Chapter 25
25
LAYLA
It’s almost nine by the time I get home. Bea assures me she is doing well. She had a bit of a reaction to her chemo treatment today, and the doctors wanted to keep her there a while so they could monitor her more closely. I’m concerned about leaving tomorrow, but she insisted that she and Aria will be fine. I have to keep reminding myself that I have no right to do more than I’m doing. I’m just a person volunteering to mentor a child. That child isn’t mine, even if I’ve grown to love her like she is. Maybe Cole is right. Maybe I should back off a little.
I’m tired, but I’m hoping we can still salvage at least part of the evening Cole had planned for us. I know that he went to a lot of effort, and there was also the mention of blue balIs. I snicker. I have a lot of sucking up to do, and I know just how I’m going to do it.
I take a quick shower and slip into a teeny tiny scrap of red lace that is no bigger than a pocket square and wrestle my boobs into the matching push-up bra. Both pieces came from that bottomless bag, compliments of Mr. Hendrix, so I’m positive he’s going to love them. I only spend a couple more minutes getting ready after that, because I’ve missed him, too, and I can’t wait to get up there. I run a brush through my hair, slick on some red lipstick and spritz on a little Tom Ford before wrapping a silk robe around me and slipping my feet into a pair of heels. I’m going to blow his mind and make him forget all about me bailing on dinner.
I step into the hall and push the elevator button and wait, anxiously. I don’t want anyone to see me like this. My robe is long, but it’s clearly lingerie. There’s no hiding that fact. I can’t wait to see Cole’s face when he sees me like this. I didn’t call like I said I would. I want to surprise him. The car arrives and I step inside, tapping my foot nervously as it whisks me to the top floor. To my man. God, I like the sound of that.
The doors silently slide open. I step out and my smile crashes to the ground. There’s only one door up here besides the fire escape stairwell and it leads to Cole’s penthouse. There’s a woman standing in front of it. It looks like she’s leaving because she is pulling on her coat. I watch in horror as she turns around. Her coat is open and she not wearing any more than I am. She looks up as she pulls the belt closed around her scantily clad body. Our eyes meet and she smiles wickedly.
Oh God.
No—this can’t be happening.
I know this woman. It’s Christa. I’ve only seen her twice, but I never forget a face, especially one as beautiful as hers.
“He’s all yours, honey,” she purrs as she struts by. “He’s pretty worn out, but Cole’s always up for round two. I hope you enjoy sloppy seconds.” She disappears into the elevator car I just stepped out of. I can hear her cackling as the doors slide shut.
Shock.
Horror.
Devastation.
And finally rage like I’ve never felt before courses through my body.
You. Fucking. Bastard.
I’m not sure what to do. The possibilities race through my mind.
I want to curl up and die.
I want to kick down his door and murder the bastard.
I want to follow that bitch and… Mess. Her. Up.
In the end I decide neither of them are worth it. All I want to do…need to do…is get the fuck out of here. I need to leave.
I don’t want to chance Cole seeing me like this, so I can’t stay here and wait for the next elevator. Fuck. I look around desperately and then my eyes land on the door to the stairwell. I kick off my heels and then pick them up as I lunge for the door. I don’t stop running until I reach my door.
By the time I’m back in my apartment, I’m inconsolable. My heart is still bleeding out on the floor in front of Cole’s door. He can keep it. I don’t have any use for it any longer. I’ll never be stupid enough to trust another man again. I can’t believe this. Was he fucking around this entire time? Once a player, always a player. I should have known better. A leopard never changes its spots.
I was so excited to ask Cole to come to France with me tomorrow for Maddie and Sebastian’s wedding. That’s what all the fuss was about at the office yesterday. Sebastian stopped by while Maddie was out to see if we could all make it this weekend. They are going to France because the restorations to the chateau Maddie grew up in have now been completed. Sebastian thought it would be perfect to plan their wedding for the same weekend. He said he wouldn’t go ahead with this plan unless we could all be there, since Maddie considers us her family. The reason for having it in France was so that her real family could be a part of it as well, even if it’s only in spirit. Of course, Madelaine doesn’t know a thing about it, which makes it even better.
I pick myself up off the floor. “Fuck him,” I mutter through my tears. I look up at the ceiling. “Fuck. You. Asshole.” I raise my hand and give him the finger. It doesn’t make me feel any better. Nothing will ever make me feel better again. Oh my God, how could he do this to me? I fucking loved him. Now I fucking hate him.
