Injury

by Tobin, Val

“Sit, Robert. Please? Don’t just stand there.”

  “I’ll wait here.”

  Breath hitching, Dani tried to hold back the tears until he was gone. Gone. She’d feared all along that what she had with Cope was too good to last. “Won’t you let me explain?”

  “Not now.” His face softened as their gazes locked, and a spark of hope kindled inside her. But not for long.

  “I love you. But I can’t be with a woman who manipulates and lies to me. You went behind my back. You knew I didn’t want help from anyone, even my parents, but that didn’t matter to you.”

  “No, you don’t understand. I love you, too.”

  He held up a hand, stopping her. “Not now. I can’t bear your excuses right now. Respect me enough to give me that much.”

  The intercom buzzed. Cope pressed the button and asked who was there. When Liz responded, Cope told her to come on up. The doorbell rang, and he pressed his eye to the peephole, exaggerating his moves. Any other time, Dani would have found that amusing. Now, it broke her heart.

  He opened the door, and Liz stepped inside, immediately rushing to Dani’s side. “Oh, honey, are you okay?”

  Dani directed her gaze at the floor and nodded, but the tears overflowed her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.

  “That bastard. I hope they lock him up forever.”

  Through choked sobs, Dani said, “I’m not crying because of Greg.” She lifted her head to look at Cope—beg him to stay—and saw he wasn’t there.

  “Oh, God, Liz, what have I done? He’s gone.” Dani tumbled into Liz’s arms and let the tears flow.

  ***

  Liz stroked Dani’s back while she choked out her story. “I let the team decide whether to lend him the money or not. If it wasn’t a viable investment, they could’ve said ‘no.’”

  “Did you tell him that?”

  “I tried. But he refused to let me talk. What am I going to do?” She didn’t want to beg him, but she also didn’t want to lose a relationship with potential.

  “How’d he find out you own the investment company?”

  “The news, which makes it so much worse. God knows what they said.” Dani and Liz exchanged glances.

  “One way to find out,” Liz said.

  Dani grabbed the remote control from the coffee table and flicked on the television. The news channel appeared, but they were showing a global news story. The two women waited for breaking news to scroll around again.

  When it did, Greg Henderson’s arrest was the lead story. Reporters following Henderson and hanging out in front of Dani’s apartment building had caught him entering the complex and being led out again by the police. The anchor, Lisa Knowles, an older woman in a navy business suit, face neutral, described the litany of charges: attempted rape, assault, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer. Henderson had apparently punched the police officer leading him away.

  The video footage flicked to Dani and Cope kissing in front of the limo outside the restaurant at which they’d had their first lunch date. Tears blurred Dani’s vision, and she reached for a tissue. Knowles mentioned Dani’s relationship with Cope while a montage of images on the screen flashed behind the newscaster.

  Cope at a restaurant; Dani coming out of a store; Cope and Dani exiting a restaurant; and Cope entering the building where his limo service headquartered. The camera closed in on the scene, the image freezing while Knowles described Cope’s business and his backers at Star Power.

  “Star Power, owned by Robert Copeland’s girlfriend, Daniella Grayson, funds the venture.” The camera panned out, and Knowles turned to her co-anchor, a middle-aged man with a cleft chin. “Must be nice to have friends in rich places, am I right, George?”

  A chill went up Dani’s spine, and she felt sick.

  “Can you call someone a sugar baby if they’re older than their benefactor, Lisa?” George laughed, and Knowles chuckled in response.

  “You wouldn’t think this guy needed to be a kept man since his parents are wealthy. I guess if Mom and Dad don’t help you get your start, there’s always a rich girlfriend.”

  Bile rose in Dani’s throat, and she fought the urge to vomit. No wonder Cope was so angry with her. The media had twisted her intentions and made him look like a gold digger. “Oh my God, Liz. Oh, God.” Dani buried her head in her hands and sobbed.

  Liz placed a hand on Dani’s back and with gentle strokes tried to soothe her.

