Chapter 40
Forty
Iclosed my eyes as we drove through London.
After almost two weeks on the Isabella it felt too loud in the city.
We’d avoided the world for long enough and now, the world wanted us back.
I had a best friend and a sister that were desperate to see me.
Maia was about to be discharged from hospital and the few conversations on the phone weren’t enough for me to tell her how grateful I was, I needed to see her in person.
On the outside, my injuries were almost healed, internally I still had a ways to go.
Still, every day Alfie treated me like fine china.
I didn’t feel ready to come back but Alfie had business to deal with, we had my sister's wedding to attend and I had a swan sculpture to build. We couldn’t hide anymore.
We pulled up to Alfie’s London house. I studied it through the window, feeling none of the warmth that I felt at Harrington.
“You can go back to Harrington tomorrow if you like,” Alfie said. “This was just closer. I didn’t want you dealing with a longer drive.”
I smiled at him. “Will you always be able to read my mind?”
“I’ll always try.” He gave me a grin that flooded my body with desire. I wasn’t ready for intimacy yet and neither was he, but my libido didn’t seem to care that I was still nursing broken ribs.
He walked me up to our bedroom and insisted on tucking me in and asking Ada to have food brought up. I didn’t need to be treated like an invalid anymore but Alfie wasn’t ready to stop just yet.
“Will you get in with me?” I asked but he shook his head.
“I have to go out, my love.”
“Out?” I frowned. “Where?”
He sighed and sat next to me, his hand slipping into mine. “How much do you want to know? I don’t want to lie to you but I don’t want you to worry either.”
“I can’t be in the dark, as much as I might want to be.”
He nodded, though I could see he wasn’t happy. “I’m going to the club. Julia is being held there.”
“Held?” My voice shot up an octave. “The hell does that mean?”
“It means she’s been punished for what she’s done to us.”
With everything that had happened, dealing with Julia had fallen to the bottom of my priority list. I’d assumed she would just disappear into obscurity. Apparently, Alfie wasn’t going to let her off that lightly.
“The Never Tell Club doesn’t handle things this way but there are other clubs like mine that take these matters more seriously.
As a Dominant she’s been a member of that world for a long time and what she’s done has broken a lot of rules.
I have to go and meet with Damien to make sure everything has been handled properly. ”
I didn’t like the sound of that. An anxious feeling began to bubble in my stomach. “What did they do to her? Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. They’ve done more damage to her ego than anything else.”
I tried to imagine what that meant, then decided I didn’t want to know. “She won’t retaliate?”
“No. We have photos of our own now to make sure she leaves us alone. I have to speak to her, see the footage of her punishment for myself. I’ll be as quick as I can then I’ll come home to you.”
I sat back against the plush pillows. “Why do I feel like I still don’t know you sometimes?”
“You know me, you just don’t know every sordid thing I’ve ever done.
But you know the things I’ve done to you – where do you think I learned those skills?
I went to these clubs and was taught by others.
” He stroked my cheek, brushing his fingers over my skin.
“That’s over now. No more play. No more drama. No more club. Just us.”
“No more club?” I asked and he smiled.
“That’s the other bit of business I need to discuss with Damien.” Before I could say anything else, he pressed a kiss to my lips. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Wait, I should come with you.”
“No, my love. I don’t want you there.”
“But—”
“I forbid it.” He kissed me again, his lips moulding over mine as they would thousands of times more. “I’m going to give you a beautiful life, Lola.”
I watched him leave. I wondered if it would ever stop feeling like he was taking a part of me with him. I wondered too what he planned for that beautiful life to look like. No more company. No more club. This man was changing his whole world for me.
The next day, I was already sick of London and Alfie finally agreed that I was well enough to visit Maia.
I had spoken to Sid and with his help, I’d arranged for all of the materials to be delivered to Natalie’s reception venue so we could build on site.
He was already there, overseeing the delivery and getting started on the structure.
I felt awful that I wasn’t there to help but I wouldn’t be a huge amount of use with this part anyway.
There was no way Alfie would allow me up a ladder in this state.
There were only a few days left until Natalie’s wedding and I had a dozen bridesmaids duties to attend to but first, I had a friend to see.
The ward was quiet when we arrived at the hospital. I immediately spotted Maia, she was impossible to miss with Eli sat next to her. He scowled when he saw us but at least nodded at me.
“Lola, I’m glad to see you’re looking well.” He turned to Alfie before I could respond. “I need a word with you.” With that, he and Alfie left us alone. I watched them go, wondering what could be so urgent. Club business perhaps. I knew Eli was arranging the transfer of ownership to Damien.
I faced my friend. She looked so small in the hospital bed, a cannula was taped to her hand. She looked tired, the kind of tired that came from being in pain. Mine probably looked similar a week ago.
