Sighing, I leaned against the cold doorframe, wondering, what now? as a second figure came into view. What could they possibly want from me? The more I dealt with them, the more my mind and body felt as if they were being drained – a slow, exhausting sensation.
The bouquet was lifted toward me in a ‘here, go on and take this’ motion, wiggling from side to side, its plastic sleeve crinkling as it was gripped. I made no move to do so, wanting to just block out the world by diving back into bed and throwing one of the fluffy pillows over my head.
“Don’t be like this,” she cooed. “We spent an hour looking for the perfect florist.”
Was that piece of information supposed to make me care? It’s not like I asked them to travel through the state of Massachusetts in search of rare white roses. Besides the trash can, where was I going to put them?
“Can we come in?”
At least he asked that time, unlike earlier in the afternoon when he walked in like he owned the place. If I closed the door in their faces, they were the type of people to knock until I opened it again. So instead of protesting, I stepped to the side, allowing them a small bit of space to pass through.
“It’s nice to see you’re still alive.” I mumbled, closing the door behind the pair.
Gage paused as he shuffled past me, cocking an eyebrow. I smiled and shrugged in response, rolling my eyes when his back faced me. Flicking the latch into the doorframe so it wasn’t fully shut, I wondered what Dumb and Dumber were up to.
“Is there something I can help you two with?”
“Yes,” Carlita’s eyes twinkled as she looked at me, sincerity flickering over them. Sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar, she folded her hands over the countertop, exhaling a loud breath as Gage took the seat beside her. “actually, there is. Over the past few hours, Gage and I have been doing a lot of talking, and I’m here to…” She paused to sneak a peek at me, anxiety washing over her features. “to apologize for the way I’ve been acting lately. Now, before you get mad or say anything, can you just hear me out?”
Whatever she had to say was serious if she asked me not to get mad. Though it was a little late for that, I nodded, narrowing my eyes as I studied the woman. A sheen of sweat glistened at her hairline the longer I looked at her, her complexion paling and usual confidence diminishing. I knew how to read people, and as much as it pained me to accept the fact, I knew that she was being genuine with me at that moment. Breaking eye contact, I focused my eyes on the wooden cabinets in the small kitchenette, nodding for her to continue.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gage reach for one of her hands, comforting Carlita in a way that made me sick to my stomach. There was still a chance that all of this was part of some diabolical plan to destroy me, but the nagging in the back of my mind told me to give her a chance.
“I heard that white roses are a symbol of starting over – a new beginning, and that’s what I’m here to accomplish.” Looking back over at the pair, Gage rubbed the back of her palm in small circles while smiling reassuringly. From her bowed head, big brown eyes watched me, gauging my reaction. I shrugged, motioning for her to continue. “I’ve done some horrible things to you, Aubrey, and I’m here to own up to them.”
The roses are normally used for new beginnings, like marriage, but whatever.
“You can start with how you slashed my tire.”
I snapped, scowling at the memory of watching the hooded figure prance away on the security camera like what they’d done was perfectly normal. Carlita’s eyes widened, her face showing even more shame than what it did before. Good, I thought, feel bad for acting so immaturely. Feeling like I had the upper hand, I crossed my arms over my chest as I glared down at her, letting her know that she could no longer BS me.
“You knew this whole time, yet you didn’t do anything about it?”
Technically, I’m not ‘doing’ anything about it. Elise is.
“Of course I knew. Do you think I’m an idiot?” Almost bringing up the part about seeing the pocket knife fall from her bag, I smacked my mouth shut, knowing that the item could still be used if this whole apology thing was a sham.
“I think you’re the complete opposite, Aubrey. Not that it excuses what’s happened, but that’s why I did those things to you in the first place. I was jealous of the attention you started getting, and I wanted revenge. I’d been at the magazine longer than you and was never offered the opportunities you have been. It made me angry.”
What came out of her mouth was just pathetic. Someone needed to get her a pair of big girl panties.
I didn’t care much about her feelings, and if she was looking for sympathy, she wasn’t going to get it from me. Someone could apologize all they wanted, but it would take more than just a few words for me to see the sincerity in them.
“Things,” I muttered. “You keep saying things. Besides the tire, what else have you done to me?”
Retracting her hand from Gage’s, Carlita shifted uncomfortably, scratching the back of her neck. Giving me a wavering smile, a nervous laugh flowed through the kitchen. “Well, I-uh, you see… I might have had something to do with when your car broke down a few weeks ago. When I took your keys the day we went out, I had my brother go to work and mess with it. I don’t know the exact details of what he did, but I knew you were already having problems with it and wouldn’t suspect someone making it worse.”
