“Simon told me you are marrying the psycho,” he snaps.
I bite my lip as I start to fume. I can just imagine those two gossipy bitches on a Joshua-sledging fest.
“Yep!” I snap. “I can’t wait.” Don’t give me your attitude, dickhead. I’m not in the mood.
“Natasha. You can’t be serious?” he growls.
I screw up my face. “What?” I snap.
“Natasha, he isn’t good for you!” he replies angrily.
“What?” I shake my head in frustration. “Oh and you are?” I sneer. This guy is pissing me off.
“Yeah, I was a lot better than him. Money isn’t everything you know,” he scoffs.
I roll my eyes at Adrian and he smiles broadly. He’s loving this.
“Listen Jesten, I was hoping we could be friends but I am marrying Joshua because I love him and it has nothing to do with money and you and he are never going to get along so let’s just leave it at that. Ok?”
“When’s the wedding?” he asks.
“Ten weeks,” I reply.
“We’ll see,” he murmurs almost to himself.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snap.
“You won’t fucking marry him!” he screams.
“Yes Jesten, I will,” I reply coldly.
“Are you in LA?” he asks.
“Yes, where do you think I am?” I scoff. What’s with the twenty questions?
He stays silent on the phone as he thinks.
“I have to go. I’m out to dinner with a friend,” I reply.
“What friend?” he asks.
“Adrian, you know my friend Adrian,” I reply.
“No,” he snaps. “Who is he?”
I roll my eyes. Now he’s getting jealous of Adrian.
“Goodbye Jesten.”
“Tash, don’t go,” he whispers in a panicked voice. “I think I love you. I can’t stop thinking about you… and about what we could be together. Come back to me.”
My heart drops. Jesten and I did have a connection and the truth is I am sad that we can’t even be friends. “Jes,” I whisper. “Don’t.”
“Please,” he begs.
“Jes, I’m not the girl for you. I’m in love with another man. You and I were just friends. I would like it if we could stay friends.”
He stays silent and I know I have to get off the phone.
“Bye Jes, take care.”
I wait on the phone for a reply but again silence and I slowly hang up.
I put my head in my hands. God, I hate hurting people’s feelings.
“Tough huh?” Adrian asks.
I pick up my drink and drain the glass.
“Who was he again?” Adrian asks.
“You know that prison warden guy who cage-fights with Joshua, the one who told me to think of him while I had sex with Joshua.”
Adrian bubbles up a chuckle. “Oh yeah, the dude with the big balls.”
I smile. “That is pretty tough, hey.”
Adrian widens his eyes. “I thought Joshua was seriously going to kill him that night.”
I nod as I shovel another corn chip into my mouth. “Yeah well, they had another couple of fights after that as well.”
“When?” Adrian frowns.
“At the fight ring and then again one night at my house.”
Adrian frowns. “Your house, what the hell? I didn’t hear about this.”
I shake my head, why did I mention that? “Jes and I became really good friends in that time Joshua and I were apart and he came around one night professing his love and Joshua turned up in the middle of it and Joshua lost his shit”.
Adrian nods as he sips his drink. “So Jesten is your Amelie?”
I smile sadly. “Yeah I suppose he is, I haven’t thought of it before but that’s exactly what he is.”
I frown as I think. “Please explain to me why Joshua hates Amelie so much?” I shake my head. “I thought they were friends and he is just so mean to her.”
Adrian holds my eyes. “She is fatal fucking attraction that’s why.”
I frown and hold up my arm for more drinks. “What do you mean?” I ask.
“She won’t let go. She is trying to make Joshua go back to her.”
I frown, huh? This is news.
“What do you mean?”
“Well when Joshua gave her the money he just wanted her to go away but she just won’t. She has turned up at his polo games and she started going out with the LA clique so she could see him when she was out.”
I frown, money… what money? I need to play along and trick Adrian into thinking I already know this. When would he have given her money? My eyes widen in realisation—when he gave me the money. Joshua paid two divorce settlements, not one. I start to hear my pulse in my ears and fury fills me.
I act uninterested and continue shovelling food into my mouth. “This is when he paid me and her the money?” I murmur with my mouth full.
“Yes,” Adrian replies, thinking I already know this. “The twenty-million guilt money.”
What!
“Fuck off. He gave her twenty million dollars!” I snap furiously.
Adrian’s eyes widen in horror. “You didn’t know this?” he whispers, mortified that he has just opened his mouth.
“No, I didn’t know this.” I look around angrily. “Where’s our fucking drinks?” I snap.
“Oh my god, don’t you say anything,” Adrian whispers as his face falls. “He will kill me.”
I narrow my eyes. “No, of course not,” I snap. “As if. You swapped sides of the friendship fence, remember.”
He drains his glass and rolls his eyes at his predicament.
“Do you mean to tell me that that bitch took twenty million dollars and she can’t afford a fucking horse paddock?” I scoff. What a hide.
Adrian shakes his head. “You don’t know the half of it. She’s trying to buy a farm next to Willowvale.”
I frown. “Why?”
