Chapter 5
Chapter Five
VIOLET
It’s a new day with a brand new start, and I’m ready for whatever’s about to happen, no matter if it’s good or bad. That’s what I told myself the moment I slid out of bed this morning. Now I’m standing on the sidewalk in front of Derek's apartment.
Sorry–my apartment, because I'm still the one on the god damn lease.
It’s crazy how the light blue exterior now makes me feel nauseous, riddled with nerves. My anxiety makes it feel like someone is pushing their hand down on my chest, and my hands shake slightly, worrying about what kind of hell he’s going to make me go through.
Derek won’t make this easy for me. He’s never made anything easy. Putting one foot forward, I walk up the brick stairs that lead to the apartment. Lifting my hand, I rap my knuckles against the door and hear the shuffling of feet from where I stand.
“Shit, hold on a sec, okay? I don’t know why she’s here,” Derek’s voice rings out and my heart sinks into my stomach. Sure, we broke up . . . and yeah, I don’t know if I was in love with him, but I cared for him. It’s not like I didn’t feel anything for the man.
My car's parked on the street and I’m here ready to take whatever I can fit back to Ashley’s. She told me late last night via text I could move in with her permanently if I wanted, but I don’t want to feel like a hindrance.
She’s my best friend and living together might be too much. She kept telling me it would be great and eventually I accepted her offer. Hell, she even told me her mom would stay at her brother’s when she comes to town.
She went on and told me how her mom even said Santiago had the nicer place. Ashley thinks it’s because Santiago has an oversized apartment, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom. But, I think her mom's making an excuse so I say yes, and I love her mom for that. It made my decision much easier.
Derek wouldn’t let me come here yesterday when I wanted to grab the rest of my stuff, but I’m hoping today things will be different.
I know for a fact he’s off and I can’t keep living out of the maybe three outfits I have at Ash’s.
I probably should’ve called, but oh well, the man doesn’t need my shit.
Shirtless, Derek pulls the door open and is careful not to open it too far.
He looks me up and down, furrows his brows and gawks. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
I blink rapidly at him. “Everything I own is in here. I’m here to get the rest of my shit.” He has to be kidding me. Why else would I be here? I’m certainly not here to beg for him to take me back.
“We can set something up later, Violet. Now’s not a good time.” Derek’s eyes widen as he says the last bit and I hear someone mutter something from behind him. I know for a fact that he can’t be alone.
For fuck’s sake, that dumb bitch has to be here with him. He doesn't waste any fucking time, does he?
God, what a fucking asshole.
“I don’t give a flying fuck if it is or not. I’ve come here to get my shit, so get out of my way.” I push on Derek and he immediately backs up, but the second the door opens, maybe a foot, I see the unthinkable.
The same blonde woman from the other day is wearing my robe… and underneath is a spec of sea green and silver. It peeks up lightly from underneath the black satin. She crosses her arms under her boobs to push the fake things up and looks over to Derek, eying me up and down.
“I still can't believe this is your ex,” she says it with a laugh, and Derek doesn’t say a thing, but I don’t expect him to.
I immediately look over to him. “Did you let her wear all of my fucking clothes?”
Derek looks from me to his new lady. “What? No. Angelica’s not wearing your clothes.”
Angelica on the other hand lets out a manic laugh, trying to keep it low. “Sweetie, I know you said not to touch anything but I couldn’t help it. You did say green was your favorite on me anyway.” Angelica pulls at the tie and the robe opens, revealing the matching thong that goes with it.
I want to gag, but instead I only grow angrier.
I mean, who in their right mind would ever wear another woman’s underwear? Not me, that’s for sure.
“You’re wearing her shit?!” For a second I think Derek’s pissed at her, but the second the shocked look on his face turns into a smile I feel even more rage rush through me.
Not once can I recall being this pissed. “God, you’re a twisted bitch and I love it.”
“Not as much as I love you, baby!” Angelica tells him, smirking devilishly as she saunters over to him, walking right past me. I want to fucking gag at these two.
I don’t know what’s worse, the fact she’s wearing my underwear or that she said she loved him… and they’ve been together for how long? Whatever. I don’t need to know the details.
In my rage I walk past the both of them and head straight to the bedroom Derek and I used to share, go into my closet and grab the rest of my luggage.
The expensive designer luggage I just bought myself, I should add.
My wigs are here, most of my hair care, and my work clothes. Not to mention everything else I need.
The first thing I do is unzip my bags. Luckily, I have a system of three suitcases that can fit inside one another when they’re not being used.
I grab the small one and start pulling my wigs one by one from the racks, collapse the hangers and make sure I’m securing the wigs so they don’t have any damage.
I have about four left when Angelica comes rushing in.
“You can’t take that!” she yells, trying to dissuade me from grabbing my things.
I don’t even bother looking at her and I certainly don’t stop what I’m doing.
“I’m grabbing my things from the apartment I shared with my ex-boyfriend.
I can take what I bought because it’s mine.
Need I spell it out for you, but this apartment is mine.
My name is on the lease, not his, so you two can have fun trying to get it changed over in his name. The landlord already knows.”
“This isn’t your place, you can’t just walk right in here.”
Did she not just hear a damn word I said?
Grabbing the last wig, I slide it in its sheer bag and pull the hanger off the rod.
“I don’t know who the hell you think you’re talking to, Angelica, but did you see him stop me?
Uh, no. Because even though he’s an asshole he knows I have a right to what’s mine, so do me a favor and get out of my face while I grab my stuff. ”
Thinking nothing of it, I zip the luggage up and then go to the next biggest one.
I don’t even bother folding my clothes as I yank them off their hangers, already figuring this woman is going to be batshit insane.
I’m maybe halfway down the rack when a tugging sensation starts near the outer layer of my hair.
This chick is really pulling my wig right now? Oh, hell no.
Instantly, I whip around and look back at her. “You’re going to wish you never laid a hand on me,” I sneer, pulling my arm back, I start to move it but she kicks up her leg and manages to get an iron grip on me.
Angelica drags me out by the back of my hair and finally lets go of me when I’m in the bedroom.
I take a moment to catch my breath and heat storms through me.
I feel it everywhere, but most of all on my face.
I lunge toward her and draw my hand back, but the second I’m about to come into contact with her clothes-stealing face, an impact so strong busts right into my cheek and I topple over, hitting the bed.
With the wind knocked out of me, I try to figure out what the hell just happened. I would’ve seen her hand coming at me, but the way she hit me… how the hell did she do it? I need to get out of here as soon as possible.
I run back to the closet, zip up my second piece of luggage and grab the two suitcases I filled and rush out of there as quickly as I can.
Only, when I get to the door Derek grabs me with his nostrils flaring and pins me up against the wall. “Do anything like that to her ever again and I’ll have no problem making your other cheek match.”
His words come out callous, stone-cold, and most of all promising. He’s already decided in his mind he has no problem doing this… and my body goes rigid.
Angelica isn’t the one who hit me.
It was Derek…
He glares at me with all of his might, "I know where you're staying, Violet. Don't fuckin' test me. You never know when I'll sneak up in there and teach you another lesson."
My blood runs cold as I rip my arm out of his grasp and pull my luggage with me, running to my car like the apartment’s on fire. I throw them in the back seat and get in the driver’s side as soon as I can.
As I turn on the ignition, I know I can’t go back to the apartment right now… which means there’s only one place I can go.
A place I’ve never stepped foot in my life, but a place where I know I’ll be safe—Santiago’s club.