Bound Together (81 page)
Authors: Marie Coulson
Slumping down next to me
on the couch my dad sighed deeply. “Layla, for the past seven years
you and me, we’ve been a team right?”
I nodded and stared at
him as he ran his hands over his face. “Well I’m cutting you from
it. It’s time you did a little exploring and searching on your own.
But always remember that this house is your home. Always. You will
always have a place to come back to when you need it. I love you
baby girl and I want you to be happy. Even if it means being away
from me.” Pulling me into a tight hug he pressed a kiss to my
forehead and sighed. I smiled up at him reassuringly.. “Thank you
daddy. No matter what you’re always going to be the first man I
ever loved.”
He chuckled in my ear. “I
know baby. Hey, why don’t you stay here a few days and take some
time out. It’ll be just like old times.”
Nodding, I kissed his
cheek. “Sounds great.”
morning was not a welcome experience as everything came flooding
back to me and the enormous weight once again landed on my
shoulders. Grabbing my cell, I dialed my girls.
“
Hey sweetie pie. One
sec.” Mel’s cheery voice on the other end of the line was far too
perky for the mood I was currently in and it kind of irked
me.
“
Ok you’re on speaker
with Mel and Amy. How are you today?” She sounded like a radio show
host.
“
Could you try and be a
little less upbeat? I’m wallowing in self-pity here
remember?”
“
Still feeling like the
world has been tipped on its head huh?” Amy’s voice echoed from the
background.
“
Dropped on my ass feels
more like it. I talked to my mom and dad last night. Basically
they’ll support me whatever I decide; which is great but it doesn’t
solve my problem.”
“
Have you spoken to
either of them?” Was she kidding? Of course I hadn’t.
“
The idea is to get away
from them and think about what I’m going to do not cloud my
judgment with their presence.”
I heard Amy say something
and muffling the cell receiver Mel answered her.
“
Hey, I’m right here so
if you have something to say just say it.” Mel sighed loudly. “We
were just saying you can’t drag it out forever wishing it will work
out somehow. You have to choose Layla. Otherwise you’re just
stringing them along. Pick one and put the other out of his misery
for heaven’s sake.”
Her attitude was
beginning to irritate me.
“
I’m not doing this for
my own sick entertainment guys. If you were me, tell me, what would
you do? I love them both and there are so many reasons why I should
pick each of them, so tell me how do I choose? Because I don’t have
the first fucking idea.”
“
But if you don’t figure
it out soon, you’re going to lose them both Layla.”
She was right, she was
always right but she wasn’t the one about to lose someone important
from her life. It was one thing dishing out advice but it really
wasn’t as useful as she thought. “Don’t you think I know that? It’s
killing me. But I don’t have the answer right now. I gotta go. I’ll
call you tomorrow.”
I needed some peace,
silence and breathing space. Glancing at my clock I groaned. I’d
been asleep for almost twelve hours and it was now closer to lunch
than breakfast. Kicking off my covers, I hauled myself out of bed
and into my bathroom. I stared at myself in the mirror. My red hair
was matted, tangled and had seen better days by far. My poor tired
eyes were bloodshot, almost matching the shade of my hair and my
pale skin completed the Raggedy Ann look perfectly. Rolling my
eyes. I began the tedious task of getting washed, dressed and
presentable, when all I really wanted to do was crawl back into my
bed and pretend my life wasn’t one huge disaster.
The delicious smell of
coffee pulled me from my mood and down the stairs to the kitchen.
Raising her head from her magazine, mom smiled at me. “Morning
sunshine. How you feeling?” I shrugged. “Same old. Nothing changed
in the past twelve hours so I’m still caught between a rock star
and a hard bodied sex god.” She winced. “Layla, please, I’m your
mother for crying out loud.” Pouring myself a cup of very strong
coffee I sighed. My mind instantly traveled back to the coffee
shop, Jared, breakfast coffee with Ollie and the safe word. Jared
had introduced me to a whole new world of carnal pleasures, sex and
erotica. I’d never tried bondage before and I think, if it had been
anyone else, I would never have agreed to it. But Jared was so
caring, open and straight about it that it didn’t seem so scary.
