The Beat and The Pulse Box Set 1

by Amity Cross

  “Fighting for what I want,” she said, jutting her chin out defiantly.

  “What you want?” I threw my hands up into the air, my thoughts going to Violet who was probably having a breakdown someplace. She wasn’t answering my calls, she was just gone, and the thought of her hurting like that…

  “You were wrong to dump me,” Andrea said, getting off the bed and crossing over to me. She reached out for my cock, and I jerked backward.

  “No, I was right,” I scoffed. “Look at yourself, Andrea. Do you think this is normal fuckin’ behavior?”

  “I’m in love with you,” she exclaimed.

  “Love?” I spat. “How can you love someone when you don’t even know them? This isn’t a fucking romance novel, Andrea. I don’t know you.”

  “Lincoln.”

  “I saw the way you looked at her,” I hissed. “Vindictive, jealous and catty. You think they’re loveable qualities? They’re not. Violet is sweet, kind, she listens to me and cares about what I want. I care about her more than I care about myself. All you’re thinking about right now is what you want and fuck anyone else’s feelings. It takes two to be in a relationship, Andrea. Two.”

  Her face contorted into a scowl and she raised her hand to slap me. Just as she was about to strike, I grabbed her wrist.

  “Did you think I’d love someone like you? Did you think this was going to win me over? Breaking into my room and waiting for me, starkers, on my bed?”

  “I had to show you,” she hissed, wrenching her arm from my grasp. “How could you want someone like her. She’s scared of everything. She’s a mouse. She’s not enough for a man like you.”

  “I love her, Andrea. I. Love. Her.” I turned away and ran my hand over my face. ”If you’ve fucked that up for me…”

  “But—”

  “No buts!” I roared, turning to face her. “Get out.” I jabbed my finger toward the door. “Get the fuck out!”

  She began to pull on her clothes hastily, her eyes brimming with tears, but I didn’t give a fuck. She was crazy, absolutely fucking crazy.

  “Lincoln, please.”

  “If I ever see you again… So help me fucking god…” I spat, my jaw tight.

  She snatched up her shoes and purse, her eyes on the floor, and slunk across the room. As the door slammed behind her, I picked up my phone and tried Violet again.

  It went to voicemail as I knew it would, and I left her a message.

  “Vee, where are you? You need to let me explain…” I sighed sharply as I began to pace up and down the length of the room. “I never touched her. She was just…there. Please tell me where you are. I need to know you’re okay.”

  It was a lame excuse of an apology. I fucked Andrea in a moment of weakness, so this mess was all my fault. I was responsible for Violet’s heartbreak. Knowing how hard it must’ve been for her to fly all the way up here, made it even worse. She would be hurting something fierce, absolutely coming apart at the seams. For a woman like her… I smashed my fist against the wall. Fuck!

  If something happened to Violet because of my stupid fucking mistake… I couldn’t live with myself.

  I had to find her and fix this before it was too late.

  35

  Violet

  I woke sometime in the night to knocking at my door.

  Rubbing my puffy eyes, I pulled the blankets back and hesitated as my feet hit the floor. Maybe it was him. Ash had told me not to let him in, and I didn’t want to see him either. Looking down at my purple dress, I sobbed again. It was all crumpled and destroyed…just like I felt.

  The knocking started up again.

  “Violet, it’s Ash. Let me in.”

  Stumbling to my feet, I ran to the door and wrenched it open. A second later, my brother had me in his arms.

  “Oh fuck, Vee,” he said, hugging me tight.

  The door closed behind him, and he guided me back into the room.

  “I’m sorry,” I cried as he coaxed me to sit. “I’m so sorry.”

  “What the fuck?” he exclaimed, holding my shoulders. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry about. Nothing, you hear?”

  “I couldn’t handle it… I… You had to come save me yet again.” Pathetic. I was constantly dragging him down with me. I was a dead weight holding him back.

