Page 33 of Stephan

“Ha, you’re such I liar.” She shook her headagainst him. “Let’s go outside. I want to see the view.”

Jade for once grabbed my arm and pulled metoward the balcony. I happily followed feeling better than I couldever remember. Jade was giving me chance.

*****

Jade

At the movies, Cassie and I were coming backfrom the bathroom when I saw Stephan being approached by astunning, tall, blonde lady, she looked to be in her mid to latetwenties. She threw herself at him and kissed him. I stopped,shocked at what I was seeing. I felt sick. My stomach clenched andI didn’t think I was breathing.

“Get the fuck off me. What the fuck,Linda?”

The woman I now knew was named Linda poutedup at Stephan but didn’t unwrap her legs from him. “Babe, I missedyou. I’m so happy we ran into each other last night.” My heartcrumpled and I couldn’t help my gasp.

The woman purred. “I thought you’d call.” Shepouted again. “We had fun, babe. No one’s ever ridden me allnight.”

I cringed. I couldn’t stand ‘babe’ and thewhinny way the woman said it made me shudder.

“Linda, you knew the deal. I told you thismorning to leave me alone. You are nothing to me.” Stephan’s voicewas sharp as he detangled her legs from his waist.

Linda clung to him. “Babe, we made love allweekend. We are good together.” Linda rubbed herself all overStephan like she was in heat.

I felt like I was in the twilight zone. Istared numbly at the scene before me. All eyes were on Stephan andLinda. I felt utterly humiliated. What the hell was this womantalking about when she said last night? I needed to get away. Icouldn’t watch this any longer. I choked on a sob, and told myselfto suck it up.

Looking around, I saw pitying glances.Straightening my spine, I hardened the case around my heart andstarted backing away.

“You’ve got to be shitting me. Ha, Linda, wedon’t have anything. We never made love. I fucked you. I have nofeelings for you. I never will. You’re just another one of the manywomen I sank my dick into to pass the time. I was never going tocall you again. I don’t need a clinging bitch like you causingproblems like you just have.”

I couldn’t listen to any more. He was socold. I felt the ice in his voice even as I retreated. Once I wasaway from the now gathered crowd, I ran. I didn’t look back. I leftthe cinema and bolted down the street. I had no idea where I wasgoing. I just knew I had to get away from all the pitying glancesand the ice coldness of Stephan as he spoke to one of his ex’s.

I ran not caring where I went, just needingto get away. How could Stephan speak to someone he’d slept withlike that? I caught the first bus that came to the bus stop. Itstopped at the beach and I got off. Wandering around for a while, Ineeded to clear my head then I sat on the bench overlooking thewater. Now that I thought about it, I was glad I had seen this sideof Stephan. I had started to let my guard down. I’d started to carefor him. But after seeing how he treated a woman he’d been with, Iknew I could never turn into one of those women. I didn’t havemuch, but I did have my dignity and self-respect.

Looking at the evening sun seating over thewater I sat happily watching it fade until it got too cold to sitout with the coastal breeze. I rubbed my bare arms and knew I hadto get moving as my legs and arms were covered in goosebumps.Reaching into my skirt pocket and glancing at my phone, I saw I hada bunch of missed called and messages. The wanker had called and sohad Derick and even Scott. I felt bad for Cassie. She had calledevery five minutes. I didn’t bother checking any of the othermessages bar hers. Cassie was worried. She needed to talk to me.She wanted to know I was okay.

I messaged Cassie that I was fine and was onmy way home. I walked to the bus stop and sat waiting for one thatwent to a train station. This was going to suck. I was going to beliving in Stephan’s house. The idiot had made it impossible for meto avoid him.

As I sat waiting, I realized I couldn’t gohome. Not only did I not have a home, I didn’t have any family tofall back on. I dug my phone out and cursed when I realized even myphone wasn’t really mine. I hadn’t really used it, well, besidesmessaging Cassie and the girls. I would use it now. I calledJess.

“Hello.”

“Jess. It’s me, Jade.”

“Oh my God, J. How are you? Where are you?What have you been up to?”

Guilt assaulted because I hadn’t spoken to mybest friend in a couple of months. “Can I come over now andvisit?”

“Sure. You know you’re welcome here any time.Is something wrong?”

“I’m about to get on a bus to the trainstation. I’ll call you when I’m close.”

*****

Stephan

I felt sick, we couldn’t find Jade. I turnedon the tracker in her phone and saw her heading toward the placeshe used to live with her mum. I called Brand, he’d swapped withRoyce.

“I have her. Do you want me to make myselfknown or just keep watching?”

“Just keep watching. I’m helping drop theothers off at the apartment and then I’ll go get her.”

---