The payoff was immense. Pleasure, pain and sheet clenching orgasms
were just naming a few. He’d even allowed me indulge my biting
fetish. But that wasn’t all he’d shown me. The all-consuming love I
felt for him was addictive. My heart ached without him and a love
that intense and powerful doesn’t just disappear. It grips you and
sets your soul on fire. That’s how I always felt around Jared. Hot,
burning and incendiary. He had the ability to boil my blood with
anger and simmer it with desire. It was confusing and completely
exhausting.
Slumping into the chair
opposite her I leaned my elbows on the table and stared into
space.
“
You can’t avoid it
forever sweetheart. Why don’t you go out today? Get some air, clear
your head a little.”
I snorted “It will take a
lot more than some air to clear my mind Mom. I’d need a lobotomy to
clear all the stuff I have crammed in there right now.”
She chuckled and took a
long gulp of her coffee. “Well I just think a change of scenery may
help.”
Rolling my eyes, I
finished my coffee and shrugged. “Fine I’ll go for a walk, not that
I think it will do much good.” Leaving her shaking her head and
sipping her coffee, I grabbed my shoes and headed out.
The weather was
gloriously warm and the heat on my body instantly relaxed my tense
muscles. I wasn’t heading anywhere specific, so aimlessly walking
the streets was my only option; but almost instinctively, my feet
seemed to lead me right to the park. Shaking my head, I smiled to
myself.
Ah sneaky move feet, sneaky
move
. My heart and mind were trying to
sway my decision just as they had in Jared’s office. The park held
so many sweet memories of Ollie and being there was certainly going
to provoke some deep emotional responses. However I wasn’t holding
my breath for it to be a response that would give me any guidance
one way or the other whatsoever.
Walking through the
luscious green and very picturesque scenery I found myself only a
few feet away from a tree that, when catching my eye, made my heart
skip a beat. It was the spot where Ollie had brought me on
Christmas morning. The place where he had sung me the most
beautiful song I had ever heard and carved our names into the very
tree that loomed over the grassy area of which I was now heading.
Trying desperately to calm my breathing which was now become a
little ragged, I walked over to examine the engraving more
closely.
The weather hadn’t
changed it at all and our names were as vivid now as they had been
the morning he’d carved them. Running my fingertips over Ollie’s
name, I felt my heart plummet into my stomach. God I missed him so
much. Turning around I leaned my back against the bark and slid all
the way down the ground with a thud. Well doesn’t this just
suck?
My cell buzzed in my
pocket and checking the caller I.D I rolled my eyes as I answered.
“Mother I thought the idea was for me to get some time alone and
clear my head.”
“
I know sweetheart but I
think you should come home. A big package just arrived for
you.”
My stomach did a back
flip as my mind boggled as to what it could possibly be and who
could have sent it. I had two possible culprits in mind so far.
Getting to my feet I brushed myself off, took one last glance at
the tree and headed home.
Walking through the front
door I scanned the hallway for the mysterious package that had been
so important I simply had to tear myself away from my wallowing in
the park. Sitting in the kitchen my mother gave me a smile. “It
came just after you left. I put it in the living room.”
She walked in front of me
and promptly took a seat on the sofa where a large black box
occupied half of the couch. I approached it cautiously, biting my
lip as anxiety flooded my veins. My mother was acting like a child
on their birthday as she eyed the mysterious package.
“
I don’t know who it’s
from, the doorbell rang, I ran down to get it but all that was
there was this box and a Post-it note with your name on
it.”
Lifting the box from the
sofa, I placed it onto the floor and sat in front of it. It wasn’t
heavy as such but certainly required a little strength to move.
