Chapter 48
“Home sweet home!” Emily exclaimed as she kicked off her shoes and flopped down onto her bed.
Their honeymoon was officially over and they were back in New York.
Nicolas followed, lying beside her.
With one eye closed, she peeped at him. His eyes were closed, head facing the ceiling of her bedroom, tiredness evident in the sleep bags beneath his eyes. It suddenly occurred to her that he probably hadn’t gotten any sleep during their flight.
He’d been catching up on his business duties when she fell asleep.
Emily locked her legs with his. Nicolas’s eyes opened instantly. He raised a brow, which she returned with an amused smile, her arms opening themselves invitingly. “Nap in my arms, baby.”
“Gladly.” He found himself drawn to her embrace. With his head on her stomach, her fingers running through his scalp, a satisfied moan left him. She sighed contentedly when he snuggled up to her more as if he was prompting her to keep working her magic.
“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” he asked out of nowhere.
She hummed. “Once or twice.”
His body vibrated against hers with a deep chuckle. “Thank you for being here. For staying with me. For saying yes to marrying me.”
That profession touched her heart. She leaned down and kissed the top of his head. “I love you too, Nico. A million times over. And thank you for being with me as well.”
About three hours later, it was the sound of a phone ringing that woke Emily. She glanced over at Nicolas and saw that he was still asleep. As quietly as she could, she grabbed her phone and made her way to the bathroom.
She squinted a bit after flicking on the bright light.
Her eyebrows raised curiously when she saw the caller ID. “Hey, Val. What’s up?”
“E-E?”
“What’s going on? Are you okay?”
A series of shaky breaths came. “I’m okay,” she assured. “I know you texted me that you just came back from your honeymoon, but I kind of don’t wanna be alone right now after all of this shit happened. I’d feel better knowing I have some company.”
Rubbing at her eyes, Emily asked, “Are you at home?”
“Yes…well, what’s left of it.”
Her eyes expanded at that. “I’ll be there soon.”
“I’m sorry for calling so late. I just need someone to talk to—”
“Val, it’s fine,” she reassured. “I consider you a friend. And this is what friends do, they call each other in times of need. I’m coming over. You can explain everything to me then.”
“Thanks, Emily. You’re a real one,” Valentina breathed before hanging up.
In a rush, Emily washed her face. She headed out of the bathroom and to the closet for a warmer outfit. In the middle of dressing, she jumped at the sound of a hoarse voice.
“Where are you going?”
Nicolas was staring up at her, all bed head and confusion.
She shrugged on her coat before walking over to him to deliver a kiss to his forehead. “Something’s wrong with Valentina. I’m gonna check on her. I’ll be back soon.”
He held on to her forearm, making her unable to leave. “Wait, is she okay? Do you need my help with anything?”
Her heart melted at his concern.
“No, I don’t think it’s to that level. If it was, she would’ve called the police, not me, but I’ll tell you if we do end up needing you.”
He gave a lopsided smile at her full-on business tone. “Okay, go do your thing.”
Emily’s hand flew to her mouth after being invited into Valentina’s apartment.
The place was a mess. She winced at the broken glass and painting hanging by a wire on the walls as she entered.
A crunching sound came from beneath her boots as she stepped farther inside.
The television had a crack in the middle like someone had swung a baseball bat straight at it.
Numb to it all, Valentina sunk into one of the couches.
“What—” Emily choked on the million words that wanted to come out. “What happened?”
“Your cousin did.”
Her eyes widened. “Jason?”
“The one and only,” she confirmed with a deep sigh.
Emily took a seat beside her on the couch. “You’re kidding me.”
“Oh, how I wish I was.”
“Why would he do something like this? I thought you guys already called things off.”
Her eyes met Emily’s for the first time since she arrived. They looked exhausted.
“He came by a while ago,” she started with zero emotion.
“I was stupid enough to not check the peephole because I ordered Chinese food so I thought it was the delivery guy, but obviously it wasn’t.
” A dry laugh followed. “It was him. He forced himself past me as if everything was normal between us. I not so kindly reminded him that it wasn’t, and things turned for the worst. He laughed, just straight up laughed at me.
I tried to get him to leave, but he wouldn’t.
He went to get a beer from the fridge, turned on the TV, and with the scariest look on his face, he told me to sit down. ”
“Did you?”
“Of course not! I told him to fuck off.”
“Atta girl.”
Her lips twitched slightly at that before it went away just as fast.
“After that, he threw a fit and started breaking shit.” Emily sucked in a sharp breath. “I kept telling him to leave my damn apartment before I called the cops and he finally did.”
Her voice was now trembling.
“Why didn’t you?” Emily asked.
Valentina hesitated, then pressed her lips together.
“Because I don’t think they’d do anything.
Look at your case, they still haven’t figured out who sent that package.
Mine’s just another nuisance they’d shrug off.
And even if there’s a chance they did pursue it…
” Her voice dropped. “I don’t want him dragged into legal trouble that could stick with him forever.
A record could ruin him. I just wanted him gone, not destroyed. ”
Emily’s expression fell in concern. “Still…”
“But him lashing out wasn’t the scariest part, Emily,” Valentina interjected in a low hush. “It wasn’t the fact that he trashed my apartment or had a big ego. Those aren’t new to me when it comes to Jason Evans…”
“Wait, he’s trashed your apartment before?”
“Tantrums here and there, but nothing like this,” Valentina responded.
Emily shook her head. “That fucking brat.”
Valentina took a shaky breath then continued.
“What terrified me the most was the fact that he was so convinced that we were still together.” Her lips trembled.
“To him, I hadn’t called it quits with him.
He made it sound like a cooling-off period.
That’s what gave me the chills. That damn certain look in his eyes. ”
Her own were blown wide as if someone was charging straight at her. The warmth of Emily’s hand covering hers pulled her out of the episode. Valentina looked to her, pupils shaking.
Emily’s heart broke seeing such a strong, confident woman like her in this state.
Without saying anything, she gathered her into a tight hug. Her hands moved up and down the length of Valentina’s back reassuringly. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
At that, the dam was broken and Valentina cried in her hold the rest of the night.