Sweat trickled down my back as I pushed the shovel into the hard dirt, my knees scraped against the brick with each move. I had spent all morning removing weeds from the flower beds my hands were riddled with cuts and scrapes.
Why did I decide to plant rose bushes on the hottest day in California? Also, why did I not wear gloves? It was an amateur move on my part. In my defense, it's not like I had planned to garden on my day off. I just wanted to shut my brain off for the moment and this seemed like the perfect diversion.
Plus, I was really tired of seeing the front yard look like an abandoned horror house. I knew if my mom were alive she'd be livid to see it this way. Apparently, my neighbors were not fans either as they left a very 'kind' letter from the HOA warning us to take care of it or else.
I grabbed the small white rose bush and placed it in the recently dug up hole. I patted the dirt around it and stood two steps back. It was perfect, I imagined how the six small rose bushes would grow wildly with time. Just like I would, hopefully.
Keeping it as professional with Elias was harder than I thought. Fate, destiny or whatever had other plans. He was such a gentleman, nice, chivalrous... I almost pissed my pants when I opened the door and saw him with two dozen red roses. I had never received two dozen of anything my entire life.
The roses weren't the only thing that left me speechless. He looked dapper in his suit, paired with his woodsy cologne, I was left swooning like a school girl.
I saw a glimpse of something other than just the corporate businessman. He was empathetic, seeming genuinely concerned when he saw me crying. I was embarrassed that I had let my guard down. I expected him to be unreceptive and awkward to my emotions but he wasn't. He just tried to comfort me.
Why was he so caring anyway? Did he do this with every woman? I'm sure he had a Ph.D. at wooing women's panties off. It was sort of impossible to rein in on my raging hormones for the man when he was so thoughtful and nice with everything that had to do with me.
My hair swooshed as a car sped into the driveway. Could it be Elias? My heart thumped in my chest. Wait why would he be here? My body turned to see and my heart was now stuck in my throat.
It was Thomas's Audi.
Without hesitation, I ran as fast as my little legs could to the front entrance but I was too slow. Thomas firmly gripped my arm stopping me completely in my tracks.
His eyes narrowed on me as he let go of my arm. "Scarlett, you aren't going to run from me."
I felt tears forming in my eyes and blinked them back into my sockets, there's no way I would give him the satisfaction.
"Thomas, what the fück are you doing here? You know what, I don't even care, please do yourself a favor and leave." My voice seethed with rage.
"I've been texting and calling non-stop," his voiced cracked. "I've been out of the country and as soon as I landed I came to find you."
He brushed his hand over my face "I miss you, please let me explain." He stared me down with his restless blue eyes. Thomas reeked of alcohol his black button up shirt was completely wrinkled, his light brown hair disheveled. He looked as if he hadn't shaven since I last saw him.
I took his hand off my face and looked away,
"There's nothing to talk about."
He fell to his knees and grabbed my hands. "Please Scarlett I can't live like this, without you, please just let me explain."
"Fine, I'll see you around seven, I have the stuff to do"
I slammed the door on his face and sunk into the cold tiled floor. My body felt like there were a thousand needles pricking me at once. Seeing his face again was harder than I'd imagined especially seeing him in that state. His features emitted nothing but vulnerability and despair. Any second longer I probably would have caved into his embrace and forgiven him.
"Hey sis, what's wrong" Isabella sat down beside me bumping me with her shoulder.
"Oh, you have no idea. My life is a complicated stupid mess, I wouldn't even know where to begin."
My sister nudged my arm and gave me a death stare to continue. "Well, Let's see, Thomas, you know the asshole who dumped me? He was just here looking like a bloody hot heartbroken mess. He wanted to explain things and you know, I caved with his sad eyes. Oh and two weeks or so ago I shared a drag me into an alternative universe and back kiss with a stranger at a club. That stranger turned out to be my new boss who is ridiculously hot with that Spanish accent of his. Also doesn't help that my whooha is drawn into the man like a magnet. Not only that, but he also turns out to be a totally sweet guy who likes to take you to the beach for dinner and hear you talk for hours... which does not help the whooha situation at all. Should I keep going?"
My sister erupted in laughter. "Well, when in doubt sis, always listen to your whooha. You can never go wrong with that I mean-"
"No, I can't listen to my whooha! Sleeping with my boss is a recipe for disaster plus I highly doubt that he would even entertain the idea. He does not seem like the type who would sleep with an employee. I really like this job I don't want to do anything to jeopardize it."