Holding my breath, I lifted the lid and peeled back the layers of
crate paper inside. The breath I was holding got caught in my
throat and I coughed, spluttered and gasped as my eyes fell on the
contents of the box. My mother was leaning so far off the couch I
thought she may fall off as she tried to see what was inside my
mystery gift.
“
It’s from
Jared.”
Tilting her head at me
she gave me a puzzled look. “How do you know?”
Reaching into the box I
grabbed the ‘I heart New York’ mug and held it up to her.
“Because
he
gave
me this. He gave me all of this. This is the box I sent back to him
after we broke up. He even got all that jewelry back from the
shop.”
Taking each item
carefully from the package I sighed as each provoked a warm and
wonderful memory. The blue dress I’d worn to dinner at the
Hyatt Regency was folded neatly and pulling it
out, I grinned as sweet, sensual memories of our sexual escapades
beneath the table came flooding back to me. My insides clenched
with remembered pleasure.
A small black velvet box
was hiding in the corner of the package and pulling it out I opened
it, knowing what rested inside. The stunning black star sapphire
and diamonds glistened and gleamed in the light and a note had been
folded up tightly and placed in the lid. Taking it out I read it as
tears began to fill my eyes.
I still promise. Every
day for the rest of my life. I’ll hold your dreams, wishes, hopes
and fears forever. I Promise to never give up on us and to love you
with every beat of my heart till the end of time.
I miss you.
Jared xxx
Dropping it to the floor
I held my head in my hands. Crap. Just when I thought things
couldn’t get any harder he sends me all of these sentimental
memories. It wasn’t fair. How could I possibly try to figure out
what I wanted when everywhere I turned I found reasons to choose
them both. The tree, the park, the box, the ring. It was all too
much and I felt instantly exhausted and emotionally drained.
Falling back onto the floor, I flung my arm over my eyes. The ring
was still firmly grasped in my hand but prying it from my fingers,
my mother seized it whistling. “Oh my. This is stunning. It must
have cost a fortune.”
I let out an exasperated
sigh. “Diamond and white gold bracelet was
$
11,050. The diamond emerald and
crystal ring at least another twelve thousand. Then there are the
earrings, headband, ruby bracelet and the ring you currently hold
in your hand; the black star sapphire and diamond he bought for my
birthday. He also gave me a pendant to which he has one that
matches. That and the ring are engraved.” Lifting the ring from its
box, my mother examined the message etched into the
metal.
Looking across the floor
to the box, I spotted the mug sitting on the carpet begging for me
to pick it up and examine it. My plan to avoid a painful and
confusing trip down memory lane was officially out of the window
and my will power had completely deserted me. Picking up the cup, I
turned it around and ran my fingertip over the words that were
permanently scribbled on the back.
“
Don’t give up on me.
Sounds like he was scared.” My mother, ever the nosey and
overprotective person she was, was reading it over my shoulder.
Covering it with my hand and quickly returning it to the box I
shook my head.
“
We’d had a fight. I’d
rather not talk about it. In fact I’d rather not talk about, look
at or think about any of this stuff.” Getting to my feet I skirted
around the box and ran for the solace of my bedroom.
Slamming myself onto my
bed I buried my head in my pillow and just as I had when I was a
child, I threw the biggest tantrum of my life. Hurling my pillow
across the room I kicked, growled and thrashed about on my bed. I
was angry, frustrated and so worked up. I could have exploded from
the tension building inside me. What they were making me do and
what they were putting me through was beyond unfair, it was
downright cruel. Jared would be leaving the next day and I was
still no closer to having an answer for him or Ollie.
Lying on my bed I stared
at the ceiling. Images of the two men I was hopelessly in love with
swarming around in my thoughts made me dizzy. Closing my eyes, I
took a deep breath and begged my heart to speak to me, to help me
figure out what was happening to us. But it wasn’t willing to play
ball this time. Placing my palm over it I pleaded that something,
anything might happen, that maybe thinking of one of them I might
feel a thud or a beat skipping but it continued to thunder and
hammer inside of my chest as Ollie and Jared both simultaneously
ran through my mind.
on the couch my dad sighed deeply. “Layla, for the past seven years
you and me, we’ve been a team right?”
