When Cori stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom where Nick was waiting for her in his black suit, the sight of her brought a glowing smile to his face. He had a flicker of desire in his eyes that caused her to take a step back.
Her dress was black raw silk, classic in design with a sleeveless bodice and plunging V neckline, front and back. It had a full skirt that hit mid-thigh and simple black satin bow in the front at the waist. With her hair pinned up, the diamonds Nick insisted she accept gracing her neck, she looked like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
“Wow, you look like something out of a movie. Stunning, sweetheart. Just stunning.”
“Something out of a movie?” she teased. “I hope it’s a cute something.”
“No, it’s a beautiful something…I mean…someone. I can’t even talk around you when you look like that.”
“Good. Then my work is done here. The world can thank me later for shutting you up.” She was kidding of course; she loved the sound of his voice and hoped he never stopped talking to her. “Are you ready, Blackthorne?”
“Indeed.” He extended his arm to her. “Shall we? We have a little while before Lyle arrives. Let’s have some drinks, then get the hell out of here!”
The event was as expected. Rich people, pretty things, everyone trying to one up the other. But it was also nice, a romantic setting with plenty of booze and dancing. Eventually, the cocktail portion expired, and it was time to move to the ballroom for dinner. Who has a ballroom in their home, Cori wondered? She bet Nick did, somewhere, but he’d never tell you about it. That was the difference between him and the rest of these people.
They danced, mostly. Several men tried to cut in, including Phillip, again, but Nick kindly declined on all counts. Winnie must’ve caught wind of it because she was having words with Phillip in the corner, and they didn’t seem like happy words. Phillip reached for her, to which she pulled away and put her wine glass in the direct path of his hand. Red wine. Which she now wore. It was like Karma kicked in and finished what Cori and Nick couldn’t.
That was their cue. Everyone fussed over Winnie’s now stained dress. A great distraction for them to leave under. Lyle would be landing soon, and they needed to change and pack the few things left to do so.
Nick took a call and excused himself for a moment, agreeing to meet her down by the water, and they would have a nice walk back to the room together after taking in the night views. It really is a lovely night, Cori thought as she wandered down the beachy shore and across a dock that ended well into the water. They were leaving, together, planning to head back to the penthouse, also together.
Something was different. She didn’t know what, but it felt good. That sense of dread she had been carrying around was gone – their time was essentially up, but there was no talk of going separate ways. Their relationship felt very real – Nick felt invested, and she knew she was. It took her a while to realize it, but she had fallen hard for the other half of what started as a lie.
She remembered what Tony had said to her – it didn’t work out with Phillip because he wasn’t the man for her. What if Nick was? Even if he wasn’t, time would tell, and something told her it was worth the risk. There was nothing to regret if she at least tried – a potential lifetime of regret if she didn’t. If his feelings weren’t real and just part of the game – the man deserved an Oscar.
Warm arms wrapped around her waist causing her to smile at his return until the arms felt weak and the body behind her soft.
“Miss me?” the whisper was more of a hiss and wreaking of expensive scotch and cigars – Phillip.
Like the wind had been knocked from her, she sharply gasped at the realization and turned, breaking easily from his weak grasp. “What are you doing? Don’t touch me!”
“C’mon, I’ve seen the way you look at me. I know this thing with Blackthorne is all for me – just a show to make me jealous.”
“You’re drunk,” she fired back, moving around him and slowly creeping back up the dock. “And you’ve clearly lost your mind, Phillip.”
Her pace quickened, and she turned to run because he began to follow. There was a look in his eyes that she didn’t recognize and didn’t want to understand. He grabbed her from behind after stumbling along, spinning her against the small tackle shed at the shore side of the dock. He had an arm on either side of her and his body too close for Cori to get away.
“Look, we can play games or cut to the chase. I want you; you want me. Let’s get out of here. My parents have a place not far from here,” Phillip slurred.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m with Nick, and you’re with Winnie. You left me for my best friend – remember? This isn’t going to happen, Phillip – I don’t want you.” At that moment, reality struck, and she realized exactly what she wanted. “I want…Nick.”
“Ohhhh.” A dramatic eye roll followed his long drawn out thought. “So that’s what this is about. You want me to apologize first? Beg, grovel? I’m sorry, Cori. I didn’t mean to hurt your little feelings. Please, forgive me – pretty, pretty please? I’ll make it up to you, baby.”
The whine and sarcasm made her want to slap the shit out of him. She didn’t want an apology. There was nothing to forgive; he did her a favor. She wouldn’t have been happy with him and certainly wouldn’t have met Nick the way she had, had he not done what he did.
