Neighbors (Twin Estates #1) (24 page)

“Tough talk, Tocci,” he called her out, matching her step for step. “Is that the first time you've ever said that word?”

“Just go away,” she grumbled, grabbing at her notepad and pens and sketchbook, trying to ignore the fact that everyone else in the room was staring at them with rapt attention.

“No. You started this, so I'll fucking finish it. You want to know what the real problem is?”

“
No.
”

“You're a scared little girl, who decided she needed to get fucked. So you went out and found a man. Found
two
men. So much attention for little Katya Tocci! The dull girl from next door scores with the hot older neighbor. But the moment I take some space for myself, you freak the fuck out. Did you think we were special? That you were my girlfriend?” he started laughing at her. “You knew what we were from the beginning. You're the one who slipped those panties into my pocket. You knew
exactly
what you were getting into. Stupid fucking girl. Gets fucked right and thinks she's in love.
Pathetic.
I hope you -”

She couldn't take it anymore. She was going to have a mental breakdown. He was beating her with his words, she could feel it in her muscles. Feel it all the way to her bones.
To her heart
. But he
would not
break her. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction. So in the middle of his rant, she let out a shriek and grabbed the closest thing to her – the half-eaten strawberry lemonade cake – and threw it at him.

“
Shut the fuck up!
” she shrieked, following up with a piece of chocolate ganache.

There was complete silence in the room. A pin drop could've been heard. They stared at each other, both breathing hard. She'd definitely crossed the line, throwing food at his suit that was worth thousands of dollars – but he'd fucking burned rubber as he'd gone over the line. Had left it in the dust and never looked back. So she figured cake throwing was warranted.

“Are you serious?” he breathed, running his hand down his tie, flinging frosting to the floor. Katya didn't say a word, just stared at him, one of her eyebrows boldly raised. Then, from behind them, came a snort. Then a snicker. A laugh being suppressed.

“I'm sorry, sir, but you kind of deserved it,” Lauren interjected.

Shit hit the fan. Or more correctly,
cake
hit the fan. Wulf lunged at the table top, shocking Katya and causing her to shriek. While her mouth was still open, she got a face-full of vanilla dessert. She coughed on it and blindly reached out, squeezing whatever was closest to her and rubbing it all over Wulf's suit. That earned her another piece of cake, this time splattered all over the left side of her head.

“
You fuck!
” she was shrieking, almost incoherent as she kept adding more dessert to his chest. “I hope it fucking stains! I hope it never fucking comes out! I fucking hate you!
You stupid fuck!
”

She wasn't sure how long their food fight lasted – it could only have been a couple seconds, but it felt like forever. Everyone was shouting, not just them, and then Lauren was in the middle of it, getting cake all over her scrubs.

“Hey, hey, hey! Knock it off, you two!
Hey!
I know you're pissed off, buddy, but that is a woman you're currently whitewashing with chocolate cake!
Calm down!
” she demanded.

“Mr. Stone! Ms. Tocci! Please! Show some decency!” that was Wulf's assistant, the tiny woman who rarely said much, screaming at both of them.

They were yanked apart. Some strange man had his arms around Katya's waist, holding her away from the table. Lauren was in front of Wulf, both her hands on his chest, and the assistant was standing in the middle of it all, slipping and sliding in the mess on the floor.

When Katya cleared the frosting out of her eyes, she gasped. From his collarbone to his belt, Wulf was covered in cake. There was a little smeared down his cheek, and a chunk in the side of his hair. She was almost proud of herself – she'd certainly gotten him at least as good as he'd gotten her.

“What is the meaning of this, Mr. Stone!?” the man holding her demanded.

“Get your hands off me!” she shouted, pulling herself free. She quickly moved around, putting the table between her and Wulf. He also stepped away, creating more distance between them.

“It didn't have to be like this,” he said in a scratchy voice.

“No, it didn't, Wulf. I hope you're happy with yourself,” she replied, not backing down one inch.

“Always am, Tocci. Ayumi, we're leaving,” he turned to his assistant. The woman took a deep breath and held her ground.