Don’t attack her. Don’t attack her. Don’t attack her. I kept chanting, over and over again in my head. I’d heard stories of the police in Boston and wanted no part in that, plus, there was a little thing called my job that I had to worry about.
“I could’ve died from that. How would you have felt, then? It seems like the guilt is eating at you now, so what would you have done if I was no longer here?”
I hadn’t noticed any major differences with my car after that day, but that didn’t mean anything. Her brother sounded like an amateur, most likely knowing nothing about cars, so I wasn’t too concerned with that part of her story.
Leaning against the cold surface of the refrigerator, I braced myself for whatever else was going to be thrown my way. After Carlita’s confessions, it felt as if nothing else could surprise me, so I smiled at the worried looking brunette with moisture brimming in her eyes, leaning my head to really look at her. How was someone so small, capable of doing such mean things?
To her, my cool attitude and relaxed posture probably seemed like the calm before the storm, but I wasn’t going to lash out. Though older than me, she had growing up to do, and I actually felt sorry for her, hoping that she’d finally realized it.
“I-I don’t know,” She mumbled, sniffling. “and I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”
“Where did you get the idea that I was going to give it to you?”
I cackled with laughter, clutching my sides while looking between her and Gage. Suddenly, my answer became clear, Gage giving her a sheepish grin while she glared at him, making my laughter become even louder. Hadn’t I told him not to give anyone advice?
“Aubrey,” He said, giving me a warning look as if saying tone it down. “she’s trying here. Laughing isn’t really helping.”
“And I’m trying not to call the nearest psychiatric hospital to come take her away.” I spat, feeling the underlying anger boiling deep within me. “Unless you want to go with her, you need to keep your mouth shut. Now, is there anything else I should know about?”
That shut him up, but I didn’t feel bad. Just because he wanted to get in her pants and was there for her big apology did not mean that he should believe she still wasn’t a dangerous person. No one can change just like that.
“I’m the one that told Tiffany about you and Rhode.” A single tear fell down her cheek, slowly trailing down to her chest. I watched it drop onto her shirt, spreading into a circle once it was absorbed by the fabric.
A breathy sigh flowed from my lips, my mind wondering where and if Carlita’s list of torturing me ended. Two sets of brown eyes gazed at me expectantly, waiting for me to call the shots, and in that moment, I decided that I didn’t want to hear anything else – or look at either of them for that matter.
“I am so over this right now. I listened to what you had to say, now get out.”
Looking as if she’d just been slapped, Carlita’s mouth opened and closed, her lip trembling when she came to terms with what I’d just said. Gage’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at me, his face hardening while his hand squeezed the small one that reached out for him. If the two of them weren’t so screwed up, they would’ve probably made a nice couple.
“Please, Aubrey, I’m so sorry. Despite all that I’ve done, I really do consider you a friend. My anger got in the way, but we can work past this, right?”
Now it was my turn to gape. I even looked to Gage for help, but he was busy pulling a sobbing Carlita into his arms. Surely, this was all a joke. But as I looked around the hotel room, I had to accept that the three of us were the only ones in there. They weren’t wearing earpieces with someone telling them what to say, and the host of a prank show wasn’t going to jump out of the bathroom yelling, ‘Gotcha!’
“Did you just say that you considered me a friend?”
She pushed away from Gage’s embrace, wiping her running nose with the sleeve of her shirt, a shimmer of hope flashing in her eyes.
“Yes,” She nodded, her voice slightly rough from the fit she was in. “I admire you, Aubrey. You’re strong and levelheaded, and you’re everything I’m not. I can see why so many people like you.”
Trying to understand what was going on inside of her head, I eyed her warily. It’s not like Carlita and I were close, and her hysterics of acting like she was losing her childhood best friend honestly frightened me. Anyone could see that there was something not right in her head, so I approached her with caution.
“I’m glad that you came here to admit what you’ve done, but I need space to think about everything. Until I do, and when this weekend ends, I’d like you to create some space between us.”
What was wrong with me? After all she’d done, why did I feel bad for her? She didn’t deserve my sympathy, and my conscience wasn’t supposed to feel guilty for what I’d just said to her.
“I understand,” her head lowered. “I’d still like for you to accept my flowers, though. That’ll make me feel better.”
Still skeptical of her motives, I nodded. “Fine, but I still want you to leave.”
Wait ‘til Elise hears about this, I thought, trying to wrap my head around it.
“Of course.” She stood to walk to the door, hesitating before gripping the handle. Turning to Gage, she said, “I’ll see you later.” He smiled warmly at her, which she returned through her tears, the metal banging against the latch as she exited.
“What the hell was that all about?”
