[ Truyện Tiếng Anh ] Twisted Perfection

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 31



Della

The rest of the week Woods brought me to work and sat at an empty table while I worked. When my shift was over he asked me to tell him something I’d always wanted to do but hadn’t gotten the chance. Every day he made it happen. We had gone boating, taken a helicopter ride, gone parasailing, and eaten raw oysters. He rarely left my side. The *** was amazing and it just seemed to be getting better and more intense. I wasn’t having night terrors anymore either. I slept deeply and woke up relaxed and rested the next day.

Tonight was the staff’s bonfire and I was expected to be there. I still wasn’t sure taking Woods was a good idea. Other than Bethy and Jimmy no one knew we were dating. I hadn’t run into anyone else on our dates. I had dressed in my bikini and put a matching sundress over it. I wasn’t sure I was brave enough to swim but Bethy had said everyone at least got their feet wet. I was prepared for that and more.

Woods parked his truck and came around to get me because he was determined I shouldn’t open a car door by myself. It was cute really.

His hand slipped into mine and he held it. This was it. If any staff member was curious about the two of us, Woods was about to make it very clear.

“Sure you don’t want to turn and run?” I asked, smiling up at him.

“Nope.”

“They may treat me differently,” I replied, thinking it could cause some hard feelings with other workers.

“I’ll fire them.”

I stopped and looked up at him. He was grinning. I slapped his arm. “That wasn’t funny.”

“Yeah, it was. Besides, if they upset you I will fire them.”

Mental note: don’t tell him if anyone upsets me.

The smell of burning wood and the sound of music filled the air as we walked into the gathering of people. Some were dancing. Others were roasting something over the fire and then a few were playing volleyball in the moonlight.

“Thirsty?” Woods asked, leading me over to the keg that was sitting up on blocks.

“I don’t much like beer from a keg. I had it once and got sick,” I told him.

He frowned. “How much did you drink?”

“I funneled it actually so I’m not sure.”

Woods’ eyebrows shot up. “You funneled beer?”

It had been one of the items on my checklist of things to do. ‘Go to a party and drink lots of beer.’ I hadn’t known about funneling but it hadn’t been hard to get me to try it. Braden had warned me I’d get sick but I’d tried it anyway.

“Yeah. Dumb decision. Frat party,” I explained. It had been at that party I’d met the guy I’d given my virginity to. Three dates later he’d talked me into ***. I’d been so naive and stupid.

“You’re here,” Bethy said, smiling as she walked up with a large red solo cup in her hand. “Drink up. The beer’s free.”

I shook my head.

“Della doesn’t drink beer from kegs. Anything else to drink around here?” Woods asked.

Bethy nodded and walked over to a cooler and threw me a bottle of water. Perfect.

“Thank you,” I told her and she saluted me before walking back over to the people dancing and Jace stepped out and wrapped his arms around her.

“Are you against me drinking beer from a keg?” Woods asked.

I shook my head and took a sip of my water.

“Good, I need something.” He walked over there and I stayed where I was. I couldn’t follow him everywhere he went. I was becoming too needy where he was concerned. I didn’t want to be codependent. My psychiatrist had talked to me about that. She said I needed to work hard to be independent and that it could be hard for me after the life I’d lived.

“Hey, Della, right?” a guy I didn’t recognize said with a slight slur.

I nodded. I wasn’t sure who he was or how he knew my name.

“Nelton, I’m the tennis pro at the club,” he said with a wink.

I nodded and glanced over to see Harold from the kitchen talking to Woods.

“Nice to meet you,” I replied.

“I’ve been watching you. Wasn’t sure if you were available or not.” He took a step closer and I managed to move to the right without looking like I was trying to get away from him.

“Oh,” was all I said. I wasn’t sure I needed to announce that I was in a relationship with Woods or not.

“You a friend of Mr. Kerrington’s? I saw you show up with him.”

“Can I help you Nelton?” Woods said just before he moved in behind me. I let out the sigh of relief. I hadn’t wanted to answer that.

“No, sir. I was just getting to know, Della.” Woods’ hand slipped around to the front of my stomach and he left it splayed there in a possessive gesture. Nelton didn’t miss it. His eyes widened and he nodded.

“Good to meet you, Della,” he replied. “See ya Mr. Kerrington.” Then he sauntered away.

“I can’t leave you alone for three minutes,” he said before taking a small nibble on my ear.

“Your tennis pro is creepy,” I told him.

Woods chuckled. “I agree but the cougars love him. I know for a fact he sleeps with several of them but it keeps them happy so we don’t let him go. Not good for business.”

I wasn’t sure what the cougars were but I didn’t ask. I needed to pee. I glanced around and there were no restrooms anywhere. I found Bethy and decided to go ask her. “I need to ask Bethy something. I’ll be back,” I said before hurrying off. I didn’t want to tell him I had to pee. I preferred to just ask Bethy.

She saw me headed her way alone and stepped out of Jace’s embrace and walked over to me.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Yes. I just need to pee. Where do we do that here?”

Bethy grinned and nodded her head out to the water where people were splashing around and swimming in the waves.

“In the gulf?” I asked confused.

She nodded.

Crap. I was in trouble.

I walked back over to Woods who was watching me closely. I was going to have to tell him, as frustrating and embarrassing as it was. Maybe I could walk down the beach a way then pee. No one would see me get in and know what I was doing.

A girl screamed that she had to go pee and ran out to the water. That was just gross.

I stopped in front of Woods and felt my face heat up. Discussing bodily functions with guys was just not something I was good at.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

I ducked my head and took a deep breath. “I have to pee.”

He didn’t say anything at first and then he chuckled. “That’s why you ran off to find Bethy?”

I nodded.

“Why couldn’t you tell me?”

I kept my head down. “Because.”

He laughed harder and threaded his fingers through mine. “Did she tell you where to go?”

I nodded again.

He pulled me over to him. “Do you want me to take you home so you can pee?”

I did. I didn’t want to use the ocean. But I didn’t want us to have to leave either.

“Maybe I can go down the beach a ways and use it so no one sees me,” I suggested.

“Can I come with you?” he asked.

I shook my head. No way. That was just as bad.

“Just let me take you home.”

I could do this. “I’ll be back in a minute.” I assured him.

“I don’t like the idea of you getting in the water by yourself in the dark,” Woods said tightening his hold on my hand.

“But I need to pee. I’d be getting in by myself here and moving away from everyone if I did.”

Woods didn’t let go of my hand. “I don’t like it.”

I frowned up at him. “But I gotta go,” I told him.

“Then I’m taking you somewhere. Either I get to go down the beach too or I drive you to a restroom.”

I thought about it and decided I wasn’t going to be able to go out into the water and pee. I sighed in defeat. “Take me to a restroom.”

He grinned. “The closest one I can get you into is the house.”

“Then take me to the house.”

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 32



Woods

Della had asked me to wait on her in the truck. She didn’t want me to go inside with her so she could pee. I agreed to that. There had been no way I was letting her go get in dark water all alone but this I could do. However, after several minutes and Della not coming back out I decided I needed to go check on things. She’d had more than enough time to go pee.

When my foot hit the top step I heard Angelina’s familiar high-pitched voice. ****. Her car wasn’t out here. What was she doing in my house?

