“TONY?”
He jumps up like something’s wrong.
“Grace, are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay! HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SCOTT?”
He rubs his eyes and sits up in the bed.
“What are you talking about, Grace?”
“YOU KNOW WHAT THE FUCK I’M TALKING ABOUT, ANTONIO!”
He’s shaking his head and laughing. “Are you serious, Grace? This is why you’re trying to start a fight? Because of your fucking ex?”
“He’s not just any ‘ex’, Tony! In fact, he was never even my ex – he’s my first fucking love!”
“Okay, Grace what you want me to say? YES, I FUCKING KNOW ABOUT SCOTT!”
“Okay, that’s all I wanted to fucking know. Take care of Scottie until I come back.” I turn and run down the stairs with Tony chasing after me. I grab my keys off the table and make it out the door before Tony can reach me.
He stops at the door and yells, “Grace, you better not do anything FUCKING RECKLESS! YOU BETTER COME HOME TONIGHT, OR I WILL FIND YOU AND DRAG YOUR ASS BACK HOME TO WORK THIS SHIT OUT!”
I get in the car and roll the windows down before yelling back, “FUCK YOU, TONY! I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF THIS WHOLE MARRIAGE WAS REAL FROM THE BEGINNING!” I back out of the driveway and speed to Scott’s hotel to catch him.
For some reason, I feel so free that I scream at the top of my lungs. My phone keeps ringing from calls from Tony. I’m not answering him. I think I’m going to go to England for the weekend with Scott and come back and deal with Tony afterward. Yes, that’s my plan. I check my purse, and I have everything I need. I pull up and see Scott putting his things in the trunk of the limo town car.
“SCOTT! I’m coming with you! Wait!” I’m surprised by my carefree excitement I hear in my voice.
Scott looks around to see who’s calling him and then his bodyguard jumps in front of me as I’m running toward him.
“No, let her pass. That’s Grace.”
I smile. “Wow, do you tell everyone about me?”
“Of course! Well, not everyone. So, what are you doing here?”
“I’m coming to England with you!”
“WHAT? Umm…What about your husband? Your son? I don’t like this, Grace.”
“Listen, I’m a fucking adult, and I want to come with you. Only for the weekend! Tony and I got into a fight over you, and I need this trip to figure everything out. Please, let me go”
He runs his hands through his hair before he simply says, “Get in the car.”
I’ve never been to England, but I’ve always wanted to go. We take Scott’s private jet, and even though I want to relish every moment of its grandeur and luxuriousness, I end up falling asleep shortly after take-off. That’s probably for the best since Maxine’s also on this flight, and she won’t stop giving me ugly looks. Scott wakes me when we arrive at London Heathrow Airport to get off the plane and into a car that’s waiting for us.
I take in all the new sites as we drive to Scott’s English home. I’m speechless when we arrive - it’s beautiful! I get out of the car with Scott. I look back and notice that Maxine isn’t joining us.
“I’ll allow you guys some time alone to have some fun. Stop by later, Scott. Grace, welcome to West Greenwich.” I admit that I’m quite taken aback by Maxine’s change in demeanor toward me. Maybe Scott was telling the truth when he said they were just friends. Maybe she was just trying to look out for him like any good friend would do by being nasty to me.
I look at Scott as he grabs my hands and guides me inside his house. It’s absolutely magnificent inside! He gives me a tour, and I fall in love with a Victorian style bathtub. I can’t wait to take a relaxing, hot bath in there. He shows me his master bedroom, and it’s bigger than my entire house. Okay, maybe not that big, but it’s a massive and impressive room that fits Scott perfectly. Yeah, I think this is going to be an awesome weekend!
“So, I have four bedrooms… I’m going to sleep in one the guest rooms while you sleep in here.”
“No, you don’t have to sleep in a guest room! This is your home! Besides, I want you in your bed with me so we can cuddle and watch some British telly.”