  “I don’t give a shit. I’ll come save you even if you tell me to fuck off,” he said, pulling me back into his arms.

  “What time is it?” I sniffed, wrapping my arms around his familiar form.

  “I got the last flight,” he said, holding me tight. “It’s past one am.”

  “I’m sorry, Ren must—”

  “Don’t you worry about Ren. She knows the score. Shit, she drove me to the airport herself.” He kissed the top of my head. “You wanna tell me about it?”

  Pulling away, I sat beside him, staring out the window. Thinking back to all those books I’d read, none of them really did justice at describing how empty and broken I was feeling. I guess words were never enough to describe a pain so deep you felt like disappearing. It was almost like I was floating up in space in the infinite silence, waiting for a black hole to draw me in and take me to someplace far, far away, never to be seen again.

  Right now, I didn’t see a way I could ever recover from this.

  “Vee?”

  I glanced at Ash and shrugged.

  “Whenever you’re ready, squirt. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I went to his room,” I said after a few minutes of silence. “Josie gave me a key, and I was going to surprise him.” I snorted and shook my head, a few fat tears splashing on my lap. “There was another woman in his bed.”

  “Fuck,” Ash cursed, his hands curling into tight fists. If he wanted to go punch on with Lincoln, I wasn’t going to stop him.

  “It was Andrea. He was with her before me,” I muttered, staring out the window at the buildings beyond. “He screwed her a couple of times, but he said it didn’t mean anything.”

  “Andrea?” he asked, looking absolutely enraged. “I warned him about her. I fuckin’ warned him.”

  I glanced at my brother and shrugged. “What’s the point?”

  “The point is he fuckin’ hurt you. I warned him, Vee. I warned him if he hurt you he’d have to deal with me.”

  I stared at him blankly before saying, “I just want to go home.”

  He took a deep breath and let it out in one long whoosh. “Have you eaten anything?”

  I shook my head.

  “You should eat something. I’m going to order us some room service,” he said, stroking my hair. “Then I’m going to book us on the next flight home.”

  I nodded, my eyes feeling swollen and sore.

  “Get some rest, okay? I’ll let you know when the food is here.”

  Sinking down onto the bed, he pulled the covers over me and tucked me in like he had in the days after the attack…and the days before he was shipped off to prison.

  I listened to him on the phone and wondered if the kitchen was still open, and when I heard him getting what sounded like one of everything from the menu, I guessed it was. Then he hung up and made another call.

  “Josie.”

  I closed my eyes and listened as Ash spoke with her. He’d tell her what happened and then she’d tell Lincoln where we were…

  “I need you to book me and Violet on a flight back to Melbourne.” There was a pause as she replied. “Maybe you should ask him that. All I need is for you to get us home. Can you do that?” Another pause. “Good. Make it first class,” he said with a snort. “Book it on the asshole’s card. He owes her that at least.”

  My phone vibrated in my hand, and I glanced at it absently. Lincoln’s name appeared at the top of a text message and despite myself my gaze ran over his words.

  Vee, you need to let me talk to you. I didn’t know she was there. I hadn’t heard from her in ages. Don’t let her come between us.

  The phone vibrated again and other text appeared.

  I lo
ve you.

  Unlocking the screen, I deleted the texts and placed the phone back onto the bedside table.

  Closing my eyes, all I could see was her in his bed and wondered how I was ever going to feel happy again.

  As I drifted off to sleep, I wondered what Dr. Ormond would make of this. I bet she could write a novel of her own.

  Imagine that.

  36

  Lincoln

  I’d tried calling and messaging Violet until I was blue in the face.

  I’d even walked the halls on every floor and asked at reception, but they weren’t at liberty to give me guest information. If she was here at the hotel, then I wasn’t finding her.

  Eventually, I went back to my room to wait it out until morning. Then I’d call Ren and ask her if she’d find out where she was. I was running out of options real fast.

  Finally, my phone began to ring, and I snatched it up, hoping it was Violet, but when I saw Josie’s name, I groaned. It was almost three a.m., so I knew I was about to cop a serve.