I jerked the door open and stalked into my living room. Della stood there with her arms crossed protectively over her chest as she stood against the wall while Angelina continued to badger her with questions.

“What the **** are you doing in my house?” I roared as I shoved past Angelina and grabbed Della so I could protect her. It was a miracle Angelina hadn’t sent Della into one of her panic attacks. I ran my hand down her back to soothe her as I glared at Angelina who was watching me closely.

“This is why? You threw away your future because of her? She works as a server at the club, Woods. What the hell are you thinking? Look at her. She’s… she’s… just all out there. Nothing about her fits you. Are you ****ing her as a form of rebellion?”

Della flinched in my arms and I was real close to not caring that Angelina was a woman. I was ready to hurt her.

“Be very careful what you say. This is my house you broke into. I’ll have your ass locked up until your daddy can get here and bail you out.”

Della was stiff in my arms and I slid my finger under her chin and tilted her face up so I could see her eyes. She was with me. Good.

I looked back up at Angelina. “You need to leave. Don’t ever step foot back in this house. And stay away from Della. You talk to her or hurt her and you’ll regret it.”

Angelina hissed and slung her hair over her shoulder. “You don’t threaten me Woods Kerrington. I’m not scared of you. This… this farce you have going on here with her,” she pointed her long manicured nail toward Della, “it’s ridiculous. I would have still married you. All you had to do was tell me you needed to get this one out of your system.”

Della flinched in my arms again and I’d had enough.

“Get. Out. Now,” I roared.

“Well, I need to call someone to get me. I had my daddy drop me off here. I thought I could wait on you and talk to you. But she came walking in instead of you.”

“You have a phone. Leave my house and call someone to come get you. I want you out of here.”

Angelina spun around and her heels clacked against my hard wood floors. When the door slammed behind her I picked Della up and carried her into my room and sat down with her on the bed.

“Look at me,” I said, needing to see her face.

She lifted her eyes to me and the confusion and pain I’d expected to see wasn’t there. Instead she was… angry.

“You were going to marry that bitch? Really? What were your parents thinking? She’s horrible, Woods. You’re so much better than that. I can’t...”

I covered her mouth with mine before she could say anything else. I was so damn relieved to hear the anger in her voice instead of hurt I just needed to reassure myself she was okay.

Della kissed me back with equal vigor then pushed me away.

“I still have got to pee,” she said and stood up.

I smiled as she ran to the bathroom.

Then the fact my father was going to know about Della hit me and any humor that had been there was gone. He’d hate this. He’d hate her. If there was any way I could shut Angelina up I would. I just didn’t know how. She was a woman scorned. She’d been tossed for someone else and she was furious.

I reached for my iPhone and turned it off. If he called tonight I wasn’t dealing with him. I would make sure Della was nowhere near when I had this conversation with him. If he pushed me too far I’d pack up and leave. Della had a list of places she wanted to see and we’d make sure to go see them all.

The bathroom door opened and Della walked out in a yellow bikini that barely contained her tits. Just like the one she’d had on that day at the beach causing every man around to drool. I watched her as she walked toward me.

“Do you know what today is?” she asked. My eyes were on her chest. Her tits bounced as she walked.

“Saturday,” I replied.

She reached up and untied the bikini strap and let it fall to the ground leaving her breasts bare. Didn’t look like we were going back to the bonfire.

“It’s been seven days since I took the first pill,” she said as she slipped her thumbs into the sides of her bikini bottoms and slowly slid them down her legs and stepped out of them.

It had been seven days. How the hell did I forget that? I jerked my shirt over my head and stood up and grabbed her then threw her on the bed.

“Here I was worried you were going to be upset because of my crazy ex and you come walking out of the bathroom giving me a strip tease. ****, woman, you’re every damn fantasy I’ve ever had.”

She threw her hands over her head and grabbed the headboard with both her hands.

“I want you to come inside me. Over and over again,” she said opening her legs and arching her back playfully.

I pulled my board shorts off and climbed on top of her. “The first time it is gonna be fast because I can’t wait. I need to do this. We’ll go slow and easy the next time, I swear.”

She licked her lips slowly. “Then **** me hard.”

I was gonna explode before I even got inside her if she kept this naughty little temptress act up.

I lifted her hips and slammed into her in one hard move.

“YES! Oh God, yes,” she cried out and I let any concern about taking care of her go. She wanted the bad boy and I was real ready to unleash him. The idea of coming inside her was making my balls tighten just from the thought. I wouldn’t be able to stop tonight. I was going to **** her all over this house.

I slid out and back in over and over again as she writhed beneath me. She was begging and crying my name. Her nails clawed at my back and I knew her marks would be there tomorrow. It made me even more insane. I wanted her marks all over me. Just as thoroughly as I was about to mark her *****.

Della lifted her knees and squeezed my hips with her legs. “I’m gonna come,” she panted. “Oh god. Now, I’m,ahhhh,” she cried out and her nails dug into my back as she held onto me.

I let her squeeze me until I exploded inside her. My body shook as I drove into her one last time as my seed flooded her walls. I wanted to shout in triumph knowing this was mine. Nothing my family wanted or demanded could make me walk away from this. From her.

Twisted Perfection
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Della

I drank coffee while I sat out on Woods’ porch and watched the waves break against the sand. I had been forbidden to go to work today. Woods said he’d have to deal with his dad and having me there would stress him out. He was worried about me getting hurt. After the night we’d spent, I was too weak to do much of anything else. So, I’d agreed and stayed here.

If working at the club was going to be an issue I’d need to get a job somewhere else. But that hadn’t been an argument I wanted to deal with today. Last night’s high was still with me. I’d lost count of how many orgasms I’d had but I knew Woods had come inside me five times. Each and every time had been memorable.

I had taken my pill first thing this morning before brushing my teeth. If we were going to start having *** like this I couldn’t miss one.

I couldn’t have children. That would be a horrible fate to give a kid. A mother who was destined to lose her mind at some point. No kid needed a life like I’d had. I swore I’d never do to a child what my mother did to me but I couldn’t be sure. Not if I snapped mentally. My mother hadn’t been a bad person. She’d just been unwell.

I shook that fear away because I was being careful. I wouldn’t get pregnant.

My phone rang and I reached for it. Braden’s name flashed across the screen. I hadn’t talked to her in over a week. I’d been so wrapped up in Woods I hadn’t taken time to call her.

“Good morning,” I said into the phone.

“Good morning stranger who doesn’t call her best friend anymore. How are you?” she replied.

“I’m good.” The meaning behind that one simple word was powerful.

Braden laughed. “Good, huh? Like how good? Like he’s super hot and gives you multiple orgasms, or good like you’ve never had better ***, or good like you’re gonna marry him and have his kids?”

I had been smiling until the last sentence. My smile vanished and my heart slammed against my chest. Marry him and have his kids… I could never marry him. He knew that. I’d told him I was crazy and that I could mentally snap at any minute. Did he even love me? I didn’t think so. He hadn’t told me. But I loved him. I loved him more than anything. And I couldn’t marry him. This would have to end eventually because I couldn’t marry him. He would want kids. He didn’t need a wife who would eventually lose her mind.

Oh God. What was I doing?

