Stanton Unconditional (8 page)

Chapter 8

I
’m cut. So
deep that I can feel myself bleeding out, gasping for air … for life. If I was hooked up to a heart-rate monitor it would show the weakening of my heartbeat every hour, every minute without him. The sound of the beep would be getting softer beat by beat. I feel like a plant that has been starved of the sun, in total darkness. I don’t know how to not love Joshua Stanton. I have loved him for every minute of every hour of every day since I was a seventeen-year-old girl. He was my life, my every dream and until now I didn’t realise what an ingrained part of my psyche he was. I dream of him nearly every night. Horrible nightmares, ones where we are in the tunnel and he is being beaten to death and I am raped, or the other dream, the one where I am forced to watch him make tender passionate love to Amelie. It’s so real that I can see the sheen of perspiration on his body, hear his cries as his orgasms rip through him. Feel him quiver with need, kiss her lips as they both gasp for air. I don’t know which dream I dread the most, they are both horrific. But it’s the vision of Joshua and Amelie making love that haunts me throughout my working day. Are they making love right now?

I sit in my office staring out the window, lost in my own regret. It’s 7 am. I have been working ridiculous hours to escape the small talk of the girls in my apartment. Max is in the park, Ben has asked him to stay with me until the media circus dies down. Except now there are three other guards as well, and I don’t have a minute of privacy. I should just issue a statement saying we are not or never have been married, but I just can’t do it. It’s the final nail in my coffin that I don’t have the strength to hammer in. How did it get to this? I have been back at work for a week and my mind is far from being on the job. I still haven’t got a new phone—I’m too scared. Scared he will call, scared that he won’t. I can’t have him in my life, I know that. But the thought that he could move on with her tears my heart wide open.

I am dreading the weekend like the plague. I can’t even pretend not to be sad and I feel bad for the girls who are constantly trying to cheer me up and pull me out of this funk.

Now I have to call Adrian as Nicholas Anastas is on my case. He has come into work twice this week. He’s keen, I will give him that. My little hard-to-get act was very effective. Abbie is right, this shit actually works.

I feel sick knowing I have to make this call, I slowly dial his number. It rings.

He picks up. “Adrian Murphy.”

I panic and hang up as tears rush to my eyes. Who am I kidding? I can’t talk to Adrian, he’s Joshua’s best friend. I need to distance myself from everybody in his circle. Too bad, I’m making an executive decision. Nicholas can have Adrian’s number. I text it to him immediately from my work phone before I can second guess myself—the way I feel at the moment the bloody grim reaper can have his number.

Adrian

I sit on my deck chair beside Cameron as I feel the warmth of the sun dance on my skin. We both watch him glide through the water in silence. It’s 1 pm and Cam and I are on our second beer as we ponder how in the hell to keep him occupied for the weekend.

“How many laps can he actually do?” Cameron asks.

I shrug. “A lot, it seems. More than us anyway.”

Cameron smirks. “That wouldn’t be hard.”

It has been eight days since we lost Natasha and she consequently returned to Australia. Joshua has been a fucking nightmare. He’s training like a man possessed, his way of burning that extra energy, extra anger. He still can’t fly for another six days.

“What do you want to do tonight?” I ask.

Cameron shrugs “Has Ben finished the security tapes yet?”

“No, still no idea of what hospital that guy got his cast on at.”

“At least when we find the hospital we will have a name to track.” Cameron sighs as he lays back and closes his eyes as his face tilts to the sun.

“Didn’t you say you had to go into work today?” I frown.

He nods as he takes a sip of his beer. “I was just going into pathology to get some blood tests, but now that I’ve been drinking that’s not going to happen.”

“What are the blood tests for?”

Cameron shrugs. “Just routine stuff. Tell me Murph? What happens if this trip to Australia doesn’t go well? What then?”

I shrug. “The thought has crossed my mind. Tash will understand, she loves him. They were broken up, she can’t hold it against him … surely”

“You know, I’ve been thinking and the fact that Natasha has never slept with anyone else is going to work against him.” Cameron sighs.

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“You knew that, right?

“Knew what?” I ask.

“Natasha has never slept with anyone else. She waited for Josh for seven years.” His eyes hold mine as he takes another sip of his beer.

“What the fuck! What never? Not one person?” I frown.

Cameron shakes his head.

