Blurred Lines (Behind Closed Doors Book 2) (24 page)

She gasps. Looks away from me. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You’re right. I don’t.” I keep my gaze fixed on her as I say, “I don’t understand how you can sleep with one guy in New York, date another in LA, have an affair with my husband and
still
be in love with my brother.” Was it possible she could do all that? It sounds unbelievable, even to my ears as I say it, but … “I don’t know who you are but you’re not Ashleigh anymore. She wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to destroy my marriage like you have.” She looks at me as I add, “But I guess Krystal would.”

That’s when I see it. Her weak spot. It’s there as her temper flashes through her eyes. She knows exactly what kind of person she is, what she is doing to other people just so she can have her own way, and she doesn’t like it. She doesn’t like who she’s become at all. Suddenly, I find myself in that small circle of people who know how to make her flip from angel to devil in a nanosecond. But still, I’d have to exploit her self-hatred to make it happen.

“So you don’t want me to explain that a trip to the fertility clinic is a cover for you to those who deserve to know the truth?”

For me to save my husband then there has to be one or two casualties. Maybe it’s time Ashleigh made a sacrifice for me. “I’d prefer it if you didn’t tell anyone, Ash.”

“Not even Sean?”

Ah! Now I’m caught between a rock and a hard place because I want her to suffer. But I can’t punish my brother. It’s just my luck that she still cares about him so much that the thought of him learning she is pregnant makes her stop and think. But I shake my head. “I’d like to tell him when the time is right.”

She blinks more than half a dozen times in rapid succession, then looks away from me. She doesn’t confirm whether or not she agrees so I guess I have to trust that she will and I don’t ask for it. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from watching Ashleigh get whatever she wants for all these years, it’s never to show weakness. If I give her any reason to think I doubt she’ll do as I ask she’ll exploit it. So my silence reinforces the statement.
I’ll
tell Sean not
you.

Once the car stops I don’t wait for the driver to open the door. I do it myself and exit the car. “I’m going to bed,” I say as I walk away. There’s a room with the most amazing view of the landscaped gardens in one direction and the endless ocean in the other, and it’s been my work room since Ashleigh moved in here eighteen months ago. I just want to be alone.

The front door opens before I get there. My mom cries my name and I stop dead in my tracks. Mom runs towards me as Dad appears in the door way, but I turn back and glare at my so-called friend. “You called my parents?” I know she did much more than that. For my mom and dad to be here at this time, Ashleigh must have sent her family’s private jet for them.

“Jules.” I hear my brother’s voice. I spin back and he’s already overtaking Dad. “Are you alright? She said Wayne did this.” I glare at Ashleigh again. “Did he? I’ll fucking kill him if he’s ever touched you.”

“Of course he’s touched me, you fucking moron,” I snap, barging past him. “He’s my husband. He has a right to touch me. I want him to touch me.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Sean calls after me.

“I know. But you’re all crazy if you believe Ashleigh’s lies. Wayne has never hurt me.”

“But—”

“I appreciate the concern.” Suddenly, I stop. I turn around. Step forward and reach for Mom. As we embrace, I whisper to her that it’s okay, there’s nothing to worry about. And I do the same for Dad. “Thank you for coming over.” I hope this puts their minds at ease. “Do you mind if I go lie down? We’ll catch up later?”

“Of course, dear.” Mom smiles. “Your father and I could also do with a rest. It’s been a long night.” It’s then I realize they’re a few hours ahead of us on the west coast and they must have flown all night to get here. “Sean, are you going home?”

My brother looks at Ashleigh and says, “No. There’s plenty of room for me to stay right here. I’m sure Ashleigh won’t mind.” He’s daring her to challenge him right now. She doesn’t. So I nod and I walk up the stairs.

“Please, Julia,” Ashleigh calls after me and when I don’t stop she follows me. “Why won’t you tell me what happened?”

I’ll never ever betray Wayne again. “You don’t need to know.”

“Julia—”

“Will you just give it a rest, Ashleigh!” Sean shouts. I’ve never been more grateful for my big brother’s intrusion in my life, because honestly I want to be on my own and just forget any of this ever happened. I don’t even have the luxury of alcohol to numb my mind or my feelings. Ashleigh ignores Sean and tries to get my attention.

I stop. For once in my life I play Ashleigh at her own games. I’m not doing this her way anymore. It’s my way. Or no way. Let’s see if she likes that. I look at her briefly before I turn my attention to Sean. “Mimi said you told her about their affair?”

“What affair? Who’s affair?” Sean asks, and suddenly I doubt what Mimi said at lunch. Was it only yesterday? It feels like a millennia ago. If she lied to me about Sean knowing then maybe Ashleigh was
is
telling the truth? But Wayne said… Oh I’m so confused right now. “What are you talking about?”

“Ashleigh and Wayne?” Beside him, Ashleigh gasps so loud it’s almost a shriek. I narrow my eyes at her. She hasn’t given me an answer to the request I made in the car. But that doesn’t stop me from adding, “Did you know about the baby too?”

“Baby?” Sean repeats, as the color drains from his face. “What baby?”