“Della, you okay?” Braden’s voice asked. I could hear the worry in it. “****. Della I didn’t think before I said that. Dammit honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. Think about the guy and the hot ***. Think about everything you need to tell me. Stay focused. Stay with me.” She was working hard to get me back on track. The problem was I wasn’t off track. I was very well aware of the truth. The facts. And I’d let myself forget them.

“I love him. I can’t love him,” I said quietly into the phone.

The door behind me opened and I turned around to see a man I’d only seen once before. It had been at the ball when I’d had to sing. It was Woods’ father.

“Don’t you say that, Della. You can love him. You deserve this. You are not your mother. You can be happy. This is what I wanted for you for so long. Does he love you too?” Braden’s voice asked me on the other line.

I stared up at Woods’ father as he walked over and took a seat facing me. Why was he here? He was supposed to be with Woods.

“I can’t. I don’t know,” I told her, unable to look away from the hard cold eyes in front of me.

“Yes, you can. You can have babies. They will be beautiful and special like you. Don’t think you can’t.” I had to stop her. I could feel the darkness starting to close in. Visions of my mother and her wild eyes staring at me. The phone fell from my hand.

“Let’s keep this simple,” the man staring at me said with disgust in his voice. “How much money is it going to take to get you to leave and never step foot back in this town again? Name your price and it’s yours.”

Della, Della, let’s sing a song. Della, Della, come eat with your brother. His food is getting cold. He’s waiting on you. Della, did you see your brother’s favorite shirt in the laundry room? He said you took it and he’s very upset. He won’t eat Della. He won’t eat. We have to make him eat.

Did you go outside Della? Your brother said you did. He said you snuck outside while I was sleeping. He sees you. He just wants to keep you safe. I didn’t keep him safe but he’s helping me with you. Don’t you want to be safe Della? You can’t go out there.

Della, he said he was waiting on me. He loves me Della. You don’t love me. You want to disobey me and run around at night outside in the dark. He doesn’t disobey me. He wishes he had stayed with me. Now he’s waiting on me. He said he’d eat his food if I came to him. Della, how do I go to him? What do I do?

“Momma! NO! Momma! NO!” My cries don’t ease the pain. The blood is everywhere. In a pool around her body. I left her and she went to him. I shouldn’t have left. I shouldn’t have left.

I blinked my eyes several times. I was on the ground. I touched the warm wood underneath me and slowly eased myself up. I was lying on the porch. Confused I glanced around and saw my phone lying on the lounger beside me and my cup of coffee on the table beside it.

Mr. Kerrington had been here. I’d been on the phone with Braden. Crap, Braden, I reached for my phone and I had several missed calls from her and two from Woods. I hadn’t been out long. It was only an hour later than the last time I checked. Good.

I glanced back at the door and wondered what I was going to do about Mr. Kerrington. Had I dreamed him being here or was it real? Would he just leave me like that? Wouldn’t he have called Woods? I started to get up when I heard the front door open and then Woods came running into the living room and straight for me. I quickly stood up just in time for him to barrel out onto the porch and pull me into his arms.

“You’re okay. You didn’t answer. I called and you didn’t answer. Why are you on the ground? Did it happen? Did you have a panic attack? Why? Come here.” He was babbling as he sat down on the lounger I’d been sitting in earlier and held me in his lap.

He brushed my hair back out of my face and pressed a firm hard kiss to my lips.

“You scared me to death, Della. Why didn’t you answer baby? Are you okay?”

I didn’t want to tell him the truth but then I didn’t want to lie to him either. But I wasn’t positive his father had been here so I wasn’t going to bring that up.

“I was talking to Braden and she said something that triggered a memory. She didn’t mean to it just happens sometimes. I think I blacked out. I woke up on the ground. She’s called me more times than you. I need to call her back she’s probably freaking out.”

Woods pulled me into his arms. “Dammit. I hate that you went through that alone. I can’t stand it. ****,” he growled as he held me tight.

He couldn’t keep doing this. He was getting too upset over my issues. I was already screwed up and I was just going to get worse. It was inevitable. Could he handle that? No. I knew he couldn’t. He would also want kids.

“You can’t always be with me Woods. You have to accept this will happen sometimes when you aren’t around.”

Woods let out a defeated sigh. “I can’t do that. I don’t ever want you alone when that happens. I’m going to find a cure. I’m going to find the best damn doctors out there that can help you with this. We can beat this. I promise you.” He sounded so determined. I hadn’t been honest with him. I hadn’t explained to him that this was just the beginning of my madness.

The look in his eyes mirrored what I felt. Did that mean he loved me? Had I let him fall in love with me completely blind to whom it was he was loving?

Twisted Perfection
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Woods

Della had talked to Braden and reassured her it wasn’t her fault then gone to lie down and take a nap. She seemed off. Something wasn’t right. I’d never known her to take a nap during the day. And when she’d told me about her episode she hadn’t told me everything. I could see something in her eyes. A hesitation.

I stood at the door to the bedroom and watched her sleep. She was curled up in a ball, which she did often.

Seeing her on the ground when I’d walked in had been like a kick to the stomach. I’d feared driving home that this was what had happened. I hadn’t been sure until I’d seen her there struggling to get up. I hated the idea of it. I hated that she even had the damn things. I was getting her help. Immediately.

My father had also been conveniently missing today. I hadn’t been able to track him down and deal with him. It wasn’t fair that I had needed to leave Della here alone when she could have been at the club with me. I wasn’t doing this to her anymore. That was probably why she’d had the damn attack anyway. She’d been thinking about me hiding her from my dad and thinking she was a problem. I should have thought of that.

A knock on the door broke into my thoughts and I closed the bedroom door so whoever it was didn’t wake up Della before I went to answer it.

Tripp stood on the other side of the door with his hands tucked into the front of his jeans. I opened the door and stepped back to let him in.

“Tripp,” I said in greeting.

“Came to say goodbye. It’s time I left this place and found somewhere new. My dad came to see me yesterday and it didn’t go well,” he explained.

I understood that. Maybe leaving was my only answer. It was his.

“Where you headed?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Don’t know yet. I’ll know it when I find it.”

I nodded and glanced down the hallway. “I’d invite you in for a drink but Della is asleep. She had a bad morning and I don’t want to disturb her.”

“I understand. I wanted to tell her bye too but I don’t have to. Just tell her for me.”

I didn’t like him thinking he needed to tell her anything but I nodded. I didn’t need to be an ass about it. “I will.”

“She sticking around then, I guess?”

“Yeah.”

“And your dad is okay with this? I heard that Angelina knows now. Word kind of got out.”

****.

“Haven’t talked to my dad.”

“You need to. Before he gets to her first.”

He was right, of course. I needed to make sure my dad stayed the hell away from Della.

“I will.”

“Is she forever for you then? She’s worth throwing it all away?”

I knew he was asking as a friend who had made a similar choice but with a different outcome. “She’s it. No one else. She’s all I’m ever gonna want.”

Tripp grinned. “Can’t believe Woods Kerrington actually fell in love.”

The word love surprised me but only because I hadn’t said it yet. It was foreign to me. I hadn’t thought to use that word but he was right. I was in love. I looked back at the door to the bedroom and thought about Della sleeping peacefully in there on my bed. I loved her. I loved knowing she was in there. That she was mine. That I could take care of her.