I close my eyes and put my head back against my chair in regret. “This is all my fault, Cam. I knew Amelie couldn’t be trusted and yet I never warned him. And now he’s lost the girl that actually really loves him.”

“You didn’t know the stupid prick was going to sleep with her.”

“How did that even happen?” I shake my head.

Joshua silences our conversation by swimming to the edge and taking the stairs of the pool. He dries himself and wraps the towel around his waist.

“Anyone want a protein shake?” he asks as he heads to the pool bar.

Cameron frowns at me. “As if. You freak.”

“What’s wrong with protein?” Joshua replies.

“Nothing if you don’t have taste buds,” I mutter.

He makes his shake and flops onto the deck chair next to me.

“Don’t you think you’re training a bit much? It can’t be good for you,” I say as I close my eyes and put my head back to feel the sun on my face.

“I tell you what’s not healthy. Being trapped in this fucking house like a stale bottle of piss,” he snaps.

Cameron gives him a sad smile as he reaches over and rubs his hand roughly through Joshua’s hair. “It’ll work out mate. No use worrying about it, stop stressing.”

“Why don’t you call Tash?” I ask.

“No. I need to see her in person. She will just hang up on me if I ring her.”

I smile. “She’s a ballsy little bitch … isn’t she?”

Joshua rolls his eyes as he takes a sip of his drink. “Hmm, much to my detriment.”

We sit in silence for a few minutes and my phone rings.

“Adrian Murphy,” I answer

A deep male voice with an Australian accent. “Umm, hello Adrian.”

“Yes.” I frown, who in the hell is this?

“I’m not sure if you remember me. It’s Nicholas Anastas. We met in a restaurant a couple of months ago.”

My eyes widen and I sit up suddenly.

“Oh yes. I remember.” I start waving my hand around in the air at Joshua frantically.

He frowns at me and takes a sip of his shake.

“Nicholas Anastas, what a pleasant surprise.”

Joshua’s mouth drops open and he hits Cameron in the stomach. Cameron has his eyes closed and was not expecting the hit so he doubles over as he groans.

“Natasha Marx gave me your number.”

I look at Joshua. “Oh Natasha did … right.”

Joshua puts his head in his hands at the mention of her name.

Fuck, what will I say?” I stay silent as nerves steal my ability to speak.

“I hope you don’t mind me ringing.”

I swallow nervously. “No, it’s nice to hear from you.”

“I was wondering if you wanted to catch up for a drink tonight,” he asks.

Cameron throws a piece of ice at me from the ice bucket sitting next to him. It hits me hard in the face. I hold my hand up in a fist to him as he and Joshua break into laughter.

“Are you in LA?” I ask, wide-eyed, as I rub my face.

“Yes, I’m here for business. How about that drink?”

Holy shit. “Um, look I’m not sure I can make it tonight,” I answer. Joshua hits me hard in the stomach.

“You’re fucking going,” he mouths at me.

I shake my head as I cover the phone with my hand. I stand to get away from my two idiot friends.

“Ok. Fine. Never mind, at least I tried,” he snaps.

Oh shit, he’s pissed. What will I say?

I scrunch my eyes up as the next words escape my mouth. “I’m staying with friends. Why don’t you come here for dinner? Cameron can cook.” I bite my lip to stifle my smile. This time Cameron holds out his hand in a fist to me. “Joshua makes a mean cocktail,” I add. Joshua rolls his eyes at me as he takes another sip of his shake.

“Who are the friends?” he asks.

“Joshua, the man you met at the restaurant with me and my other friend Cameron.” I can hear him thinking through the phone. “They are nice guys. Fun. Cam is an amazing cook.” Cameron walks past to the bar and gives me a shove, hoping I will fall into the pool. Joshua smirks.

“Ok. What time?” he asks.

Oh fuck. Now I’ve done it. I start to shake my arm around in the air as I freak out.

“About seven. I will text you the address,” I answer nervously.

His deep velvety voice rasps through the phone. “I look forward to it Adrian.” He hangs up and I put my head in my hands.

“Oh my fucking god. He’s coming here.” I start to panic.

“Who?” Cameron frowns.

“That dude we met in Australia. Psychologist, author,” Joshua replies.

“Oh yeah, that one. You went on about him for a week, looks like you might be getting some head tonight after all.” Cameron smiles, making Joshua laugh.

