Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Dimos
One Week Later
I never should have let her walk out.
It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but I told myself not to make her stay. To give her time to get her anger out and by doing so, she would contact me when she was ready. But that backfired, and she’s been going strong for seven days.
It’s been the most agonizing week of my life.
I haven’t left the penthouse in days. I told the staff Carley had to take some time off, and I was going to work from home.
Carol reached out to me to let me know there has been a lot of talk circulating around the office. Ronald and Lyle approached her not long after Carley broke up our meeting. She could see there was something between Carley and I the moment she saw us together for the first time.
She never said anything because Carley was great at her job, and she started long before I even moved to New York.
I gave her a brief explanation of how Carley and I met in Greece and hit it off, but we fell out of touch.
She couldn’t believe how big a coincidence it was that she began working for me without knowing it.
She promised me she would quiet any and all rumors floating around and see to it that Carley will be protected if she ever decides to return.
I pray every day she does.
When I got home from work the day after she left, I realized a number of her things were missing. I pulled up the security footage for that day and watched as she and Saylor collected her belongings. The sight of it hurt almost worse than watching her walk away.
I’ve sent countless bouquets of flowers to her, apologizing in each and every one. Begging for her to give me another chance. To see my only fault was trying to hide a dark part of my past. A side of me that died before she and I ever met.
When it felt to me like flowers were getting old, I switched to food deliveries. I sent her drunken noodles, her favorite sandwich from Katz’s, chicken parmesan from the Italian place up the street that she likes, hot and sour soup.
I’ve texted, called, and showed up at her door only to have Saylor or Ren tell me she doesn’t want to see me.
Not only do I miss her, but I’m scared Blaine is going to get to her. Carl hasn’t finished searching through all the footage I asked him to review. If I can get a shot of Blaine on any of the floors of my building, I may be able to get him arrested for trespassing.
But there is a part of me that’s even worried to do that now. If I fail in having him arrested, he could go after Carley because of it. And I’m not there to protect her from him anymore.
Walking through the penthouse is depressing. It’s almost like living with a ghost. The cup of coffee I made for her that morning sits in my sink, unwashed. Her lip gloss has long since hardened to the ceramic.
A few nights after our run in with Blaine at the bar, Carley told me she was upset we never got to dance together that evening. So I put on some music, and we danced around the penthouse, talking and laughing for hours.
Now as I walk through the space, I can hear the echo of the music that played that night.
I can see Carley in her red dress, hair and makeup done, and the biggest smile on her face.
Holding on tightly as I spun her around and around.
I can picture her naked body pressed up against the window in the great room while I fucked her from behind that first day we left the office.
I walk to the bar and pour myself a double bourbon.
The warm, amber liquid burns going down, and the heat spreads into my arms and legs, somewhat relaxing me.
Taking to the sofa, I remove my phone from my pocket and sit down.
I pull up my messages and scroll through what I’ve sent Carley since last week.
Me
Carley, please talk to me. I need you to understand that I had plans to tell you the entire time. I wanted to tell you as soon as she approached me, but things aren’t that easy when Emma is involved. She’s a vulture, and I wanted to get her out of the city and away from you as quickly as possible.
Me
I was going to tell you tonight over dinner. After that, I wanted to tell you and show you just how much I love you. Because I do, Carley. I love you so damn much.
Then nothing for a few more days. I didn’t want to bombard her.
Me
Good morning, théa. I know you’re still angry with me, but I’m not giving up on us. I haven’t given up since the moment I woke up in an empty bed in Greece …
Then from just a couple days ago.
Me
You not being here tears me in two. Please just let me know if you’re okay.
Me
He must still be watching us somehow. I added additional measures of security to the Wi-Fi to keep him out, but I haven’t received any more letters.
He knows you’re gone, Carley. Away from me and the safe haven I tried to build for you.
That scares me more than the thought of never seeing you again.
I close my messages to Carley and open a new one to Saylor. For a week, she’s also been ignoring me, which I completely understand, but I still try. I need to know what’s going on.
Me
How is she today?
