Jilted (31 page)

“I’ll look out the peephole first. Relax.”

“I’ll relax when that guy is behind bars or dead, preferably dead.”

Skylar shook her head. “Never realized you were so bloodthirsty, Mom.” She went to the door, looked out the peephole and opened the door. “Well this is a pleasant surprise, stranger. What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been out of town for a few days but I heard about what happened on the news. Are you alright, sweetie?” Monica wrapped her arms around Skylar and squeezed her tight.

Skylar was happy to see her friend. They hadn’t spoken in a few weeks since their last tense discussion. “I’m fine. But please come in and tell me about the fabulous trip you went on.”

That was one of the best things about their friendship. Even if they didn’t talk for a while it was like they’d never parted. Monica touched Skylar’s shoulder. “Hey, I just wanted to apologize for the way I overreacted the last time we talked. You’re my girl and you know I’ll always have your back.”

Skylar smiled. “Sweetie, don’t worry about it. I know you’re worried about me, you just have to trust that I know what’s best for me.”

“Of course you do. So I’ll tell you about my trip. I had a ski week in Aspen with this beautiful millionaire. It was fabulous. He took me shopping and spent tons of money on me.”

Skylar chuckled. Her friend was a man magnet that made no secret that she preferred the finer things in life.

When they walked into the living room Ashley was sitting on the couch. Skylar forgot to mention to Monica that Ashley was a temporary live-in guest.

From the expression on her face, Monica wasn’t pleased. She narrowed her gaze. “What is he doing here?”

Ashley stood and nodded in Monica’s direction. “Monica,” he greeted through gritted teeth. It was obvious that he wasn’t too pleased to see Monica either. “Long time, no see.”

Monica rolled her eyes. “Obviously not long enough.”

Ashley froze. His eyes widened and then they grew stormy. “It was you! You’re the second voice on the DVD!”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Skylar had always known that Monica and Ashley were never exactly on buddy-buddy terms. They were cordial to each other so Skylar had overlooked the underlying hostility the two seemed to have in each other’s presence. She figured it was the cliché best friend versus new man struggle. Neither of them had said anything outright negative towards the other, and Monica had seemed genuinely happy that she was happy. So this accusation was totally out of left field.

Skylar turned and glared at Ashley. “Have you lost your damn mind, Ashley? Of course it wasn’t Monica. Why would you even think that?”

“Hey, what’s going on out here?” Her mother came out of the kitchen.

“Nothing other than Ashley throwing wild accusations at Monica. He says that Monica was the second person on that DVD.”

Priscilla raised a brow. “Well are you?” she directed that question to Monica.

“Mom! You know Monica. Why are you asking her that? Ashley is way off-base.”

She turned to look at her friend, and her heart plummeted. Monica’s face was bright red, and tears swam in her eyes were full of merriment only moments earlier. “Monica. Set them straight. Tell them that they’re wrong because you’re my best friend, godmother to my children. I cried on your shoulder so many nights after what Ashley did and you told me that everything would be all right. You’re wouldn’t do that to me.”

When Monica didn’t answer Skylar whirled on Ashley. “Take it back. You know it’s not true!”

He shook his head vehemently. “When I heard that voice, I played that part over and over again. I racked my brain, trying to figure out where I had heard that voice before but my memory escaped me. And hearing her tonight, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the voice on that DVD belongs to your so-called best friend. Who else would have known all those intimate details about you? She knew about that cut on your finger, I assume. She’s also someone you trust. She’s close enough to you to perhaps spike your drink. She’s also the same woman who would throw herself at me when your back was turned. I never mentioned it to you because I always rejected her advances and because I didn’t want you to be hurt if you knew the truth.” As Ashley spoke he glared in Monica’s direction.

Skylar didn’t want to believe him because it was just too devastating. But his words had a ring of truth to them. Slowly she spun around to face Monica who was now crying outright, and in that moment Skylar knew every word Ashley said was true.

