Chapter 11
Eleven
THE CALLER
Last month, I got a call from a woman asking me to host the Gala, the one held every year by one of the families from the gentleman’s club.
This time, they wanted it at my grandfather’s house in San Francisco.
I said yes, not because I wanted to, but because I knew what would follow if I didn’t.
My name would pass from mouth to mouth, get dragged through mud just because I learned how to say no.
I already had enough of that. Enough since the tragedy that hit my family a year ago.
Now I stood in the middle of it all with a raised glass of whiskey, offering it up to every man in a tux and bow tie who pretended to be more than he was. My fake smile spread from ear to ear. I played the part so well, it almost felt real.
And then I saw her.
Her hair caught the light. Brighter shade of red than I remembered.
Not the dark ginger I used to compare to cinnamon.
For years, I thought her mother forced the color onto her and made her dye it that way.
But standing here now, I saw it differently.
That shade belonged to her. It brought that fire to her that only she didn’t see.
Aurelia Vale.
The one person who could ruin me. The only woman I had ever wanted.
She moved toward the table; her boyfriend glued to her side, her father following. They talked, moving further inside. She didn’t seem to listen.
I took my chance.
Before she could step into the dining room, I reached for her and wrapped my fingers around her hand.
“Kitten.” My lips stretched into a smile.
She let out a small, startled sound just for a moment before she jumped against me, arms thrown around my neck, squeezing tight enough to cut off my breath.
“Hi, stranger,” she said. A soft laugh slipped out. “What are you doing here?”
I lifted a brow. “I grew up here.”
She drew her brows, confused. Her gaze moved around the room, realizing where she was.
“Shit,” she muttered. “I knew it looked familiar.”
I chuckled, holding her gaze.
She bit her lip, twisting a strand of her hair around her finger. As she kept it there, I caught a faint bruise along her neck.
My hand moved so quickly. My fingertips brushed her skin.
She hissed.
“I will kill him.”
“No,” she whispered. “I fell.” Her fingers closed around my wrist. “I promise.”
“Your promises were built on lies.” I pulled my hand free. “How many times did you fall?” My voice rose. She lifted her hand, trying to quiet me, but I didn’t stop. “How many lies are you going to tell to cover for him?”
I stepped closer, cupping her cheeks, forcing her to look at me. “How many promises are you going to break to me just because you can’t leave him?”
I let her go and took a step back. “How many promises are you going to break to yourself just because your mother approves of him?”
“It’s not that simple.” She turned away, folding her arms around herself. The moment her fingers brushed over her skin. I saw it. The ring.
I tried to breathe. I should have walked away. I should have done it a long time ago. But she was the only place that had ever felt like home when mine stopped being one.
“Kitten,” I said, quieter now, slipping a card into her hand. “I’m one call away. You know that, right?”
She took it, but didn’t look at me. Her back stayed turned as she walked off.
And once again, I stood there and let her go.
Something twisted around my heart. My lungs fought for air, but I kept it in, swallowed it down, jaw clenched so no one would see.
She turned around and rushed back to me, blinking fast, trying so hard to hold her tears.
“Give me ten reasons why I shouldn’t marry him,” she said.
I looked at her, my words caught in my throat.
The promise I made to myself five years ago pressed against my ribs.
I wasn’t a good man for her. There was something dark inside of me.
And no matter how deep I tried to bury it, it kept coming back.
And if that was the man I was becoming… maybe she really was better off with him.
He could give her a future I never could.
And I could still protect her. Just not from beside her.
“That’s what I thought,” she said softly.
She placed the card back into my hand.
For a second, I just stared at it.
All this time, I saw him as the villain.
But standing here, watching her walk away from me, I saw it clearly.
I had been the villain in her story all along.
I wanted to be the hero who saved her, the one she ran to.
But I couldn’t pull her out of the fire if I had nothing solid to offer once she got out. So, I let her go.
I watched her return to the table, and watched the way she smiled. He lifted a glass of champagne, made sure everyone heard the news. Aurelia Vale would be a Grant now.
I couldn’t look at her anymore. I turned and walked outside.
The night air hit my face. I leaned against the wall, lit a cigarette, and dragged the smoke into my lungs. I looked in front of me, to all the cars that kept pulling up, and only one of them was familiar.
Dasha came out of the car.
She lifted a brow as she approached, her fur coat trailing behind her.
“Why the sour smile?” she asked with her Russian accent. “You heard the news.”
I nodded, taking another drag, holding the smoke in.
“If you can’t make her happy,” she said, watching me closely, “let someone else do it.”
“He won’t make her happy,” I exhaled into her face. “Babushka.”
A laugh slipped out of me.
She leaned closer, tongue clicking, then caught my ear between her fingers and twisted. “Your mother is Babushka. I’m in my prime.”
I let out a low laugh. “Whatever you say.”
She smiled as she released me. “Did you find the woman I asked you to find?”
“I did,” I said, dragging in another smoke before letting it curl from my lips. “She got married in New York. She has two kids, and one grandchild.”
She nodded. “Is she happy?”
I nodded, blowing the smoke straight at her again.
Her eyes narrowed. “Do that again and you will hang from that balcony by your balls.”
I smirked, but it faded quickly. “She could have been happier.”
Her gaze shifted past me. I followed it. Aurelia stepped out through the main entrance with Daniel at her side.
“She could be happier too,” she said.
I clicked my tongue. “I didn’t have ten reasons she wanted.”
