Jace jumped out and pulled his driver from the bag before heading over to the tee. "So youre saying Im gonna get a nice fat paycheck for being on this new board," Jace drawled.
"Yeah, thats what Im saying," I replied, pulling the driver from my bag.
"Good. Because Im gonna propose to Bethy and my family is gonna shit a brick. I can kiss my monthly income good-bye. I need to start using this education my father paid so handsomely for. "
I stopped walking. Had I just heard him right? "Did you just say propose?"
Jace looked up from his stance over the ball and nodded.
"Wow," was all I could think of to say. I hadnt expected that.
"I love her. Shes it for me. "
I stood there silently as Jace hit the ball. He stepped back and glanced over at me. "She doesnt know yet. Im trying to think of a romantic way to do it. "
This golf game had just gotten a lot more interesting.
I texted Della before my three oclock meeting but she didnt respond before the lawyer arrived. Once my meeting was over and there was still no response, I dialed her number. I hadnt seen her all day. Neither had anyone I asked. Something felt wrong.
"Im sorry, but the number you have dialed has been disconnected . . . " I jerked my phone back and looked down to make sure Id dialed Dellas number. I had.
I grabbed my keys and walked past Vince without a word. My mind was running wild. Why would Dellas phone be disconnected? Had she forgotten to pay the bill? Was she okay?
As I got to the house, every bad scenario ran through my head. The car Id given Della when shed come back to Rosemary with me was sitting in the drive. She hadnt left the house today. My heart raced as I ran up the steps and swung the door open.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
"Della? Baby? You okay?" I called out as I walked down the hall toward the living room. I glanced into the kitchen as I passed and almost continued on when I saw a single piece of paper and a pen lying on the counter. They hadnt been there that morning.
"Della?" I called out again, walking on toward the living room and out onto the balcony. The bedroom was empty. It was also bare. There were no heels lying by the door or jewelry on the dresser. I stood in the doorway, afraid to walk inside and look in the closet.
I turned and headed back to the kitchen. The note would explain this. She could have cleaned up before she went shopping with Blaire. That made sense.
Reaching for the paper, I picked it up and began to read. With each word, my world began to slowly fall away. The small, ripped piece of notebook paper held the only words that could completely destroy me.
I let it fall to the floor as I stood frozen. I didnt want to touch it. I didnt want to see it. The words were imprinted in my head. Id never be able to make them go away. I couldnt move. I couldnt breathe.
Page 16
Della
Tripp hadnt said much when he came to get me. He had just asked if I was sure, and when Id said yes he had taken my bag and put it in the compartment of his bike before handing me a helmet and a leather jacket. I put both on.
We had been riding for about two hours when he pulled into a gas station. My legs were slightly numb. I wasnt sure I could walk when I got off that thing. Tripp got off and then took my helmet and hung it on the bike. I didnt ask him why he wasnt wearing a helmet but I was glad he had one for me to wear. He then held his hand out to help me off. I managed to sling my leg over the bike and held on to both his hands as I stood up.
"Ouch," I said with a weak smile.
He grinned. "Yeah, youll get used to it," he told me, then nodded his head toward the store. "Go in, use the restroom, and get yourself something to eat and drink. Well take a little break before we go any farther. "
I had focused on the road and the cars we passed. Id managed to fight off any thoughts of Woods. But they were there in my head, teasing me. They wanted to haunt me. They wanted to break me. He would know soon that I was gone. "Where are we going?" I asked, trying to think of anything other than Woods.
"Not sure. Were just riding. I thought you might need that right now. Im heading north. I figure well find somewhere interesting by bedtime to stop at. "
This was what I needed. I nodded. "Okay. "
"I gotta fill up," he told me, and I headed inside the store. I would need to call Braden now. I hadnt told her I was leaving Woods. She wouldnt have seen it my way. But once Woods knew I was gone he would call her first. She would be worried. I should prepare her. I slipped my phone out of my pocket and remembered Id had it switched off. I didnt want to be traceable. I would reactivate it in the next big city. A new number. One no one knew.