“Please Sky, just let me explain,” Monica whined. “You see—”

Skylar didn’t wait for an explanation before she stormed forward and backhanded Monica with all the force she could muster. The redhead stumbled backward, lost her balance and landed on her ass. Skylar raised her hand to hit her again but Ashley wrapped his arms around her waist and held her back. “No, she’s not worth it.”

She glared at Monica who held her face as she whimpered on the floor.

“Hey, what’s all the commotion going on down here?” Izzy walked into the room. “Why is Monica on the floor?”

“I’m about to kick her ass, that’s why,” Skylar growled as she fought to get out of Ashley’s hold. “Let me go.”

“The children are upstairs. Do you want them to wake up to this scene?” he asked.

It only took the mention of her kids to calm her down, although she had plenty of murderous thoughts.

“Could someone please tell me what’s going on?” Izzy asked.

Priscilla guided her younger daughter out of the room. “I think the three of them need to handle this without our interference.”

Skylar kept her focus on Monica who remained on the floor with tears streaming from her eyes. Her face was red and raw-looking where Skylar had slapped her. “You had some random man rape me? And then lie about it to Ashley? Why would you do something like that to me and then pretend to be my friend?”

“I needed the money! His sister said she’d give me money if I helped her set you up.”

Skylar didn’t think it was possible for her heart to break again, but she was wrong because it was a blow she didn’t expect. This woman had been like another sister to her and to find out that she’d sabotaged her in this way was hard to wrap her head around. “So you two got some random man to rape me? Because you needed money?”

“I was in debt up to my eyeballs. I didn’t have the bright future you did. You know how I am with spending. I got in way over my head and my parents weren’t willing to help me. And Tony wasn’t some random guy. He and I dated briefly. He didn’t rape you. Nothing happened. I swear,” Monica cried. “You still had on your clothes from the waist down. We posed you to make it look like something happened. It was the night I convinced you to come out to the jazz club with me. I slipped something in your drink that would make you pass out and not remember what happened the next moment. We went to a hotel and did it. I didn’t want to do it but I had no choice.”

“Bitch! You had a choice not to fucking ruin my life. And don’t insult my intelligence by telling me it was just for the money. If you needed the money so bad, you probably could have asked one of your rich boyfriends to pay off your bills. Why?” Skylar demanded.

“Tell the truth or I’ll turn her loose,” Ashley threatened.

“Please Skylar. Don’t make me say it. I made a mistake. You’re my best friend. My only friend.”

“You have a funny way of showing it. And start talking, because trust me, Ashley won’t be able to help you if I get free.”

Monica sobbed softly as she slowly wobbled to her feet. “I was jealous, okay! Are you happy? You were the smart one, the bookworm with the bright career in law ahead of her. I was a college dropout. All I had was my looks and I know they won’t last forever, but besides being on a path to become an attorney, you met this great, good-looking guy who seemed to adore you. I was supposed to have the fabulous life. And I was scared that when you achieved all your goals, you’d leave me in the dust. I hated myself for being jealous of my best friend, so I came on to him to test him. I probably would have slept with Ashley if he had showed the slightest interest in me because I told myself that I was doing it for you. But I was really doing it for myself. I know that now, but he turned me down when I offered to sleep with him and he wasn’t nice about it. He called me trash and said I didn’t deserve you as a friend. So it really wasn’t so much as to hurt you but to get back at him as well. I wanted to make him pay for saying those hurtful things to me. Like I wasn’t good enough.”

“You petty bitch!” Skylar stomped on Ashley’s foot hard enough to take him by surprise so that he could release her. It did the trick because she managed to wiggle out of his hold and went charging toward Monica and leapt at her. Skylar tackled her to the floor and starting slapping Monica repeatedly. Monica for the most part didn’t fight back; she only held her arms up to defend herself. Skylar found herself being dragged off of the cowering woman.

This was only the second time where she’d had an emotional outburst that had turned violent, the first being with Ashley, but both attacks centered around something that Monica made happen. Monica, the woman who was the maid of honor on her wedding day and told her how happy she was for her. She was the same woman who told Skylar that Ashley was a worthless jerk when she’d been the cause all along.

