And it was wonderful.
Chapter 20
Pride: Because all I can still hear are the things you said!
Isabella~
Julian never texted me back.
I was a complete mess and no matter how much Quinn and Avery were trying to help, they weren’t. Nobody could help me if I lost Julian.
“It’s going to be okay, Izzy. Julian will come back, I promise,” Avery tried again.
“And if he doesn’t,” I challenged her, brokenly.
Quinn started rubbing my thigh, as I sat between my two best friends. “He will, Iz. Julian’s made it perfectly clear that he cannot be without you.”
I gave her a scathing look of disbelief. “I hate to ruin your view of our oh, so perfect relationship, but Julian felt just fine being without me last night and not reaching out to me all day today.”
Q moved her hand to begin rubbing my arm. “Isabella, has it occurred to you that he might be with Teresa? We all know he turns off his phone when he’s with her. And after the fights you two have been having lately, it’s not hard to imagine that’s probably where he is.”
I blink at her. Then I blinked again when all her words finally registered.
Of course, he’d go to Teresa. She was his safe place.
I dropped my head in my hands. “I’m such an idiot.”
Avery’s hand went to my back and she started rubbing it in soothing circular motion. “You’re not an idiot, Izzy. You’re just upset and emotional. It’s making you not think straight.”
“Do you want me to text Chase and ask him if Julian’s with Teresa?” Quinn offered.
“No, if Jul-” I was interrupted by sudden pounding on the front door.
Avery got up and I stayed seated on the couch as she walked over and opened the front door to whoever was trying to break the door down.
The hairs on the back of my next stood up when a very pissed off looking Chase Alexander and Nicholas Savage stormed towards me. They both came to stand on the other side of the coffee table looking down at me. Avery remained by the door, while Quinn turned her body to face Nick and Chase. It didn’t take them long to get to why there were in my living room.
“What the fuck did you do to Julian,” Chase fumed, his hand balled into fists at his side.
Chase was the easy going one.
“I…Noth-”
“Don’t talk to her like that, Chase,” Quinn jumped in. “Sh-”
His eyes darted towards Q. “I’ll talk to her any goddamn way I want, Quinn. I suggest you stay the fuck out of this.”
Quinn stood up, ready to go toe to toe with Chase. “Excuse me?”
I stood and put my hand on Quinn’s arm. “It’s okay, Q. I can handle this.” She took a step back, but I could feel the anger radiating off her body. “What are you talking about, Chase?” I asked.
Nick was no better when he shot me a contemptuous glower. “He’s talking about how Teresa called us and told us to keep an eye on Julian because she was worried about him.”
“There’s only one thing in this world that can drive him over the edge, Isabella. And that’s you,” Chase stated. “So what the fuck did you do to him,” he asked again.
“Nothing,” I shouted back. “We had a fight, but…it was just a fight.”
Nicholas crossed his arms over his chest as he eyed Avery walking back to stand next to me. We were all taking sides now.
This was bad.
Really bad.
“What the fuck over?” Chase continued.
This was it. Nicholas and Chase were going to hate me and they were going to take Quinn and Avery with them or it was going to cause problems for them. They knew all about what was going on with my father and Logan’s visit, so I didn’t need to explain beyond what happened. “I had lunch with Logan and I didn’t tell him. He accused me of keeping things from him and…it…things sort of got tense after that.” Chase’s eyes bugged out of his head and Nick muttered a ‘Jesus Christ’.
After a few stunned seconds, Nick finally exploded. “The fuck, Isabella?! Why in the hell would you keep anyfuckingthing about your life from Julian? That man lives for you! Why would you do something like that?”
Chase was shaking his head. “No,” he stated emphatically. “There’s more to it than you not telling him you had lunch with Logan.” He started to pace, like he was trying to figure things out in his head. “Julian would forgive you anything,” he mumbled. “There’s gotta be more.”
