Equity (Balance Sheet #3) (17 page)

He’d made his point. I’d played with fire and lost. Chin up I decided I would walk out of that room with my head held high. I’d leave tomorrow to go back to DC and never return, at least not to see him. His offer of a fuck buddy, joke or not, would never work. I loved him too much for that.

When I finally left the tiny room, I had to get out of the club and as far away from the man that held my heart as possible. Before I could achieve those ends, Brian found me in the hall just outside the VIP room.

“There you are,” he beamed. Little did he know the trust on his face was misplaced. There was a slut in his midst.

“I had to use the ladies’ room.” It was true in ways. “I think I’m going to call it a night.” I managed not to sniffle, but my words still slurred some. I shifted my gaze from his, unable to meet his eye.

“I’ll get the others,” he offered.

“No.” I shook my head almost violently. “Everyone is having a good time. You should stay.”

“Nah, it won’t be the same without you.” He was so wrong about that.

He slung an arm over my shoulder. I felt like such a shit. Even though he wasn’t my boyfriend didn’t justify how I’d used him and where I’d ended up.

“No, I insist,” I pleaded.

“I’ll get us a cab.” He tried to take my hand. I played dumb like I thought he was gesturing me forward. Kalen had proved himself true to his word that night. Brian didn’t deserve his wrath if Kalen caught him touching me. I briefly wondered how Turner survived the experience.

Thankfully, we made it outside without running into anyone in our party, especially Kalen, along the way. We were lucky and didn’t have to wait a terribly long time to hail a cab. Brian, being the good guy Kalen wasn’t, insisted on sharing a cab with me.

On the ride to my place, Brian didn’t let the silence fester. “So… how long have you and Kalen been together or not together?” he asked astutely.

“That obvious?” I said, tired of lying.

He shrugged. “You both did an excellent job of trying to convince me otherwise at his office.” There was a pause. “Was your acceptance tonight an attempt to make him jealous?”

It was my time to sigh. “Yes and no, and not really.” His eyebrows rose. He deserved an explanation. “Kalen and I aren’t together. We weren’t together in Scotland. Things ended before then.”

He nodded and waited for me to continue. “He was trying to keep me out of the media when he took me to Scotland. You know the whole scandal.” I used wide gestures with my hands to show the enormity of the situation.

Cutting to the chase, he asked, “So who broke things off?” He was trying to fit the final pieces together.

“Me… I guess. And since then, we’ve only managed to try and hurt each other. It’s stupid. Tit for tat,” I said. “And I like you… I do. I had every intention of having a good time with you tonight. I’m sorry it’s turned out to be a mess.”

“It was entertaining. Honestly, I think it would have been boring without you. I would have left a lot sooner had you not come. My only regret is I didn’t get to dance with you.”

The cab stopped in front of my building. “Rain check,” I offered, knowing he wouldn’t refuse but at the same time never take me up on it.

“Sure,” he said. I reached in my purse to pay the cabbie my portion of the trip. “No, I got it. I’ll see you around Bailey.”

He hadn’t tried to kiss me and I knew that was the nicest kiss-off ever, all things considered. I stepped out of the cab and saw Kalen standing outside my door. I stopped dead in my tracks.

What the fuck was I doing here? It wasn’t the first time I’d asked myself that. Sure, I’d given the security team the night off because she was supposed to be with me under my watchful eye. But I could cancel that directive.

Was I jealous? Maybe, considering I was there like a dog in heat to mark my territory. Why did I need to be? I’d screwed her like a porn star in the fucking VIP bathroom. It would be a long time before she forgot me. Hell, I’d spilled my seed in her. Why not let Brian have my sloppy seconds?
Cause you could have gotten her pregnant.

I paced while I rubbed at my aching temples at that thought. What the fuck had I been thinking? Wasn’t that the point? I hadn’t. I’d gone over the edge when I saw her shake her ass all over that bawbag. I’d taken care of the little shite with efficiency. Then, without thought, I’d given her what she’d wanted, what I needed. My mind lost in her, I hadn’t taken the time to protect us both from that possibility.

I let out a sigh. It was time to cut all ties. Love wasn’t going to get the best of me. I needed to move on. Women weren’t in short supply. Hell, Kinsey had figured out Bailey and I had a thing, yet she’d offered to go home with me. It had been priceless to see the look on her face when I turned her down.
Women
.

Had I really offered to be Bailey’s fuck buddy? That was never going to happen. You couldn’t just fuck the girl you loved. The best thing we could do for each other was to steer clear of one another. The proof of that was in the irrational urge I had to drive to Brian’s hotel room and annihilate them both if she was there.