I wondered aloud, pulling a fistful of hair to sit on top of my head. The past half hour – or however long it had been – was bizarre, almost like it didn’t happen at all. The only thing that told me I wasn’t imagining it was Gage still sitting at the breakfast bar, a look of disappointment on his face.
“What?” I yelled, wanting him to stop staring at me with such judgmental, dark eyes. I was not the person he needed to be looking at like that. Why was he still sitting there, anyway? His little girlfriend just left in tears.
“You didn’t have to be so harsh.”
“You’re joking, right? If you stayed here to discipline me, you can also leave. All you want to do is sleep with her, am I right? You should really start thinking with the head on top of your shoulders instead of with the one in your pants. Any normal guy would’ve left her alone a long time ago.”
Gage sighed, shaking his head from side to side. I leaned against the counter next to the refrigerator as he stood and crossed around the bar, stopping less than a foot away from me.
“No, you’re not right, but you’re not entirely wrong. All I’m asking is that you give her another chance. Despite what she’s done, she’s a good person. I know you must think I’m crazy for saying that, but I see something in her.”
Leaning in, a hand reached around to the back of my neck, bringing my forehead to soft lips. I closed my eyes at the feeling, struggling to see the same good Gage saw in Carlita. Only a few seconds passed, but it felt like an eternity as a gruff voice cleared its throat in the doorway. At the sound of the person, my heart exploded in my chest, already knowing who it was before my eyes could drink them in.
“Am I interrupting something?”
I knew that strained tone. He was trying to keep calm.
I pushed away from Gage as he crossed his arms over his chest. Nothing was going on between us, but with his current posture, he looked like he was ready to start a fight.
It didn’t surprise me that Rhode drove up to Boston. In fact, I found myself thinking about him a lot, wishing that he would save me from the disastrous weekend. Though it had only been a day since I’d seen him last, I couldn’t stop my mouth from breaking out into a silly grin, and had to use my hand to hide the lower half of my face. The two men didn’t seem to notice my excitement, both staring daggers at each other from across the small area.
“No, you’re not. Please, come in. He was just leaving.”
I rooted my feet to the floor, reminding myself that I was the one who was keeping us from being together, though all I wanted to do was jump and hug the life out of him. Looking at him erupted a flutter of butterflies in my stomach, and it seemed that I would be going back on my word from the other night.
“Yeah, I was.” Gage finally broke the silence and my ogling Rhode. “I’ll be next door if you need anything.”
Still keeping my eyes on Rhode, I noticed his lips press firmly together when Gage’s fingers brushed against mine on his way to the door. The brown paper bag in his hand was gripped tightly, his fist locking around the thin straps.
“Let me get that for you.” Swinging the door open wide, Rhode gave Gage a phony smile. The other man shortly nodded as he passed, not looking back as he turned right into the hallway, continuing to his room. Flipping the golden latch back into the door frame, it was completely closed, trapping me in with him, which signaled warning bells in my head.
Rhode slowly turned to face me, his face wearing an unreadable expression.
“Before you say anything, there’s nothing going on between me and him. He wanted me to think about something, and I was trying to understand it.”
Why did I feel the need to explain myself to him?
“You sure?” The corners of his mouth turned down into a frown. I nodded frantically, attempting to get him to believe me. He stared at me for a moment longer before a slow grin crept onto his lips. “Good, because I didn’t spend the past few hours in a car with sore joints for nothing.”
“Oh, shut up. It’s not like I asked you to come here.” I rolled my eyes, dropping my now flavorless gum in the trash can. He would not get to make me feel guilty. Stepping further into the room, Rhode set the bag of what I now knew as food on the counter, reaching inside to pull out the black takeout containers it held. The closer he moved to me, the more my lungs felt as if they would burst, my face flaming at his proximity. Jeez, it was even worse than the day before.
“You didn’t, but how could I resist?”
From the strong smell of it, I knew he brought chicken marsala, one of my favorite dishes that I could never resist, and in that moment, the food wasn’t what I was hungry for.
My logic was nowhere to be found as I launched myself at Rhode, latching my lips to his, and not even giving him a chance to brace the impact. He retracted at first from shock – I hoped – but it took him no time at all to wind his arms around me, pushing my back against the sink and wedging one of his legs between mine.
“What are you doing?” He mumbled, staring at my lips. Biting the bottom one, I shrugged, peeking up at him from under my lashes. “Oh, you don’t know?” He laughed, his abdomen brushing against my chest. “Well, you’re lucky I like it.”
“I’m not in the mood for food right now.” My lips brushed against his as I spoke. “I have something better in mind.”
