Page 72 of Room Service
His eyes widen, but I’m not done.
“There’s also the issue of you having fucked her mother, behind her and her father’s back, and the devious bitch made sure to gain financial security until you fucked it all up, and then she just hated you for it as she continued to take out her jealousy on Elise—jealousy that she’s harboured for years over her only daughter.”
He has the decency to remain quiet as I simmer with rage.
“It poses the question of why her mother didn’t divorce her father and marry you instead, but you wanted a younger model to compete with the other office wankers that were marrying younger women left, right and centre, so you both came up with a plan as her mother dangled herself in front of you like a goddamn carrot, ready to sleep with you at a moment’s notice, and also having the power of being able to tell Elise about your seedy relationship if you didn’t do what she wanted. She knew that if she mentioned it, Elise would never have married you, and you knew it too. You also knew that it was a golden opportunity to bag that younger wife and keep up with the other office workers, because you were nothing if not materialistic. So, Elise’s mother, Karen, convinced Elise’s father to go along with it, omitting the details about you two fucking, of course, and then you all watched as Elise’s life became miserable but none of you cared enough to do anything about it.
“You all made her feel so much guilt over something that never should have happened in the first place. And don’t worry, her parents won’t get away with this, they’ll be left with nothing if I have my way, and nor will the company that you used to work for, because they made the mistake of covering up the fact you’re a seedy wanker.”
“Who the hell are you?” he asks, shocked I’ve just recited how truly pathetic his life was.
“Your worst fucking nightmare. Now, sign the fucking papers,” I order.
“You can’t make me do anything,” he says, but he underestimates me, clearly. I let the fucking anger overtake me as I pull the pen out of his hand and wipe it off on my suit jacket to the sounds of him screaming again. And then I take his restrained arm from Ronan, and I make him hold the pen as I put it to the papers in from of him and force his hand to sign every part he needs to.
My fingers crush his as he cries like a fucking baby. I watch as he signs away all of his rights, handing the house over to Elise, as well as her parents’. Their names were never on the deeds, because this sneaky fucker made sure he had her mother dangling on a carrot too, just as she did with him about being able to rat them out over their disgusting affair. And even as her dad wasn’t involved in the shadier aspect of all this, he still watched as they treated her like crap, and he still used her for his own gains.
When he’s done, I let his hand go as he whimpers like a dog, and I pick up the papers, depositing them back in the envelope before I walk to Nate and say, “Hold these for a sec, please.” I speak calmly, coolly, but when he’s taken the papers from me, Jax bristling beside him, I turn back around and clench my fist as I draw my arm back and plough it forwards, straight into Derrick’s jaw. He yells, spitting blood as I do it again, the second punch forceful enough to knock his chair back so he’s lying on the floor.
I stand above him before I crouch down, and I grab him by the scruff of his T-shirt, spitting in his face as I shout, “You never fucking deserved her. None of you. And I’ll meet you in hell where I’ll fuck you up all over again.” I throw him back down, his head banging against the concrete floor before I stand up, adjust my jacket, and go back to Nate, taking the papers from him.
“Do your worst,” I tell him, but I don’t need to. He’s got a wife, and if anyone ever touched her, I’m sure my actions would be fucking tame compared to his.
I walk towards the exit, feeling somewhat lighter than I have done since she was attacked, and when I get to the door, I turn back around to see Jax stood waiting, ready to strike as Ronan unties Derrick from the chair and holds him there, dragging out the seconds until he receives his true punishment.
I watch as Jax cricks his neck before he throws a few punches in Derrick’s stomach, Ronan keeping him upright so he doesn’t drop like a sack of shit to the floor. And then I see Jax pull out a pair of pliers, and as much as I may want to watch Derrick meet his end, I find that I don’t need to. I have what I need. Elise’s freedom. Something no one else has ever given her.
I push the door open and walk out towards my car as I make a mental note to send a bonus to my private investigator who dug up all that shit on Derrick, as well as Elise’s parents. I have no idea how he got that information, and I don’t fucking care. I don’t need to know how. As for dealing with her mother and father, I’m not sure that’s up to me, so I’ll bide my time for now, until Elise truly lets them go.
Chapter Fifty-Two
ELISE
Waking up to Dorien’s arms around me is my new comfort zone. Last night was incredible, he is incredible, and I don’t know what I did to deserve his love, but I’m so fucking thankful for him. He’s changing me, for the better, showing me who I want to be—someone who owns what they want, goes after what they desire, and doesn’t let anyone keep them down.
I spent years having my self-esteem bulldozed, and it’s almost crazy to me that he’s changed my mindset in such a short amount of time.
But my bliss is short lived when my phone rings on the bedside table, my mother’s name appearing on the screen. I never called her back. I almost don’t want to, but that damn guilt rears its head once again.
I’ve never ignored her like this, never had the guts to determine my own path. Dorien has helped me more than he will ever know, and I don’t know if I will ever be able to repay him for that.
With a sigh, I snuggle back into him, and his arm tightens around me, holding me close. Considering it’s just after ten in the morning, I’d have expected him to be up by now, possibly not even here as he runs his empire. But he is, and I’d do anything to just prolong this moment—this happiness that is threatened by everything left unsolved in my life.
“Morning,” he grumbles into my hair, before his lips find my ear, his teeth nibbling softly on my lobe. I sigh with contentment and link my fingers through his.
“Morning, yourself.” My phone goes again, and Dorien’s head peeks over my shoulder.
“Someone’s keen,” he comments, and my sigh this time isn’t so content.
“It’s my mother.” Silence ensues for a beat. I don’t know what he thinks of my parents, and I honestly don’t know if I care enough to try and rescue the opinion he has of them, because I know it’ll be negative from what I’ve told him.
“I’ll go make coffee,” he says, giving me a kiss on the cheek before getting out of the bed, leaving me with a feeling of missing him even as he stands there and pulls on a pair of joggers. I roll my eyes at myself being so ridiculous. It doesn’t stop me from looking at his arse as he walks away, though. The man is a fucking god.
The phone rings again and I drag myself out of bed to splash some water on my face before I go and drink my coffee and work up the strength to call my mother back.
When I enter the main room, Dorien is walking in from the kitchen area with two mugs. I smile when he passes me mine, and we both sit at the table, the sun filtering through and casting the room in a warm glow.
“So, I was thinking, I’m going to go back to work on Monday,” I say, before I take a sip of coffee as I wait for him to respond.
