[ Truyện Tiếng Anh ] Twisted Perfection

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 11



Della

If there was any possible way I could get out of this without quitting I would. I had been singing all my life, in my house. But then that had been to escape my mother and my reality. Not in front of people. I loved to sing and the mirror and hairbrush had been my companions most of my life while I sang to my pretend audience. That had been fantasy.

I had never been sure my singing was even decent. My mother had loved to hear me sing but she had never been a good judge of anything.

I had opened my mouth to explain this to the lady who had introduced herself as “Macy Kemp, The Kerrington Club event coordinator” but she hadn’t let me say much. Instead, she informed the kitchen I was being used elsewhere and began dragging me behind her.

I had expected Woods to stop this insanity when he’d seen us but he hadn’t. He had appeared as confused as I felt but he hadn’t stopped this.

I looked down at the short, clingy, silver dress I was now wearing. The back was out and the neckline dipped low in the front. I felt bare. In more ways than one.

“They won’t be looking at you much. They are too busy in their little elitist herds. You just sing so they’ll have music and can dance if they want to,” Macy informed me as she shoved me up the steps toward the skeptical band members. I couldn’t say that I blamed them.

“You’re our replacement?” one asked with a hiss of annoyance in his voice.

“At least they’ll be looking at her body and won’t hear how bad we sound,” another grumbled and pulled his guitar strap over his head.

“What can you sing, sugar?” an older guy with a balding head asked.

I didn’t want to be here. I didn’t ask for this. I met each of their angry and annoyed glares with one of my own. I’d heard them earlier. They weren’t that good. Who did they think they were treating me like I was here to screw up their lives on purpose? If their lead singer had paid attention to his allergies this wouldn’t have happened.

I walked past each of them before turning to look at the one who had condescendingly asked me what I could sing. “I can sing anything you throw at me,” I replied then walked out on stage like the diva I was not.

The familiar tune of Adele’s “Someone Like You,” began to play and I was equally relieved I knew the words and sick at my stomach because the popularity of the song was drawing attention from the guests. I had been hoping to be ignored.

I joined the piano with the first melancholy lyrics.

Instead of looking out at the ballroom, I locked eyes with the piano player of the group. The approval in his eyes flashed with excitement and relief as I sang each line.

Just as I had in my room growing up, I blocked out everything else around me and I got lost in the lyrics and the music. This had been my way of coping with the craziness of my life. I used it now to deal with the reality of my life.

We moved on to “Ain’t No Other Man”, the Christina Aguilera version. It got the room to wake up some with the fun tune. So far I had managed not to make eye contact with Woods although I knew exactly where he was standing. I could feel his eyes on me.

“Can you harmonize?” the lead guitar asked me.

I nodded and he looked back at the other members and nodded.

Lady Antebellum’s “Just A Kiss” started up.

We had successfully made it to the bridge when I glanced out over the room to see Woods dancing with a tall elegant blonde. I knew I needed to look away. Seeing him and having an image of him with her on my brain would drive me crazy. But I couldn’t. She smiled up at him and talked as he looked over her shoulder at nothing really. He seemed cold. Nothing like the guy I’d been with.

This time he must have felt my eyes on him because he turned his head my way and our gazes met. Each word sounded like I was singing to him. I wasn’t. I couldn’t be. But it felt that way. As the song came to an end I tore my eyes off him and swore to myself I wouldn’t look his way again.

An hour later I’d conquered everything they’d thrown at me. Even the Bruno Mars songs. The pianist slapped me on the back and beamed at me as I walked off the stage.

“You killed it, sugar,” the balding bass player called out.

“Anytime you want to join us you’re welcome. Sure can’t sing duets with JJ,” the lead guitarist said. I assumed JJ must be the lead singer.

I threw one last smile over my shoulder. I wasn’t sticking around. I needed to be alone. Watching Woods hold his fiancée had been difficult. She’d been beautiful and perfect. She’d looked safe in his arms. I understood how that felt. Something about being with Woods made you feel safe. I envied her.

Spring Break was in full swing in Rosemary and Bethy hadn’t been exaggerating. This place was filled up with people. I worked five days a week and most days I worked two shifts. The money was good and I enjoyed working with everyone. Seeing Woods was easier now.

We managed to treat each other with polite indifference. It hurt sometimes when I thought he was watching me and I’d turn to look at him to find he hadn’t been looking my way after all. I wasn’t sure why I tortured myself with it. He shouldn’t be looking at me. He was engaged. My body, however, wanted him to look at me because it wasn’t aware just how off limits Woods was.

Today I was finally off work and so was Bethy. We had a day on the beach planned. I was excited about spending the day in the sun. It was warmer now than when I’d arrived a couple of weeks ago. Bethy wanted me to come to her condo to go to the beach because she was on the club’s private beach. Fewer people. I’d invited Violet to join us after her lunch shift and Bethy had mentioned inviting another cart girl named Carmen who got off later today too.

I glanced down at my last text as I pulled up to the condos where Bethy lived.

“Down at the beach. I have you a spot saved!”

I reached back and grabbed my beach bag then stepped out of the car. Looking up at the building in front of me I was in awe. This place was super elite. It was on club property and I knew after working here a couple of weeks that this place had to cost a fortune. Bethy’s cart girl paycheck didn’t even begin to cover the cost of this. Which meant either she got a deal because she worked there or Jace helped with the rent. Maybe a little of both.

I walked over to the boardwalk and then down to the warm sand. There were more people than I expected out here. I slipped my sunglasses on and then looked for Bethy. I saw her when she stood up and began waving her arms in the air.

Smiling, I headed down to the two bright, colorful beach towels she had laid out. Then I noticed Jace on the other side of Bethy as she sat back down. I looked around her and noticed another towel but it was empty although it had obviously been used.

“Glad you made it.” Bethy beamed up at me. “This towel is yours. Thad’s got that one behind us. He’s out in the water.”

Thad. I could deal with Thad. I’d prefer Grant but Thad would do fine. At least it wasn’t Woods. But then, I doubted he came out here to lay on the beach during work hours.

“Thanks for inviting me,” I told her as I put my bag down and dug out my sunblock. I’d already put one coating on before I left the condo but this sun was intense. I felt the need to put more on now that I was out here.

“Don’t thank me yet. I hadn’t been expecting Thad to join us. You may be wishing you hadn’t come. I’m hoping he leaves you alone.”

I smiled, thinking that Thad rarely left any female alone. Pulling off my cover-up I folded it and put it in my bag. I sank down onto the fluffy pink and yellow towel Bethy had brought for me to lay on.

“I’ve never swam in the ocean before,” I said as I rubbed the lotion into my skin and watched the people out in the water. “I thought it might still be too cold but they seem to be enjoying it.”

Bethy let out a small laugh. “It’s freezing. I won’t go near it until mid-May. But a lot of people like it that way. If you’ve never done it, then go test it out.”

That was something I wanted to do. It was a part of living that I wanted to experience. I also wanted *****rf but even with my inexperience I was pretty sure it required a lot more wave power *****rf. Those waves weren’t very high.

“Go on out there and try it. Don’t let me stop you,” Bethy urged.

I smiled over at her and stood back up to walk the short distance to the water’s edge.

The first splash of water to cover my feet was shockingly cold. I managed to stifle my squeal and force myself to stand there. My feet slowly sank into the wet sand and after a minute or so the water wasn’t so cold. I eased in further and had to stop again once the water crashed across my calves.

“It’s easier if you just go all in and get the initial shock over with,” the familiar deep voice said from behind me. I guess Woods did make it down to the beach on occasion. I glanced over my shoulder to look at him. I was glad for the safety of my sunglasses.

“Is that so?” I asked.

