CAITLYN
Imanaged to make it through dinner with David without him making any more advances, and I thought it would be safe to watch a movie together. But David is nothing, if not persistent.
“It’s just like old times,” he says, passing me the popcorn bowl.
It is nothing like old times. Now I know what real love is like, I can see how wrong mine and David’s relationship was from the start. But I say nothing. I keep my lips firmly pressed together and try to stop myself shuddering as David moves in closer.
I focus on the movie, and nothing else, mentally counting down the minutes until I can reasonably announce I’m going to bed.
But when David’s hand snakes up my thigh, enough is enough.
Over-exaggerating my stretch, I fake a yawn. “God, I’m exhausted. I’m going to turn in.”
I’m expecting David to try and stop me. To argue. But he doesn’t, and instead simply says, “Sweet dreams, Caitlyn.”
His reaction actually worries me more than if he’d forced himself on me, because he seems so certain that I’m going to change my mind eventually and give myself to him again.
Am I doing the right thing by playing along while I buy myself time to find a way to get out of this situation?
I lock myself in the guest room, and quickly shower and change into my pajamas. I hope David leaves me alone, but even as I get into bed, I’m on edge, waiting for him to hammer on my door and demand I prove I really do still love him.
I jump out of my skin when that very thing happens, and my heart is pounding when I hear David’s thunder downstairs. It’s only then I realize the hammering is coming from the front door, not the guest room door.
Who could it be at this time of night?
I peek out the bedroom window and see Josh’s car outside. My blood turns cold. He’s going to end up getting himself killed.
I rush downstairs, hoping I can convince Josh to leave before David turns nasty.
David throws open the front door, and when he sees Josh, his eyes narrow. “What do you want? Didn’t you get the hint the last time? She doesn’t love you.”
I rush forward. “Josh, please. Just leave, I told you it’s over.”
Josh stares David down unflinchingly. “I don’t believe that. Caitlyn, I know you love me, and I know why you’re pretending not to.”
My eyes widen. He knows? But Amber promised not to breathe a word to anyone. I thought my best friend knew how serious David’s threat was.
“Josh, please,” I beg. He needs to leave, before David figures out, I’ve told someone, and loses it.
“I’m not going anywhere, Caitlyn. Not without you. I know about the baby.”
Fuck. Amber did tell him!
David turns to me, his eyes blazing furiously. “You’re pregnant? With his child?”
I gulp and nod my head. There’s no point denying it.
“Yes, she’s carrying my child, and I’m not leaving here without her, so do your worst,” Josh says, drawing David’s attention back to him. My heart sinks. Josh doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into.
David smirks and pulls his phone out of his pocket. “Oh, I will. In fact, I will even put the call on speaker, so you can hear exactly what I have in store for you.”
David presses some button on his phone, and it starts ringing.
After only a few rings, someone answers, “Hello, this is Lorenzo Esposito, what do you want?”
My blood turns cold, but when I glance at Joshua, I’m surprised to see no shock or concern on his face. What is going on?
“Mr. Esposito, it’s David Morgan. I’m calling to give you the green light on the deal we recently made,” David says smoothly, as though he isn’t casually ordering someone’s murder.
“I’m afraid Mr. Morgan, you’ve been out bid. I had a very interesting conversation with Joshua Braddock earlier, and he offered me triple what you were willing to pay.”
David’s eyes widen in shock as the line goes dead, and he throws the phone to the floor.
“You motherfucker, you’re not taking her!”
David lunges at Joshua and starts pummeling him with his first. I watch in stunned silence, trying to piece everything together.
Josh paid three-times what David had to stop Esposito from killing him? Holy fuck! I had no idea that David’s ‘relationship’ with Esposito was so fragile. I thought for sure they were in each other’s pockets. Apparently not.
David doesn’t have the advantage over Josh for long, as Josh throws him to the ground, evading his punches, and instead attacking with a kick of his own.
“Lorenzo Esposito and I had a very interesting conversation earlier,” Josh snarls, as he beats David.
“Turns out, you’re not as well connected as you thought.
For the right price, Esposito was more than willing to promise not to send his men against me, my family or anyone else Caitlyn cares for.
And we came to an agreement that if you try to retaliate in any way, if you go to a different gang, or make any move to continue blackmailing Caitlyn, that Esposito will tell your father everything.
Apparently, you’ve been a very naughty boy, and if your father was to find out, he would disinherit you.
So, these are my terms, David. You leave Caitlyn, and me alone.
You don’t bother our families or our loved ones.
You reinstate ownership of the kennels back to Caitlyn, and if you ever so much as look at a member of the Braddock family or someone we care about in the wrong way, we will ruin you.
We won’t just tell your father everything and let him disinherit you.
If you ever harm anyone either Caitlyn or I love, we’ll make you beg for Lorenzo Esposito to kill you. ”
Joshua punctuates his speech with one final kick, leaving David in a bloody heap on the doorstep.
He turns to me, his expression softening, and says, “Caitlyn, get your things. We’re going home.”
I gaze down at David, who is unmoving.
“Is he dead?” I ask, my eyes filling with tears. I have no sympathy for David, but I don’t want Josh going to jail, or anything like that.
