Chapter 34 Shannon
Shannon
My dad always taught me to stand up for myself, never back down from a fight, and always aim to win.
And if someone hurts you? Hit back. My morals might not match everyone else’s.
Some believe in forgiveness and learning to forget, but there are moments when you can’t forget.
Like the time I discovered my boyfriend’s ex-wife had been swindling money from him for years.
Or the first time I saw tears in his eyes when he opened up to me.
Or maybe it was the moment he let himself trust again… love again.
And he chose me.
What I’m about to do won’t fix the past, but it will fix our future, re write our ending. In my story the man doesn’t take the reins and fix the broken girl. No, in my story she fixes him.
“Which way?” Talia asks from the driving seat.
“Take a left up here.” She works her magenta pink nails around the steering wheel, until we come up to the large gate, where Ashley and Declan will be living soon, and I’m going to be working.
It’s the perfect setting for a glamping site, the land stretches for miles.
Talia pulls up next to the gate and I drop Ashley a text telling her to open it.
Within minutes, she’s walking towards us in a pair of orange wellies that match her top, and black leggings.
Her hair piled on top of her head. She pulls open the gate, we drive through and up to the house.
“Wow.” Talia’s eyes widen when she sees the place, and she’s right — it’s impressive. A feeling of pride fills me, knowing my man’s capable hands have built this brick by brick and those same hands that bring my body to the edge, wringing me out in more ways than I can imagine.
“It’s stunning, isn’t it?” She scoffs, like stunning isn’t a good enough word to describe it. Reaching into the back, I grab the bouquet of flowers and we both climb out meeting Ashley. She’s all smiles, talking a mile a minute.
“Shannon, come in, and you must be?” Ashley waits for an introduction.
“This is my friend, Talia.” Ashley doesn’t think twice, pulling her into a hug.
She steps back holding her by the elbows, giving her the once over.
“I love your hair.” Talia swishes from side to side.
“Thanks, I love your mansion.” The three of us laugh.
“Here, I wanted to drop by and give you these.” She takes the flowers and brings them to her nose.
“You shouldn’t have, silly, but I love them.
” Seconds later Declan comes over stalking towards us.
I see Talia swallow hard at the side of me when he joins us.
She whispers to me, as he leans in and kisses his future wife on the neck.
“Shit, who’s the terminator?” I nudge her to shut up.
Declan points to the flowers Ashley is holding. “No flowers from other men,” he says firmly, and he’s not even joking. Ashely bats his hand away. “They’re from Shannon.” She smiles. Declan’s puffed out chest deflates like he’s no longer got to kill anyone for buying her flowers.
“Where are you two off to?” Ashley asks, then passes the flowers to Declan. I look at Talia biting my lip, wondering if I should say something or not. “It’s fine, you don’t have to tell me,” she says. But she’s technically going to be my new boss and hopefully friend too, so fuck it.
“I’m going to pay a visit to the enemy,” is all I say, and her eyes light up. “Does this enemy know you’re coming?” Declan asks, looking between me and Talia’s car. “Nope, it’s a surprise.” Declan barks out a laugh. It echoes around the site, Ashley smacks his arm but bites the corner of her cheek.
“I hate to say it, but he has a point.” She points to Talia’s car.
“It’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but the neon pink screams I’m here.
” She’s right and Talia agrees. “Declan?” Ashley says looking up at him with puppy eyes.
“No, no way. Absolutely fucking not,” he repeats shaking his head.
“Declan? For me? Please?” He stuffs his hand inside his pocket and holds out his car keys, not letting them go.
“If you need me, call me, but I’ll find you.
” He releases his keys, kissing her again then tips his imaginary hat walking away.
“Right.” Ashley’s excited voice kicks in with a clap of her hands. “Where are we going?”
“Shan, you’re a badass.” I pin my friend with a stern look where she sits in the back of Declan’s very fucking posh Range Rover, with a black leather interior and blacked out windows.
“What is it your husband does again?” Talia asks, Ashley's knuckles grip the steering wheel. “He’s not my husband.” I can’t help but laugh.
“Yeah, and how’s that working out for you?
” Talia asks. I’d been giving her the lowdown on Declan and Ashley's relationship. We both came to the conclusion that he’s not the type of man to back down in a bar fight or to back down when it comes to his future wife.
