Authors: Marie Coulson
Bound Together (79 page)
“
I called them when we
got back here. I told them everything and that you and Lucy were
staying the night here for your own protection. I told Amy and Mel
to dead bolt the door and not to answer to anyone. He could still
come after you Layla. You need to stay here until I know it’s safe
for you to go back there.” I shook my head in a definitive
no.
“
That’s not going to
happen Jared.”
Pushing past him I
searched for my clothes, finally locating them hanging over the
small cream couch in the corner of the room. Turning to face him I
pulled the sheet from the bed and covered myself up. “I want to get
dressed. I’d like some privacy please.”
“
Layla I’ve had you naked
and panting on this very bed. I think I’ve seen everything you
have.”
“
That was different. We
were together then. Please go.”
Rolling his eyes he
walked out and closed the door behind him.
Locking it, I pulled on
my clothes and gazed at myself fin the mirror. My hair was a mess
and my eyes were red and puffy from where I’d been crying. I opened
the door and checked to see if he was there and on discovering him
still absent, I sat on the bed and put on my shoes. There was no
way I was staying there. Creeping down the stairs, I almost reached
the door when Lucy spotted me from the living room. “Layla. Thank
goodness.” Hurrying over to me, she flung her arms around my neck.
“I know you must be in a terrible rush to get away from us but
please just spare me a minute?”
Nodding, I followed her
to the plush sofa and sat beside her. “I wanted to thank you. You
saved my life last night and put yourself in danger to do it. I can
never repay you for what you did.”
Staring at the door, I
closed my eyes as the memory of Felix pinning me to his bed flashed
in front of me. “I couldn’t let him strangle you Lucy. It wasn’t
just you I was protecting.” I glanced at her bump and she
immediately rested a protective hand over it. “Thank
you.”
Rising to my feet, I
headed for the door. “He loves you Layla. Give him a chance to say
goodbye.”
I turned around and
stared at her. “What do you mean?”
“
He’s leaving. He’s got
to fly to New York in a couple of days. He’ll be in Europe for a
year.” Walking back towards her I shook my head as the words didn’t
quite sink in.
“
A year? What about you,
the baby and Alicia.”
She shook her head “I
told you Layla, he isn’t with her. He’s in his office right now.
Go, talk to him, hear him out and then you can walk away, go back
to your life but please just give him that chance to put things
right before he goes. You owe it to yourselves.” Staring into her
bright blue eyes I felt my heart thud as I thought of everything
Jared and I had been through. Maybe we did owe it to ourselves to
get that closure. That final goodbye.
Walking to his office, I
gently pushed the door open. Sitting at his desk with his head in
his hands he glanced up at me. “You need something?”
I shook my head. “I
thought maybe we should talk. There are things we need to
say.”
Nodding, he rose from his
desk and gestured to the black leather couch in the corner of the
room. Taking a seat, I took a deep breath as he sat down beside me.
“First I want to thank you for rescuing me last night. If you
hadn’t showed up...” I swallowed hard. “Well we both know what
would have happened.”
Taking my hand, he
stroked my knuckles with his thumb. “Don’t think about it. You’re
within your rights to call the cops and report his assault Layla
but I urge you not to. He’s got friends in high places and I need
to deal with him myself.”
I sighed and stared at my
feet. “I’m not reporting him. It’s too risky for Lucy and you’ll be
arrested for assault.”
He nodded and stared at
the floor. “Jared, I’ve been meaning to apologize for your
car.”
A ghost of a smile
appeared on his lips. “Forget it. It’s glass and steel Layla and
compared to what I really lost that day it’s meaningless. Don’t
give it a second thought. You were pretty kick ass though. Where
did you learn to swing like that?”
I laughed lightly. “My
father used to coach little league. I was his star
player.”
Smiling, Jared nodded.
“Lucy tells me you’re going to New York and then
Europe.”
His expression
immediately changed to the hard business man again. “New York until
the baby is born then London, Paris, Rome and wherever else I have
to go to get this development off the ground.”
The thought of him
leaving pained me and knowing that this really was the end, the
final time we’d be together brought tears to my eyes but I was
determined not to cry. “How does Alicia feel about it?”
He gave me a puzzled
look.
“
I heard the two of you
are quite the social couple right now.” Closing his eyes he shook
his head. “Is that what that call was about the other week? Layla
I’m not now nor have I ever been dating Alicia. She’s been
attending functions desperate to be photographed with me to get at
Felix. She heard from Sebastian about the affair and she’s pissed
at him for screwing her over in the divorce. If she’d had evidence
then of his infidelity she would have got millions more in her
settlement. I had to invite her here and get a lawyer to hand her a
restraining order keeping her away from me. You really thought I
could be with anyone else when I’m so completely and devotedly in
love with you?”
