Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
MEREDITH
L eo's penthouse took up the entire top floor of one of the city's most exclusive buildings. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view of the city's glittering skyline, but I barely registered it as I stood in the entrance, arms wrapped around myself. Leo's jacket was too big on me, but the expensive material was soft and incredibly warm.
"You'll stay here for now." Leo's voice was clipped as he locked the door behind us.
I blinked as I watched him loosen his tie and check his phone. Why was he being so nice? It was the nicest he'd ever been to me really. I swallowed, feeling awfully small in this large apartment.
The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving me hollow and tired.
"I'll take the couch," I mumbled, taking in the minimalist design of his living space. Everything was sleek, modern, and probably cost more than my yearly salary times ten.
"No." The single word was not one to be argued. "You'll take my bed. I have work to do anyway in my office."
"Leo, I can't?—"
"You can and you will." He moved past me, his presence filling the space in a way that made my breath catch. "The bathroom has fresh towels. Take a shower, or better yet, a bath. You need to unwind."
I followed him down the hallway, noting the lack of personal touches. No photos, no art, nothing that revealed anything about the man who lived here. Just pristine white walls and black marble floors.
"I don't have any clothes," I said softly, stopping in the doorway of what had to be his bedroom. Like everything else, it was immaculate – a king-sized bed with charcoal sheets, a view of the city that probably cost millions.
Leo's jaw ticked as he moved to a dresser, pulling out what looked like a t-shirt and sweatpants. "These will do for now."
Just as he handed them to me, his phone rang. The ringtone was specific, one he'd set when we were teens – Grayson's. It was oddly warming to hear it, to know he still had it, perhaps a hint at a touch of sentimentalism.
Leo answered immediately, his voice low and controlled.
Gray's voice was too muffled for me to make out, but Leo looked out the window over the city as he took in his words before turning back my way.
I stared down at the clothes he'd given me, knowing damn well I'd be lucky to keep the sweatpants on. I'd have to do up the drawstring tight.
"She's with me now." Leo's tone held something possessive, something that made me look up sharply. He extended the phone toward me, his face expressionless. "Your brother wants to know what happened."
I took the phone with trembling fingers. "Gray?"
"Mer, what the hell happened? Are you okay? I'm sorry I couldn't talk before, I was in a meeting."
"It's okay, I understand. I..." My voice cracked as the reality of the situation hit me again. "I came home early. Found Logan in bed with someone from his office."
"That fucking—" Grayson's curse was cut off by the sound of something slamming. "I'm going to hang him by his balls."
Behind me, Leo moved to a small bar cart in his room, pouring what looked like whiskey into a crystal glass. His shoulders were rigid, but he kept his back to me, giving me the illusion of privacy.
"All my stuff is there," I whispered, a sob breaking free. "Everything I own..."
"Don't worry about that right now," Grayson's voice softened. "We'll handle it. You just stay with Leo."
"Okay," I said, watching as Leo knocked back his drink in one smooth motion.
"Take a shower, try to relax. Put on some music – you still have those meditation playlists?" Grayson's tone was gentle now.
I nodded, then remembered he couldn't see me. "Yeah."
"You got a grip on it?" The question was loaded with meaning. He was asking about the panic attacks, the anxiety that had plagued me for years. From a childhood I'd blocked out. Something my therapist was working on helping me unlock, although I'd not been seeing her as much lately, not with Logan telling me she was a waste of money.
"I'm okay," I assured him as I clutched Leo's clothes to my chest. "I know I'm safe here." It was a strange thing to say, but I did feel safe here, especially after seeing Roman down by the elevator at his own desk. Leo's security guard had been around as long as I'd known him, and he usually drove Leo around too. Why had Leo been out on his own tonight?
"Damn right you are. Leo's family, Mer. He'd do anything for us – has done more than you could ever know. You can always trust him, always count on him. He's had my back more times than I can count."
Something in his tone made me wonder what exactly he meant, but before I could ask, Leo turned around.
"I'm going to get food. You stay here. My guard is outside the door if you need anything," he announced, setting his empty glass down. "Take your time, have a bath if you want." His eyes met mine for a brief moment, and I saw something dark flash in their depths before he looked away. "Everything will be okay. I won't be too long."
I nodded, surprised at his oddly soft tone with me right now. Big scary Leo was apparently somewhat empathetic. Who would've thought.
"What'd he say?" Gray asked through the phone.
"He's going out to get food," I relayed as I watched Leo leave the room. He'd not even requested his jacket back. I guess a man of his calibre had a lot of jackets, although surely they'd be in this room, right?
I shook my head, shoving away the odd thoughts. I was just trying to focus on anything but the pain and shock of what I'd discovered.
"Gray, what do I do?" I whispered, the tears welling in my eyes now that I was alone. I moved to sit on Leo's bed to gaze out at the glittering skyline, but it did nothing to ease the pain in my heart.
"Try to relax, okay? I'll be back tomorrow. We'll figure everything out then. For now, you rest. I'll deal with Logan and your belongings, okay?"
"Okay." I swallowed hard, closing my eyes in an attempt to stop the tears from escaping. "Gray?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. For sending Leo."
There was a pause. "There's no one I trust more with you, Mer. Get some rest. I love you."
"Love you too."
The call ended, and I was left sitting on Leo's bed, holding his clothes and trying not to fall apart again.
Leo had left his phone behind with me. What if he needed it?
I glanced down at it, smiling softly at the generic background. He'd not even customized his phone. True Leo style there.
