A Modern Love Story (31 page)

Lizbeth pulled back and studied her face, surely taking in her stinging eyes. “Oh God! I’m so sorry! I just found out myself.”

“So you
do
know?” Robbie stepped around her into the apartment. She heard Lizbeth swing the door shut as she started to babble at her back.

“Rob, you have to believe I didn’t know. Of course I would have told you if I had. I just hadn’t been around him much. That cock-sucking sonofabitch…” Her voice trailed off. “Who told you?”

“I went straight over from the airport. I wanted to surprise him.” She scoffed. “What a joke.”

“Was
she
there?” Lizbeth asked gently, putting a hand on Robbie’s arm.

Robbie suddenly found it hard to breathe as she remembered how it felt to see a barely-clothed Payten answering Luc’s door.
I thought you two had broken up,
Payten had said.
I’m so sorry, Robbie. I didn’t know,
she insisted. Payten was blameless, Robbie knew, even when she went so far to say
Luc is with me now
. At least
she
told it how it was.

“Yeah. She answered the door.”

Lizbeth spun her around into another hug. “I’ll fucking kill them both for doing this to you.”

Robbie brought her numb arms around Lizbeth’s back as the tears began to seep out of the corners of her eyes. As soon as she had a good grip on Lizbeth’s shoulders, the sobs ripped free.

*****

That evening, Luc left for Hooligan’s earlier than he’d intended to. He’d worked himself up into a good mad, and needed to focus on something to burn it off.

Robbie hadn’t even given him a chance to explain. She just fucking attacked. What the hell?! That wasn’t right! He had his reasons but she didn’t give a fuck, did she? Wouldn’t even hear him out!

When Conrad made it in, he took one look at Luc and demanded to know what happened. Luc didn’t try to contain himself as he spewed the story in the midst of a seething rage.

Conrad let Luc vent, and then waited until the red in Luc’s face faded before pointing out the obvious to his dense friend. “You’re not really mad at her.”

“The fuck I’m not!”

“You’re mad at yourself for fucking up, and projecting it on
her
because it’s easier to do that than admit you screwed the pooch on this one.”

Luc opened his mouth to spit out a retort, but realized Conrad was right. “When the fuck did you become so damn insightful?”

“I’m a bartender. Psychology 101 and a good ear is a prerequisite.” He took in Luc’s countenance—slumped shoulders and all. “Now what?”

“I don’t know. But I imagine groveling will be involved.” He scrubbed his knuckles along his jaw line. “Jesus, you should have heard her. She was so pissed she was swearing.”

“Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you. Groveling is a decent start where Robbie’s concerned, but you know you’re gonna have to ditch the blonde, too.”

“Glad to do it. The next time I see her,”—he glanced at the clock—“which will be any minute now, I’m cutting her loose.”

“I don’t know why you went there in the first place. I mean, I can
see
why—the chick is seriously hot. But come on, man. You had Robbie.”

“Tell me something I don’t already fucking know. All right. I need to think instead of react. Jesus, every instinct I’ve had lately has been way fucking wrong. I
gotta
figure a way to fix this shit.”

Despite how well he knew Robbie, he had no idea how to go about it.
 
All he knew for sure was he had a craving for her—always had. There was a tenderness and connection he only felt in her arms, and since he’d had a taste of that, he knew it was all he’d ever want in life. It was as if there was this clarity now that she was back, but where the fuck had it been when she was gone?! He shook his head as he realized it was the fear of her leaving him, of never having her again, of never feeling
that
again.

“What?” Conrad asked, watching as Luc shook his head and rubbed at the back of his neck.

“I’m a
chickenshit
sonofabitch.”

“You’re just figuring that out?” He dodged the fist popping out in his direction. “Well, you’re on your own with this one. Can’t even get you insider information since Lizbeth still won’t talk to me.” He pointed at Luc. “That’s on you, too.”

Luc held up his hands. “I know, I know. Jesus, I can only put out one fire at a time.”

“Still,” Conrad mused, “I’m surprised one of us didn’t get a heads-up from Lizbeth. Doesn’t seem right that she’d want Rob to find out this way.”

“Yeah,” Luc muttered, considering the idea. “I’m guessing she didn’t know. Robbie had her suitcase with her. She must have come straight from the airport.”

“Because she couldn’t wait to see you,” Conrad concluded.

“Yes, thank you. I fucking got that part for myself.”

Luc was still glaring at Conrad when his cell rang. He dug it out and looked at the display. Payten.

“Yeah,” he answered.

“Hey, Luc. I’m so sorry. I know I was supposed to meet you at the bar, but my father just called and needs an impromptu meeting regarding a client of his. I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll get together for dinner or something. Talk to you later, sweetness. Bye.”

His eyes went wide when he heard the click in his ear. Jesus, he didn’t even get a chance to get a word in edgewise. What the fuck?

He slid the phone back into his pocket. “Guess I’m not breaking up with the blonde tonight.”

“You should go to Rob’s and try to smooth things over. I got things covered here for a bit.”

