Chapter 61

* Elena *

Oh, dear! What exactly did he say to his daughter and her friends? I’ve only been gone a day and a half, and all hell has broken loose in L.A. Since I wasn’t given any information, I don’t know what the plan was or where she was going to attack.

I was so enraged by Scott and what he had done to Ryder that I wasn’t thinking straight when I made those threats and told Lyon that I wanted to talk to his daughter. When she finally did contact me, I was still in a rage, and my fingers had done the talking as I tried to be as delicate as possible while telling the ten-year-old what I wanted.

I couldn’t very well come right out and tell the child what had been done to him, but I’m almost certain she understood and was able to read between the lines, maybe too well.

But I didn’t think things would go this far this soon. There was complete chaos for which I feel partly responsible, and the hard part is that I can’t rush back there to be with Ryder while he goes through this.

Mary and Scott, two of the people he trusted most, had once again betrayed him, it seems, and don’t get me started on Matt. I’d had to call him, of course, between takes because I could only imagine the hell he was going through, and though he hates to admit it, his mind wasn’t as strong as it needed to be just yet.

One of my biggest fears is that he’d slip right back into his old habits, something I hate to admit even to myself, but it’s a real threat that gives me nightmares, especially now that I’m so far away from him. He’s only been clean for a short while, after all, and things have yet to calm down with so much still left up in the air.

Now this tableau is being played out in the press for all the world to see, and he’s caught up in the eye of the storm once again. My heart was racing while I waited for him to answer the phone, not knowing what to expect. “Hi, baby. How are you?”

“I should be asking you that, Ryder; what the hell is going on? Did Scott really try to rip you off? Didn’t he say fifty million? How did it become two hundred? And what’s Mary up to?”

“There’s a lot to unpack here, babe. I just got through talking to the guys, and it’s not what it seems.”

“What? I don’t understand; what’s not what it seems?”

“You and me both, babe, give me a minute. Let me catch my breath so I can try to explain it the best I can.” Wait, he didn’t sound in the least bit distressed; in fact, it sounded more like he was fighting back laughter.

“Ryder, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just trying to come to terms with the fact that a group of ten-year-olds are this badass.”

“What’s that noise in the background?” It sounded like someone was arguing.

“Lyon’s fighting with his daughter.”

“Oh?” Why do I feel so protective of a little girl I have never met?

“Yeah, I think she’s the only one who stands up to him. Anyway, here’s the deal. My catalog is safe, it’s mine still, and I made a shit ton of money anyway. It’s hard to explain, and given the latest incidents, I don’t think we should discuss it over the phone.”

“You think they’re listening? MengeLiNi, I mean.”

“I’m not worried about them, but given what they do and how they do it, I don’t trust that someone else wouldn’t have the same idea. Just know that everything is fine over here now. By the way, I’m coming to you this weekend, so don’t make any plans.”

“So soon?” I was already smiling, and my heart felt so warm and giddy. Was it only a week ago that my life was still up in the air? How could so much have changed so drastically in such a short space of time? It was more than a dream; it was everything I never dared let myself hope for.

There were times in the very beginning I would admit that I’d wake up in the middle of the night thinking it was all just a nightmare, that Ryder hadn’t married someone else, that my life hadn’t become the shit show it truly had.

Then I’d awaken in such pain it was hard to breathe. Those times I’d beg, plead, and make all kinds of promises in the dark if only he’d come back to me. It was hard as time went by to let go of that hope. So having those prayers answered now seems like too good to be true, and I’m still a bit afraid that the other shoe will drop, and I’ll be back to being scared and alone.

And now that we were apart, I was having a few moments of doubt here and there, which couldn’t be helped, all things considered, but not enough for me to get off this train.

I’d made up my mind that whatever happened, I was going to enjoy this time together and take what I wanted from the relationship. I knew my limits and had set boundaries in my mind. I wasn’t planning on holding back, but neither was I willing to go all in all at once. I’d done that before and got burned. Now it was his turn to prove to me that he was worth my time and trouble.

