20. Veda
VEDA
Regan slid my third ginger ale in front of me and while it wasn't alcohol I knew it wasn't healthy. All that sugar wasn’t good for my body while growing a tiny human.
But I'd cut out my bad snacking habits of sugary snacks and ice cream binges, so I allowed myself this one comfort as I sulked while sitting on a bar stool venting to my best friend.
"I'm telling you, Veda, the truth will set you free…" Regan sipped her own drink, which looked magically similar to mine except that it was rum, not ginger ale. I glowered at her utter freedom to drown her stress in drink and sighed as I took a sip.
"I don't think so this time." My head hung while I stewed.
After that picture last night I bolted from Asher's place this morning.
Clayton finally had dirt on me that was worse than the recording of me agreeing to hurt Asher and seduce him.
It had made my entire day nothing but one massive headache and vomit fest. There was no way I'd ever have survived a day with Asher in his home or out doing the things he asked me to do with him.
"Yes, you're thinking this happily ever after fairy tale… And you'd be right to assume that won't work out. What did you think would happen when you let a man pay you a million bucks to—"
"Half a million," I corrected, but she kept talking.
"Seduce his brother? Hmm? Veda, you're not getting the man.
It's time to let that fantasy go and just get honest. You may still be able to keep your job.
Your success there isn't based on how you got the job.
It's based on how you've done while on the job.
" Regan turned and picked up a towel, flinging it over her shoulder as she set her glass down.
"You think I really want to keep working there if Asher dumps me?"
Regan chuckled and shook her head. "If?" Her eyebrows rose and she sighed before coming back over to where I sat.
She took my hand and squeezed it. "There's no if, honey.
That rich man isn't gonna stick around to hear your story once you tell him you were paid a half-million dollars to seduce him and wound up pregnant.
It doesn't matter how you spin it. He'll see a gold digger… "
As harsh as her words were, they were said in love and I knew it.
Regan was my ride or die best friend. Everything about her character was moral and ethical and upright.
Had Clayton offered her this gig, she'd have chased him out of the bar and not let him come back.
It was a wonder she even spoke to me anymore, given what I'd done.
"I know," I grumbled, but part of my heart was shattered by that admission.
I stupidly clung to the hope that somehow Asher would know my heart changed the instant I met the real him.
From the very instant I met him and saw how broken he was I'd wanted to help him, not hurt him.
But none of that mattered, because Clayton was on his way to this bar right now to tell me off and demand his money back.
I was in a hole that was only getting deeper every time I opened my mouth.
"Tell him." Regan's eyes shot up when the bell over the door chimed.
"And tell him soon. He'll respect it more coming from you, and maybe for the rest of your life you won't have to fight every time he comes to pick that kid up for visitation.
" Her eyes narrowed and I followed where she was looking to see Clayton stalking toward me.
His eyes were glassy, hair mussed, and his tie was loose around his open shirt. He looked furious, fists clenched, jaw tight. And he was glaring at me.
"Don't leave," I squeaked, so Regan hovered by me.
"Porter, we need to talk."
"Yeah… I got your message that's why we're here, right?
What do you want?" It wasn't that I didn’t want to speak with him.
I did, very much. I wanted to plead with him to back off and give me space to discuss things with Asher on my own before he nuked his own brother's sobriety.
But Clayton was a tool, the most arrogant man I'd ever met.
"Alone—" His eyes shot to Regan who scowled at him.
She turned to me and asked, "You okay?"
Though my chest was tight and my hands shook, I forced myself off the stool and nodded at her. "I'm okay…" I said to her, then turned to him. "Over here…" I led Clayton to the farthest booth from the bar where a few regulars had begun to trickle in.
I was here to be consoled by my best friend and ripped to shreds by a man who could blackmail me into doing whatever he wanted. Neither of those things were particularly public things, so the farther away from prying ears I could sit the better.
I sank into the booth while Clayton dawdled ordering a beer. He carried it to where I sat and plopped down, but by the time he did the beer was half gone already. I knew an explosion was coming when he ran a hand through his thinning hair and glared at me.
"So you're pregnant?" he asked, and his lips curled around that bottle while he slurped it.
I glanced up at Regan who stood eyeing us both, though Clayton had his back to her. She was removing the caps from two more beers while watching, the same brand as the one Clayton was currently drinking.
