“Why didn’t you tell me about my mother supposedly harassing you?” So, that was the most important thing? Somehow, Alicia wasn’t surprised. “How do I believe you?”
Alicia knew that was coming. “She gave me a small package to give you when we were in Chicago. I put it in your suitcase. You didn’t see it?”
“No,” Danica was quick to snap. Then, “I don’t unpack my suitcases.”
“Of course you don’t.” Who had done it? Was it Ms. Clayborn? Or her shit for brains brother, who was obviously working for Russell?The moment Mr. Clayborn saw that wedding ring, he knew what it was. And got rid of it.Alicia would bet more than her life on it.
“These are hefty accusations.”
“You think I don’t know that? For fuck’s sake, I’m not making it up!”
Danica lowered her hands from her hips. “You’re not feeling well,” she rationalized. “This has been a trying time for both of us. I’ll let you get some rest. When it’s time for you to be discharged, I’ll set us up in a hotel.”
She turned to leave, with nary a kiss or another hold of the hand. Alicia pushed herself up in the bed. “You don’t believe me,” she said matter-of-factly. “Fuck you, Danica.”
Ms. Moreau stopped.
“You’re just like him,” Alicia snarled. “Your mother was right to warn me, wasn’t she? You’re all shit. You’re all a bunch of murdering thieves!”
She didn’t mean to get that nasty. Not right now, anyway. But Danica walking away from her? Not offering her a bit of solace besides throwing money at the situation? Fuck her. Alicia didn’t need her. She didn’t need any ofthis.The whole reason her life was literally burning down was because she insisted on dating this woman. What good was she, anyway? Just because Alicia loved her didn’t mean it was good for her. That they were good for each other!
“You might want to take that back.” Danica glared over her shoulder.
Alicia wasn’t afraid of her. Julia had been right to warn her, but not because her daughter had turned into an abusive fuckwad like her father… but because she was a spineless piece of shit who would let her die before admitting life wasn’t perfect.
“No,” she said. “I will not. Get out, Danica. I never want to see you again.”
She gave Alicia one last lingering look before storming out of the room. Her bodyguard rushed after her down the hall, finally letting security take over Alicia’s room and the nurses and bedraggled mother back in. They fawned over her, asking her if she was okay, taking her temperature and blood pressure, but nobody could save her hardening heart from the malice it constructed out of blood and spite.
Maybe she was Moreau material, after all.
Chapter 16
That spite was the glue holding Alicia together over the next two weeks. Spite was the only emotion allowed to enter her heart whenever she started to think about Danica, her father, or what almost happened the night some goon lit Alicia’s apartment building on fire.
The fire marshal had inconclusive results from his investigation. Naturally, whoever Russell had hired did a good enough job not to leave any evidence behind. Unfortunately, this also meant there was no evidence that someone had tried to kill Alicia. Not even Candice’s suspicious tickets to Las Vegas were enough to get her loved ones to see what was going on.
So, spite it was. Spite also bolstered her through one of the nastiest breakups she ever experienced. This was worse than Matt, of all bastards.
Linda and Candice thought that Alicia’s constant breakdowns – whether they were in the hospital room or the hotel she moved to after her discharge – had to do with the trauma she sufferedthe night she almost died. In truth, she cried every time she thought of Danica.
Her anger stemmed from memories of her disbelief. That her family could do something so cruel to her.
Her sorrow was born from the ache in her heart and the hole in her soul. She may have been willing to say that she was in love with Danica, but actually being without her – forever – forced her to face those feelings.
She loved her. Even now, she loved the beautiful bitch. Alicia spent her sleepless nights dreaming of the way Danica made love to her and held her through their too few nights together. Chicago was a fantasy. Her coming over to the apartment for the sake of being with her?
Alicia would never have that again.
It was for the best. She knew that. Candice knew that. Linda blankly nodded when the two young women attempted to explain what was going on with Danica. “Some woman I dated for a few weeks, Mom. As you can see, she was too out of control and possessive. Wasn’t healthy. Had to break up with her.” Linda kept telling her that she did the right thing. As beautiful and wealthy as that woman had been, a possessive personality wasn’t cute.
If Alicia stayed away from Danica, then the terror would be over. She would never have to worry about Russell again. He got what he wanted. Even if Alicia couldn’t be killed, she would at least be scared shitless enough to never come around again. What did she value more? Her relationship… or her life?
Danica would get over it. She would move on. She was in a position to quickly recover and bounce back in a new relationship a few months down the line. She’d find someone new. Maybe Natsuko Matsuda was still interested.
Alicia’s possessions had been mostly destroyed by either the fire itself or by smoke damage. The fire department allowed herand Candice to salvage what they could, which wasn’t much. Alicia’s closet was toast, which included the designer clothes. Most of the stuff in her dresser on the other side of the room was okay. Her old clothes from her older life.
All that remained as tokens of her relationship were the choker and the emerald ring, two pieces she was still wearing when Dee dragged her out of the apartment and to safety.