He was standing on the shore wearing a pair of white board shorts and no shirt. His already dark skin looked even more sun kissed against the white shorts. That...

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 12



Woods

There were orders I needed to make that Juan, the head chef, had placed on my desk yesterday. Phone calls I needed to return and a fiancée determined to get me to decide on a date for our wedding. Was I doing any of those things? No. I was torturing myself instead.

Della needed a bigger bikini top and Thad was about to lose the use of both his hands. Grinding my teeth I tore my eyes off Thad rubbing sunblock on Della’s back and shoulders. Thad had managed to get her to go into the water with him. I had sat here and watched every agonizing second of it. Her squeals of laughter and Thad’s need to keep touching her had jealousy raging through my veins. I had no right to be jealous. We’d had hot ***. That was it. I knew nothing else about her. But I wanted to.

I wanted to know where she was from. It was obviously the south. I wanted to know if she had brothers and sisters. Who gave her those blue eyes that I’d seen gazed over with pleasure? Did she like to dance? Where had she learned to sing like that? She’d completely blown me away at the Delamar event. There was so much I’d never get a chance to know.

“Your shoulders are looking pink. I’d have thought with your complexion that you’d be used to the sun.” Thad said and I couldn’t keep my eyes from shifting back to look at her shoulders. He was right; they were pink.

I stood up and walked over to the rental stand.

“Give me an umbrella,” I told the young guy I’d hired only two weeks ago before the Spring Break rush hit.

“Yes sir,” he nodded, “you want me to go put it in the sand for you too sir?”

No. I wanted to do this myself. “I got it. Thanks.”

I took the umbrella. My eyes locked with Della’s when I turned to walk back that way. She was watching me curiously. Thad was saying something in her ear but she wasn’t paying attention to him. Her complete focus was on me.

“Move,” I ordered Thad giving him little time to actually follow my command before shoving the pole to the umbrella into the sand and starting the circular motion it took to get it to burrow deep enough so that it stood up and didn’t fly away.

“The umbrella isn’t gonna reach you from there,” Bethy said with a smirk.

“Didn’t get it for me.”

“Oh, you got it for me? How sweet but I’m working on a tan,” Bethy replied thoroughly enjoying herself.

“Then move over. Della’s shoulders are pink.” There I’d said it. She’d wanted me to admit it so I had. Let Della think about that one for a minute.

“You got it for me?” Della asked. I could hear the surprise in her voice and I didn’t look up at her until I had the umbrella secure.

“Yeah,” was my only response before I walked over and picked up my towel. It was time I left. She didn’t want me here and I shouldn’t be.

“Thank you,” she called out as I started to leave. I nodded without looking her way.

“You leaving?’ Jace asked.

“I have some work to do.”

“Don’t forget Friday night at the Sun Club,” Bethy said grinning up at Jace who chuckled and shook his head.

It was Jace’s birthday and Bethy was determined to celebrate it with a night of partying at the only club in town. She’d rented out the place with a little help from Grant who was friends with the owner. It was invite only.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” I replied.

***

A night of drinking, dancing and karaoke was not something that interested Angelina. But at least I’d done my duty and invited her. She’d quickly said no and made up the excuse that she needed to fly to New York to get fitted for her wedding dress. That would take a few days so I was all for it.

Bethy had gone all out on the decorations. Shot glasses had been glued to the back of a large piece of wood to spell out twenty-four. There was a small light in each shot glass so the effect was pretty damn cool. I spoke to a few people as I passed but I was scanning the room for Della.

I was going to try and talk to her one more time tonight. Watching her laugh and talk to Thad and Grant like they were old friends was about to kill me. I wanted that too. I knew she wasn’t seeing either one of them but they were getting to know her. Grant had said something about Della wanting to learn to golf and I’d been instantly jealous that he knew something personal about her. Something I didn’t know.

“You know Woods, once you get engaged it’s expected for you to show up with your fiancée to events,” Bethy said as she stopped in front of me and held out a shot of something that looked like whiskey.

“She had to go to New York,” I replied and took the glass from her hand.

“Hmmm, interesting,” Bethy drawled then walked away.

I downed the shot and set the glass on the bar. Della came walking out of the ladies room and I took a minute to appreciate her tiny blue jean shorts and those boots I’d seen on her once before. I knew exactly how she looked in nothing but the boots. The black lacy top she was wearing was strapless and when she raised her arms even a little a small sliver of her stomach would show.

The girl sure knew how to dress to drive a man insane.

“Stop lusting, bro. You sealed your fate already,” Grant said with a chuckle as he walked up to me.

“I’m not married yet,” I muttered and shot him an annoyed glare before looking back at Della.

“No, but you will be. If you’d wanted Della more than the VP job you’d already have her. You made that choice and I’ve known you long enough to know you’re sticking with it.”

“It’s more complicated than that.”

Grant crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me. “Really? How so?”

I didn’t want to explain how I felt about Della to him. This wasn’t his business. He out of all people should know what it feels like to want someone you know is a really bad idea. He’d been there, done that, and gotten burned. He just didn’t know that I knew about it. He thought it was a big secret. Nothing with Nannette was a secret. Ever. His former step-sister was all kinds of ****ed up evil. He’d known that most of his life. This thing that I had with Della was different but just as impossible.

“You know just how complicated things can get, Grant. I know you do,” I said in a low voice meant only for his ears.

Grant’s eyes narrowed then he smirked, although it wasn’t an amused one. More of a disgusted one. “Who told you?” he asked.

No one had told me. I’d watched it happen. Not much went on in my club that I didn’t see or hear about. “No one else knows. I saw it. I don’t think anyone else did.”

Grant’s face looked sour. “It’s over.”

I nodded. “I figured. No one can stay close to her for long.”

We stood in silence and both watched Della. When her eyes finally turned and met mine, I decided to make my move. We were talking tonight. I wasn’t letting her blow me off again. Not this time.

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 13



Della

I shouldn’t have looked at him so long but I hadn’t been able to keep pretending he wasn’t staring at me. In a weak moment I met his steady gaze and saw the sadness in his eyes. He had secrets hidden inside. I knew what that felt like. The stupid part of me wanted to reach out and help him.

Luckily the smart rational part of me knew that he was walking this way and I needed to move. He would want to explain again. I didn’t need his explanation. I understood. Tonight was about having fun with new people. Not me running off to find a dark hole to hide in if my crazy started to break through.

I only made it two steps before his large hand wrapped around my upper arm. “Please, Della. Don’t. I just want to talk.”

Again with the sadness. It was even in his voice. He was hurting somehow. I’d hurt for so long all alone. Identifying pain in others was easy for me. I was drawn to it in some strange perverse way.

“What do you want, Woods?” I asked without looking at him.

“To talk. I just want to talk.”

He wanted to talk. Fine. We could talk if it would give him some closure. Maybe ease that sadness in his eyes that haunted me. “Okay. But we talk in here.” Being alone with him wasn’t going to happen.

“Fair enough,” he replied.

I finally turned around and stared up at him. He really was beautiful. Sometimes it was easy to ignore. But up close when he was completely focused on me it was harder. I’d seen those eyes glowing with passion. I knew what his mouth tasted like and I had heard his cries of pleasure. I never would again, but those memories were hard to forget.

“Come sit with me,” he said, gently pulling my arm toward an empty table in the corner.

I took the seat across from him putting the safety of the small ****tail table between us. He had something he wanted to say and the sooner he said it the sooner I could get away from him.

“What is it you want to talk to me about?” I asked.

Woods ran his thumb over his bottom lip thoughtfully and I jerked my eyes away from his face. I didn’t want to look at those lips and remember.

“About the other night. I was trying to be honest with you, and I screwed it up. I shouldn’t have let you leave without explaining everything to you.”