“No, Grace. I’m not going to do this right now with you. I’m going into my study to clear my thoughts. I love you, Grace, but I don’t want you making the wrong choices because you’re too emotional. Besides, you still have Scottie to worry about.”
I watch Scott leave the room before I sit on the bed and start to cry. Now Scott has me second guessing myself. But he did say he’d give up everything for me and come to the States. We could have Scottie with us.
I cry as I try to fall sleep until I feel Scott lying next to me.
“I’m sorry, Grace. I just love you so much, and I want everything to work out in a way that’s best for everyone involved. There have been too many tears shed and too many hurt feelings over the past ten years. This never-ending cycle of blame and mixed emotions needs to stop before irreparable damage is done.”
I don’t even turn around to face him because I know leaving the fucking country was wrong. But it’s not my fault. It’s Tony fault because he knew about Scott and how much I missed him. Tony lied to me, and I don’t know how I’ll ever get over that. Scott’s right. I need to just use this weekend to relax and figure out what I want from this whole situation.
I’m alone on my flight back to Tony. I have to be an adult; I can’t just up and run away when things don’t go my way.
I learned so much from talking with Scott. I told him everything that happened to me before Tony, before my son and after. Scott told me Tony really loves me and only called him out of concern for me. I don’t care about that – Tony still should’ve told me. I know I want Scott in my life, but after we talked, he decided he’s going to continue with soccer and visit me when he can.
My major triumph of the weekend, besides a new English wardrobe, was talking Scott into having one more night of mind blowing sex before I left. I close my eyes and envision our passionate tryst in the shower…
I wake up to the sound of the tires of the jet hitting the runway. I adjust myself and grab my things from the overhead. As I’m walking out of the airport, I immediately spot Tony leaning on his motorcycle. I take in his unshaven face and messy hair. I’ve never seen him looking so unkempt, and my heart pings with a little guilt. Just a little. He looks up and locks eyes with me. I’m taken aback by all his hurt staring back at me. I did that to the man who has done nothing but love me since the moment we left. God, I’m fucked up! I look closer and notice the darkness around his eyes. He must’ve been drinking a lot and not gotten much sleep. Okay, now my heart feels even more guilt.
I walk toward him, and he looks like he’s uncomfortable and doesn’t know what to say to me.
“Hey, Grace. Umm…” He coughs. “Scott called and said you were on your way back home, so I figured I’d come to get you since your car was delivered back to our house.” He runs his fingers through his hair and looks down to the ground and back up to my eyes.
“Oh, okay. Well, let’s go home, then.”
Tony fastens my new travel bag to the back of the bike, and I climb on behind him. Tony hands me his helmet, and we ride in the most uncomfortable silence back to the house.
Tony helps me off the bike and smiles as he hands me the house key. I open the door and my breath is taken away from me. There are rose petals covering the whole living room floor and up the stairs. I take a closer look and realize there are white petals arranged to form the words “I’m Sorry” in the middle of the living room.
The tears start rushing down my face, and I turn around and see Tony on one knee holding a ring.
“Grace, I know I lied to you, but I was just trying to protect you. I married you the first time because I loved you and wanted to share the world with you. So, I’d love to continue showing you how much I’ll always love you… Will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me again?”
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I’m crying so hard that I can barely see. I drop to the floor and close the ring box. “Oh, Tony, I’m sorry! I was a bitch. I’ve been wrong about everything. You were always there for me and when Scott came back in the picture, I just needed to get the answers I’ve been looking for. I finally got them, baby, and I’m finally ready to move on with my life. I love you, Tony! And yes, I would love to marry you again!”
Tony grabs my hand to pull me up and kisses me like a mad man. I know I can’t have sex with him today because I was just with Scott, but I’m not going to tell Tony about what happened between me and Scott. I’ll come up with an excuse just like I always do.
Once I’m able to catch my breath, I notice I Love Lucy is playing on the television and my favorite bottle of wine is on the floor. I lie down on the floor with the rose petals and smile. I can’t believe Tony had the time to do this! He lies down next to me and we cuddle as I rest my head on his chest while he plays with my hair.
