Chapter Seven
Clear the air of illusion. The only truth that matters is the one standing in front of you.
I woke up feeling sore everywhere. The bed I was lying in was so comfortable that it took my pleasure-soaked brain a moment to realize I wasn't in my bed at home. My eyes flew open, and that’s when I remembered my crazy night with Langden.
Opening one eye, I discovered he wasn’t beside me and slowly rose to a sitting position to check out my surroundings. I vaguely remembered an elevator ride, so I was at the top or somewhere near. Wait, didn’t the elevator open directly into the apartment? That meant he lived in the penthouse.
I fluffed up the collection of pillows, wincing as I leaned back. The quality of my surroundings wasn’t lost on me. Langden Ross lived well, definitely part of upper society. Being here showed me what was easy to ignore when we were at his bar, that he and I were very different people.
I’d made a mistake, and panic welled up inside of me.
I needed to leave. I got out of bed and felt a momentary pang of regret.
It felt right to be in this bed, but I realized it was all an illusion.
I scrambled for my clothing and tiptoed down the hall, finding myself in a grand foyer with an elevator.
From somewhere, further along, I heard the clatter of dishes.
I envisioned Langden butt naked, in his kitchen making me coffee or perhaps breakfast in bed?
I had to run while I still could. Last night had been a game-changer, and I had to acknowledge my feelings for Langden.
I was in love with my wealthy, daddy employer, and I knew it couldn’t last.
I pressed the call button and squirmed while waiting for it.
When the doors closed behind me, I breathed a sigh of relief.
It was early yet, and the streets were not overly busy thank goodness.
I hailed a cab and raced for Cheryl’s. I couldn’t go home looking as I did, a complete mess with mascara-stained tears running down my cheeks.
Even the cabby was sending me questioning looks.
Me: Cheryl, I’m on my way to your place. Please answer the door. I need to talk to you.
Cheryl: It’s unlocked sista, walk right in.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Cheryl would know what to do. Even though we were the same age, Cheryl had a lot more experience and lived independently. Her wealthy family had rented her an apartment close to the campus.
My phone beeped. Langden was probably leaving me a message, but I ignored it.
Now was not the time to talk with him, and reading his messages would just make me lose my nerve to walk away.
I knew he would be annoyed, especially after what we shared last night.
If I heard his words ordering me back, I would do it without giving myself the chance to process our situation.
I was an anxious mess when I arrived at Cheryl's door.
Cheryl took one look at me and pulled me in for a hug. “My God, what happened? Did he hurt you?”
“No, I sobbed. It’s worse. It was perfect.”
Cheryl pulled back, looking confused. “What was perfect?”
“Please, Cheryl, I need coffee, and then I’ll tell you the entire sordid tale.”
Cheryl had remained silent to her credit, but her face expressed more than her words ever could. She was shocked, and the slight jaw drop that had been her resting face for the past hour said it all.
“I’m sorry, but are you saying that you found the perfect guy, and the sex is better than anything you could have hoped for?” I nodded in confirmation that she was accurate on summarizing my feelings.
“And... you’re afraid he may hurt you at an indeterminate time in the future, so you ran away from him before that could happen?”
It was my turn to look shocked. Is that what I’d done? “Uh, no, well, is that how it sounds?”
She nodded her head vigorously. I was about to tell her I was a complete idiot. When my phone beeped again. “Is it him?”
I nodded. “Then tell Langden you’re an idiot and you’re sorry and get your ass back to his place and share your fears. If he confirms that this is all casual for him, then walk if you want, or don’t and enjoy it, but he may surprise you.”
I wiped my sweaty palms on my ruined pencil skirt and opened the message. There were twenty with the last one saying, answer me NOW! I quickly typed in that I was on my way back and would explain everything.
He texted back one word, Hurry. I smiled at my phone and then at Cheryl. “Thanks for being here. I needed to hear your viewpoint; I’ve been feeling like I’m living in a story about someone else.”
She smiled sympathetically. “I can understand that. I’ve met someone too, but this isn’t the time to tell you about my new guy. You need to get back.”
“I do,” I said, standing.
“I already ordered your Uber. It should be here any moment.”
