Defying Fate (13 page)

I CAN’T TAKE IT;
the bitch known as Tiffany has been hanging around the office an awful lot these days. I can see her trying to worm her way into Braxton’s heart and most likely his bed again. He tells me not to worry, but hey, I’m a woman and jealousy likes to rear its ugly head. Sitting in my office, I hide out and close my door. I can hear her with him, and it’s fucking killing me as to why he doesn’t tell her just to piss off. Sure she is Eve’s mother, but he said on numerous occasions that she did not have anything to do with his life. I tried to tell him he is in denial if he thinks for one second she is going to leave him alone for the next thirteen years or so.

Our first official fight was over her; our first official night of sleeping away from each other was over her. Now, I am forced to sit in my office and hear her. She is laughing at something that Braxton has said. If I didn’t know any better I, would say this is her plan, get closer to him and then when she has him where she wants him, she will turn him against me.

They have a connection I can’t compare. She is his baby momma, and I am not. I will never be able to give him that. My choice was taken from me a long time ago. My shot at motherhood was cut short, by the hands of a monster. My daughter, the one thing I knew I did right even though it was under so much stress. She was not to blame; she was the light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

I can still see her beautiful face, her hair just the same shade of brown as mine. Her facial features were a mirror of my own. Her tiny hands so sweet with long fingers, when I held her for the first time she gripped my finger with a tight hold. I marveled at it; it was the single best moment in my entire life. I had no idea my time with her would be so limited. Holding her I escaped my pain and anguish when she would look into my eyes, it was like watching myself. She had my eyes, and like always I swear I could read her thoughts with those big, brown, and beautiful soulful eyes.

My eyes sting with tears as I recall her beautiful face; such a pretty girl, so much love in her. She may have had a bastard of a father, but she was just like me, innocent! Taken advantage of by a monster; a handsome looking fella who could melt you with his smile. The voice of an archangel, but underneath it all was a heart that was as black as coal. The angel turned into the fucking devil, I realized it when it was too late; too late for me to get out, unscathed.

My opportunity, to leave, was an accident, my weak, broken, soul turned into heartbreak, then hatred and I finally just snapped. I used all my hurt and loss and turned it into anger. My anger fueled by the desire to kill him, allowed me to find my escape. I never got the chance to kill him, but never say ‘never’. The time might present itself again someday, and then I would not hesitate. I would kill him at the drop of a hat. He took something from me; he killed a part of me. It’s time I did the same to him. He needed to feel pain and suffering at the hands of another. I was his biggest conquest; it’s only fair he should suffer by my hands.

Only I wish that could happen. I escaped him so I could live another day. What I did was like signing my death sentence in his eyes. The only peace I will ever have will be if he is no longer on this earth torturing people. I will not be able to live without looking over my shoulder as long as he is still out there, lurking in the shadows.

Wiping my tears as I sit at my desk my mood is anything less than great, as I can hear Braxton laughing with her, what the hell? He knows I am in here. He honestly can’t believe I would be okay with him hanging out with her laughing his ass off while I am stuck in my damn office. What the fuck?

“Penny for your thoughts?” My eyes look up and I see Liam is leaning his head into my office with the door slightly ajar.

He must sense my mood and judging that I was just crying my eyes out; I am sure he wants to turn the fuck around and pretend like he did not just find me like this.

“Hey, Izzy, what the hell?” Shutting the door behind him, he comes over and pulls me into a hug.

I stay quiet; surely he is not so stupid as to not know what the hell is wrong with me. Why isn’t he out there telling his sister to leave?

Clearing his throat, Liam’s eyes happen to look weary. “Iz what is going on with you?”

My stare back at him is less than friendly. “Seriously are you that flipping dumb?”

“Ouch! Okay, that one hurt, no I am not. I came in here because I know you’re hiding out. I know my bitch of a sister is doing everything she can to piss you off. It’s working right?” He tightens his lips and raises his eyebrows as if he knows he is right.

Pulling out of his hug, I sigh. “What do you think?” I’m beyond agitated I’m pissed off. “What is the deal with her and Braxton in there acting like old friends catching up?”