“I do love her,” I said simply.

Tripp slapped me on the back. “Good. She needs it.”

Then he opened the door and stepped outside. I didn’t look back to see him leave or wave goodbye. I went to the door and stood there on the other side of it. I put my hands on each side of the doorframe and rested my head against the door. I loved her. I loved her with a something so fierce I couldn’t even name it. Whatever I needed to do to help her I would. She’d be happy. I would spend every second of my life making her smile. I needed to find her a doctor. That was the first step, getting her help.

The doorknob turned and the door slowly opened. I dropped my hands to my sides as Della’s eyes locked with mine. Her hair was mussed from sleep and she still looked tired.

“You love me?”

Hearing her say it made my heart soar. She knew.

“Yes. More than life.”

Instead of throwing herself into my arms and telling me she loved me too she dropped her face into her hands and sobbed. I watched for a moment confused and completely mystified by her reaction. This wasn’t what I had expected.

“Della?” I asked as panic started to take its place in my chest this time.

“You can’t love me. You deserve better. Not me,” she cried looking up at me. Her eyes were full of tears as several trickled down her face.

“There is no one better than you, Della.”

She shook her head. “No, no, no. Don’t you see? I’m not stable. Long term… later… in life I could become like my mother. You can’t love me.”

Her mother? She wasn’t going to become her mother? Why would she even think that?

“You’re it for me, baby. Just you. You’re not going to be your mother. You’re special and unique and we’re going to get you help. But I will be right by your side the entire time. I’ll never leave you. I swear it.”

Della’s tear streaked face stared up at me. I reached over to wipe the tears from her cheeks and pulled her closer so I could kiss her.

“I don’t want to destroy you,” she whispered.

“Losing you would be the only thing that could destroy me.”

She closed her eyes tightly. “But what if I lose my mind?”

I had to get her to see that I wasn’t going to let that happen. She wasn’t her mother, dammit.

“You won’t. I won’t let you.”

Della sniffled and shook her head. “You can’t control it.”

Yes, I could. I would find a ****ing way to control it.

“You are mine. Do you hear me? You are mine, Della Sloane. I will take care of you. Nothing is taking you away from me. Nothing.”

Twisted Perfection
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Della

I had spent the rest of yesterday curled up in Woods’ lap while we sat on the front porch and watched the ocean. We hadn’t talked much. We’d just held each other. I’d tried hard to let myself believe him and he’d reassured me with words every once and awhile.

Today I’d set my alarm because I was on the schedule to work the breakfast shift and I wasn’t missing another day because Woods thought he needed to coddle me. I was a big girl and I could deal with things. He had brought me to work and kissed me several times before leaving me so I could go get ready in the kitchen. He was behind on work in his office and he’d promised me he would work in there today and not hover over me.

It had taken a lot of begging but he’d agreed. I walked into the kitchen to see a gorgeous blonde with a very pregnant stomach talking to Jimmy. He was rubbing her stomach and cooing at the baby inside. She lifted her eyes to meet mine and a sincere smile touched her lips. I was instantly curious.

“Hello,” she said and her voice reminded me of warm honey. It was smooth but had a southern drawl to it. I wasn’t sure which part of the south it was though. My eye caught the large diamond on her hand. She had to be a member here. But why was she back here in the kitchen with Jimmy?

“Hello,” I replied.

Jimmy glanced back at me and grinned. “Glad you’re back, girl. Yesterday went to **** without you.”

I returned his smile but my interest was right back to the blonde.

“Della, this is Blaire. She’s my BFF who ran off and left me for another man. One I can’t blame her for because he is one hot piece of ass. Blaire this is Della. She may or may not be boinking the boss.”

“Jimmy!” we both said at the same time. I couldn’t believe he’d said that. I didn’t know who this Blaire was.

“Woods right? That boss?” Blaire asked with a mischievous grin.

I liked her.

“Of course, Woods. The girl has taste. She ain’t gonna boink the old man.”

“Would you stop saying ‘boink’?” I could feel my face heating up.

“Jimmy shouldn’t have told me that but since he did, can I say, Woods is a great guy. If you are in fact… um… boinking him, then you picked a good one.”

I couldn’t believe we were talking about this. I forced a smile. “Thanks.”

The blonde beamed at me like she was truly happy to hear I might be doing it with Woods. I wondered if they were friends. I almost felt jealous until I remembered her very large stomach and very large diamond. She was taken. Very taken.

“If I don’t have this baby this week maybe we can get together and have lunch.” I glanced down at her stomach and then back up at her face. It was very likely she was going to give birth any minute. She was tiny except for that basketball in her stomach.

“Okay. That sounds good,” I replied.

“Della Sloane,” a hard voice called my name and I spun around to see a police officer standing at the entrance of the kitchen.

“Yes, sir,” I replied. The last time a police officer had come looking for me had not ended well. The fear that went along with that memory kept me frozen in place. I didn’t like police officers.

“You need to come with me, Miss Sloane,” he said as he held the door open for me to exit. I could feel every eye in the kitchen on me. I wanted to hide from them but I couldn’t move. “Miss Sloane, if you don’t come willingly I will have to go against Mr. Kerrington’s wishes and arrest you right here on the club’s grounds.”

Arrest me? My heart raced at the memory of handcuffs clicking around my wrists as the officer read me my rights. I had to fight this. Now was not the time to zone out. I couldn’t have an attack right now. I had to keep my head.

“What are you arresting her for? I sure as hell don’t believe Woods knows about this,” Jimmy said angrily, stepping in front of me.

“Mr. Kerrington does know. He is who sent me in here to escort a Della Sloane out of the building and then arrest her once I had her in the parking lot. However, if she doesn’t come willingly I will arrest her and anyone who stands in my way.”

He was going to arrest Jimmy for trying to help me. I had to go. I didn’t believe Woods knew about this. Something was wrong and Woods would find me. I would not have a panic attack over this. I would not.

“It’s okay, Jimmy,” I said and stepped around him and went toward the door. I didn’t look back at anyone as I walked out the door and focused on getting out of the building. I was tempted to yell for Woods but I didn’t. I couldn’t get my mouth to move. I was slowly freezing up.

Once I got close to the police car the officer shoved me forward causing me to stumble. I caught myself from falling and grabbed the front of the car. He began telling me I had the right to remain silent and I blocked him out. I tried not to think about the metal cuffs clinking shut around my wrists. If I thought too hard about it I would lose myself.

The officer opened the door to the backseat, put his hand on my shoulder, and pushed me inside. I wanted to tell him to stop hurting me that I would go willingly but I couldn’t. My words weren’t working. I’d forgotten how to use them. The terror was starting to take over.

I wanted Woods. I was scared. Tears trickled silently down my face and I focused on Woods. On his face this morning when he’d kissed me awake. I loved him. I’d never told him I loved him. I needed to tell him.

The car came to a stop in front of Woods’ house. I was relieved. I wasn’t going to jail. I didn’t know why I was here but the relief pushed the other thoughts away.

Two black Mercedes were parked in the driveway. The driver’s side door opened to the first one and out stepped Woods’ father. Something was wrong. Why was he here and why had he had me arrested?