“Thanks, Cheryl,” I hugged her close. “Let's get together after class on Monday, and you can tell me about your new guy.”
“Sounds good. Okay, your Uber’s here. Go get him.”
I laughed and was so caught up in my excitement to get back, I didn’t notice the driver looked familiar, and I didn’t notice we were going the wrong way until it was too late. I managed one text to Langden before I was knocked out, help, Sonya…
When I came to, I was tied to a chair, with my mouth taped—no calling for help. I started to panic. My heart was racing, and I thought I would die of a heart attack. Then Sonya and her boyfriend Brad walked in.
My eyes widened and then squinted with pain when Sonya ripped the tape away from my mouth. “Hello, Maddox.”
“Sonya, what the hell is going on? Is this some sort of joke?”
“I assure you, this is far from being a joke. You have been a serious pain in my ass.” I was genuinely shocked. What was she talking about? Then it hit me. She was the one stealing from the pub.
“You’re the one skimming, aren’t you?” She laughed, a maniacal laugh. Great! I was about to be killed by a crazy person. At least it wouldn't be from a panic attack like I always assumed would be the cause. I wouldn’t get to tell Langden how I really felt, or say goodbye to my parents.
“Oh, I assure you we do way more than skim from the profits of the bar. We have been stealing from the Ross family for years, haven't we, Brad.” Brad said nothing, just regarded me with glittering eyes that were reminiscent of a predator. I didn’t like the guy even though I’d only met him twice before.
There was something about him that gave me the creeps, and now I knew why.
“Langden is expecting me. When I don’t show up, he will call the cops.”
“Oh, poor you,” she pretend pouts, “the bar brat and her rich daddy. I assure you after the message I sent on your behalf. Not only will he not call the cops, but he probably won’t think of you ever again.”
Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to cry. “What do you want with me?”
“Originally, we were going to hold you for ransom. After all, you managed to get close to the reclusive bachelor and capture his heart. But well, as we have gotten rich fucking around with the Ross family, it’s time to just get revenge and leave.
But for shits and giggles, Brad’s going to fuck you up a bit, and then we’ll send some images to Langden, so he knows that his little bar bitch didn’t ditch him but was stolen and killed, just like his parents.
He can’t save you, just like he was unable to save them. ”
“I’m sorry, did you just say you killed his parents?
” Sonya laughed evilly. “Hell yeah, we needed to remove the brains of the empire. Langden and I were in class together. Of course, he doesn't remember me because I wasn’t Sonya back then, and I didn’t look like this.
Plastic surgery and hair dye allowed me to continue to wreak havoc on him and his stupid family. ”
I thought back to the Google search, and the report on his family’s death MVA and the cops never found the hit and run driver. It had been Sonya, or maybe Brad. “Why, what did the Ross family ever do to you?”
She glared at me, “not that it’s any of your business, but I will grant the dying girl's wish. The Ross family stole the tech from my family and became rich, while the defeat of losing out to them broke my family and drove us into poverty. So yeah, I got my revenge, and now I’m going to enjoy it for the rest of my spoiled, rich life. ”
She struck me so fast that my head snapped back. She did it again, several times. My eyes were swelling shut, and my one cheek throbbed painfully.
“Come on, Brad, let's give that about twenty minutes to develop and then take pictures as the bruising should be visible by then.” She sneered again and they left the room.
I tasted blood and recoiled from the taste of iron. Then I allowed the tears to fall now that I was alone. There was no one to hear me, except maybe God, and so I said my goodbyes and shared my regrets, and when the couple reappeared twenty or so minutes later, I was as ready as I could be.
Sonya took a bunch of pictures, which she presumably then sent to Langden.
I hung my head, no longer able to hold it up.
At least I wasn’t dying a virgin which left only one regret, leaving the safety of his penthouse.
I wished I could take back my stupid moment of panic and imagined what we would be doing right now.
I stayed with that, imagining us together in his super big comfy bed, wrapped in each other's arms.
“Say, goodbye princess,” Sonya’s lips pressed together as if firming herself for what came next. Eyes clamped shut, I flinched at the sharp, metallic snap of a hammer being cocked.