Chapter 23
LEAH
I wake up to pounding on my door and Aaden’s voice calling my name. It’s dark in my apartment as I stumble to the front door. Shit, what time is it? I think as I unlock it. I open the door, and Aaden practically falls into me.
“Leah, are you alright?” he asks, sounding a bit frantic.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I must have fallen asleep.” I turn the light on and blink to adjust my eyes. He runs his hand through his hair and releases a deep breath.
“Jesus, Leah, I was worried sick. I’ve been trying to call you all afternoon, and no one knew where you were.
” He yanks me into a hug, squeezing me tightly against his chest. He smells like his cologne and cold weather.
He pulls away, looking at me. “Why didn’t you answer your phone?
Madison and your mother have been trying to reach you, too. ”
Moving back across the room, I grab my phone from the coffee table. “Shit, I must have forgotten to turn the ringer back on after my doctor appointment.”
“Doctor? Is everything okay?”
Fuck! “Oh, yeah.” I swallow. “Everything is fine, just a checkup,” I lie.
“Well, why did you come back here?” he asks.
I smile at him as I flop down onto the couch. He follows, sitting down beside me. “I was missing my things and wanted to check on everything.”
Taking my hand, he gives me a teasing smile. “You know, you can move all of your stuff in anytime you want.” No, I can’t, not now. Not until you know the truth. But then, you might not want me. I clear my throat as I stare down at my hands.
“I know, but I’m still not ready. Not yet.”
He shakes his head and pulls me into his chest, kissing my forehead.
“Alright, well, let’s go home. Gidget misses her mom.
” I smile and nod. He helps me up from the couch and brings me right back into his arms. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear then lightly strokes my cheek.
“Don’t ever scare me like that again. I thought something bad happened to you, and I was about to lose my shit. ”
Like I’ve been losing mine?
***
“You look beautiful,” Aaden whispers against my ear as I stand in front of the mirror, putting my earrings in. I smile as he presses a kiss on my cheek. He looks amazing in his black suit, blood-red shirt, and black tie. Actually, he looks like he should be on the cover of GQ Magazine.
“Happy New Year to you, too.” I smile. He runs the tip of his finger against the side of my neck, still watching me in the mirror.
“I mean it; you’re gorgeous, babe, actually glowing.
” My heart lurches into my throat. Oh God, is he getting suspicious?
He wraps his arms around my waist. Reaching up, he takes my chin in his hand and turns my face toward his.
“This is going to be a great year for us.” He smiles then presses his lips to mine.
I wrap my arms around his neck as I lean into his kiss, praying that he’s right because tomorrow, I plan to tell Aaden about the baby.
Our guests have started to arrive, and the party is in full swing.
There’s food spread out on the kitchen counters, a large screen projecting a live feed of time square, gold and silver decorations covering almost every surface, and enough champagne to last the entire evening and most of the next day.
Madison has been splitting her time between dancing with Noah and holding my hand for support.
She offered to be with me when I told him, but I told her no, I needed to do it alone. I owe him that much.
Aaden hands me a glass of champagne, and he clinks our glasses together in a toast. Once again, I’m forced to pretend, as I have all evening, to take a sip.
Madison is watching Aaden with a curious grin.
He looks at her with a smile and raises his eyebrows.
I glance between the two of them. What the heck is that about?
I give Madison a confused look, but before I can grill her, Tyler joins us with a pretty blonde on his arm.
He shakes Aaden’s hand and introduces us to Heather, his date for the evening.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I grin.
“You have a beautiful home.” She beams at Aaden and me.
Aaden wraps his arm around my shoulders, a huge smile plastered on his face.
“Thank you,” he says, then presses his lips to my cheek.
Noah rushes over to us with a troubled expression on his face.
His eyes dart between Aaden and me, then he leans in and whispers something in Aaden’s ear.
Aaden’s face becomes cold and serious, his jaw tightening as a hint of anger flashes in his eyes.
Tyler leans in to hear the conversation and looks at me with the same troubled expression Noah had when he approached.
“Will you ladies excuse us?” Aaden says.
He starts to walk away, but I grab his arm. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I’ll be right back.” He kisses my cheek, then turns and walks away. Tyler and Noah follow him upstairs and into his office. Must be business. I’ll give him a few minutes before I check on him.
***
I have a bad feeling, I think as my eyes drift up to Aaden’s office door again.
They’ve been up there for twenty minutes, and I’ve been worried ever since Noah approached us with a weirded-out expression on his face.
I turn to Madison, who’s chatting away with Heather. “I’m going to go check on them.”
Madison nods. “We’ll come with you in case our men are trapped up there with yours.” She laughs.
They follow me up the stairs and down the hall toward Aaden’s office.
Despite the music and dozens of people talking below us, I can hear Aaden yelling from inside.
What the hell? I wonder as I turn and look at Madison and Heather, confused.
I reach out and crack the door open slowly, the heated argument becoming clearer.
“Chase, Tyler, and I have been trying to call you, but you haven’t been answering,” I hear Noah say.
Chase! What the hell is he doing here? My head jerks around to look at Madison, who has the same expression on her face that I know I have on mine. We lean in closer as the conversation continues.
“Well, you all seemed pretty pissed on Halloween, so I thought I’d let things cool down,” Chase says. My stomach rolls at the sound of his voice.