I want to love him the way I once did, even more, in fact, and I want to do it without fear and reservation. I want us both to be happier than ever before and stronger. Strong enough that nothing and no one could ever come between us again.

“I miss you already. I hate that you’re so far away from me.” I always wanted to make a spiffy comeback about the last five years and the fact that he’d done just fine without me by his side, but the poor guy had already had more than enough to deal with.

Char had freaked him out pretty good when she insisted on doing some kind of cleansing ritual over me before she’d let me leave the house to come here, which reawakened his fear that his nutty wife and her family were going to come after me again.

Then he wasn’t allowed to go with me to the airport, not even in disguise, because it was too risky. I thought he would cry as we said our last goodbye, but we both held it in pretty well. I did, at least until the car reached the end of the driveway, and it hit me that we were going to be apart from each other for an unknown amount of time, and I wasn’t quite ready yet.

I thought I was being brave and that I could do it. That I could jump right back in but, this time, hold pieces of myself back out of harm’s way. But it doesn’t work like that. I can tell myself a million things and think of a million ways to protect myself, but in the end, the heart wants what it wants.

“Where will we stay if you come here? Everyone knows this place, and there are always fans and paparazzi around.”

“Not to worry, the men Lyon has on you there are going to take us someplace for the weekend. You just be ready to go when they say, and I’ll be waiting. I love you.”

My heart hitched at his words. He’d said it in the heat of the moment; he’d even whispered it a few times when we made love, but this, this seemed somehow more profound and heartfelt. “I love you too.” Don’t pinch yourself again, Elena, or there’d be no skin left.

We stayed on the phone a little bit longer, saying sweet nothings in each other’s ear. Something we hadn’t done since our first year together. It was sweet and innocent, two things I never thought we would ever be again.

I was so full of hope and dreams that it was almost scary. If I’d imagined this scenario a thousand times, I never could’ve imagined this very thing happening; how could I?

People have started to notice; there was even a bit of a buzz since I got back, and people were wondering what had put the sparkle back in my eyes. I was bursting at the seams to tell someone but knew that I couldn’t, not even Sydney, not yet, and definitely not my mom.

It wasn’t all that bad keeping it to myself for just a little bit longer. I don’t think I could handle the naysayers right now, anyway. The thought of anyone raining on our parade just wasn’t something I wanted to endure so soon after we’d barely gotten back together, and I knew it was bound to happen.

I can’t think of anyone in my circle who would be happy for us, and I can’t say that I blame them. That, too, is something else I plan to work on this time around. In needing to vent my frustrations in the past, I’d burdened my friends and family with all the ugly twists and turns in our past relationship.

I didn’t necessarily want them to see him in a bad light, but as these things go, that’s exactly what happened, and that was long before he ditched me at the altar, which has made their dislike of him turn into outright hatred.

Now I have to figure out how to navigate telling them and getting them to understand and accept me wanting him back in my life again. I’m sure no one would see my side. I may even lose some people because of this, which is going to suck, but I can’t turn back now. I love him too much.

I think if things don’t work out between us now that I’d just never come back from it. I’m not sure how that works, but it’s something I feel deep inside. And I hate the idea of anyone saying I told you so. Not that I think it should matter when it comes to something as serious as a lifelong relationship.

For the first time in a very long time, I felt the urge to go online and connect with my fans. It had been so long since I did that, so long since I felt like facing the world. But I have so much to talk about that there’s no fear of me slipping up and mentioning the fact that we’re back together, something I can’t wait to share with them, especially the ones who have been messaging me at least once a week, begging me to hang in there as they were sure Ryder, and I would find our way back to each other.

Those were the die-hard fans who believed in us from the beginning and who had faith in true love. I did feel a bit guilty, though, that I’d bailed on everyone for this long, but I’m sure they understand; I’d done my best to explain my feelings and what I was going through when I made the choice to take a step back.

