Unjustly Destroyed (Incapable Part Two) (24 page)

Chapte
r
Thirty

While Grayson and Chace were playing a game of pool, I decided to see what the hell was in this envelope. I locked myself in the bathroom and pulled it out hesitantly. I was scared to open it. With good reason, of course, since the last time someone gave me a manila envelope, it contained pictures of Grayson’s sexual exploitations.

I shakily untied the string and poured the contents out. Taking a deep breath, I picked up the documents. My hands started shaking so bad at what I was looking at, and I dropped the picture several times. My eyes filled with tears.

It couldn’t be. A cry left my throat.

I picked up the note that was included with the picture. It took me several tries to read it, to truly understand what it meant. I buried my face in my hands as tears overtook my body. He doesn’t even know.

I shut my eyes, thinking of what I had to do. Thinking of what would be the right thing to do, and if I made the wrong choice, could I live with myself? Worst of all, if he found out, could he forgive me, knowing he had another choice? The original choice.

Chapter Thirt
y
-
One

"Whenever you're ready, Emmalin."

I looked up at Alistair. "Thank you." He sat in the driver’s seat, while I sat in the back. I agreed to meet with Isabella for lunch. I had scheduled and rescheduled thirteen times, and now we were sitting out in front of the restaurant, and I couldn't bring myself to get out of the damn car.

It’d been two weeks since Dale had dropped information on me that would change my life forever, and I was sitting here like a ticking bomb, with a decision to make that was going to change my life forever.

I took a deep breath as anxiety started to set in. I was having more and more of that lately. She was my friend. My best friend, yet I felt like I couldn't face her. It wasn't so much that I couldn't face her, as it was being out in public. How long have we been sitting at this curb? I checked my watch. Only 10 minutes so far. I gripped the handle of the door, preparing to open it, but couldn't bring myself to pull the lever.
Shit
. I could just send her a text and tell her another time. Before I had time to dole out a full text, the door on the other side opened, and Isabella scooted in. I looked at her, stunned, and she smiled at me, as she gently took ahold of my hand, turning toward Alistair.

"We're ready, Alistair."

"Yes, Ms. Rhodes."

Alistair pulled out into traffic, and I glanced over at Isabella, who had a small grin on her face. "You planned this?"

"Of course I did." She gave my hand a tight squeeze.

Twenty minutes later, we reached a restaurant I wasn't familiar with, and panic started to settle in.
You can do this. You can do this.
My door opened, and I jumped. I quickly calmed, however, realizing it was only Alistair. He gave me a smile as he held his hand out. I tentatively took it. "You're safe," he whispered to me.
I'm not safe. I'm not safe. I'm never safe. I'll never be safe.

I gave him a smile. "Thank you." The door slammed and I jumped, immediately wrapping my arms around myself, and closing my eyes. All I could hear was the sound from the same door Carson kept me locked up in. The horrible screeching sound.

"Emmalin?"

I opened my eyes and Isabella stood there, with a worried expression on her face. "I'm fine." I gave her a smile. "Is this where we're eating?"

She stared at me a moment before turning to the building behind her. "We don't have to. We can always do this another time." She started back for the car.

"It's fine. I'm good." I gave her a smile that I'm almost positive she could see right through, and she looked at me hesitantly. I stepped forward and grabbed her hand, trying to offer her the reassurance I didn't even have.

I sat facing the room. It was nice and calming. We were in a private area away from everyone, but I still needed to see the staff entering and leaving. It's funny, before I didn't mind. Now, I felt like I always needed to be aware.

"So, I have a date tomorrow, but I'm not sure if I want to go." I glanced back over at Isabella.

"Why not?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Really? I thought I would get the third degree from you," she laughed haughtily. I looked down at my barely touched food that I just moved around on my plate.

"Why?"

Her mouth dropped open. "Because of the whole Chace thing. You're always saying we're pining for each other. I'm surprised you haven't texted him now to tell him about my date." She laughed as she reached for her wine glass.

I gave her a small smile. "If he's not the one, then he's not the one," I said quietly. Out of nowhere a small tear escaped my eye, and I quickly brushed it away. Isabella moved to the side of me.

"Sweetie. Talk to me."

"You should go on your date. What if he's your soulmate? What if the person we think we're with isn't the person we're supposed to be with?"

She furrowed her brow. "Okay, honey, you're scaring me. Did Grayson do something? Did he say something?"

“No. I’m just saying, that’s all.” I smiled at her as I reached for my water. “Anyway, tell me about him. Where’d you meet? What’s he like?”

Her eyes lit up as she started to tell me all about Franco. Lovely Italian Franco, who owns his own art studio. “He wants to paint me nude.”

I smiled, thinking how the moment word got back to Chace about how some Italian guy wanted to paint her nude, he would have his balls cut off and dipped in paint.

After we departed, with promises to see each other more, I went home that night, my decision made. Which meant nothing was going to end well. Tomorrow was going to be the worst day.

Chapter Thirt
y
-
Two

"I need to go over a few things in my office this morning but after that, I'm all yours." I glanced over at Grayson and nodded. All week, he'd been keeping close tabs on me. Him working in his office gave me enough time to do what I needed to do.