“For two months?” we hear Tyler ask.
Chase’s irritated voice comes through the door again, “I’ve been busy. Anyway, it’s over now. I just came here to pay my part of the bet.” A loud thud comes through the door. “Twenty-five grand. Congrats, Aaden. You won. You got her in the sack first. I bet Leah’s a fantastic fuck.”
My spine straightens as I suck in air. The sound of Madison gasping behind me is as loud as a gunshot.
A bet? I was a bet? I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut.
My head is fuzzy as Madison mumbles curses from behind me.
I don’t hear what she’s saying because everything sounds muffled.
My ears are ringing. I couldn’t have heard that right.
Realization slams into me as I remember all four of these guys flirting with me, asking me out on dates, and me, like an idiot, thinking they all actually liked me.
I.
Was.
A.
Bet!
Without thinking, I push the door open and glare at the four men inside. My eyes fill with tears when they land on the stack of money sitting on Aaden’s desk. His head whips around, and my gaze locks on the man I thought loved me. His face pales as his eyes widen. “Leah.”
My heart shatters. My chest squeezes tightly, and I can barely breathe. Tears roll down my cheeks as I whirl around and push my way past Madison and Heather to run back down the hallway, heavy sobs racking my body.
“Leah!” Aaden’s voice calls after me.
“I just came here to pay my part of the bet.” Chase’s voice swirls through my head so loudly that the sounds of our guests are drowned out. My feet are flying as I make my way down the stairs and through the kitchen, pushing past people as I go. I can barely see through my tears as I grab my purse.
“Leah, baby, wait a minute!”
“Congrats, Aaden. You won. You got her in the sack first.”
I throw open the door to the garage and make it to my car just as Aaden grabs my arm and spins me around. My hand swings and makes contact with his cheek, the sound of my slap echoing through the garage. His expression turns to shock as I yank my arm from him.
“Don’t touch me!” I can’t breathe. I’m sure I’m hyperventilating.
My entire body is shaking, my pulse pounding in my ears, and my chest hurts.
I feel like I’m having a heart attack. Madison, Noah, Tyler, Heather, and Chase all spill into the garage behind us, each one with a wide-eyed look of concern.
“Don’t ever touch me again.” I sob uncontrollably, gasping for air.
“You won. You got her in the sack first.”
“Leah…” Aaden whispers, tears glistening in his own eyes. Madison steps between us, throwing her arms around me and pulling me into her chest. I cling to her as if she’s my lifeline because I feel like I’m drowning.
“Don’t touch her,” she snarls. “Don’t ever come near her again, you sick bastard.”
“Madison,” Noah says as he moves to grab her arm and pull her out of the way. She snatches her arm from him and shifts her disgusted glare to him.
“Don’t,” she hisses. She looks at Tyler and Chase, then back to Aaden and Noah, her chin wobbling as she fights her own emotions.
“You’re disgusting. All of you. What kind of sick people are you?
” Tyler hangs his head in shame, unable to look at either of us.
Heather takes several steps away from him, her eyes cast down to the floor.
“Madison,” Noah tries again.
She steps away, pulling me tighter to her chest. “Don’t ever talk to me again. We’re finished.”
Noah’s eyes widen, a look of pain flashing across his face. Aaden moves, desperate to touch me. “Leah, baby, please, let me—”
“No!” I scream as I jerk away from Madison. “This has all been a lie.”
“No,” he says, shaking his head. “I love you.” His voice falters as he fights to keep his emotions under control. He reaches up to touch my face, but I slap his hand away.
“Fuck you,” I hiss. “You’re nothing but a liar. I trusted you.” I shake my head as I back away from him. “God, I’m such a stupid idiot. This was all a game.”
“No, baby. It wasn’t.”
Not wanting to hear another word, I open my car door and climb inside. He grabs the door to stop me from shutting it.
“Leah, please,” he begs. “It’s not what you think.”
I glare at him, my mind swirling with anger and hate. My body trembles violently. I want to hit him again. I want to make him feel a little of the pain I’m feeling right now. How could I have been so stupid?
Again?
I knew someone like him couldn’t really want to be with someone like me. I knew it. It’s college all over again, and I’m angry at myself for allowing it to happen a second time.
“Let go of the door,” I snap.
“Baby, please,” he pleads, his voice sounding panicked. “Don’t—”
Something inside me snaps. “I am not your baby!” I scream.
The image of all that money sitting on his desk slams into me, and I grip the steering wheel hard, making my fingers scream in protest. I loved him, but now, I see only a monster, a man who betrayed me worse than I could have ever imagined.
There is nothing left but disgust and loathing.
I never thought these words would ever leave my mouth, but right now, they are the truest words I’ve ever spoken, “I hate you.”
Aaden flinches and stands, letting go of the door.
I slam it shut and start the car. Putting it in reverse, I back out of the garage.
I probably shouldn’t be driving, but I’m angry, and I don’t care.
I can’t stay here a minute longer. I put the car in drive, and the wheels squeal as I pull out of his driveway.
In my rearview mirror, I see Aaden collapse to his knees.
My heart shatters into a million pieces as reality hits me like a sledgehammer.
It’s over. I’ve lost the man I love, the father of my child. My life.
I’ve lost everything!
***
Thank you for reading Heart of Stone book 1.