“No, sir.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said no. I'd like to stay and help clean up
your mess.
”

There was a tense moment, with Wulf's glare bouncing between Katya and Ayumi. Then he gave her a curt nod, and with that, he walked out of the room.

Out of her life.

His clients lingered for a moment, still obviously in shock over what had happened. Lauren finally chased them away while Katya dropped to her knees, attempting to scoop up the cake from off the floor. After hesitating only a moment, Wulf's assistant moved to help her.

“What are you two doing!? Stop that, it's filthy! I'll get someone from the building to clean it,” Lauren said, grabbing Katya by the arm and pulling her to her feet.

“No, no, I'll take care of it,” Ayumi spoke in her normal terse voice, but she looked at Katya like she was hurting for her. “It's the least I can do. I'll go find someone. I'm … I'm so sorry.”

The petite lady scampered from the room, leaving a shocked Katya in her wake. They'd never really spoken, except for Ayumi to pass along messages from Wulf. That she'd stayed behind and was helping Katya, it was a little mind blowing.

Or it would be, if I had any brains left in my head. You just had a screaming match and a food fight in front of your client, you idiot.

“I am so, so sorry, Lauren. So sorry. I don't know what came over me. I … I completely understand if you don't want me to do your cake anymore. I'll find you a new baker – the best baker in San Francisco. I'll pay for it,” she gushed, raising shaky hands to her head, shoving her doughy fingers into her hair.

“Are you kidding? Honey, after that show, I cannot wait to have you at my party! Shit, if I didn't have to go back to work, I would be taking you out for drinks and demanding the backstory to that little scrap!”

“Little scrap!? Lauren, I called him a pussy, he called me a slut, and then we threw cake at each other. Nothing about that was little!”

“You're right. It was
epic
. Look, go clean yourself up. Don't worry about a thing, we can go over the design some other time.”

“This isn't right. I was beyond unprofessional.”

“What would be right? Firing a girl who just got very publicly dumped by a guy who looks like he might be the world's biggest asshole? No, sweetie, you've had a rough enough day. Who you sleep with or fight with has no impact on how my cake tastes, and frankly, that's all I care about.”

Katya started laughing, and didn't stop till the laughs turned into tears. Lauren had an arm wrapped around her when Ayumi came back into the room.

“They're sending a janitor,” she said. “Please, don't worry – I'll make sure any cleaning fees are billed to The Stone Agency.”

“No offense,” Katya managed a watery laugh. “But I think you chose your side when you stayed with me. Why did you do that?”

“Mr. Stone is ultimately just a paycheck – I still have ethics, and I still know when wrong has been done. Even if he's not ready to apologize yet, I wanted to stay behind and at least apologize on his behalf. My job can wait for an hour or two while I help clean up.”

“Honestly, I'll be surprised if you still have a job.”

“Please. That agency couldn't run without me. I
will
be going back to my job, and he
will
be getting a piece of my mind. Besides, Mr. Stone would never let me go, I'm invaluable to him,” Ayumi stated.

“Huh. Must be nice. I wouldn't know how that feels,” Katya whispered.

And with that, the tears started all over again.

Jesus, I knew it was gonna be bad, but goddamn, I took it to a ten.

Wulfric couldn't remember ever losing so much control before – Katya had that effect on him. He lost his mind when he was around her. Usually it worked to both their benefits. That day, it had worked against them.

He had thought he could keep her separate. In a special place in his mind, well away from his heart. Similar to where he kept everyone else, only a little darker. Only a little farther back. Turned out, he'd pushed her so far back in his mind, she'd fallen straight past his defenses and taken up root in his chest, blossomed inside his heart. Made a garden there. A bright and sunny spot, right in the middle of his life.

There was no other ending for them,
but
an ending. He knew that, had known it since the beginning. He'd wanted to spare her the pain, so he'd walked away. Built up walls around her in his chest, tried to protect her from his negativity by removing himself.

Then she'd been in front of him. Nowhere to hide from her big blue eyes. So sad as she looked up at him. So soft and gentle and beautiful.
So hurt
. He couldn't handle that kind of pain.

