It's A Shame (15 page)

Dean walked over to the table and grabbed the key,
then shoved it into the lock and turned it. When the lock cylinder popped out and back in he nodded, almost to himself, then turned towards me not meeting my eyes. Instead he glanced over at Michelle. I felt like an idiot. Like I was purposefully being disregarded and left out of their conversation.

“Maybe h
e made a copy,” Dean offered.

“Why would he do that?” I replied. “That doesn’t make sense, he had no way of knowing that I would ask him to leave. He didn’t have a clue…”
My chest hurt with the stabbing pain shooting through my heart.

“I don’t know Grace, just call him and ask
,” Michelle interrupted.

“
Not now, I have to think first. My major concern right now is if it wasn’t Cole who was here…” I trailed off. I was adamant someone was here.

“M
aybe your imagination got away with you.” Dean interjected. “It happens.”

My eyes shot
to his, he stared at me incredulously. He was really beginning to get on my last nerve right about now. Michelle walked over and stood next to me. Her hip bumped mine and her arm wrapped around my waist.

I
t was Dean’s turn to have two sets of eyes looking at him, one hostile…

“Alright…alright. Say there was someone here, how did he get in if you locked the door?” he asked.

“That is for
you
to find out…
detective.”
My satisfactory grin told him my stance.

“She’s got you there
, Dean,” Michelle confirmed as she moved closer squeezing me to her.

I loved this girl with all my heart
… men… shit…Michelle…I could always count on.

Seeing his attitude towards me was no
t endearing him to his new ladylove, he took a deep breath and let out a sigh, his shoulders slumped and he settled into the new norm, the position directly behind me.

“Okay… I’ll pull the tapes from the security cameras
...
again
.” He shrugged, and walked towards the door. Suddenly he stopped and looked down at his feet, “I’ve got to…um…I’ve got to go to Michelle’s first.”

I do believe I saw him blush.

“You, my friend, have some explaining to do.” I looked at Michelle.

“Yeah, I know. Not now though
, okay?” she asked. “Besides, I’m going to call Cole since you are so reluctant to.”

“Why? Why would you do that?”

“Because,
I
want to know if he was here tonight, that’s why.”

“Whatever
, I don’t want to see him so don’t ask him to come here,” I said as I got up, my voice lacking conviction. “I’ve had it up to here with him…fuck him Shelle. I’m not a fucking asshole and, you know what? Fuck him!”

“Okay, Grace. You have just gone over on your allotted use of the word ‘fuck’.”

“Not funny, Shelle.” I turned and said over my shoulder, “Please stay here until I get out of the shower.” I was nervous at being left alone. The nagging feeling that someone had been here, had been watching me was overwhelming.

“Sure.”

As I walked through my bedroom door, I felt the blood and my good sense return to my head. I shook my head as I heard Michelle talking on her cell phone. Cole must have picked up right quick. The thought of him with Lauren caused the tear in my heart to rip open a little more and I nearly doubled over.

Fuck him Grace, remember?

I walked into the shower and let the hot water slowly ease the tension away. I couldn’t help but think about my
visitor
. Someone was here tonight but who…and how…and
why
?

After I dried off,
I slipped into a pair of comfortable old jeans and a black tank top, then pulled my hair above my head in a band and let the mess on the top of my head flop down. I slipped my feet into a pair of thong sandals that were lying on the floor of my closet, and opening the door, started walking into the living room. I stopped in my tracks when I heard Cole’s voice. The physical repercussion that ripped through my body rocked me to the core; my chest constricted, my stomach ached.

I’ll make you pay for this one Shelle.

From what I could tell it sounded like he and Michelle were arguing, trying to keep their voices low. Anger ran through me like a bolt of electricity, quickly replaced with heartbreaking sadness. I felt an all too familiar ache. The memory of Lauren walking out of that elevator took me back; I was angry and hurt...
and pissed off.

I stepped into the
living room area where my eyes found and settled on Cole. He stood with his back to me. His clothing was disheveled, his hair messy. I stood there for a cool minute before Michelle saw me. As soon as her eyes darted to where I stood, Cole turned around.

The sight of him
stole the air from my lungs. Even after knowing he was with her, even after all the secrecy, the lies…he looked so beautiful to me. I hated my weakness. I hated how needy I felt. My focus on him rapidly deteriorated, as the tears I couldn’t hold back any longer, streamed unchecked down my cheeks.

“Grace
,” he said as he quickly walked over to where I stood, looking frantic and confused.

I straightened
my back as the anger resurfaced. I lifted my head with the modicum of self-respect I had left inside me. I may look like shit, but I’ll be damned if I let him see just how tormented I was inside.

“Cole
,” I said glumly. I looked up into his face and our eyes met. I caught a glimpse of what looked like anguish…and I had to tell myself
he
was the one who did this to us, not me.

“
I called and he came right over…umm…well, obviously,” Michelle said although neither Cole nor I paid her any attention. We both stood there like imbeciles staring at each other. Me stony reserve, Cole broken angst.

