Page 106 of Pursuing Desire

Her head is swiveling from Dax to me to Anthony. Even though her professionally made-up lips are curved in a smile, her posture and voice tell a different story. She’s nervous.

That doesn’t come close to what I’m feeling.

I’m petrified to the point that I can’t speak, can’t move. I’m silently freaking out while I watch the tragedy unfold. I thought Anthony had ruined my life before. Now I see that was his version of foreplay.

Anthony rubs his hands together. “Oh, I do have something to say. See, Jess and I own an apartment together in the city and she’s my fiancée, has been for the last year. These two aren’t engaged and never were. I’m not sure what kind of scam they thought they could run, but I’m not a part of it. I came here to tell Jess that our engagement is off. I can’t be with someone who’d do something like this.”

Anne-Marie’s mouth opens up into a wide O.

Dax is done being quiet. “Shut the hell up, you lying piece of shit.”

Anthony smirks. “Are you going to deny it? You’re really going to stick to the story that you two are engaged? You want to explain to everyone how she can be engaged to both of us at the same time? Honestly, you two sicken me.”

“She’s not engaged to you, and you know it.” Dax is looming over Anthony.

I’m rocking back and forth in the chair, my hands crossed over my stomach. I can’t take anymore. My living nightmare is being broadcast for all to see. My tears are coming down so fast that I can’t locate the exit. At this point, I don’t care. I just know I have to get off the stage.

And that’s what I do.

I jump up and run in the general direction of the exit. When I hit the curtains, I flail around until I find the opening that leads to the door. I hear Dax call after me, but I keep running. I run out the door, out the building, and into a cab that happens to be parked right outside.

I don’t know where I’m going. I just have to get away from here.

“Just drive,” I tell the taxi driver as I swipe the tears from my eyes.

In the rearview mirror, I can see him roll his eyes at me. “Lady, this isn’t the movies. I need an address, or we won’t be going anywhere.”

Just to get him moving, I quickly rattle off Lana’s address and plead for him to start driving. Just as Dax comes running out of the building, the cab takes off.

Chapter 23

Dax

A week has gone by, but the horrifying scene continues to play over and over in my head. Anthony coming onto the stage, accusations being slung, the audience listening intently to everything, and, worst of all, Jess running out.

I can’t imagine anything worse.

After Anthony’s big announcement, I went after him. I grabbed him by the collar and forced him out of the chair. All I wanted to do was shut him up. That’s when the stagehands grabbed my arms.

And that’s when I noticed Jess running for the exit. By the time I got disentangled from the stagehands, Jess had already taken off. I saw the taxi pull away from the curb, but I wasn’t quick enough to stop her.

The press has been straight-up nasty. All kinds of wild rumors are being spread, and none of them are particularly kind, especially toward Jess. I can weather the bad publicity because of my family and my money. People are more willing to look past my indiscretions. But Jess? They are tearing her apart. They’re calling her a liar and a cheat and making it look like she was scamming both me and Anthony.

Not only that, the show has withdrawn the prize money. They claim we were never engaged and, therefore, are not eligible to win.

Jess hasn’t answered my calls or my texts. I’m so worried about her. She’s a strong woman, but this has to have wrecked her. I don’t know who could possibly make it through this completely unscathed.

I miss her. It’s only been a week since I last saw her, but we haven’t truly been together since that night we returned from the trip. That was the last time I saw her real smile or heard her real laugh. That’s what I miss. There’s a physical ache inside me that won’t go away. I’ve tried to get over her, but I finally realize it’s never going to happen.

She’s my love. I can’t stand by and allow her to suffer, not when there’s something I can do about it.

I’m a patient person, but enough is enough. Whatever her reasons are for not wanting to be with me, they aren’t so insurmountable that we can’t get through it. I see the way she looks at me and how she responds to my touch.

I raise my hand to knock on the door of the only person who can help me.

After an impossibly long time, Jake opens the door. “What the hell do you want? It’s eight o’clock in the morning on a Saturday.”

“Like you ever sleep in? I need to see Jess. Please go get her,” I say as I shoulder my way into the apartment. “Now.”