Chapter 85 Jealousy
Daxton
I couldn't help but hide the smile on my face. Didn't want her to see them. She might just snap and ask to get down from the car.
Excitement bubbled inside of me as I replayed the memories of the fight Verena had with Zita. At first, I was taken aback when I tailed her and saw her drive towards Kian’s home.
But Zita came out and she followed her.
I thought Verena was only going to confront her. Never in my wildest imagination have I ever pictured her beating someone up.
I was proud of her.
With Zita, it was definitely long overdue. So, instead of stopping or even interfering, I had just watched her with amusement and affection in my eyes, cheering her on the side.
I chuckled, tearing through the silence between us. “I thought I knew a lot of things about you. Never knew little miss is a fighter,”
Verena didn't say a word. Anxiety swirled in my gut from the awkwardness that followed. I shouldn't have spoken a word or—
Just when I was about to give up on the idea of us having a conversation in this car, she opened her mouth to speak and a wave of relief crashed over me.
Progress.
We were making progress.
“In high school, two girls tried to bully me. The first time, they dumped my books into a toilet. I was furious enough to decide I wouldn’t let it happen again. So the next time they tried it, I grabbed one by the hair and slammed her head into a locker. I shoved the other girl’s head into the same toilet she’d ruined my books in—” She stopped and shot me a glare.
Confusion swirled in my mind. Had I done something to rile her up again?
She soon let out an exasperated groan, raking her hand through her hair. “Why am I talking to you, Daxton?”
A smile tilted my lip up. “Because you like me and can't resist talking to me…”
Her head fell against the car seat as she slammed her palm over her face. “How did you know where I was?” Her words were muffled against her palm as she sat upright, eyes narrowing on me. “You followed me?”
“Nope!” I lied.
“Yes–” She poked further. “I knew it when I thought I saw Josh but Emily said I had to be hallucinating,”
My grip tightened around the steering wheel, jaw clenched so hard that a muscle twitched. I gave him a simple instruction. Follow Verena, report back to me, and do it without her noticing.
But what happened? She ended up knowing that he was there last night.
“Perhaps you were hallucinating,”
“Daxton!” She exclaimed. “I was not hallucinating,”
I would definitely not admit to what she accused me of. “It could be a coincidence—”
“You know it isn’t. You made him follow me. I told you already, come get me when you want this to work…” She crossed her arms over her chest, a visible frown on her face.
“What do you think I am here to do?”
Her eyes softened and before she could string her next words, I had already turned into Trinity Groves, pulling into an empty spot near the curb.
I came out of the car and she followed, standing a few steps away from me as the wind blew her hair back, her hand dipped into her pocket.
My gaze lingered on her face in awe. I was stunned by how mesmerizing she was even with the disheveled hair.
But the bruises on her made my—
Her eyes cut to mine and I quickly cleared my throat. “You said I could start with little…”
A beam of hope crossed her eyes, the frown on her face cracking. “Just a little…” she blinked.
I moved my hand to the back of my neck, anxiety tugging at me. This was hard for me to do. Very hard. But she was right, it wasn't fair that I knew so much about her and she knew little to nothing about me.
I sucked in a deep breath and she reached for my hand, her soft fingertips brushing through my skin as her touch made electricity sizzle through my body.
How was I supposed to talk when she was touching and looking at me with those beautiful eyes that made me want to drown in them?
But, I didn't stop her. I just let her touch me.
“About me–”
She drew invisible circles, her eyes stilling me like she was casting a spell on me. “Dad stripped me of my dreams and forced me into a business school. To get back at him, I got a degree in hospitality management. I told you that before, yeah?”
She nodded.
“But that isn't the whole story. He frustrated me—cut off my finances, threatened my friends until I had none left, attacked me several times— just to make me do what he wanted. But I wouldn't give him the chance to gloat at me like he won so I left,”
“I used to know this man from Moscow, Rob. He approached to offer me protection from my dad and money in exchange of me working for him for three years,”
“What type of job?”