I knew sitting down that this was the only thing we had to talk about. It still didn’t ease the pain that came with it. I had been so open and free with him. And no, he hadn’t been honest.

“If you had been honest you wouldn’t have had *** with me before telling me you were about to get engaged. I didn’t even know you were in a relationship. And one so serious! Were you with her back when we… the night we… met?”

He rested both his elbows on the table and leaned forward.

“No. I wasn’t. It isn’t a real relationship, Della. Not like you think it is. It’s a business deal. Her father’s company merging with my father’s. We aren’t exclusive… or we weren’t until I gave her the ring.”

A business transaction? What? “I don’t understand,” I finally replied.

Woods let out a soft bitter laugh. “You wouldn’t because it’s screwed up. My grandfather built the Kerrington Club. It’s been successful down here but it isn’t in the big leagues. The Greystone name being joined with the Kerrington name would open doors for my father… and me, that couldn’t be opened before.”

Greystone? Where had I heard that before? “Your fiancée is a Greystone?” I asked, trying to understand what he was telling me.

“Yeah, she is the only heir to the Greystone name. Her father and mine see this as a winning solution for them both. I will one day control not only Kerrington but the Greystone empire as well.”

Wow. So, people really did marry for reasons as shallow as this. Is that why he seemed sad? “Does she make you happy?” I asked, watching his face for any sign of an answer instead of listening to just his words.

“No. But she wants this arrangement as well,” he replied. The regret etched in his face hurt my heart. I didn’t like that he’d had *** with me without telling me all this but I still didn’t want him to be so sad. We only got one life and that was it. I knew that better than most. I’d lost the first part of my life locked away. He would lose the last part in a very similar situation. His heart would be locked away. Unused.

“This is what you want?” I finally asked.

He didn’t reply right away. Instead he stared at me intensely. My heart picked up its pace and I realized it always would around Woods. He had connected with it and I couldn’t stop that. I had tried.

“Yes, and no. I want what I’ve grown up knowing would be mine. I want to take my rightful place in my family’s business. I’ve worked hard for this. But… I don’t want Angelina.”

His eyes said more than they should. I dropped my gaze and stared at my hands resting in my lap. I had a decision to make. I could continue to push Woods away or I could forgive him. I could be his friend. Nothing more. He’d given me a job when I needed one. I would leave soon. The day would come when I left anyway. Until then, maybe I could share memories and moments with Woods. We could find the happiness in life together. New experiences. His last taste of freedom and my first taste.

Lifting my eyes, I met his steady gaze. He was waiting on something from me. “Can we be friends? Even after everything else? We could just start over,” I suggested.

The muscles in Woods’ neck moved as he swallowed. I wondered if I’d read him wrong. If he had just been needing closure and nothing more. But his eyes said something different. “I’d like that.”

Smiling, I reached my hand out toward him. “Hello, I’m Della Sloane.”

A crooked grin touched Woods perfect face and he slipped his hand into mine. “Woods Kerrington. It’s nice to meet you Della.”

His warm touch caused me to shiver and I pulled my hand away and stood up. “I’m going to get a drink. Save me a dance tonight.”

He nodded. “Without a doubt.”

Bethy met me at the bar. I had planned to take a deep calming breath after getting far enough from Woods to think this through. But instead I managed to smile at her like nothing was wrong.

“Can I ask what the handshake was about?” Bethy said, sitting down on the stool beside me and ordering two lemon drop shots.

“We’re starting over. This time I know he’s engaged and we’re going to be friends.”

Bethy nodded but I could see the disbelief in her eyes.

“Really, we are. Nothing more,” I assured her.

The bartender slid both of the pale yellow drinks our way.

“I believe that you believe that. But Woods doesn’t want Angelina. So you see if I’m skeptical about him keeping it friendly between the two of you, I have reason.”

Even Bethy knew he didn’t want to marry Angelina. I didn’t understand this. Would it be so bad not to connect his name with hers?

“It just seems like he’s sacrificing his happiness for money and gain. I don’t think that will end well.”

Bethy threw back her shot and then wiped a drop off her bottom lip with the pad of her thumb. “It will be a disaster. He’ll be miserable. But he thinks this is what he wants out of life. No one can convince him otherwise. In their world of money and power this is what they do. It’s why Tripp took off running. He didn’t want to play that game.”

Tripp? He’d had that kind of ultimatum too? But he’d left. He’d run. He hadn’t sacrificed his happiness. He was living. There was no cage holding him in. Cages were suffocating. I hated the idea of Woods living in one.

“I’m just passing through. While I’m here I think we can be friends. I like him. I want to get to know him. When I have his memory to pull out one day and think about I don’t want it to be just the ***. I want to know the man. Is that wrong?”

Bethy picked up my lemon drop and handed it to me. “No. It’s not. Now, drink up. I need someone to get the karaoke going and- tag you’re it.”

I shook my head. “Oh, no. Not me.”

Bethy nodded. “Yes, you. I’ve heard about your amazing vocal skills. It’s time I heard them. Come on, do it for me. Please.”

I took the shot glass and quickly downed the tangy drink.

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 14



Woods

Grant took Della’s seat when she walked away.

“I take it that means you two made amends,” Grant said as he put his beer down on the table.

“We’re friends,” I replied. Not real sure how that was going to work but I was going to make sure it did.

“Friends,” Grant replied and nodded his head as if he agreed. The look on his face though was amused though. “Good luck with that.”

His comment pissed me off, but he was right. I needed all the luck I could get. Keeping a straight head around her was going to be hard.

“Thanks.”

Grant chuckled. “Looks like you think that’s as impossible as I do.”

I started to respond when Bethy walked up on the stage. “It’s time for some karaoke. Now that you’ve all had some free liquor you can sing for your drinks. Don’t worry I won’t make you come up here, yet. You have an entire song to drink enough until coming up here sounds like a good idea. Della has agreed to sing first because she doesn’t have to be drunk to sound badass.”

I shifted my eyes to Della who was looking up at Bethy like she wanted to crawl under a table. I wanted to go save her from this but I sure as hell wasn’t about to go sing. I’d never live it down.

“I got this,” Grant said and jumped up. I watched him saunter over to Della and say something that made her beam up at him. Stupid ****er. What was he doing?

Della slid her hand into his and they walked up to the stage together. He was gonna sing with her. He hadn’t sung in front of a crowd since high school.

Della looked relieved not to be up there alone.

The lyrics to “Picture” by Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock came up on the screen. He was going with a Kid song. Not surprising; he always liked singing Kid Rock songs.

The familiar sound began pouring through the speakers. Grant’s voice joined it and I let myself watch Della. She was impressed with his singing. Most people were. Until they heard Rush Finlay sing. Rush and Grant were step-brothers once for a few short years. But it had been enough to bond them. I never understood why Rush didn’t sing anymore because it had drawn the girls for miles when he was younger. Maybe it was the fact he didn’t want to be his father. He didn’t want to be compared to him. Rush’s father was the famous drummer from Slack Demon.

Grant hadn’t minded using his vocal skills to attract the girls though.

Della began her part of the song and the room went quiet. She was amazing. I’d been completely floored when she’d opened her mouth to sing at the Delamar Ball. This was one of the things I wanted to know more about. She had to have been singing for a long time.

“I’m just throwing this out there. I’m making a move on her. Your ass is engaged. So, you can get all pissed and **** but I’m still making a move. She’s hot and completely worth the ass kicking.” Thad informed me. I glared at him as he sat down across from me and shrugged before looking back up at the stage.

She was too smart to get mixed up with Thad. He wasn’t her type.

“If she doesn’t end up in Grant’s bed tonight. He’s looking like he’s ready to move in on her.”

I watched Grant as they finished the song and he pulled her into a hug. My hands clenched tightly into fists. What was he doing?