Her eyes rolled, then her palm cracked against the back of my head. “Idiot,” she muttered in Russian. “Give her at least one.”
I looked back at Aurelia. Her parents were already seated in the back of the car. Daniel reached for the door, holding it open for her.
Something in my chest tightened, and my tongue formed the words.
“Stop!” I shouted.
She stepped away from the car.
“You asked for ten reasons,” I said, locking my eyes on hers as I moved closer, “but I can give you just one.”
“Get in the car, Aurelia,” Daniel shouted from the passenger seat, stepping out and slamming the door behind him.
“I’d rather lose you forever… than watch you pretend you’re happy for the rest of your life.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “Give me one more,” her voice shaking.
“He isn’t the one you love.”
Daniel grabbed her hand. She cried openly now, but he pushed her toward the car. I stepped forward, and she tore free from his grip, running straight into me.
I caught her, pulling her against my chest.
“Who is it that I love?” she asked, her eyes searching for mine, desperate for something real.
“Me,” I said. The word caught in my throat as my hands framed her face.
She nodded.
I was looking at her when Daniel hit me. His fist hit my jaw, snapping my head to the side. I stumbled back, dropping to the ground as my hand flew to my face.
“Get in the fucking car,” Daniel snapped, shoving her inside and slamming the door.
By the time I pushed myself back up, he was already pulling away.
I ran to my red Cadillac and slid inside, turning the engine over with shaking hands. My head spun from the hit, but I slammed my foot on the gas, chasing after them.
I flashed my lights, urging him to stop, but he swerved ahead, ignoring me.
Then he sped up, trying to lose me.
My thoughts started to race faster than the road beneath me.
What if I lose her. What if this time… I really lost her.
I flashed the lights again as the last warning. But instead of stopping, he swerved toward me. I slammed the brakes to keep us from going over the cliff, but he did the opposite. He sped up. Both cars swerved and went over the edge.
Everything happened too fast. Through the window, I caught his car spinning and twisting in the air. And instead of thinking about how to get out, only one thought kept coming to my mind. This was all my fault.
The first impact crushed against the cliff, flipping me onto the roof. His car spun once more before disappearing into the ocean below.
I tried to push the car door. It wouldn’t budge. Panic clawed up my throat. I kicked the glass until it cracked and tore the seatbelt off, dragging myself out.
“Fuck,” I said, stumbling down toward the ocean.
I had to get to her. Nothing else mattered. No one else mattered. My morals had never been clean anyway.
I jumped in without a second thought. The cold water felt like sharp knives, stealing the breath from my lungs, but I forced myself under. It was dark, almost black, but the car lights guided me down just before they shut down completely.
I broke the surface for a quick breath, then dove in again, swimming to the car. Her dad was at the window, slamming his fists against the glass. He saw me and pointed toward her.
She was still inside.
My breath was running out, but the rush in my veins kept me moving. Her window was barely open. I grabbed it, trying to force it down, but the pressure of the water fought me, holding it in place.
I couldn’t get it open.
I was going to lose her. It was the only thing I could think about.
I shoved my hand through the gap until I caught the lock and yanked it up. With pressure, the window gave in and slid down.
Her father already got unconscious. Her head tilted to the side, her eyes barely open, slipping shut.
No.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her free, my arm wrapping around her waist as I dragged her out of the car.
Underwater, there were only two choices. Give up or fight.
If I had been alone, I would have let go. But she was in my arms, and something in me refused to break. She gave me the strength to hold on to it.
I swam fast, dragging us up until we dove up to the surface. I gasped for air, but she just floated numb in my hands.
I slapped her cheek. “Kitten,” I said in panic. “Open your eyes.”
Nothing.
I hit her cheek again. “Open your eyes.”
Still nothing.
I pulled her closer, one arm locked around her as the water pushed against us. Waves rolled in, stronger now, rising and pulling us under, then throwing us back up. I kept moving, searching for a light. On the right, I saw the faint light coming from the cliff.
I followed it.
The closer we got, the water got shallower. The tips of my shoes scraped against the rock beneath us. A wave crashed into us, slamming us against the cliff. Pain ripped through my chest as a sharp stone cut into me. I pushed her up first, then dragged myself after her.
There was a light from the houses above the road. Someone must have called the cops from the land line because I can already hear the sirens getting closer.
My eyes moved back on her.
Her lips were turning purple.
The cold made my hands shake while I pressed them against her chest, pushing, counting without thinking. Then I leaned down, sealing my mouth over hers, pinching her nose as I forced air into her lungs.
Again and again.
But she still didn’t open her eyes.
I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.
I leaned down again, my lips pressing against hers.
This time her body moved from my hands, and her eyes opened.
“I got you,” I said, pulling her against me.
I held her close, trying to keep the warmth between us, but she pushed weakly against me, pulling away.
“W-w-who are y-you?” She asked, her lower lip trembling.
I swallowed.
She didn’t recognize me.
“There’s someone on the rocks!” A voice shouted from the shore.
I looked down at her. Her eyes were already slipping closed again.
They were getting closer.
If I stayed, they would find me. They would pin another murder on me that I didn’t commit.
I couldn’t let that happen.
I lowered myself, pressing my lips to her forehead.
“I will be watching you, kitten,” I whispered.
Then I turned and moved along the rocks, climbing down.
“There’s a woman!” Someone shouted. “We need an ambulance!”
She would be okay.
She had to be.
Memories didn’t matter if her heart already belonged to me.
She would be okay.
I held on to those words as I made my way back to the road.