She Was Mine: An Incapable Novella Page 5

  I tried not to frown. “You two go ahead.”

  Chace moaned. “Grayson, come on! Will you live a little?”

  I sighed, running my hand through my hair, all the while wondering just how dangerous was it to fly in fog. Surely they do it all the time. I jumped as an ice cube hit me in the chest.

  “Four drinks.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Two, now leave it.”

  He smiled, tipping his cup back, chewing more ice. Bastard.

  Two hours later, I had gone down to the hotel bar. Claudia was sitting at the bar and waved me over. I briefly hesitated before making my way. “Where’s Chace?”

  She rolled her eyes. “He got a phone call from the girlfriend.” She shrugged. “So, who knows if we’ll ever see him again tonight.”

  Asshole. He gets a call from his girl and he’s out. Course, I actually couldn’t blame him. In fact, if Emmalin called now, I would be upstairs, watching her make herself come. The thought was already making me hard. It was after nine p.m. here, so it was just after two there. I’m sure I can bother her, get her to stop whatever she’s doing, and show me that pretty pink pussy.

  “What’ll you have?” Claudia looked to me, waiting for my reply.

  “Um…Cognac.”

  Claudia smiled, raising two fingers to the bartender. “I like a guy that knows his brandy.”

  I didn’t say anything as I took my drink then looked out at everyone else. Some were dancing, others having a late dinner. I checked my phone again to see if any messages from Emmalin came in. I also took that opportunity to send a text to Chace, to let him know what a dick he was for bailing.

  His response?

  Chace: Pussy calls ; - )

  * * *

  Fucking prick. Truth be told, I was actually jealous.

  “So how about it?”

  I turned my attention back to Claudia. “I’m sorry?”

  She rolled her eyes and pointed to the dance floor. “How about a dance?”

  I looked to the dance floor and slowly shook my head. “I’m sorry, not tonight.”

  She studied me for a moment. “Why not? You need permission first or something?”

  I silently laughed. “Not at all.”

  “Don’t tell me because you’re married, you can’t do something as innocent as dancing?”

  I drank the rest of my drink, and signaled for another. “No, but I’m also putting myself in the mindset that if an attractive man asked my wife to dance…would I like it?”

  She moved closer. “So, you find me attractive?”

  “You know you’re attractive, Claudia. You don’t need me telling you that. I’m assuming your partner tells you that.”

  She frowned. “I’m single.”

  I took a sip of the new drink I had. “Well, I’m sure you’ll find someone.”

  She smiled wide. “I already have. He just doesn’t know it yet.” I watched as she placed a skinny straw in her Cognac and drank it like it was a goddamn vodka cranberry. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and smiled when I saw it was Emmalin. Claudia started talking again, and I held my hand up to stop her.

  “I’m sorry, I really have to take this. Excuse me.”

  I didn’t wait for her to respond as I made my way to a quiet corner in the bar. I called Emmalin back. She answered on the third ring, most likely for the sole purpose of making me wait. Fucking minx.

  “Hey,” she said breathlessly.

  “Bad time?”

  “Not for you. How’s Paris?”

  “Shitty without you. What are you doing?”

  “Just came in from a late lunch.”

  “Yeah? Are you in your office?”

  She giggled. “Yes.”

  “Good, take off your panties.”

  She whispered. “What makes you think I’m wearing any?”

  I groaned. “Fuck baby, you’re killing me.”

  She laughed. “I have a meeting, talk to you later?”

  I sighed. “Of course. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  I hung up, wishing I was there to really find out if she was wearing panties or not. I barely turned around and jumped when I saw Claudia standing right behind me, holding two drinks.

  “I got you a refill. You looked stressed.”

  I looked at the drink she handed me a little wearily. It had a lime floating in it. I smelled it. Sure, as fuck wasn’t tea. I held it up. “What is this?”

  “It’s called a Pepa. It’s well known here. Combination of Cognac and Vodka.” She waved her hand around as she sipped hers. “It’s really good. Try it.”