I shiver and pull my silk robe around me. Then another wave of rage rushes over me. The weight of it is almost crushing. I storm down the hall to my bedroom and start digging through my drawers. I pull out every piece of lingerie that came out of that fucking bag and throw it on the floor, one piece at a time. Then I rip off my robe. My movements are frenzied, I can’t get the scraps of lace off fast enough. It feels like they are scorching my skin. I rip and tear and breathe a sigh of relief when they finally fall to the floor next to the others.
I stare at the pile with distain. I want them gone. If I wasn’t worried about setting off the fire alarm, I would burn them, but I can’t do that. I storm over to my closet and pull out the big bag they came in. I’m not sure why I kept it. Call me sentimental, I guess. What a fucking fool I was. But no more. I snatch up the bits of lace and silk and stuff them into the bag as fast as I can. When it’s full, I kick the bag across the floor and a few pieces spill out in the process.
“Fuck you!” I yell as I bend down and stuff them back inside.
I look around frantically for something to put on. I see my robe and I see the slacks I was wearing when I came home. No. Those won’t do. I need something big and soft and comfortable enough to hide in. I storm back into my closet and come out in the grey sweats and Columbia sweatshirt I was wearing the day I moved in—the day I met him. Maybe I can go back to the beginning and erase all of it.
I look around my bedroom to see if there is anything else I need to take to the trash. Thankfully, Cole only lives upstairs, so he hasn’t left any personal items behind. He only lives upstairs. Fuck, I’m going to have to move. I can’t continue to live in the same building as him.
“One problem at a time, Layla,” I say out loud, trying to calm my racing heart. My nerves are shot.
I stoop and carefully pick up the bag with two fingers, like it’s filled with toxic waste instead of overpriced lingerie, and stomp down the hall and out the door. I want this shit out of my apartment sooner rather than later. I don’t even think about the possibility of running into Cole. I’m a woman on a mission.
When the elevator doors slide open and the garage comes into sight, instead of turning left and heading to the garbage and recycling center, I stop in my tracks. Right in front of me sits Cole’s car. My nostrils flare as fury bubbles to the surface. I don’t even think. My feet just move and before I know what I’m doing, I’m dumping the bag of lingerie on his car. I’m wrapping panties and bras around his mirrors. I stuff them in his tailpipe and under his windshield wipers.
“Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you! You bastard!” I scream.
When I run out of underwear, I step back, panting like a mad woman. It’s only then that I realize I forgot to put any shoes on. I’m standing here in oversized sweats, in bare feet, bawling and screaming obscenities like a crazy woman. I glance up and see the security camera pointing in my direction. Shit. I need to get out of here.
My flight isn’t until tomorrow afternoon, but I can’t stay here. I don’t want to see him, and I know he won’t let this go without some kind of altercation, even if he is a lying, cheating piece of shit. I take my time. I pack everything I’m going to need for a week in France. My three-day trip just got extended, courtesy of the douchebag upstairs. I slip my feet into a pair of sneakers and roll my suitcase through the door before locking it behind me.
An hour later I pull up outside my old house in Brooklyn and shut off the engine. My mom is at work, but I have a key. I never thought I would end up back here, but here I am. It’s where I’m going to be until I figure out what I want to do. I bang my head on the steering wheel a couple of times, hoping to come up with an answer, but all I succeed in doing is increasing the pain behind my eyes.
Luna greets me when I open the door and step inside my childhood home.
“Hey, sweetheart,” I say as I crouch down and scratch behind her ears. She mewls softly and weaves in and out of my legs as I stand and flick on a light. Everything looks the same, but there are some subtle differences too.
There’s a new throw on the sofa. A thriller novel and a pair of dark-rimmed glasses are lying on the coffee table. My mother does not wear glasses, and even if she did, she would not choose those. Interesting . I roll my suitcase down the hall, into my old bedroom, which is pretty much how I left it. When I pass my mom’s bedroom, I peek inside. It looks the same, neat and tidy.
Luna sticks to me like glue as I grab my toiletry bag out of my suitcase and walk across the hall to the only bathroom. I stop in the doorway because things have definitely changed in here. First of all, there are two toothbrushes in the glass on the sink. There is also a man’s shaver, as well as a large navy bathrobe hanging next to my mom’s white one. Huh . I knew that she and her hospital companion—Derek—had hit it off. They’ve been dating casually for a while now, but I had no idea things had gotten this serious. I need to tell her I’m here. I don’t want to wake up to…well, I just need to call her.
