by Melissa Shaw
“I don’t care to hear your opinion on this, Joseph, and if you came here to talk to me about this, you can leave right now.”
“Why don’t you want me?” He grabbed her thigh and she slapped him hard on the back of his hand. He retracted the grip and glared at her. “What’s wrong with me?”
“This is not a pity party. I feel what I feel and it’s not for you. It never will be.”
“You led me to believe that you wanted me.”
“Bullshit!” Emily growled it and he started away from her. “That’s total bullshit and you know it.”
“Whatever, it doesn’t matter now anyway. What’s done is done.” Joseph turned his attention to the TV screen and smiled.
“What do you mean? What’s done?”
“That.” He pointed and she focused on CNN.
Chase Newman’s picture was up on the screen beside Brian Ross’. A headline ran beneath the images in bold font.
Famed Billionaire Helps Congressman Pay off Campaign Fund Gambling Debt
“No,” she gasped, then turned to Joseph, “what have you done?”
“I did what I had to do,” he said, calm as could be. He dusted off his tailored pants and smiled at her. “I bet you wish you’d never met Chase now.”
“No.” Emily gripped her jeans and ripped at them. “I wish I’d never met you.”
Joseph reeled as if she’d slapped him. She was moments away from following through with the real action.
“Don’t you see what a scumbag he is? He helped your ex-husband, the guy who framed you for murder. He helped him!” Joseph threw his arms up in the air, then brought them down with a thud.
Emily’s heart pounded hard and beads of sweat broke out at her temples. What if he blamed her for this?
“Don’t you see what a scumbag you are?!” She was done. Joseph had pushed too hard and too far.
“What the fuck?”
“You’ve condemned him for your own gain,” she said, then paused and shook her head, “and what have you gained, Joseph?”
“I – I –”
“Nothing. You’ve gained nothing but my disdain for this.” Emily turned off the TV mute, rage travelling through her, raising the temperature of her blood to boiling.
The newsreader was a woman, her hair cropped into a bob and wearing a tight blue suit with bright red lipstick.
“The scandal that struck the nation,” she said, with a blank expression meant to convey her professionalism, “will likely see Chase Newman, billionaire playboy, sequestrated for tax evasion, while Brian Ross is left reeling in the wake of dishonesty.”
“What?!” Emily turned to Joseph. “Sequestrated? Why? Tax evasion?” She could barely speak in full sentences from the shock.
“I took his information to the IRS.” Joseph said it with pride. He truly believed he’d done the right thing and it drove Emily past the rage and into a higher level of fury.
“Get the fuck out of my apartment.”
His eyes widened. “What, Em, don’t you see I did this for you?”
“Get the fuck out of my apartment before I call the cops.” She jumped up from the couch and glared at him, the stripper days flashed through her memory and she envisioned another Isis-style fight.
How dare he harm Chase? How dare he?!
Joseph went pale and stood slowly. “I did this for you. To make you see that he’s not right for you. Emily, I did this for us.”
“There is no us.” She growled the slapped him on the cheek. The red mark appeared instantly and he gripped at it, white as sheet. He’d never seen this side of her before, and he wouldn’t again.
“You need to calm down.”
“If you don’t get out of here now, I’ll lose it. I’ll fucking lose it,” she yelled. She hated this anger, but it overwhelmed her. She was back in the thumping music, the smoke and the flashing lights.
Men staring at her, groping. Big Nick in the doorway. Joseph morphed into the big bouncer for a moment and Emily made a fist.
“I have to go,” he whispered, then dashed for the door. He didn’t look back and that was for the best.
Emily McDonald was done.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
She banged so hard her knuckles turned red, but he didn’t open up. He had to be in there – she’d checked the office and they’d told her he wasn’t in. No way would Chase run away from the media storm, it wasn’t his style.
“Chase!” Emily yelled it, then bashed on his front door some more. The cleaning man at the end of the hall jumped and stared at her. He made a move in her direction, but she shot him distilled anger in her gaze.
He scurried off down the hall.
“Open the door, I have to talk to you.”
The lock scraped back and he appeared in the crack, he opened it wider and growled in his throat. “Get away from me.”
“You need to know how this happened.”
“I know already. I don’t have time for your shit, Emily, now get the fuck out of my building. These surprise visits of yours are a pain in the ass.”
She slammed her palm onto his door and pushed hard. “I have never chased after a man in my life, but I have for you Chase Newman. That counts for something.”
“Get lost.”
“I didn’t kill your parents.” It came out of nowhere and she couldn’t hold it in any longer.
There was a long silence and he drew in a shuddering breath. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I didn’t kill them. Brian Ross did.”
Chase stepped back a few steps and she took it as her chance. Emily swept into the apartment and shut the door with her heel.
“How many lies am I going to deal with this week?” Chase walked to the kitchen and took out a bottle of brandy. The clock on the wall said it was barely past noon.
“Chase,” Emily whispered, “I didn’t know until recently, otherwise I would’ve –”
“What?” He sloshed the alcohol into the glass then stared into its depths. “Told me sooner? I don’t know if I even believe you, so don’t worry about that.”