After using the restroom I grabbed a bottle of water and some Cheetos, paid, and headed outside to sit at a picnic table that sat in a grassy area.
Tripp glanced over at me before he went inside and did the same. By the time he came outside I was finished with my bag of Cheetos. He dropped a candy bar, a bag of peanuts, some beef jerky, and a bag of gummy worms on the table. "Eat some more," he said before picking up the beef jerky and taking a bite of it.
I reached for the candy bar and broke it in half before eating it. We ate in silence. I was afraid to try to talk to him. He wanted to know why I was doing this. He didnt think I should. I could tell by the way he was acting.
"He didnt know you were leaving. Didnt even have a clue. That sucks, Della. It really does. The dudes gonna take this real hard. "
I stopped eating and stood up. "I cant think about that right now, okay? I need to think about other things. Not that. Its what was best for him. Thats all I can tell you. Please, lets not talk about it. "
Tripp let out a weary sigh, then nodded. "Fine. We wont talk about it. Not right now, anyway. Eat some worms, theyre good for you," he said with a smirk as he pushed the bag of gummy worms toward me.
"Im not hungry. " I wasnt. I felt sick now.
"Fine. Ill take this with us. Youll get hungry again soon. You barely ate anything. "
"Can I use your phone to call my friend Braden?"
Tripp nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket to hand it to me.
"Thanks," I replied as I took it from him.
I walked far enough away that he wouldnt hear me. I was going to lie to Braden some, if only to keep her from telling Woods the truth.
Dialing her number, I held my breath, hoping that I could find a way to tell her and make it believable. She would go straight to Woods with my location and reason for leaving if she knew the truth.
"Hello?" Bradens voice sounded curious. She didnt recognize the number.
"Its me," I said into the phone.
"Della? Where are you?"
"Im traveling the world. Living life. Woodss life isnt what I want for myself. I need adventure. "
Braden didnt respond. She was thinking. I knew the look on her face even though I couldnt see it.
"What happened? Stop bullshitting me and tell me where you are and whats wrong. " I was a horrible liar and Braden knew me better than anyone.
"Im traveling. Im not alone and Im okay. I just need some time. Ill check in when I can but I need time to move on from things. This is why I got in your car and took off to begin with, anyway. Woods changed that but it was only temporary. I need to do this for me. "
"Im still calling bullshit. I dont believe you but I wont push. Call me when you can, and be safe. Can I trust who youre with to keep you safe?"
"Yes," I replied.
"You wont tell me who it is?"
"No. I need you to not tell Woods that you talked to me. Tell him nothing. He will come after me and I dont want him to. "
Braden let out a small growl of frustration. "He loves you, Della," she said.
"And I love him. But its time I lived. I cant be locked up in that small town. "
"I hope youre not making the biggest mistake of your life," she said in a defeated tone.
"It was the best chapter. I
ll have more chapters though. "
"I love you," Braden said.
"I love you, too," I replied.
"Call me soon. "
"I will. "
I hung up and walked back over to Tripp, who was watching me.
"Thanks," I said, handing back his phone.
"Did you have yours turned off so he couldnt track you?" he asked, standing up.
I nodded.
"Damn, girl. You didnt leave the boy a bone, did you?"
"Can we go? I just want to ride. "
"Yeah, lets go," he said, and headed for the Harley parked near the table.
Page 17
Woods
She hadnt left me anything but a note. Shed taken all her things. I held the pillow shed slept on last night and pressed my face to it. It smelled like her. The sexy sweet scent that was Della.
How was I supposed to let her go? She didnt want me to find her . . . she wanted to live. This wasnt living for her. She had started out on a journey to see the world and shed met me. Now she wanted more.
Id hovered over her. I had tried to keep her safe and not let her do things she wanted. Id controlled her job and what she did. She wanted to spread her wings and Id clipped them. So shed found another way to fly.