I pulled out my phone, ready to dial my security team, when a cab pulled up to the curb.
Bailey
. I drank in the sight of her. Life contorted into slow motion as I waited, wondering would she dare to kiss him goodnight. Part of me wanted her to so I could
punish
her again up in the apartment. My cock twitched at the prospect.

Without folly, she stepped onto the curb. The taxi took off, presumably headed to Brian’s hotel. Rage pushed her forward. The light that normally filled her face was all but gone. When our eyes locked it was like there was equity in the world. I wanted to deny that she was the oasis in my heart, but that would be a lie.

It helped that she held a homicidal glare on me. That put a little perspective on things. Our opportunity for togetherness had died when she’d chosen to sleep with Turner. If I wasn’t so fucked up over it, I could admit I understood her choices. Hadn’t I come to that conclusion at Keely’s place?

All possibilities fled as she glided to me like a lioness ready to pounce. I’d take my licks, then walk away and never look back.

“You bastard,” she shouted just as a harsh sting landed across my cheek.

“I deserve that.”

“Why are you here?” she cried. Tears burst forth and they weren’t conjured to pull at my sympathy. Yet I fell prey to them.

“Don’t cry,” I commanded softly. My thumb snuck out and brushed the wetness away from the right side of her face.

She shook before she swayed in anger. Her next words never came. Her eyes rolled up in her head and she began to fall. I stepped forward and caught her in time. Fear coiled around my heart like a well-tied knot. The doorman helped my decision on what to do when he gave way to a direct path to the elevator and up to Lizzy’s apartment.

Cradled to my chest, Bailey was unresponsive. I almost turned around to head for my car I’d parked in the garage earlier to take her to the emergency room. I opened the door to her apartment with a key I managed to wrangle out of her purse with my free hand. She was breathing. The rising and falling of her chest was why I keyed in the annoying yet important security code.

My phone buzzed. I ignored it while I set Bailey down on the couch. I felt her head, not sure what I was seeking. My brain had short-circuited and I acted on instinct. I propped her head up and turned her to face one side. I retrieved a blanket from her old room to cover her with.

I pulled out my phone to make a call when it rang in my hand. Confused, I stared at it a second longer when a knock came at the door. It all made sense when the knock and the phone rang at the same time.

As another firm knock came at the door, I opened it and answered the phone at the same time. “She fine. I’m going to call a doctor now.” I told both the guy at my door and the one on the phone.

The guy at the door waited, while a voice on the phone said, “Sure thing, boss. When you didn’t answer your phone after I saw you on the security cam, I sent someone over to help.”

The security team was turning out to be a godsend. I was starting to believe I’d gotten a bargain with the price I’d paid for the company. Once the team set up surveillance for Lizzy and Violet, they’d rented an apartment in the adjacent building so that they would be close if needed. Also, it helped in the rotation. Additionally, it was far more economical than paying for hotel rooms for the indeterminate future.

Once I hung up and the guard was stationed outside, I kneeled in front of Bailey and stroked my knuckles down her cheek. She looked so vulnerable and innocent. It was hard to deny my feelings for the Lass when my heart thundered at the prospect of losing her. Was it possible for me to get past what happened between her and Turner? It wasn’t like I’d see the guy every day to be reminded.

“Bailey,” I said gently. She didn’t stir. I selected a contact on my phone.

Although my personal physician wasn’t at my beck and call, he did make home appointments. He’d been my father’s physician and thus I somewhat inherited him, or at least access to him. I’d had few occasions to need his services, but I’d spoken to him enough to feel comfortable to make this call.

I breathed when the other side of the line was picked up and the doctor announced himself by his name and title.

“Yes, this is Jeremey Glenn,” I said, feeling the weirdness every time I used that name. It was my birth name. However, the only time I went by it was when I was in the states or dealing with father’s companies, mine now.

“Yes Jeremey, how can I be of assistance?” It was late, however he sounded pleasant enough. I’d never abused his service of direct calling him so that might be why he didn’t seem agitated by my late call.

How to explain the situation? If I said friend or a woman, would he help? She wasn’t his patient. Should I use the term girlfriend?

“My fiancé has passed out,” I said. It was the highest title I could use without things getting complicated in the future when I had more dealings with doc.

“I see,” he said patiently. “Is she breathing?”