"Can we talk when you get back?" My voice cracked.
Dammit
. I couldn't even say that right. He paused at the doorway, his brow furrowing, as he looked me up and down and entered the room.

"We can talk now. What's going on?" He stood close to me. Always standing close. He reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.

"It can wait until you're done." I tried waving him off, but he shook his head.

"Not when it comes to you." His gaze pierced me
. God, I loved this man
. I shut my eyes. Fight with him. You have to fight.

"I decided to start working again."

"Oh yeah?"                           

I nodded, twisting my hands. "Yeah, I think it would be good for me."

He looked down at my hands. "If you think you're ready. You know you can have as much time off as you need. Small perk of dating the boss." He gave me a little smile before glancing back down at my hands and frowning. He placed his hand over mine. "What aren't you telling me?"

The tears started to prick my eyes, and his hand tightened around mine. "I'm not returning to your company," I whispered.

He took a deep breath. "Okay. Where?"

"Grayson. I've been lying to you. To myself, about getting better.
A lie.
I go to therapy, but I think being here makes it harder for me. All of this was my fault.”

He grabbed my shoulders. "Fine, we’ll move. But this isn't your fault; do you hear me? He was a sick fuck, and I only wish I would have kill him sooner."

I moved out of his grasp. "He got to Abby because of me."

"He didn't hurt her."

"But he could have! He would have if I didn't get to her." Grayson took a step back. "They're your family, Grayson. If something was to happen, you would never forgive me, because shit from my past followed me," I whispered. “Your family would never forgive me. They don't even know, do they?" His silence said everything.

"You saved Abby, Emmalin." His voice was rough.

"But, she was in that situation because of me, Grayson, and you know it. This eats at me, every day."
Not a lie.

He took a step closer. “You're my life, Emmalin.”

I wiped away a tear. "Which is why you're going to let me save you, give you a new life, and not come after me when I go." My voice cracked at the last word. He was the love of my life. He would have a better life with someone not so fucked up. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, breathing him in. Locking his scent into memory.

I walked past him, grabbed the bag I had packed earlier, and walked out the door for the last time. I was doing the right thing. That’s what I kept telling myself over and over again, but why did it feel like a knife in my heart? I was doing this for him. He needed to see that. He could finally have what I could probably never give him.

I went to the awaiting cab and got in.

“Emmalin!”

I heard my name being called.
Don’t turn around. Don’t turn around because if you do, you’re going to lose it.

“Did you forget something, ma’am?”

Yeah. My heart.

“No. Just drive, please.” He drove. And I didn’t look back.

Epilogue

Three MonthsLate
r
…

“Mr. Mandrake, there’s someone here to see you.” Glenda’s voice came through over my speaker.

“I said I didn’t want to fucking see anyone. If those instructions are hard to follow, then find me someone who can!” I threw the phone across the room, and it shattered. I walked over my bar and grabbed the bourbon. Fuck needing a glass, as I tipped my head back and drank it straight from the bottle.

My door suddenly opened and in walked Ruska. Fuck. I didn’t need this shit right now.

“The fuck do you want?”

He eyed me up and down precariously. “You’re looking well. The exact look I had when my wife left me.”

I tipped my bottle back again, not taking my eyes off of him as I flipped him off, because fuck him, that’s why.

“I said, the fuck do you want, Ruska? If you’re here to gloat, do it another time. I’m not interested. I’m busy.”

He laughed as he pulled out a Cuban and lit it up. “I can see that.” He took a drag before speaking. “I have something for you.”

“Well, you can keep it. I’m all out of fucks right now. Maybe come back later.”

He smiled wickedly. “It’s about Dale Ferguson.”

I shrugged, tipping the bottle back again. “Still out of fucks, Ruska. I’m no longer interested in Dale.”

He laid an envelope on my desk. “Oh, I think you will be interested in this. You were right. He was up to something.” He gave me a wink before turning around and leaving.

Fucking asshole. I sat stewing at my desk before curiosity got the best of me. I finally opened the envelope and a picture fell out.

It was a picture of Lydia sitting on a bench. I rubbed my eyes and checked the timestamp. It wasn’t Lydia I was focused on. It’s who she was sitting next to and staring at.

Carmen.

Acknowledgements

So that just happened. Crazy right? I enjoyed writing this second installment, because it was filled with so much emotion, and at some point I seriously had to step back and cry myself. With that being said, I want to thank all those that have stuck with me on this journey. This is no easy task. I've made some new friends, near and far, and some friends that wish they had their own Grayson Mandrake in their lives. Don't we all
.


My dad was mad at me because I didn't 'thank him' in the last book. So hey dad, even though you shouldn't even be opening these books. THANK YOU
.
See that. I thanked you.

And to my mother who is opening these books, even though I wish you weren't, and feels the need to not only text me quotes from the book, and calls and reads me paragraphs out of the book, as if I didn't write the book, and not only does she do this to me, but also to my sister (sorry she embarrasses you too) 'waves hello'.

To my team of pimpsters. You know who you are, because there's too many of you to name, and I love each and every one of you, and I appreciate you so much! To all my readers. I hope you enjoyed Unjustly Destroyed, just as much as I did.

So where do we go from here? Continuing the final chapter of Grayson and Emmalin of course. Stay tuned!

M.S

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