“You can come on as a silent partner!” she insisted vehemently. “You wouldn’t have to do anything. All we would need is for you to invest. Carlisle would be able to make your money back tenfold! We know how successful your business is. Your father looked into it a while back. He was so proud of you…” She was a joke. When she realized that trying to seduce what she wanted out of me wasn’t going to work, she’d quickly switched to lies and false complements. How the fuck had I never seen how pathetic and desperate she was?
She was exactly like Carlisle.
“Please, Trevor. We need you.”
“We?” I asked sarcastically. “You honestly think you and my father are a “we”? You realize you’re nothing more to him than a young, convenient snatch, right? A useless trophy he can hang on his arm to make him look good. If you really think there’s more between y’all than that, you’re delusional as well as crazy.”
Marissa’s chin tilted up and she squared her shoulders. “He loves me.”
At that, there was no containing my laughter. “You really believe that? Oh, God, this is priceless! Please, tell me you don’t really think he’s going to leave my mother for you.”
She remained quite as she stared at me, but I could see her resolve wavering. I’d hit a nerve.
Good.
“Got news for ya, sweetness. Where do you think the money for Carlisle’s company came from?”
Her eyes widened ever so slightly, causing a grin to spread across my face.
“I see you’re catching on. Dad’s side of the family might have been comfortable, but my mother’s family was more than well off. The only way her parents would be willing to give him the startup capital was if he agreed to sign a pre-nup before they got married. And there it is,” I chuckled when her jaw dropped open in disbelief. “Guessing the old man never told you that, huh? Looks like you backed the wrong horse, Marissa. Lucky for my mom, her folks were right-minded enough to protect her assets, seeing as she’s too much of a doormat to ever speak against the old man. No matter how badly he treats her, she’ll never leave him. And if he leaves her, well, he loses everything.”
Oh, man, the look on her face was priceless. I’d have given anything at that moment to snap a picture to capture it for a lifetime.
“And now you’re here, begging for my money because the man you put all your stock into sunk. Kinda ironic isn’t it?”
Her face looked an unnatural shade of white, but I had to give it to her; she wasn’t going down without a fight. “You’re wrong. He loves me.”
“Whatever you say, babe. But there’s no way in fucking hell I’m helping either of you. My suggestion, you jump ship while you still can before he pulls you down with him. But the only thing I’m going to do is sit back and watch one or both of you drown. Now, your two minutes are up,” I said, walking to the door and jerking it open. “Get the hell out.”
I was over it. I’d officially washed my hands of anything having to do with either of them.
“So, things are good?”
Things at the salon were momentarily quiet, so Kenzie and I were taking a much needed Starbucks break while hanging out at my station.
A goofy smile spread across my lips.
“I’ll take that cheesy smile as a yes,” she laughed.
I nodded enthusiastically. “Things are fabulous.” As I spoke, my already-huge smile spread to almost-manic proportions. “Seriously, Kenz. He’s just…amazing.”
“You kinda look like the Joker right now, you know that?”
I threw a nail file at her head with a laugh. “Oh, shut up.”
“Seriously, though,” Kenzie started after taking another sip of her coffee. “I’m really happy for you. You deserve this. I’m glad you and Trevor finally got your heads outta your asses.”
“You’re so sentimental,” I teased, getting an eye roll from her.
“And good Lord,” she fanned herself. “Could that man be any hotter? I mean, come on! It’s ridiculous!”
I couldn’t disagree with her on that. My man was Fine with a capital F and three exclamation points.
“Am I interrupting?” a voice like honey asked from behind me.
Looking over my shoulder, I met the gaze one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. Long, pale strawberry-blonde hair draped like a curtain down her shoulders. A light-blue twin set which helped to accentuate crystal-blue eyes was matched with an ivory pencil skirt and nude heels. This woman looked like she’d just stepped out of an Anne Taylor catalog. It definitely wasn’t an outfit you’d typically see someone wearing on a Saturday in our small town, but something told me this woman most definitely wasn’t the jeans and t-shirt type. Everything about her screamed posh.
“Hi,” I replied cheerfully. “What can I do for you?” The smile she gave me was less than warm and sent a chill down my spine.
She held up one of her hands, showing me the light-pink polish. “I’ve heard this is the best place in town for a manicure.” Her words, while complimentary, came across completely fake. But she was a paying customer, so I pushed her frosty demeanor to the back of my mind and kept a polite smile plastered across my face.
“Well, you’ve got good timing; my next appointment isn’t for another hour,” I explained, waving to the chair Kenzie had just vacated. I pointed toward the wall where we kept all of our polish. “Why don’t you pick a color and I’ll get set up.”
The woman’s heels clacked against the tiled floor as she went over and perused our selection of nail polishes. My gaze cut over to Kenzie to see her face scrunch up like she’d just bitten into a lemon. Yeah, she got the same chilly feel from this woman I did.
The lady came back to my table and set the polish down before taking a seat and primly placing her hands on the table, a massive princess-cut diamond adorning her left ring finger. I picked up the bottle and noticed it was another pale pink, just a shade or two darker than the one already on her nails. I wasn’t surprised. No way would a woman like this wear something as outlandish as blue or purple.