I drop my stuff on the counter and reach into my pocket for my phone. When I turn it on, it practically blows up in my hand. There are eleven missed texts from Cole as well as three voicemails. “Fuck you, asshole.” I ignore them all and send my mom a text.
Me: Hey mom, I’m at the house. There’s an issue with my apartment so I’m spending the night. I’m leaving for France tomorrow for Maddie’s wedding, so I won’t be in your hair long. I hope you don’t mind. Sorry for dropping in unannounced like this. Lx
I’m not lying, there is an issue with my apartment. He weighs two hundred pounds and lives above me. Now I just need to figure out what I’m going to do about it. I go to turn my phone back off when I remember the weird interaction Victor had with Cole, and how he asked me to call him. I’d completely forgotten about it until right now. I’m curious, or maybe just a glutton for punishment, so I dial Victor’s number instead.
“Layla, how are you sweetheart?”
“Actually, I’ve had better days,” I answer. I glance at the time. Shit. It’s almost midnight. “Sorry to be calling so late. I just remembered that you asked me to call you the last time we ran into each other.”
“No need to apologize, I was still up anyway. It’s not a big deal. I was just surprised to see you with Cole Hendrix. What’s your relationship with him?” His voice is neutral, he isn’t giving anything away. I chuckle.
“I think it’s a little late to be playing the protective dad card, Victor.”
The line is quiet and then finally I hear him sigh. “Yeah, you’re probably right about that. But that doesn’t mean I want to see you go down the same path your mother and I went down.” More silence. “Look, you’re absolutely old enough to make your own decisions. I…it’s just that I travel in some of the same business circles as Hendrix. I’ve seen him in action. They say it takes one to know one, and I don’t want to see you get hurt. I just wanted to give you a heads up, that’s all”
My chin quivers and tears spill onto my cheeks. “Too late, Dad.”
“What did that asshole do?” he growls.
“Doesn’t matter. I thought I knew who he was, but it turns out I was mistaken. You don’t have to worry about it. I won’t be seeing Cole Hendrix again.”
“Are you okay, sweetheart?”
“I will be. Thanks for the talk. I’m leaving for France tomorrow. I’ll be gone a week and my phone will be off, so you won’t be able to reach me.”
“Okay. That’s good. Forget about Hendrix and try to have some fun. Call me when you get back.”
“Okay. Bye.” I hang up and turn my phone off. I’ll fill the girls in tomorrow, and then I never want to think about Cole Hendrix again.
I stare out the window of the van I’m riding in. Devon sits beside me, Tori and Grayson are seated behind us. Avery and her family are in the van behind ours. I haven’t spoken since we landed. I’m exhausted and miserable and probably should have stayed home. This is supposed to be a happy time for all of us. I really am happy for Maddie and Sebastian. I’m just having trouble showing it. I need to get my shit together before we get there.
The girls went ballistic when I told them what went down last night. Tori and Grayson had chartered a plane, so we were able to segregate ourselves in the back, while the guys kept Avery’s twins entertained up front. I didn’t hold back; I told them everything, including my lingerie assault on Cole’s car, which had everyone giggling for a few minutes, even me. Of course, they both want to kill him just as much as I do. They have my back, I know they do, and I love them for it, but that doesn’t change anything. I just can’t seem to shake this deep sadness that is settling over me. Suffocating the life out of me.
“Hey, there it is. Oh my God! It’s breathtaking,” Tori gasps.
My eyes snap up. The impressive structure rises out of the French countryside, the limestone facade glowing in the summer sun. It is breathtaking.
We’ve all seen pictures as the restoration progressed, but this is the first time we have seen it since the work has been completed. “It’s magnificent,” Devon breathes. I cover my mouth with a trembling hand. It looks the same, yet so different at the same time. It’s perfect. She is going to be so excited about this.
Maddie had wanted to maintain the parts of the house that the fire didn’t destroy, but at the same time she was adamant that she also wanted something new and fresh that she and Sebastian could put their stamp on. Her goal was to mesh the old with the new as seamlessly as possible. To create something that was uniquely theirs. She worked tirelessly with a local designer to make sure that happened, and the result is exactly what Tori and Devon just said—breathtaking…magnificent.
Madelaine was able to pull this off after the police and Interpol arrested her uncle Maurice for the murder of her family and theft of her family fortune. When all was said and done, she came away with five hundred and sixty-two million dollars. She also received a Paris penthouse and this property, which were both left to her in her father’s and aunt’s wills.