  I smiled. “I said just two drinks tonight.”

  “So, you’ll have three. Is it really so bad? Have three and then you’re free to do anything you want.” She gave me a smile before she slowly licked her lips.

  I stared down into my drink. Fine. Three, then I can fucking leave. I sat at the nearest table and casually sipped my Pepa as Claudia kept glancing at me. “So, where are you from, Claudia?”

  “That’s a little hard to answer. We moved around a bit, but finally settled in Virginia, where my sole purpose in life was to get the hell out of there. I graduated high school, then went on from there.”

  I nodded and she raised her drink up. “Are you sure you don’t want another?”

  I stared down at my drink. I had drunk maybe half of it but already felt myself getting sleepy. I rubbed my eyes, and it took me a minute to register Claudia talking to me. “You look like you’re ready for bed.”

  I shut my eyes tight for a second and then finally looked up at her, blinking a few times before she came into focus. “Yeah, maybe that jet lag is finally catching up with me.” I shakily stood up, and Claudia rushed to my side.

  “Whoa! I think someone can’t hold their liquor.” She wrapped her arm around my waist. “I’ll help you to your room.” I found myself leaning on Claudia as we made our way to the elevator. I watched her press the button for what I assumed was her floor. She didn’t bother pressing the button for mine. I couldn’t even lift my arm to press it. Maybe that drink was stronger than I thought. The elevator door stopped on her floor, and she helped me out. I tried telling her this wasn’t my floor but nothing came out. At this point, I didn’t even care. I would’ve been happy sleeping right here in the hallway.

  “I just have to get something, and then I’ll take you up.” She spoke, at least I think she spoke, as she helped me to her room. “Come on. You can have a seat while I grab it.”

  I don’t even think I had a seat, more like dived into her bed. The room started spinning, and everything became fuzzy. I’ll shut my eyes for just a minute I told myself. Just a minute.

  10

  Grayson

  I glanced down at my hand, before looking back up at Emmalin. I studied the way she bit her bottom lip, and narrowed her eyes in concentration. Her gaze met mine, and she smiled, as she pushed her chips in.

  "I'll raise you," she took a quick glance at her winnings. "I'll raise you a pair of socks, and..." I watched as she lifted her shirt over her head, revealing a black lace bra. I started to wonder, why I hadn't ripped that one yet. She dangled her shirt from her finger. "This here old shirt." She threw it in the middle.

  I smirked. I taught her well. There was nothing old about that five-hundred-dollar shirt. I palmed my dick, which was now achingly hard against my pants. One thing I noticed whenever Emmalin and I played poker, she played dirty as a distraction. She knew she wasn't a match for my skills, but I applauded her encouragement.

  Dirty indeed.

  But, I also knew what cards she had.

  She reached for her glass of red, and took a lingering sip. She licked the remnants of the wine off her lips. I leaned forward, arms bracing the table. "Show me what you got."

  Her eyes widened briefly, and she shook her head. "That's not how this works. Now are you going to call or raise?" In her attempt to look defiant, she pushed her tits out. I could see her nipples had hardene
d into little pebbles, and they were just begging to be sucked.

  Fuck this game. I reached for her, but she was jerked back. I reached for her again, and she was jerked even further. Each time I tried, the distance between us grew. I started screaming her name, and the smile she had slowly faded.

  I ran. I ran as fast as I could to get to her, but no matter what, it was never close enough...

  * * *

  A loud noise had me jump. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling like I had slept for a year. I looked around the room. This wasn’t my room. I sat up as the beginnings of a sharp headache pierced through my head. I took a few deep breaths, and that’s when I noticed I had no shirt on. I looked around the room, and noticed Claudia was also in the bed with me. Her blonde hair was spread around her, as she slept….in my shirt. The fuck? I got out of bed. I was also sans pants, and briefs. I finally saw my pants in the corner, and quickly put them on.