“Hi,” I cringed at myself, not knowing what else to say. “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. Alfie said—”
“That I was drugged off my tits? Yeah,” she managed a smile. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t really want to see anybody.” Maia waved at the chair that Eli had just vacated, inviting me to sit down. “I heard you ran away on a boat.”
“Yeah, I just had to get away. I guess I didn’t want to see anyone either.” I bit my lip. “Is the recovery really awful?”
“It’s not so bad. I’ve been shot before.”
“When you were in the army? That’s why you were medically discharged?” She’d told me that weeks ago but I hadn’t wanted to pry.
“Yeah. A bullet fucked my knee up so they kicked me out. This time the bullet just went straight through my side. I think the car accident messed me up more. Broken ribs are a bitch as you’ve probably figured out.”
My hands twisted in my lap as I fought back tears. “Maia, I’m really sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I insisted on going to the school myself, if I had just—”
“It’s not your fault. None of us expected an attack like that. You had my back, you did great.”
I shook my head. “I hardly did anything. You saved my life.”
“That was my job.” She squeezed my hand. “Have you spoken to the police yet?”
“Yeah. They sent somebody to Harrington before we left on the Isabella. Alfie isn’t telling me much, I don’t think he wants to worry me.”
“Well, the couple of guys they arrested have admitted everything so no trial. They’ll probably get minimal time. They’re well connected and Alfie isn’t motivated to punish them as he knows it wasn’t personal. He just wants it done, I think.”
I nodded, absorbing her words. A part of me wanted them behind bars forever but like Alfie, a part of me just wanted it over too.
“Have you spoken to your father?” Maia asked.
“Not since he showed up when I was leaving the hospital. I know I’ll have to face him at Natalie’s wedding but I’ll just try to avoid him as much as I can.
” I’d thought about him everyday. The stupid succulent he’d bought for me had watched me from my bedroom window, reminding me that my father had pretended to care.
Or maybe he really did care, but that didn’t change the damage or the deceit.
“So, Eli’s looking after you?”
“Yeah.” She smiled. “Poor guy. He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
“Well, he bought you chocolates.” I nodded at the selection box on the nightstand next to her. “He must be doing something right.”
“Oh, those are from Keira.”
“What? She visited you?”
“Yeah,” Maia blinked, looking like a deer in headlights, “she came back from New York early so she could see me before the wedding. I figured you’d know that.”
“I haven’t exactly been in the loop.” I’d barely switched my phone on since the accident.
“Are you mad?”
“No! Absolutely not. I’m just sorry I wasn’t here.” I took a breath. “But you and Eli, things are…working out?”
“Yeah. I guess this gave him the kick he needed to get his priorities straight.”
Before I could dig for details, Alfie and Eli returned.
“Lola, I don’t want to cut you off but she needs rest.” Eli seemed to at least be trying not to scowl at me. Maia might not blame me for this but I couldn’t say the same for him.
“I am resting,” Maia argued but Eli gave her a look. I knew that look. I’d been on the receiving end of it many times over the last week. Maia rolled her eyes but I could see she was happy to have someone looking after her. “Hey, Lola, don’t take this the wrong way but I quit.”
I burst out laughing, I couldn’t help it. I looked at Alfie, he seemed unsurprised.
“I’m not mad at you, I just can’t work for him and be your friend. I’d rather just be your friend.”
“I’d rather that too. What will you do now?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged and winced. “I’m expecting a generous retirement package though.” She raised her eyebrows at Alfie and he grinned.
“You saved Lola’s life. If you let me, I’ll make sure you never have to work again.”
Eli huffed. “You’re damn right you will.”
“Enough,” Maia hushed him.
I tried to bend to hug her goodbye but my ribs protested. I settled for squeezing her hand. “I’m going to see you after the wedding, okay?”
“Maybe we could just hang out? Watch a film or something?”
“Yeah, I’d like that.” I smiled at her, not as my bodyguard, but as my friend who had saved my life.
I slipped my hand into Alfie’s, leaning into him as we wound our way through the hospital halls. I was feeling better but still, I was getting winded easily.
“Can I ask you something?” I said.
“Of course.”
“You know that money that your mum stole, you said you were going to have it transferred to my real account?”
“Yes. Well, we set up a new account for you with my bank, which reminds me I need to sit you down with a wealth management team when you’re feeling better."
“Wealth needs someone to manage it?” Alfie gave me a look and I giggled. “Anyway, I was thinking that I want to give it to Maia.” The lift doors opened and we stepped inside. I was relieved there was no one else in here so we had some privacy.
“All of it? I wasn’t joking about the retirement package Lola. I’ll make her very comfortable.”
“That’s not the point. She saved my life. I want to give her something from me.”
“I expect that your friendship is all she wants but, very well, I can have it moved for you.” His arm wrapped around my waist as we stepped out of the lift and headed for the exit. “Can I ask you to rest this afternoon?”
“Nope. I have a swan sculpture to plan.”
Alfie sighed and shook his head but he didn’t argue. He knew there was no point. It was time to get back on the horse