“I’m honestly sorry, Gracie. I only started digging and looking for Scott when you would come home drunk and cry yourself to sleep while screaming his name. I had to know who was causing you all this pain.”
I didn’t realize I screamed Scott’s name. I had wanted to drink to put Scott in the back of my mind, not to have him invade my sleep.
“I’m sorry for that, Tony. I didn’t know what I was doing in my drunken haze. I never wanted to hurt you, but it seems like that’s all I end up doing. I’m fucked up, Tony. You know that, yet you love me anyway. You accept all my flaws, but at what cost to you? I want you to be happy, and I want to try to be the one who makes you happy, but I don’t know how to let go of such a big part of my life.” I sigh and look at Tony shyly because I don’t know how to handle this situation.
I still have so much to learn about truly loving someone and putting others first. But, I want to figure it out. I want to be a good wife and a good mother. Not just good – amazing. If being with Scott the past couple days taught me anything, it’s that it’s time for me to grow up and stop being so selfish. I can’t keep letting my past and my insecurities run my life. I need to take control and appreciate and value the home and life Tony has given me. I need to give Scottie the love and family I never had.
“Well, as long as we can start over again and on a clean slate. I can’t lose you again, Grace. I was a lost man without you this weekend. Thank God for Patrick’s dad letting Scottie sleep over because I was in no condition to even care for our son. I was frantic and broken when you left me for him. I was ready to get on a plane to get you when Scott called me and told me you were on your way home.”
I sigh and reassure Tony I’m not leaving again. For the first time, I don’t use sex to ease my insecurities and fool myself into thinking I’m making Tony feel better with my body. Instead, we talk about my past and what worries me. I let him in to my mind and soul. I let Tony see a glimpse of what’s in my heart so he can understand me better. Tony doesn’t judge me; he just listens with rapt attention. He truly cares about me. Afterward, we simply watch I Love Lucy until we fall asleep on the living room floor wrapped in each other’s arms. This is what family should be; this is love, happiness, and security. This is my life, every fucked up bit of it.
First, I have to thank God for guiding me on my writing journey.
To my husband, Airial: Thank you for being my best friend and an amazing partner. Without you in my world, I probably would’ve lost my mind. Thank you for being you. I love you!
To my mother: Thank you for being the best mother. I appreciate you truly.
Chloe, Mommy loves you! You’ve seen me pour my heart, soul, and time into writing this book. I hope you’ve learned that hard work and dedication do pay off in the end! Always try your best and put your entire being into any tasks that truly matter to you.
To my brother, Lance: Thank you for being a great brother and helping me when I needed the help.
To my aunt/sister, Sheliese: Thank you for being such a wonderful person. Thank you for letting me write my book on your tablet. Keep up the hard work - you can do whatever you set your mind to doing.
To my family and friends: Thank you for allowing me to tell you about my book every chance I got. I finally hit PUBLISH!!
To my two sexy old ladies, Francisca and Stephanie: What can I say about you ladies? Francisca, you’re wonderful and I love you! Thanks for being here from the start, making teasers and swag, and sending me inspiration. Stephanie, thank you for being you! I love your wonderful personality! You’ve been here since day one and have always given me honest and helpful feedback on my stories. I'm so proud to call you ladies my virtual sisters, and I can't wait for y'all’s first book to come out! I love you girls!
To my formatter, Angela: Thank you so much for your support and your creative approach to formatting. I love that formatting is more than just a job to you – you actually care about me and my book and you go over and beyond to ensure my book looks the best it can!
To my editor/guardian angel, Tina: What can I say without crying? You’re my blessing in so many ways. Words truly can't express how happy I am to have you as my editor and helping me on my journey of becoming an author. Thank you for the countless late nights of editing and the phone conversations to allow me to freely express my thoughts on my characters and their lives. When we talk, my story comes to life and feels as though it’s reality! We clicked right away, and I wouldn't trade you for anyone else. I love how you say, “You're the boss!”
