Good Intentions (Welcome to Paradise) (Volume 2) (4 page)

Noah comes from around a parked Porsche, and says, “I’ve been asked to leave. I don’t know what’s happening here, but I think you should come with me, Mallory. I’ll take you home.”

“I’ll get my purse.” I turn without hesitation.

“You can’t leave!” Evan follows me back to the corner of the house and I note his words are contradictory to what he told me minutes earlier. The music and laughter from the party is a quick distraction from my reality as I grab my purse from the table inside, and turn to make a quick exit back out.

Evan rushes to stop me. “Please. Please don’t go like this. I’m not sure what happened tonight, but I can take you home and we’ll talk.”

“You said I could leave with him, so I’m doing it.” I step around and rush toward Noah who’s standing by the pool. Tears sting my eyes because the hard evidence of that text can’t be discounted so easily. Evan hasn’t questioned her or bothered to see the same thing I’ve seen with my own eyes, yet he’s been questioning me, treating me like I’m crazy.

“Stop! Don’t go!” Evan’s voice carries over the music, drawing the crowd’s attention.

I do stop. The man I hate myself for loving tells me to, so I do. I stop in my tracks and turn back to look at him, hoping he’ll make this whole night go away, that he’ll put us back the way we were yesterday. His face is beautifully pained. Worry creasing his forehead as he searches for the right thing to say. The words won’t come tonight because he’s been caught in his own web of lies, but then he surprises me. “I trust you, Mallory. But Kalei, you better not put a hand on her.”

Noah grips my arm, and I turn to look at him, surprised by the possessiveness of his hold on me. “I would never hurt her. I’m not like you, Ashford. I know how you treat women. We all know what you did to my sister!”

There are moments in life where it slows to a crawl and everything becomes vivid, almost to the point of overexposure. A lump forms in my throat as the bright dots connect—Evan, Noah, enemies, Noah’s sister, Evan’s tragic past, words from Kate – ‘changed who he is’ –and I come full circle, blinded by the obvious truth.

“She’s dead because of you!” Noah yells, pain and fury combined in those five shocking words.

Evan is shaking his head, a violence revealing the battle behind his eyes, and I reflexively cower against Noah. Evan’s expression drops when his gaze lands on me—every emotion playing out in a brilliance of spectacular colors. His secret exposed in front of everyone, in front of me. The most dazzling of lights turned off behind his deep blues, and darkness takes over. The window into his soul slammed shut.

Hugh Ashford steps in front of Evan, his hands up, his words direct, but trying to calm as he speaks to Noah. “I know you’re upset, Noah, but you need to leave or I’ll have you removed. This is not the time or the place for that discussion. That matter has been put to rest.”

“My sister was put to rest because of your son. Your money can’t bring her back!”

“Don’t you talk about Lani! I’m dead fucking serious.” Evan stalks toward him, and shouts, “After all we’ve been through, you have some nerve buying Mallory a surfboard. If I hadn’t been there…” There’s a distinct change in tone, but I can’t figure it out before his anger surges again. “…I’m warning you to keep your fucking hands off her.”

“You mean respect her like you do?” He laughs, but I can tell there’s no humor to be found.

“Noah, stop,” I beg, looking up at him, but my plea falls on deaf ears.

To my embarrassment, Noah continues, “Or more specifically, you don’t want me to do her in the parking lot of a party. Is that what you mean, Ashford? Don’t treat her like a whore?”

I stand there shocked, feeling humiliation cover my face as my cheeks pulse with heat, all eyes on me—judging, watching, assuming. Just as my gaze lands on Sunny’s face, her expression showing the pain she feels for me, I’m drawn back to Evan as he lunges to punch Noah.

Murphy jumps in the middle and captures Evan’s hand in the air, blocking the impact with his fist. “We’re not going to do this, Evan, so calm the fuck down. This is a party, man,” Murphy commands, standing between the two former friends.

Noah cups my face, forcing me to look at him. His words are urgent as he stares straight into my eyes. “I will never treat you like that. You mean more to me than that, Mallory.” He pulls me by the arm and as if I don’t have a say in the matter, I go stumbling behind him.

“Mallory!” Evan calls, and though I know better, my heart still aches for him.

Looking over my shoulder, Murphy and Zach have him restrained. My eyes catch movement nearby, and I see his mom and Kelly smiling in their victory. I move forward, needing to be free from the hate of their contemptuous eyes, needing a minute away from everything to do with a future snuffed out. They planted the seed and let us destroy each other. A conversation that should have happened during more sober times, forced itself into our lives, and now we’ll pay the price for the hurt we’ve caused. Both of us walk away wounded in a battle over egos and lies, a battle that should have never been waged.

Just as I round the corner, a strangled cry halts my escape and every breath in my body.

“Don’t leave me, Baby! I love you!”

