In Your Arms (8 page)

              “Um. I think I'm late for something.”

              “Elizabeth, wait.” I didn't need this too. I just learned that my mother, Veronica, may not be my mother. Maybe this is a delusion or something.

              “I have to go.” The nurse came, and I knew they would honor her wishes to go. I stared at them as they walked right past me.

Chapter 12

Braxton Wright

              “Are you sure you want this folder?” The name on top of this folder was Ashton Pennington. Of course I wanted this fucking folder. It gave me leverage. This seemed to be a big enough folder to have some dirt on her, probably has a lot of things she's been lying to everyone about.

              “Hershal, I'm sure. Something doesn't feel right with this girl, and I'm not about to let Charles or I be fooled by her.” He shakes his head.

              This man was tall and gray. He wasn't small or shriveled like my grandfather. He seemed still strong for his age. His brown eyes had many stories to tell, I'm sure.

              “Fine. Take it.” I opened the folder.

              Ashton Nadia Pennington

              19 years old

              “She's nineteen!?” I yelled.

              “Yes. She seems to have a track record with fake ID's, but only seems to use them to get into clubs or bars. They're very convincing, I'm sure. Her group of peers are very connected, ranging from senators sons to world leaders daughters.”

              Charles thought she was at least twenty four and out of college. This girl was barely out of high school. I read on.

              Dropped out of school before her third year of college for reasons unknown.

              So she wasn't straight out of high school. She had some college experience. I wonder why she dropped out.

              Family:

              Father: Richard Pennington, owner of Pennington Enterprises

              Mother: Unknown

              Step Mother: Veronica Pennington, author of Pennington Cookbook

              Siblings: Megan Pennington-Archer, 25

              College drop out, married into the Archer family.

              Caleb Pennington, 16

              Unemployed, student.

              I didn't know she had a step mother. I can't believe her sister is also a college drop out. The Archer family around New York is really famous. I know I've met them at a few events. I think I've met her sister, even, she may be pregnant or something.

              “I'm willing to bet that Charles has no idea about this.” I say.

              “Brax, careful. You should let the girl explain herself first. I found sealed records, even I couldn't touch them with my connections. This girl has a past, and from the looks of it, it was something messy and possibly dangerous.”

              “I need to tell Charles, that's my priority.”

              “I have to tell you something.” Charles says.

              Weird. I thought I'd be the one to tell him that. I wonder if he's found out something about her, or maybe it's not Ashton related.

              “What?” Charles sat next to me and pulled out something. A box. “Don't tell me that's what I fucking think it is.” he was proposing!? They aren't even dating!

              “No. It's a bracelet, you idiot.” He opens the box and sure enough, it is a bracelet. Looks to be a diamond bracelet.

              “What's it for?” I ask.

              “I want her to know that I'm serious. I think I'm going to ask her to officially be my girlfriend, so I might do it on Christmas.”

              “So you're courting her? Isn't that a bit Victorian?” He rolls his eyes.

              “This girl isn't like any other. I'm seriously falling for her.”

              “You've only known her for less than a month, what do you really know about her?” This was my chance. “Where is she from?”

              “Obviously not New York, she doesn't have the accent everyone here does. I believe she said Chicago.”

              “You don't even know where exactly she's from? Doesn't that sound a bit off?”

              “What are you trying to do Braxton?”

              “Another question.” I dodge his question. “Where is her family?”

              “She told me she's not very close to them anymore, which is why she moved to New York.” He doesn't know that she's been disowned. My grandfather told me from day one, it's a big scandal in their world. Neighbors gossiped to me as well during the few days I stayed in their building, they weren't shy about it.

              I realize now that I can't, and probably won't, get Charles to break things off with her. He's falling in love with her quickly, and nothing is going to deter him. Nothing except the person he's falling in love with. Ashton. She's going to break his heart, and I'll make sure of it.

              I don't know why, but getting Ashton to break up any sort of relationship with Charles didn't feel too great, like I'd hoped. I felt sick about myself. I was hurting my best friend, and I had resorted to blackmail.

              Ashton looked defeated when she ran out of the bakery. I had made a mistake, but there was no use in trying to fix it. She lied to me.

              I finished typing up the last of my blog post and I pressed publish. It was about liars. Yes, I was calling her out without calling her out personally. I heard my flat door slam with force, and got up to see who had come in. As soon as I rounded the corner, I was pushed up against the wall.

              “What the fuck did you do?” Charles yelled.

              “Calm down, Charles.” I pushed him off.

              Charles was fuming. I've never seen him this angry. For a moment, I was unsure he would ever forgive me.

              “What did you say to Ashton?”

              “I just asked her why she wasn't being honest.” That was putting it lightly.

              He pushes me against the wall again, but just lets me hit it. He doesn't hold me up again. I take a step to the side.

              “She did not just end the friendship with me because you asked her one question. What did you fucking do, Brax?” His demeanor was serious.

