Braxton
“Where is she?” I ask Nadia.
“Gone, Braxton. You were an asshole to her, so she left.”
“I’m surprised she stuck around for as long as she did.” Bryce the dickhead adds.
I run my hands through my hair. “Did she say where she was going? This is important.”
“No, and if it was that important you would have thought twice about treating her the way you did.” Bryce tells me.
I’m too drunk for this. I reach for my phone and dial her number again which goes straight to her voicemail.
“Look, have you checked the hotel room, it is the obvious place.” Nadia suggests.
“Of course, I did. She isn’t there. How can she be so reckless? Why?” I mumble.”
“Because she’s in love, and people do stupid shit when they are,” Nadia hisses. I don’t believe I have ever seen her angry, but the way she’s glaring at me right now is pretty scary.
“What are you talking about?”
“I knew you were stupid Brax, but I didn’t take you for such a fool. The girl is head over heels for you.” My brother tells me, annoyance obvious in his tone.
“I’m going back to the house. Maybe, she’s there.” I tell them, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“You aren’t driving to the house. You can barely stand on your own two feet. Go back to the room. She probably just took a walk to clear her head.” My father instructs, appearing from who knows where.
“And she isn’t at the house.” My mother tells me, annoyance lacing her voice. “She checked into another room at the hotel, she’s taking the train from Oceanside back to LA in the morning.”
“Like hell she is.” I growl.
“You need to apologize to her, which is the only reason I’m even telling you where she is. I shouldn’t because she deserves much better than the way you’ve treated her, son.” My mother’s voice is sad
I walk away, and despite my family’s words being a hard pill to swallow, I know it’s the truth. Eliana has always deserved better. Better than her family and definitely better than me.
Seeing Aurora’s parents dredged up all kinds of painful memories. The pain of losing her had been more acute, more crippling than anything I’ve ever experienced in my life, and I dealt with those feelings the only way I know how.
Looking into her parent’s eyes and seeing the judgement there was far too much to take. The truth is, maybe Aurora would still be here if I hadn’t extended my time in the Navy, but there is no way for me to find that out now.
I was angry at Eliana too. Pissed off that she’d convinced me to come here, pissed off that I felt something for her, what exactly, I’m not sure. I just know that she cannot leave town without hearing me out.
I look at myself in the elevator mirror, and I look a state. My eyes are red-rimmed, and I can see more than one reflection of myself. I drank way more than I should have. I took my eye off the ball, and I hurt one of the most volatile women I know. If there is one thing about Eliana, it’s that she is nobody’s pushover. I behaved like a piece of shit.
I reach her room and knock once. When there is no answer, I knock again. After what feels like ages, the door swings open, and she stands there in her bright yellow dress, her eyes puffy. Her brown hair looking like she’s been tugging at it. She set her eyes on me, and slams the door in my face. I slide down against the door until I’m sitting on the floor in the hallway.
“I’m sorry, all right,” I plead against the door, sensing that she’s still there on the other side. I want to think her ear is pressed against the door, wanting to hear every single word.
“I shouldn’t have behaved the way I did or said any of that bullshit. I didn’t mean it.”
I lean my hands on my knees. “I was an asshole, El, just let me explain. Please.”
The door opens, and I fall on my back.
“I shouldn’t let you in here, you know. I shouldn’t even let you have the luxury of getting to say sorry for things you don’t even know you’re doing half of the time.” She looks down at me.
I stagger to my feet and sway into the room, landing in the first chair I see.
I hear her calling room service ordering bottled waters. “Thanks,” I say when she sits opposite me on the bed. “I was hired to protect you; I didn’t know this would happen.” I motion between us. “I’m not the right man for you, El, you deserve so much better.”
