Chapter 21 – Andie #2
I leaned into his ear. “Don’t worry about it. I told you go find someone and you did. Can I pass, please?” I placed both hands on his shoulders and pushed but he didn’t budge.
“I didn’t mean for that to happen. Nothing else happened, though, I swear. I didn’t let it get that far.” He gripped my face and forced me to look at him. “I love you, Andie, you know I do.” He swallowed hard.
“I told you, Morg, we’re not meant to be. You just proved that yourself. Now get the fuck out of my way. I have work to do and you have your new girl to do.” I pushed at him again, and this time he moved back out of my way, only for me to be met with his new girl.
“Hey, get your fucking hands off my boyfriend,” she shouted and pushed me.
“Boyfriend?” I asked raising my eyebrows and unable to keep the doubtful smile off my face.
“Yeah, that’s right. So keep your fucking hands off him.” She stood in front of Morgan and tried to give me a back off look.
I wanted to laugh in her face but saw other patrons taking note and I didn’t want things to escalate further.
“Oh, don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll keep my hands off your man.
She doesn’t have to worry about me at all, does she, Morgan?
We’re just friends, right?” I replied, never once looking at her, only at him.
“Cindy, let’s just go.” He grabbed her arm and tried to pull her away, but she wouldn’t budge.
“Sounds like a good plan. Have a good night.” I smirked and turned to walk away, noting Kirrick watching me. I held up a hand to keep him where he was, and he nodded in response but kept his eyes on me.
“Don’t walk away from me, bitch. Do you know who I am?” Cindy screamed and grabbed my arm.
Ah, the ‘do you know who I am’ bit. In fact, I had no idea who she was, but she obviously thought she was important. I turned, a sickly-sweet smile on my face. I walked her backwards until she was sandwiched between Morgan and me.
“No, bitch, I don’t know who the fuck you are. Do you know who I am?”
“Andie,” Morgan said in a low, warning tone, but I ignored him.
My anger had taken over fully now. This bitch thought she could talk to me like that in my club, with my man? I was right up close and in her personal space. Her arm left mine and she faltered a bit before recovering.
“No, should I?” She crossed her arms in front of her.
“Andie, just leave it, yeah?” Morgan reached out to me, but I batted his hand away.
I shrugged off his arm and stared Cindy in the eyes.
“Well, see the AJ’s all over the walls and on the big flashing sign outside?
” I paused and waited for her to nod. “I’m the fucking A of AJ’s.
Now, take your ‘boyfriend’ and run along before I put you down,” I growled at her.
“See you around, Morgan.” I winked at him and gave what I hoped was a suggestive smile.
I knew I shouldn’t have, but I was hurt and angry and looking for a fight.
“I don’t give a fuck who you are, stay away from him.” She swung at me.
I dodged it easily, but my anger had passed the point of no return. I gripped her by her top, pulled her away from Morgan, and swung my arm, my fist catching her on the cheek with a satisfying thump. I let go and she went down in a heap at Morgan’s feet.
I bent over and spoke into her ear, “I did warn you. Have a good night with your boyfriend.”
She held her face and was screaming as though I’d stabbed her. I hadn’t even hit with my full strength.
“Andie, what the fuck?” Morgan yelled trying to help her up.
Before I could reply, strong arms were wrapped around me. I was carried out of the club through the back entrance by Kirrick and bundled into my car with Lauren and Betty.
“Want to talk about it?” Betty asked.
“Not really,” I answered and wallowed in my misery all the way home.
I was unable to sleep that night, so I grabbed a small box from the basement and packed up anything that Morgan had left lying around my house.
There were a few things that he had missed when he was angrily grabbing his stuff.
I sat for the rest of the night on the sofa wearing one of his hoodies and intermittingly pressing it to my nose to smell him.
In the morning, I text Kate to see if he was there. For all I knew he had gone home with Cindy. That thought sent a jolt to my heart. Fucking get a grip. You were the one who didn’t want him, remember?
K: He’s here and not in a good way. Did you two fall out?
A: You could say that. Can I come up to see him?
K: Yeah. We’ll make ourselves scarce so you can talk x
A: Thanks, I’m on my way. Maybe don’t tell him, though.
K: I’ll leave the front door open for you.
I got dressed in joggers, a baggy t-shirt, and added a pair of sunglasses to hide the bags under my eyes. I avoided Jonathan and drove up to Kate’s house. Kate was just getting to the car when I pulled up. She waited for me to get out of the car, eyeing me up.
“You okay?” She walked over to my car.
“Not really,” I answered with a quiver in my voice.
She looked down to my bruised hand. “Take the glasses off, Andie,” she almost demanded. I did as she asked and met her gaze with tear filled eyes. “Fuck, I thought he had hit you. I would have beat the shit out of him.”
“No, nothing like that. I haven’t got much sleep lately.” I rubbed at my tired eyes.
“What happened last night? He came home in tears, angry and sobbing. I’ve not seen him like that before.”
“I’m sorry for this. I knew this would happen. We had a fight.”
“So, this is a serious fight then?” She tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. Her lips tugged into a small, sad smile.
“Yeah. I think this was the fight to end all fights, but I don’t want to get into it now.” I croaked out and put my sunglasses back on so that she wouldn’t see the tears building up.
“No, of course not. You two need to talk. Text me later, okay?”
“I will.” I nodded and turned to walk to the house.
The walk up the stairs was the slowest I’d ever moved. My feet felt like my trainers were made from lead. I both didn’t want to do it and wanted it over with as quickly as possible at the same time. I knocked on his door.
“I don’t want to see anyone right now, Mum. Maybe later,” Morgan called out, his voice raw and gritty.
“Morgan, It’s me. Can we talk?”
I heard movement from inside his room and his door swung open. He didn’t wait for me, he just turned around, his steps slow and sluggish, and got back into bed.
“I just wanted to talk,” I said quietly.
Putting the box to the side of me, I stood frozen to the spot for a while. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat, not knowing what to say, but also, not wanting to leave.
“Morgan? Can you look at me please?” I moved and sat on the edge of his bed.
It took a few moments, but he eventually turned, looked up at me, and sat up. I took my glasses off. His eyes were glassy and had black circles under them.
“You haven’t slept either, huh?”
“Not much,” he admitted, sitting up and rubbing at his face. “How’s your hand?”
I looked down to the bruising of my knuckles and flexed my hand. “Meh, a bit bruised, but I’ll live.” I met his eyes again. My body felt heavy under the pain, like it was weighing it down; my shoulders slumped, and I bit my bottom lip hard to stop it from trembling.
“I’m sorry.” His voice broke again and this time tears fell from his eyes which he made no move to wipe at.
“No, I’m sorry. I let jealousy get the better of me and I lashed out.” I placed a hand on his, sparks running up my arm. That was a mistake, I moved my hand and instead fidgeted with the hem of my top.
“Andie, I really do love you, you know? It was only one kiss, she kissed me, and I pushed her away. I was stupid. I can see why you don’t want to be with me.” His jaw trembled before he clenched it tightly, his eyes cloudy.
“Look, we both did things last night we’re not proud of.
That’s not why I don’t want to be with you.
I’m going through a divorce, which isn’t final yet.
I’ve never had any alone time, I’ve always bounced from one relationship to another.
I need time to figure out what I want from life.
” I placed my hand on his face and rubbed the tears from his cheek with my thumb.
“I never wanted to hurt you. I hate myself for starting this to begin with. I should have stuck with my initial reaction instead of letting my hormones overtake me. I’m sorry for that and hope that one day we can be friends again.
” I leaned forward and kissed his forehead and left the room.
Stumbling over my feet, unable to see clearly through the tears.