I nodded and stared at
him as he ran his hands over his face. “Well I’m cutting you from
it. It’s time you did a little exploring and searching on your own.
But always remember that this house is your home. Always. You will
always have a place to come back to when you need it. I love you
baby girl and I want you to be happy. Even if it means being away
from me.” Pulling me into a tight hug he pressed a kiss to my
forehead and sighed. I smiled up at him reassuringly.. “Thank you
daddy. No matter what you’re always going to be the first man I
ever loved.”
He chuckled in my ear. “I
know baby. Hey, why don’t you stay here a few days and take some
time out. It’ll be just like old times.”
Nodding, I kissed his
cheek. “Sounds great.”
* * *
morning was not a welcome experience as everything came flooding
back to me and the enormous weight once again landed on my
shoulders. Grabbing my cell, I dialed my girls.
“
Hey sweetie pie. One
sec.” Mel’s cheery voice on the other end of the line was far too
perky for the mood I was currently in and it kind of irked
me.
“
Ok you’re on speaker
with Mel and Amy. How are you today?” She sounded like a radio show
host.
“
Could you try and be a
little less upbeat? I’m wallowing in self-pity here
remember?”
“
Still feeling like the
world has been tipped on its head huh?” Amy’s voice echoed from the
background.
“
Dropped on my ass feels
more like it. I talked to my mom and dad last night. Basically
they’ll support me whatever I decide; which is great but it doesn’t
solve my problem.”
“
Have you spoken to
either of them?” Was she kidding? Of course I hadn’t.
“
The idea is to get away
from them and think about what I’m going to do not cloud my
judgment with their presence.”
I heard Amy say something
and muffling the cell receiver Mel answered her.
“
Hey, I’m right here so
if you have something to say just say it.” Mel sighed loudly. “We
were just saying you can’t drag it out forever wishing it will work
out somehow. You have to choose Layla. Otherwise you’re just
stringing them along. Pick one and put the other out of his misery
for heaven’s sake.”
Her attitude was
beginning to irritate me.
“
I’m not doing this for
my own sick entertainment guys. If you were me, tell me, what would
you do? I love them both and there are so many reasons why I should
pick each of them, so tell me how do I choose? Because I don’t have
the first fucking idea.”
“
But if you don’t figure
it out soon, you’re going to lose them both Layla.”
She was right, she was
always right but she wasn’t the one about to lose someone important
from her life. It was one thing dishing out advice but it really
wasn’t as useful as she thought. “Don’t you think I know that? It’s
killing me. But I don’t have the answer right now. I gotta go. I’ll
call you tomorrow.”
I needed some peace,
silence and breathing space. Glancing at my clock I groaned. I’d
been asleep for almost twelve hours and it was now closer to lunch
than breakfast. Kicking off my covers, I hauled myself out of bed
and into my bathroom. I stared at myself in the mirror. My red hair
was matted, tangled and had seen better days by far. My poor tired
eyes were bloodshot, almost matching the shade of my hair and my
pale skin completed the Raggedy Ann look perfectly. Rolling my
eyes. I began the tedious task of getting washed, dressed and
presentable, when all I really wanted to do was crawl back into my
bed and pretend my life wasn’t one huge disaster.
The delicious smell of
coffee pulled me from my mood and down the stairs to the kitchen.
Raising her head from her magazine, mom smiled at me. “Morning
sunshine. How you feeling?” I shrugged. “Same old. Nothing changed
in the past twelve hours so I’m still caught between a rock star
and a hard bodied sex god.” She winced. “Layla, please, I’m your
mother for crying out loud.” Pouring myself a cup of very strong
coffee I sighed. My mind instantly traveled back to the coffee
shop, Jared, breakfast coffee with Ollie and the safe word. Jared
had introduced me to a whole new world of carnal pleasures, sex and
erotica. I’d never tried bondage before and I think, if it had been
anyone else, I would never have agreed to it. But Jared was so
caring, open and straight about it that it didn’t seem so scary.