  Chapter 25

  In the days following Henderson’s arrest, the publicity machine geared into overtime and Dani saw her face, Henderson’s face, and Cope’s face everywhere she looked. The headlines made her cringe and brought tears to her eyes. The media referred to Cope as “sugar baby” and “kept man,” running with the terms flung out so carelessly by the newscasters on that first day.

  Work on the film occupied Dani’s days—and even her evenings when the shoot ran long. Her nights were lonely and cold, despite the heatwave that gripped the city. Cope didn’t call, and Dani, though tempted to text or phone him, held back, giving him his space. She distracted herself by spending more time at the organization for abused children where she volunteered.

  Dani kept tabs on Cope and the progress he made getting his limo service open for business through Star Power. The media noticed their separation and reported on it. A tabloid printed pictures of Cope at a restaurant with a sexy blonde woman. Katherine. Dani found the paper on a table in the lobby of her apartment building when she returned from work late one evening. She snagged it, read it, and then shredded it while the tears streamed down her face. Again.

  That moment was the closest she came to raiding her liquor cabinet. She went as far as opening the door and removing a bottle of tequila. A memory of Greg Henderson staggering into her apartment and ruining his career popped into her head, and she put the bottle back. Determined to avoid turning to alcohol, Dani locked the bar, forced herself off the floor, and stumbled to the kitchen to find something to eat.

  A small salad would put healthy food in her body, and she thought her stomach could accept it without rebelling. Her appetite had been abysmal since Cope left. While she ate, sitting at the kitchen table, resisting the temptation to turn on the news, she wondered what she would do if Cope refused to see her again.

  Their time together had been so blissful—at least, according to Dani. How could he be so angry with her he’d give that up? Maybe it hadn’t been as blissful for him. If it was so easy for him to leave her, better it had happened before they’d made a serious commitment to one another.

  How sad that the one time they’d said the ‘L’ word to each other it’d been when he’d walked out on her, perhaps forever. Dani dropped her fork onto the table when the tears dripped into her salad, covered up the barely-touched greens, and stuck it in the fridge.

  She glanced at the clock, which read 9:06 PM. Dani went to her purse and grabbed her phone. If Liz was available, they could meet up and go to a club. It’d been ages since Dani had gone out.

  Her girlfriend wasn’t home, but Dani, craving people, decided she’d go to Vibrations alone. The club was one she’d frequented before she’d dated Cope, and she’d know enough of the regulars there to feel comfortable. If she stayed home, she’d mope and wallow in self-pity, and she’d had enough of that shit.

  An hour later, Dani entered the club. Music throbbed around her and she made her way to the bar, waving to the people she knew. Soon, a group formed around her. After ordering a cranberry spritzer, Dani sat in a booth with a group of acquaintances she didn’t realize she’d missed until she saw them again.

  “How’s the film coming along?” said Eric Wayan, the young man sitting on Dani’s right. A scruffy beard offset his bright blue eyes and handsome face. Perhaps he was trying to give the illusion of fullness to a slim, tapered face. Dani didn’t like the bearded look, but Eric’s was neat and trim and gave him a bad-boy appearance that attracted her.

  Dani smiled. “Great. We’re shooting every day. I can’t
stay long tonight, but I had to get out.”

  “Care to dance?” He stood and offered her his hand.

  Why not? She’d decided to have fun tonight, even with that hollow space in her gut where Cope’s love used to be. “Okay.” Dani tossed back the rest of her drink and followed Eric out onto the dance floor.

  Somehow, she had fun. While she didn’t get Cope out of her head, Eric at least made the evening a pleasant distraction. He kept her dancing and made her laugh. At midnight, Dani noticed the time and realized she’d killed the night. With an early-morning shoot, she’d better get home.

  “I have to leave.” Hoarse from screaming over the music all evening, Dani gestured at the doors to make sure Eric got the message.

  “Okay. Would you like me to drive you?”

  Dani shook her head. “I have my driver here.”

  “Can I see you again? Will you go out for dinner with me tomorrow?”

  About to refuse, Dani considered that if she stayed in tomorrow, she’d spend the evening lost and heartbroken. Far better to get out and keep busy though she wondered if that meant she was using Eric. “Okay, but it’s not a date.”