“She’s so deluded that she thinks that if she is around Joshua he will see what he’s missing and go to her with open arms,” he replies. “Joshua gave her that money because he felt guilty taking the life from her that she was used to. The mansion, the horses.” He shakes his head in disgust.
The waitress arrives with the tray of drinks and I take mine gratefully. “Thank you,” I murmur, deep in thought.
“Cameron thinks she’s unstable.”
I frown again. “Why?”
He shakes his head. “She just does weird things.”
“Like what?” I ask.
He looks around as he thinks. “I don’t know. At first she would just turn up at his office all the time crying and shit and then when Ben stepped in and wouldn’t let her get access to Joshua she started sending him naked pictures of herself.”
I sit back in my chair uneasily. “Go on,” I reply in a monotone.
He sits forward and looks around to see if anyone can hear us. “You can’t tell anyone this shit.”
“Go on,” I snap.
“She started sending him movies of her masturbating and getting herself off.”
I screw up my face in horror.
“In some movies she was in his horse stables, naked on his horse saddles, with massive dildos and crazy sex toys.”
“She’s trying to tap into his kink,” I whisper to myself.
“Yep totally,” Adrian whispers.
“What the hell! That is unstable behaviour,” I whisper, mortified. My mind goes to him acting like a lunatic in the horse stables that day. I don’t blame him. He thinks if he gives her an inch she will take a mile. Why didn’t he just tell me this?
“He
ended up getting a restraining order put on her,” he replies.
“Is she on any meds?” I ask.
Adrian shrugs. “Since we have got back from Australia there has been nothing. I think now that you’re here she realises it’s all over and he won’t tolerate her shit anymore.”
“God, we know some bizarre people don’t we?” I sigh.
“Yeah, I do feel a bit sorry for her.” He shrugs.
I frown. “How come?”
“Even though she was such a bitch to all of us, she really did love Joshua, and he has only ever loved you.”
My heart hurts for her. I know how it feels to go crazy over this man. There were times when I felt like I couldn’t breathe if I couldn’t have him.“God, Adrian, what a nightmare.” I sigh.
He shrugs. “She’s harmless.”
I nod. “Well that’s a good explanation of why he hates her.” I smile broadly. “Not what I expected but a very good reason.”
I pick up Adrian’s phone as I feel the alcohol start to pump through my blood.
“Let’s ring Nicholas.” I smirk.
“Let’s not.” Adrian smiles into his drink.
I scroll though his numbers until I get to the name and dial the number. Adrian doesn’t stop me so I’m thinking he secretly wants me to do this. It answers first ring.
“Hello, Adrian,” Nicholas answers hopefully and I put my hand on my heart and close my eyes in a happy gesture.
“Nicholas, it’s me Natasha,” I reply.
Adrian covers his face with his hands.
“Oh, hello, Natasha. Is everything alright?” he asks gently.
“Everything is great.” I smile as the waitress brings us more drinks. Holy shit, I need to stop, I’m feeling very tipsy. “I’m having dinner with my dear friend Adrian.” I reach over and grab his hand over the table and he takes it in his and picks it up and kisses the back of it. I smile broadly. “We thought we would ring and just say hello. So hello.” I giggle.
I can hear him smiling over the phone. “Hello,” he replies.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“I’m just coming back from my run,” he replies. “It’s early morning here.”
“Are you in Australia?” I ask. “Not France?”
“No, Australia. I don’t go to my French house that much anymore,” he replies.
I hold my hand over the phone. “He’s in Australia,” I whisper to Adrian loudly and he nods and smiles. “Adrian and I are drinking margaritas.” I laugh.
“I can tell.” He replies cheekily.
“Would you like to speak to Adrian?” I ask.
“That would be nice,” he replies and once again I put my hand over my heart as if to swoon. “I will put him on.” I hand the phone to Adrian and he blows out a breath nervously.
“Hello Nicholas.” He listens for a moment and then smiles broadly. “Yes,” he replies. “Have you?” Nicholas just told him that he has been thinking of him, I just know it, and I start feeling very proud of myself. I’m the matchmaker master. I should charge for my services. I don’t want Adrian to feel self-conscious by me listening, so who can I ring? Mum. I pull out my phone and scroll through to the Ms and I dial the number.
It nearly rings out and then a familiar voice that isn’t Mum’s answers.
“Hello, Natasha,” the soft sad voice says.
I frown and then look at my screen. Margaret. Oh shit, I’ve rang Margaret by mistake.
I screw up my face. “Hello, Margaret.”
She stays silent.
“I thought I would just ring you and check on you,” I lie.
“Thank you, dear, I’m ok,” she replies quietly.
I frown and by the tone of her voice I can tell that she’s not, and I instantly feel uneasy.
“Where are you?” I ask.
She stays silent. “Does it matter?” she answers.
“Yes,” I answer and for the first time since this whole thing has come to life I find myself actually thinking of what this woman must be going through alone. “I’m in a hotel in LA,” she whispers.
I frown. “LA,” I repeat. Why would she be in LA? And then her words come into my head: This man is dangerous and my life will be in danger if this comes out.
More silence.