So he'd ripped out that garden, right out of his chest. Thrown it in her face. He knew what was best for her, even if she didn't, and he would make her see the light. He would make her hate him.

Problem was, when something took up root, those roots stayed behind. Each step he'd taken away from her, those roots had pulled tighter and tighter. Stretched to their limit. By the time he'd left the building, each one had snapped clean in half. The dying rootstock festered in his chest, poisoning him. Making him want to throw up.

I make myself sick.

He only had himself to blame. She'd been a plaything – he'd even told her “
... my own personal fuck toy ...
” and he'd meant it. Pity he hadn't listened to himself. While he'd been playing his game, he'd been sharing so many moments with her. Growing something wonderful with her. He remembered having lunches with her, sitting by street carts and laughing with each other. Sitting on her bed, getting a manicure and discussing dreams. Sitting in his conference room, telling her he never took anyone to his home – though all the while, he'd been planning on taking her there.

He dropped his head and stared at his floor. He'd given her more than enough reasons to hate him. To never want to see him again. Their little food fight had worked much better than his silent treatment ever could have – had gone better than anything he could've planned.

Good for Katya, that she would be able to let him go. He could do that much for her.

Wulf, however, was going to bear the pain of losing her for a very long time.

This is for the best. This is for her. After all the things you've done to her, you certainly don't deserve to keep her. You're Wulfric Stone, and stones don't love.

Katya stood in her apartment for all of two seconds while she mulled over her options. She could call Tori, beg her to come home. Call her mother, beg her to come get her. Call Liam and just sob incoherently. Or just take a shower and forget Wulfric Stone ever existed.

She went with option five – she grabbed the vodka out of the freezer and went straight up to the roof. She sat down and put her feet in the kiddie pool, chugging the alcohol straight from the bottle. She raked her hands through her hair, not caring that she was spreading more of the cake into the strands, and yanked everything up into a ponytail. Then she scooted off the sofa and sat directly in the pool. While completely dressed. She propped up her knees and wrapped her arms loosely around them, staring off into the distance while sipping at her booze.

She wasn't sure how much time passed before she heard the lock jiggling in the door. Enough that she'd polished off maybe a quarter of the bottle or so. Not enough to dull the pain. She sighed as Liam strolled across the roof top, but she didn't look at him.

“You alright, angel cake?” he sighed, coming to a stop at the edge of the pool.

“Peachy keen. How'd you find me?”

“I knew you'd be here. This is our special spot.”

The sentiment just depressed her more and she took another swig of alcohol.

“Did Tori send you?” she asked. He squatted down low, rubbing his hand up and down her thigh, getting cake on his fingers.

“Your boss called her,” he said by way of an answer.

“Oh great. I'm sure they're just thrilled with me.”

“She said they sounded concerned.”

“And you? Are you concerned?”

“Always.”

He stood up and shrugged out of his jacket, toed off his shoes, then climbed into the pool with her. They moved around – he was so lanky, his legs took up a lot of room. Finally, she was back in her position with her legs bent, sitting with his knees on the outside of hers.

“Thanks,” she sighed, offering him her bottle. He took it, watching her as he threw his head back and took a healthy shot.

“Wanna have angry sex? Might make you feel better.”

“No thanks.”

“Sorry, bad joke.”

“No,” she groaned, letting her head fall forward. “It was a good joke. You're so … so good to me, Liam.”

She couldn't help it. She sniffled and watched as a tear fell onto her pant leg.

“I told you, say that shit softly, it'll ruin my reputation if it gets out,” he teased her.

“He was so awful,” she suddenly whispered.

“He was?”

“God, the things he said. He was … hurtful. He said things
just to hurt
. Why? I don't get it. I didn't do anything to him. I was standing there, and he just kept lashing me. He wouldn't stop. Why? What did I do to deserve that?” she cried, pressing her face into her jeans. She felt Liam's hand on the back of her head, smoothing over her ponytail.

“Nothing.
Nothing,
Katya. He's an asshole. He's such a dick, and he doesn't deserve to even breathe the same air as you.
Do not
take any of this on yourself,” he urged.