Josh leans down and checks David’s breathing. “Nah, he’s still alive. Don’t worry about him, let’s get your things.”
“But what if he regains consciousness and calls the cops or something?”
“After what David has been up to, he won’t risk getting the cops involved,” Joshua says. He hoists David up and drags him inside. “And he’s not waking up for a while yet. Don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine.”
Josh unceremoniously dumps David on the couch, and turns to me, “Where’s your stuff? Upstairs?”
“Yeah--” I walk out of the living room, and turn to the stairs on autopilot, not sure what to think or feel.
When I get to the guest room, I realize I’m shaking all over, and turn to Josh. He opens his arms, and I run into his embrace.
“It’s okay, everything is going to be okay,” he says, stroking my hair. “Let’s get your stuff and get out of here. Once we’re home, I’ll explain everything.”
“Okay,” I say, tilting my face up to his.
Even though I just witnessed Joshua brutalize David, I feel safe in his arms, and know he wouldn’t let anything, or anyone hurt me.
I press my lips to his and kiss him slowly.
When we break apart, the weight in my heart feels lighter than it has in days. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Josh replies, then dips his head for another kiss.
We pack away my things quickly, and Josh searches David’s room to find my phone. We leave David still bloody and unconscious on his couch, then lock the front door to his house, and get into Josh’s car.
“I can’t believe Amber told you everything,” I say, as we pull away.
“I’m glad she did, or God knows what would have happened,” Josh says, glancing at me out of the corner of his eyes. I can tell he’s having trouble focusing on the road and would rather be watching over me.
“I’m okay,” I tell him, reaching out to lay my hand on his, on the steering wheel. “I’m with you, and I'm free. Everything else is going to be okay. Now, tell me everything.”
Josh fills me in about Amber calling Tucker (I can’t believe they slept together while Josh and I were in Southampton!), and then, how they went together to Ryan’s house.
“When it became clear no one had a good suggestion of what we were going to do, I decided to take matters into my own hands,” Josh says, like it’s nothing, and he didn’t recently confront the most dangerous man in East Hampton.
“I can’t believe you just went to Lorenzo Esposito like that,” I say.
The fact this day could have ended in a much worse way is still sinking in, and I shudder as I realize Joshua could very easily have been killed tonight.
“What if Esposito and David actually were good friends and you weren’t able to buy him off? ”
“It’s a risk I had to take. I couldn’t just do nothing. I love you, Caitlyn. And you’re carrying our child.”
I bow my head and glance away. “I’m sorry I kept it from you. It wasn’t my intention to hide anything from you. I had no idea what David was planning. I was only going to wait until the first scan, when there was less risk of something going wrong.”
Josh smiles at me softly. “It’s okay, I’m not angry. I understand why you didn’t tell me straight away. How far along are you? When is the scan?”
“Not for another month yet, I’m only about eight weeks along,” I say, reaching down to stroke my stomach. “Now you know, you can come with me. I mean, if you want.”
“Are you kidding me? Of course, I want to. I mean it, Caitlyn, I love you. I know we haven’t been together long, and it’s probably way too soon to be starting a family, but I don’t care. I want to be with you and raise our child together.”
“And you're not angry with me for what I did? I was scared David was going to have you killed. I didn't think I had any other choice.”
“I’m not angry with you, Caitlyn. I could never be. None of this is your fault. David is a psycho, it’s all down to him.”
“I still can’t believe you went to Esposito, and that Esposito isn’t in David’s back pocket like he told me.”
“David owes Esposito a lot of money. He’s got millions in gambling debts and has been embezzling money from his father. He’s in a whole world of trouble. I actually wonder if blackmailing you was a way for him to try to get some control back in his life.”
“Damn. I almost feel sorry for him.” Josh raises his eyebrows at me. “I said almost. But he brought this on himself. He deserves everything he gets.”
“And then some,” Josh adds.
“And then some,” I agree.
When we get to Josh’s place, all four of his brothers are waiting there for us. I’m surprised when Tucker pulls me into an embrace.
“I’m glad to see you’re okay, Caitlyn.”
I can’t help but giggle. “Thank you, Tucker. And thank you for everything you did to help me and Josh.”
Tucker shrugs like it’s nothing, and heads into the house.
“I’m glad you’re okay too, Caitlyn, and congratulations,” Sebastian says, pulling me into an awkward hug.
“Thank you,” I say, returning the embrace.
Sebastian then hugs Josh, and I’m left to face Antony and Ryan.
“Congratulations, Caitlyn,” Antony says, extending his hand to me. “I’m glad you’re home safe and well.”
“Thank you,” I say, and Antony gently squeezes my fingers, before moving along to talk to Josh.
Ryan Braddock and I stare at each other. I’m not expecting a handshake, and I'm certainly not expecting a hug, but the fact he’s here, and not insisting Josh break up with me this instant is a good sign.
“Congratulations, Caitlyn,” he says stiffly. “I’d like to invite you to dinner at my place soon to meet the family.”
The thought of meeting all the Braddock clan is unnerving, but I’ve faced far worse in the last few days. I offer Ryan a genuine smile, and say, “Thank you. I’d love to.”