“I’m so sorry, Skylar. I love you. I really do. I messed up. But I’m still your friend.”

Monica had to be as big a psycho as Brady Solomon if she thought they could be friends after this. And just like that, all the rage that had been boiling inside of her dissipated. Why hadn’t she seen through her so-called friend all along? Now that Skylar really thought about it, she could remember all the snide comments Monica would make about Ashley and any man that showed even the slightest interest in Skylar. She had allowed her friend to sway her from taking a chance on love before and it must have killed Monica on the inside to see her happy with Ashley. It was actually quite pathetic the lengths that this woman had gone through to make her unhappy. What was worse, she’d pretended to care when Skylar was crying on her shoulder.

“You liked seeing me miserable, didn’t you? Because it made you feel better about your own sad little life?” Skylar asked. “Oh, you might have men lining up in droves to be with you and throw money at you when they want an easy piece of ass but they never stick around long, do they? Because you have nothing to offer them. You’re an empty vessel and you know it and so did they.”

“Please don’t hate me,” Monica cried moving toward Skylar with her arms outstretched seeking a hug.

“Monica, don’t take one step closer. Not a single step. You can attempt to justify what you did in that crazy little head of yours all you’d like but the damage is done. You were never my friend. You were an emotional vampire draining the life out of me.”

Monica’s make-up was now mussed and her hair was out of place. She looked completely unhinged. “I was your friend. I was always looking out for you. Look at how quickly he turned on you when he thought you cheated. How could someone do that to you if they really loved you?”

“You’re grasping at straws, Monica, and I want you to leave.”

Monica glared in Ashley’s direction. “So you’re going to forgive him and not me?”

Skylar shook her head. “That’s where you’re wrong, Monica. I will forgive you…eventually, because I’m not going to allow you to ever have that power over me. And when I do forgive you, I promise you this, I will never think about you again. You will be dead to me. Goodbye, Monica.”

“But Skylar—”

“I said goodbye, Monica.” Skylar looked away from her former friend’s teary face, unable to stand the sight of her. It was only when she heard the door click shut did she allow herself to break down.

Ashley held her against him as she cried. Skylar felt another pair of arms go around her and then another. She realized that Izzy and her mother had entered the living room. They must have been listening in the other room.

Once Skylar’s emotions were under control, she pulled away from the three of them. “Thank you, guys.”

“Are you going to be okay?” Ashley asked.

Skylar nodded. “Eventually. But I feel relieved too that the other piece of the puzzle is solved. I never realized that she hated me so much.” It would be hard to get over her friend’s betrayal but at least she now knew that she hadn’t been violated. “Mom, why were you so quick to believe Ashley about Monica?”

“Well, I’ve always liked Monica, but I could tell she was jealous of you. Like she said, you had the promising future and all she had was her looks. And then there were the sly comments she’d make every now and then. I never said anything because they didn’t seem to bother you so I minded my business. I wish I would have spoken up about my observations.”

“It’s not your fault, Mom.”

“It sure isn’t. Wow, I can’t believe she did that to you.” Izzy shook her head. “That was messed up. If you need to talk about this, sis, you know I’m here for you.” Izzy gave her shoulder a squeeze.

“And me too, Skylar. I may not exactly be your favorite person right now, but I’ll always be there for you as well,” Ashley said in earnest. And judging from the sincerity in his voice she believed him.

“Well, I’d better turn in for the night. I have an early shift in the morning.” Priscilla gave her daughter’s arm a light squeeze.

Skylar nodded. It would take her a while to get over what Monica did to her but she believed she would. She’d been through way worse and she managed to survive and she’d do it again with this situation.

“I need to do some more studying. I bid you guys a goodnight.” Izzy nodded in their direction before following her mother out of the room. Once they were alone, Skylar wasn’t exactly sure what to say.

“Why don’t you have a seat,” Ashley suggested. “That must have been emotionally draining for you.”

“You’re right. It was.” Skylar walked over to the couch and plopped down. Ashley took the seat next to her. She didn’t have the energy to move over. Normally, his nearness would have bothered her but tonight, she found it comforting.