“Theirs,” I say, knowing it’ll take all the heat off me. At the same time I turn to Ashleigh. Her eyes are swimming with tears. I don’t understand why she’d want to be the kind of person who does this. Someone who seizes the opportunity to twist and mold any given situation to their every whim. Just the look on my brother’s face is enough to drive a dagger through my heart. But when I add it to the pain etched into her face, proving her usual impenetrable wall of ice has finally been cracked, then both are a heady concoction I’m in no rush to repeat. I’ve broken two hearts in order to save Wayne, and me, from losing everything. And now I have a brief glimpse of the kind of person Ashleigh really is and it makes me feel sick. This is the person I have been best friends with for most of my adult life.

“You’re pregnant?” Sean tugs on Ashleigh’s arm. He forces her to look at him. “And Wayne’s the father?”

“No!” Ashleigh cries.

“No what? No you’re not pregnant? Or no Wayne isn’t the father?” Sean demands.

I seem to slip into the insignificance of the endless saga that is Ashleigh and Sean. So I leave them to it. Wondering whether Ashleigh’s loyalty is with me or my brother. I reach my work room, slip inside and push the door until just a slither is left open and I wait.

“I would never do that to Julia, you know that.”

“So Wayne isn’t the father?” I can’t see them but I know Ashleigh is shaking her head in the silence. She’s not very good at lying to Sean. “Then who is? Dex? The same guy you left me for only for him to cheat on you weeks later? That guy gets a second chance, but the guy who was leaving his wife for you gets fuck all. Thanks, Ash. It’s great to finally know how much I meant to you.”

“You know what, Sean? You’re dead to me. No, worse than dead to me,” she snaps. “From this day forth you’re nothing but a scumbag reporter. So get out of my house before I have Rylan remove you from it.”

“Try it and this scumbag will tell the world all about Krystal’s double life.”

“Fuck you.” A few seconds later I hear a door slam.

I lean back against the door. My gaze glides across the room. I don’t want to be this person. I think I just set their friendship back by seven years. I swear to God, I’ll never do anything like that again. I’ll even tell Ashleigh she doesn’t have to provide a cover story for me when I visit the clinic. I’m not cut out for manipulating and hurting people the way Ashleigh does. In fact, because this is something Ashleigh does, I’m more adverse to the idea of allowing it into my life. I’m not Ashleigh. And my husband prefers the me I was until tonight over the me I might become if I continue to seek revenge.

It’s only for a couple of weeks, I tell myself as I cross towards the double bed. It’s only until Wayne can straighten out the misunderstanding. Then I will go home. He and I will try to put the pieces of our marriage back together. We’ll raise our baby, and try for a brother or sister. We’ll forget this ever happened. Without Ashleigh in our lives, we can and we will get passed this. As sad as this decision is for me after fifteen years, she’s left me with no other choice. If I have to choose between her and Wayne, then…

I choose Wayne.

<<< The End >>>

#

Did you enjoy Blurred Lines?

Yes? No? Maybe? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Email me at
[email protected]
. I promise to reply.

Did you know the best way to support your favourite author is to leave a review on the site where you found their book? Reviews are a fabulous way to tell other readers, and the author, what you liked, disliked and enjoyed the most about their book.

I am very grateful to everyone who takes the time to leave a review, or contact me directly. Thank you for brightening up my day! :-)

#

And now for a sneak peek at Crossing Lines (Behind Closed Doors - Book Three)

A Sneak Peek at Book Three

Sometimes, you have to cross the line.

Ever since Ashleigh Jordan won the most coveted prize in Hollywood for her role as abuse victim Faith McKenzie, she
’
s insisted there is a line between protection and abuse and that her best friend
’
s husband has crossed it. But her complicated history with Wayne means no one will believe her. Ashleigh has only one person she can turn to: Darryl Hawthorne, the brother of the abuse victim whose story changed her life.

It
’
s taken Darryl five years to crack the glacial armor shielding his patient Krystal Valentina, only to discover her name isn
’
t Krystal at all. It
’
s Ashleigh. The multi awarding winning actress needs his help to save her friend from life in prison. But the only way Darryl can get close to Julia is to go undercover as his patient
’
s lover. In doing so, Darryl finds himself precariously close to lines he should not cross as a doctor, and as a friend. But the more time Darryl spends with Julia, and Ashleigh, the more he
’
s convinced crossing those lines is the only way to solving what happened the night Julia shot her husband.

Crossing Lines
is Book Three in the
Behind Closed Doors
series.

sign up here
to get a sneak peek at the first chapter of
Crossing Lines
.

#

Also coming Autumn 2015

Maybe Tomorrow

Sign up here
to get a sneak peek at the first book in the Forgive or Forget Trilogy

Meet Erin Cawood

Well, firstly I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read
Blurred Lines
and then for taking the time to find out a little more about me.

Well, I’m a romantic at heart. I’ve been reading and writing romance since my early teens and the discovery of chick-lit in my early twenties brought its own special twist on my writing style.

I do like a lead character that you can really get behind and cheer on every step of the way. Thus, I end up sliding around and sometimes into the darker, edgier side of romantic fiction and taking the path less willingly followed. Of course, that means this isn’t the last you’ve heard from the McKenzie or the Valentina Families. I aim to bring Darryl’s story to you very soon.