Twelve Days The Beginning - By Jade Reyner Page 0,118

owning up to anything. It’s no one’s right to know what is going on in mine or Vaughn’s life. The only people that are interested are those that are too sad to have a life of their own. The important people in my life know the truth – the rest of them can just believe what the hell they like. If you don’t feel comfortable lying then don’t. Just tell them you don’t know anything and leave it at that.”

“It’s not that simple,” Cole replied, “Olivia has been telling anyone who will listen that she saw you and Vaughn leaving the nightclub together the other night. Even I didn’t know about that so I’ve had a hell of a job trying to convince people that it was innocent. Stephen has been saying that he and Vaughn were there together at a party and that they left together later but people would rather believe Olivia’s version. Elise, you and I really need to talk but for now - you’ve got some pretty serious shit to face.” Cole looked at her and for the first time she saw the hurt in his eyes. She hadn’t been honest with him and hadn’t had the chance to in reality, but even so, as far as Cole was concerned, she had been holding out on him and as a result had hurt him in the worst possible way.

“That bitch!” Vaughn said, “Who the hell gave her the right to be judge and jury on my life?” He was seriously angry now but so was Elise. She was mad at herself for getting herself into this situation and mad that she had hurt Cole. She needed someone to lash out at and if it hadn’t been for Vaughn sleeping with Olivia after the Christmas party then maybe Olivia wouldn’t have had an axe to grind and none of this would have escalated like it so obviously had.

“I think you’ll find you gave her the right,” she spat back at him, “when you went and slept with her just over a week ago!”

“You’re seriously taking this out on me?” Vaughn asked incredulously, “Throwing something back in my face that you believe to be true – after everything that has happened?”

“Who the fuck else am I going to blame?” she was shouting by now. “Sure my life was messed up before you came along but at least I was in control of it. Now, ever since you decided to walk in and turn it upside down, I’m so out of control of it that it’s ridiculous! It’s like someone else is living my day-to-day life and I’m just a passenger waiting for it all to come crashing down. It’s alright for you, you have nothing to lose. You can just go back to playing happy families with Olivia or whichever bitch you pick up with next. This is my life and thanks to you it is pretty royally fucked up. I wish to hell that I’d never met you, Vaughn Granger!”

“Elise – that’s enough.” Cole said, “You’re both upset and angry and saying things you don’t mean. Let’s just calm down and think about it or the shit really will hit the fan when you go inside.”

Vaughn hadn’t moved, he was standing by the side of his car, bag in hand, staring at Elise. She looked up at him, aware that in the heat of the moment she had gone too far but she couldn’t take the words back now. They were out there. His face was cold and his eyes expressionless as he continued to regard her. For a brief moment, the familiar fleeting look of pain crossed his face as their eyes locked but then he smoothed his features back into a carefully controlled mask.

“You really think you’re the only one with something to lose?” he asked quietly, continuing to watch her for several long seconds.

She remained silent; she had no idea what to say. He shook his head helplessly and she saw the beginning of tears glistening in his eyes. He shrugged once and then he turned on his heel and walked silently out of the car park and into the office.

Elise watched as his broad back retreated and tortured herself by watching his hips sway, admiring his neat backside. She knew that she had blown it. In the space of a few minutes, she had hurt the two men that she loved most in the world. As unbelievable as it sounded, she had fallen