My chest was so tight that each breath I took was painful. I hadnt called anyone. I hadnt left my house for hours. I held the pillow closer and glanced over at the clock. It was after nine. Id been home for five hours. How long had she been gone? Had she known last night that she was leaving me?
The look in her eyes as shed made love to me had been different. There had been something in them that bothered me. But she had been so passionate and needy that Id forgotten about everything other than the pleasure. If I had just looked deeper and talked to her . . . Instead, it had been about sex. When she had fallen to her knees in the kitchen, I was lost to whatever she wanted.
If Id only looked deeper.
How had she left me?
Slowly, a realization came to me and I stood up, still holding her pillow. The phone call from Tripp. He hadnt made sense but hed been trying to tell me. Motherfucker! Shed left with Tripp. She had called him and he had come for her.
The pain slowly started heating up as anger---no, fury---consumed me. She had left with Tripp. He had taken her from me. His call wouldnt have made sense to anyone. It had been his way of being able to say he had warned me when he knew I wouldnt understand him.
I reached for the lamp on the bedside table and threw it against the wall. Then I threw the sheets and shoved over the nightstand. I grabbed the mirror off the wall and smashed it, but the anger was still there. I punched the wall until my fist went through the Sheetrock and my voice seemed so far away, even though I was yelling. I had stepped outside of myself as my body went mad. Then I threw the pillow in my hand and everything stopped. That was all I had. Her pillow. I walked over to the pile of broken glass and furniture and picked the pillow back up. I held it reverently to my chest.
Her scent filled my senses and for a moment the fury eased. For a moment I wasnt a hysterical madman bent on demolishing everything in my house. I had her. I could hold this. I had her.
"Holy shit. " Jaces voice came from the doorway. I snapped my head up to see him looking into my room. The horrified look on his face as he lifted his eyes to me only made me angry again.
"Dude," he said, holding up both his hands. "You gotta calm down. "
He didnt understand. He hadnt just lost his reason for fucking living. She hadnt just walked away from him. Left him nothing but a note and a pillow. The note . . . shit.
I stalked to the door and shoved past Jace. I had to get the note. I had the note, too. It was something of hers. I had that. I wanted it. Even if the words in it tore me wide open, I wanted it.
The torn paper lay on the floor and I scrambled to pick it up. I couldnt read the words again. Not right now. I folded it carefully and tucked it into my pocket. Id keep it on me. This was her handwriting. Her words.
"Youre scaring me, man. " Jace had followed me to the kitchen.
"I need to be alone," I said without turning to look at him.
"I dont think you need to be alone. "
"Leave my motherfucking house," I snarled.
"Ive called Rush and Thad. Theyre on their way. Im not leaving you alone. "
I didnt want them here. I wanted to yell and break things. I wanted to find a way to ease the pain. "No! Why are you even here?"
"Tripp called me," he said slowly. Just hearing his name and knowing that he was the one who had Della made the monster inside of me snap. I reached for the glass in the sink and threw it across the room, shattering a picture.
"He took her!" I roared as I grabbed a plate and hurled it across the room. "He fucking took her from me!"
"She called him. She wanted to go with him, Woods. You gotta calm down. She left of her own free will. " I could hear the fear in Jaces voice but I didnt care. I grabbed a bar stool and began smashing it against the counter until the wood shattered into pieces in a heap on the floor.
"Holy hell. " Rushs voice registered in my brain but I couldnt think. I didnt want them there.
"Dude! Stop him. Hes gone fucking mad," Thad said.
Arms wrapped around me from behind and I fought against them, but they held me tighter. "Chill the fuck out. Breathe, man. Fucking take a breath. She isnt dead. She left. Shes out there and it aint over. So calm the fuck down," Rush said in a stern, loud voice as he held my arms back.
I took several deep breaths. He was right. She was alive. She had just left. She had left. "She left me," I said, and my voice broke.
