by Ace Gray
My jaw damn near hit the floor. He said he’d missed me, but it didn’t seem to have much depth.
“To see you stand up for him today…” Her voice trailed off and she smiled. “I hope you’re part of my family someday.”
I almost choked on the emotion growing thick in my throat. “Ari, you’ve got to stop. Your brother would kill you.”
“Nah.” She waved me off. “You’d reign him in with that special way you have. You handle him well.”
“I don’t handle him.” I couldn’t stop shaking my head. For some inexplicable reason it unnerved me to think we were both in too deep. I had to redirect. “Ari are you OK? I mean, really OK?”
“Yeah. Laura’s words brought up a lot of bad memories but I have a lot of practice bouncing back.”
She flashed a megawatt smile that reminded me of Nick’s most disarming one, and I couldn’t help that a matching grin pulled across my face.
I plodded back down the stairs, wishing I’d just gone to the office. Laura sat on the couch, picking and biting at her nails. She stood when my heels hit the floor.
“Kate, I’m so sorry. Really. I’ve been dying down here. Is Aribella OK?”
I rubbed my temples. “She will be. You hit a serious nerve.”
“I’m incredibly sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, least of all you. You never told me…” Her puppy dog eyes were so pathetic I couldn’t be too angry.
“Because I don’t know what it is. Nicholas tells me all the time that people around him get hurt. Apparently that’s why he pushed me away in the beginning. But that’s all I know.”
“That doesn’t bother you?”
“Of course it fucking bothers me, but what am I suppose to do? Badger information out of him?” I crossed my arms as I continued. “He has to want to tell me. He has to trust me enough to spill it. I can’t push this relationship to another level, and I’m smart enough to know that. If he can’t really be with me, or be honest with me, then there isn’t much of a future anyway.”
She studied me closely. “Do you really feel that way? If you’re serious, I guess I’ll butt out.”
“Thank you.”
“I just don’t want you to be the only one bending. You’ll bend until you break. I feel like you’re going to give him a second and third and fourth and fifth chance. If you know your limits and promise to stick to them, I’ll let it be.”
“This is you butting out?”
The look that passed between us spoke volumes. All was forgiven, but she knew I needed some breathing room.
“I’m going to grab my stuff from upstairs. Will you be home tonight?”
“I hadn’t given it much thought.”
I have to be without Nick. I have to sleep without Nick.
My chest constricted. This place would be too big and too sad without his presence filling the space.
“I’ll be there.”
“Good.” She kissed my cheek and set off to the bedroom.
When she returned, I had my bag in hand and we left together with the whole security circus in tow. Even though we didn’t speak, I was glad she was there when I stepped out into the crowd after yesterday’s events. The doorman hailed a cab for her as I walked to my waiting car. She yelled from where she stood, “I’m-sorry-pizza later?” I couldn’t say no so I smiled, nodded, and folded into the backseat.
My day was long and frustrating; I’d learned the hard way that any day without Bryant was. Jaime was reading the Times on the couch in my office when I let out a gritty growl. He looked up with a creased brow and cocked his head.
“Is a run through the park on my list of approved activities?” I asked, making no attempt to veil my feelings about having a prescribed list.
“Begrudgingly, yes.”
“Can you gather everyone?”
I was busy finishing some notes with my head down and could sense he hadn’t moved. After a few moments I looked up. Jaime had removed his ever-present sunglasses and was playing with them nervously in his hands.
“Is there a problem, Jaime?“
“No, it’s just, I…” He was fumbling for words.
“Whatever it is, it’s fine.” I softened slightly.
“I’m so sorry for yesterday. I’m ashamed. I’ve done this for twenty years, and nothing like that has ever happened. And Trevor was part of the secret service. We both feel terrible for what you’ve been through.”
Without thinking, I rounded my desk and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. “Thank you, but you have nothing to apologize for. I blame no one but her for yesterday, and you shouldn’t either.”