“Bud, you look like you need reminding you got your stupid ass engaged,” Thad said standing back up.

Della’s hands were resting on Grant’s arms just a little too comfortably and long. Della’s gaze left Grant’s face and her eyes found me. Immediately her hands fell away and she stepped away from Grant after flashing him one more smile. Then she turned and left the stage.

I watched her as she made her way through the crowd. She was headed for the back hallway that led to the restrooms. I didn’t think about it too hard. I just went with it. Standing up, I followed her.

She had already disappeared into the restroom when I got back there so I waited. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. We’d just agreed to become friends so pushing her back into that small one stall bathroom and taking her up against the wall again wasn’t a good idea. I was positive she wouldn’t be so willing anymore. Which burned like acid down my throat. I’d had her. I could have had more.

Staring at the door, I decided this was a bad move. Another mistake. I shouldn’t be back here. I wanted to get to know Della and this wasn’t the way to do it. She’d push me away if I even attempted anything.

I stalked back down the hallway away from the temptation.

“Woods?” Della’s voice stopped me. I couldn’t go back there. I looked back at her over my shoulder.

“Hey. You did great up there. Sheryl Crow is hard to sing.”

She blushed. “Thank you. It was fun. I’d been nervous when Bethy had asked me to but I’m glad I did.”

“I’m glad you did too.”

She walked toward me. “How about that dance now?”

I wanted to dance with her. I wanted that memory. That experience. I held out my hand to her and she placed hers in mine. I stared down at her small hand and my chest felt like it was stretching. The tightness that surrounded me only grew stronger as I closed my hand around hers and led her out to the dance floor.

I could feel eyes on me but right now I didn’t give a ****. They could look. They could judge me. This was what I wanted and until I said “I do” I was going to spend time getting to know Della. If I didn’t, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.

Jimmy had taken the mic and had just started singing “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes. I was thankful for a slower song. That meant I’d get to pull her closer.

Della slid her hands up my arms and rested them there. She didn’t slip them behind my neck and press close to me.

“You smell good,” she said softly. I almost missed it she’d spoke so quietly.

“Not as good as you smell, trust me,” I replied and she tensed as my hands tightened their grip on her waist. “It’s the truth, Della. I’ve told you before that you smell incredible. Don’t get all uptight because I’m being honest.”

She relaxed a little. “Okay, you’re right. No harm in thinking your friends smell good.” The teasing tone in her voice was cute.

“Is there a rule that says since we’re friends you can’t wrap your hands around my neck?”

Della paused a moment then her hands slid up and over my shoulders. They rested on my shoulders. “I’m not tall enough for them to go any further. Even in these boots.”

“This is good,” I assured her and pulled her closer. “Where are you from Della Sloane?”

She laughed. “You could easily look on the application that you had me fill out to find that information.”

She was right. I could. “But I want to hear it from you. I don’t want to read it off your file.”

Della tilted her head to the side and studied me a moment. “Macon, Georgia”

I’d have guessed Alabama or Georgia. Her accent was thick. “Do you have brothers or sisters?”

A melancholy look came over her face and she shook her head no. “No.” That simple ‘no’ sounded like so much more. She wasn’t telling me something.

“You don’t seem like an only child. The carefree, travel the world choice of yours is more like something the baby of a family would do.”

Della smiled but it was one that held secrets. I wondered if I’d ever know those secrets.

“I’m not carefree. Not even close. But I want to be. I’m hoping one day I’ll know what that feels like. Right now I’m trying to find me. You know what you want out of life, I don’t. I have no idea.”

What I wanted out of life? Did I know? Was it even the same anymore? “I know a lot less than you think I do.”

She smirked. “Is that so?”

Kissing those ***y little lips was tempting. Oh so tempting. “When’s your birthday?” I asked instead of responding to her remark.

Della sighed and she looked away from me. “April sixth. When is yours?”

“December tenth. What’s your favorite color?”

She giggled. “Blue. Pale blue. What’s yours?”

“A month ago I would have said red but I’ve changed my mind. I like blue now too.”

“Why?” she ****ed an eyebrow and gazed up at me.

I wasn’t about to tell her it was because her eyes were blue. She’d get all tense on me again. “A guy can change his mind. I’m allowed to like blue now.” I didn’t give her time to think about that. “Who was your first grade teacher?” I asked quickly to distract her. Della stopped dancing and she backed away from me. Her eyes appeared almost glassy. Had I said something wrong? Had she figured out why I had said blue was my favorite color?

“I need a drink,” she said with a wobbly nervous smile then darted off away from me.

How could I upset her by asking her about her first grade teacher? There was something deep in her eyes that told a story I feared I’d never know.

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 15



Della

It was a simple question. Sweet, really, that he’d even care. Had anyone ever cared about such trivial things concerning me before? I had never been asked such personal innocent questions. But he’d asked about my teacher and all I could see was my mother.

Sit here Della. Don’t look out the window. You have to do this work. To be smart you need to read Shakespeare. He will remind you how dangerous the world can be.

I shook my head to clear the memories. I couldn’t do this here. Not now.

It’s dark out there Della. Bad things are in the dark. Lock your windows and doors and stay tucked in tight. The monster under your bed will hear you if you get up.

No momma. Go away.

“Della, don’t go outside again tonight. The bad is out there waiting on you. Stay with me. Your brother worries about you. He doesn’t want you hurt. Be safe in your bed.”

“Della, are you okay?” Strong arms were pulling me close. I went willingly. I needed away from her. I didn’t want to remember that night. I knew I would if she stayed in my head too long.

“I’ve got her. Move.” Woods’ voice sent warmth through me. I was breaking free from the memories. They weren’t taking me this time.

Cool night airbrushed my face and I realized I was being carried. I took a deep calming breath and the tightness in my chest was gone. Woods had brought me out of it. I hadn’t been left to remember alone.

I blinked several times and my eyes came back into focus. The darkness was gone.

Woods sat down on a bench along the beach boardwalk and kept me firmly in his lap. “You’re back,” he said simply.

I nodded. I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want to tell him what had just happened.

“Good,” he said simply and brushed my hair out of my face with his free hand. He still held me cradled against his chest with his other.

“Thank you.”

Woods’ mouth was in a tight line. He was concerned. I’d scared him. I started to sit up and he held me tighter. “You’re not getting up until you tell me something.”

My stomach knotted up. I’d never told anyone other than Braden and she knew why. I couldn’t tell Woods. I didn’t talk about it.

“You don’t have to tell me why that just happened. But does it happen often?”

This wasn’t a fair question. Telling him the truth without telling him about my past would only make him think I was crazy. Maybe I was. No one was sure yet. I could be… she was crazy. I could be too. It was my greatest fear, that I’d snap one day too. Just like she had. I wanted to live life because if that day came I wanted to have lived once.

“They’re triggered by certain things,” I told him and moved to get out of his arms again. He let me go this time. I was grateful and yet wished he had fought to hold me longer. Because I needed affection from someone after I had these episodes. It helped me recover quicker.

“I triggered it?” he asked.

I shrugged and looked out at the gulf instead of at him. His question had triggered it. I wasn’t going to tell him that though.

We sat there in silence for a few minutes. I knew his mind was running through all kinds of possibilities and none of them would be accurate.

“I want to know you, Della. I don’t want to stop asking you questions. Next time maybe you can ask me questions that you don’t mind me asking you. That way I won’t ask the wrong thing.”

He wanted to know me. My chest felt like it might burst. Tears stung my eyes and I blinked them back. I couldn’t cry on him now. “Okay,” I replied hoarsely.

Woods’ hand reached over and covered mine, holding it firmly in his. He didn’t look at me. His eyes stared straight ahead at the waves crashing on the shore. When his fingers threaded through mine I let him. That simple touch was all I needed. Being here with him pushed back all the darkness. All the pain and sorrow was forgotten. I was okay. It felt good.

