Chapter 24 #2
I pace up and down my balcony for another forty minutes with my stomach in my throat. What if Joshua actually hurts Jesten? What if Jesten hurts Joshua? No, that won’t happen, Joshua is too strong. Maybe I should have gone. Shit, this is total bullshit. I dial the number again.
“Hello,” Abbie answers.
“What’s happening?”
“I think they are next,” she replies.
“Oh shit.” My heart starts to thump.
“Hey, did you know that Bridget likes Ben?” she asks.
I frown. “Who told you that?”
“Cameron and Murph.”
“Huh?”
“Apparently they call each other all the time.”
I screw my face up as I hold my hand in the air. “What?”
“I know that’s what I said and now she is sitting with him and they are giggling and flirting and shit.”
I shake my head as I listen to this story. “Are you serious?” “Totally, oh here they come. I will call you back,” she yells over the noisy crowd. Oh my God, oh my God. I pace through my apartment with my hands on my head.
Twenty minutes later my phone rings. I snatch it from the table. “Hello.”
“Okay, so.”
My eyes widen. “So what?”
“Um, so they really hate each other.”
My horrified face drops. “What happened?”
“So, the fight was okay. Josh won.”
“Yes,” I answer nervously.
“But then it got out of hand again and they kept fighting after the bell.”
I bring my hand to my face as my eyes widen. “Yes.”
“And I think Joshua has done something to his arm and then he knocked Jesten out.”
“What!” I shriek. “What do you mean?”
“Joshua hit Jesten so hard he fell to the ground and then he didn’t get up.”
My eyes widen in horror. “Is he dead?”
She laughs. “No, I don’t think so. No, definitely not, he’s alive.”
“Where is Joshua?”
“He is in the dressing room and Cameron is with him.” “Okay I’m going,” I hang up and immediately dial
Cameron’s phone.”
“Hi Tash.” He answers first ring.
“Is Joshua ok?”
“He’s fine.”
“Is the guy he fought alright?” I close my eyes as I wait for the answer.
“Yeah, I just went and checked on him, he just hit the ground hard and knocked himself out. He will be ok.”
“Can I speak to Joshua?”
“He’s in the shower. I will drop him at your house on our way home.”
Hmm. “Okay, see you then.” I hang up, dry-retch again and get into a scalding hot shower, the only place lately where I seem to be calm.
Two hours later, I am sitting on my lounge drinking tea while trying my hardest not to get fuming mad. Where are they? Have they gone out? The key turns in my door and Joshua walks in, his arm in a sling. Cameron is behind him.
I glare at him while biting my tongue. Don’t say it, don’t say it.
Don’t fucking say it.
“You’re an idiot,” I blurt out. Shit, I said it.
“Hello,” he says deadpan as he walks into the kitchen and throws his keys onto the kitchen counter.
Cameron silently shakes his head at me to signify silence. I roll my eyes. This is the testosterone bullshit again.
I stand in an outrage. “What have you done to your arm?
You need to go to the hospital.”
He opens a beer and takes a swing.
I roll my eyes. “Cameron, what is wrong with his arm?”
“He will be fine in the morning. I will leave you two lovebirds to it.” He raises his eyebrows at me and smiles cheekily in jest at me being stuck with him. He slaps Joshua on the back as he leaves the apartment.
“I’m going to bed,” I sigh. He nods. “See you in there.”
I lie in bed as I hear him fuss around in the kitchen and make toast and tea, seemingly unaffected.
I am so tired I feel like I actually had the fight tonight, this man and this life with him is messing with my head and is utterly exhausting.
The sound of pills getting popped from their packets greets me when I hop out of the shower in the morning and I walk into the kitchen to investigate.
I slept like a baby and don’t even remember Joshua coming to bed last night.
My eyes cover his body and I gasp in shock.
Joshua’s face is a mess, he has a fat lip, a black eye, his ribs are bruised, his hand is the size of a water- melon and he’s taking painkillers.
I can’t even be sympathetic; this is beyond ridiculous.
“What are you taking?” I ask.
“Just anti-inflammatories,” he murmurs.
I scowl and head back to my bedroom to get dressed for work. What an idiot.
He follows me and gets back into bed and pulls the covers over himself.
I frown at him as I put my hand on my hip.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Going back to bed, what does it look like?” he murmurs.
Now he wants to stay in bed. “Are you not working today?” I ask.
“Mmm, later,” he groans.
I can’t help it, compassion gets the better of me.
“Are you alright?” I ask as I bend and rub his forehead and gently kiss it.
He nods but doesn’t say anything.
“Are you going to go to the hospital and see about that broken hand?”
He nods again, still silent.
“Would you like it if I did this to myself and my body?” I ask.
“No,” he answers quietly.
“Then you understand why it drives me insane that you do this for fun.”