I dropped my arms and walked toward the bathroom. “Fifteen minutes?”
“Of course.” He smiled and left the room.
I was looking forward to a run. It would afford me more sorry pizza. Laura had gone all out and ordered two types of pizza, traditional New York pepperoni as well as a pineapple, jalapeño, and Canadian bacon. She told me all about her morning; this story was a doozy. She’d been seeing this guy for a little while—well, seeing was a generous term. We’d texted about him once or twice. They’d had sex on every surface of my apartment, his, and one random one they’d viewed as Laura searched for a new place.
I made a mental note to request a deep clean from my housekeeper.
They’d been wrapped up in each other this morning when he got a call. He’d answered it while she was laying across his chest. She hadn’t been listening to the conversation but registered his soft, sweet laughs while he was on the phone. He was so calm and relaxed, but the second he hung up he all but shoved her out of bed. The scatter of pillows and blankets covered the entire floor. She’d barely gotten her clothes on before a knock at the door had him pushing her out the fire escape. I could actually picture her ranting to a closed window before he shut the curtains. She’d finished dressing on the ledge and scaled down the narrow ladder.
I told her as much as I could about my relationship but found myself shying away from the more intimate details of Nick and I together. I didn’t want her knowing every aspect of something so personal, particularly because it was becoming so intense. I shoved the uneasy feeling that fact gave me away.
We both went to bed earlier than planned; I slept for a few hours before a phone rang, more in my dream than anything else. Then the sound changed to incessant knocking at my bedroom door. I rubbed at the sleep in my eyes and my brain tried to adjust to my surroundings. My apartment felt unfamiliar; my eyes searched for the MetLife building through the windows to orient myself even though I knew it wasn’t my view.
“Ms. Elliott?” Colton called from the other side of the door.
“One…one second,” I muttered back.
I got up and stumbled to the door, knowing full well that I looked like a hot mess. I opened the door and found myself squinting through one eye into the bright hallway.
“Is everything OK, Colton?”
“Yes, everything’s fine, but…”
“But, it’s a little after 3am. Why did you wake me?” I was quickly losing my patience.
“Mr. Bryant would like to speak to you.” He held out his phone; my heart leapt slightly in my chest. I all but snatched the cell.
“Hi.” I tried not to sound too breathy.
“Give Colton back his phone and answer yours when I call this time.” Nick hung up.
“Thanks, Colton. Sorry, and goodnight.”
I turned and shut the door as my phone started ringing. I reached for the bedside table and grabbed my phone on the second ring.
“Nick, baby,” I breathed into the phone.
“Oh, that hurts.”
“Are you OK?” Maybe something was wrong.
“No,” he purred. “Listening to your bedtime voice, imagining you in some sheer T-shirt, all while calling me baby? I’ve never wanted to be with you so badly. I’m hard right now.”
My breath caught in my throat; without hesitating I whispered, “I want you. I want you here.”
“I’m never leaving you again.”
“Good.”
“Why aren’t you at my place?”
“It seemed weird being there without you. Empty.” I hadn’t meant to moan as I said it.
“You’re killing me.”
“Where are you?” I wanted to talk dirty to him.
“I just arrived at my factory.”
“Would it be wildly inappropriate to tell you that just the sound of your voice makes me wet?”
“Kate…”
“You make me want to touch myself. I’m going to pull on my nipples, flick them back and forth. Twist and pull and…”
“Stop. I’m getting out of the car.”
“I wish it were you. I want your hands on me.”
“You’ve proved your point.”
“I’m not trying to prove a point,” I groaned.
“I’ll call you later. Keep your phone on you, OK?”
“No, Nick.” It was a strangled moan.
“Keep your phone on you.” He growled before the line went dead.
I wished he’d never gone. In bed I stared at the ceiling for a long time. His voice danced against my ear, haunting my thoughts. My eyelids got heavy but I didn’t remember closing them when the sun lit up the room.
