Stanton Unconditional (29 page)

“He will be fine in the morning. I will leave you two lovebirds to it.” He raises his eyebrows at me and smiles cheekily in jest at me being stuck with him. He slaps Joshua on the back as he leaves the apartment.

“I’m going to bed,” I sigh.

He nods. “See you in there.”

I lie in bed as I hear him fuss around in the kitchen and make toast and tea, seemingly unaffected.

I am so tired I feel like I actually had the fight tonight, this man and this life with him is messing with my head and is utterly exhausting.

The sound of pills getting popped from their packets greets me when I hop out of the shower in the morning and I walk into the kitchen to investigate. I slept like a baby and don’t even remember Joshua coming to bed last night. My eyes cover his body and I gasp in shock. Joshua’s face is a mess, he has a fat lip, a black eye, his ribs are bruised, his hand is the size of a watermelon and he’s taking painkillers. I can’t even be sympathetic, this is beyond ridiculous.

“What are you taking?” I ask.

“Just anti-inflammatories,” he murmurs.

I scowl and head back to my bedroom to get dressed for work. What an idiot.

He follows me and gets back into bed and pulls the covers over himself.

I frown at him as I put my hand on my hip. “What are you doing?” I ask.

“Going back to bed—what does it look like?” he murmurs.

Now he wants to stay in bed. “Are you not working today?” I ask.

“Mmm, later,” he groans.

I can’t help it—compassion gets the better of me. “Are you alright?” I ask as I bend and rub his forehead and gently kiss it.

He nods but doesn’t say anything.

“Are you going to go to the hospital and see about that broken hand?”

He nods again, still silent.

“Would you like it if I did this to myself and my body?” I ask.

“No,” he answers quietly.

“Then you understand why it drives me insane that you do this for fun.”

He nods again.

“I’m going to work. I will see you later.” I bend and kiss him gently on the cheek and he lies still. He must be really sore, he isn’t even joking about naughty nurses.

“Bye babe,” he whispers croakily and then rolls over and closes his eyes.

Hmm, figures, I beg him to stay in bed with me all weekend and now on a Wednesday because it suits him he is staying at home in bed, so typical.

It’s official, operation slim down is damn boring. “What will it be?” the cashier asks me.

I smile as I look at the coffee list on the blackboard on the far wall. “Damn it, I’m going to be naughty. Can I have a caramel latte with one sugar and a cinnamon scroll please?” It’s Friday, I’ve finished work for the day and have called over to see the girls I worked with at SSAC. I’m not meeting them for half an hour so I called in here to fill in the time. I haven’t been to this coffee shop before as it’s out of the way. I sit at the bar bench and read a magazine as I wait for my order.

“Order for Natasha,” the cashier calls. I take my order and am on my way out of the café when I catch sight of Joshua sitting in the corner of the café with Adrian and … that bitch from the wedding. Is he kidding? How is he still in contact with her? My blood boils and I march over.

“Hello,” I stammer.

Joshua looks up and his eyes widen in shock. “Tash … baby.” He stands immediately. “Join us.” He pulls out a chair.

I fake a smile. “Adrian.” My eyes shoot to Dolly Parton and she smiles broadly. I glare at Joshua who of course is looking his sensational best. Why does he have to be so fucking good looking? I fall into the seat uncomfortably.

“This is Tatiana.” Joshua introduces her way too quickly.

“We’ve met.” I smile a little too sweetly at him as I am reminded of why I called her Tittiana on our first meeting. His face drops. He was hoping I didn’t remember who she was … bastard.

“Tatiana works with us on this new job we are doing,” he stammers nervously.

Oh, this is just great. “Really?” I smile. “How nice.”

My eyes flick to Adrian and he smiles knowingly.

“Yes, what a coincidence. I didn’t know she worked for this company. Did I Adrian?” Joshua is talking at double speed. Busted, asshole.

“Right.” I drop my head as fury starts to pump. We have discussed his work on numerous occasions and he hasn’t mentioned this once.

He puts his hand on my lap and grabs my hand. I smile sweetly. You are one sneaky son of a bitch.

“So lovely to finally meet you Natasha,” Tatiana purrs. “I’ve heard all about the woman who has finally tamed Joshua.”

Ha. What a joke! “I bet you have,” I purr.

I fake a smile at her as my eyes flick to Joshua who has started to perspire. Adrian smiles broadly and winks at me. He’s loving this.