  Eric smiled. “Is there something wrong with dating me?”

  “I’m getting over a breakup. I don’t want to give you the wrong idea.”

  He took her hand and pressed it to his cheek. “It’s okay, Dani. I know you and your boyfriend just split up. His loss. I don’t want to replace him. No pressure on you, all right? Just me taking you out for a nice dinner—no strings.”

  His hands were warm and soothing. Dani inhaled deeply, paused, and then exhaled slowly, trying to rid herself of the feeling that a date was admitting that what she’d had with Cope was over. The thought brought tears to her eyes again, and she bit her lip and held her breath, attempting to get control of her emotions. “Yes. I’ll go out for dinner with you tomorrow. Text me the details, and I’ll meet you at the restaurant.”

  “Why don’t you give me your address and phone number, and I’ll come and get you? I’ll drive.”

  Dani considered. John and Cope had wanted her to take the limo wherever she went, and Ryan Pearlman, the bodyguard Cope had selected, followed her into whatever establishment she entered. She glanced over at the bar, where Ryan sat waiting for her, nursing a coffee.

  But Henderson was in jail—no possible threat there, Cope didn’t give a shit, and John, well, she’d worry about John’s reaction if he ever found out. Fuck the bodyguard. “Okay. Give me your cell phone.”

  Eric handed her his phone, and she input her information. He agreed to pick her up at eight o’clock, and Dani signaled to Ryan that she was ready to go.

  Back in the car, Dani kicked off her sandals and massaged her sore feet while Ryan drove home. Tired but feeling lighter than she had in days, Dani reclined in her seat and stared out the window.

  Up ahead loomed Cope’s building. She wondered what he was doing tonight and thanked her good sense she wasn’t drunk. Even sober she wanted to pick up her phone and call him. If she’d been drinking, he’d have gotten a call similar to the one Henderson had given Dani—rambling, half-incoherent, and ingratiating.

  As the car sailed past Cope’s skyscraper, Dani pressed her nose against the window and wished with all her heart that that was her destination.

  Chapter 26

  The date started out well enough. Eric picked Dani up in a sleek Corvette convertible. After riding around in limos for so long, Dani thrilled at the wind whipping her hair, and the sultry, humid evening charged with excitement. Eric’s fair hair and tan complexion contrasted with Dani’s dark locks and pale skin. When she had caught their reflection in the lobby doors, she’d felt a measure of smugness. If their pictures made it into tomorrow’s papers, they’d look spectacular.

  But the moment they arrived at Genius, the evening took a turn for the worse. Dani hadn’t expected Eric to select this restaurant, but why wouldn’t he? It was trendy and popular, frequented by celebrities. He may have seen pictures of her here with Cope, but Eric wouldn’t know this was where she’d had her first lunch date with the former limo driver.

  Flashbulbs popped and voices called her name. Her hand tucked into the crook of Eric’s arm, Dani walked toward the restaurant’s entrance without pausing. She wiggled her fingers in greeting at the fans who called to her and ignored the reporters.

  The couple stepped into the darkness of the restaurant, and when her eyes recovered from the camera flashes and adjusted to the low light, Dani scanned the dining room. And there he was: Cope—with a date.

  Dani’s heart drooped and sorrow overwhelmed her when Cope lifted his head and met her gaze. His eyes betrayed surprise, then they widened in shock when he registered Eric next to her. The woman with him—Katherine, his old friend, Margaret’s favorite—leaned over, laid a hand on his shoulder, and murmured in his ear.

  That broke the eye-lock Dani and Cope had established, and Dani wondered how long her prison term would be if she went over and slugged the bimbo.

  “Is everything okay?” Eric said.

  Dani realized she was holding her breath and exhaled with a small sigh. “Yes, everything’s fine. Why?”

  Before he could reply, Francois, the maître d’ appeared and, recognizing Dani, welcomed them. “Please, follow me. I have the perfect table.”

  “I made a reservation,” Eric said.

  “Yes, sir,” Francois replied. “This way.”