My body was stiff and disoriented when I woke. I couldn’t remember what I dreamt about but it hung in the air and unsettled me. There was a weird feeling dancing in the pit of my stomach.
I threw on the first thing I saw in my closet. Trevor had coffee waiting for me but it tasted weird. Burnt. I couldn’t explain it but everything seemed off. I tried to call Nick, he didn’t answer. It was the end of the workday in Hong Kong, and I doubted he’d be out of touch. When Jaime said they’d spoken a few minutes ago, I was irritated further.
At Vesper, I went down to Brennan’s office and reviewed the newest designs for the device. I was looking at printouts, still disappointed in the shape and the style. I wanted to rip the sheets of paper in half and had to consciously steady my hands.
“Brennan,” I sighed.
“I know.”
“What the hell am I suppose to do? No one can make this happen.”
“They’re working within the parameters they know exist. Bryant’s chip is still a rumor on the market.”
I flippantly threw the papers down on his desk. “OK, fine. I want everyone to submit a design without constraints. Design what I want, not what’s available.”
“The whole ‘if you build it they will come’ idea.”
“Yes. Call a meeting as soon as possible.”
“Not a problem, boss.”
Brennan busied himself while I went back to my office, answering calls and emails furiously. My head hurt from my crinkled brow and deep frown. Gemma offered me lunch around one, but I sourly turned her away. My phone buzzed as she scampered out.
Nick.
“What in the hell are you doing at one in the morning?” I snapped angrily.
“Good afternoon to you, too.” Nick sounded as grouchy as me.
“You can call Jaime in the morning, but not me?”
“I had to make sure you were OK, and I had to find out the status on Ally. We were brief to say the least.”
“And a conversation with me couldn’t be brief?”
“This one might be,” he said bluntly.
“Fine.”
I hung up. It took him almost five minutes to call back.
“Are you ready to act like an adult?” He asked before I could even speak.
I hung back up. Apparently I wasn’t. The phone rang again, and I was able to shove my temper down into my stomach.
“How about now?” His voice was a menacing rumble.
“I suppose.”
“I was calling because I miss you. A lot.” He stayed gruff.
“I miss you too.” I was only slightly less acidic.
“We don’t do well apart.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“Oh?” Curiosity beat out his sarcasm, but only just slightly.
“Ari was running her mouth about our time apart the other day.”
“And?”
“Forget it.” I wanted to slap him rather than go through the sweet things Ari said. “Has the trip been successful?”
“Parts of it. We should schedule a meeting for Monday or Tuesday to discuss distribution of the chips.”
“I’ll transfer you to Gemma.”
“Kate, I don’t want to talk to Gemma. I can’t sleep and all I wanted was to talk to you. I was hoping to hear you smile across the phone. Maybe hear what you’d do to me if I were there. I close my eyes and see you on my bed the other night.” He’d managed to shift to sultry.
“Nick, I can’t.” Longing replaced my temper.
“Come on.” Disappointment was thick in his voice.
“Look, today has just been really…weird. I can’t explain it, but it has me on edge. I’m sorry.” I let my head sink into my hand.
He softened completely. “It’s OK, Sweets. Are you OK? You want to talk about it?”
“There’s nothing to say really. When do you get on a plane?”
“Thirty-six hours give or take.”
“Can’t you come home sooner?”
“No. I have meetings all day and they’re followed by an important dinner. I’d be there now if I could.”
“I know.” I let out a heavy sigh.
“Do you still love me?” Based on that tone, I guessed his eyes would be a mix of gray and blue, so unsure.
“Of course.” I answered unequivocally.
“Then I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
The line clicked dead and I sighed. This whole day was just shit. I prayed a run would fix it; once again Jaime reluctantly agreed.
31.
Every step was jarring. I stumbled off a curb; my whole rhythm was wrong. I tried to pay attention to the afternoon light and the changing leaves but my mind wouldn’t settle. Why was today so different? I was deep in thought and consumed with jitters as we ran down a small hill.