I wanted to rage that I wasn’t an idiot. If she wasn’t breathing, I would have called the U.S. emergency number 911. Which was a absurd number in the first place. In Scotland, you dialed 999, which is infinitely easier.

“Yes, she’s breathing,” I gritted out.

“Do you know how to check for a pulse and heart rate?”

In theory I did. I’d seen it enough on television and movies to have an idea. I explained to him what I knew and he walked me through it.

“She’s breathing normally,” he said after I gave him my readings. “Is she warm, feverish?”

Placing the back of my hand to her forehead, I checked again before answering. “She feels fine.”

“Did she eat or drink anything tonight? Has she been vomiting?”

I thought back to our meal and the humiliation on her face when she left the table. I had no idea if she’d thrown up in the bathroom. “She did eat and she’s been drinking,” I added, thinking everything I could tell him might help with a diagnosis.

“Is it possible that she passed out because of alcohol?” he asked casually, but he also sounded cautious like he expected me to be offended by his question.

“Anything is possible, but she was talking to me normally before. Our conversation got a little heated, then she passed out,” I admitted.

“You might not know the answer to this question, but do you know when her last period was?”

“No, I don’t,” I said sounding dead, as my mind raced, not liking where this was going.

Bailey’s head moved. “It looks like she might be coming to.” I felt hope and not the frenzy from before.

“Do you know if she’s using oral contraceptive? That might rule out that possibility.”

“She is on the pill. Let me check her purse,” I offered.

The small bag had slipped off her shoulder when I put her down. I reached for it on the floor near my feet. I invaded her personal belongings again and came up empty. “They’re not in here.”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean she isn’t on them. Some women don’t keep them on their person. Is she still waking up?”

I stared at her. “She stopped moving her head.”

“If she doesn’t come to in another few minutes, try and rouse her again. If she doesn’t wake up then, I would take her to the emergency room. Call me back and I’ll meet you there.” He rattled off the name of the hospital nearby. “Without seeing her, my best guess is exhaustion or she’s pregnant. If she’s consumed a lot of alcohol, she might have alcohol poisoning. She would have likely still shown signs of intoxication. If you think it’s at all possible that alcohol is a factor, I suggest going to the emergency room right away.”

“Okay,” I said. She’d seemed sober when we’d spoken. I’d give it a few more minutes before I changed course of action and headed to the hospital.

Bailey spoke. “Kalen… what happened?” Her hand found her forehead and held it like she had a headache.

“How do you feel?”

“Okay, I guess. I remember talking to you, then nothing.” Her voice was a little on the raspy side.

I forgot the doc was still on the line until he spoke. “Ask her if she’s been ill lately.”

“The doctor wants to know if you’ve been ill.”

“Doctor? … no… well, I’ve been feeling sick off and on,” she said. Her expression was pinched and her eyes closed tight.

He began asking me a series of questions that I passed on to her. “Did you vomit after eating today?”

She shook her head slightly. We went through a few more questions until we came back to the one I dreaded.

“He wants to know when your last period was.”

Her eyes popped wide and frantically searched the room as she tried to figure it out. When a look of abject horror crossed her face, I spoke slowly into my cell. “I think I’ll call you back.”

“Make sure to get her hydrated. Alcohol tends to cause dehydration. If she is pregnant, she’ll be fine. She’ll probably just need rest. Call me back if her symptoms change.”

We clicked off. I stood from my perch and didn’t glance at her. I treaded my way into the kitchen to find a glass. My head worked overtime. I was pretty sure we’d used a condom every time except the last two nights. It couldn’t be mine. My legs felt weighted as I clomped back to the sofa and helped her sit up before giving her the water bottle I’d found.

“I think I should go.” The doctor had cleared her.
She didn’t need me
, I told myself. I’d yet to meet her eyes. It felt like my heart broke all over again. How had I allowed myself to fall in love with the wrong woman?

“Kalen,” she said so softly I almost turned to face her. There had been such a plea in my name it almost swayed me.

“I have to go.” There was conviction in my tone. I continued to face the door because if I saw need in her eyes, my resolve would break. “I stopped by earlier to give you this,” I produced an envelope out of an inside breast pocket of my coat. “It’s from Turner. He left it for you in Scotland. I realized you never received it. I had my mother overnight it. It looks like you need this now more than ever.”

I set it on the coffee table. So much for not being reminded of Turner on a daily basis. I couldn’t do it.

“Please,” she said quietly. I could hear her tears. If I saw them, I would crumble. I moved forward without answering her. I opened the door, knowing that might be the last time we saw each other.