“Woods? Is she okay?” Bethy’s voice called out and we both turned to look back at her walking out of the club and toward us.

“She thinks you had too much to drink,” Woods said quietly beside me. I had forgotten about what everyone else thought of me.

“I’m fine,” I told her as she walked up to us.

“Oh thank God. I was sure I’d made you sick with those lemon shots. They can be fierce if you aren’t used to them.”

“She just got overheated. That mixed with the alcohol. The cool air brought her around,” Woods explained for me.

Bethy’s relief was all over her face. “Thanks Woods. I can stay with her if you want to go back inside.”

Woods’ hand tightened around mine. “No, I’m good right here. I needed a break too.”

Bethy looked worried but finally nodded and went back inside.

Once she was gone I glanced up at Woods. He was watching me. “Thank you for your help tonight. If you hadn’t stepped in that could have been really embarrassing.”

Woods’ frown was etched with concern. “I’m glad I was there. What’s bothering me is the fact that you’re traveling all alone. What happens when you’re by yourself and this… this happens. Who helps you then?”

No one. I managed. “I normally get away before it hits me hard and I deal with it.”

Woods pulled my hand closer to his leg and instead of saying more or arguing with me about that being a bad idea he turned his attention back to the dark water.

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 16



Woods

“You need to get back into Jace’s party and I think I’m going to go back to the condo. I’m tired.” Della’s soft voice broke into my thoughts.

I wanted to keep her here with me so I could watch her and make sure she was okay. But I knew that wasn’t an option.

“I’ll drive you. Grant and I will get your car back to the condo for you later.” I wasn’t letting her drive back alone tonight. For my own sanity I needed to see her safely inside.

“You don’t have to do that. I’m okay. Really I am,” she argued letting go of my hand and standing up.

She might be okay but I wasn’t. “I’m driving you,” I repeated and stood up to tower in front of her. “Please. I’ll worry all night if you don’t let me.”

A smile touched her pink lips and she nodded. “All right. Thank you.”

I touched the small of her back because I needed to touch her somehow. The connection reminded me that she was fine now. I led her to my truck and helped her get in on the passenger side. The memory of throwing her inside once before only served to make me even more obsessive to keep her safe.

She wasn’t mine and she never would be but that didn’t change the way I felt. I’d become possessive of her. I wanted her safe and happy. Tonight had scared the **** out of me. Something wasn’t right with Della. The desire to fix it for her was strong and impossible to ignore. What could have happened to her to make her withdraw like that? She’d been completely unresponsive. Like she was just checked out.

Once I was inside the truck, I glanced over at her to make sure she was buckled up. Seeing her tonight was going to haunt me. I wasn’t sure how the hell I was supposed to move on after that.

“Thanks for your help tonight. I hope I didn’t freak you out too bad,” Della said glancing over at me.

I needed to respond but what did I say? You’re welcome and you completely ****ed with my head? I couldn’t say that but I needed to say something.

“I’ll always help you but I’m not going to lie to you. After tonight, I’m concerned. I don’t want to drop you off and leave you alone in that damn condo. I want to take you back to my place and take care of you.”

I chanced a quick peek at her before looking back at the road. She was biting her bottom lip nervously. She didn’t say anything right away. I waited for her to say something. Anything. But she remained quiet. I tried not to think about it and that was proving impossible. I was never going to get the image of her face out of my head.

“I have to learn to live on my own. Live without help. That’s why I’m on this road trip. I need to find myself and make a life for me…” she trailed off before finishing.

Who told her she needed to figure out how to handle this by herself and what the **** had happened to her to make her like this?

I reached over and grabbed her hand with mine. “Call me. Anytime. If you need someone, call me.”

She nodded. Her hand flipped over in mine and she squeezed it. “Thank you.”

I pulled in front of Tripp’s condo wishing I’d taken a longer route. Della slipped her hand from mine and opened the door.

“I had fun dancing,” she said before stepping out of my truck and closing the door behind her. I waited until I saw her safely inside the condo before pulling away.

My mother had called me three times already this morning. I had promised to come to their beach house for a Sunday lunch with the Greystones and apparently she didn’t trust me to show up. When my cell phone started ringing in my pocket I intended to ignore it. I was on my ****ing way to their beach house. She needed to back the hell off.

The fact it could be Della had me caving in and pulling out my phone. Jace’s name lit up the screen.

“Hello.”

“Where are you?”

“Going to my parents’ beach house for lunch. Why?”

“Because I came by your office and you weren’t there. I thought maybe you were playing a round of golf.”

“No. Not today.”

Jace cleared his throat and I knew there was something more he wanted to say. This wasn’t just about me playing golf.

“I, uh, I just talked to Tripp. He’s on his way home. I think it’s because of her.”

Her being Della. ****.

“Okay,” I replied not sure what he wanted me to say.

“They’ll both be staying in his condo.”

I hadn’t thought about that. Della sharing a condo with Tripp? Hell no.

“I don’t think I’m okay with that,” I said through clenched teeth.

Jace sighed heavily. “Come on. Man. You’re engaged. You can’t have her. If Tripp wants her you know he’d take good care of her. Just back off and let him have his chance. This may bring him home.”

Images of Della’s perfect naked body splayed out on a bed for Tripp made me want to go grab him and slam him up against the wall. She was mine. No, she wasn’t. Dammit all to hell!

“I need to go,” I growled before hanging up and chunking my phone against the car door while I let out a frustrated roar.

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 17



Della

The lunch shift was brutal on Sundays. I thought that only in Macon, Georgia did everyone with a pulse attend church. I was wrong. This was a southern thing. At exactly12:05pm, the floodgates opened and every table in the dining room had become full with a wait at the door.

I had wondered why I hadn’t been put on the lunch shift for Sunday before now. This explained it. This was ‘pros only’. I leaned against the wall in the kitchen and pushed the fallen hair out of my face. Somehow we’d survived. The last table was just finishing up and paying their tab.

“The only good thing about Sundays is the tips. I swear I’m gonna quit every week when it’s over. Then I count my money,” Jimmy said with a wink and pulled out the roll of money he had tucked in his pocket.

“That was crazy,” I agreed.

Jimmy chuckled. “Yep. Good thing is, it’s over. You can go home.”

Home. Tripp’s condo wasn’t my home. And today I wasn’t sure I was staying there any longer. I hoped my tips were really good because I might need to pack up and hit the road. Tripp had called last night to let me know he was headed home to visit. I didn’t know if that meant he wanted me to move on out now. Or if he was expecting us to share the condo.

I had bad dreams and many nights I woke myself up screaming. Sharing the condo with Tripp didn’t sound like the best idea. But leaving Rosemary didn’t sound appealing either. I liked it here. I liked Bethy and Jimmy and I liked… Woods.

“Girl stop frowning. It’s quitting time,” Jimmy said in a teasing voice as he walked by me and tossed his apron into the dirty basket.

I managed a smile and nodded. “I think I need a nap,” I replied and took off my apron too. I wouldn’t be getting a nap. There was a good chance that Tripp would be there when I got back. If not he would be later today.

“I got a hot date. No time for sleeping. See you tomorrow morning,” Jimmy called out as he left the kitchen.

I followed him. Once I was outside the clubhouse, I pulled my hair out of the bun I’d twisted it up into and let it hang free. It was giving me a headache. I wasn’t used to having my hair pulled back so tightly.

The sound of a car door slamming caught my attention and I turned around to see Woods’ truck parked in his reserved space. His fiancée was stalking around the back of the truck with fire in her eyes.