When the path curved back to the right, everything changed in the length of a heartbeat. Suddenly I was flying sideways, my feet no longer on the ground, courtesy of a freight train-like tackle. My body made a loud thud and the sickening crunch against the concrete and I skidded across it like a skipping stone. The fabric of my tights ripped and scrapes split across my bare skin just before my head cracked against the pavement. The heavy weight on top of me made it hard to breathe. Voices shouted all around me—voices I recognized. The metallic click of a gun being cocked echoed louder than them all.
But I still couldn’t process what was happening.
The heavy weight was still pressing on my chest when I pried my eyes open and focused. Ally was sitting on my chest pressing cold steel against my forehead. Why hadn’t Jaime, Trevor, or Colton gotten her off of me? My eyes shifted ever so slightly; what I saw made me swallow in fear. Todd was standing with a gun pointed directly at an unarmed Jaime. It was only the six of us in a secluded corner of the park.
Before I could say anything or defend myself, Ally struck across my face with the gun she was holding. It crunched against my cheek, making the most sickening sound against my teeth, then heat bloomed across my face. All three men stepped forward instinctively. Todd responded by cocking his weapon.
“Don’t,” he bellowed.
Blood trickled hot and metallic from my lip. Why hadn’t anyone spotted us? This was New York fucking City. Someone had to be on the same path. Why wasn’t help coming?
“You stupid whore.” Ally’s cry pierced the air. “You ruined everything. Absolutely everything!”
My eyes snapped back to the gun barrel. It drifted away from my skin when she spoke. I had to keep her talking, then maybe she would shift further and I could defend myself. Or it would buy Jaime time to figure something out. I was about to ask a question when she continued.
“I had a promising career,” she shrieked. “I was goi
ng to get him your stupid company, and he was going to let me run it. I was going to do it so much better than you!” She was even more shrill. “I was going to get the life in designer clothes, the society pages, and his penthouse.”
She shoved the gun harder against my skin. I couldn’t breathe. Nick filled my mind; our moments together and all the times yet to come.
“I was going to have him,” she bellowed. “He was going to wake up and realize I was everything he wanted and more. Smart, savvy, sophisticated, sexy, all things you’ll never be. He would’ve fallen in love with me if I could’ve followed through with my plan.”
“What?” Todd questioned but I couldn’t take my eyes off the gun barrel. “You were in love with Bryant all this time?” Now he was yelling too.
“Get over yourself, Todd. I’ve known all along you wanted this skinny bitch and I never complained. We simply had mutual interests.”
Her eyes narrowed further. Mine widened when shoes shuffled on the pavement. I couldn’t see Jaime out of my peripheral vision anymore, and from the grunts and thuds I guessed two people were tussling.
The next few things happened so quickly I couldn’t quite process them. Colton ran toward us; he lunged and plowed Ally off me. The cool metal of the gun left my skin as the two rolled once or twice back down the path. I saw Jaime tangle with Todd, wrestling for the gun, just before someone got a talon-like grip on my shoulders and pulled. Trevor drug me to my feet as sirens filled the park.
Jaime pulled the gun from Todd’s hands and pinned him to the grass. I was having trouble getting my legs to work; I couldn’t turn nor could I see Ally and Colton anymore. Blackness was edging my vision, making an odd tunneled view of things. Without warning Trevor grasped my waist and spun me around. I was going to throw up. When two gunshots rang out, I did. A third shot followed a moment later and Ally’s horrified screams filled the air.
Slowly it registered that Trevor was dragging me to the ground. There was an odd wheezing, sputtering sound coming from somewhere. What was going on? Was that my ragged breathing? I looked to Jaime and Colton for answers. They were barreling toward us and barking frantic orders to a crowd that had miraculously materialized. Trevor fell backward at the same time I braced myself to heave.