“So,” I started as I began removing the existing polish from her well-manicured nails. “Are you new in Cloverleaf? I don’t recall seeing you around here.”
I was never really a fan of idle chitchat, but it came with the territory. Luckily, having grown up here, most of the clients I saw had known me for years, so those conversations never felt forced like this one did now.
“I’m here visiting someone,” she informed me.
“Oh, that’s nice. I hope you’ve enjoyed your stay here so far.”
“It’s certainly been…different.” Her tone made it obvious that she didn’t consider different to be a good thing. “I guess I’m just not used to being in such a small town.”
“Cloverleaf might be small, but trust me, we have great things to offer. Virgie May’s just down the street has some of the best home cooking you’ll ever have the pleasure of eating.”
Her nose scrunched up as she regarded me. “I’m not really one for home cooking.”
Yeah, this definitely wasn’t a woman I’d ever be long-term friends with—or even short-term, for that matter.
“You could always try Colt 45’s. It’s the best bar in town.” I didn’t know why I kept trying to sell this woman on all the wonderful things in my little town. I just couldn’t help myself; I loved Cloverleaf and everything about it.
“Bars aren’t really my scene,” she said with a smile that could freeze water.
Okay, so no more trying to talk up my beloved town. Got it.
Instead of trying for more polite conversation, I went about doing my job, filing, buffing and painting my little heart out in silence.
We both remained that way for several minutes before she finally asked, “I see you’re offering waxing and massages?”
“Oh,” I looked up and followed the woman’s eyes to my nearly-finished back rooms. “No, not quite yet. My husband and his friend are just about finished with the construction.” I smiled at the tho
ught of Trevor. Man, I was turning into one of those sappy women…and I loved it.
“Oh, that’s sweet. You know, my fiancé was pretty handy, too. I love watching him work up a sweat.”
I laughed in agreement. “Yeah, nothing better than a hot, sweaty man straining his muscles, is there?”
“No there’s not.” She studied me intently, something in her gaze sending my instincts on high alert.
“So, is your fiancé in town with you?”
“Oh, he lives here temporarily actually. I’m from Louisiana.” As soon as she said that my back and shoulders went stiff, a feeling of impending dread coursing through me. “That’s actually why I’m here,” she continued. “We had a little bit of a falling out a while back, but we’ve been talking a lot lately and have managed to move past the things that strained our relationship. We’re better than ever now.”
“That’s nice,” I offered, not knowing what else to say.
“Well, you must understand all about that, seeing as you’re married. It’s tough, you know? Relationships are difficult. It takes a lot of work, but when you really love someone, you’ll look past all the bad because you know the good times are worth it.” She let out a haughty laugh. “Well, I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir. What married woman hasn’t been there, right? And my fiancé and I have been through so much together. I’m just happy he’s moving back home where he belongs.”
“That’s good for you and your fiancé,” I replied, trying to ignore the twisted knots forming in my stomach. The coffee I’d been drinking just minutes ago felt like it wanted to come back up.
“Yes, he’s finally seen the error of his ways. He told me just the other evening that he can’t wait to come home and start his life with me. He’s starting at his father’s company as soon as we get back. Everything is turning out just as it should be.”
All of the air left my body, and I felt as though I couldn’t breathe. Everything she was saying was just too coincidental. It couldn’t be.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Oh, silly me,” she laughed cheerfully…way too cheerfully. “I’m Marissa Boudreaux. Well, soon to be Marissa Devareau. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
No, no, no, no.
My vision wavered, blackness closing in. This couldn’t be happening. No, not Trevor. He wouldn’t do something like this to me. He loved me. He swore it. He couldn’t have lied to me.
My heart felt like it was breaking in my chest.
“Devareau,” I whispered brokenly. “No. No, no, no.”
“Is something wrong?” the woman who’d just destroyed my life asked, but I couldn’t focus on anything. Tunnel vision had taken over. I only had one goal.
“I have to go,” I breathed out as I stood from my station and stumbled, bumping into the table and knocking everything over.
“Lizzy?” I heard a voice call, but it sounded like it was coming from so far away. “Lizzy? Lizzy, honey. Are you okay?” Kenzie stood in front of me with her hands on my shoulders, concern etched into her expression.
“I have to go. I have to go,” I repeated as I made my way to the front door of the salon. “I have to go.”
Without another word, I booked it toward Ink Addicts, not bothering to get in my car and drive since it was only a little under a mile. With every step, fury took hold of my despair, twisting it inside of me until I felt nothing but rage. I was going to kick his ass if it was the last thing I did.
I slammed through the front door of Trevor’s shop and stomped in with all the righteous indignation of a woman scorned. I didn’t even care that there were people everywhere to witness the fallout. I was going to Kick. His. Ass.
“You son of a bitch!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “You’re engaged?”
“You son of a bitch!”
My gaze shot up to the front of the shop to see Lizzy standing there looking like she was about to start breathing fire at any minute. Everyone around me grew deathly silent.
“You’re engaged?”
What the ever-loving hell?
“Huh?”
“You heard me, asshole.” Lizzy charged at me like a bull ready to gore the living shit out of a matador. “You’re engaged! To another woman!”
