The ringing of the doorbell stops me in my tracks. I wrinkle my brows. That’s sort of fast to be our food.
I pad my way to the door. When I open it, there’s a girl standing on the other side. Her eyes fix on me and her lips pinch.
“Who are you? Where’s John?”
Folding my arms over my chest, I glare at her. “Who are you?”
“Missy, John’s girlfriend.”
I rock back on my heels. My father and my mother’s voices play in my head. Trust no one. Be smart.
They may be from dreams and pieces of memories, but my parents were right. The bitter truth burns right through me. This is why he never offered for me to come to see him.
Acid rises from my stomach. I’m the world’s biggest fool. Here I am chasing after some guy and he’s been playing me all along.
“Baby, what did you order? I’m starving.” John’s voice booms through the house.
Quickly, I double back for my shoes, not bothering to slip them back onto my feet. Ignoring the blonde at the door, I storm out past her. She can have him.
John
I frown when Roni doesn’t answer me. She should be able to hear me from here. Rubbing the towel through my hair, I head for the living room where I expect to find her.
Instead, I come to a halt as I find Missy sitting on the couch with a tear stained face. My mind is spinning as I turn in a circle to look for Roni. My heart sinks because I know she’s gone.
“Fuck,” I bellow.
“Who is she?”
“What did you say to her?”
Missy wraps her arms around her middle and looks at me like a kicked puppy. My head is ready to explode. I turn back for my bedroom to get dressed.
I have to stop Roni before she gets on a plane and leaves. With the trip to Ireland and Toby’s wedding, there’s no way I can go after her once she’s gone.
“Who is she?” Missy screams.
I turn to her with my brows drawn. “You need to leave.”
“I want to know who she is?”
“Why the hell are you here? Why would you come to my home this time of night?”
Her face turns red. “Are you sleeping with her?”
“Un-fucking-believable,” I hiss. “Who I do or don’t sleep with is none of your business. What the hell did you say to her?”
“I’ve been so patient. I’ve given you time and space. I thought that was what you needed so we could get back together.”
I look at her like she’s lost her mind. I don’t have time for this. I turn back to get dressed. I’m losing time with each second I spend here arguing with this nut.
I toss on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Why can’t anything ever be easy for me? While in the shower I had been thinking of how right it felt to have Roni here in LA with me.
She was right, I should have brought her out to spend time with me. I don’t know, New York sort of became our place. I never allowed myself to think about bringing her here. Now, I feel so stupid and at the same time, I know the real reason why.
I rush from my bedroom with my phone in my hand. I’m about to call Felix to get him to help me out when something catches my eye on my kitchen floor. I stumble to a stop.
“Son of a bitch,” I breathe.
“John,” Missy calls out weakly from the pool of her own blood. She has slit her wrists with one of my kitchen knives.
I rush to call 911 instead. In the back of my mind, I know I’m not going to get to stop Roni from leaving. I have this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Fuck me.
Chapter 39
Distance
John
“I just want to know how she is,” I say into the phone as I pace the edge of the wedding tent.
It’s been five days since Roni disappeared from my place and Missy tried to kill herself in my kitchen. Five days that I’ve had to put on a smile that I don’t feel.
Roni won’t answer my calls or text. Between the engagement party, flying to Ireland, the two days we’ve spent with family leading to the wedding and the wedding, I’ve felt like I’m spinning in a tornado. I know the shit that’s being torn up outside of all of this, but I’m helpless to do anything about