  Claudia stirred, but didn’t wake up. Why the fuck was I in her bed naked? I stumbled out of her room and got into the elevator and pressed for my floor. I leaned my head against the cool steel of the wall. The elevator finally dinged, and I walked to my room. I stumbled in, trying to figure out what the fuck happened last night.

  I pulled out my phone, that was still in my pocket. I had a few missed calls from Emmalin, as well as a few texts. I opened one of the messages and my heart sank at what I read.

  Emmalin: Emersyn’s fever spiked again. I’m taking her to the hospital.

  There was a message that followed an hour later.

  Emmalin: They want to keep her overnight to monitor her. I know you’re busy but I wish you were here.

  I called her immediately. It went straight to voice mail. Fuck! I called the pilot telling him we needed to take off within the next ten minutes. I packed up everything, then I called Chace.

  “Chace! Get the fuck up we have to leave now!” I didn’t even wait for him to respond. I hung up as I finished packing, all the while trying Emmalin’s number again. A knock on my suite had me halting. I muttered a curse as I went to the door. It was the last person I wanted to see. She was also still wearing my shirt. I pulled her into my suite.

  “What the fuck happened last night?”

  She pulled her hair to the side of her shoulder and crossed one long leg in front of the other, as if she was trying to get comfortable. She cocked her head. “You don’t remember?”

  “If I remembered, then I wouldn’t be fucking asking,” I said through gritted teeth. “What the fuck happened last night?”

  She took a step back and frowned. “You’re scaring me when you’re like this.” Her hand started to go up my arm, and I flinched back.

  Another knock on the door, and I walked to it, opening it up. Chace.

  He walked past me into the room. “Fuck man, you couldn’t let me sleep in?” He stopped when he saw Claudia standing there, in just a shirt. My fucking shirt. She looked between both of us, as she played with the hemline of the shirt.

  I started to speak, and he held his hand up. We all stood there, as I watched Chace contemplate whatever his next move was, or whatever the fuck he was about to say. Either way, nothing good will come from it.

  Finally, he spoke. “Grayson. Is that your shirt she’s wearing?” I cringed. I could lie. I could totally fucking lie. “Because, I don’t know too many people that wear eight hundred dollar Brunello Cucinelli Italian shirts.” He turned to face me. “Do you?” Before, I could answer he spoke again. “And, I’m sure it’s not a coincidence that someone else in this hotel is wearing that same brand.” He wagged his finger toward me. “It’s not uncommon, but rare.”

  “Grayson slept in my room last night, and…”

  “Claudia, shut the fuck up! Get out. Now.”

  She looked shocked as she tiptoed out the room. I waited until the door closed before facing Chace again. Before, anything could come out of my mouth, Chace had me by the collar and slammed me into the wall. “What the fuck was that, Grayson?!” I’ve seen Chace mad. Seething even. But here and now, Chace would actually kill me and not think twice about it.

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “Try again, asshole. Did you fuck her?!”

  I was quiet, and his eyes widened as he stepped back as if I was on fire. He turned around seemingly disgusted with me. As he should be. “I don’t know what happened last night, Chace. I swear to you. I just remember feeling weird, and Claudia brought me to her room and…” I ran my hands through my hair. “I wouldn’t cheat on my wife, Chace. You of all people should know that.”

  We stood staring at each other when a phone started ringing. It took about five rings, before I realized it was mine and I raced over to it. “Hello? Emmalin?” The call had already ended. “Fuck!”

  I turned back to Chace. “I will explain what I know on the plane. I promise. But, my daughter is in the hospital, and I need to be there.”

  Chace reluctantly nodded as we finished gathering all my stuff.

  An hour later we were in the air. Chace sat directly across from me, giving me the most hateful look ever with his hands clenched into fists. He and Emmalin are close. At first, I didn’t get it and was jealous, some might say. I didn’t know what his intentions originally were with Emmalin, or why they had such a deep bond, a bond that I’ll never have with her. But, now I get it. He loves and cares for her just as much as I do and would do anything to protect her.