I sucked in another shaky breath before rising and heading for the bathroom, leaving his phone on his bed and taking my purse with me. I'd use my phone for some music in there, try to forget all about Logan. I'd fought the urge to check my phone after seeing the first call from Logan, switching it to silent.
Now though, I couldn't help but check my notifications. Over a dozen missed calls, and a bunch of apologetic texts. Although there were a few there begging me to tell Leo we were fine, to make things right with him.
What on earth was that about? What had Leo said to him as we were leaving? I shook my head, knowing I needed some space while I came to terms with it all.
The bathroom was as luxurious as the rest of the penthouse. A deep soaking tub took up one corner, with a separate rainfall shower that could probably fit three people. I set my phone on the counter, pulling up one of my calming playlists before stripping off my clothes.
The water was scalding hot as I filled the tub, exactly what I needed. Leo's t-shirt and sweats sat folded on the counter, a silent reminder of whose space I was in.
Steam filled the room as I sank into the water, letting my playlist wash over me. I closed my eyes and tried to forget the image of Logan with another woman in our bed.
Our bed. Our home. Our life.
All lies.
A sob built in my throat, but I forced it down. I wasn't going to cry over him. I was done letting him have power over me. He'd destroyed me, and he was not someone I wanted anything to do with.
But why?
Why had he done this to us? Why had he let her in our bed? How long had this been going on?
Was it me?
No. I hadn't done anything wrong. I knew that, despite him telling me I'd made his life more difficult whenever he was in a foul mood or that I started fights all the time when trying to speak with him about things. My therapist had said he sounded narcissistic with some of the things he'd said and done, and when I'd spoken to him about it, he'd told me to stop seeing her.
I guess she was spot on.
The water lapped at my skin as I slid deeper, letting it cover my shoulders.
It hurt. It hurt too damn much. What was I to do now? We had joint accounts ever since we'd gotten engaged and I'd moved in with him. I paid my share of everything, even more when he'd been between jobs a year ago.
At least it was Friday, so I didn't have to worry about work until Monday. I had all weekend to wrap my head around this hell.
The music continued to play as I soaked, trying to remember the breathing exercises my therapist had taught me years ago. In for four, hold for four, out for four.
I was safe here. I was not alone. I would survive this.
As much as I didn't want to cry, I found myself sobbing until the pain and sadness morphed to numbness, the water having cooled down as my tears dried on my cheeks.
Through the bathroom door, I heard the distinct sound of the penthouse elevator dinging. Leo was back.
I should have felt strange, being naked in a virtual stranger's bathroom. But Grayson was right – Leo was family, even if we'd never been close. And right now, in this moment of broken trust and shattered dreams, family was exactly what I needed.
Even if he was a big, scary six-foot-three millionaire feared by the city.
I'd done my research on him at times when I was curious, but things were sketchy around him and his family. Reports of organized crime in his family, but whenever I asked Gray, he'd wave it off.
By the time I emerged from the bathroom, dressed in Leo's clothes that smelled of expensive laundry service and him, Leo had dinner set across the black marble-topped table, sipping on another glass of whiskey. He'd changed into a different shirt, and I glanced at the food on offer as I strode out.
"I hope you like Thai," he said as he set his glass down.
His sleeves were rolled up to reveal more of his tattoos – and what looked like split knuckles on his right hand now that I looked.
I hesitated in the doorway, swimming in his clothes that somehow made me feel both vulnerable and protected at the same time. The drawstring was done up tighter to keep the sweatpants on.
"Sit." He gestured to the chair across from him. "You need to eat."
I slid into the chair across from him, glancing over the array of food. Who was he feeding? A family of five?
"Thai right? Nothing is too?—"
"Nothing spicy," he cut me off, already knowing what I was going to say. I'd never been one for spicy foods. I liked to taste my food, not have my mouth on fire and have me shitting for days.
"How are you feeling?" His voice was controlled, but there was something in his eyes when they met mine.
"Like shit," I admitted, picking up my fork as I took in my plate. He'd loaded it with an assortment of Thai dishes, and my stomach grumbled. I'd been planning to get takeout with Logan tonight after spending some quality time with him.
Too bad he'd spent that with someone else.
Leo nodded and picked up his own fork. "I know you don't drink much, so I got you eggnog ice-cream, the same one you used to love from that place Downtown, with the little old lady."
"You remembered," I whispered, a lump forming in my throat, touched.
Those bi-yearly Christmas dinners with just the three of us had become something of a tradition. Grayson would host, insisting on having his sister and best friend together at least once every few years. It was the only time I ever saw Leo let his guard down, even slightly. Last year, he'd actually worn a Santa hat, though his expression remained stoic. And then there was that gift card…
"A thousand dollars, Leo," I'd protested when he'd handed it over. "It's too much."
He'd just shrugged, adjusting that ridiculous hat. "Buy yourself something nice."
Logan had been livid when he found out, demanding to know what I'd done to earn it, implying I'd done something heinous or unfaithful to obtain it. He'd given me the cold shoulder for days and made me sleep on the couch.
I'd ended up spending most of it on Logan, buying him the expensive watch he'd been eyeing, trying to prove there was nothing inappropriate between Leo and me.
"Some things are worth remembering," Leo said now, his voice pulling me from the memory. "Eat your dinner first."
I managed a weak smile, noting how he watched me take the first bite of food. His split knuckles flexed as he ate his own mouthful. They'd not been like that earlier.
Was he frustrated at me? Or on my behalf? Had he hit a wall?
My stomach knotted.
Had he hit someone?