“Dirty one. The type of work that doesn't make it to a resumè. I was desperate so I took it and when it was over, he kept to his promise—gave me the money. And I built this empire,”
Her eyes piqued with interest. “And that job has to do with guns, drugs, and…”
“Collecting debts,” I completed.
I expected to see hate in her eyes but instead, the curiosity persisted. “Still in contact with them?”
“Sure. I don’t work for them anymore. This happened when I was like 23. But I have people working for me and Rob made it possible. All they do is handle dirty business,”
Again, I expected that dirty look, for her to remove her hand but instead her index finger tapped her lips–like she was thinking. “Now I know why Atlas said that—”
“Said what?”
“Never mind,” She shrugged it off with a smile and that smile pierced straight into my heart. “I won't judge you. I am only happy you told me something,”
“See how easy that was?”
The tension in my body eased, a genuine grin on my face as I pulled her closer, held her to my chest, and sniffed her hair. “I like you, Verena. I really like you and can't live without you.”
Zita
Verena. Verena. Verena.
I shook with rage, my mind still reeling from what had happened. I didn't know which hurt me the most. Verena’s attack? Or the fact that Kian had defended his ex-wife.
My Kian outright told me that if she beat me up, then I did something to deserve it because she wasn't the type to do something without a cause.
I had exaggerated everything in hopes of gaining sympathy from him. I told Kian, Verena strangled me, kicked me in the stomach because she wanted me to lose our babies but he didn't say a word, only grabbed his lighter and went out for a smoke.
He drove me crazy! How long would it take for him to see me the way I wanted? Why did I have to beg for affection from him–from people?
I had booked a private session with the hair salon, sitting and seething as the hair stylist checked my hair. “Something can still be done to it, right?”
Her lips parted in shock as she lifted my hair and the look on her face almost made me break down in tears. “Please, tell me something can still be done. My wedding is next weekend,”
The hair stylist responded quickly, panic coating her voice. “Sure. Scalp treatment. Hair extensions. Sure!”
“I don't want hair extensions. I want my hair—” My eyes watered with tears as I reached for my vibrating phone.
Quinn.
She must have gotten the picture.
I swiped right, her face popping up on my screen. “Zita, what happened! I just saw your picture after I left the ER,”
“Verena happened. I did nothing to her but she was so jealous of me that she attacked me early this morning and ripped my hair out—”
Quinn’s hands are slammed over her mouth. “That is wild. What did you do to her again?”
My head spun for a second. Why did people have to think that I did something first? Why couldn't they just support me?
“I did nothing. To put the past behind us, I even sent her an invite but she was just too bitter and—”
Quinn gasped. “Have you lost your goddamn mind, mate? Why will you do that!”
“Only trying to be nice—”
“Zita!”
There was no way I could tell Quinn the truth—that I sent the invitation because of what I did to Verena, and that Kian’s uncle was now hunting me down for it. She would be disgusted. Disappointed. She might even walk away from me for good.
“I didn't want to make enemies but now, I am done,”
“Yeah, pulling your hair out is a bit too far but then you deserve it. If I were the one in her shoes, your head would be rolling—” She laughed and I found it not funny.
I frowned. “ I hate the way you defend that woman. You don't even know her and you know how evil she is. Sometimes I just wish I could…”
“Calm down, Zita. Calm the fuck down. Deep breaths”
I drew in a deep breath, releasing it slowly.
But that did nothing to calm the storm raging inside of me. “I am still boiling. It didn't help…”
“I know but at least that was something. Just stop with the ‘invite’ thing and leave her alone. Focus on your wedding and the miscarriage plan. And, is it safe to speak about this when someone is standing behind you—”
I waved her off. “Oh, it is just the hair-stylist,”
“I’ll stage an accident—make it look like I fell down the stairs. My parents already knows the pregnancy is a lie, so they’ll cooperate. My father, at least. Mum still refuses to speak to me,”
Quinn heaved a sigh. “When I come,I will talk to her,”
“Thank you, bestie. I love you,”
“Love you more. So, a private wedding, right?”
I tutted. “Not anymore. After what Verena did, no. I will broadcast it so she can see me walk down the aisle and stay mad, ugly, and jealous.”