Rhode grinned like a sneaky child, running his hands down my behind and stopping at the backs of my thighs. Effortlessly, I was lifted in his arms, my own automatically wrapping around his neck while my legs closed around his waist. My body was antsy with anticipation of what was to come, wanting it to happen faster than the teasing pace he kept up with, walking entirely too slow through my room.
I landed softly on the mattress as he dropped me above it. Kicking off his shoes, he climbed over my body, propping himself on his elbows. The faint smell of his piney body wash made my insides liquefy. It comforted me, reminding me of home, as odd as that sounded.
“This is in my way.” Green eyes burned mischievously, a hand running down the front of my silk shirt. Each button was popped open in agony, my hand grabbing the roots of my hair in frustration, causing him to laugh. When the last button was freed, I shrugged out of the sleeves, reaching up to swiftly pull the black cotton over his head, my fingernails gently scratching his skin as I lifted the material. He groaned from the contact and shivered, a sound from deep within his stomach, my own lower half clenching in response. “This too.” His long fingers hooked under the band of my skirt, skimming my waist.
The piece of clothing was tossed over his shoulder, and I was left vulnerable underneath him, my heart beating a pattern against my chest. It wasn’t the first time we’d been together, but the idea of it still made me jittery.
Rhode sat up to sit astride me, a thoughtful look on his face. “It’s not that I don’t want to do this, because trust me when I say I do, but what happened to what you said the other day? Are you just going to kick me out when we’re done?”
“I’m not that heartless.” Now that he stopped to make me think about it, I wasn’t sure what would happen when it was over. I wanted to tell him to forget the other night and make him stay with me, but knew that it would make things even more conflicted.
Nice job, Rhode. Way to ruin the moment.
But the more I thought about it, the more I knew that it was no use pushing him away. He would just weasel his way into my life at any chance he got – being in my hotel room was the perfect example.
Feathery touches against my sides snapped me out of my thinking, making me wriggle beneath him. They grew rougher as he hummed in laughter, burying his face in my neck, the stubble of his jaw scratching against my skin. The bastard was tickling me!
“Forget that I asked. I’m just happy that you haven’t kicked me out already.”
“So was I, until you started doing that!”
“Doing what?” He feigned innocent, lifting his head to smile down at me. “Oh, you mean this?” His fingers poked my sides, making me squirm and laugh. Bending back down, Rhode’s lips hovered above my neck but never made contact.
“What’s wrong?”
It was strange how he stilled, the warm air from his nostrils blowing against my neck. I turned my head to see his face, and when I did, it was just flat – blank, and staring at the sheets under me.
“What’s that smell?”
Huh?
“What are you talking—”
Before I could finish the question, he cut me off. “That awful smell. I thought you said there was nothing going on between you and that asshole.”
“There’s not, Rhode.” I grabbed his arms, scooting from under him to rest my back against the headboard. He climbed off of me, propping up on his knees, and still not making eye contact. “What are you talking about?”
“Smell the fucking sheets, Aubrey. They smell like cheap cologne.” He flung a hand in the direction of the mattress, so I bent toward it with furrowed eyebrows, still watching his now livid face. “Is this why your clothes were wrinkled? If I didn’t come through that door, would you two have continued what you started?”
“What is your problem? They don’t stink! The only thing I smell is Gage…”
Oh, crap.
Rhode’s lips parted, his eyes blazing with so many emotions that it was hard for me to look in them – hurt being the one that stood out the most. He turned his back to me, scooting to the edge of the bed and bended to slip his boots back on. I brought my knees to my chest, covering my face with my hands, and wishing that he would say something – even yell – instead of keeping quiet. He was just overreacting, right?
“It’s not what you think.” I tried to reason with him, but the nasty glare he shot back at me shut me right up.
“I’ll see you later.”
Going after him would just make him push him away even more, so all I did was watch as he slammed the hotel room door shut behind him. If it wasn’t for the loud shouting on the other side of it, I would’ve stayed in bed, but I knew those voices. I couldn’t just sit and do nothing. My clothes were thrown on in record time, my feet tripping over each other to get to the door before the situation got worse.
“What the hell is going on?”
I tried to distract them by yelling, but it was too late as one man cradled his jaw on the hallway floor while the other stood above him, his chest rising and falling with jagged breaths. His fists were clenched, eyes wild as he looked directly into mine, a look of disgust taking over his features the longer he looked. And when he broke the gaze, strolling in the opposite direction from me, I knew that I’d completely lost him.
A/N: Well, damn. That's not how I expected this chapter to go. What about you? Please leave your thoughts and/or vote! Thank you!! :D I feel like I'm yelling with these exclamation marks...
There's a picture of "Rhode" on the side for absolutely no reason at all. I just like to look.