Free Beautifully Broken by Bethany Bazile Page A

for
things I never deserved and now I’m paying for it with this crushing feeling in
my chest. I roll over to the other side of the bed getting up before he can
stop me.
    “Ella…”
he releases a heavy sigh, hiding his apparent emotions behind a hand covering
his face. I make my way out of the room ignoring his plea. I grab my bag and
briefcase off the living room floor, passing through the kitchen to grab a
bottle of orange juice. I gulp down the juice as I race down the stairs, not
wanting to pass out on a busy Chicago sidewalk.

 
     
    Liam
     
    I
actually thought she would stay.
    A
feeling of dread had come over me the minute Alice wrapped her lips around me. In
that moment I knew I would lose Ella. After the amazing afternoon we shared
yesterday I had hoped that she would never find out. What kind of secretary
tells her boss about her sexual exploits? Ella doesn’t seem to be the type to
sit around listening to office gossip.
    I
grab a bottle of scotch and my phone and head out to the balcony. A quick
glance at my phone reveals four missed calls. After the way I hung the phone up
on my father earlier I should return his call but I don’t. He was sure to have
heard some part of what happened with Ella and he will come down on me for my
weakness.
    I
grab a glass from the bar and pour the dark liquid, spinning it around before
throwing it back. The warm liquid does nothing to warm the cold feeling that
looms within me. I’ve been on guard waiting to discover what Ella would do to
ruin us and I never realized I’ve been working twice as hard as her to destroy
us. What happened with Alice was deliberate. I wanted to hurt Ella before she
could hurt me.
     Lucas
is her everything and I wanted to punish her for it. I couldn’t accept the
little piece of her she offered me, I wanted all or nothing. At the time it
felt like a wise decision going out with Alice to force her hand. Now that I’m
left with nothing I’d give anything for that piece of her I had back.
    My
phone lights up and begins to vibrate on the bar top. As much as I would like
to ignore it I hit answer and prepare for more badgering.
    “Yeah,”
I snap.
    “Why
did you hang up? And who the fuck was that in the background?” his voice steady
and calm.
    “I
had to take care of an urgent matter.” I need to steer clear of this
conversation. I haven’t told him anything about Isabella since I’ve been here.
    “Who
was the woman?” Again steady and calm. An eruption is in the making.
    “Just
someone that was keeping me company.”
    “Liam
I sent you up there for one purpose, take those motherfuckers down then get
back over here.” He screams into the phone. “You were screaming pretty loudly
at that woman, sounded pretty serious to me. I hope you’re not letting a woman
divert your purpose.”
    He
has no idea how far I’ve diverted from our plan of course. Two days ago I’d abolished
the plans to take back the company to run back to Palm Beach with Ella. Now I’m
not sure I care about any of this shit anymore. Having to be in the same city
as the man who stole my mother and now has Ella is too much for me. I’m not
going to stay here watching while she goes back to walking around on his arm.
    “I
was just having fun with her, it’s over now.”
    “Well
you need to stay on track, and next time I call you pick up.”
    “Next
time you call and I don’t answer wait for me to call you back” I snap. I’ve
never been one to take orders. I throw the phone back on the bar. Whatever I
came here to do is over.
    ********
    I’m
such a lucky bastard.
    Soon
as I walk into Maddox-Fields headquarters the next day I run into Alice. After
an awkward greeting I’m forced to ride the elevator up with her, the tension so
thick I have to say something.
    “It
wasn’t about you.” I say. She looks up surprised that I was bringing it up.
    “Uhh…ok”
she begins to bite on her nails.
    “I
was sort of involved with someone and it didn’t feel right.”