The payoff was immense. Pleasure, pain and sheet clenching orgasms
were just naming a few. He’d even allowed me indulge my biting
fetish. But that wasn’t all he’d shown me. The all-consuming love I
felt for him was addictive. My heart ached without him and a love
that intense and powerful doesn’t just disappear. It grips you and
sets your soul on fire. That’s how I always felt around Jared. Hot,
burning and incendiary. He had the ability to boil my blood with
anger and simmer it with desire. It was confusing and completely
exhausting.
Slumping into the chair
opposite her I leaned my elbows on the table and stared into
space.
“
You can’t avoid it
forever sweetheart. Why don’t you go out today? Get some air, clear
your head a little.”
I snorted “It will take a
lot more than some air to clear my mind Mom. I’d need a lobotomy to
clear all the stuff I have crammed in there right now.”
She chuckled and took a
long gulp of her coffee. “Well I just think a change of scenery may
help.”
Rolling my eyes, I
finished my coffee and shrugged. “Fine I’ll go for a walk, not that
I think it will do much good.” Leaving her shaking her head and
sipping her coffee, I grabbed my shoes and headed out.
The weather was
gloriously warm and the heat on my body instantly relaxed my tense
muscles. I wasn’t heading anywhere specific, so aimlessly walking
the streets was my only option; but almost instinctively, my feet
seemed to lead me right to the park. Shaking my head, I smiled to
myself.
Ah sneaky move feet, sneaky
move
. My heart and mind were trying to
sway my decision just as they had in Jared’s office. The park held
so many sweet memories of Ollie and being there was certainly going
to provoke some deep emotional responses. However I wasn’t holding
my breath for it to be a response that would give me any guidance
one way or the other whatsoever.
Walking through the
luscious green and very picturesque scenery I found myself only a
few feet away from a tree that, when catching my eye, made my heart
skip a beat. It was the spot where Ollie had brought me on
Christmas morning. The place where he had sung me the most
beautiful song I had ever heard and carved our names into the very
tree that loomed over the grassy area of which I was now heading.
Trying desperately to calm my breathing which was now become a
little ragged, I walked over to examine the engraving more
closely.
The weather hadn’t
changed it at all and our names were as vivid now as they had been
the morning he’d carved them. Running my fingertips over Ollie’s
name, I felt my heart plummet into my stomach. God I missed him so
much. Turning around I leaned my back against the bark and slid all
the way down the ground with a thud. Well doesn’t this just
suck?
My cell buzzed in my
pocket and checking the caller I.D I rolled my eyes as I answered.
“Mother I thought the idea was for me to get some time alone and
clear my head.”
“
I know sweetheart but I
think you should come home. A big package just arrived for
you.”
My stomach did a back
flip as my mind boggled as to what it could possibly be and who
could have sent it. I had two possible culprits in mind so far.
Getting to my feet I brushed myself off, took one last glance at
the tree and headed home.
Walking through the front
door I scanned the hallway for the mysterious package that had been
so important I simply had to tear myself away from my wallowing in
the park. Sitting in the kitchen my mother gave me a smile. “It
came just after you left. I put it in the living room.”
She walked in front of me
and promptly took a seat on the sofa where a large black box
occupied half of the couch. I approached it cautiously, biting my
lip as anxiety flooded my veins. My mother was acting like a child
on their birthday as she eyed the mysterious package.
“
I don’t know who it’s
from, the doorbell rang, I ran down to get it but all that was
there was this box and a Post-it note with your name on
it.”
Lifting the box from the
sofa, I placed it onto the floor and sat in front of it. It wasn’t
heavy as such but certainly required a little strength to move.
Holding my breath, I lifted the lid and peeled back the layers of
crate paper inside. The breath I was holding got caught in my
throat and I coughed, spluttered and gasped as my eyes fell on the
contents of the box. My mother was leaning so far off the couch I
thought she may fall off as she tried to see what was inside my
mystery gift.