“So how long have you been married?” she asks. My eyes drop to her enormous breasts. Good grief does anyone at all look at her face, she must wear a back brace under her clothing.

Huh, my eyes widen. Joshua squeezes my hand as I try to rip it from his gorilla grip.

“We are not married,” I snap. I hold out my hand. “I don’t see a ring on this finger … do you?”

She frowns at Joshua. “But I thought you said?” He coughs uncomfortably

“I bet you have,” I smile sarcastically. “Joshua’s stories get a little exaggerated sometimes and then on other times he totally leaves things out altogether, don’t you honey?” I raise my eyebrows.

Joshua sculls his coffee to escape my glare.

“I have to get going, lovely to see you again.” I smile at her as I stand.

Joshua stands. “I’ll walk you out.”

“Not necessary,” I smile. “See you later.” I storm out of the café with him hot on my heels.

“Seriously, Josh, go back inside,” I sigh.

“Natasha,” he snaps. “What was that about?”

I smile sweetly as I boil with anger on the inside, what an asshole. How could he not tell me about working with her? Act calm. Act calm, act fucking calm. I frown. “What are you talking about, Joshua?”

“Where are you going?” he asks as he grabs my hand.

“Out with my friends. I told you.”

He rolls his lips as he contemplates saying something.

“What is it you want to say Joshua?” I raise a brow in question.

“I didn’t tell you I worked with her because I knew you would lose your shit.” His eyes stay firmly on mine.

I smile. “Always thinking of me.” I pull from his grip. “How thoughtful you are, no my shit is completely together,” I sneer.

He narrows his eyes at me. “I’ll be over around eight?” he replies as he leans in and kisses my cheek.

“I look forward to it,” I reply. I walk back to my car with a red glow shooting from my ears. He has got to be joking.

My phone dances silently around the table. “Are you not even going to answer it?” Bridget frowns.

“No.” I screw up my face as I drink the last of my margarita. “I’m off him, he can go to hell.” We are at the Cargo Bar. I’ve ditched Joshua. I didn’t even tell him I was going out. This is the fifth time my phone has rung in fifteen minutes.

“Who is this chick anyway?” Abbie asks. “You could take her.”

I nod. “Totally, but if he thinks I’m going to be a mushroom and kept in the dark for the rest of my life he can think again. Our whole relationship is one-way traffic. His fucking way and I’m over it.”

The girls both nod as they listen.

“I told him I wouldn’t be his booty call and yet I am.” I take a drink. “I constantly open up to him and tell him I love him like a pathetic schoolgirl and yet he says nothing back. Every damn night he turns up at eight o’clock and it is just assumed that we will have awesome sex all night.”

Abbie glances at Bridget. “Yeah, sounds totally shit.”

Bridget laughs into her drink and I giggle. “It is.”

They both shake their heads at me. “So, let’s get this straight, you are annoyed because he comes around to your house every night and gives you awesome sex without complications.” Abbie frowns.

I nod. “Basically.”

“God, I wish, where do I find a man like this?” Abbie sighs. Bridget giggles and clinks glasses with her. The group of young guys we know are here and bound over to the table. “Let’s dance.” They start to groove on the spot. The girls both stand and move to the dance floor and I stay seated. “I’m not dancing,” I sigh.

“Yeah, me neither,” replies the young one with the curly brown hair.

“Where have you been? You haven’t been here for weeks,” he asks.

I nod. “I know,” I frown. “My gran got sick so we have had some stuff on.”

“Oh shit,” he replies. “Is she ok?

“No, she has cancer,” I sigh.

“Sorry,” he mutters.

“I met a girl,” he blurts out to change the subject.

My eyes widen. “Really? Tell me.” I smile.

“She’s blonde and beautiful.”

I smile.

“She’s away at the moment with her parents.” He shrugs.

“How did you meet?” I sip my drink, this guy is so cute.

“At work,” he replies.

My skin prickles. I feel him before I see him. My eyes flick around the space and sure enough there he is. Tall, dark, handsome and extremely infuriating. Shit. I turn around in a rush and swallow the lump in my throat. Bloody snitchy bodyguards. Joshua is talking to my bodyguard against the wall.

He walks over to the table. “What do you think you are doing?” he snaps.

I swallow uncomfortably. “What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Answer the question,” he replies.