I stop, his words halting every muscle in my body, my breath faltering as well, and look over my shoulder at Evan. But with Noah continuing to walk while holding onto one of my arms, and Zach suddenly taking my other, I’m dragged out of sight.
But I heard him.
Evan finally said what I’d wanted to hear from him. My heart lumps in my throat as mixed emotions play through my head, the realness of hearing him say those three words overtaking all the bad. When I close my eyes, his voice and words repeat in my head,
‘I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you!’
But his words, in this traumatic of a moment, don’t change the reality of the situation we’re in. I’m still living this nightmare and Evan is gone. No matter what words were said in desperation, it’s clear from the actions of tonight that we’re done.

By the time we reach the valet guy, I’m staring at Noah, aiming all of my anger directly at him. “How could you say that? How could you embarrass me in front… in front of everyone like that?”

Stunned by my reaction, he says, “Mallory, he has to know you can’t be treated like that. You shouldn’t be. You don’t have to settle. I may not be rich, but I would never treat you like you’re beneath me or like a slut.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Please don’t make me explain what you saw earlier.” The tears drop from my jaw as his hand graces my cheek. I turn from him, causing his hand to drop away as well.

A gentle squeeze to my shoulder draws my attention behind me. I turn around knowing it’s not Evan, but still wishing it was. “Evan?”

“No, but we need to leave right now. Evan needs time to calm down,” Zach says, “and sober up.”

Sunny runs up from behind him, but stays quiet at his side. Her anxious demeanor makes me nervous and I look back one more time, allowing hope to seep into my heart.

Zach is firm in his stance, his shoulders back, protective of both Sunny and me. “Noah, I think Mallory should be with Sunny tonight. We’ll take her home.”

Noah looks between me and Zach several times before nodding. His Jeep is parked behind him and the valet guy tosses the keys to him. He steps closer to me as Zach holds eye contact with him, slowly relenting and moving to the side.

Taking one of my hands gently into his, Noah says, “Mallory, I meant what I said. As if tonight wasn’t enough of a warning for you to steer clear, let me tell you that the Ashford’s have nothing but money and problems. Don’t get—”

“That’s enough, Kalei,” Zach warns, stepping in front of me, between us. “I think goodbye will suffice for now.”

Noah’s nostrils flare and I expect more of a fight by the death stare he’s waging on Zach, but he walks around without another word and leaves. Enough was said to know where everyone stands on the issue of the Ashfords and Evan anyway.

Sunny pulls me into a hug, and whispers in to my ear, “Are you alright?”

I shrug away from my friend, lowering my head in shame. “Can we go now?”

We get into Sunny’s VW, Zach getting in the back and she pulls away. I watch in the rearview mirror, willing him to come after me though I wouldn’t take him back right now—or maybe I would, but he never comes, so no choice has to be made.

I fight for my freedom, but to no avail.

“Calm. The. Fuck. Down. Evan.” My father enunciates each word, whispering close to my ear.

I turn my head abruptly, realizing that was the first time I’ve ever heard him swear
and it was at me.
When my eyes meet his, I start to calm, but the thought of Mallory leaving with Noah, leaving me, leaving at all, fuels the fire again. I wrangle out of my dad’s and Murphy’s grip and make a run for it almost knocking a lady into the pool accidentally. My focus is set on finding Mallory. Only her. She’s all that matters.

I dash up the path, running faster than I ever remember running, but I never had something worth running after before Mallory. I have to reach her before she’s leaves and ends everything we have going, before ending us.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, but I don’t stop until the top of the driveway. “Fuck!” I yell, gasping for air while watching Sunny’s red tail lights fade into the distance.

Bending over, I rest my hands on my knees, breathing erratically, and swearing under my breath.

“Do you have a valet ticket, sir?”

I look up at the Valet guy, and ask, “Hey, there was a girl with long dark hair who just left. Did she leave with a guy in a Jeep or a girl in that old van?”

“The van.”

I smile and breathe out, my body finding some relief.

“Cool. Thanks, dude.”

My phone pings, reminding me that I have a voice message, so I drag my phone out of my pocket and enter my password.

“Mallory is coming to my house tonight. Give her the night. We’ll explain about Lani. You need to figure this shit out that I’m hearing about a text.” Zach lowers his voice and continues, “Come by in the morning. You guys need to talk when you’re sober. Later, brah.”

“Fuck!” I fucking want to slam my phone into the street, but I know I’ll need it in case she calls me.
Please fucking call or at least text me, Mallory,
I pray to the stars above. The sky is way too clear for how muddled my life is right now. It’s as if the universe doesn’t realize how messed up my life is.

I dial Mallory’s number, and of course, it goes straight to voicemail.
Double Fuck!
I leave a message. “Hey… ummmm… we need to talk, baby. I can explain. This has gotten crazy out of hand. Please call me back.”

I hang up as I walk back down the driveway, down the path, through the partygoers, and straight to the bar. I shouldn’t have shown up to the party buzzed from the pre-party at Zach’s and Murphy’s house. I should have known to have my wits about me. I shake my head thinking that it’s sad that I need to go to these lengths to protect someone I care about from my own fucking family, but once again, they’ve proven my instincts true. Reaching around, I grab a bottle of Jack Daniels.

“Hey, you can’t take that,” the bartender threatens.

“Like fuck, I can’t!”

“It’s fine,” my dad says to the bartender before turning to me. “Son, I think you should retire early tonight.”