Liam has a habit of rubbing the back of his neck when he is uncomfortable. It’s a tell-tale sign with him so as he is doing it now, I’m not going to like what he is about to say to me.

“Listen Izzy, Brax and Tiffany are beyond complicated.” He is dancing around with his words. Yeah, not liking the way he is approaching this.

With a slight roll of my eyes, I simply sigh. “Yeah, no shit.”

“No, it’s like he knows she is bad news. But he has a soft spot for her; she gave him Eve.” My heart just stopped. Great thanks, Liam like I did not already know this fact.

“She’s a master of mind games, sounds like to me.”

“The best I’m afraid. But now let me tell you,” he sits down in the chair opposite my desk and leans his elbows on his knees trying to get comfortable. “They are like a train wreck, together they just don’t work. The problem is Brax has a hard time every time she comes back for a visit. She somehow worms her way back into his heart and his bed!” The way he says ‘bed’ tells me how uncomfortable he is admitting this.

“What?” I yell it as loud as I can, not only does it disgust me, it pisses me off.

“It’s like he hates her one minute and the next she’s spread eagle for him.”

Not sure why I’m surprised by this, but Braxton is not a guy who is hard up to find a date if he wanted one.

“Yeah, I guess that is one way to put it.” Rubbing his neck yet again, I think he is as confused as I am.

“When, was the last time he slept with her?” He had to know I was going to ask him this question.

“What? Izzy that is not going to…” now he looks terrified, his eyes are telling me a story I am most likely not going to like.

Interrupting him, I say, “When Liam?”

“Shit Izzy,” he huffs out, gritting his teeth. “About the time he met you.” He looks a little green as he admits Braxton had slept with his sister around the same time he met me.

My resolve is slipping. “Liam. Has he slept with her since he has been seeing me? You need to tell me the damn truth. I know she is your sister and Eve is your niece, but I am the one getting hurt here.”

Swearing under his breath is not making me feel any better. “I’m not sure Izzy. I don’t snoop around Brax and his latest conquests. You would need to ask him.” Bet your ass I am going to do that after I slap the shit out of him first.

“Wuss.”

Rolling my eyes, I think ‘fuck that’ and grab my purse and head for the door. It’s pretty quiet so I have no idea where the former or not so old love birds are at, at the moment. I refuse to sit around and take this crap anymore. What the hell does he think he is doing with me, with her? I stomp down the hall and go by his office. His door is ajar, I just happen to peak in to see her sitting on his desk and leaning her chest into him as he sits in his chair. He is smiling, at her. Not a stupid smile either, it’s a broad happy smile.

He must sense my presence as I storm by his door. “Yo Izzy, come back here.” He yells from his desk. Fuck him; I am so out of here.

Primarily running towards the front door, he catches me by my arm with his hand. Yanked back hard I’m pressed to his side, as he looks like nothing is wrong.

“Fuck off Braxton. Let me go.” I say through clenched teeth, in an attempt not to rip his fucking head off.

He looks at me a bit shocked I’d say like I had just slapped him across the face. Deep down, I want to.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” His eyes crazed as he assesses what is up with me.

“Seriously? You need even to ask me? You are more delusional than I thought.” Trembling and angry, I am shaking I am so pissed.

“Izzy, you need to calm the fuck down and talk to me.”

The only thought, I have, is ‘NO’ I don’t. Not a second later the source of my mood is leaning against the wall smirking like she one happy woman.

“HER. That's my problem.” I’m seething while look at the bitch.

Braxton turns his head and looks at Tiffany, who now has a sad look on her face. Shit. She is playing him. Is he this caught up with her that he can’t see it? I make sure to point this out to him.

“Oh My God. She is playing you. You are playing into her hands, and you’re too blind to see it.” Screaming my words at him with all I got.

“I am not being played by anyone and that means you as well.” He says. What the hell does that mean?

Now I look at him like I was just the one slapped. Me?

“What the hell are you talking about?” I whip my head at him as I am utterly shocked.

“Listen Iz, Tiff’ was just talking with me about our daughter.” Holding up his hands as if to settle me down, yeah, like that is going to fucking work. Wrong.

Ouch; like I need to be reminded that he has a daughter with her.