The police officer opened my door and jerked me out of the car when I didn’t move. I stumbled on the split brick road and managed to catch myself before I fell and the cop holding my arm jerked it out of socket.

“Thank you, Josiah, for helping me handle this matter delicately,” Mr. Kerrington told the officer. He let go of my arm and nodded. He tossed a set of keys to Mr. Kerrington before stepping around me and getting into his car.

We stood there in silence as the cop drove off with me still in handcuffs.

“Hello again, Miss Sloane. I hope this time you can stay in your coherent state long enough for me to explain to you exactly what is about to happen,” he said taking a step toward me.

“After our last encounter when you blacked out on me I had your background checked. I found out that my son is throwing away his future for a woman who is mentally insane. Or at least she will be soon. It apparently runs in your family. You’re already showing signs of instability. You are supposed to be seeing a psychiatrist three times a week but you ran off without so much as a word six months ago. You have been in jail for the murder of your mother, which you were proven innocent on because your alibi checked out. However, a track record of crazy is there. I can’t let the heir to the Kerrington name waste his life on someone like you. You’re not good enough for my son.”

He pulled out a diamond bracelet that had to cost a fortune. “And to assure that you won’t be stepping foot back in Rosemary Beach ever again, I have evidence that you stole this bracelet from a customer. She dropped it while dining with us and you brought it back here and had it tucked away in your suitcase. She is willing to forgive you and let it be if you leave town. The officer who brought you to me has this on record and will arrest you and the victim of this theft will press charges if you don’t leave town immediately.”

He pointed to the other black Mercedes sedan sitting in the driveway. “Your bags are inside. I trust you will willingly get in this car and let it take you somewhere far from here. Doesn’t matter where. Just go.”

I stood there weighing my options. I didn’t have my phone. I wasn’t sure where it was. I’d left it in the house this morning. I still had handcuffs on and I was very likely going to jail for a crime because I’d been set up. Where was Woods?

“If you love my son and I believe in that unstable brain of yours that you think you do, you will leave him alone. Let him go. He doesn’t need this or you. He needs someone who can give him healthy children. Someone he doesn’t have to take care of. Don’t you want that for him?”

I did. I wanted all of that for him. I nodded.

“Good. Then get in the car and leave Miss Sloane.”

I looked up at the house that represented the man I loved and a tear rolled down my face. This was right. It was time I left.

“Can I ask you to do one thing? Please tell him I left because it was what was best for him. Not because I didn’t love him. Because I do love him. I want him happy and I want him to have the best in life. I know I’m not the best.”

Mr. Kerrington didn’t reply. He only stood there holding open the back door of the car waiting on me to get in.

“Please, I don’t want him to think I didn’t love him. He doesn’t deserve that,”...

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 36



Woods

My mother had called and said my father wanted to meet with me. I had been ready for this confrontation so while Della was working I went to see him. Except he wasn’t home. Mom told me to have a seat and she’d fix me breakfast while we waited for him. After two hours of listening to my mother’s concern for my future and telling me my grandfather’s wishes, I stood up. I wasn’t staying any longer. Della would get off her second shift soon and I was going to be there when she did. I didn’t have any more time to waste.

My phone buzzed for the fifth time in a row and I glanced down to see Blaire’s number on the screen. I hadn’t talked to her since she had left Rosemary with her fiancé and right now wasn’t the time. I had other **** to deal with. I’d call her back later. I turned my phone off and stuck it back into my pocket.

“He’ll be here in just a few more minutes, honey. Just give him time. He’s a busy man. Let me see if I can find him.” She started to call him when I heard one of the two heavy front doors open and close then the click of my father’s dress shoes on the marble floor.

“He’s here.” She beamed. The relief on her face was obvious. She was getting tired of entertaining me. The feeling was mutual.

“Sorry, I’m late. I had a matter to attend to. Issues with staff that you overlooked but it is taken care of now. We need to discuss your future and decide what it is you want exactly with your life. I understand that Angelina isn’t it. I am ready to accept that. But we need to talk.”

I wasn’t sure I trusted his easy acceptance of my refusal to marry Angelina. He’d been forcing it down my throat since I was ten. I glanced over at my mother who was giving me a fake smile while twisting her hands nervously in her lap. Something was up. They must have another future bride lined up. That was the only reason he would even be ready to consider something else.

“Can we discuss business in my office and let your mother go relax and enjoy the rest of her day?”

I followed him down the hallway toward his office. I had exactly thirty minutes before Della got off work. I could give him twenty minutes then I was gone. He needed to talk fast.

“Cigar?” he asked as he stopped by the humidor that mother had given him as a wedding gift. He’d since then had a room built into the house for his large collection of cigars but he kept a few in here for convenience.

“No,” I replied and stood over by the window instead of sitting across the desk from him like I was a child that needed direction.

“Very well. I don’t need one either. I’ll wait to enjoy one tonight. Douglas Mortimar will be here for dinner. I expect you to join us.” Douglas Mortimar was one of the largest investors in the club. He had an entire hole dedicated to him on the golf course. I was never invited to meetings like this one.

“Why?” I asked, still not ready to trust him. I couldn’t recall Mortimar having a daughter. If I wasn’t mistaken he had a son who was much older than me and visited in the summers with his family.

“You want a bigger part in this business and I’m giving it to you.”

That wasn’t the correct answer. “Get to the point. What is it you will require out of me? I know Angelina has told you about Della. I’m not stupid enough to believe she kept that piece of information to herself. She’s a vindictive bitch, which is one of the reasons I didn’t want to be stuck with her for the rest of my life. So, you know about Della now. Let’s address that first since it’s what really spurred this meeting.”

My father’s jaw tightened and I knew I’d completely messed up his carefully laid trap. This meeting had been to lure me in and show me everything I could have then he was going to hit me with an ultimatum concerning Della. He needed to understand nothing came before her. That if he couldn’t accept her I would walk. Kerrington Club could be left to some distant relative or maybe even Mortimar’s son since Dad loved him so much.

“I know about your little fling. I’ve met her. She’s not exactly what one would call mentally stable.”

What did he mean he’d met her? When? How had he ‘met’ her? I stalked across the room and put both hands flat on the desk he was sitting behind and glared down at his calculating eyes. “What does that mean?” I snarled.

My dad didn’t flinch. He shot me an angry glare with a look of indifference. “It means exactly what I said. She isn’t mentally well and you’re aware of it. However, I did some research on her and it goes much deeper than I think you know or understand.”

He was too calm. Something was wrong. “When did you meet her?”

“I came by your house yesterday morning. She was alone and I had barely spoken a word to her when she went completely catatonic. She didn’t respond. She just sat there staring off in space. You’re a smart man, son. You don’t actually think there is a future with this girl?”

Yesterday. I’d come home and she’d been on the ground. ****. “Did you leave her there on the ground like that? You didn’t think to call me?”

My father shrugged his shoulders. “I wasn’t going to touch her. She could snap on me the way she did on her mother. I left. And I did some research.”

He had left her like that. Hate seethed through me as I stared at this man I didn’t even know. He’d raised me but I didn’t know him.

“Did she tell you the police found her with her hands covered in blood? She was sitting there beside her mother’s dead body rocking back and forth completely unresponsive with blood on her hands. The only reason she wasn’t locked up was because she had an alibi. Her neighbor said she’d been out with her all night. She’d apparently been the person to call nine-one-one.”

