Page 37 of Bound For You
“Are you fucking kidding me!” she shouts, and I shrug.
The nurse comes in and smiles at us. “Okay, Phoebe, this is your morphine, so you’re going to get sleepy.”
Phoebe sighs, and I know it’s because she wants to talk more, but I get up and place a kiss on her cheek.
“You’re the only one I haven’t blocked on my phone. We’ll text, and I can pop by when everyone else isn’t here.” She smiles, obviously feeling special, making me chuckle as her eyes get droopy. I squeeze her hand before I walk out, letting her get her rest, completely shocked, again, that I told her so much. To be fair, she is a good listener, and I think she’ll be an even better friend.
I get off the elevator on the ground floor and bump into Alexandr and Dimitri. I tense but keep going like I don’t see them. Alexandr has a different idea.
He sneers, “So you’re just going to walk by like you didn’t come from seeing my woman?”
I’m tired, and when I’m tired I speak my mind. Clearly, by my talk with Phoebe, I’m irritated and upset with myself for telling her my story, and now is not the time to put my shy self away. But my mouth has a mind of its own.
I sneer, yessneer, back at him, “Phoebe messaged me to come see her, so it has fuck all to do with you. Don’t go acting all high and mighty when you failed her for years.”
Dmitri’s eyebrows shoot high into his hairline, and Alexandr suddenly has rage pouring off him. But I don’t seem to care.
He growls out, “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
I smirk at him. “From someone who has been dealt with pain most of her life, I know exactly what I’m talking about. You’ve been given another chance, try not fucking it up.” Then I walk away from them, leaving Alexandr with his mouth hanging open.
I stop in my tracks when Dimitri speaks, “I’m sorry, Avery. I misjudged you; tensions were high.”
I turn my head a little and state, “Doesn’t matter; we’re over. You got your wish.”
Alexandr looks at us in confusion, then Dimitri says, “He misses you. He hasn’t been the same since you walked away from him.”
This time I do turn toward them, and I get in the man’s surprised face. I sneer, “I didn’t walk away, I ran from the monster he was in that moment. He wasn’t himself because, if he was, he wouldn’t have threatened to kill me and send me to my adoptive parents, he wouldn’t have bruised my arm. I needed time, but he decided to throw away what we had when he slept with someone else.Heruined us, not me, so don’t you dare try and make out like it was my fault.”
I turn away and head to my car. As soon as I get in the driver’s seat and I look toward the doors, I see Sergi headed toward then. He must sense being watched, because he turns and looks around the parking lot, and when his eyes land on my car, they widen, and he starts to run my way, shouting my name. I shake my head and put the car in drive, skidding out of parking lot. I look in my rearview mirror and see him standing with his hands on the back of his head, watching me leave with tears running down his cheeks. Alexandr is with him, a hand on his shoulder.
I sob.
nineteen
Sergi – Present Day
I’m pacingthe dark hardwood floors in Al’s new living room; he and Phoebe will be here shortly for a surprise wedding, but that’s not why I’m pacing. Al managed to corner Avery at work two days ago. It took some convincing, but she agreed to come to his wedding for Phoebe’s sake, and act as a bridesmaid, but she’s late. I’d guess that was on purpose, unless she’s not going to show up, but Sofia took her a dress yesterday, so she should be here. I grab my hair in frustration. Maria and Dimitri are watching me with concern etched all over their faces, while Juan looks at me in confusion, his wife following my every movement, but I ignore them.
Where is she?
Just as I think it, the door opens, and she walks in. My heart stops at the sight of her. Her black hair is down, reaching the top of her ass, curled, and pinned back on the right side. She’s in a baggy sweater and jeans, her dress bag folded over her arm. She wearing light makeup and her face looks a little fuller. She looks beautiful. Fuck, I miss her, so much. I’ve turned into a fuckingstalker. I sit outside her apartment at all hours, watch her from outside of her work, noticing she’s picked up more shifts, and I follow her at a safe distance at school, itching to hold her in my arms again. But if history has taught me one thing, her seeing me will be like seeing Mindy all over me again. I need to be patient, and I’m trying, but I need her.
Sofia goes over to her. “Oh good, you’re finally here,” she says and hugs her tight. She and Phoebe have gotten close to my girl—yes,my girl, becauseI willwin her back.
Maria moves toward them but stops when Avery spots her, and then moves over to the other side of the room with Sofia following.
I furrow my brows. What the fuck?
I look at Damian and, he too, is frowning. We both look at Maria. There’s unmistakable guilt in her expression. The hair on my arms stands up. Ever since the hospital, she and Dimitri have been strange whenever Avery’s mentioned. I look toward him and he’s looking at Avery. There’s guilt in his eyes but also a bit of anger, probably at Avery’s treatment of his wife. Damian and I move at the same time, but before we can get to his dad to question him, Al and Phoebe walk in, and the parentals rush to them, waiting to see if she said yes.
After we all greet them, Al smirks and holds up Phoebe’s left hand. We all cheer and the women squeal. I look at Avery, who’s standing just out of the way of everyone, near the fireplace, trying to be invisible but failing, because I’ll always notice her.
She has a ghost of a smile on her lips. Feeling like she’s being watched, she looks my way, and our eyes meet. Pain lances through me at the hurt in her beautiful violet eyes, but it’s the acceptance in them as well that makes my heart stop. I tilt my head to the side, but she just looks down, breaking eye contact. The women drag Phoebe down to the basement, and they grab Avery on their way by. Phoebe holds her hand tight, for whichI’m grateful for. Once they’re gone, I look at Dimitri again to find he’s looking at me. Once we make eye contact, he turns and heads outside, and I scowl. I decide to follow Alexandr and Damian upstairs to get dressed.
When we get to his bedroom on the third floor, we start to change into our tuxedos.
Damian looks at me with a frown and asks, “What’s going on with our parents and Avery?”