Easy for Liam to say. The things Wulf had said, the things he'd implied. Did he really think those things about her? Did he really feel that way? He'd laughed at her.
Laughed
, because she was stupid enough to think they were something special. To think
she
was something to special.

Nothing is special to a man carved out of stone.

“This is dumb,” she finally laughed, lifting her head and wiping at her face. “I'm crying over a man who is quite possibly evil incarnate, and who also doesn't like me one little bit. What a waste of time.”

“That's the spirit.”

Katya snatched the vodka back and took a long pull.

“Yeah. Yeah, fuck him. I'm not wasting another minute on Wulfric Stone.”

As soon as she said it, Katya regretted it. She never, ever said their names to each other. She kept them very separate, didn't want Liam cyber-stalking Wulf or something. Hadn't wanted Wulf to have a name in his head.

Not that he would've cared, anyway.

“Wulfric. That's … an
interesting
name,” Liam's voice was soft as he played with the end of her ponytail. She sighed. Cat was out of the bag, couldn't hurt if she explained a little.

“They've all got weird names like that.”

“They?”

“He has two younger sisters, Genevieve and Brighton. I think his mom was obsessed with Old English history,” Katya chuckled, rubbing at her eyes. “Good lord, look at me. I need to take a shower.”

She couldn't help but laugh as she looked over herself. Cake all over her shirt. Smeared down the sides of her pants. She'd wiped most of it off her face, but could feel it drying and getting crusty in her hair.

“You look perfect,” Liam said.

He was just sitting there. Smiling at her. She stared at him for a moment. This amazing man. So good looking, it raised her blood pressure. So sweet, it swelled her heart. It was overcast, the warm spell they'd been having seemed to be over, yet he was sitting in a freezing cold kiddie pool with her, getting completely soaked.

“Why do you put up with me?” she sighed, finally climbing to her feet. He stood up as well, taking the vodka bottle from her.

“Because you are so sweet,” he told her, collecting his belongings as he followed her to the door.

“I don't know. I wasn't very sweet in that reception hall. The things I said to him ...”

“I would've paid to have been there.”

“You would've laughed.”

“I would've ripped his fucking head off.”

Katya was shocked at the tone of voice Liam was using. They were waiting for the elevator and she turned to face him. She'd never heard him angry before – not
really
angry. And he sounded beyond that, even. He sounded
pissed the fuck off
.

“It's done,” she said, stepping into the lift as soon as the doors opened. “Nothing you need to get upset about – it's over. So over, it's hard to believe it ever even began.”

“Katya … you're a good person. There is literally nothing you could've done to deserve that kind of treatment,” he said.

“Yeah, well, try explaining that to him.”

“
Maybe I should.
”

They stopped on her floor, and as soon as the doors opened, she went to step out into the hallway. Liam grabbed her arm, though, halting her mid-way. She put out her hand, stopping the doors from closing her.

“Coming?” she asked, nodding towards her apartment door.

“I have to go back to work,” he said, though something in his voice made her doubt him. He sounded off, like his brain was a million miles away.

“Oh. Okay. Well, thank you for checking on me, I really appreciate it.”

“Come out with me,” he said in an abrupt voice.

“What, to the club?”

“No, this weekend.”

“I don't really feel like tacos,” she laughed.

“I'm not talking about tacos.”

Again, that very serious tone of voice. Angry. She stopped laughing and stared up at him.

“Then what are you talking about?”

“I'm talking about a date,” he said, not looking away from her eyes. “Go out with me this weekend, on a date. Let me take you somewhere and help you forget him. Let me show you how special you really are.”

She almost laughed again. Liam? Asking her on a date? Liam didn't date. Liam ate tacos, played video games, and liked to have sex. Lots and lots of kinky, loud, hilarious sex. They'd known each other for a month now, and he'd never once asked her out on a date. Why now?

Because he knew how you felt about Wulf. He knew, and respected that choice, and didn't make you choose between them. Because he's a good guy. He's an amazing guy.
He's the best guy
.