“Just one meal, Woods. Really? You can’t play nice for one goddamn meal? What is wrong with you? Am I that abhorrent to you that you can’t even be civil to me in front of our parents?” Her loud shrill voice carried across the parking lot. This was not my business and I needed to get in the car and leave. But I couldn’t. My eyes were locked on Woods as he stepped out of the truck. He looked annoyed.

“You got what you wanted. You, and our fathers, won. I ****d in and agreed to this. But I don’t want it. I will never want it.” The bored tone in Woods’ voice was almost too low for me to hear. If I hadn’t been so focused on him I might not have heard his hard reply.

“Really? Well, then you don’t have to have it. Because as much as I want this thing between us to work and as much as I want a husband who will be an asset to the Greystone name, I do not want to live with a man who hates me. I can do better than that. I’m a fantastic catch, Woods Kerrington. I don’t need you,” she spat out. Her body was trembling with anger.

I felt sorry for her. She was right. No woman deserved this. The unmoved expression in his eyes looked annoyed if anything.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ve just had a lot on my mind today. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did at lunch. My dad pushes my buttons the way no one else can. What I said and how I acted was not because of you but because of him.”

My heart hurt. The flash of sadness in his eyes had only been there for a moment but I’d seen it. I wanted to hug him and make the sadness go away. But I couldn’t. He wasn’t mine to hug.

An elegantly manicured hand rested on his arm. The rage that had caused her to tremble just a few seconds ago was gone. Her shoulders had relaxed and her body was leaning toward him. Her voice was no longer loud enough to carry over the parking lot and I didn’t hear what she said. I only saw the acceptance on Woods’ face as he nodded. Her arm snaked around his and they walked inside the clubhouse together.

I opened my car door and tried hard not to think about the makeup *** they were probably going to have in his office. I couldn’t think about it and remain calm. My attraction to Woods was a door I needed to close. He was a friend only. The bitter taste in my mouth as I drove away and headed toward the condo only got stronger. I knew how it felt to be touched by Woods.

A familiar Harley-Davidson was in the space beside mine. Tripp was here. I had to decide what I was going to do and fast. Maybe he would ask me to leave. Maybe I wouldn’t have a choice.

I made my way to the door of the condo and started to unlock the door when I decided it was probably better to knock. I wasn’t staying here alone anymore.

I knocked and waited.

Tripp opened the door almost right away and his friendly smile turned into a frown. “You got a key. Why’re you knocking?” he asked, stepping back and letting me in.

“Well, you’re home now. I felt weird walking into your place without knocking.” I replied. This was awkward. I needed to leave.

“Me coming home to visit doesn’t change anything. You have a key, your stuff is here, you can come and go as you please. Don’t let me being here bother you.”

So he wanted me to stay? I hadn’t expected that. Not really.

“I was thinking I might pack up and hit the road. I’ve made enough money to get me further than Dallas this time.”

Tripp tilted his head to the side and lowered his eyebrows as he studied me. “You leaving because I’m here?”

Yes. “No,” I replied instead.

“Why don’t I believe you?”

Because I was lying. I shrugged.

Tripp let out a sigh and closed the door. “Come on blue eyes. You and I need to talk and I want to do it while drinking a beer and looking at the Gulf.”

I followed him as we walked down the hall and into the kitchen. He stopped and grabbed two beers out of the fridge then turned and tossed one to me. Luckily, I caught it. Tripp nodded his head toward the French doors leading out onto his balcony overlooking the water. I stepped outside first.

“Have a seat,” Tripp said as he came up behind me. The warmth of his body was startling and I quickly moved to sit down in one of the chairs sitting around the patio table.

Tripp smirked at me as if he could read my mind and took a seat in the lounger stretching his legs out in front of him and leaning back. “God, I’ve missed this place. Not the people in it but the place itself.”

That was odd. Everyone I’d met missed Tripp. Did he just mean his parents or did he truly not miss anyone here?

“You enjoying it here?” he asked, turning his head to look over at me.

“Yes. It’s a nice place,” I answered truthfully.

He grinned. “Yeah, it is.”

“Why are you in Dallas then?” I asked. I’d heard from everyone else why Tripp had left but I didn’t know the whole story.

“My parents wanted me to be someone I wasn’t. I wanted freedom. So I left. I couldn’t be free here.”

But he had come back.

“I won’t be here long. The need to travel and experience life will get to me soon enough. I resigned at the bar. I’m positive Jeff is screwing the newest bartender. I can’t keep working for that man. Besides, Dallas was getting old.”

Was this his way of telling me I could stay? I wasn’t sure I wanted to. He didn’t know me. I didn’t know him really. If I stayed here he’d learn more about me than he probably wanted to know.

“I should be moving on along anyway. I’ve enjoyed staying in your place. It’s really nice.”

“Are we back to this again? I didn’t come here to run you off. I don’t want you to leave. At least not yet. You’ve only been here a few weeks. Enjoy the coast a little longer before you head out. I promise I’m a good roommate. I don’t snore and I don’t drink out of the milk carton unless it’s almost empty and I’m finishing it off.”

His teasing tone made me smile. It was time I was honest with him. I couldn’t lie my way out of this one. He’d think I didn’t like him and I couldn’t let him think that. Not after he’d been so kind to me.

“My leaving isn’t because I’m worried you’ll be a bad roommate,” I began and stopped. What did I say here? How did I explain this without sounding crazy?

“Good. Then there’s no problem,” he finished for me. That wasn’t true, however.

“Yeah, there is. I’m the problem. I’m not exactly easy to live with. I… I might not snore but I have bad dreams. They might… No, they will wake you up. I also have anxiety issues. I can hide it but if we’re living together then you’re going to end up seeing me at my worst. I, I’m...

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 18



Woods

A “Welcome Home Tripp” party wasn’t exactly something I wanted to attend. That was a shame really. I liked Tripp. He was a friend. My bitterness over the fact he was home and staying in his condo with Della was overriding everything else.

I was going so that I could get her alone and talk to her about this. I didn’t want her to feel like she had to stay here if she was uncomfortable. I’d give her a fully furnished condo to stay in if she wanted it. She didn’t have to stay with Tripp.

I knocked once then walked on in. No one was going to be able to hear me over the noise anyway.

The place was packed. I scanned the crowd for Della.

“Woods, about damn time you showed up,” Tripp called out over the music that was pumping through the condo’s built in speaker system. He was sitting at the bar with Jace, Bethy, Thad, and some unknown female who was sitting in Thad’s lap. Della wasn’t anywhere in the room. Dammit.

“And he’s back,” I said, forcing a smile.

“Just for a visit. Can’t stay long. Dad will try and get a monkey suit on me if I do,” he joked. But the words were too close for comfort. I knew what it felt like to have your father’s claws imbedded deep.

“I’m trying to get him to stay. But he has it in his head he’s only visiting before his next adventure,” Jace said. I knew he was trying to ease my mind about Tripp being here. I could tell by his tone of voice. Right now, I just wanted to find Della.

“Where’s Della?” I asked, unable to pretend like I wasn’t here for her.

Tripp’s eyebrows shot up and his gaze narrowed. I ignored it and looked directly at Jace.

Jace rolled his eyes and shook his head at me.

“She’s in her room. Why?” Tripp replied.

“Why is she in her room? Is she okay?” I asked looking back at the hall that led to the two bedrooms in the condo. Both doors were shut. Which one was she staying in?

“She had a phone call and went in there so she could hear. Again, why do you care?” Tripp asked.

I wasn’t going to answer him. This wasn’t his business. He was stopping through. He said so himself.

“Woods and Della met when she passed through a few months back. They uh… they uh… hooked up. They’re friends now. He’s a little protective,” Jace explained.

“You’re engaged,” Tripp said as if I needed reminding.