My alcoholic fog instantly dissipates. “Margaret, are you scared of James Brennan? Is that why you are in LA?” I ask.
More silence… and unfortunately the silence is speaking to me more than words at the moment. Adrian frowns at me as he overhears my conversation
“Give me your hotel address. I am coming to see you,” I reply.
“No, please Natasha, don’t tell anyone I am here. I’m alright,” she whispers.
“I am not with Joshua. He is out with the boys. I will come alone. Actually I’m with Adrian. We are coming over, so give me the address.”
She thinks for a moment. “I will text you the address. Please don’t say anything,” she begs.
“You have my word,” I reply.
Chapter 17
Joshua
I sit in the restaurant surrounded by my family—the men in my family. We are eating before we make our way to the Lakers game. There’s an elephant in the room and its name is paternity. Wilson and I have not spoken at all about the news that we are not Stantons. If we acknowledge it… then we have to believe it. What does that mean for the only family we know? Wilson and I are on either side of our father and Scott and Cameron are seated opposite us at the round table.
“Boys, I want to talk to you about this news that has just come to light,” my father replies.
My eyes drop—I don’t.
“I do too,” Cameron adds.
Both my eyes and Wilson’s meet across the table and he instantly tears up. My father grabs our hands. “This doesn’t change anything between us. The four of you are all my sons and you will stay my sons. We have been dealt a situation that is… not ideal… but it will only hurt us if you let it.” My eyes rise to meet Cameron’s across the table.
“Fatherhood is not semen… or sex. I think it is raising a son who is a good person, a son I love.”
I drop my head again as I listen.
“Can we just try to forget this news and carry on as if we don’t know it?” he asks. “It doesn’t change anything so why acknowledge it?”
Cameron and Scott nod their heads.
“I’m choosing to ignore this news. I have four sons and nothing at all has changed and I want to know if anything has changed for any of you?” he asks. “And if it has, how can I help you?”
Cameron shakes his head. “Definitely nothing’s changed,” he replies. “It could have been any of us. In fact I wish it was me instead of you two because I think I could have handled it more easily.”
My eyes meet Cameron’s over the table and I smile softly. He would definitely have handled this better than me.
Scott shakes his head. “Of course it doesn’t change anything. You two are still fucking annoying.” He smirks.
We all smile.
I nod. “I would like that,” I reply softly.
“Me too,” Wilson replies.
My father raises his glass in the air. “To the unbreakable Stantons,” he toasts.
I feel my eyes well up as I raise my glass.
“To the unbreakable Stantons,” we all reply.
Natasha
We drive up the street, way off the main strip, and I frown at Adrian.
“Are you sure it’s down here?” Adrian asks the two guards in the front seat.
Max shrugs as he turns to look at us. “That’s the address Tash gave me.”
“Huh,” I mutter as he pulls over to the side of the road.
“It’s there.” He points to a dodgy-looking hotel on the right.
The four of us all frown as we peer out the window at the uninviting premises.
“This is where she’s staying?” I frown.
“Looks like it.” Max sighs as he gets out of the c
ar. We tentatively follow and Adrian grabs my hand in a reassuring gesture. A car of two more guards pulls up behind us and I turn and give them a soft smile. Max’s phone rings.
“Yes,” he answers.
My eyes flick to the car behind us and I see the driver on the phone. He’s ringing to check what the hell we are doing. What are we frigging doing?
“Yes, into the hotel on the right, level 4, room 62,” he replies into the phone as his eyes flick to the car with the person in it who is on the phone.
As we approach the door Adrian takes out a tissue to open it so he doesn’t have to touch the handle and I shake my head at him.
“You’re such a princess,” I scoff, and the guards snicker.
“I can see the germs from here—it’s like a lab experiment,” he whispers.
We walk into the unattended foyer and the elevator isn’t working so we walk over to the stairs at the side of the foyer.
“I don’t like this,” Max whispers to the other guard. “This could be a trap.”
I screw up my face. “Oh for Pete’s sake, this is Margaret you wimps! Stop watching too many horror films.” I shake my head in disgust at my three yellow companions. “You boys are snobs,” I whisper.
Adrian smiles broadly. “Oh and you’re so gangster.”
I giggle. “Well somebody around here has to be,” I whisper.
Max shakes his head at me and puts his hand on his gun under his jacket and I roll my eyes. Now I’ve seen it all. We continue up the darkened stairs until we get to the fourth floor and find the room we are after, and I frown at Adrian.
“This is weird,” he whispers.
I nod. “I know, right.” And I knock gently on the door.
“Come in,” Margaret’s sad voice calls.Adrian and I exchange looks and frown. Shit, she’s really here. I was hoping I had the address wrong. Max steps in front of me and opens the door and nods at Margaret.
“I just need to check the room, Ma’am,” he says sternly.
She drops her head and nods.
Oh my god, my heart drops. I have never seen her like this. She is in a tracksuit with no makeup. Her hair is undone and she is deathly pale. She sits alone and broken on the small single bed.
“Is there a bathroom?” Max asks.
“No,” she answers quietly and Adrian drops his head in pity. Fuck.