  Answering it, I said, “Listen—”

  “No, you listen,” she snapped. “What the fuck were you thinking? She’s in love with you, Lincoln. I could see it all over her face and you’ve got another woman in your bed?”

  “It’s not like that,” I retorted, the word love rolling around in my brain.

  “Then how is it? Because to me, it’s pretty clear.”

  “I ended it with her months ago. Before Violet. It wasn’t anything serious, just—”

  “You stuffed it up because of a fuck buddy? I can’t even.”

  “I never promised her shit, and she turns up here out of the fuckin’ blue…” Exactly the same time as Violet. Fucking Andrea. She knew all along and had been planning to break us up.

  “Sounds like she thought she had something with you,” Josie said. “You’re too nice for your own good. You’re exactly like your brother you know. He’s dumb, but you’re fucking dumber.”

  “Fuck, Josie,” I cursed. “I love Violet. I love her. Tell me how to fix this.” I screwed my eyes shut as I felt tears begin to well. Fuck, I was crying now? Fucking pussy.

  “I can’t tell you how,” she said with a sigh. “But I can tell you that she’s booked on a flight back to Melbourne at ten a.m. tomorrow morning.”

  I sat up straight. “What airline?”

  “It’s the same time as your press conference.”

  “So fucking what,” I snapped. “What. Airline.”

  “Linc, you’ll be in big trouble with the sponsors if—”

  “Fuck, Josie.” I pinched the bridge of my nose.

  There was a pause before she said, “Qantas. And, Linc?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Ash is with her, so you better get ready to have your ass beaten.”

  I grunted.

  “I’ll put out a statement to the press and try to do what I can to save your ass from being kicked. It’s a big risk, Linc.”

  “I know,” I replied, my voice sounding tight and far away.

  “Well, good luck is all I can say.”

  “Thanks, Josie. I owe you one.”

  “Just…” She sighed sharply. “Just tell her how you feel, okay?”

  “I was planning on it.”

  “And watch out for Ash’s right hook.”

  “Night, Josie.”

  The call disconnected, and I dropped the phone onto the bed. There was no way I was sleeping tonight.

  Vee had put all of herself on the line to come see me, so putting my life and dream right out there was the least I could do. I could get booted for skipping out on a contractual agreement by missing the press conference, go to the airport and lose her anyway. Or I could put it all out there, every last drop, and win her heart back. It was a gamble, but she was worth it.

  I’d never been one for love or grand declarations, but that was before I met Violet Fuller in the office at Pulse for the first time since we were kids. She’d been wearing this purple dress… I sat up straight as I realized she’d been wearing the same dress when she stumbled out of my room earlier. Motherfucking…

  Violet was in love with me. I was in love with Violet.

  I couldn’t let her slip away. I wouldn’t.

  It was time to do what I did best.

  Fight.

  I ran full tilt through Sydney Airport’s domestic terminal, searching frantically for the Qantas check-in desks.

  I weaved through slow-moving packs of tourists and leaped over piles of suitcases in my desperation to find Violet before she went through the security checkpoint.

  Finally, I saw the red and white kangaroo logo in the distance and began searching for her familiar form amongst the sea of bodies queuing up for their flights. As I searched, people were starting to stare at me like I was a lunatic, but I couldn’t care less what I looked like. All I wanted was her. I couldn’t be too late.

  Up ahead, I made out a big beefy guy and a smaller woman walking along with a suitcase rolling in-between them, the woman’s hand wrapped around the handle. As I pushed through the throng, I realized it was them, and my heart began to pick up speed.

  “Violet!”

  They turned and her gaze met mine. The moment she realized I was standing there, she glanced away awkwardly, her hands tightening around the handle of her suitcase.

  “Great,” Ash said, rolling his eyes as I came to a standstill a few paces away. Best to leave a little distance between me and him in case he tried to take a shot.