But you can see it in her eyes, too. She’s really into him.
“It’s not,” she replies. “But I like the way he chases me.” We all laugh because, yeah, she’s fucking crazy about him.
“Chase you a lot, does he?” I lean over and nudge her. “Hey, I’m driving here.” It was barely a tap.
“Let’s just say Declan Briggs is relentless.
” Her cheeks flush. Talia leans between the two front seats, her phone in her hand.
“Okay, so if we take the next left, we’re coming up to the turning.
” My heart beats like the clappers as we near the stately home.
It doesn’t surprise me one bit. “Do you want me to hang back a bit?” Ashley asks, looking between me and Talia.
“No.” I want her to see me coming, so she realises you don’t mess with me or someone I love.
The three of us climb out of the Range Rover and make our way up the steps to the huge wooden double doors.
The place screams wealth and snobbery. My hand grips the large, polished brass door knocker, Talia whispers, “Go on, Shannon.” I knock against the wood twice, the loud clang alerting the household.
Slowly, like some old horror film, the door opens, fighting against the creak of its hinges.
An older, elegant woman with sharp eyes answers. “Yes?” she asks with a plum tone, looking between the three of us. I won’t let this woman intimidate me. Clearing my throat, I stand a little straighter.
“I’m here to see Megan.” The bite in my voice has her looking over her shoulder. “She’s down at the stables.” Before I can ask where the stables are, the door slams shut. Talia raises her hand and flips off the heavy door, muttering, “Bitch,” under her breath.
The three of us trail off towards what looks like the stables. A woman in riding gear walks in front of us, leading the horse back inside.
“Megan?” She spins around, looking at us. “Yes?” She pats the horse.
“I need to talk to you.” Taking a step closer, she looks me up and down, confused. “You're Wesley’s neighbour. What are you doing here?” We both head inside the stable while she puts the horse back into his stall and closes the gate.
“I want to talk to you about this,” I say, holding up the document of Wesley’s late father's Will.
Stepping closer, I point out the line. “In particular, this part,” I say, tapping the sheet.
Her eyes scan the page. They widen with each line, her breaths pick up, and she takes a step back, almost losing her footing.
“I…” She drops her head. “I? I what, Megan?” My hands shake as I shove the paper closer to her face.
“You see it, don’t you?” She nods. “He won’t like you being here,” she spits out, sneering at me.
“I don’t give a flying fuck, but what I do care about is you trying to take him for everything he has.” I look around, scoffing at the surroundings. “You live in a fucking ivory tower, and you’re trying to take an honest and hard-working man's money?” My finger prods her chest.
“Now, I’m giving you two choices. One, you either call your solicitor off and sign to say you won’t come for anything from him.
” I prod her again, and the anger flows through my chest to the tip of my finger.
“Or we go to the police with the papers and drag you and your family’s name through the dirt.
” I’m feeling crazy, and she’s afraid - the quiver in her lips tells me so.
“What’s it to be?” Tears fall down her cheeks, but I don’t care. “My parents cut me off.” And I still don’t care. “I… I had no choice,” she says around a sob.
“I couldn’t care less, but what I do care about is Wesley.
You never deserved him.” She looks over my shoulder, then back at me.
“What makes you so different? He’ll never love you, not like he did me.
” Why do women have to say shit like that?
I’m a better person for ignoring her words and the way she looks me up and down as if I’m not good enough.
This time I take a step closer, getting right into her space, my finger prodding against her chest.
“I’ll scream,” Talia overhears and calls out. “There’s nobody around to hear you so wind your neck in.” Megan flinches. I’ve no intentions of hurting her, I’d probably be arrested and then where would I be?
“I’m done with this conversation, but if you don’t fix this —” wafting the evidence in front of her again, “I’ll personally ruin you. Shit stinks, Megan.” To prove my point, I kick my foot up and a pile of straw mixed with horse shit from the wheelbarrow covers her from the waist down.
“I… I’ll call the solicitor in the morning.” Her voice trembles, turning my back on her, I start to walk away. Then, pause, looking over my shoulder.
“Just a heads up. If you come near Wesley again, I’ll drag your arse so far through the dirt, you won’t be able to find your way back out… again.” I leave her to process my words, hoping Wesley won’t be too mad when he finds out what I’ve done.