“Well
, great… you two have some things…well…okay…I’m gonna give you two some time alone…” she said her voice dropping. “I’ll be home if you need me Grace.”

She turned and
basically sprinted out of my apartment.
She will pay for this!

“Grace…I’m so…” his arms reached for me and I instinctively took a step back. He stopped
just short of taking hold of me. The pain in his eyes had me feeling sorry for him again.

Damn, d
amn, damn.

“Cole, you weren’t here last night were you?” I asked looking
past him, trying to avoid his eyes.

“Of course not. I would never come here after…”
he stopped and looked down at the floor. “I wanted to give you space, time to think,” he stammered.

I immediately thought of Lauren
, and the memory of her exiting his elevator made my stomach turn.

“Give
me
time…funny…” I shook my head and turned my eyes away, the pain too intense. “
You
didn’t waste any time, did you?” My voice cracked.

He bent his knees and lowered himself, attempting to make eye contact
with me, a bewildered expression on his face.

“
I don’t have a clue what you are talking about.” He looked totally lost. It was obvious he was hurt…tortured.

I didn’t care
. Could he really think I wouldn’t find out? Anyway, I’m sure James gave him my message. I pressed on.

“I saw
her
Cole.” I staunchly stood my ground.

“Saw
who
?” he asked continuing to look directly at me, his eyes level, steady.

“
Jesus Christ
, Cole, you’re going to make me say it?”

He stepped back his arms offered up in defeat, his mouth hung open.

“I am totally lost Grace. I don’t know who or what you saw…but I know I was wrong. I’m so sorry for coming home late, so sorry for not calling you.” he stared down at his feet, trying to prevent me from seeing his eyes, but I caught a quick glimpse as he lowered his gaze.

“I saw Lauren, Cole…
at the Asbury. Getting off
your
private elevator.” The tears started to flood my eyes again. Fuck him; I was so angry with myself for looking so needy in front of him. I wanted him to suffer, to feel my pain.

H
is head snapped up and he stared at me as if I were insane.

I saw what I saw
, didn’t I?

“
She stepped out of the elevator, hair all messy, clothes wrinkled. Looking like…like she just got fucked.” I swiped angrily at my tears. “I felt like such a fool. To think I was coming to apologize to you. What an ass I am.”

“Grace
,” he grabbed my shoulders and shook me gently, “Lauren was most definitely not in my apartment and we did NOT at any time ‘
fuck’
.” He spoke the word with such distaste, shaking his head, looking like he was trying to dispel the thought from his mind. He lifted my chin up to meet his eyes. “Grace, I did
not
have sex with Lauren. I love
you
. Don’t you know that?”

I shook my head
in an attempt to clear the cobwebs clogging my reasoning.

“Cole I saw her with my own eyes.”

Did he honestly think I was making this shit up?
I could feel my anger building again.

“I don’t know how
you saw anything of the kind, but I would be happy to watch any security footage with you if it would prove to you she wasn’t anywhere near my door; that night or any other night,” he stated. “I’ve never lied to you Grace, and I’m not lying now.”

When
he said that, it caught me off guard. Of course I expected him to deny everything, but the tone in his voice gave me pause. His declaration rang a bell. He staunchly believed in the truth…what was it he always said…?

‘The truth will release you, when others
seek to hold you down.’

T
he tension inside me vanished as my whole body leaned into him. My legs shook weakly and I was sure I wasn’t able to stand on my own. I broke down like a baby and instantly started bawling.

“But why was she there?” I asked
through my sobs, my voice barely audible.

“I don’t know, but I can assure you I’m going to find out.” He wrapped his arms around me
pulling me tight to his chest. It almost hurt how tightly he held me, but I was willing to undergo any pain if it meant he’d continue holding me close to him.

I was emotionally spent;
I cried loud racking sobs into his shoulder.

“Let
’s sit you down,” he said as he guided me to the couch.

The feel of his arms around me
felt so right—warm, strong and wonderful. I was whole again. I was complete.

“Don’t go…” I begged
as I clasped my arms around his neck, holding onto him, swiping at my tears.

“I have absolutely no intention of
leaving,
that
is a promise,” he proclaimed resolutely.

Relief washed ov
er me and I sat down, still reeling.

He
stood over me for a minute then turned to walk to the kitchen to make us both coffee.

“I missed you
,” I mumbled, almost to myself. “It hurt so bad.”

Cole
spun around and at once, without hesitation, crossed back over to where I was sitting on the couch and knelt down before me.

He cupped
my face as he tilted my head up towards his, then his lips crushed down over mine. His tongue parted my lips pushing into my mouth, tasting me. Before I knew it my greedy tongue began probing, licking, tasting. My pulse quickened and my internal temperature began to rise at an alarming rate. Heat spread vigorously through my belly, radiating out to my limbs. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him tighter to me, pushing my breasts against his chest, feeling the heat of his skin through the material of his shirt.