              “My grandfather told me she's been disowned by her family, her grandmother is the only family who still talks to her. She didn't finish college, she dropped out this year. She's not twenty four, she's nineteen. Lastly, Ashton Pennington is related to Pennington Enterprise, her parents own it and she lost her trust fund. Doesn't it seem suspicious that she forgot to mention any of that, especially since you have a lot of money?”

              “I don't care. We just met. She doesn't know about my past. I knew she was hiding stuff, everybody hides stuff! I was just waiting until she was ready to tell me.”

              “Oh.”

              “But now she wants nothing to do with me because of you. You've ruined everything, Braxton. I don't think I can forgive you for this.” I watched as he walked out of my apartment. I wasn't going to follow him because he needed time to cool off. I'll give him his space.

              I have to fix this.

Chapter 13

8 months before...

Ashton Pennington

              “Guess who?” I covered my boyfriends eyes.

              “Miranda?” I roll my eyes. Tanner likes to push my buttons, he knows it's me, but pretends it's not. It's the I'm-so-fucking-mad-at-you-but-still-love-you sex. It's pretty wonderful. Anytime together is wonderful.

              “If you keep doing that, I'll have to hurt you.”

              Tanner somehow manages to get me to face him by maneuvering my wrists and twirling me around. I land on his lap and he begins to kiss my neck.

              “People can see us.” I say, but close my eyes to enjoy the pleasure.

              “Let them stare.” He nips at my shoulder. “I have a beautiful girlfriend. They can look but no touching.” I laugh.

              It was finally beginning to feel like spring in Chicago, and I was taking advantage by wearing a tank top and shorts. Sixty degrees here is short weather in Chicago. I love it here, and the crazy weather, and the crazy people. I want to raise my children here.

              “Only I can do the touching...” he lowers his voice. “In bed, and other places.” I could feel his hand starting to get lower, and I stopped him.

              “The quad is not one of those other places, Tanner.”

              Tanner was tall and handsome. His brown eyes reminded me of chocolate, and his smile was always genuine. He was a football player here at Northwestern. Took him eight weeks before he finally convinced me to go on a date with him my freshman year of college. We've been dating ever since.

              “Fine.” He kisses me instead, and it's a hearty kiss.

              “Hey, Tanner.” I cringed at the sound of Alex's voice. We pulled away and looked at him.

              Alex was on the team with Tanner, but he was my age. That's all I knew about him, but he seemed to know a lot about me. Oh, and he's a senators son, and there's some legacy to him. To me, he's creepy, he's always hanging around, but I barely acknowledge him.

              “Sup, man.” I get off Tanner's lap, and cover my legs with my light knit sweater. He always stares at me, and Tanner never notices. Or he pretends not to notice because he knows Alex can open a lot of doors for him by just being friends.

              “I wanted to know if I'll be seeing you two tonight at the party at Gino's frat?” Of course we would be there, we always were. Don't know why he's asking us.

              “Yeah, we'll be there.” Tanner looks at me just to make sure and I nod. The parties were fun, and although I didn't want to admit it, I only went to check on Tanner.

              “Great.” Alex smiled at me and I looked away. “See you two then.”

              As soon as Alex was out of earshot Tanner began treating me like a child. “You can at least acknowledge him, Ashton. He's a good guy.” He was always so big on being nice to everyone, Tanner had no enemies here.

              I roll my eyes. “He's your friend, Tanner. Not mine. To be honest, he creeps me out, but you barely notice the looks he gives me.”

              “He does not look at you like that.” I stand.

              “Girls are built in with 'creep radars', and mine go off every time he's around. I can act however I want, you can't control me.”

              “I'm not controlling you, baby.” Tanner stands and places a kiss on my forehead. “But you can be a little prissy around people you don't like.”

              I push him off. “Seriously, Tanner? Fuck you.”

              “Baby-” He always held it against me that I grew up rich while he had to work for his football scholarship. Although I am rich, I also got a scholarship here. I'm not here to party every other weekend, I care about my grades just as much as he does about his. He likes to act like my life was perfect growing up, but it wasn't. Tanner knows this.

              My brother was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was seven, and since then it's been a battle. He's spent more time in a hospital than anyone ever should. He finally achieved a year in remission in July, so we're happy we finally got this illness beat.

              “I'll just see you at the party, Tanner.” I walked away from him.

              I knew Tanner arrived at the party before me, my friends texted me to ask what was wrong since I wasn't with him.

              I took two steps and someone shoved a drink in my hand. I looked to see Alex. He was smiling at me, and I took a step back.

              “Hey, Ashton.”

              “Hi.” I took a big gulp of my drink and walked away. I'm pretty sure he was waiting for me since this beer was stale and warm. I took one more sip and put it down next to the table near the staircase. I went on my toes to see if I could spot Tanner.

              “He's on the other side, if you're looking for Tanner.” I hear Alex say. I roll my eyes but walk the other way. I spent ten minutes looking for him, and I was afraid he was in a room upstairs with another girl.