He nods again.
“I’m going to work. I will see you later.” I bend and kiss him gently on the cheek and he lies still. He must be really sore, he isn’t even joking about naughty nurses.
“Bye, babe,” he whispers croakily and then rolls over and closes his eyes.
Hmm, figures, I beg him to stay in bed with me all weekend and now on a Wednesday because it suits him, he is staying at home in bed, so typical.
It’s official, operation slim down is damn boring. “What will it be?” the cashier asks me.
I smile as I look at the coffee list on the blackboard on the far wall. “Damn it, I’m going to be naughty. Can I have a caramel latte with one sugar and a cinnamon roll, please?”
It’s Friday, I’ve finished work for the day and have called over to see the girls I worked with at SSAC.
I’m not meeting them for another half an hour, so I called in here to fill in the time.
I haven’t been to this coffee shop before as it’s out of the way.
I sit at the bar bench and read a magazine as I wait for my order.
“Order for Natasha,” the cashier calls. I take my order and am on my way out of the café when I catch sight of Joshua sitting in the corner of the café with Adrian and…
that bitch from the wedding. Is he kidding?
How is he still in contact with her? My blood boils and I march over.
“Hello,” I stammer.
Joshua looks up and his eyes widen in shock. “Tash…baby.” He stands immediately. “Join us.” He pulls out a chair.
I fake a smile. “Adrian.” My eyes shoot to Dolly Parton and she smiles broadly. I glare at Joshua who of course is looking his sensational best. Why does he have to be so fucking good looking? I fall into the seat uncomfortably.
“This is Tatiana.” Joshua introduces her way too quickly.
“We’ve met.” I smile a little too sweetly at him as I am reminded of why I called her Tittiana on our first meeting. His face drops. He was hoping I didn’t remember who she was…bastard.
“Tatiana works with us on this new job we are doing,” he stammers nervously.
Oh, this is just great. “Really?” I smile. “How nice.” My eyes flick to Adrian and he smiles knowingly.
“Yes, what a coincidence. I didn’t know she worked for this company. Did I Adrian?” Joshua is talking at double speed. Busted, asshole.
“Right.” I drop my head as fury starts to pump. We have discussed his work on numerous occasions, and he hasn’t mentioned this once. He puts his hand on my lap and grabs my hand. I smile sweetly.
You are one sneaky son of a bitch.
“So lovely to finally meet you, Natasha,” Tatiana purrs. “I’ve heard all about the woman who has finally tamed Joshua.”
Ha. What a joke! “I bet you have,” I purr.
I fake a smile at her as my eyes flick to Joshua who has started to perspire. Adrian smiles broadly and winks at me. He’s loving this.
“So, how long have you been married?” she asks. My eyes drop to her enormous breasts. Good grief, does anyone at all look at her face, she must wear a back brace under her clothing.
Huh, my eyes widen. Joshua squeezes my hand as I try to rip it from his gorilla grip.
“We are not married,” I snap. I hold out my hand. “I don’t see a ring on this finger…do you?”
She frowns at Joshua. “But I thought you said?” He coughs uncomfortably.
“I bet you have,” I smile sarcastically. “Joshua’s stories get a little exaggerated sometimes and then on other times he totally leaves things out altogether, don’t you, honey?” I raise my eyebrows.
Joshua sculls his coffee to escape my glare.
“I have to get going, lovely to see you again.” I smile at her as I stand.
Joshua stands. “I’ll walk you out.”
“Not necessary,” I smile. “See you later.” I storm out of the café with him hot on my heels.
“Seriously, Josh, go back inside,” I sigh. “Natasha,” he snaps. “What was that about?”
I smile sweetly as I boil with anger on the inside, what an asshole. How could he not tell me about working with her? Act calm. Act calm, act fucking calm. I frown. “What are you talking about, Joshua?”
“Where are you going?” he asks as he grabs my hand.
“Out with my friends. I told you.”
He rolls his lips as he contemplates saying something. “What is it you want to say, Joshua?” I raise a brow in
question.
“I didn’t tell you I worked with her because I knew you
would lose your shit.” His eyes stay firmly on mine.
I smile. “Always thinking of me.” I pull from his grip.
“How thoughtful you are, no, my shit is completely together,” I sneer.
He narrows his eyes at me. “I’ll be over around eight?” he replies as he leans in and kisses my cheek.
“I look forward to it,” I reply. I walk back to my car with a red glow shooting from my ears. He has got to be joking.
My phone dances silently around the table.
“Are you not even going to answer it?” Bridget frowns. “No.” I screw up my face as I drink the last of my margarita. “I’m off him, he can go to Hell.” We are at the Cargo Bar.
I’ve ditched Joshua. I didn’t even tell him I was going out. This
is the fifth time my phone has rung in fifteen minutes.