This time, I see the three dots pop up on the screen. For the first time in a week, is one of them actually going to answer me?
After ten minutes, she finally responds.
Saylor
Not good. You really messed up.
If I can get Saylor on my side at least a little bit, then there’s a chance she can help Carley realize how much she misses me. Maybe then she’ll at least start talking to me again.
Me
I was just trying to protect her. My ex is a vicious, cunning bitch, and she would have chewed Carley up and spit her out.
Saylor
I understand, but that’s pretty much you saying Carley isn’t tough enough to handle her. Do you even know Carley? She’s one of the toughest people I’ve ever met.
I know that, too.
Me
I do know that. I didn’t for one second think she couldn’t handle Emma. But with all the shit going on with Blaine, I didn’t want to add to her plate.
Me
Can you please help me? Can you ask her to text me? Call me? Come by the penthouse? Anything?
Saylor
I shouldn’t be telling you this. If Carley ever finds out she’ll kick my ass for real and probably not talk to me for a long time.
Me
Please, tell me.
Saylor
I think you and Carley are the real deal. I believe you’re meant to be together. She’s hurt, and she needs to work through her feelings, but if you give her a little more time and space, I think it will work to your benefit.
For the first time in a week, I can feel my heart start to beat again. It’s faint, but Saylor just gave me the little glimmer of hope that I needed.
Saylor
And by space, I mean stop texting her. No more deliveries. Cut her off. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that bullshit. Got it?
Me
Got it. Thank you, Saylor. Thank you so much.
Saylor
You’re welcome. I’m deleting these messages and putting my phone down now.
Saylor
Radio silence, bossman.
Me
Understood. Goodbye.
Placing my phone on the table, a small smile breaks through the melancholy exterior I’ve displayed since Carley walked out of my office.
I pick up my glass and down the rest of the bourbon in a silent cheer to Saylor.
What she just said to me gives me the strength I need to make a promise to myself that I won’t try to contact Carley again.
That I’ll let her come to me when she’s ready.
* * *
The next morning, I’m awoken early by a phone call. Thinking it could be Carley, I answer it, still half asleep, without even checking the caller ID.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Anastos. It’s Travis. I apologize it’s taken me so long to get back to you.”
Tell me about it.
The only reason I haven’t fired him yet is because everyone who recommended him to me tells me this is how he works. He goes dark while he’s investigating, and you won’t hear from him unless there is something he thinks you need to hear.
“It’s fine, do you have anything for me?”
“Well, that’s the thing. I’ve dug as far as I can, and there is not much on Blaine Markson past his prison stint last year. Since he got out, he’s been the poster child of the perfect parolee.”
That’s not what I wanted to hear.
“He’s never missed a meeting with his parole officer. He attends his therapy and group sessions regularly, only missing one for an illness that he was able to obtain a doctor’s note for.”
There’s no way.
“Are you sure? I mean, how easy is it to make others believe you’ve changed, and you’re meeting all of the requirements?”
“It’s not very easy, actually. I’ve been trailing him for a week, and he hasn’t made one misstep. Nothing to cause any alarm or to make me think he’s up to anything other than exactly what he’s supposed to be doing.”
“You’ve only been on him for the past week?”
The week that Carley has been out of my life. The week where the threatening letters have stopped. Of course, he’s been good this week, he got what he wanted.
“Yes, it was the first opportunity I’ve had to fly into town.”
“I need you to stay on him for a while. I’ll pay whatever you need me to pay you. But here’s the thing, he’s been sending us threatening letters telling Carley he will leak personal photos and videos if she doesn’t leave me.”
“My personal opinion is to continue living your life as you would if he weren’t in the picture.”
“Yeah, I would except he sent her photos of a dinner meeting I had with my ex-wife. My ex-wife who Carley wasn’t aware of yet. So she moved out. A week ago. He got what he wanted, so I’m guessing that’s why he’s been good this week.”
“Oh, I see. Okay, I’ll extend my trip and keep an eye on him.”
“Thank you,” I say, but he’s already gone.