I stared at him lost for
words.
Cupping my face, he gazed
into my eyes. “Didn’t you hear a word I said to you the entire time
we were together? You’re my whole world Layla. You hold my universe
in your hand and no matter where I go, who I’m with or what I’m
doing, you are right there with me. Here.”
Taking my hand he held it
against his thundering heart. “Our lives are entwined and we’re
bound together by everything that we’ve been through, what we feel
and the love I have for you. I know you love me too Layla and I
wish I could make it all right again but I can’t.” Taking his other
hand in mine I gazed deep into his deep pools of piercing
blue.
“
I do love you Jared. I
love you so much it hurts me. When Mel gave me that letter and my
pendant yesterday I couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t you just tell
me? That letter was too little too late. The damage was
done.”
Standing, he raked his
hands through his hair. It was his go to move when he was anxious,
nervous or frustrated. “I couldn’t put you at risk. Look at what
happened last night Layla. He was going to strangle Lucy and he
would have raped you if I hadn’t been there. He’s dangerous and I
was protecting you from that. I didn’t know it was Felix back then
but I knew, based on every cut, bruise, fracture and broken bone
Lucy had been given, that whoever he was he was dangerous. You
would have been a walking target to get to me. I love you and I
will not let anyone use you as a pawn in their sick twisted game.
He came to your dorm for Christ sakes Layla.”
Getting to my feet I
strode over to him. “How did you know that?”
“
I’ve been having him
followed ever since he made a pass at you at that dinner. Once he
knew you were my weakness, he was going to come after you. I needed
to know every move he made. He followed you to Benny’s, to the
coffee shop to see Kate and even to Delicia that night. Why do
think I went so fucking crazy when I saw you with that guy? It’s
the same reason I used Alicia. I figured he’d be more distracted
with what I was doing with his ex-wife than watching you all night.
You were getting drunk and it made you a very easy mark.” I stared
at him, blown away by his confession.
“
You weren’t trying to
make me jealous or control me? You were protecting me from
Felix?”
He nodded and placed his
hands on his hips exasperated. “I had to do something. Even if it
meant you hating me for it. You being safe meant a lot more.” These
new revelations were making my head spin. Everything I had thought
about him and us was wrong.
Taking my hands in his,
he gazed down at me. “I love you Layla. I can’t just stop taking
care of you. If anything happened to you I’d never survive
it.”
Closing my eyes, I
watched as my mind replayed our entire relationship in front of my
eyes at warp speed. Opening them again I raised my hand to his face
and pulled him to me. Pressing my lips against his I slid my other
hand behind his back as his hands pulled me tight to him, wrapping
me in his arms. “Come back to me Layla. I miss you so much. From
now on I swear I’ll never keep anything from you just please come
back. I need you.” My heart swelled as he murmured into my mouth.
Pulling away I gazed at him breathless and confused. “I want to
Jared but I can’t. It’s more complicated now than it was
before.”
His hands rubbed up and
down my arms as he tried desperately to change my mind. “What’s
complicated? I love you. You love me. It’s the simplest thing in
the world.” Turning away I took a deep breath forcing myself to
hold back the tears that threatened to spill over any moment. “I’m
in love with Ollie.”
I couldn’t look at him,
but grabbing my arm he spun me around to face him.
I could see the deep hurt
in his eyes as he stuttered and struggled to get the words from his
mouth.
“
You love
him?”
I nodded. “But I love you
too. It’s so confusing and my head is a mess right now. Ollie wants
me to go to Utah and be with him and now you tell me all of this.
Put all that together with what happened last night and it’s just
too much. I can’t deal with it all right now.”
I was getting worked up
and my cheeks reddened as I became more and more flustered. “You’re
leaving? You’re leaving Long Beach and moving in with him? I can’t
believe this is happening to me.”
Panic was painted all
over his face as he paced the room frantically. “You can’t go
Layla. You just can’t. I won’t let you go like this.”
“
I haven’t decided
anything yet. He told me to think on it.”
“
But you’re considering
it?”
“
I don’t know what I’m
doing Jared! I can’t think. It hurts too much knowing that either
way I have to give one of you up. That I lose one of you from my
life. I can’t do that.”
Striding over fast, he
held my arms tightly. “Come with me.”