My stomach churned. Della had found her mother’s dead body. Holy ****. She hadn’t told me that. She also hadn’t told me she’d been a suspect in her mother’s death or how her mother had died. There was so much I didn’t know.

“I didn’t know she had found her mother. ****.” I stumbled back and sank into the chair behind me. No wonder she was messed up. She’d lived with a crazy woman locked away from the world. Then when she’d gotten brave enough to escape when she could she had come home to find her dead. Blood on her hands. Holy ****. I had to go. I needed to hold her. She might be okay, but I wasn’t. How much had she had to bear in such a short time?

“I have to go,” I said, standing up and heading for the door.

“As a parent I have to make decisions that are for the best. Remember that when you think I’m controlling your life. I’m helping you become the Kerrington you were raised to be.”

I didn’t look back at him. I didn’t care what he wanted or who he thought I should be. The image of my grandfather looking at my grandmother with so much love in his eyes came back to me. He’d said that he couldn’t imagine a world without her in it. I understood that now. I wasn’t my father’s son. I was his father’s son. The sordid screwed up heartless bastard who was my father hadn’t been something he’d inherited from his parents. They had been the reason I would find happiness in life. My grandfather had taught me what to look for.

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Twisted Perfection Page 37



Della

By the time Leo pulled into the driveway of Braden’s home, my wrists were raw and I had to pee so badly my stomach was cramping up.

“This is it,” I said through my teeth as I clenched them tightly against the pain.

He opened the door and got out then he opened my door and I didn’t wait for someone else to grab me and jerk me around. I was hurting too bad for that.

He didn’t say anything as he unlocked the cuffs behind my back. I felt like weeping from relief when my hands fell limply at my sides.

He moved to open the trunk and set both my suitcases on the driveway. With one small nod he got in the car and drove away. I went to pick up my bags and stinging pain shot up both my arms. I decided my suitcases could stay out here for now.

I walked to the door and looked up at the house I had helped Braden decorate before she was married. Her husband had bought it for them four months before their wedding so that Braden could get it fixed for them to move into once they were married. It had been romantic. I had stood in her house and wished that some man would love me that much one day.

I wasn’t meant to be loved like that. I couldn’t be. My desire to want that had been selfish. Reaching up, I pressed the doorbell and waited.

When the door opened it wasn’t Braden who I had hoped would be here so I could throw myself into her arms and cry. Instead, it was Kent, her husband.

“Della?” he asked his eyes going wide in surprise.

“Hello, Kent,” I said in a strained voice. My bladder was begging to be set free. “Can I use your restroom?”

He stepped back and let me inside. “Uh, of course, you know where it is.”

I walked past him and decided I’d take a minute to gather myself after I relieved myself.

Once I was finished I stood at the mirror and stared at my swollen red-rimmed eyes. I looked as pathetic as I felt. I washed my wrists with soap and water then dried them. The tender skin stung but at least they were clean now.

I walked back to the entryway to see Kent walking in with both of my suitcases. His eyes found mine and the sympathy and concern in them only made me feel even more pathetic.

“Thank you. I’m afraid I don’t have the car. I didn’t get to bring it back with me. I’ll find a way to get it though.”

Kent put my suitcases down and nodded his head toward the kitchen. “Come on. Let’s get you something to drink and eat if you’re hungry. I called Braden. She’s on her way home from work.”

I glanced at the clock. It wasn’t yet three o’clock. Braden would still be at school. She was a third grade teacher. I sat down on one of the tall bar stools that Braden and I had found at a boutique for a ridiculous amount of money. But she’d loved them and Kent never told her no.

“I know I’m not Braden. But you can talk to me if you need to,” Kent said while he went about fixing me some sweet iced tea. He hadn’t even asked me what I wanted. He already knew. I’d been a package deal with Braden. Kent had loved her and overlooked the fact she was so dedicated to me. He had once said it was one of the reasons he loved her.

“I’d rather just say it once. I’m not sure I can tell it twice,” I said as he set the glass down in front of me. I knew he understood. He’d seen me have more than one of my spells. I wasn’t sure if Braden had ever given him the details. I had once thought that she wouldn’t share that with anyone but now that I knew what it felt like to love someone and want to share everything with them… I believed differently. I was okay with it. If she told him it was her story too. She had every right.

“If there is someone I need to go beat the hell out of you just say the word.”

The fact Kent was so worried about me relieved my mind. I wasn’t sure where I was going to go next but I needed a week or so before I made a life for myself again. I wasn’t ready to be alone. Not yet.

The front door swung open and Braden’s heels clicked down the hallway as she ran toward us. “Della!” she called out and I stood up. Tears filled my eyes. I needed to see her.

“The kitchen Bray,” Kent replied.

Braden came barreling into the kitchen and a sob escaped me as I saw her run straight to me. Her arms wrapped around me and I clung to her. She’d sent me on this trip to find myself and yet I’d found so much more. I wanted to be able to express to her that this wasn’t just heartbreak. I’d made memories of a lifetime that I wouldn’t trade for the world. But right now I just needed her to hold me while we both cried.

She didn’t even know why she was crying she just held me and cried. I had missed her so much. I’d come to the right place. This was home. Even with the memories that haunted me here this was where I belonged. Braden was my home. She was all I had.

“Why don’t we get her into the living room and you two can sit on the couch and cry all you want?” Kent said in a gentle voice.

Braden nodded but she didn’t let go of me. We managed a few more sniffles and sobs before easing back enough to look at each other.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

I nodded then I shook my head. “I don’t know. I’m lost and confused.”

Braden reached down and grasped my hand. “Let’s go to the living room and get comfortable”

I wasn’t ready to talk right now but they both deserved an explanation. I needed to tell them exactly what had happened in Rosemary. And maybe they could help me figure out what I was going to do with my life now. My travels were over. I needed to live my life here. Where I was sure of my surroundings and I couldn’t hurt anyone else.

I began explaining how everything happened at the gas station and then how I ended up there once again because of Tripp. Then I told them about how I lost my heart to Woods and how I would do it all over again.

When I was finished Braden was wiping at her eyes again. “I hate that man. I want to strangle him. How could he do that to you? And does Woods know?”

I shook my head then paused. I wasn’t sure if Woods knew now or not. Did he think I’d just left him? Did that matter?

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t stay with him. You know that more than anyone. What happens when I snap and I lose my sanity? I don’t want Woods to love me and be left with a shell of a woman the way I was left with my mother. He has this life in front of him with so much he’s worked for. I can’t be who he needs. I’m trying to be who I need. I’m not what any man needs, Braden. You know that.”

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Woods

The lunch shift had ended ten minutes ago. I wasn’t late yet. I parked the truck and headed inside. I hadn’t seen Della in six hours and that was just too damn long. I wasn’t scheduling her for two shifts again. No matter how hard she begged. I shoved open the kitchen doors and everyone froze. Normally my entrance didn’t get much notice. They were used to me walking in and out. Jimmy was clocking out. He glared at me and ****ed his hip to the side.

“You just now showing up to worry about the lack of help we had around here? You go and arrest the best damn help I’ve had since Blaire worked here. Then no explanation or peep out of you.”