"I don't know what makes you say that," I responded as the corner of my lip worried itself between my teeth. Then my whole inner cheek was there between my teeth being chewed. I was a horrible liar.
"You saw the picture, Porter. I saw you throwing up during that staff lunch." He slammed his bottle down on the table and I jumped. "Don't lie to me. You slept with him, didn't you?"
My neck felt like someone was choking me because my pulse was so high. He had no proof of anything. I could've stood my ground and lied to him but tears welled up in my eyes so easily these days.
"I uh…."
"And you didn't do what I said? What do you think this is a fairy tale, Veda?
" There was that word again, dragging more emotion from my chest and more tears to my eyes.
"That I'm your fairy godfather who paid you to fall in love and start a family?
" Clayton smacked the table with his open palm and huffed a huge sigh.
The faint hint of beer rode on a harder stench of cigar smoke and whiskey.
"You're drunk," I cautioned because I was shaking at the idea that he might get violent. He proved he wasn't afraid of it when he grabbed my hair and neck that day.
"I'm not the topic of discussion." He leaned over the table menacingly while I shrank back and shuddered. He had me dead to rights and he knew it. "You are pregnant. Aren't you? And you have some ridiculous little hope that everything will work out fine."
The way he was talking to me was nothing short of abusive. I felt belittled and ashamed, and I felt trapped too. I wanted to get away from him. I knew what was coming—he would demand that I give back every cent of that money, which was impossible, or he would tell Asher everything.
I stood, ready to slip past him and leave, but Clayton stood too and he grabbed my arm hard. It shot pain up my arm into my shoulder and made it impossible to wiggle my fingers on that hand.
"What are you doing?"
"I don't feel comfortable with you. Please let go of my arm," I asked calmly, though there was nothing calm about me right now.
"You think screwing the golden boy of Locke Global will help your career? When everyone finds out I paid you to sleep with him your life is over. Not just your career…. You won’t be able to work in this city or this industry ever again.
And poor little Asher will get so pissed at you, he never speaks to you again.
"Is that part of your scheme too? You being a single mom?
Think about it, Veda. You were barely surviving before and what will you do now that you'll have all those bills and a baby to raise?
Child care, diapers… And when I sue to get my money back.
" He chuckled darkly as more tears streamed down my cheeks.
"But you're wrong—" I started but he cut me off.
"Asher is a menace. Can't you see that?" he scoffed. "Maybe not… Maybe he snowed you in too, the way he did that whole board and especially Robert Lang. Well you'll see. You see what he's made of when I tell him what you've done, Veda."
Clayton jerked my arm hard and I whimpered. "Please let go of me," I pleaded. "You're hurting me. And you're wrong. Asher is a good man. His wife died and his little baby was—"
"I'm so sick of hearing about that baby!" Clayton shouted so loudly I jumped again, but before he could do any worse, Regan was there.
"Enough," she snapped, and she struck his arm hard enough that he pulled back, letting me go. "Get out."
"I will not!" he protested, but I saw the few men at the bar lined up, staring at us, two of them stood watching, as if to say they were there to help should help be needed.
"You will or I'll call the police. You're drunk and you're assaulting one of my customers." Regan stood between us with her arms crossed and her jaw jutted out. "Get out."
"I paid for three beers and I got one. I'm not leaving." Clayton looked ready to push her as she stepped closer to him to prove her point, that she was in charge, not him.
"Come back when you're sober and I'll give you a refund, but you're not welcome here anymore." She refused to back down while I stood behind her sobbing, covering my face.
"This isn't over, Porter," Clayton growled.
I heard footsteps and his voice got quieter, but he kept talking as he retreated.
"I'm gonna ruin you. The whole board will know you were just a pawn this whole time.
You don't get your cake and eat it too. Asher will know how you lied and he'll hate you. "
The bell chimed as I felt Regan's arms wrap around me, but all I could do was stand and sob. Clayton was going to ruin my life. I had no doubt about it. And even telling Asher the truth now would do no good. Rega had been right from the beginning.
The only thing in this for me was heartbreak now.
"Come on, let’s get you cleaned up." Regan nudged me and guided me toward the bathrooms while I let out every ounce of heartbreak hoping this was the worst because if it got worse than this, I knew I couldn’t take it.
When a heart breaks it doesn't break even.