The words that spilled from my lips filled me with so much shame and regret, it felt like my insides were shredding through my voice. “I called him on his promise to do anything for me,” I admitted, shamefully.
“What?” Nick’s jaw was ticking so badly, it was a wonder he could even be heard through the grinding of his teeth.
I didn’t bother to try to stop the tears that started pouring down my face. I deserved their anger. I didn’t want to tell them what I said, but Julian deserved my humiliation. “He said I hadn’t asked for his forgiveness and I told him I shouldn’t have to ask for it because he said he’d do anything for me.”
The girls already knew everything about our fight, so they just stood next to me quietly, as Nick and Chase turned to stone right before our eyes. Facing their scrutiny and judgement was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, but I deserved their scorn.
Nick’s voice was cold and merciless, “So you’re telling us that Julian living on his knees for you these past few months wasn’t enough?” The room was deathly still. “Julian has catered to your every whim, and has bent the goddamn universe to make sure you’re happy, and you tell him go and tell him it’s not fucking enough?!” Nick’s statement was a full on roar by the time he was done.
Chase wasn’t in any better a state. “In the six months since he’s met you, he’s only gone against you twice. Count them. Twice. Once to ensure your safety with the guy sending you flowers, and the second to ensure your happiness over your shit dad. Fucking twice!”
“Chase, that’s enough,” Quinn’s voice was soft, but firm.
He turned to her and didn’t spare her feelings at all. “The fuck it is, Quinn,” he threw back at her. “And you’re out of your mind if you think I’m going to let your friend fuck over one of the most selfless, loyal and loving people on the planet.” He stared her down. “No matter how much I love you.”
I had never felt so guilt ridden and wretched. Chase was right. Julian has always put my feelings before his and I was so wrapped up in my own drama that I didn’t do the same for him. I lashed out and hurt him because I couldn’t handle it when he put the kid gloves away.
“I told him I was sorry, Chase.”
He cocked his head at me, like he doubted it. “Really? And what did Julian say?”
I thought I couldn’t feel lower than I already was, but saying the next words out loud proved that wrong. “Nothing,” I admitted. “I sent it in a text and he didn’t text back.”
Nick lost his shit. “You throw his love back in his face and you send an apology in a fucking text?! Are you fucking kidding me?! You’re telling me you betraying and breaking Julian’s heart didn’t even warrant a motherfucking phone call!?!”
“Nicholas, stop it,” Avery commanded, but Nick wouldn’t even look her way.
Chase didn’t give me a chance to answer. “We thought you were different, Isabella,” he raged. “We thought you could see how special Julian was and would be able to love him like he deserves.”
“Exactly,” Nick added. “But apparently you’re like every other person who looks at Julian and thinks he’s only good to use for their own selfish purposes.”
‘No! No!” I didn’t care if I sounded hysterical or desperate. “That’s not true! I love Julian. I love him so much. I…I made a stupid mistake,” I implored them to understand. “I said something stupid in the heat of an argument.”
I knew Nick was next in temperament after Julian, but nothing had prepared me for his cruelty. Hi
s voice was like sharpened icicles to my heart. “We’re going to find Julian, Isabella. We’re going to find him, and once we make sure he’s okay. I’m going to make it so he’s drowning in so much pussy; he forgets you and any pain you caused him.”
I gasped in actual physical pain. Avery lost her composure. “What the fuck?!” she screeched. “Nicholas Savage, if you think for one second-”
“Save it, Avery,” he barked. “I love you more than my own life, but your loyalty to Isabella isn’t going to diminish my loyalty to Julian.”
“So, other women is the answer?” Quinn lashed out. I heard all their voices around me, but I couldn’t concentrate for the pain radiating throughout my body.
Chase answered for Nick. “You’re goddamn right it is. If that’s what it takes to get her out of his system then Vegas, here we come, baby,” Chase crudely sing-songed. “If he needs pussy, weed…hell, if he needs fucking heroin to come out of her bullshit okay, then that’s what’s going to happen, Quinn!”