Arrest his help? What help?

“What are you talking about?” I asked looking around for Della. Maybe she could explain the drama queen’s outburst.

“Oh, I don’t know Woods. Maybe the fact the po-po shows up and arrests sweet little Della and scares the **** outta her then you do nothing. You let them take her and you don’t worry about the fact she’s scheduled to work two shifts today.”

I grabbed the first thing I could reach which was the front of Jimmy’s shirt. “What did you say about Della and the police? Stop blabbering and ****ing explain yourself,” I roared. The blood was rushing to my head and pounding in my temples. I had known something was wrong but nothing Jimmy had said made sense.

“The police came and took Della right after she got here this morning. You didn’t know? They said Mr. Kerrington wanted her escorted out of the building before they cuffed her. She was scared man. Really scared.”

I let go of Jimmy’s shirt and he stumbled backwards. The selfish controlling ****er had my Della arrested. She was scared. She was gonna need me and I wasn’t there.

“****,” I roared and stormed out of the kitchen and started running. I had to find her.

“It was Josiah Burton who arrested her,” Jimmy called out behind me.

I was going after Burton first. I’d gone to school with Josiah and it wouldn’t be the first time I’d beaten the **** out of him. It would however be the first time I got charged with assaulting an officer.

“If you hear anything, call me,” I replied and opened the door to go to the police station and the sorry ass police in this town that could be bought.

I’d go see my father last. He wasn’t going to be as easy to threaten.

I didn’t check in at the front desk when I got to the station.

“You have to check in Mr. Kerrington,” Margaret Fritz called out as I stalked past her without a word.

Deputy Sheriff Josiah Burton was in his office when I reached it and I walked into without knocking and slammed the door closed behind me. I locked it just in case I needed time to kill him. I turned to glare at the man I knew had been paid off to do my father’s bidding.

“You better start talking you sorry mother****er, or the last thing I do before they lock me up is blow your sorry ass head off,” I growled.

Josiah jumped up from his desk his beady eyes going round in surprise.

“I did just what your dad had me do. I covered everything. The paper work is done and filed; she can’t come back to town. I secured it. Calm down. It’s done. No reason to get so damn demanding.”

He thought I knew about this. I forced the raging need to rip his head off down and stared at him deciding exactly how to play this. I needed more information.

“What time did you arrest her?”

Josiah shook his head. “I didn’t. Like your dad told me I just cuffed her and threw her in the back of the squad car. Scared her a bit. Then took her to him.”

My chest was about to explode. They had purposely scared her. My father would pay for this. Every minute she was terrified he would pay tenfold.

“Where was my father? Where did you take her?

Josiah frowned. “Your house.”

He had taken her to my house.

“Is she still there?”

“No man. I told you I did all the paperwork. She was warned not to come back or I’d arrest her and then she was shipped off to wherever the hell he had Leo take her.”

“Why can’t she come back?” I asked balling my hands into fists.

Josiah started to answer and stopped. He studied me a minute and then his jaw went slack. “You don’t know. He did this and you didn’t know. **** me,” he said, sinking back down into his chair. “Oh man, Woods. I thought you knew. I thought she was crazy and you were scared of what she might do. I was getting rid of her for you. Your dad said she was dangerous. A mental case. I even roughed her up a bit. I didn’t know… please tell me that girl is screwed in the head and what I did was good.”

I closed my eyes tightly trying not to think about the part where he said he’d roughed her up a bit. I needed to hit someone. “How did you rough her up?” I asked in a slow even voice.

“Just jerked her around unnecessarily by the arm and put the cuffs on a little too tight.”

I grabbed the front of his uniform and jerked him up out of his seat. “Even if she had been crazy, she’s a woman. No woman needs to be handled like that. Ever.” I took a deep breath. “She’s the woman I love. The woman my sick ****er of a father doesn’t want me to love.” I threw him back in his chair and he rolled back and slammed into the wall. I didn’t apologize or wait to see if I was going to deal with charges of my own. I jerked open his door and made my way back out to my truck ignoring questions as I went.

Leo. I had to find ****ing Leo.

Leo wasn’t in town. My parents had left on a plane for New York City after I left their house today. No one knew anything. I stood on my porch staring out at the ocean and dialed Della’s phone for the hundredth time just to hear her voicemail.

“It’s Della. Can’t answer my phone right now but leave me a message and I’ll get back to you.”

Beep.

“It’s me again. You’re gone. I wasn’t there and you were hurt. God baby, knowing how scared you must have been and I wasn’t there. I just need to find you. Where ever you are. I need to find you, Della. Call me. Let me know you’re okay.”

Beep.

Then a dial tone.

I dropped my phone on the table and gripped the railing in front of me. She was going to have to sleep without me tonight. Her bad dreams would come back and I wouldn’t be there. Would someone be there? Was she alone?

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Della

My phone was gone. I’d unpacked all my things and my phone wasn’t there. Woods couldn’t call me. Maybe that was best. Telling him that I wasn’t good for him hadn’t worked before. His father was forcing my hand and proving to Woods the truth. I wasn’t worth it.

The idea that his father had lied to Woods to make him believe I had left voluntarily or that I actually had stolen something hurt. I didn’t want him to think I would do either of those things. I hadn’t been able to go back to sleep after waking myself and Braden and Kent up screaming last night. I’d sat up and thought about what I needed to do next. Where I needed to go. How I should live my life. Would I ever see Woods again? It had kept me from falling back to sleep and letting another bad dream come haunt me. It was all too fresh right now.

A swift knock on the door broke into my thoughts and Braden opened the door and stepped in carrying a cup of coffee.

“I thought you might be awake,” she said smiling and handing me the cup in her hands.

“Thank you,” I said and took the cup. After taking a sip, I looked over at Braden. “I’m sorry about last night.”

Braden frowned. “You have no reason to be sorry. I’m sorry that you have those damn dreams. I’m sorry that I can’t make them go away. I’m sorry that you found someone to love and it all fell apart. I’m sorry about all of the **** you’ve been dealt. But you have nothing to be sorry about Della Sloane. You never have.”

Having Braden had saved me. No one cared until Braden. Somehow I’d won the loyalty of this bighearted person who I could never thank enough.

“Do you think I’ll end up like my mother?” I asked because it was my biggest fear. Especially now.

“No. I don’t. I think your mother suffered a trauma while she had a newborn and that mixed with the post-partum depression she was suffering at the time. Remember that was found in her records. She had issues and then she lost her husband and son so tragically. No one was there for her. No family. Nothing. She just had this little baby and yes she snapped. Most humans would in her position. If there had been family to check on her and see her spiraling out of control then I believe she would’ve gotten better. That your life would have been much different. But it didn’t happen that way. She was alone and she got lost. That won’t happen to you. Because you have me and I won’t ever leave you alone. You have family.”

I wanted to believe her. I wanted there to be a reason my mother hadn’t been able to come back to me. That it hadn’t just been inevitable.

“What about my grandmother? She was in a mental home,” I reminded her. That fact haunted me.