"Really, he wouldn't entertain that idea but he would listen to you ramble on for hours? I've been on the other side of that and it's not a pretty sight your ears start to bleed after while."
I hit my sister's arm playfully."You know sometimes, I forget that I'm the big sister, how are you so wise for 18?
She stood up and extended her hand to help me up, "Hey, I'm almost 19 and sis, you live more when you don't follow the rules or bullshit expectations people put on you. Take some advice from your little sister and live a little, think later ok?" she kissed my forehead stumbled out of the front door.
I wiped my sweaty palms onto the sides of my navy blue jeans and proceeded into the old diner. Thomas was waiting for me in the booth near the back with a red rose in his hand. He wore a fitted v neck and black denim pants. His eyes were more swollen and restless than when I saw him earlier. Had he been crying?
I sunk down into the red booth my feet barely touched the floor. We stared into each other's eyes my lungs constricted with each second.
"Remember when we used to skip English class and come to this diner? You always ordered the same thing, a chocolate milkshake and chicken tenders. Never failed." he brought my hands to his face and kissed them.
I pulled my hands back to my side as he gave me a disheartened look. "Where were you yesterday night? I came looking for you twice and you weren't home?"
I crossed my arms over my chest "I was having dinner with my new colleagues not that it's any of your concern."
I was not lying it really was supposed to be a dinner with colleagues until Alexander canceled. Thomas didn't need to know the details. I knew he would just throw it out of proportion like he usually did with anything that had to do with the opposite sex. He would also flip to know who I was alone with.
He swallowed harshly his expression turned cold. "That late?"
I smiled fakely to hide the rage building up in my chest. "Yeah, I didn't come here to be interrogated, what did you want to explain to me? I thought you were pretty clear when you kicked me out."
He stared at me as I had shot him. I'm sure he was caught off-guard by my bitchy-ness. I had never been a bitch to him during our whole relationship. I never stood my ground, his needs always came first. What did he expect? For me under his spell even after he left me? This guy really had some nerves to act like he was the victim. Just looking at him was really starting to piss me off.
"I can't talk about it much but I'm trying to rectify the situation."
I looked up at the ceiling and rolled my eyes so hard that my eyes felt like they might stay that way. I yanked my bag beside me. He had to be out of his mind if he thought I was going to sit through this torture and not receive any kind of answers. This was just like Thomas to manipulate me. He stood up and sat right by me trapping me in the small booth.
"Scarlett, damn it I am not letting you leave here until you listen to me." He pulled my face closer to his.
"My father wants me to marry Abigail Fisher to combine her father's company with ours. He wanted us over Scarlett I had no choice you have to believe me."
Of course, his despicable father wanted him to marry Abigail Fisher the cattiest woman I've ever met. She purposely 'confused' me for the maid when she visited Thomas's house even though she knew I was his girlfriend.
I gritted my teeth fighting every temptation in my body to slap him "So, did your dad force your d*ck to cheat on me as well?" He moved his body away from me and sunk his head.
"No, I made mistakes I'm not proud of them, I wanted to forget you, I don't even know what the hell I was thinking to be honest. Tell me what to do and I'll do it, Scarlett."
"Let me leave now. Leave me alone for good! Let me move on with my life! That's what I want you to do." I pushed him away from me. I could no longer stay here it was too much. It was a mistake coming here in the first place.
I thought I would get some closure. It was naive of me to think that.
I ran out of the dinner, tears flooded my vision. I couldn't remember where I parked. Looking frantically like a bat out of hell, I spotted my jeep.
"Oh, come on" I banged my steering wheel as I revved the engine for the twentieth time.
I turned to the side and saw Thomas staring into my skull he opened the driver door with such force I thought the door would pop off. He roughly unhooked my seat belt and lifted me over his shoulders.
"Put me down right now." I pounded his back with my fists.
His grip tightened over my thighs "If you're going to act like a child, I'm going to treat you like one."
He threw me in his car and wrapped the seatbelt tightly around me. I shot him the dirtiest look that I could. His expression hardened like steel and didn't take his eyes off the road. The vein in his neck protruded and His knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know he was pissed at me. Which pissed me off even more that he was pissed at me. He should be on his knees begging me back..wait he did that but that's beside the point.
I glared out the car window trying to assess where he could be possibly taking me. He had already missed the exit ramp that led to my house. All hopes of going home were now thrown out the window. I patted my pockets to my jeans and of course, couldn't find my phone. I must have left it in the diner- great, that's just freaking wonderful.