“What the hell are you talking about? I’m not engaged to anyone. I’m married to you.” She was confusing the hell out of me.
“Oh, yeah?” she laughed cynically. “Then you wouldn’t mind explaining why your lovely fiancée, Marissa, decided to stop by the salon for a manicure today.”
My jaw dropped and my eyes went wide. “Oh, shit.”
“Yeah, oh, shit! She couldn’t stop going on and on about how you two had rekindled your romance and you were planning on moving back home to start your family.” She finished that last part using finger quotes.
This situation was quickly spiraling out of control.
“Baby, that’s not true at all. She’s a manipulative bitch. I swear, I’ve had nothing to do with that woman in years!”
“So you haven’t been in contact with her recently.” It wasn’t a question. Her hands were on her hips, her eyes narrow as she studied me.
Dammit.
“Okay, yes. We’ve talked. But it’s not what you think!” I rushed when I saw the tears welling up in her eyes.
The laugh that left her throat sent chills up my spine. It was anything but happy. “I can’t believe this shit. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you! You’re just like every other lying, cheating, piece–of–shit asshole out there.”
Each tear that coursed down her cheek was like a knife to my heart, but at the same time, her words built an anger inside me I couldn’t ignore.
“Lizzy, you need to calm down and let me explain.” I tried desperately to remain calm, knowing she wasn’t the most rational of people when she was upset. The last thing either of us needed was to say words we’d never be able to take back.
“Calm down? Fuck you, you bastard! I want a divorce!”
Words like that.
My breathing became labored. I could feel beads of sweat popping up along my forehead. I was having one wicked feeling of déjà vu. Standing before me was yet another person in my life who would rather think the worst of me than give me a chance.
“You’re treading on really dangerous ground, sweetheart,” I warned. I wanted…no, I needed to know she believed in me. That she’d trust me enough to hear my side of the story—the real side—before doing something that couldn’t be undone. “What she told you today wasn’t anywhere near the truth. You need to let me explain—”
“I don’t need to let you do shit! What I need, Trevor, is for you to get your shit out of my house and out of my life! This is over. I’m so done.”
And that cut worse than anything I’d experienced in my life. Lizzy’s words hurt worse than anything Marissa or my father had ever done to me. This was the woman I loved with everything I was. I’d put her above all else. And she couldn’t even trust in me enough…believe in me enough to let me tell her the truth. I could take that from my father; hell, he’d been shoveling that shit in my direction practically since birth. But I couldn’t handle Lizzy looking at me as if I was beneath her.
Something inside me died with her words. And in that moment, I realized one very important truth: handing my heart over to anyone led to more pain than it was worth. I was finished. She’d told me she was done. Well, so was I. I couldn’t even bring myself to fight with her.
“You and me both, Liz.” My voice was cold…hollow. That’s how I felt inside. No pain, no anger, just…hollow. I watched as her eyes widened at the tone of my voice. She froze altogether, the fight draining from her eyes, but I just couldn’t bring myself to care. Lizzy’s lack of faith in me was the straw that finally broke the camel’s back. The straw that finally broke me.
“I’ll be out by tonight.”
“Trevor.” Her voice was a soft whisper, a plea, but it was too late.
“Just go, Lizzy.”
The color drained from her face as more tears broke free. “Trevor,” she repeated, and the sound of my name on her lips was like a gunshot.
“What? You’re finally getting that divorce you’ve been so desperate for. You should be thrilled,” I laughed sarcastically. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have shit to do. Long night ahead, what with moving and everything.”
I didn’t wait to see what she had to say. I turned on my heels and stormed into my office, slamming the door behind me so hard I was surprised it didn’t break off the frame. As I stood there, each inhale and exhale quick and ragged, I surveyed the small, windowless room that held my worth. This shop was the only thing I had to show my value.
With a painful roar, I swiped my arms across the desk, knocking everything to the floor. But that wasn’t enough. I picked up anything and everything in my path, throwing it against the wall until pieces shattered, hell-bent on destroying it all. By the time I was done, my muscles throbbed and there wasn’t a piece of furniture in the office still intact. I’d destroyed everything.
Just like she had destroyed me.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Shit.
I couldn’t stop remembering the look on his face when I told him I was done. The dead, emotionless eyes that stared back at me. I was so used to seeing them light up with humor or love whenever he looked at me, but when that light burned out and all that stared back was an empty void. I couldn’t shake the unease that blanketed me, the sense that I’d just seriously messed up. That this wasn’t something I could talk my way out of. There would be no using my redheaded temper as an excuse this time.
I’d been so hurt, so damn angry that I’d refused to let Trevor get a word in edgewise, and as I paced my living room, waiting for him to come home, I doubted my fury had been justified. I’d taken the word of a complete stranger—a woman who’d come off as cold and calculating the moment I met her—over that of the man I claimed to love. I knew Trevor’s past and how his father had made him feel unworthy. And what did I do? I acted just as bad as that selfish asshole. No, I’d been worse! Once again, when my faith in Trevor was put to the test, I’d failed.
Pushing the Boundaries (Picking up the Pieces #3) Page 19