"Yeah, she did. But you cant beat the hell out of your house. It wont bring her back and youre getting out of control. Get it together. I know what this feels like. Ive been there. Losing your shit doesnt make her come back to you. "
Rush had been here. He knew. Blaire had left him once. But shed been betrayed. Shed had a reason to. I hadnt hurt Della. I had only loved her.
"I didnt let her live," I said, lifting my eyes to look straight ahead at Jace and Thad, who were keeping their distance from me.
"She needs some space. Let her have it," Rush said.
"How do I keep going? With her gone? What do I do?"
Rush let out a sigh and slowly let his hold on me go. "You wake up each morning and you go to work. You smile when you think youre supposed to. You spend your free time thinking about her. Thinking about what youll say when you see her again. Then you go to bed and hope you get some sleep. Then you wake up and do that same shit over again. "
I leaned against the wall and hung my head. "What if she never comes back?" He didnt say anything at first. We stood there in silence among the destruction.
"Then you find a way to keep living," Rush finally said, and I realized that was my biggest fear. That Id be left needing to find a way, because Della might never come back.
"She was my go-all-in," I said as I stared down at the smashed-up bar stool.
"Your what?" Jace asked.
"Della was my go-all-in. She was my winning hand. You cant play when you go all in and lose. Im out. "
"No, youre not. This hand aint over yet," Rush said.
I hoped he was right.
Page 18
Two weeks later . . .
Della
"Where are we now?" I asked Tripp as I got off the back of his bike---without his help this time.
"What have you been doing back there? Sleeping? Weve passed several signs announcing our arrival at the home of the King," Tripp said as he grabbed our bags and headed for the hotel to get us a room.
"The King?" I asked, following him.
"Yeah, you know . . . hunka hunka burnin love," Tripp said.
"Elvis? "You mean were in Memphis?"
"Yep," Tripp said as he pushed open the door to the hotel and held it for me so I could go inside. Our first night I h
ad tried to stay in my own room, but the night terrors had come fast and hard. Since then, we got rooms with two beds and Tripp helped me when the dreams came, which was every night so far. We were both so tired this week that most nights we ended up falling asleep in the same bed once the terror was over, sleeping that way through the rest of the night.
"One room, two beds," Tripp told the lady, and she glanced over at me, then back at Tripp and flashed him a flirty smile. He got that a lot. When females realized we werent together they started throwing themselves at him. He ignored it for the most part. Sometimes there would be a girl he couldnt ignore. He would flirt back and take her number, which I thought was pointless since we werent coming back. But he said he might just come back one day.
Tripp got the key to our room and we headed to the elevator. I didnt feel like talking much. I had called Braden earlier and shed told me that Woods still hadnt called her. That bothered me. I should have been relieved. But I wasnt. The longer I was away from him without his calling Tripp or Braden, the more I realized this was what he wanted. Deep down, Id given him his out. I didnt want to think about his being in pain. It made it easier to function each day knowing that the never-ending ache in my heart was something I suffered alone.
"Youre quiet today," Tripp said as the elevator door opened and we stepped out onto the second floor. That was as high as Tripp would go. He had a thing about being too high up in a hotel. He said that if the place caught on fire he wanted to know he didnt have too many flights of stairs to take to get the hell out. I hadnt really thought about it but he had, apparently.
"Just not in the mood to talk," I told him.
"Your talk with Braden go okay?" he asked.
Sure. It had gone fine. She hadnt brought up Woods. She had only asked me where we had gone and what we were doing. Nothing more. "Yeah, it was fine. "
Tripp opened the door to our room and glanced back at me. "You okay if I go out and get a drink tonight?"
This was code for "You okay if I go out and get laid tonight?" He didnt know that I had this figured out and I preferred that we keep it that way.
Every night he went out for a drink he came back around two in the morning smelling like perfume. He would have made a horrible cheating husband.
"I want to order a pizza and watch cable. Go, do what you want," I told him as I walked into the room.