I stared at him in shock.
“What?”
Gazing into my eyes he
repeated himself. “Come with me to New York, to
Europe.”
I shook my head in a
complete daze. “You can’t be serious Jared. You’re not thinking
straight. Have you heard yourself?”
“
I am thinking clearly
and for the first time in my life everything is totally
transparent. I want to be with you Layla. I love you.” Wide eyed I
stared at him, unable to form words or even breathe.
“
Say
something.”
I couldn’t; there was
nothing there. As I opened my mouth I tried to find the words or
even a simple syllable but nothing came.
Walking over to the sofa,
I dropped onto it and held my head in my hands. “This is such a
mess. My life is one huge bomb site. I need to go home.” Grabbing
my purse, I made for the door but reaching it before I could, he
blocked my way. “I’ll wait for you Layla. Forever if I have to;
because there will never be anyone else for me. You are my only
love and I won’t give up fighting for you.” Standing aside he let
me pass and I couldn’t get my feet to move fast enough as I hurried
through the grand foyer to the door.
Seeing me approach,
Daniel dutifully opened the car door and giving him a grateful
look, I slid inside,
thankful for the
silence and seclusion as everything whirled around in my
head.
Daniel sat rigid and awkward as he
drove. “Miss Jennings, I need to apologize about last night but I
was only thinking of your safety.”
“
It’s alright Daniel,
really. I’m forever in your debt. If Jared hadn’t been there…” I
couldn’t finish my sentence and my silence portrayed more than my
words could as Daniel’s eyes fell on me in the rear
view.
“
Oh Miss Jennings. Please
tell me that sick bastard didn’t hurt you.”
I shook my head. “He
didn’t get the chance, thanks to you and Jared. Thank you Daniel. I
mean that.”
He gave me a smile and
nodded at me.
dorm, I waited in the car while Daniel checked whether the area was
safe. Jared had instructed him to ensure Felix was not in the
vicinity before allowing me to exit. Opening the car door, he
nodded that it was clear and insisted that he would walk me to my
room. He’d been there for me, looking out for me and even
protecting me so many times recently that I felt we were more like
friends than acquaintances. Yet I knew very little about
him.
“
Thanks Daniel. I didn’t
realize bodyguard was part of your job description.”
I called them when we
got back here. I told them everything and that you and Lucy were
staying the night here for your own protection. I told Amy and Mel
to dead bolt the door and not to answer to anyone. He could still
come after you Layla. You need to stay here until I know it’s safe
for you to go back there.” I shook my head in a definitive
no.
“
That’s not going to
happen Jared.”
Pushing past him I
searched for my clothes, finally locating them hanging over the
small cream couch in the corner of the room. Turning to face him I
pulled the sheet from the bed and covered myself up. “I want to get
dressed. I’d like some privacy please.”
“
Layla I’ve had you naked
and panting on this very bed. I think I’ve seen everything you
have.”
“
That was different. We
were together then. Please go.”
Rolling his eyes he
walked out and closed the door behind him.
Locking it, I pulled on
my clothes and gazed at myself fin the mirror. My hair was a mess
and my eyes were red and puffy from where I’d been crying. I opened
the door and checked to see if he was there and on discovering him
still absent, I sat on the bed and put on my shoes. There was no
way I was staying there. Creeping down the stairs, I almost reached
the door when Lucy spotted me from the living room. “Layla. Thank
goodness.” Hurrying over to me, she flung her arms around my neck.
“I know you must be in a terrible rush to get away from us but
please just spare me a minute?”
Nodding, I followed her
to the plush sofa and sat beside her. “I wanted to thank you. You
saved my life last night and put yourself in danger to do it. I can
never repay you for what you did.”
Staring at the door, I
closed my eyes as the memory of Felix pinning me to his bed flashed
in front of me. “I couldn’t let him strangle you Lucy. It wasn’t
just you I was protecting.” I glanced at her bump and she
immediately rested a protective hand over it. “Thank
you.”
Rising to my feet, I
headed for the door. “He loves you Layla. Give him a chance to say
goodbye.”
I turned around and
stared at her. “What do you mean?”
“
He’s leaving. He’s got
to fly to New York in a couple of days. He’ll be in Europe for a
year.” Walking back towards her I shook my head as the words didn’t
quite sink in.
“
A year? What about you,
the baby and Alicia.”
She shook her head “I
told you Layla, he isn’t with her. He’s in his office right now.