“You’re forgiven, but I’m not going anywhere with you. You’re marrying Winnie – go to her if you’re…you know.”
“Cordelia, c’mon. You’re being petty. Let’s get out of here.” He leaned into her, and she felt ill when his erection was pressed against her belly. “I’ll still marry the stiff bitch, okay? Need her money anyway. But you – you, beautiful Cori – I want to fuck you.”
In an instant reaction, she raised her hand and slapped him as hard as she could, given how he had her pinned. He disgusted her. What had she ever seen in him?
“You bitch.” Phillip grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head back so he could easily kiss her, and he did, or at least tried.
Fight! That’s all she could think – fight the son-of-a-bitch because this was not happening. The more she swung and kicked, the more force he used to pin her where he wanted her. He was bigger and stronger, getting the best of her.
When he had her arms above her head, he leaned in like he was going to kiss her again, so she turned her head away. “Okay, so you wanna play rough – we can do that too. Blackthorne teach you that?”
“No.” Came a booming voice just before Phillip was knocked away from Cori with such force she nearly fell. Nick. “I don’t treat women like that, asshole.”
Phillip charged Nick, but he was ready for him. Nick had a good six inches and plenty more muscle, so Phillip didn’t sway him in the least with his barreling move. Nick was also sober, which helped. After a short altercation where Nick was the only one to land a few punches, Phillip found himself out of breath and hunched over. The restraint Nick showed was astounding, only putting his hand on Phillip enough to stop him when he could have kicked the shit out of him.
Rushing to her side, Nick gave Cori a quick once over, looking for more reasons to kick Phillips ass, but she was fine, only shaken. He pulled her into him and let out a deep sigh of relief. “Are you okay, sweetheart? Tell me you’re okay.”
“I am.” Nodding, with tear streaked cheeks, she looked up and gave him a small reassuring smile. His angry expression eased into one of relief. “He didn’t hurt me. I’m okay.”
Nick turned, placing Cori behind him when more voices came into earshot. Winnie and Eliza were headed their way, and right behind was Lyle, of all people.
“You okay, mate?” Lyle asked Nick. “You need me to do anything with this bastard?”
“No, Lyle. I think we have it under control. Thank you,” Nick replied.
“I heard the miss and came running. What kind of man puts his hands on a woman like that?” Lyle said, looking at Phillip with disgust. “I’d beat the bloody tar out of ya, mate. You’re lucky Nicky got to you first – he has a bit more control than I.”
Nick appreciated Lyle’s loyalty and that he was concerned for Cori. Cori did too. It was time to leave, get out of there, and never look back.
“What on earth are you talking about?” Winnie asked Lyle. “Who the hell are you?”
“I fly the chopper for Mr. B. Your boy had his hands all over the misses, and it wasn’t to be honorable, if ya know what I mean?”
“Phillip? He’d never!” she fired back. “Phillip get up. Say something. What are you doing out here?”
“Let’s get out of here,” Nick said to Cori, wiping her tears. He grabbed her hand to lead her up the shore.
“We know all about your little game, Cori,” Winnie yelled.
Cori stopped and turned to face her. “Game?”
“This fake…whatever it is…” Winnie’s arms were flailing at Nick and Cori. Nick pulled her closer, urging her to move on. “Looks like you’ve succeeded…mostly.”
“Succeeded at what, Winnie?” Okay, she was game; what did Winnie think she knew.
Winnie’s chuckle was more of an evil witch’s cackle. “Trying to win Phillip back. Seducing him at every turn. Trying to make him jealous, using Nick to do so.”
“Jealous? You did me a favor and saved me from a cheating bastard who apparently likes to get rough with women,” Cori fired back, trying to contain the anger Winnie and Phillip provoked. “He’s your problem now. Congratulations – I hope you have a long, happy marriage.”
“Cori give it up. Really, this attention starved game has been old for years.” And here it came, Winnie for the kill. “The poor orphan farm girl from the Midwest is played out.”
It didn’t sting as much as it might have, even a few weeks ago, because Cori knew who she was and was confident. She never played that role. Winnie just shoved it down her throat. She didn’t care what Winnie or Phillip thought of her anymore. But what Eliza had to say would sting – badly.
“We all know this engagement is fake,” Eliza accused, turning her attention to Nick. “How could he be engaged to you if he’s my husband?”
“You’re what?” Cori felt the color drain from her face when she saw the satisfied look on Winnie and Eliza’s faces – even Phillip was grinning ear to ear.
“Husband, honey. Looks like Winnie should have added homewrecker to the list.”