The car halted into the private driveway of a house that I've ever seen before. The house was secluded there wasn't another house in sight. It was surrounded by palm trees and other greenery that hid the massive windows that surrounded the exterior of the house. I debated staying in the car but I'm sure that would anger Thomas even more. Thomas was ruthless when he was angry and I didn't feel like being in the middle of his wrath.
Maybe once I was inside I could get ahold of a phone and call an uber home. Maybe I could steal his damn car... I would need too if I wanted to leave this place. We were way outside the Los Angeles limits, running away on foot was not an option.
I walked as slowly as I possibly could until Thomas yanked my arm so I could walk at his speed. He pushed me into the foyer wall and caged me in with his massive arms. His lips crashed into mine forcibly and charged me with his tongue as he gripped my neck. He kissed harder and deeper with every second. His hands moved down my waist as he lifted my shirt. I gripped his hair and with my other hand slapped him with all the force I could. He held his cheek as he backed away.
"You don't have the right to kiss me anymore." I pushed him into the opposite wall. "Do you really think that you could just kidnap me and force your damn tongue down my throat and I would forgive you?"
He scoffed, "Really kidnap? Maybe you shouldn't have caused such a damn scene. Would you have rather wanted me to leave you at the diner with no vehicle?"
I pounded my small finger into his rock hard chest. "Yeah, you should have, I could have called a uber or something. I'm not your damsel in distress, I don't need you. I have been doing fan fücking-tasic without you."
"Just stay the night, I will take you wherever you need to tomorrow just know I'm not done with you even though you clearly gave up on us so quickly."
What was I supposed to do? Run far away in the middle of the night with no phone? No neighbors, in the middle butt fuck nowhere. I also had no idea where his car keys were at. I had no choice but to stay here and assess my inexistent options until tomorrow.
I defeatedly walked up the stairs not even giving him a response he didn't deserve one. He didn't deserve anything from me. I knew there was no point in arguing with him it always had to be his way or nothing. I did not see that before but it was clear as ice now. Everything was on his terms always had been since the day I met him.
"Are you just going to follow me around like a little lost puppy don't you understand? "
He looked at me like an animal hunting its prey. I must have struck a nerve. "I don't know if you noticed this apparently fücking not the house is not furnished yet. I just bought it and only had time to buy a mattress for the main bedroom and fücking barstools."
I stomped my foot. He had to be kidding me, first, he kidnapped me, now he was forcing me to sleep with him? "We are not going to sleep in the same bed! You can sleep on the floor outside i.dont.really.care but we are not sleeping together. "
His blue eyes narrowed to my brown eyes."I'm sleeping on the damn bed whether you like it or not if you don't like it then sleep on the cold floor. I've really had enough of your theatrics today. We slept in the same damn bed for two years half years and now you have a problem. Don't worry sweetie, the last thing I want to do right now is to touch you."
I felt like a million wasps had stung me I nodded my head and tried to think of a snarky response. I hated that he still had the power to hurt me.
"You could've fooled me when you attacked me with your tongue a while ago." I slammed the pillow onto the bed. The last thing he wanted was to touch me huh? We will see about that? I threw my shirt over my head and wiggled my ass out of my jeans purposely. Leaving me in nothing but my black lace bra and panties.
Thankfully, I had not done laundry and had no choice but to wear sexy uncomfortable underwear that I hated with a passion. I held back a smile as his mouth dropped to the floor, his eyes filled with lust. He gave me smirk like he had caught on to my ploy and stripped completely naked. I forced my eyes off his stupid fit body. I threw the cover over my head and contemplated screaming my lungs out. Thomas was infuriating. I scooted to the farthest corner of the bed and closed my eyes.
He ran his hand down my spine "I bought this house for us, for our future family. I still want a forever with you scar. "
I stayed silent my body feeling like it had melted into the bed. I knew this house seemed familiar we had been looking at it when we were thinking about purchasing a home. I had fallen in love with it immediately when Thomas had shown me the listing.
The house was set on a hill and felt like we were in Tropical Island instead of Los Angeles. The greenery and trees surrounding it gave the entire house a forestry feel to it. The backyard was to die for it had a glass patio if you looked down below all you could see is trees. It also had the best view of the city anyone could imagine. It was perfect for watching the sunset.
Thomas whispered in my ear with a low husky voice. "You can push me away all you want but I'm not stopping until your mine again. Until you're in my arms until your lips are on mine until we make love all night long that we have to call in work because we're so damn tired. So, keep this up all you want."