I leveled my gaze on him. “I wasn’t when Della and I met. And it doesn’t stop me from caring about her. I need to make sure she’s okay,” I said, before moving across the room toward the hallway.

I opened the first door and the lights were off. I closed the door and opened the next one. Della was sitting on the bed with her legs crossed and a phone pressed to her ear. Her eyes lifted to meet mine and they widened with surprise.

She was okay and I should close the door and walk away. But I didn’t. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

“Uh, yeah. I need to go. I’ll call you later,” Della said into the phone as she watched me warily. “I’m fine. I just had company walk in and I don’t want to be rude. Okay. Yeah. I love you too. Bye.”

She pressed the end button on her phone and slowly lowered it to her lap. “Woods?” The rest of her question was left open.

“You weren’t out there.” I nodded my head toward the door. “I wanted to check on you.”

Understanding dawned on her face and she gave me a small smile that made my chest feel tight. “Thank you but you know you don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine. Really I am.”

She wasn’t fine. I wasn’t sure she’d ever been fine. I walked across the room and sat down beside her on the bed.

“I’ve wanted to come check on you since Friday night. You know you can call me if you ever need me.”

She turned her head just an inch so that she could meet my gaze. “You were busy with your fiancée this weekend. You don’t have time to worry about me.”

I had only been with Angelina today at lunch. “I’ve hardly seen Angelina this weekend,” I replied, hating saying her name to Della. It seemed wrong.

Della dropped her eyes to stare down at her hands. “I saw the two of you when I got off work today.” She didn’t say more. I thought back to the disaster of a lunch we’d had with our parents and the fight we’d had on the ride over to the club. Then I’d apologized because Angelina had been right. I was torturing us both by being an ass.

“We had lunch together,” I explained. I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to explain but I did.

“You fought and you made up. I don’t understand how you can ever be happy, Woods.” Her honest reply caused the tightness in my chest to ache.

“Me either.”

“I can’t let myself care about you anymore. I’m afraid of how I feel about you and I don’t want to get hurt.”

She was making it hard to breathe. The soft pleading in her voice was going to break me.

“I would never hurt you,” I swore. I could never hurt her. I just wanted to protect her.

“But you do. Every time I see you with her it hurts. That’s not your fault. It’s mine. I cared too much too fast. And Friday night didn’t help. It only made me care about you more.”

We had barely even had a chance to be friends. She was already putting space between us. I couldn’t let her do that. I needed her. She was the only bright spot in my life right now.

“What about our being friends?” I asked.

She shrugged and then squeezed her hands together tightly in her lap. “I don’t know. I don’t think I can. When you’re… when you’re sweet and caring like you were the other night… no one’s ever been like that with me. At least not a guy. I can’t seem to control my emotions.”

****. I couldn’t lose this… this thing between us but I also didn’t want her hurt. I’d do anything to keep her from getting hurt.

“I want to be there for you when you need someone. Please don’t push me away.”

Della let out a sad laugh. “That’s just it. You can’t be there for me when I need someone. It makes my heart hurt just a little more each time. I’ll be leaving soon. Let’s just keep our distance until I go.”

Hell no. I started to tell her just that when the door opened and Tripp stepped into the room.

“You okay?” he asked Della without looking my way. I didn’t like the way he looked at her. The concern in his eyes pissed me off.

“We were just talking about my leaving soon,” she replied without looking up at him.

“You’re not leaving,” I argued. If she wanted to have this conversation in front of Tripp then we’d ****ing have it.

“I can’t stay here,” she replied.

“Yes you can.”

“She doesn’t want to, Woods. And why the urgency to get her to?” Tripp said taking another step in Della’s direction.

“Stay the **** outta this conversation, Tripp. You don’t know anything about her.” Della stood up and held up her hands to stop me from saying anymore. “Stop it.”

I looked up at her and the sadness in her eyes tugged at me. I liked seeing them twinkling with laughter. Not like this.

“You need to step back and think about this bull**** you’re doing. The Woods I remember wasn’t an insensitive jerk. Della doesn’t deserve this. You’re engaged. Whatever you feel for Della has to end. She’s leaving with me in a couple of weeks. We’re going to travel together. Why don’t you let this go, huh?”

She was leaving with him? The refusal to believe Della was going to leave with Tripp pounded in my head. Yet there she stood not denying it. Only looking sad and beaten down. **** this. I couldn’t keep doing this to myself. She wasn’t staying here. I had no future with Della. And if I didn’t marry Angelina I had no future in my father’s company. Tripp’s hand slipped over Della’s shoulder and he squeezed it. That was all I could handle. I stood up and stalked out of the room. I didn’t look back. I didn’t say goodbye to anyone. I just left.

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 19



Della

“You shouldn’t have told him that,” I said without turning around and looking at Tripp. I shrugged his hand off my shoulder and walked over to the window. Woods had been so tormented. I could see the indecision on his face. I wanted him to choose me. But what would he be choosing? I wasn’t a choice for anyone.

“He’s engaged. He has no right coming in here and playing with your emotions like that. I saw the pain in your eyes. Whatever happened between the two of you is still there and he isn’t letting it go. That’s not fair to you.”

Maybe it wasn’t fair. But it wasn’t fair to him either. His choice had been made for him. He was unhappy and I hated that. I wanted to leave knowing he was happy.

“He’s my friend,” I replied. That was the only truth to all of this.

Tripp let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, he’s my friend too…. Or he was. I think he’s considering murdering me the first chance he gets. But he could leave this behind. He could have chosen you.”

“I’m not a choice,” I replied.

My words were followed by silence. I stood there looking out over the ocean. I could feel Tripp’s gaze still on me. He was thinking about my words. I wouldn’t explain them. He’d understand them soon enough.

“Not everyone sees you the way you do. Sometimes our imperfections are what makes us special.”

I didn’t reply. Because he was right that was the case with many people. However, not with me. It wasn’t my imperfections that I was worried about. It was the terror that twisted everything in my life and that kept me apart from everyone else.

Instead of saying anything more the door softly closed behind me. He was leaving me alone. Good. I wanted to be alone.

“Do you know why I sent you here?” Tripp’s voice startled me and I spun around. He was sitting on the edge of the bed. He hadn’t left.

I shook my head. I had no idea why he’d sent me. We’d barely known each other.

“Because you looked as lost as I felt. I had been watching you for weeks. You’re hard not to watch.” A crooked smile tugged at his lips. “And you didn’t seem to know where you belonged. Neither do I. Since I left this world behind I’m just been drifting. I’m tired of being alone. I saw a kindred spirit in you and I sent you here to keep you until I had the guts to come back and face this place.” He paused and ran a hand through his hair. “I planned on spending time with you and getting to know you better. But this isn’t exactly something I was prepared for. Woods.” He shook his head. “You had to go and get mixed up with Woods. Of all people. Someone just as screwed up as I once was. Problem is he isn’t going to run. He wants this **** for life our parents forced on us. He is becoming a mother****ing puppet. You can do better than that Della.”

I swallowed the nervous knot lodged in my throat. I wasn’t sure what all Tripp planned on saying but I didn’t want to hear anymore. He was right. Woods wasn’t someone I needed to waste my time wanting. But forgetting him and moving on was easier said than done.

“Tonight I just need to go to sleep. I don’t have my sights set on Woods if that’s what you’re thinking. We had ***. That’s all there is between us.”

Tripp stood up. “I’m sorry about tonight.”

I was too. I was sorry about a lot of things. “It’s okay. I’m just tired.”

Trip nodded once then left the room.

I sank down on the bed and covered my face with my hands. I was more lost now than I had been three weeks ago.

“Were you outside, Della? How could you? What do I have to do to get it through your head that you can’t go outside? It’s dangerous out there.” The shrill screech of my mother’s voice was nothing like the searing pain from the leather belt that she slashed across my legs. I knew not to cry out in pain. She’d only get angrier. Sneaking out of the house always sent her into a tailspin.