“Stop! Please, just stop,” I begged. Imagining Julian doing drugs and touching another women was tearing at my already shredded soul.
Quinn wasn’t going to let it go. “You guys haven’t even spoken with Julian! How do you even know he’s bad off?” she asked.
Chase wasn’t going to back down. “Because my mother wouldn’t have called us if he wasn’t,” he thundered.
My selfishness not only hurt Julian, but it was hurting my friends’ relationships too. “Please, stop fighting,” I pleaded again. I looked at Nick and Chase and I prayed they saw the truth in my face. In my eyes. “I promise…I swear… I’ll make it right with Julian. I’ll spend every day making it up to him, I swear to God. But please,” I started crying harder. “Please don’t take him from me. Please don’t convince him to leave me.” I buried my face in my hands. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. Oh, God, I’m so fucking sorry.” Quinn took me into her arms and I cried harder.
The entire room was quiet except for my sobbing. It felt like forever before Chase broke the silence and it felt like the final nail in my coffin. “If Julian forgives you, then we’ll have no choice but to forgive you too. But, Isabella,” he paused until I looked up at him. “if he doesn’t and moves on, you will no longer be welcomed around me. Quinn can hang out with you all she wants, but only if I’m not around.”
“Same here,” Nick added before they both turned their backs on us and walked out the door.
Avery immediately wrapped her around me and I was enveloped by both my friends. “They’re just worried about Julian, Izzy. They didn’t mean it.”
“Yeah, they’re just mad, honey,” Quinn joined in to reassure me.
I shook my head. “No, they’re not. And I don’t blame them.” My sobs wouldn’t let up. “I just want Julian,” I whispered.
I could feel someone stroking my hair, while Avery said, “I know, pretty girl.” I cried harder.
I didn’t feel so pretty.
Julian~
When I turned my phone back on, there had been a dozen texts, missed phone calls and voicemails from Nick and Chase. But I was only interested in one text, the one I got from Isabella that she was sorry and asking me to forgive her.
I hadn’t texted her back because we needed to talk in person. I had things I was sorry for also and I wanted to say them and apologize to her face.
I knew Nick and Chase were worried, so I sent them a group text to meet me at SMA. Even though it was after hours, I needed to catch up on the shit I left while I spent the day with Teresa. And working after hours ensured no interruptions.
Besides, I decided to take Teresa’s advice and I needed to get ahead of the game in case I really did kill Sandy and ended up in prison. I didn’t want Nick and Chase left with an accounting nightmare.
I was knee deep in my emails when Nick and Chase burst through my office door. Chase strode towards my desk, while Nick went to make himself a drink. “What the fuck, Julez?” Chase greeted me.
I smirked. “Well, hello to you, too. How are you this fine evening, Chase?”
He pointed a finger at me. “You’re an asshole,” he replied.
I looked over at Nick and he was already pouring a second drink for himself. “And you, Nick? How are you faring this fine evening?”
He jerked his chin towards Chase. “I’m with him,” he answered. “You are an asshole.”
The laugh I let loose felt good. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why am I an asshole?”
Chase dropped his body in one of the chairs across from my desk as he answered, “Mom called and told us to look out for you because you were upset.”
“Yeah,” Nick chimed in, “and when you didn’t answer our calls or texts, we got worried.”
“You guys know I turn off my phone when I’m with mom,” I reminded them.
“We know,” Nick bit out and it was then that I realized they were actually upset, “but it was still off after Mom called.”
I looked back and forth between Nick and Chase and I knew something wasn’t right. “I drove straight over here and I texted you guys as soon as I looked through and heard all my messages.”
I saw Nick fixing his third drink and I knew something was up. I pointed to Nick. “You,” I said, “step away from the liquor,” I instructed. “Come sit down and tell me what’s going on.” Nick stepped away from the liquor, but not before he threw back his third pour. My gaze still darted back and forth between my two friends as Nick sat down in the chair next to Chase. “Okay, now tell me what’s going on.” They side-eyed each other and I could actually see the wheels turning in their heads.