Nick took an intimidating step toward Eliza, causing her confident stance to wither. “Oh, come on, Eliza. I am not your husband.”
“Well…we’re separated at the moment.”
“We were never married – not really. You’re a con, looking for money.” Nick’s tone was full of anger as he spat through his words.
Eliza was as bad as Winnie; she enjoyed this. “Sure, we were. There’s a piece of paper that says we were, three months ago, to prove it.”
“It’s been annulled. There was no wedding, no vows, no I do’s. You drugged me and forged my signature. I wasn’t even coherent.”
Cori’s heart sunk. He was just like the others, wasn’t he? Even if it was true that she was deceitful and technically committed a crime, why wouldn’t he tell her? He at least owed her the common courtesy to tell her he knew her rather than let Cori believe they were strangers.
“Nick, tell me this isn’t true.” Backing away, the expression on his face said it was. “Why isn’t it annulled, yet?”
“Cori…” Nick reached for her, but she pulled away. “It’s not what you think.
“Because I might be pregnant,” Eliza chimed in.
“You aren’t pregnant. It’s a stall tactic – she won’t sign. You have a fucking drink in your hand. We were never intimate, just at the same party.” Nick turned his attention to Cori. She was all that he cared about now. “Eliza is broke but has rich friends. She’s known for her schemes and bullshit. This is just about money. I swear to you.”
“But you knew her from the moment we got here. You didn’t tell me when everyone else knew…I didn’t. I look like a fool. Why wouldn’t you tell me?” Cori choked, feeling betrayed.
“Because you aren’t important, Cordelia. With your fake name and fake image you try to pull off. You’re a fraud – nothing but a liar,” Winnie hissed as her final knife in the back.
“Then what does that say about you, Winnifred?” Phillip sneered. Oddly, he was defending Cori, making for an interesting turn of events. “If she’s so unimportant, why are you and your broke sidekick so fixated on her?”
Winnie’s shrieking gasp was ear piercing, “Phillip! How dare you!”
He waved her off, and turned away. “Yeah, Yeah. This is boring. I’m out of here.”
“Phillip! Phillip, wait!” Winnie chased him all the way to the house, Eliza hot on her heels.
It was just Nick and Cori now. Lyle excused himself to the grassy bank, leaving them to talk.
“Cori…”
“Stop.” Her hands were out in front of her, keeping distance between them. She paced for a moment while her world spun out of control, trying to reconcile all that had happened. “What have I done? How did I let this get so out of hand? And why? Why was this so important to me? Is being…someone in this town that important to me?”
“Cori, please…” Nick reached for her again, but she stepped back.
“No…I need to…go. I need to get out of here. None of this is real. None of it. My life – it’s all a lie. I live in Woodlawn – the Bronx, Nick. My driver…is my neighbor – he’s a friggen Uber driver in the city. My clothes are second hand; my shoes are knock off designer from the cart on the corner by my place. All of it – fake. My dog isn’t even really my dog.”
“I know…” he said.
“I’m a fraud. Winnie had that right. I’m just a simple country girl from the Midwest. I’m…nobody special.”
“Cordelia, stop…you are somebody special. None of that even matters.”
“See, my name isn’t even real. I’m not Cori, I’m…” Taking a pause to let her name sink in, and the fact that he said it, she backed away again. “Wait, you know…you know my name…my real name.”
“I do…I have known exactly who you are since long before the park that day.”
“You sent all of those gifts. The chocolates, flowers, everything… I thought all along I was the liar, but you…that’s why it all came so easy for you.”
“I wanted to get to know you, Cori. I wanted a real chance at that, and when you picked me at the park…”
“Exactly. Play along, get to know me, no commitment, no risk. Play along with the ruse so you have an easy out, should I not stack up to what you’re looking for.”
“You have it all wrong.”
“Do I? If I did, you would have told me all of this a long time ago. I need to go.” She turned to leave, making her way up the sandy shore to where Lyle was standing.
Nick followed her, trying to reason with her and get her to understand. “None of this was a lie for me…it was real. Every bit of it. I fell for you, Cori, probably before the day in the park. I knew who you were, what that asshole did to you. I knew you were kind and generous. I love you, Cori.”
She closed her eyes. His words should have warmed her, but they only made the hurt worse. She looked at Lyle, tears streaming. “Please take me home.”
Unsure what to say or do, Lyle looked over her shoulder to Nick, who nodded. He needed to let her go. They wouldn’t solve anything tonight, not here, not like this.
“Sure thing, miss. I’ll grab your things, and…”
“No need. None of it is mine.”