My knees buckled as the tender skin behind my knees tore open from the continuous hit of the leather.

“Diseases. There are diseases out there that you could bring into this house. You’re not only being reckless you’re being selfish,” she yelled and I was thankful that it muffled the sound of my cries. I wasn’t able to hold back anymore. The pain was too much. Sometimes I wondered why I even came back after I snuck out. Why didn’t I run? Keep running until I was free of this. Of her.

But I couldn’t. She needed me. I would never be free. I couldn’t leave her. She was my mother. She was all I had.

“Do you think of me? NO! Do you think of your brother? NO! This upsets him, you leaving the house. How could you?” She yelled as another slash sliced open the backs of my legs. I would start wishing I was the child that was dead when the beatings were this bad. The pain was too much.

The scene changed and my mother was no longer looming over me with her crazed, fearful face as she beat me. Instead there was no life in her eyes as she lay in a pool of blood. I started to scream.

“Shhhh, Della, it’s okay. I’ve got you. Shhhh.” The voice was far away but I heard it. The images of my mother’s death slowly faded as I focused more on the voice. The sobs were mine. I recognized them.

“That’s it. You’re okay. I’m here,” the voice said gently.

I opened my eyes and as they came into focus. I realized the voice was Tripp’s. The fear on his face said enough. He was holding me in his arms as he rocked me back and forth saying soothing words. He hadn’t been prepared for what he’d just seen. I could see the questions in his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” I managed to croak out. My throat was raw from the screaming. It always was when I woke up like this. Braden had been the first person ever to experience this with me. My psychologist had said it was a night terror. That my trauma was being expressed while I was asleep and my guard was down. Unfortunately, nothing I’d done had helped this. When I slept, my mother always came. Then the memories came with her.

“Hush,” he said, putting his finger over my mouth and shaking his head. “Don’t. I can’t deal with you apologizing right now.”

I didn’t say anything more. I moved out of his lap and back over to the side of the bed I slept on. Tripp didn’t move. He stayed where he was.

“Do you do that often?” he finally asked.

“Yes,” I replied. Because it happened most nights. But normally I woke up on my own once the images of that night when I’d found my mother came back to me.

“And you deal with that alone, every night?” he asked.

I nodded.

“****,” he whispered and stood up. “Della why are you alone? You shouldn’t be alone! How the hell have you managed this long?” He rubbed the palms over his eyes and then ran his hands over his hair in a frustrated gesture. “That was intense. Do you even know how scary that **** is? God, Della, you can’t stay alone.”

I pulled the covers up to my chin and leaned against the back of the bed. This was where Tripp realized traveling with me was much more than he had bargained for. I knew this already and it had only been a matter of time.

“I’m fine. Someone being with me doesn’t make the dreams go away. I have them anyway. I’ll leave in the morning.”

Tripp shook his head and walked over to sit down in front of me. “You aren’t going anywhere in the morning. Whatever is running through your head you’re wrong. This isn’t a deal breaker for me Della. I just wasn’t prepared for it.”

I wasn’t sure I believed him but I nodded anyway.

“In the morning I’m taking you golfing. Then we’re going to have lunch together. It’s time the two of us got to know each other better.”

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 20



Woods

I hadn’t been able to sleep. I’d sat out on my balcony all-night and stared at the waves while I faced several facts. The first one I finally accepted was that I would never be happy married to Angelina and neither would she. The second one was that I was going to have to let go of my dream of taking over Kerrington Club one day. My dad wasn’t going to forgive me for not doing his bidding and marrying a Greystone. And then the reason I even made myself face the truth- Della. I wanted her. Maybe it wasn’t forever but for whatever length of time I had with her I wanted her. I couldn’t keep thinking about her and torturing myself with the idea of not getting to have her.

My future was about to be completely thrown off track because Della Sloane was under my skin and I had to have her. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. It wasn’t just the *** with her. It had been in the beginning but not now. I’d gotten close enough to her to see deeper. I knew she was selfless and thoughtful. She didn’t expect anything from me and was just happy to be alive. She was wounded but still fought hard to make it past that. No sob story. It was all part of her beautiful package. Had I ever known a girl like that?

The relief that came with the acceptance that I wasn’t going to give up something that could be the best thing I’d ever found in order to fulfill my father’s orders was incredible. I could take a deep breath with ease.

I picked up my phone and asked Angelina to meet me in my office at eleven. That would give her time to sleep in and get dressed. Then after that was over I was going to find Della and get on my knees and beg if I had to.

Leaving her with Tripp last night had been the slap in my face I needed. This farce of a relationship I didn’t have with Angelina was ridiculous. She knew it too. We were both so power hungry to take the places that were rightfully ours in our fathers’ businesses that we were willing to forego love. Even if Della hadn’t walked into my life and forced me to walk away from my dad’s demands, I wouldn’t have been able to walk down the aisle and say ‘I do’.

The swift knock on my office door came before Angelina opened the door and stepped inside. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a twist with curls cascading loose from the top. Her short purple linen dress was without a wrinkle and I was willing to bet her matching heels cost more than the average person made in six months. The diamond ring on her left hand mocked me as the sunlight pouring in through the window reflected off it and danced around the room. It was as perfectly polished and set as the woman’s hand it adorned. Angelina had always been beautiful and elegant. She’d been raised to be her father’s pawn. The young girl I’d once cared for was underneath all that facade somewhere.

“Don’t do this,” she said, stiffening her spine and reaching out to grasp the back of the chair beside her. I hadn’t said a word but she already knew. That should be confirmation enough for both of us.

“We can’t do what they want us to. I let him force my hand this far but I’m done. I can’t.”

Angelina’s eyes flashed with anger and disgust. She didn’t understand. I’d thought maybe she would thank me but I could see that wouldn’t be happening. She had been prepared to go through with this. Why? Her father would find someone else. Possibly someone who could love her. Who wouldn’t just be marrying her for her father’s name and fortune.

“You’re making the biggest mistake of your life,” she said through clenched teeth.

I walked over to the other side of my desk and sat down.

“Marrying you would have been the biggest mistake of my life. We would have hated each other. I can’t let my father keep controlling me. If he doesn’t want me to have this business, then fine. At least I will have made my own decisions.”

Angelina rolled her eyes as if what I was saying was ridiculous. “Listen to yourself. This world is all you’ve ever known. This life you are so willing to toss away because you don’t want to be told what to do, is ALL YOU’VE KNOWN. You’re acting as if marrying me is the worst possible thing you could ever do. We were close once, Woods. We were friends. We could have that again if you would just accept this and be open to it.”

We had been two kids whose parents had left us alone all the time. We’d shared the same screwed up life. She’s right; we’d been friends. But I’d never wanted anything more.

“Because we were friends once, I refuse to let us both be forced into something we didn’t choose. You have never been given another choice. Since we were kids your parents shoved me down your throat. There is someone out there that will love you. They’ll want you for you. Don’t settle for less. Life is short and I’m tired of wasting it.”

She threw her hands up and let out an aggravated growl. “Fine. Whatever. I’m not begging you. It isn’t like I can’t do better. I just figured marrying you would be the best for me. You know me and we have a history. But I won’t keep this up. I have pride and I won’t stand here and beg.” She slipped the diamond off her finger and slammed it down on the edge of my desk. “Take it. We both know I don’t need it.”

I started to say something more. Apologize or at least try and ease her mind but there was nothing else I could say. I needed to count myself lucky that she hadn’t hurled anything at my head.

“Goodbye, Woods. I hope this was worth it to you,” she spat then stalked out of my office.

I waited until she had time to safely get out of the building before I left. I had to go find Della.