  Dani smiled what she hoped was a radiant smile and threw a glance in Cope’s direction, but averted her eyes when his gaze once again met hers. Focused on following the headwaiter, Dani kept her hand on Eric’s arm.

  When they were seated, Eric took her hand. “Are you uncomfortable?”

  “No. Why?” She played dumb, not sure if Eric knew she’d spotted Cope. Self-conscious with Eric’s hand on hers, Dani forced herself not to snatch her hand from his. If it bothered Cope, what did it matter? She had as much right to be out with another man as Cope had to be out with another woman. But did it have to ache so much?

  “Your ex-boyfriend is here. Sorry, Dani. I didn’t expect him to be here.”

  “It’s okay, Eric. How could you have known?” Dani extricated her hand from Eric’s and flipped the menu open, scanned it, and wondered what she could order that would stay down. The sight of Cope with that woman had made her lose her appetite.

  A salad. She’d order a salad and mineral water. That, at least, should land in her stomach without wanting a return trip. The waiter appeared and took their order, and then Dani attempted to take an interest in Eric. “How’s the marketing business doing?”

  “It’s going well. I’ve just landed a new client.”

  Eric worked for a PR firm doing Internet marketing and had done well for himself. He’d worked his way up from a junior position and was now director of sales. A long-haired woman requesting an autograph interrupted their discussion. Dani scribbled her name on a piece of paper.

  Francois appeared and confronted the woman. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we frown on customers disrupting meals to get autographs from celebrities here. Please return to your table.”

  The woman blushed and hurried away. Francois turned to Dani. “My apologies, Miss Grayson. I’ll see that it doesn’t happen again. Security will keep a closer watch on your table.”

  “Thank you,” Dani said.

  Francois nodded and left. Dani smiled at Eric. “They’re great at controlling that here, but sometimes, someone slips past. Security knows, and they take care of me. Sorry for the interruption.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Eric replied. “It goes with the territory. Must frustrate sometimes.”

  Raised voices caught Dani’s attention, and she turned her head in the direction from which it came. Cope argued with a woman. He’d headed toward Dani’s table, and security had intervened. His indignant voice reached Dani’s ears. “I’m not just a fan. We’re friends, and I have a right to speak to her.”

  Cope st
epped around the woman trying to hold him back and approached Dani’s table. Face flushed, frown distorting his handsome features, and hands fisted, Cope looked like he wanted to slug something.

  Dani glanced at the date he’d left behind at the table. Katherine’s gaze followed Cope as he strode to Dani’s side. The stunned concern on the blonde’s face made Dani smug and guilty at the same time.

  Security followed Cope, looking questioningly at Dani, who waved her hand to indicate it was okay. The woman nodded and said, “I’ll be nearby if you need me, Miss Grayson.” She resumed her position at the side of the room.

  “Cope?” Dani said when he reached the table.

  “Where’s Ryan Pearlman?” he said through gritted teeth.

  He’d fought his way to her table to ask about the bodyguard?

  “I don’t know.”

  “What do you mean you don’t know?”

  “Go back to your date, Cope. I came with Eric tonight. And I don’t answer to you.”

  Eric spoke up then. “Miss Grayson and I are on a date.” He looked at Dani then. “Want me to call security back?”

  Dani glanced at Eric and shook her head. “No, I’m sure Mr. Copeland was just leaving.” She turned back to Cope. “If you think we have something to discuss, call me tomorrow. Otherwise, your date’s getting annoyed.”

  Face flushed with fury, Cope turned on his heel and returned to his table. When he sat, he looked over at Dani again, and she felt her insides churn at the obvious pain in his eyes.

  The waiter arrived with their drinks, setting a mineral water with lime in front of Dani and a glass of beer in front of Eric. When he’d left, Dani gave Eric a weak smile. “I’m sorry for that, too.”

  “Again, that wasn’t your fault. Let’s try to make the best of it. I’m sure he won’t bother you anymore. You’ve made your position clear.”

  The waiter arrived with their food, and Dani picked at the arugula salad while Eric feasted on steak, potatoes, and mixed vegetables. Throughout the meal, Dani stole glances at Cope’s table.