I narrow my eyes. “Talking to this wonderful man actually.” The boy next to me widens his eyes in fear and I bite my lip to stifle my smile, poor bastard.

Joshua’s furious eyes hold mine. “Leave,” he snaps to my companion.

He nods immediately and goes to stand up. I grab his arm. “Sit back down. You are not going anywhere,” I reply.

“You have five seconds,” Joshua growls. The poor boy’s eyes are the size of saucers as his eyes flick between Joshua and me. Joshua is scaring even me.

“Cut it out Joshua,” I snap. “You leave.”

“Five … four,” Joshua starts to count in a cool calculated voice and the boy practically jumps and runs.

Joshua stands with his legs wide and his hands in his suit pockets, fury dripping from his every pore as he ticks his jaw. His tall body leans down to me. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he sneers.

I swallow the fear in my throat. I don’t think I have ever seen him so angry.

I drain my glass. “What does it look like? Drinking,” I stammer.

He narrows his eyes at me. “I have been at your house worried and I find you are in a bar drinking with other men and ignoring my calls.”

I twirl my hair uncomfortably. “I don’t feel like seeing you tonight,” I reply.

He grabs my arm. “You want to fight precious? Say when.”

I pull my arm from his grip. “Stop it. You’re acting crazy.” My eyes flick around to the bodyguards who are all purposely looking away.

“You haven’t seen fucking crazy yet,” he whispers so coldly that I get a shiver down my spine.

I snap my eyes away from his glare.

“Stop carrying on,” he angrily whispers.

“Who’s carrying on Joshua? I’m in a bar trying to enjoy myself and you turn up here like Fabio. Go away please.”

“Get your ass in that limo now,” he growls.

Of all the nerve, I screw up my face. “No.”

“Now,” he screams.

Fuck he’s losing it, I look around nervously. “I said no,” I reply calmly as I try to rein in my thumping heart.

“Go.” He raises a brow. “You can leave here with dignity by your own free will or you can kick and scream while I drag you. Either way you will be in my car in two minutes.” His cold eyes hold mine.

I stand. “You are an asshole,” I snap as I storm past him out the door.

I wait at the limo as he walks out with the guards. “Can you let the girls know I am leaving?” I ask one of Joshua’s guards. He nods and goes back into the club. Joshua opens the car door for me and I glare at him as I hop in. I feel like a naughty child in trouble with my parents. He gets in behind me and pushes the security button. It goes up slowly.

I sit silently, looking out the window, as we weave through the traffic. I can feel the anger oozing from him.

He leans over and pulls my face to his. “I will say this once and once only. Do not ever fucking stand me up again.”

Fear grips me. “Stop it.”

“You will do as I ask and show me respect. Do you fucking hear me?” he yells.

I pull my face from his grip. “And what respect do I get in return Joshua?” I reply coldly. “Bumping into you having coffee with a woman—is that the respect I deserve?”

“I work with her,” he yells.

“And last time I saw you with her you were dry-humping her at a wedding you were attending with me. Don’t give me demands on respect, asshole, because you give me none.”

“I don’t want her!” he screams.

“What the fuck do you want Joshua? You don’t even know.”

“You know nothing about me,” he snaps as the car pulls up at my house.

“I know I don’t, because you tell me nothing,” I yell as I jump out in a rush. He gets out after me. “Go home.” I yell. I need to get away from him immediately. I can’t handle these mind games anymore. I’m going insane. He slams the car door hard and storms after me into the building and the guards all look away. We stand in silence in the lift. I hate having security—what must they think? He opens the door and I storm inside. He slams the door behind me.

“Go home,” I yell.

“I am home,” he yells.

I turn to him angrily. “If you are home why is there a glass force-field around you?”

His chest rises and falls in anger.

“I can’t break through it, I try and try and your heart is so closed up that you won’t let me in at all … and I can’t fucking handle this ambivalence anymore. You don’t even know what you want!”

“I want you,” he whispers as his eyes hold mine.

I shake my head angrily. “Well start acting like it. I can’t deal with walking on eggshells anymore, Joshua. Make your decision. I have done my time for leaving you, my punishment is over. Let me in!” I cry.

He grabs me roughly and brings his lips to mine. “I want you,“ he whispers as his tongue gently swipes through my lips. My eyes close as my hand comes around to the back of his head.