Running From Forever (22 page)

***

I hadn’t left my
apartment since yesterday. I spent the night in Kayla’s hallway
Friday night, hoping that she’d return, but she never did. Her
sister had been on redial since, but she hadn’t heard from Kayla
either. There was no knowing where she was; no one had seen her, no
one had talked to her…she was gone. I knew Trevor was angry. I knew
he was heartbroken. I was all too aware that people could do
irrational things when the two emotions mixed, but I never believed
he was capable of such
abhorrent
behavior
.

When he contacted me last week regarding the
whole situation I knew he was on the verge of losing it, but I
didn’t know just how close to the edge he really was. Originally, I
said no—I wouldn’t have any part in it, but I owed
him…tremendously. If it weren’t for Trevor covering for his older
brother and me in college, I would be flipping burgers at some low
class restaurant. My only expectation and requirement for receiving
half of my father’s company was to graduate from college. Nothing
else. I wasn’t the most straight-laced student and my parents knew
as much. Seamus and I were typical college kids; we had fun, never
worrying about the repercussions. Trevor came to visit during our
senior year, when he was almost finished with high school. We
thought we’d show him a good time while he was there, but, to our
surprise, the house party we attended was raided by police. Seamus
and I had enough marijuana on us to stone the entire house. I
freaked, knowing if I was caught it could screw my chances and
possibly get me kicked out of school, which meant no ETV.

Trevor took the blame in its entirety. He was
detained, preformed endless hours of community service, and was
forced to attend a state school rather than Cornell as he intended,
exhausting all of his savings for legal fees. I owed
him…immensely.

When Kayla left and said she’d accepted a
position at a broadcasting company in the city, he phoned me
immediately, knowing I owned the largest one in New York. I checked
the database and saw that she was Connie’s new assistant. I cursed
myself that she was, still not wanting any part in his evil plan,
but then again, I owed him. He wanted me to make her life hell, to
make her either quit or get fired, whichever came first. I wasn’t
particularly worried; she was Connie’s new assistant and no one
liked Connie because she was the epitome of intimidating.

To be fair, Connie’s crusty personality wasn’t
without warrant, and I often wanted to remind people of that. She
was molested by her biological father, my mother’s first husband,
until she was five. When it was brought to my mother’s attention,
she divorced him immediately and then met my father a couple of
years later when she was working as a receptionist at ETV. Dad took
to Connie instantly and adopted her, becoming an advocate for
charities that supported abused women and children, Love With Words
being one of them. Connie’s unfortunate life made her tough,
strong-willed, and unconcerned with anyone that stood in her way,
so when I saw that Kayla was working for Connie, I knew it wouldn’t
be difficult. All I did was tell her that a few things came back on
Kayla’s background check, nothing that we could reverse her
employment for, but not someone I would prefer working for
management. Connie agreed, and wouldn’t hold back with loading
Kayla with grueling, unpleasant tasks. In other words, she would
make Kayla’s experience with ETV anything but enjoyable.

Everything changed that day in the elevator,
when I saw Kayla for the first time. I hadn’t known who she was at
first. All I knew was that she was stunning; she took my breath
away. I had to get to know her. I had to find out who she was, and
I did. When she lifted her hand to press her floor number, she
revealed her badge, and her name…Kayla Reynolds.
Fuck, fuck,
fuck!
I cursed myself ten times over. Of course that was her.
Of course that was Trevor’s ex, and of course I couldn’t get her
out of my head. She was always there…consuming my brain. It was
unbearable. Mind aching. Nothing that I had ever experienced
before. Other women I could erase, revisit at my discretion, but
not her. No, Kayla consumed me; she was captivating in every way
possible. She was perfect.

By the end of the day I went from trying to
forget her to formulating a plan to see her again. It was a touch
towards crazy, but it was a plan that’d work. Using the company’s
renowned level of security to my advantage, I kept the elevator on
the main floor, watching her enter on the security cameras from my
phone. Ludicrous, I know, but imperative if I wanted to spend more
time with her. Just as she did the previous day, she disarmed me.
She had me weak, exposed, and vulnerable by the time I reached my
floor.

It was the first night we shared at McShane’s
where I realized I couldn’t continue on with Trevor’s request. I
wouldn’t carry on with our arrangement. I was falling for Kayla.
She made me feel emotions I’d never felt for any other woman. I was
both entranced and challenged; painfully aware of my growing
addiction. She was intoxicating; I couldn’t get enough of her.