Now it looked like things were finally falling into place, and my life was about to take a turn for the better. Whatever hate I was sure to face when we went public, it was nothing compared to the hell I’ve been living in the last five years.

* Lyon *

“COLTON.”

“What’s your problem?” I think my wife thinks because I’m older than her that, I’m going deaf. She only has one octave these days, Squalling. Either that or her kids had finally driven her nuts. Pain in the ass.

“Did you try to rob my daughter?”

“I don’t know what you and your spawn are up to, but there’s no way she needs three hundred and fifty million dollars.”

“Mill…. Catalina Lyon, you get in here right now.”

“Yo, Kat, can I sit out whatever soap opera you two are about to enact?”

“You stay right there and pipe down. You lied to me, little girl. You said three hundred and fifty; I thought you meant dollars. Where did you get all that money from?”

“Mommy, I didn’t lie. You just… misunderstood. By the way, Mommy, I think the trips are trying to off the baby twins.”

“What? Why do you say that?”

“I just caught them trying to cover their faces with plastic. It was an experiment.”

“Where did they learn to do that?”

“I don’t know.”

“Colton, I have to go.”

“Don’t worry, Mommy, Caitie has them. They’re fine. I told you and Daddy we should’ve sold them when they were still little and cute.”

“Out, out, get out, Catalina. Go find your grandfather and blow something up. Oh, Lord, no, I didn’t mean that. Get back here. Colton, sweetheart, when are you coming home?”

“Soon!”

“Soon, when? Soon, my son, or soon yours. Because there’s a good chance when you get back here to this island, half your family would’ve drowned in a freak accident.”

“Don’t threaten my kids, Kat.”

“Your kids? Your kids?”

“Are you doing that Rumpelstiltskin thing you do?”

“What? What’re you talking about now?”

“That thing you do where you stomp around from one foot to the next while foaming at the mouth. Are you on the rag again? That shit better be done by the time I get home.”

“You’re still two minutes out of the damn cave. All these years later, and you’re still a damn Neanderthal.”

“Right, back at you, babe.”

“Seriously, Colton, I can’t do this anymore. The triplets have been following Catalina around like lovesick puppies. I thought only one of them was going to turn out like her, but it’s all of them. And your father, I love him, I really do. But if he smiles and says, they’re just too adorable while letting them tear this place apart, I’m going to do him serious bodily harm.”

“Dafuq, you complaining to me for? I told you not to have any more girls. Your ass wanted daughters; now you can deal with their fuckery. And if the pothead is getting on your nerves, have Mengele give him some of her special shit that ought to calm him down.”

“What special shit? Has she been adding something to his weed?”

“You writing a book? Leave my chapter outta that shit. And don’t go asking your daughter shit because I’m not dealing with her brand of crazy right now.”

She grunted or growled or whatever dafuq that noise is she makes when she can’t think of something good enough to call me.

“Babe, you want me to bring you back something from out here? I already got your loot from the Midwest. And before you ask, I’m not getting no asshole’s signature, so don’t even ask.”

“So why ask me what I want? The girls have a list. I was planning to send it to you later.”

“Send it to Mancini. His ass ain’t got shit to do with his time.” He gave me the finger from across the room.

“You really won’t get me an autograph if I asked?”

“Whose autograph do you want? I’ll hunt the fucker down if I have to.”

“I’m just kidding, babe; I just want you to come home; I miss you.”

“I miss you too, but it might be a minute. I’ll make it up to you, okay.”

“Okay, but it better be good.” I started to answer, but the asshole brigade was all in my shit.

“It will be.” She had to embarrass me by sending me a kiss through the damn phone, which I had to return.

As soon as I hung up, that asshole Tyler was in my ass. “Bitch made.”

‘Fuck you, SEAL.” They all thought that was funny, even the kid. At least he was no longer looking like someone had snipped his balls. Boy’s been moping around here ever since his girl left. Pitiful!

“There, there’s your bitch made.” Fuck if I didn’t throw his ass to the dogs.