This couldn’t be good.
Nick spoke first. “I’d like for the record to state that we were very worried about you,” he said.
My brows lifted at his declaration. “Okkkaaay.”
“Yes. We were very worried,” Chase added. “You should know that part.”
Jesus, what could they have gotten themselves into? “I got that part,” I replied.
“And we love you,” Nick blurted out.
“Yeah, yeah, we love you. You’re our brother,” Chase enthusiastically contributed.
I studied these two buffoons, but couldn’t deny the truth. “I love you guys, too,” I assured them. A lot of men got uncomfortable with expressing their love for their male friends, but Chase was right. We weren’t friends, we were brothers.
Nick’s face lit up and his index finger went in the air. “And I hadn’t eaten lunch,” he announced. “I was worried and hungry.”
“Fuck,” Chase grumbled. “I ate lunch.”
“That’s too bad,” Nick muttered. I wanted to laugh so badly, but I didn’t. I knew whatever they were getting at was serious.
There were a few beats of silence before Chase almost jumped out of his chair. “I ate lunch, but I had just finished a meeting with Joseph Grammery,” he exclaimed.
“Oh, that’s a good one. Grammery is a douchebag,” Nick nodded.
I placed my elbows on the desk and leaned forward. “So, you guys were worried about me because you love me, but you were hungry from lack of nourishment and irritated by rich pricks. Is that right?”
They both nodded, but Nick decided to add more to their weirdness. “And you didn’t answer our calls or texts. I think you should take some responsibility for that.” I looked over at Chase and he was nodding his head in agreement. “If you had answered our calls and told us you were fine, things would have gone very differently,” he cryptically stated.
“Yeah, I mean, what were we supposed to think?” Chase asked me.
I didn’t respond to Nicholas’ accusation or Chase’s question because I had no idea what the fuck they were hinting at. So, instead I asked, “So, this is…whatever this is…is partly my fault?”
“Well, I mean, it could be argued that it’s all your fault and Chase and I are just innocent casualties of war,” Nick shrugged.
I couldn’t take anymore. I held up my hand to stop their insanity and fin
ally just asked, “What did you guys do?”
They side-eyed each other again and Chase finally came clean. Well…clean-ish. “Well, we might have gone over to your house after Mom called us,” he mumbled.
“And?” I asked patiently.
Nick started rubbing the back of his neck. I’d never seen him look more nervous than he did in this moment, and that’s saying something, because I’ve known the guy my entire life. “And we may have said some things to Isabella,” he confessed.
I leaned back in my chair and crossed my hands over my lap. “Such as?”
“Bad things,” Chase added, miserably.
I could feel my heartbeat start to speed up. My body felt warm and there was a swarm of butterflies taking up residence in the pit of my stomach. Nick was a nice guy and Chase was the easy going one, but no one knew them like I did and they could be vicious bastards when the occasion called for it. And something told me they thought this was an appropriate occasion.
“I may have accused her of using you and told her I was going to drown you in pussy to help you get over her,” Nick groaned out as he dropped his head in his hands.
And because we were all loyal to one another, Chase admitted his culpability, “I may have accused her of not deserving you and told her she’s not welcomed in my life if you don’t forgive her.” His eyes fell to the floor after his admission.
I’m not going to lie. My first instinct was to protect Isabella and beat the snot out of Chase and Nicholas, but I could tell by just looking at them, that they felt horrible now that they knew I was okay. I used every ounce of love I had for these two to rein in my violent impulses. My voice was strong and steady when I said, “You guys will apologize to her the second she and I apologize to each other about the things we said and did.” I saw a set of brown topped heads bob up and down. “She wasn’t the only hateful one in that argument guys.”
Chase looked up at me and asked, “Why didn’t you tell us about your fight right away?”
Claiming Isabella Page 24