  “Are you going to talk, or do I have to beat it out of you?”

  I took a moment. “All I remember is that I felt extremely tired after a few drinks. Claudia was trying to help me to my room, but she said she had to get something from hers first.” I paused, and tightly shut my eyes, trying to figure out the rest. I slowly shook my head. “All I remember is waking up the next morning, I was completely naked, and Claudia had on my shirt.

  “So, you fucked her?”

  “I didn’t…” I calmed my voice. “I didn’t fuck her.”

  “That you know of?”

  I leaned my head back and rubbed the bridge of my nose. “I think something was in my drink.”

  Chace didn’t say anything as he stared at me. “You swore to me you wouldn’t hurt her, Grayson. Don’t make yourself a liar.”

  He got up and moved to the next row. I shut my eyes, willing myself to remember.

  11

  Grayson

  I still hadn’t heard from Emmalin by the time we landed. I went straight to the hospital. Trying to get information from anyone pertaining to where they were was a nightmare. Finally, I was sent to the pediatric ward. I peered into the room that held my daughter. She was sleeping peacefully while Emmalin sat with red-rimmed eyes, not taking her eyes off of Flick. She didn’t even realize I had walked in until I was standing directly next to the bed.

  She blinked several times before realizing it was me. All it took was for a single tear to run down her face, and I had my arms around her. “How is she?”

  “She’s better. They’re keeping her hydrated. Her fever finally broke, she hasn’t eaten much, but she’s been getting a lot of sleep. My phone was dead, and I didn’t have my charger, and…”

  I cut her off. “Hey. She’s going to be fine, okay?” I pulled her to me as I glanced at Flick. She moved but she didn’t wake up. I peered back at Emmalin. “When’s the last time you slept or ate?”

  She crinkled her brow as she tried to remember. Knowing her, she hadn’t done either in two days. “I had a few saltines, but I didn’t want to leave her by herself.” She wiped away some tears.

  “Okay, I’m going to have something brought in. I need you to eat, okay? You’re no good to Flick if you’re sick, too.” She nodded going back to her side at Flick’s bed.

  Four hours later, Flick was finally given the okay to go home.

  12

  Grayson

  It’s been two weeks since Paris. I made sure to avoid Claudia at all costs, which actually wasn’t easy to do. Everything was seemingly going okay, whe
n I received a call from one of my publicists Andrea Malloy.

  “There’s a story about you that’s brewing.”

  “What kind of story?” Things like this was nothing new. There was always something being said in tabloids, and gossip tabloids.

  She started to speak but hesitated. “It’s a silly rumor, about infidelity.”

  I paused, because that sure as fuck had my attention. Normally stories like that, I didn’t care about, because I knew shade was always going to be thrown around. “They’re saying you had an affair with your coworker, and that the affair eventually turned violent.”

  My finger was tapping on my desk, as I tried to take in what she was saying. “What coworker?”

  She sighed. “A Claudia Schaffer. Are you familiar with that name?”

  “Yes,” I gritted out. “Yes, I am.”

  “The sources claim to have proof that’s set to be leaked within a matter of hours. A video of some sort.”

  “That’s great, Andrea, what the fuck are you doing to stop it?”

  “We’re trying, even offering a settlement not to go to the press. So far they’re not biting.”

  “Well, whatever you’re offering them, double it. Fuck, triple it. I don’t give a fuck, just do it now!”

  I hung up the phone. I needed to get home. My first thought was to get Emmalin out of town and secluded somewhere until this whole thing boils over. I first made a call to Glenda inquiring about the whereabouts of Claudia. She apparently has been on leave all week. I thought about going to her house, but that would only look worse.

  I finally got home, and Emmalin had just walked into the living room with some cleaning supplies. She looked up at me and smiled. “Hey. What are you doing home early? Magda just brought Emersyn back home from the park, she’s worn out. Apparently, she likes throwing bread for the ducks to feed.”