“This is not funny. Does everything come back to head with you?” I stammer, exasperated.

Cameron smiles and shrugs his shoulders. “Basically,” he replies.

“How did I rope myself into this? I don’t want him to come over here. What was I thinking?”

Joshua’s eyes light up. “You were thinking that Cameron and I needed some comedy entertainment tonight.” He smiles broadly as he winks.

“Stop it,” I snap. “You two had better be on your best behaviour. Or I fucking mean it, you are both dead.”

Cameron laughs. “We will be on our best behaviour. Naked, but well behaved.”

I roll my eyes. “Great, something to look forward to,” I say deadpan. “I don’t even remember what he looks like.”

“I do. He’s hot.” Joshua smirks. “Give me your phone.” He takes my phone off me and starts to google him.

“Why did you say I would cook, asshole? Why don’t you fucking cook?” Cameron throws me a dirty look.

“Because that’s just too try hardish. What, so he sits at the bench while I cook in the kitchen? I’m not fucking Nigella Lawson.”

“Why didn’t you say I would cook?” Joshua smirks as he scrolls through my phone.

“Probably because you can’t cook, dumbass.”

Joshua laughs as he hands me the phone. “Yep. Like I said.”

My eyes scroll down the length of the screen as I feel my nerves rise. He is more than hot, he’s damn delicious. “What the hell will I wear?” I splutter.

“Naked on first dates always works for me.” Cameron lays his head back to the sun to catch the rays on his face as he swigs his beer.

I roll my eyes at Josh. “Can you be fucking serious for one minute Cameron? Why is everything a joke to you?”

“Probably because you are always so serious and Joshua is so fucking boring at the moment with his little broken heart routine. Someone around here has to have some fun.”

“Fair call,” Joshua replies.

“What’s the look you are going for?” Cameron sighs.

“Not trying.”

Joshua smiles. “That’s easy then. You should wear flannelette pyjamas.” He takes a drink from his shake.

My eyes widen in horror. “You’ve lost the plot. You like Natasha in flannelette pyjamas.”

He smiles as he folds his arms behind his head. “Yep, that‘s what’s so hot about Tash. She doesn’t try to be sexy at all. She looks sexiest to me when she is wearing flannelette pyjamas, her pink fluffy slippers and her hair in pigtails with her glasses on.”

Cameron pulls a disgusted face and I nod in agreement with him.

“Sounds like a bad Taylor Swift film clip.” I do a fake shiver.

“I never thought I would like that either,” he replies wistfully. “There is a certain level of comfort when you realise it’s not the packaging you want in someone.”

Cameron rolls his eyes. “Oh god, your soppy shit is driving me fucking nuts. Man the fuck up,” he snaps bringing a smile to my face.

“What are you cooking Cameron?” I ask.

“I don’t know, whatever. Who cares?” he says matter-of-factly.

Joshua laughs again as he puts his head back onto the chair. “Sounds delicious.”

I shake my head. This is going to be a long night.

Natasha

It’s Wednesday, another word for hump day and, in my case, shit day, annoying day and fucking depressing day. I am going to my first court case at the jail. Coby Allender is having his first appeal hearing today. I have been witnessing his visits for the last couple of months from the private box. Today, though, I will actually be in the same room as him for the first time. The man completely freaks me out. I am just so intimidated by his intelligence and the fact that his behavior is motivated by evil only adds to the horror of dealing with a suspected serial killer. I think those nightmares I have been having are making me crazy—my imagination is running away with me. We are at the jail’s private courthouse—this is a closed hearing. Henry my boss has gone to check on some details and I am waiting alone in the corridor to go in when Mr Cheeky walks up behind me.

“Hey Doc.” He pokes me in the ribs from behind.

I turn and smile. Oh shit, it’s the guy who told me to think of him when I had sex with Joshua—my face falls.

“Don’t look so pleased to see me.” He smirks. His messy blond hair hangs over his forehead and his dark brown eyes twinkle with mischief. He’s tall and buff with a full sleeve of tatts. He has the whole naughty boy thing going on. Hmm.

I shake my head as I smile. “You’re a dick, you know that.”

He raises his eyebrows at me. “I’ve been called worse.” He smiles. “How’s your tool of a boyfriend?”

“Ex,” I snap. “You’re lucky he didn’t kill you that night by the way.”