She should’ve expect this kind of resistance. “Where’s Janet?”
“Where the fuck do you think she is?” He motioned towards her. “She’s gone, not that it’s any of your business. Chastity’s gone too and let’s throw my business into the mix with that too.”
“I didn’t do this to you. It was Joseph.”
“Christ, who the fuck’s Joseph?”
“He was the lawyer Chastity worked with. He wanted to help me expose Brian’s crime, but I feared it would expose your dealings with him too, so I told him to hold off.”
Chase didn’t sip the booze, but placed the glass on the kitchen counter. It shattered, spilling the fluid everywhere. “I see.” He didn’t make to clean it up, and neither did she.
“What do you see?” He pushed those anger buttons hard. He knew just how and it got her right in the gut each time.
“Why would he wanna expose me, Emily?”
She stuttered for a second, the cleared her throat. “I don’t know.”
“Don’t lie to me. Did you fuck this guy?”
“No!” The shout was a knee-jerk reaction, but he gave a wry nod in response – like she’d confirmed his suspicion rather than allayed it. “I did not sleep with him.”
“Then why was this cat out to get me?”
“Because I refused to sleep with him. I only want you, okay? I only want you!” She couldn’t keep that truth in any longer. “I eat, sleep and dream Chase Newman.”
“Don’t bullshit me.” His reply was choked and he rushed towards her, then gripped her upper arms. This was the most physical contact they’d had in months. The heat flowed off his body, and she slid he arms around his neck.
God she needed him. She needed this man like she’d never needed before. This overwhelming sensation, this corrupted love, would be the end of her.
“Don’t lie to me,” he said again, then jangled her around a litt
le.
“I don’t lie! I’ve never lied to you about anything and I never will. I cannot move on from you. I can’t sleep properly, I don’t even enjoy dance as much as I used to. I’m going crazy without you, Chase.”
He backed off, breathing heavy. “This is too much, I can’t deal with this.”
“I didn’t betray you, I told him that I was still in love with you, he saw it too and he got jealous.”
“Fuck him, fuck Chastity, and fuck it all.” He punched the counter and winced when his fist met glass. He lifted it and walked to the sink, then picked the glass out and ran his hand under the tap.
“Are you okay?”
“You don’t care, Emily. You can say this shit now, but the bare-assed fact remains that you didn’t care enough to tell me you knew this shit before it went down. You weren’t preserving me, you were preserving yourself.”
“I’m so tired of that kind of talk. I’m not a selfish person, I’ve given everything to try get you back, to get the kids back. I’ve changed totally from who I was to who I need to be.”
“Whatever,” he replied, then grabbed a cloth and wrapped it around his hand to staunch the bleeding. It reminded her of a time in the past, but she couldn’t touch him now; he would push her away.
“I refuse to be judged on my past.”
“I’m not judging you on your past, I’m judging you on your present.”
Emily glared at him. There was no getting through. She’d tried so hard, given him everything and she’d gotten disdain in return.
That anger she’d kept on hold rushed back to her, destroying her logic. She’d never prove herself to him, but at least she could take down Brian Ross. Get the kids back.
“So this is it then. I’ve done what I can and you don’t want me.”
He clenched that cloth, the blood soaking through.
“I never want to see you again, Emily McDonald.”
Her heart shattered.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Brian slapped the newspaper onto the desk.
His face stared back up at him, the headline reflecting his drunken glare. The papers must’ve looked high and low for the old college photo. They’d blacked out the other guys – his old football team buddies – in it, but they’d all been steamed that day.
It was after a particularly sweet victory against a rival team.
Now, he was no longer the hero, and not even a martyr, he was a scandal. Public enemy number one. And it was her fault.
That bitch ex-wife hadn’t had enough to go to the cops about the murders, obviously, so she’d found another way to bring him down. She’d even used her little fuck buddy Chase to get to him.
That was cunning on her part. He’d give her that.
Emily had clearly learned a few things during her stint in prison.
“Brian?” Amanda, the useless whore, appeared in the doorway, her blonde hair tied up tight and her roots showing.
“You look shit. Why didn’t you do your hair like I asked? We’ve got an image to uphold.” Brian tapped his foot beneath the desk.
“Love, it’s not like our image is very good at the moment. I don’t think anyone will care what my hair looks like.” Amanda gave a watery smile, then her eyes widened as if she’d just realized what she’d said to him. “Sorry, baby, I’m sorry.”
But it was too late. The anger had reached its peak now.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?” He rose from his leather office chair and it rolled back and hit the bookcase behind him. “What did you say?”
“Nothing, baby, I’m sorry. Don’t be mad, it just slipped out.” Amanda held her arms out and waved them at him, backing away slowly.
This stupid cow thought she was better than him. She thought he’d held her back and not the other way around? He’d show her how worthless she truly was.
“I’m going to make you regret that,” he said, raising a fist, and she gave a low groan of fear. Her eyes rolled in her head and it gave him an ounce of gratification. At least she knew what she was up against.
“Bri, please relax,” she whispered, “I didn’t mean it like that. Please.”
