16. The Ahole

Once Cal was subdued,I meandered back to the living room, mired in my head, worried about everything. I stopped short. Nothing in my life previously had prepared me for the scene before me. Buddy was bound and gagged in a chair, with Edward grimacing above him and his bodyguard nearby.

I gasped at the sight of it all. “What are you doing?”

“What’s the matter, Honey? You thought I’d lose to this nobody? This Hollywood outsider? Not a chance. Why the old films and assets of Dream Waves Studios alone will bring a good sized revenue into Kings. Not to mention, the minute we marry, I will inherit everything from Cal Tomms.”

“No, you won’t.” I begged Buddy with my eyes to please be okay. His eyes fluttered, but he nodded, coming around. With a cut lip and a swollen eye and a gash on his head, it angered me that Edward and his bodyguard would do this to him.

“Ah, yes. The stepdaughter so assured she’d inherit everything. You believed in Cal’s love for you like a daughter. But, you see, what he really wanted was a son.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“As I’ve spent more time with Cal lately, it was all too easy to get on his good side, like the son he never had. I assured him I’d oversee his business plus take care of his precious little Honey. I even stood over him while he met with his lawyer, changing everything into my name on the condition that we marry.”

“No! He’s a sick old man, and you took advantage of him. I’ll fight you in court.”

“Not according to his lawyer, who vouched for his being of sound mind and body.”

“Then you’re forgetting one thing. I’ll never marry you.”

He lunged for my arms, twisting them in his tight grasp. “Oh, yes, you will. Or you’ll never see this man again. Jerrod?”

His bodyguard pointed a gun at Buddy’s head and cocked it. Buddy moaned what sounded like my name, shaking his head and imploring me with his eyes not to do it. Oh my God, was he willing to take a bullet for me like this just so I could have my dream? Only a man in love would do that. Could Buddy…have true feelings for me?

This whole time wasn’t an act? How could I be so selfish and careless in thinking his intentions weren’t real? No, I couldn’t let him die for me.

“Fine. I’ll marry you. So, let him go.” I seethed. Buddy thrashed and groaned at my resignation. “But I swear, Edward, once I’m through sending you to Hell, you won’t be around to enjoy it.”

“Neither will you, sweetheart, thanks to the prenup you’ll soon be signing under major duress. The one that says you get nothing upon my death or divorce.”

I spat in Edward’s face. Suddenly, Buddy stood, chair and all, and rammed into Jerrod. As the guard fell down, his gun went off, and I screamed. “No!”

To my horror, I clutched my heart, waiting to see if Buddy had been hurt. Jerrod shoved him off, then righted his chair. He served another punch to his eye, while blood oozed from his shoulder. My stomach churned at the sight of him in pain like this.

“Bastard. Just say the word, boss, and he’s dead.” Jerrod pointed the gun again.

“No. Put him on a plane back to Boston and see to it he gets there,” Edward ordered. “And if you ever set foot back in my town, Buddy, you’ll regret it. Now, come, darling. Let’s get hitched.”

I struggled against his hold, while looking back into Buddy’s eyes in case it was the last time we ever held a gaze. But all of a sudden, the door flew open and Delta rushed in.

“My God, don’t you answer your phone—Oh, shit.” Her face shifted. “What did I walk into?”

“Me setting things right, as it should have been all along.” Edward spoke before I could. “If you’ll excuse us, we have an appointment with a judge to get married.”

“But Cal’s dead,” she cried.

“What? No!” Honey screeched.

“Ah, fuck.” Edward loosened his hold on me enough, I shoved away from him.

“Where is he?” I demanded.

“In his bedroom. I-I was by his side when he reached for his heart and had trouble breathing. He was gone before I could finish the call with 9-1-1. I’m so sorry, Honey,” Delta’s voice broke.

“I need to see him,” I cried, tears forming at the edges. The love-hate relationship we might have had aside, the man provided and cared for me over the years. I couldn’t deny him the respect he deserved for not deserting me after Mom passed.

“Not so fast,” Edward shouted. The gun cocked at my head, and in the mirror beside the door I could see Jerrod behind me holding the gun, and Buddy behind him—slouched over, moaning in pain. “You think we’re thorough? Hardly. You’ll still marry me tonight.”

“You’re delusional.”

“No. You’re the one I’ll have declared mentally incompetent after I’m through with you, and I’ll end up with everything. Dream Waves, Cal’s millions, it’ll all be mine.”

“Oof!” Jerrod groaned. The gun clicked, and I turned in time to see Buddy in the chair had plowed him over again, only this time the gun jammed and the guard’s head went through the wall, knocking him out. His body slumped to the ground.

Edward jumped on Buddy then, the two men fighting like a dog pile in a junkyard scrap for who would be the head of the pack.

“Give it up, asshole. Honey will never be yours,” Buddy muttered coherently enough as his gag had come loose in the melee.

“Who the fuck do you think you are to dictate what happens around here?” Edward said, getting in a few jabs to Buddy’s ribs.

Was there no end to this? Men thinking they could take advantage of me and my rightful claim to my mother’s company?

The sound of gunfire to my left took everyone’s attention. I jumped out of my skin. Delta stood there with a phone in one hand and a dainty little gun the size of her tiny purse in the other, pointed at the ceiling. “I’ve recorded the entire thing and just hit send to a friend of mine in the LAPD,” she screamed. I rushed to her side.

“It’s over, Edward. Get the fuck out and stay out of my life.” I pointed to the door with a straight arm and a bitch face. I didn’t breathe again until he left, hissing like a snake and murmuring something about getting back at me. He could try, but never again would I let him gain an edge over me.

I ran to Buddy and untied him, once again so grateful for Delta and her loyalty to me all these years. Without her intervention just now, who knew what might have happened tonight? She’s like the angel on earth Mom left me with to watch over me.

I took my scarf from around my neck and held it to his wound. “We need to get you to the hospital.”

“You just go and pay your last respects to Cal.” He leaned against the wall once he was upright, holding his hand to the scarf at his shoulder, and scrunched his face in pain.

“He’s right, Honey,” Delta said, just as the sirens neared the house. “The ambulance is here for Cal, and they can also tend to Buddy.”

“Go. I’m fine.” Buddy agreed. I couldn’t just leave him, could I? This turn of events, though, meant he’d served his purpose. With Cal gone, our marriage contract ended up null and void. I’d inherit everything and wouldn’t need a man around. Or could something more come of my time with Buddy? Something real?

The knock at the door from the first responders came, and Delta left us to answer.

“Oh, Buddy. You saved my life.” I stood on my toes, my hands on his cheeks, and I kissed him, melting my lips to his. We lingered there, and I was saddened by this turn of events. More tender kisses passed between us and longing hit me, my thighs tightening against the rising tide of desire.

Even in the pain he must feel, he continued our kisses across my jaw to my earlobe.

“I don’t know how I could ever repay you for what you did for me.” And I didn’t mean just now, but for everything. His understanding of my situation, the way he encouraged me to work hard to achieve my dreams. It’d be a long time before I could forget a man like him. Did I have to?

He whispered in my ear, “I can think of several ways you could thank me?—”

“Here he is,” Delta rushed in with an EMT. I stepped back to give the guy room, and he started tending to Buddy right away. Delta ushered the other two EMTs down the hall to Dad’s room.

“I-I should go with her.” I gestured.

“Yeah. We’ll talk later.” Buddy jerked his head toward the door. But I stopped in the doorway and for one last look at him. In this very moment, finally getting everything I ever wanted, I wondered if it was enough. My life would change, exactly the life I’d always wanted, but could he also fit in to the picture?