Thursday, I arranged a jet to bring me to
Cortland, where Trevor lived, to meet with him. I had mentioned
earlier in the week that I wasn’t in a position to carry out his
request, disappointing him. After noticing my feelings for Kayla
progressing, I knew it would be in my bed interest to arrange a
dinner with Trevor and explain the circumstances that arose. I knew
it wouldn’t go over well. I knew he’d be angry that his plan to
ruin Kayla would end with her in a relationship with me, but it was
out of my control. Kayla was worth fighting for. What we had was
worth burning bridges and defying someone that was plotting revenge
regardless of the fact that he had performed an incredible act of
kindness for me. Kayla was worth it. I should have known by the
outburst he displayed in the restaurant that it wouldn’t be the end
of his rage. He would get even with Kayla eventually. I wasn’t sure
why I disregarded it or belittled his capabilities because he
certainly did, only he didn’t just hurt Kayla, and her sister…he
destroyed me. He demolished my core; he took away the only woman
that had ever stole my heart.

He ruined me.

I called Madison last night, checking to see
if Kayla came home, assuming she would, since Monday was a work
day. As of eleven, she still hadn’t returned. I was beginning to
worry she wouldn’t come back. Maybe she would take a position
somewhere else, or worse, leave the city completely. I wouldn’t
think of it. I couldn’t digest that idea of never seeing her
again.

Avoiding the aggressive approach of waiting in
the elevator for her, I proceeded to work as I normally would, my
eyes in constant search of Kayla. The gutted feeling in stomach
told me that it was no use. I wouldn’t see her. I lost her.

Curiosity overcoming me, I phoned Connie late in
the morning. In attempt to keep our relationship kosher, the
information I had provided her with regarding Kayla and I had been
minimal. Just before Kayla and I had officially started dating, I
had dinner with Connie, explaining that Kayla’s background check
had been falsified. After further investigation, it was brought to
my attention that she was of good standing and, in my professional
opinion, an asset to the company. At the end, I added that Kayla
was also an asset to me personally and someone I was beginning to
care deeply for. The look I received from Connie was conflicted;
she knew there was more to the story, but she also knew I wouldn’t
share any more information with her. Had she found out about the
arrangement with Trevor, it would’ve made for a
very
unpleasant meeting with my father; one that I didn’t want to
have.

Connie’s cell phone rang extraordinarily longer
than normal; to the point where I looked at my phone to verify that
I’d called the right number. And then it went to voicemail.
Connie’s phone never went to voicemail. Then I called her office
number. She picked up.

“This better be important,” she greeted with her
usual grumble.

“Why didn’t you answer your cell?”

“It’s with Kayla,” she replied, sounding
confused. If I were correct, she was probably looking out her
office windows, verifying Kayla was at her desk. “I’m eating lunch.
She takes my calls.”

As much as Kayla not answering my call made
sense, to Connie it wouldn’t. And even though it pained me to know
that Kayla would ignore my call, avoiding communication with me, it
was a flood of relief that she was, in fact, at work, still in the
city, providing hope that I would see her again.

“Miles?”

“Yes, I’m here,” I said, not realizing my moment
of silence.

“Is everything okay? With you and Kayla?”

I was shocked to hear sympathy in her voice. We
hadn’t had the most caring relationship growing up. It was no
secret that she despised the fact that I didn’t have to do much to
prove myself or climb the cooperate ladder to claim my chair of
part ownership. She, on the other hand, had, but not because it was
expected of her; she did it willingly, working hard to get the top,
proving herself, not taking handouts. She had full range of the
company, controlling all aspects of it until I graduated. Handing
over the reigns of half the company wasn’t something she did
easily, or did without a fight, but it was part of the deal made
with our father. She could have it until I was old enough to stake
my portion.

I let out an exhausted breath. I wasn’t sure how
much to divulge to Connie, but I also felt some level of comfort in
exposing myself to her. I needed to talk to
someone,
and at
the end of the day, Connie
was
my sister…family. “No,” I
sighed. “In fact, she isn’t speaking to me.”

There was silence for a moment and then the
sound of a door shutting. “What did you do?”

I had to snicker. She knew me all too well. Of
course she would immediately pin the blame on me.

“Withheld information,” was all that I told her,
still unsure of how to explore the idea of telling her about the
arrangement.

“So you lied.”

“No, I wasn’t completely honest,” I
corrected.

“Withholding the truth is lying, Miles.”

I ran my hand through my hair. She was right.
Though, whether I lied or not, it was already established and
apparent that I was at fault. “I fucked up,” I admitted. It was
plain and simple. “I withheld prominent information that should
have been brought to her attention from the beginning.”

“Detrimental?” she questioned.

“Very.”

“You care deeply for her?” she asked
inquisitively.

I closed my eyes and rubbed my face with my free
hand, exhaling with honesty. “More than I have for anyone.”

“Then you fight for her, Miles. Work. Prove
yourself. Make yourself worthy of the position. Climb the
ladder.”

“The ladder?”

“The ladder to her trust, Miles. Make her trust
you again.”