  “You can’t leave,” I exclaimed, trying to get her attention.

  “Well we are, thanks to your credit card,” Ash shot back.

  “What?” I shook my head. “Stop. Just let me explain.”

  “Explain what?” Violet murmured, her voice sounding thin. “She was in your bed. I got the message loud and clear.”

  “She broke in there. I didn’t even know—”

  “Fuck off, Lincoln,” Ash hissed. “I’m taking Violet home. You are not welcome back at Pulse or in our lives. Fuck off and leave her alone. You’ve done enough damage.”

  “She thought by just showing up like that she could win me,” I said desperately. “That’s not how it works. It could never work like that. I fell for you, Vee. You.”

  She shook her head, her gaze on the floor. “Those are just empty words.”

  “I’m not empty when we’re together and neither are you. You trusted me with so much—”

  “Exactly,” she spat. “Trusted.”

  Ash glared at me and edged between us.

  “You’re the most precious thing in the world to me,” I said. “Even more than my stupid career. I skipped out on the press conference to come find you. I don’t care if they kick me out, I’d give it all up for you.”

  “He might actually get dropped for skipping out on that,” Ash drawled. “Happy days.”

  Violet shrank behind Ash, her expression full of fear. She was afraid of me.

  “Violet,” I pleaded. “Tell me what I need to do and I won’t hesitate.”

  Ash squared his jaw. “You need to leave off and get the fuck away from me, is what you need to do. I warned you what would happen if you hurt her. I don’t give a shit who’s watching.”

  “Beat the shit outta me if you want, but I’m not leaving unless Vee tells me to.”

  Ash rolled his eyes, put his arm around Vee’s shoulders and led her toward the check-in desk. She was walking away from me. It was now or never. Lay it all on the line, Hayes.

  “Violet,” I cried. “I love you. I’ve loved you since we were kids.” She paused, her shoulders shaking. “I wish I’d figured it out sooner. I wish…”

  She turned around to face me, her eyes red with tears, and her hand slipped off the handle of her suitcase. It fell to the floor with a thud and Ash reached for it.

  “Please don’t tell me it’s too late,” I murmured, holding my hands out. “I’m nothing without you. You changed me for the better, Vee. With you, everything is brighter. Witho
ut you? I don’t even want to know what a world without you in my arms is like. I love you.”

  Her expression began to crumple and for a moment, I thought she was going to rip me a new asshole. I mean, I deserved it for the stupid decisions I’d made when I first started at Pulse, but that didn’t happen at all. The fearless Violet that I’d fallen in love with when I was sixteen years old, pushed past her brother and threw herself into my arms, her mouth finding mine.

  Winding my arms around her waist, I held her against me tightly as her lips parted and her tongue found mine. I kissed her with everything I had, tasting her salty tears on her skin. The entire world fell away while she was in my arms, and I forgot about Ash, I forgot about the stupid airport, and I forgot about the press conference I was supposed to be at right now. All I cared about was Violet, and when we finally parted, her fingers found the dimple in my cheek, and a smile was on her lips.

  “I’ll never disappoint you again,” I murmured.

  “You better not.”

  Cupping her face in my hands, I brushed her tears away with my thumbs and leaned my forehead against hers. “Fuck, I love you.”

  She smiled then, the light coming back into her eyes. “I love you too.”

  37

  Violet

  Staring across the Sydney skyline, I held my hand over my eyes to shield them from the sun.

  Conquering fear seemed to be the flavor of the month as I stood next to Lincoln on the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. We’d gotten up early to climb the iconic structure with a tour group, and so far, it had been nothing short of exhilarating. Much like the feelings that were stirred up in me every morning when I woke up next to the handsome fighter.

  Pulling at the safety rope that held us into place along the bridge itself, I leaned against him.

  “Some view, huh?” he asked, winding an arm around my waist.

  “Are you afraid of heights?”

  “You’re askin’ me this now?” He feigned outrage, and I laughed. “You look hot today, just so you know.”