***

* Rachel *

I knew this day would come, but not like this. I thought that there would be some sort of lead-up, that maybe I’d have the chance to explain myself, but no, it had come to this. I don’t know who this person is and how they know so much, but they’ve proven that they’re not to be trifled with.

I never should’ve gotten involved with Mary and the others. I didn’t even have a good enough excuse for what I did. It was sheer jealousy that had led me to sell out my best friend. A friend who has been there for me through thick and thin.

Now that I look back on it, it was never worth it. I could lie and say that I needed the money to support Mom, but that, too, would be a lie. Everything about my life for the last six years has been one big fat lie. What makes it worse is that it was Elena who had found that place for Mom and had paid for her to stay there to get the best care available. And how had I repaid her? By stabbing her in the back.

It hadn’t always been like that. There was a time when I would’ve done anything for her, when I would’ve sworn that I would never let anything come between us. But then she became too famous, and even with the fame, she didn’t change; she was still the same kind-hearted person she’d always been.

The world loved her, and Ryder, Ryder worshiped the ground she walked on. Why that had bothered me so much, I still don’t know, but it was like watching someone you grew up with soar while you stayed stranded in the same rut.

I’d realized my mistake, of course, but by then, it was too late. I tried pulling back and away, going back to the way things were before I lost my mind, but they wouldn’t let me. They had me in their snare, and there was no way of escaping.

Every time I said it was the last, they’d threaten to tell her about my part in that whole overseas trip fiasco. All the lies I’d told Ryder to get him to hate her. I couldn’t have that; I could never live with myself if she had learned those things about me. And that is why I was now packing up to leave her place without notice.

I wiped tears from my face for the third or fourth time, almost too blinded to see to pack my things. Everything I touched had been bought by her as a gift or just because. That’s the kind of friend she is and has always been.

My phone chirped, and I picked it up to read the message. I was so tired that I didn’t care that it was that MengeLiNi person texting me again, probably with another threat. I was beside myself the first time I heard from them, and what they’d asked me to do had sent me into a tailspin.

I said no, of course. But once they made it known that if I didn’t go to Mary’s home and plant the listening device they’d sent me in the mail, they would expose me, I had no choice but to obey. The device was in the mailbox, just like they said, with no postage, which meant this person had been here to the house and had gotten through the gate somehow. That scared me even more.

This message wasn’t as bad, but it scared me just the same. ‘Don’t take anything bought with her money. Take only the bare necessities; leave everything else behind. Do not contact Elena Gianni. She will contact you if she so chooses.’

‘Please let me at least explain; let me tell her goodbye.’

‘Only friends say goodbye to friends; enemies don’t have that opportunity. Next time do better. And in case you think I’m bluffing, if you take so much as a paperclip from her home, I will expose you before you turn the key in your car’s ignition. By the way, when you get to the airport, leave the car with the keys under the mat.’

‘I was going to drive to….’

‘No, she bought the car. Have some respect.’

‘I don’t have any money to fly. My accounts have been frozen.’

‘We know, we froze them. Your time is almost up. You’d better leave soon; Mary knows what you did. Run!’

Mary? How does Mary know? Forget taking anything else. If she knew what I had done, that could only mean one thing, she was coming after me. I took one last look around the room and booked it with an overnight bag that I had already packed.

I looked longingly at the luxury car Elena had bought me just two years ago and felt a pang of dismay that the fashion statement would probably have a new owner soon, just as my place as a once best friend would be filled by someone else. Elena has always found it easy to make friends.

I took a step toward the car but caught myself as I looked around, expecting someone to jump out of the hedges. So this is what it’s come to. This is the end of the best friendship I ever had, a friendship I had betrayed.

Yeah, they were right; I had no right to be here. Not after I’d watched her suffer all those years while knowing what was being done to her. Even my tears were an affront; I didn’t deserve to shed those either. That bitch Sydney won, after all. For some reason, that fact hurt me more than my leaving.

It hurts more that I could never break those two apart. Maybe that’s why I’d done it after all because I could never replace Sydney in her heart. Bitch!