I’m going to have to see if I can take that penthouse off her hands for a little while. Before I left, I was actually able to clear my schedule for the next couple of weeks so I can get my life in order. I need the space, and there really isn’t any pressing reason to get back any longer.
“There they are,” Tori squeals as the van rolls slowly down the gravel driveway. She reaches over the seat and squeezes my shoulder. “Are you okay, hon?”
I brush her fingers with mine and take a deep breath. It’s time to put on my big girl panties. I’m here for Madelaine, and I’m not going to let her down. “I’m good.”
We all watch as Sebastian whispers something in Maddie’s ear. At the sound of our tires crunching against the gravel, she spins around and squeals as our two large vans pull up next to her. The doors open and we all start to spill out.
She blinks several times before she spins back toward Sebastian. “What’s going on?” she squeaks excitedly. We all chuckle. She’s so breathless she can hardly get the words out.
Sebastian glances our way and then back at his fiancée. His eyes lock on hers as he explains. “I thought you might want your family to be a part of this…both of your families.”
“Part of what,” she whispers as she stares up at him. My heart breaks all over again, because this is what I want.
“Our wedding. That’s my surprise, my beautiful girl. I was hoping you might want to marry me—here—later today.”
“Today? Here? Today?” she repeats. He just grins and nods.
“ Mon Dieu . Pinch me,” she whispers. “I can’t believe any of this is real.” Her voice pitches higher. I smile and a tear slips down my cheek as she looks from Sebastian to us—her friends—her family. Sebastian doesn’t pinch her. Instead, he wraps her in his arms and whispers something in her ear before kissing her madly. Then she breaks away and runs towards us, happier than I’ve ever seen her.
I smile as she wraps her arms around me. Maddie deserves this. She’s been through so much, lost far more than most people can imagine, and yet, she’s somehow been able to overcome it all. Sebastian and Maddie have been to hell and back, but they made it, and they’re stronger because of it. They say that love conquers all. I would say bullshit, if I hadn’t witnessed it with my own eyes.
“I’m getting married today. Mon Dieu. There is so much to do.”
The next six hours are a flurry of activity. A tent is erected on the grounds. The kitchen is bustling with caterers, and a few more people arrive. Sebastian has kept the guest list intimate. Of course, there are all of us, together with his parents, and also a man Sebastian introduces simply as Henri. He was Sebastian’s art mentor growing up and someone who he insists was like a second father to him.
There really isn’t that much for us to do. Sebastian has thought of everything. We’ve spent most of our time being pampered along with the bride-to-be. Sebastian had a team of people from one of the local spas waiting for us inside. We’ve been buffed and polished. Our hair and makeup have been done, and we are all dressed to the nines, thanks to a last-minute shopping trip before leaving NYC.
“ Mon Dieu . I have butterflies fluttering around my tummy. Can you believe all of this,” my friend says as she steps in front of the mirror for one last look.
Her eyes land on the three of us standing behind her. “I love you all so much.” She waves a hand in front of her face to stop the happy tears that threaten to spill.
“Don’t cry,” Avery gasps as she quickly hands her a delicate-looking pale blue handkerchief. “You’ll ruin your makeup, and you look so beautiful.” Maddie takes it from her and carefully dabs at her eyes before looking at it.
“It was my mother’s,” Avery says quietly. “We’ve both lost that special person in our lives. I thought…well, it’s something borrowed, it’s something old, and it’s something blue. It’s yours.” She smiles brightly and dabs her own eyes.
“I don’t know what to say, chérie .” Maddie looks from the hanky in her hand to Avery. “Thank you.”
“You look so beautiful, Maddie,” Tori says quickly, trying to keep us on track as she hands our friend her simple bouquet of lavender, held together with a white silk ribbon. “I suppose you can consider these as something new.”
“Thank you,” she answers as she takes the delicate bouquet and wraps the hanky around the stems.” Her eyes move to me. I feel like I’m going to throw up. I shrug and roll my eyes. I’m the last single girl standing, so to speak. Not by choice, as it turns out. I may no longer believe in love, at least when it applies to me, but I’m here and I know that makes Maddie happy.
I smile, and I hope it’s convincing. “New, old, borrowed, blue…I think they’ve pretty much covered it all. Congrats, babe.” I hold up my glass of champagne and we all clink before downing the crisp bubbly liquid inside.