To Iveta and her blog, Read It Woman: Thank you for being so amazing and expressing the love you have for my stories. I live for your feedback! I promise I’ll try my best to keep you on the edge of your seat.
To Kim and Not Enough Ebooks: Thank you for being awesome and helping me with getting my book out there. I’ll have many more books for you ladies to share!
To my Beta Readers: What can I say? I enjoy reading each and every one of y'all’s feedback. I'm glad y'all enjoyed Runaway Love, and I hope y'all stick with me on my journey. I have plenty of books for y'all to read.
And last but not least, to YOU the READER: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for taking a chance on Runaway Love, and I hope you enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Your support, encouragement, and constructive criticism mean the world to me! Y’all are the reason I write, and I love and appreciate each and every one of you!
Pamela Washington is a proud native of Staten Island, New York who now resides in Charleston, South Carolina with her amazing husband and wonderful daughter.
Pamela LOVES to read! She enjoys the opportunity to enter into a whole new world and escape reality for a little while. Throughout her childhood, she could be found devouring books instead of playing outside with friends. Even as an adult, she reads every chance she gets! She’s extremely proud of her talent in picking out great books!
Pamela is quite passionate about her writing. She pours her heart and soul into everything she writes because she wants to give her readers a very special part of herself. A self-professed hopeless romantic, Pamela loves love. However, not every story she writes will have a happily ever after. Pamela believes in keeping her stories true to life, and sometimes life just isn’t happy.
When Pamela isn’t reading or writing in her bed with her headphones on and Rice Krispy treats nearby, she’s most likely working her day job, hanging out with her family and friends, or indulging in some TV time with her favorite shows Scandal and Empire.
This is just the beginning of Pamela’s professional writing journey, and she hopes you join her as she creates her own path in the literary world. If you would like to follow or contact her, please do so. She LOVES feedback!
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Now that you know Grace’s side of the story, turn the page to get a special glimpse i
nto Tony and Scott’s perspectives!
Sneak Peek: The Protector, Tony’s Story
I still remember the day I met Grace. What a beautiful and conflicted beauty she was! I wanted to be close to her more than she will ever know. Her haunting grey eyes called to me as they expressed the extreme loneliness and deep sadness that were slowly taking over her soul. I made a silent promise to her to always take care of her and make her happy. From the moment our eyes locked, my life revolved around Grace.
We went our separate ways after we left the group home, but I always kept track of her. When Grace finally called me and said she needed a place to stay, I was elated. Grace was always in trouble and hanging with the wrong crowd. I tried to help lead her on the right path, but I soon realized she had to learn on her own. I loved her independent, stubborn nature. Hell, I loved everything about her.
It took a while, but we were finally able to build our perfect family with our son, Scottie. I know Grace doesn’t love me as much as I love her, but I’m okay with that. That may sound twisted, but I promised to accept her just the way she is – flaws and all. I know so many of Grace's secrets, but I’ll never tell her what I know. That would destroy our relationship. She thinks I’m always totally honest with her, but I can’t be – I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her. I know I’m the best man for Grace, and I know she knows it too, deep down. I’m the man who makes her feel secure, loved, happy, protected, and worthy. I’m the man she sleeps next to at night. I’m the man who saved her. Most of the time I can convince myself that Grace is mine even though I know her heart belongs to an unreliable, selfish, cocky asshole.
How did she find Scott? I tried my damnedest to keep Scott away from Grace, but I obviously wasn’t successful. He's back in her life, and Grace has completely changed. She doesn't think I’ve noticed, but I have. I know she’s conflicted as well – torn between her loyalty to me and her desire for him. I can only hope that her trip to England with Scott helped her find the closure she desperately needed so she can finally give me her heart when she recommits herself to me.
Runaway Love Page 8