Go, talk to him, hear him out and then you can walk away, go back
to your life but please just give him that chance to put things
right before he goes. You owe it to yourselves.” Staring into her
bright blue eyes I felt my heart thud as I thought of everything
Jared and I had been through. Maybe we did owe it to ourselves to
get that closure. That final goodbye.
Walking to his office, I
gently pushed the door open. Sitting at his desk with his head in
his hands he glanced up at me. “You need something?”
I shook my head. “I
thought maybe we should talk. There are things we need to
say.”
Nodding, he rose from his
desk and gestured to the black leather couch in the corner of the
room. Taking a seat, I took a deep breath as he sat down beside me.
“First I want to thank you for rescuing me last night. If you
hadn’t showed up...” I swallowed hard. “Well we both know what
would have happened.”
Taking my hand, he
stroked my knuckles with his thumb. “Don’t think about it. You’re
within your rights to call the cops and report his assault Layla
but I urge you not to. He’s got friends in high places and I need
to deal with him myself.”
I sighed and stared at my
feet. “I’m not reporting him. It’s too risky for Lucy and you’ll be
arrested for assault.”
He nodded and stared at
the floor. “Jared, I’ve been meaning to apologize for your
car.”
A ghost of a smile
appeared on his lips. “Forget it. It’s glass and steel Layla and
compared to what I really lost that day it’s meaningless. Don’t
give it a second thought. You were pretty kick ass though. Where
did you learn to swing like that?”
I laughed lightly. “My
father used to coach little league. I was his star
player.”
Smiling, Jared nodded.
“Lucy tells me you’re going to New York and then
Europe.”
His expression
immediately changed to the hard business man again. “New York until
the baby is born then London, Paris, Rome and wherever else I have
to go to get this development off the ground.”
The thought of him
leaving pained me and knowing that this really was the end, the
final time we’d be together brought tears to my eyes but I was
determined not to cry. “How does Alicia feel about it?”
He gave me a puzzled
look.
“
I heard the two of you
are quite the social couple right now.” Closing his eyes he shook
his head. “Is that what that call was about the other week? Layla
I’m not now nor have I ever been dating Alicia. She’s been
attending functions desperate to be photographed with me to get at
Felix. She heard from Sebastian about the affair and she’s pissed
at him for screwing her over in the divorce. If she’d had evidence
then of his infidelity she would have got millions more in her
settlement. I had to invite her here and get a lawyer to hand her a
restraining order keeping her away from me. You really thought I
could be with anyone else when I’m so completely and devotedly in
love with you?”
I stared at him lost for
words.
Cupping my face, he gazed
into my eyes. “Didn’t you hear a word I said to you the entire time
we were together? You’re my whole world Layla. You hold my universe
in your hand and no matter where I go, who I’m with or what I’m
doing, you are right there with me. Here.”
Taking my hand he held it
against his thundering heart. “Our lives are entwined and we’re
bound together by everything that we’ve been through, what we feel
and the love I have for you. I know you love me too Layla and I
wish I could make it all right again but I can’t.” Taking his other
hand in mine I gazed deep into his deep pools of piercing
blue.
“
I do love you Jared. I
love you so much it hurts me. When Mel gave me that letter and my
pendant yesterday I couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t you just tell
me? That letter was too little too late. The damage was
done.”
Standing, he raked his
hands through his hair. It was his go to move when he was anxious,
nervous or frustrated. “I couldn’t put you at risk. Look at what
happened last night Layla. He was going to strangle Lucy and he
would have raped you if I hadn’t been there. He’s dangerous and I
was protecting you from that. I didn’t know it was Felix back then
but I knew, based on every cut, bruise, fracture and broken bone
Lucy had been given, that whoever he was he was dangerous. You
would have been a walking target to get to me. I love you and I
will not let anyone use you as a pawn in their sick twisted game.
He came to your dorm for Christ sakes Layla.”
Getting to my feet I
strode over to him. “How did you know that?”
“
I’ve been having him
followed ever since he made a pass at you at that dinner. Once he
knew you were my weakness, he was going to come after you. I needed
to know every move he made. He followed you to Benny’s, to the
coffee shop to see Kate and even to Delicia that night. Why do
think I went so fucking crazy when I saw you with that guy? It’s
the same reason I used Alicia. I figured he’d be more distracted
with what I was doing with his ex-wife than watching you all night.
You were getting drunk and it made you a very easy mark.” I stared
at him, blown away by his confession.
“
You weren’t trying to
make me jealous or control me? You were protecting me from
Felix?”