“Do you even know why? Have you ever researched that? You don’t know why or if this is even true. Your mother told you this and she wasn’t mentally there, Della. I think you’ve lived believing some things that aren’t true. They terrify you. But in all honesty Della, if you were gonna snap sweetie, you would have when we walked in on your mother with the razor in her hand and the slits on her wrists. You didn’t snap. You made it through that and you were brave enough to learn to live. You can do this Della. You can live a happy full life. One that your mother deserved but was cheated out of. Don’t let your fears keep you from it. Please.”

I wanted that. I wanted to live. For the father and brother who I never knew and for my mother who was cheated of a life of happiness. I wanted to live for them. And I wanted to live for me.

“Why don’t you call him?”

I didn’t have to ask her who “him” was. I knew who she meant. She wanted me to call Woods. I wanted a life with him. I loved him. But how could I come between him and his father? His father hated me. I would stand between him and his family. If Woods wanted me more than the life he’d been born to have then he’d find me. I wasn’t going to confuse him by calling him. He needed time to decide if losing his family to have me was worth it.

“I think I’ll wait. He knows where I’m from and he knows your name. If he really wanted to find me, he could easily enough. There is a lot at stake for Woods. I’m not sure I’m worth all that.”

Braden put her arm around my shoulders and rested her head against mine. “How many times do I have to tell you that you’re special? Anyone who meets you and doesn’t want to get to know you and be a part of your life is stupid. I saw it when I was just a kid.”

I smiled. “No. You thought I was a vampire and you wanted to be my friend so I wouldn’t eat you.”

Braden chuckled. “Well, that too. But I found out soon enough you weren’t a blood sucker and I still liked you.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes lost in our thoughts.

“I took off work today. Let’s go shopping,” Braden finally said.

“Okay. That sounds good.” Anything to get me out of this house and my mind off Rosemary… and Woods.

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Twisted Perfection Page 40



Woods

I hadn’t slept all night. But I had figured out a few things. If Della had been forced to leave without time to think about it, the only place I could think of that she would go back to was Georgia and her friend Braden. That was the only person I knew of that she was attached to.

I’d called Josiah at six this morning and had him run a search for a Braden, female around twenty years old in Macon, Georgia. That was all I knew. Within ten minutes he had a name, phone number, and address. Braden Fredrick lived in Macon, Georgia with her husband Kent.

I called the number that Josiah had given me and I got the voice mail twice.

I dialed Josiah again. “Get me a number for Kent Fredrick. He has to work somewhere. There has to be a work number.”

“Okay. Give me a second,” Josiah replied without question. I heard the tapping of keys. “Ah, here it is. He’s a lawyer. Fredrick and Fredrick. It looks like his father is the other Fredrick. 478- 555-5515”

I wrote the number down. “Thanks,” I said and hung up to dial the new number.

“Fredrick and Fredrick attorneys at law. How can I direct your call?”

“I need to speak with Kent Fredrick,” I replied.

“Hold on just a second. I believe his line is busy. Oh, wait. It’s free. Just a moment and I’ll transfer you.”

I waited while classical music played over the line. I couldn’t stand still. I paced back and forth across my back porch. I was close.

“Kent Fredrick,” a man’s voice said.

“Kent. This is Woods Kerrington—”

“It’s about time Mr. Kerrington. I don’t like seeing my wife upset and when Della is upset so is my wife.”

He knew where she was. I stopped, almost afraid to hope. “Do you know where Della is?”

“Yeah, she’s at our house. Arrived yesterday in a complete mess. Your father needs his ass kicked. And the jury is still out on you.”

She was there. I began to move. I started walking around the porch and then broke into a run as I hit the steps and went to my truck.

“She’s okay? Is she hurt?” Josiah may have gotten me this number but if he hurt her I wouldn’t give a ****.

“Wrists are raw because they left handcuffs on her for five hours while she rode in a car. But other than that it’s just her heart. She’s broken. But then Della has always been a little broken.”

Della and broken in the same sentence made me anxious. I needed to get her. “I’m on my way. Don’t let her leave.”

“You coming here to get her?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“Well, I’m not so sure I’m okay with you taking her anywhere near that sorry ass father of yours. Who says he won’t hurt her again? Della hasn’t got any family. Braden is it for her. And when I married Braden I got Della too. I knew that going in. Those two are tight. I protect what’s mine.”

I gripped the steering wheel. “Della is mine. Make no mistake about that. I’ll be there in five hours.” I hung up the phone and plugged the Fredricks’ address into the GPS.

Three hours into the drive my phone rang and my father’s name lit up the screen. I thought of sending him to voicemail and changed my mind. It was time I dealt with the man. I wouldn’t be bringing Della back there. I couldn’t. He wasn’t going to accept her and I wasn’t going to live without her so there was no future for me with Kerrington Club.

“What,” I said, deciding he didn’t deserve a proper greeting. I’d let him talk then I would tell him what I’d decided.

“Where are you? I got a call from the club saying you didn’t show up this morning. They’re having issues with being understaffed in the dining room and two of the carts aren’t working”

“Then fix it. It’s your club. I don’t care what happens to the place. You made sure to turn me completely against you when you sent Della away. They hurt her you dumb ass mother****er. And now you’ve lost me. I want nothing to do with you, my mother who helped you pull this **** off, or that club. You can’t control me. I won’t let you. I’m walking away from it all. I have my grandfather’s blood in my veins and I can make something of myself. I don’t need you. I never did.” I didn’t wait for his response. I pressed end and smiled at the open road in front of me. I was going to get the one person who made me want to live and build a life for us. It wouldn’t be the pampered and privileged one I had been raised in but it would be one full of love and until Della that was something I’d missed.

My phone started ringing again and the area code for Macon, Georgia appeared but it was a new number. Not the two I had saved in my phone.

“Hello.”

“Is this Woods Kerrington?” a female voice asked over the other end of the phone.

“Yes it is,” I replied.

“This is Braden Fredrick. I need to ask you a few questions before I allow you to come barreling back into Della’s life. I’m not as convinced as my husband that your coming here is a good thing.”

I smiled at the protective tone in the woman’s voice. Della had a champion and I loved this unknown woman for that reason alone. Anyone who protected my Della had my complete respect.

“Okay. Ask me whatever you need,” I replied.

She paused. “Why’re you coming here?”

“Because I can’t live without Della. I don’t want to. She’s the reason I get up in the mornings.”

Silence. I wondered if she was going to say more. I waited.

“Okay. Good answer. I might like you. Do you think Della is crazy or could possibly go crazy?”

“No. She’s brilliant and full of life. She has issues to overcome but she is going to get better. I intend to help her and I believe that one day soon she won’t deal with any of the things that torment her.”

There was a relieved sigh on the other end. “Last question. Why do you love Della?”

I didn’t even have to think about it. “Until Della walked into my life I didn’t understand the idea of love. I had never been in love and experienced very little love in my life. But I’d seen it once. My grandparents had loved each other until the day they died. I thought it was a myth. Then I met Della. She got under my skin and then she began to open emotions in me I didn’t know existed. There is no pretense with her. She has no idea she’s beautiful and she’s completely selfless. But even if she weren’t all those things her laugh and the look in her eyes when she’s truly happy is the only thing that matters in life.”

A soft sniffle on the other line surprised me. “Okay. Come get her. I approve.”

I smiled at the small hiccup on the other line. “I’m almost there.”