Chapter 10
MARCUS
Something is very wrong. Willow has been distant all night, and she’s drinking one glass after the other.
She laughs at something Rhett says, which brings my attention back to the conversation.
She places her hand on my arm. “You know Marcus is a player too. He could join you.”
What the hell? I’m confused as I watch Willow finish yet another glass.
“Join Rhett?”
“Yeah,” she smiles up at me, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Rhett said there’s plenty of hot women here tonight to choose from.” She grabs another glass from a passing waiter and turns back to Rhett and me. “I wonder who’s the biggest player between the two of you.” I frown at her, which only makes her laugh. “Don’t worry, Pretty-Boy. My money’s on you. I’m sure you can fuck half the women here before Rhett convinces one to go home with him.”
I take the glass from Willow’s hand and pass it to Rhett, giving him an apologetic look. Grabbing her hand, I pull her towards the elevators so I can get her to my office before she embarrasses both of us. When she stumbles, I place my arm around her waist to keep her from falling flat on her face.
I can’t believe she’s drunk. What the fuck got into her? She’s never behaved like this before.
I press the button for the elevator when Willow yanks free from my hold. She turns to me, and there’s so much hurt and anger on her face, that it rips the floor from under me.
“I’m not going up with you,” she hisses. She points to a group of people. “Go ask the brunette. I’m sure she’s more than willing to go up for a second time.”
She storms away from me, and before I can go after her, a client approaches me.
“Marcus, I haven’t had a chance to talk to you yet,” Mr. Bradbury says, as my eyes follow Willow out the front doors.
I shake Mr. Bradbury’s hand. “Sir, can you give me five minutes? I just need to call a cab for a friend.”
The elderly man looks impressed as he says, “Of course. I’ll wait for you by the bar.”
I hurry to the entrance, and when I get outside, I see Willow leaning against the side of the building. She has her arms wrapped around her as if she’s going to be sick.
I place my hand on her back. “Let me call you a cab.”
It won’t help if I try to talk to her now, not when she’s had so much to drink.
She moves away from my touch but doesn’t turn around to look at me.
“I can call my own cab. Go back inside.”
I take hold of her arm and turn her around so she’ll face me. When I see the tears, my growing impatience quickly morphs into worry.
“Why are you crying?”
She looks away from me towards the street, then quickly steps forward as she holds up her arm. A cab pulls up next to us, and she rushes toward it.
I grab her hand as she opens the door so I can hold her back.
“Willow, what the hell happened today? Talk to me.”
“What’s the use?” she whispers. “Talking won’t make it better.” She takes a deep breath before she looks up at me. “Don’t worry, Marcus. Tomorrow I’ll be back to my usual old self. Go back inside. Hit on some women. Go have fun.”
She pulls her hand free, and I watch as she climbs into the cab. I keep watching as the car pulls away from the curb and disappears around a corner.
Tomorrow it’s Willow and me. We’re going to talk.
∞∞∞
I hardly slept last night.
Fuck, yesterday was a mess. I spent half the day with Logan and his secretary, going over a merger we’re busy with. When I finally thought I was going to have a pleasant evening with Willow, things went to hell.
I drive to Willow’s apartment, and I don’t care that it’s only eight in the morning, I need to talk to her now.
I find an open space to park on the opposite side of the street. When I switch off the car, and I glance at Willow’s building, my heart stops.
I watch as Willow throws her arms around a man’s neck. He hugs her back, lifting her off her feet as she starts to plaster kisses all over his face. I don’t get a clear look at the guys face with Willow being all over him.
She looks happy.
They hold each other tightly as they walk back inside the building.
I don’t know how long I sit in my car as I try to process what I just saw.
Once the shock wears off, anger and jealousy flare up in its place. I somehow drive back home without causing an accident.
Willow is seeing someone. I’m too late. I can’t believe the second I’m prepared to let someone in, I lose them.
I close my eyes and try to breathe the pain away, but it doesn’t help. I was right to fear opening my heart to someone. It fucking hurts so badly I want to claw the damn thing from my chest.
When my phone beeps, I open the message thinking that it’s Jaxson.
When I see Willow’s name, it only amplifies the ache in my chest.
Willow: I’m sorry for the way I behaved last night. I want you to be happy, Marcus, but I deserve to be happy, too. Right now we’re both miserable, so I’m going to let you go. You will always have a special place in my heart, Pretty-Boy.
I stare at the words until they all blur together.
This is why I don’t do relationships. Losing people hurts too much. Fuck, it’s tearing me apart inside.
I send Jaxson a text before I switch off my phone.
Me: Willow ended things.
∞∞∞
WILLOW
I wipe away the tear, but when Dad pulls me into his arms, it just makes them fall faster.
“It’s going to be okay. Let’s go pack your bag.”
While I’m throwing clothes in an overnight bag, I ask, “Why is it always like this, Dad? Why do we want things we can never have?”
Dad takes the bag from the bed and places his arm around me.
“It’s not the right time. Just because you can’t have it now, it doesn’t mean that it won’t happen at a later stage.”
I called Dad last night. I was a mess and not even talking to Evie would’ve helped. I was so surprised when he called and told me he was outside my apartment. I told him about Marcus and everything that’s happened.
I cried because it hurt so much loving Marcus and having to see him with other women.
“You deserve to be happy, Willow,” Dad said. “You can’t hold onto something that’s not meant to be yours. While you’re pining for this guy, you might miss out on meeting the right man. Trust me, once you meet the one you’re supposed to love, it will make all of this pain just fade away.”
“But how will I know who the right person is?”
“You’ll know because he will be the one you compare everyone else too. He will add beauty to your life, not take it away.”
“I love Marcus, Daddy. I don’t know what to do. Seeing him with another, it felt like my heart was being crushed.”
“All I can tell you is what I would do. I would let the person go. If you’re really meant to be, you will find your way back to each other. But if you continue down this path, you’re only going to end up hating each other. In the end, you have to do what’s right for you.”
It hurt so much thinking of a future that wouldn’t have Marcus in it. But I knew I had to do it. It would kill me if I had to watch him fall in love with another woman and build a future with her.
So I did the most unbearable thing I have ever done.
I set Marcus free.