“
It’s from
Jared.”
Tilting her head at me
she gave me a puzzled look. “How do you know?”
Reaching into the box I
grabbed the ‘I heart New York’ mug and held it up to her.
“Because
he
gave
me this. He gave me all of this. This is the box I sent back to him
after we broke up. He even got all that jewelry back from the
shop.”
Taking each item
carefully from the package I sighed as each provoked a warm and
wonderful memory. The blue dress I’d worn to dinner at the
Hyatt Regency was folded neatly and pulling it
out, I grinned as sweet, sensual memories of our sexual escapades
beneath the table came flooding back to me. My insides clenched
with remembered pleasure.
A small black velvet box
was hiding in the corner of the package and pulling it out I opened
it, knowing what rested inside. The stunning black star sapphire
and diamonds glistened and gleamed in the light and a note had been
folded up tightly and placed in the lid. Taking it out I read it as
tears began to fill my eyes.
I still promise. Every
day for the rest of my life. I’ll hold your dreams, wishes, hopes
and fears forever. I Promise to never give up on us and to love you
with every beat of my heart till the end of time.
I miss you.
Jared xxx
Dropping it to the floor
I held my head in my hands. Crap. Just when I thought things
couldn’t get any harder he sends me all of these sentimental
memories. It wasn’t fair. How could I possibly try to figure out
what I wanted when everywhere I turned I found reasons to choose
them both. The tree, the park, the box, the ring. It was all too
much and I felt instantly exhausted and emotionally drained.
Falling back onto the floor, I flung my arm over my eyes. The ring
was still firmly grasped in my hand but prying it from my fingers,
my mother seized it whistling. “Oh my. This is stunning. It must
have cost a fortune.”
I let out an exasperated
sigh. “Diamond and white gold bracelet was
$
11,050. The diamond emerald and
crystal ring at least another twelve thousand. Then there are the
earrings, headband, ruby bracelet and the ring you currently hold
in your hand; the black star sapphire and diamond he bought for my
birthday. He also gave me a pendant to which he has one that
matches. That and the ring are engraved.” Lifting the ring from its
box, my mother examined the message etched into the
metal.
Looking across the floor
to the box, I spotted the mug sitting on the carpet begging for me
to pick it up and examine it. My plan to avoid a painful and
confusing trip down memory lane was officially out of the window
and my will power had completely deserted me. Picking up the cup, I
turned it around and ran my fingertip over the words that were
permanently scribbled on the back.
“
Don’t give up on me.
Sounds like he was scared.” My mother, ever the nosey and
overprotective person she was, was reading it over my shoulder.
Covering it with my hand and quickly returning it to the box I
shook my head.
“
We’d had a fight. I’d
rather not talk about it. In fact I’d rather not talk about, look
at or think about any of this stuff.” Getting to my feet I skirted
around the box and ran for the solace of my bedroom.
Slamming myself onto my
bed I buried my head in my pillow and just as I had when I was a
child, I threw the biggest tantrum of my life. Hurling my pillow
across the room I kicked, growled and thrashed about on my bed. I
was angry, frustrated and so worked up. I could have exploded from
the tension building inside me. What they were making me do and
what they were putting me through was beyond unfair, it was
downright cruel. Jared would be leaving the next day and I was
still no closer to having an answer for him or Ollie.
Lying on my bed I stared
at the ceiling. Images of the two men I was hopelessly in love with
swarming around in my thoughts made me dizzy. Closing my eyes, I
took a deep breath and begged my heart to speak to me, to help me
figure out what was happening to us. But it wasn’t willing to play
ball this time. Placing my palm over it I pleaded that something,
anything might happen, that maybe thinking of one of them I might
feel a thud or a beat skipping but it continued to thunder and
hammer inside of my chest as Ollie and Jared both simultaneously
ran through my mind.
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