“No way, man,” Luc said. “This shit’s delicate—I
gotta
handle it with kid gloves. I need to make things right, but I have to do it the right way. Once I get things straightened out on my end with Payten, and I’m free and clear—no strings attached—then I can go to Rob. Even still…” What the hell was he going to say to her? How could he make this right?

“She might be okay if you just tell her that you’re gonna break it off with Payten.”

“No. It’s not fair to have Rob waiting around until I can make it official. I won’t tell her how I feel and then what I
intend
to do. When I go there, it’s
to
damn well win her back—plain and simple, no screwing around. I’ll fucking get down on my goddamn knees to beg and grovel if I have to.” He looked at Conrad with genuine earnestness. “I have to get her back, Conrad.”

“I know, man. Do what you
gotta
do.” Conrad looked over at the picture he had of Lizbeth by the register. “You and me both, buddy.”

*****

Payten was steaming pissed as she drove away from Hooligan’s.
He
was gonna break up with
her
?! No goddamn way
that
was going to happen! Luc had another thing coming if he thought he could shrug her off so easily. Thank God she’d shown up when she had. Thank God she’d overheard his conversation with that sniveling little twerp, Conrad. To think that the two of them where scheming to get rid of her, like she was some piece of trash that could be tossed aside! They’ve both got another fucking thing coming!

Her mind raced around the problem at hand. This was something she could handle. She could always work a problem until she got what she wanted. Never had she done without anything she truly had to have. That fucking bitch Robbie just
had
to come back and screw everything up. She was supposed to have a year to work Luc around into position, not months. Christ, was she supposed to be a miracle worker?!

She suddenly laughed out loud as she pictured Robbie’s face when she answered the door. Her expression was classic! And what an imbecile that woman was—believing her when she said she hadn’t known they were still together. Of course she
knew
! Love like that doesn’t just go
poof
because of a temporary separation.

If it was anyone else, Payten knew she wouldn’t have had a chance. But she knew how to work Luc. She’d done her own research on that one. A troubled childhood had shaped him into the deliciously hard man he’d became. And she knew exactly how to exploit it. Abandonment was such a traumatic event to a child, and she counted on the fact that it had left scars. Of course, a touch of Rohypnol in his drink that first night certainly didn’t hurt. She’d figured the first time was going to be the hardest—to crack that iron shell of his—but that once he’d had a taste of her, it’d be harder for him to deny. She’d simply had to keep up the momentum. After all, he’d already had her once, why not again?

All her gambles had paid off so far. She was too fucking close to back off now. Besides, she was stronger than him. She had more determination, more discipline than he had. She could work this. Shit, even when he’d hollered Robbie’s name during sex, she’d been able to keep pushing forward. If she could refrain from taking his head off with that one—despite the fact he hadn’t realized he’d done it—she could focus on this tiny hiccup without any issues.

A thought suddenly bloomed into place. There was only one man that could help her now—her father.

Snatching her phone, she quickly made the call and arranged a meeting with her father at the house. Once that was done, she rolled her shoulders back and put a smile on her face, hoping it would be heard in her voice. Hitting the speed dial, she called Luc to postpone their date. She made sure she spoke swiftly, but not rudely, so he couldn’t try to do something stupid like break up with her over the phone. Men were so fucking heartless sometimes.

By the time she made it home, her father’s BMW was in the driveway. The house was actually his, but he chose to live in a condo downtown instead, leaving the estate for her use alone.

Payten went straight to the office, where she knew he would be waiting for her. When she strolled in, her father had already built a fire in the fireplace and had helped himself to a snifter of brandy. He was seated at the desk, twisting around to pull a leather-bound case volume off the bookshelf behind him.

He peered over his glasses when he heard her footsteps. “Payten. Good to see you, princess. You’re timing is impeccable. I’d been meaning to come over and do a little research, but I’ve been putting it off.” He focused on the book in front of him as he asked absently, “Now, what did you need my help with?”

“Well, Daddy,” she began, meandering towards him. “You know how you always told me to go to any lengths to get what I want?”

“Yes, princess. Never settle for less when you certainly deserve more.”

“I’m so glad you agree with me.” She smiled as she came up behind him, slipping a hand onto his shoulder. “I knew you would.”

*****

The next morning had Robbie up early and fussing around the apartment, trying to distract herself from dwelling and sulking. When it was late enough, she decided to call the L’s and let them know what was what.

“Are you sure you’re okay, sweetie?” Leah asked, concern lacing her tone.

“I’ll be fine, Leah. It’s not like I’ve never had a guy break my heart before.”

“Yes, I know. But…”

Robbie squirmed in the kitchen chair at the ensuing silence. “Could we talk about something else?”

“Sure. Have you been in touch with Colin since you left?”

“I emailed him this morning to let him know I got home okay. I didn’t mention what happened when I got here, but I’m sure I’ll have to tell him eventually. He knew I was planning on surprising Luc.” She cringed at the way the conversation seemed to keep coming back to that bastard.

“Well, then. New topic,” Leah said, apparently aware of the continued theme herself. “How was work at the museum? Did you get enough experience?”