CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

HAYDEN

The night I lost Lydia. I cut myself off from the world. I was forced to rid myself of my drug of choice, cold turkey. The withdraws were dark and gritty. The entire condo was dark. I drew the heavy green curtains over all the windows.

I was having conversations with myself. “Why did I take it so far? Was there another way I could have gotten her to understand? I did what I did, so we could be happy.” I sipped from the bottle of red wine.

“Nope, nope. She was too stubborn.”

Sitting in the middle of the floor between the living room and my bedroom. I cried like a fucking baby.

“She was all I ever wanted!” I bellowed from the depths.

“I can’t go on without her.” I fell back against the cold floor, cradling my face. My body quaked when I realized I would never see her again. She told me she wanted a divorce. My heart was in agony. She told me she never wanted to see me again.

“Lydia! Lydia! I can’t live without you.”

My father would probably tell me, ‘You’re young. You’ll find love again.’

Lydia Gaster is my first and last love. My only true love. Our kiss we first shared is growing faint in my mind. I can’t let it die. I have to hold onto that memory. I can still feel her beating on my chest. Yelling at the top of her lungs that she hates me. That was the moment I checked out. I walked away never looking back at the woman who broke the silver chains around my frozen heart causing it to beat until it was red and full of love for her. I don’t know how I will ever get over Lydia. I can’t. In my mind she is mine forever.

“Hayden! Where are you?”

“Lydia, Lydia is that you? I’m here,” I whispered.

The room filled with light, I shielded my eyes like a vampire.

“Oh, my God! Hayden what happened to you?” she cried.

She pulled me into her arms. “Hayden, come back to me. I’m so sorry. Please, Hayden I’m here. I’ll make this right I promise.”

When I came to. Cold water pelted my naked skin.

“Please, come quick!” she shouted into the phone.

“Yes, Valen he’s waking up. Thanks to me.” She ran her fingers through her frizzy brown hair, pacing back and forth.

A short time later Valen came into view.

Vicky stood with her arms folded. “How could you leave him like this? You’re his friend!” she cried.

“He made me promise to keep an eye on Lydia. He told me don’t come back here. I only came because you called.”

“I’ve never seen my brother look so disheveled. Where is Lydia?”

“She’s at her apartment.” He glanced at me then pulled Vicky by her arm out of the bathroom.

Her hand flew to her chest as she gasped.

What the fuck was going on? Did something bad happen to Lydia? Leaning my head upward, I let the water pour into my mouth. I don’t know when I last had fluids or food.

“Vicky.” My voice was raspy.

I could barely speak. Valen saw me signal, pointing to my throat. He took off running, returning with a sports drink. He yanked the shower door open, pouring the contents down my throat.

“You two are made for each other. Do you know that?”

I shook my head, then cracked a smile.

“I should never have let you demand I stay away. I had no idea you would do this to yourself. Don’t you worry, Vicky and I are going to nurse you back to health. You have to get Lydia back.”

I was weak. The dehydration whipped me out. My sister helped me wash up. She dressed me in clean pajamas. I laid in bed. The doctor kept me on fluids for two days. My sister paced the floor day and night waiting for me to recover. She fed me four meals a day.

She sat bed side feeding me tomato soup. “You need your nourishment. You have to be strong to get your woman back.” I couldn’t believe this was the same person who tried to drive Lydia and I apart.

By the third day, I was up walking around. On the fifth day, I was back to my old self.

~

I stood glancing out of my office window. “Valen, I need to know how Lydia is doing?”

“Hayden, you should probably have a seat.”

I sat in a chair across from the sofa. “I’m listening.”

Valen told me everything. Lydia and I both sank into a dark hole nearly facing the brink of death.

“Listen, I don’t know how to tell you this.” He rubbed his brow.

“Valen, just say it!”

“Curtis, is nursing Lydia back to health.”

I clenched my fists. I was beyond pissed. “I remember fucking telling him I would end him if he took things too far.” I stood pacing the floor.

“Turns out Curtis’s uncle is the manager over Lydia’s building. Curtis probably recommended he take the job. He started working there a year ago. I knocked on her apartment door Curtis answered. He told me Lydia was in good hands. He wouldn’t let me in. I picked the lock. I wasn’t able to move the obstruction barricading the door. Hayden this happened earlier today.” Valen stared at the floor rubbing his hands together.

“We have to rescue her.”

“You’re fucking right Valen.”

Stalking across my study, I entered my weapons room. “Valen, suit up!”

∞

Valen and I circled the perimeter of Lydia’s building. We blacked out every security camera. After anchoring our grappling hooks to the roofs wall, we released a little slack in our ropes, shimmying down the side of the building until we landed on Lydia’s balcony. I picked the lock. Valen and I pulled our gas masks down over our faces, then tossed in a tear gas smoke grenade.

Quickly, Valen ran into the bedroom placing a gas mask over Lydia’s face, removing her naked frame from the bed with Curtis, laying her on the floor in the living room. Curtis was choking, stumbling toward the bathroom.

Valen rushed over helping me move the heavy sofa, an Armoire, and a large dresser from in front of the door. Valen retrieved a clean blanket from the linen closet, wrapping Lydia inside. Valen scooped her up into his arms, then hustled out the door and down the stairwell.

Curtis locked himself in the bathroom. I kicked the door in, grabbing him by the back of his neck, I threw him to the floor. “Surprise bitch, it’s me Hayden Gaster, Lydia’s husband!”

Leaning over him, my fists slammed into his face repeatedly.

“You, stupid motherfucker. I told you. Walking her to class was all you could do. You crossed the line coming here. I hate she spared your bitch ass feelings. She should have told you she didn’t like you and that she has a man! You dare, lay in bed with my woman!”

Curtis tried shielding his face, but it was no use, I was pulverizing him.

I grabbed him by his t-shirt. “You fucking drugged her! What did you give her?”

“Boss!” Duke grabbed my arm.

I stood, dusting off my knees.

“I will find out what he gave her or he’ll die.”

Duke is Russian, he loves to torture.

I held my stomach laughing, staring at Curtis. “He’s going to kill you.

I glanced over at Duke. “You made my day.”

I knelt at Curtis’s side again. “You better hope she heals.”

I stood patting Duke on the shoulder. You know what to do.”

I gave her Rohypnol,” he spit up blood. His eyes were blood shot red.

“Wow, you drugged her so she wouldn’t remember shit. That’s fucking low. You are one desperate piece of shit.”

I whispered the address to Sebastian’s warehouse in Dukes ear.

“You know what to do.”

He smirked staring down at Curtis. “I do.”

“Good, remember I want everything moved out of this apartment by tomorrow afternoon.”

He glanced at me through his gas mask. “No problem.”