“Is that so, well it sounded like a damn good conversation? Let me go, so you can get back to it as she sits and offers up her fake-as-shit tits to you on a silver fucking platter.”

Well, that did it. Braxton looks pissed off, Tiffany looks pleased when Braxton is facing away from her, only to put on the poor innocent as he turns back to her. It’s fucking brilliant on her part.

I huff out a breath and start to laugh; this is just too fucking funny not to. Clapping my hands together to prove my point further, I have to hand it to her.

Directing my attention towards the now wide-eyed Tiffany, she looks at me like I’m plain crazy. “You are good, got to tell you well played. Let me get this straight; you come to town and see your perfect little girl. No, you use her just to get closer to Braxton. Let me clarify that; you get more intimate with Braxton by playing your act just to get him into bed. Now, I happen to enter the picture, and it threatens your plans to bed him again for the umpteenth number of times you have spread those long ass legs for him. Shit, I admit, he is a man. You’re easy and pretty, but your ace in the hole is a sweet little girl. You sick bitch, you use her to get your orgasms with her daddy.”

Tiffany stands taller as she strolls over my way. “You have no idea what the hell you are talking about. I love my daughter and her daddy. Brax belongs to me; I was just reminding him of that fact. You are just a warm body for him to use and then throw away. He does it; a lot. Then I return home, and it’s me that his dick claims.” I swear I vomit in my mouth.

“You’re sick,” I look at her and Braxton, “both of you.”

“Shut the fuck up, both of you. Where are you going Izzy?” Braxton now realizes just how fucked this is; I can see the nervousness in his eyes when he sees me leaving.

“I quit, let your baby momma have my job. It was hers to begin with, now you can screw her against the wall instead of me.” Admitting my feelings hurts a little, but I have to protect what little heart I have left. I gave it to him; stupid move by me, I know this, but I believed in him. I stopped telling myself not to get close. My heart aches as the last of it was just now crushed into pieces.

“Izzy, we are not doing this again.” Braxton then looks over at the blonde bitch. “Tiffany head on back to my office and wait for me.”

Her voice purrs like a kitten. “Sure thing honey, don’t keep me waiting long.”

I stare at her mentally and throw daggers before saying my peace.

“Oh, he won’t be long. I am walking out that fucking door and out of your lives. All of you; you both deserve each other. Both fucking liars and players who’d do anything to get what you want. Pretty pathetic.”

Trying to walk away, his hand returns to my arm, and I am being led down into the garage. Practically being pushed into the shop, all heads turn our way. Tears welling in my eyes, heartbroken, I am suddenly tired. I’m so exhausted, all the years of fighting to just to live, only to be right here, right now.

“Leave us the fuck alone, get OUT.” He roars like a mighty lion. Frustrated and angry Braxton wipes his hand over his forehead before he starts in on me.

“Jesus Christ Izzy, I have no idea what a fucking game you are playing, but you're letting her come between us. We were just talking and for the first time in forever, we were getting along. She was having a normal fucking conversation; we were talking about our daughter.” Shit he is actually buying her bullshit. How fucking clouded is he with this woman?

Angrily, I yell right back. “Yeah, I know you have a daughter. She is using Eve to get to you. Why do you think she is so fucking nice to you now? Has she ever been this way with you?”

Silence is all I get.

“I take it the answer is no, of course. Jesus, it’s me, she doesn’t want you to be with me so now she is playing the momma card. You just happen to take it hook, line and sinker. I know her kind; her type of person has used me in the past. The mind fucking tricks they use. They are nice to get us to lower our guard and then they use it to blindside us.” My anger is at an all-time high and always like when I get angry. I cry.

“That fucker Dominic might have been that way with you, but Tiffany does not play mind games with me,” Braxton says as he is shaking his head. Seriously? God, he is delusional.

“You're just blind to it, you want to see good in her because she is Eve’s mother. You’re whipped by her. By the way, when was the last time you slept with her?” As I say the words, I am gauging his reaction. Watching his eye movements, any ‘tell’ and I will pick up on it.

His head snaps and worry lines crease his flawless face,

“What the fuck Izzy, what kind of question is that?”