“Then how did you mean it?” He circled the desk and closed in on her, she was the prey and he was the hunter.
“Darling, I just meant we have bigger issues to deal with.”
“We?” Brian gave a raucous laugh. “There’s no ‘we’ dealing with it.”
“But, I’m your wife, we’re together,” she murmured, then her cheeks colored bright red. She raised her chin and looked down her nose at him. “Unless you want to turn to that Janet woman for support.”
He raised his eyebrows. She knew about that, did she? All the more reason to silence her, to make her go away like the problem she was.
“How could you do that to me?” Amanda stared at him hard, and the fear in her turned to fury. “How could you betray me when I gave you everything? I killed our unborn child for you!” She shrieked the last sentence. There was a clamor upstairs, but he ignored it.
“Don’t try to change the subject. You do as I say in this house.”
“Stop,” Amanda commanded, showing him her pale palm.
He rushed at her and she screamed, but he cut it off by grabbing her around the throat.
Brian squeezed hard and she scraped at his forearms, leaving tracks.
“I could kill you in a heartbeat,” he growled, shaking her slightly. “I could destroy you the way you deserve. You’re so low, you’re such scum, and I knew it when I married you. Easy to use and form, and a brilliant way to get back at Emily.”
“Let – go –”
He shook her again. “Useless waste of space. You couldn’t even stay on the pill when I told you.” Brian released one hand and used it to grab a handful of her blonde hair. It was soft and he tugged at it hard. “Can’t even dye your hair right. Can’t do anything right. Worthless bitch.”
“Can’t – breathe –” She pleaded with her wide eyes, filled with tears, but bugging out of her skull. She was so close to death. So close he could almost feel it for himself. The slowing blood, the lethargic beat of her heart. Pitiful.
“Beg for it.” He dug his nails into the back of her neck, hand dwarfing it. “Beg for your life.”
“Please,” she choked it out. “Please.”
He let go of her hair, then backhanded her across the face. She flew across the room and slammed into the wall. A bruise rose on her cheekbone, shining up at him. Evidence.
He’d have to finish her now.
Amanda moaned and struggled into a sitting position, then touched the back of her head and winced. She glanced up at him and the fear was back where it belonged.
Brian stopped in front of her, and she crawled back against the wall, but there was nowhere to go. “You’re going to die.”
“Please, please, Brian don’t do it.” She glanced left and right, searching for an escape, grasping at anything to preserve that meaningless existence.
“It’s time. I’ve wasted too much of it on you.”
“Don’t, please,” she whispered, tears flowing now, travelling down the make-up streaked cheeks. He didn’t reply, but readied himself. “Brian! Please, don’t do this. The kids,” she said suddenly, and he froze, “the kids are upstairs. Don’t let them see you hurting me.”
He nodded and lowered his shoulders slowly. The kids. Emily’s kids. That would work just fine.
“You’re right.” Brian sighed, and Amanda blinked in shock and relief. “It’s them I should focus on.”
“No!”
He kicked her hard in the face and there was sharp ‘snap’ – her nose broke. She passed out right away. Perfect.
Brian strode past her and into the house.
“Jared! Becci! Daddy’s looking for you,” he yelled.
The scrambling upstairs grew louder.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Emily stared out the window and breathed through her nose. No more Chase, no more Joseph, no more supp
ort except for the sadness and burning anger at her ex-husband.
So many men had let her down, now. She should never have given Chase Newman a chance.
Her phone tinkled to life and her heart leapt in spite of her thoughts. She still wanted to hear from him.
“Chase?” She answered without checking the number.
Hysterical sobs answered her.
“Hello? Who is this?”
“He took them,” Amanda screamed, “He took the kids.”
Emily’s heart went cold. “What?!”
“He beat me and he said he’s taking them. I can’t go anywhere, I can barely move, but he’s got them, Emily, he’s got them.”
“No,” she whispered back, jumping up. “Where? Where’s he taking them?” She rushed to the door and grabbed her bag. Fear was overcome by the burning rage, but it didn’t help. The emotions controlled her and she shook to her heels.
“I don’t know. I don’t know. He took them! He took them!” Amanda continued shrieking it over and over again. It was too much for Emily to handle. She hung up and stepped towards the door, then towards the couch, then the door again.
What the fuck could she do? Where had the bastard taken her children?
Emily was overcome with the fury and need to harm the man who’d harmed her.
She fell to her knees and yelled until she didn’t have breath in her lungs. She should have acted sooner. She should’ve risked Chase – she’d lost him anyway – and had Brian arrested when she’d had the chance.
Now it was too late, and her kids were at stake. This was her fault. She was the problem, she’d destroyed everything, she’d…
The low hum of music met her ears, drifting from the parking lot outside. She froze. It was Latin music, the same kind they’d played in the restaurant that night, years ago, where she’d first realized her feelings for Chase. Where she’d finally let him in.
Clarity.
Calmness flowed through her, flooding the anger out and bringing logical thought. The first she’d had in what seemed like years.
The kids. The kids were all that mattered in this, and she had to get them back. She had to get them out of harm’s way.