“I don't know ...” she let her voice trail off as she worried at her bottom lip.

“Please, Katya. I think I could be really good for you, and you already know that we're great together. It didn't work with that guy – give this one a chance,” he said, pressing his hand to his chest.

God, had anything simpler and sweeter ever been said? Certainly not to her. She had to work to not start crying again. Here Liam was, knowing she was heartbroken over another man, knowing she probably still had feelings for Wulf, yet still – he was putting himself out there. He was putting his heart in her hands and saying “
here, this is for you”
– what was she supposed to say to that?

Yes. You say yes, and you try very hard to fall in love with this amazing man.

“Yes,” she breathed. His eyebrows shot up and he seemed genuinely shocked at her response.

“Yes, you'll got out with me?”

“Yes, but Liam, I can't promise that I'll be a very good date. I'm … I'm a little broken right now,” she tried to explain, trying to protect herself. Protect him.

“Then let me try to fix you,” he whispered, leaning in close and giving her a soft kiss.

She really was going to cry again, so she stepped back. Gave him a watery smile as the elevator doors finally slid shut. Then she turned around and went home, crying in earnest while she tried to unlock her door.

If Liam is so right for me, then why does this feel like it's so wrong?

*

Things were not good. The universe gave her the rest of Wednesday to deal with her inner demons. She locked herself in her room, climbed in between her sheets – still wearing her clothing and cake mess – and stayed that way for a solid eighteen hours. She ignored all the phone calls and messages and even Tori, when the other girl finally came home. She just needed some time. Time to catch her breath. His words had carved her open, she was barely holding everything inside.

Thursday was a new day, though, and no rest for the wicked. It rained on and off, adding to her mood. She finally showered and realized sleeping in cake mess was definitely a mistake. When she got out, Tori was standing in the hallway, her hands on her hips.

“Glad to see you're alive,” she said. Katya grunted.

“That's a matter of opinion.”

“Look,” her roommate sighed. “I'm not going to press you for the whole story,
yet
. I got a murky version from your boss, who you really need to call. Just know that whatever happened, I know it's not your fault, and I wouldn't even care if it was, and if we need to go out and bury a body, then just give me a heads up. That's all I wanted you to know.”

Katya finally laughed. For the first time in an eternity, she genuinely laughed.

“You're too good to me, Tori Bellows.”

“Don't I know it.”

Katya crawled into the middle of her bed and called the bakery. It wasn't a comfortable conversation, but it wasn't awful, either. She'd apprenticed at the bakery at the age of eighteen, and had worked there ever since. The little shop was owned by a young husband and wife team, and Katya had stuck with them through lean times, through her rise to popularity, through sharks trying to steal her away – she had a good relationship with the owners.

But she also knew she'd crossed some definite lines.
Huge
lines. The staff at the reception hall had been the ones to call the bakery. Lauren had kept her lips shut, and when Katya's bosses had finally called her to check out the story, Lauren had defended Katya staunchly, threatening to pull her business from the bakery if they so much as looked at Katya wrong.

Of course they wouldn't look at her poorly. They also weren't going to let her go, and not just because of the business she brought in, but because they cared about her. She was like family to them, they assured her. They didn't want something like that to ever happen again, of course, but they were worried about her. Concerned. Was everything alright? What, exactly, had happened?

She couldn't tell them the full story, so she boiled it down to basics and said it had been a nasty break up with her estranged boyfriend. Since Katya's personal life had never ever interfered with her job before, they figured it must have been a
really
nasty break up to have exploded that way.

They brought up the idea of a sabbatical. She'd been working very hard. Maybe too hard, it was suggested. She'd gone straight from school to work, immersing herself in the industry. Maybe it was time she take a moment for herself. She would still get paid, and she could come in and work on wedding cakes for clients if she wanted to, but everything else would be handled by the bakery – they could call the other clients and redistribute the work or cancel the orders.

Katya had no choice but to agree. She was beyond humiliated, having a conversation like that with her employers. To be told, however politely, that she needed to take a leave of absence. She silently cried as they wrapped up the conversation.