He nodded and placed his
hands on his hips exasperated. “I had to do something. Even if it
meant you hating me for it. You being safe meant a lot more.” These
new revelations were making my head spin. Everything I had thought
about him and us was wrong.
Taking my hands in his,
he gazed down at me. “I love you Layla. I can’t just stop taking
care of you. If anything happened to you I’d never survive
it.”
Closing my eyes, I
watched as my mind replayed our entire relationship in front of my
eyes at warp speed. Opening them again I raised my hand to his face
and pulled him to me. Pressing my lips against his I slid my other
hand behind his back as his hands pulled me tight to him, wrapping
me in his arms. “Come back to me Layla. I miss you so much. From
now on I swear I’ll never keep anything from you just please come
back. I need you.” My heart swelled as he murmured into my mouth.
Pulling away I gazed at him breathless and confused. “I want to
Jared but I can’t. It’s more complicated now than it was
before.”
His hands rubbed up and
down my arms as he tried desperately to change my mind. “What’s
complicated? I love you. You love me. It’s the simplest thing in
the world.” Turning away I took a deep breath forcing myself to
hold back the tears that threatened to spill over any moment. “I’m
in love with Ollie.”
I couldn’t look at him,
but grabbing my arm he spun me around to face him.
I could see the deep hurt
in his eyes as he stuttered and struggled to get the words from his
mouth.
“
You love
him?”
I nodded. “But I love you
too. It’s so confusing and my head is a mess right now. Ollie wants
me to go to Utah and be with him and now you tell me all of this.
Put all that together with what happened last night and it’s just
too much. I can’t deal with it all right now.”
I was getting worked up
and my cheeks reddened as I became more and more flustered. “You’re
leaving? You’re leaving Long Beach and moving in with him? I can’t
believe this is happening to me.”
Panic was painted all
over his face as he paced the room frantically. “You can’t go
Layla. You just can’t. I won’t let you go like this.”
“
I haven’t decided
anything yet. He told me to think on it.”
“
But you’re considering
it?”
“
I don’t know what I’m
doing Jared! I can’t think. It hurts too much knowing that either
way I have to give one of you up. That I lose one of you from my
life. I can’t do that.”
Striding over fast, he
held my arms tightly. “Come with me.”
I stared at him in shock.
“What?”
Gazing into my eyes he
repeated himself. “Come with me to New York, to
Europe.”
I shook my head in a
complete daze. “You can’t be serious Jared. You’re not thinking
straight. Have you heard yourself?”
“
I am thinking clearly
and for the first time in my life everything is totally
transparent. I want to be with you Layla. I love you.” Wide eyed I
stared at him, unable to form words or even breathe.
“
Say
something.”
I couldn’t; there was
nothing there. As I opened my mouth I tried to find the words or
even a simple syllable but nothing came.
Walking over to the sofa,
I dropped onto it and held my head in my hands. “This is such a
mess. My life is one huge bomb site. I need to go home.” Grabbing
my purse, I made for the door but reaching it before I could, he
blocked my way. “I’ll wait for you Layla. Forever if I have to;
because there will never be anyone else for me. You are my only
love and I won’t give up fighting for you.” Standing aside he let
me pass and I couldn’t get my feet to move fast enough as I hurried
through the grand foyer to the door.
Seeing me approach,
Daniel dutifully opened the car door and giving him a grateful
look, I slid inside,
thankful for the
silence and seclusion as everything whirled around in my
head.
Daniel sat rigid and awkward as he
drove. “Miss Jennings, I need to apologize about last night but I
was only thinking of your safety.”
“
It’s alright Daniel,
really. I’m forever in your debt. If Jared hadn’t been there…” I
couldn’t finish my sentence and my silence portrayed more than my
words could as Daniel’s eyes fell on me in the rear
view.
“
Oh Miss Jennings. Please
tell me that sick bastard didn’t hurt you.”
I shook my head. “He
didn’t get the chance, thanks to you and Jared. Thank you Daniel. I
mean that.”
He gave me a smile and
nodded at me.
Chapter
49
Listen To Your
Heart
dorm, I waited in the car while Daniel checked whether the area was
safe. Jared had instructed him to ensure Felix was not in the
vicinity before allowing me to exit. Opening the car door, he
nodded that it was clear and insisted that he would walk me to my
room. He’d been there for me, looking out for me and even
protecting me so many times recently that I felt we were more like
friends than acquaintances. Yet I knew very little about
him.
“
Thanks Daniel. I didn’t
realize bodyguard was part of your job description.”
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