Page 5 of Free-Falling
“So, the only thing was what? Be with the one person I like?” She says.
“Lina, are you fucking delusional? I don’t want Jagger and okay, say you told me ahead of time, I would’ve I don’t know made sure of that. Honestly, I don’t fucking know man. I just haven’t gotten the chance to sit after everything. These past few weeks have been stressful. Can I just sit and breathe?” I’m so tired. All I want is a moment to myself.
“Not here. You’re not a real friend to me. If you were, you’d tell me about all this and would have invited me to the wedding.”
I shut my eyes, hating that my only ride has already left. I breathe in and breathe out, pinching the bridge of my nose. I open my eyes and glare at her. “I am sick and tired of this shit. Call me when you stop and think past your weird ass feelings for a man I don’t want.” I shake my head and walk back out. I don’t need this shit.
I don’t get how my friendship with Lina can become affected by Jagger. It seems like he’s out to ruin every single thing in my life. Tears fall down my face before I can stop them. I just want to be happy, ; that’s all. I can’t even say anything more to my parents, I know them. I know my dad, he’d kill Eli and make me watch. Andres Bishops is not a man to fuck with, I’ve known this all my life and his wife, my mother, Natasha Bishops would hold my head in place so I couldn’t turn away.
The elevator dings and I try to shrug off my tears. I walk out to the lobby and see Johnny again. He looks at me, “you okay there, Ms. Bishops?”
I nod. “Yeah, can you hail me a cab to the Elite Hanlon Penthouse suites?”
His brows shoot up. “Sure!”
“Do you guys any clothes in the lost and found?”
He blinks, not sure if I’m joking or not. I wait for him, and he sighs walking to the back room. I am not walking around with this big ass dress on.
* * *
When the cab pulls up to the penthouse suites, I tell the driver to give me a second so I can get change but luck must be on my side or maybe it’s pity because he tells me it’s on the house. I sigh, making my way into the building.
“Good afternoon, welcome to the Hanlon penthouse suites, how may I help you?” The doorman says.
I open my mouth to talk, but then I’m pulled away in front of the lobby. I turn to face whoever is stupid enough to grab me and I stop because there Eli is. Staring at me with sadness in his big brown eyes.
“You can’t be here.” I tell him. I take a step back as he takes another one towards me. This weird dance doesn’t stop until I hit a wall. I shut my eyes, not able to look into his sad puppy dog eyes.
“Look at me baby, how can you do this to us? How can you just say yes, knowing that you don’t love that man? That you love me? You can tell your parents you want to be with me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Everything hurts right now. I can’t open my eyes and look at him. Someone, anyone, please save me. Take me away from here.
“I, please…” This was always my problem. I can’t really deny this man anything, neither can I speak properly.
“So, you’re pushing up on a married woman?” A voice I know all too well infiltrates my ears.
I open my eyes and there Jagger is, eyebrow cocked, hands in his pants, a white crisp shirt, the top buttons opened revealing light chest hair and a light brown cardigan with the top button free. I stare at Jagger, tilting my head. Did he just get a haircut? His hair is shorter in the front and the ends are curly, it’s an oddly intriguing thing, He has it all coiffed back out of his face. I beg him with my eyes to help me. I don’t want to have to break Eli’s heart again by walking away and even though I want to, I can’t seem to move from my spot.
Eli grabs my chin softly making me look at him again, he gives me a sad smile. “You never look away from me, love. Come on, now. Why did you do it? You could’ve stopped it.”
Jagger makes a noise then he shoves Eli off me and grabs me by my wrist dragging me to him. He points a finger at Eli, getting all up in his face, “this is the last time you’re around her, I’m warning you. You don’t know the shit she had to sacrifice, to even look you in the face right now. If you love her, you’ll leave her alone. Do yourself that favor.”
Eli’s features turn angry, downright murderous. He looks at Jagger grabbing my wrist then Jagger’s face and finally mine. He stares at me for what feels like forever. “This is the last time. My last plea. Come with me Ainslee Bishops and let me protect you. Let me love you my way.”
This guts me more than anything else. I want his love so much, but I can’t sacrifice him for it. I know my parents, just because they aren’t here, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t watching. I take a deep breath in and exhale out all the love I have for him. “I’m no longer the woman you fell in love with, my name is now Ainslee Hanlon and I’m the wife of Jagger Hanlon. Please forget me, Eli. Trust me, it’s for the better.”
Jagger doesn’t give me the chance to say any more. He pulls me with him towards the elevators. Once we get in, Eli walks towards us but Jagger stops it by putting his hand up, “if I ever catch you here, you’ll regret meeting her.”
This makes Eli stop not because he’s afraid of Jagger but because I say nothing, I turn away from him looking at the buttons of the elevator. When the elevator shuts, I know that’s it. We’re done. There won’t ever be another Ainslee and Eli moment. I shudder, I feel so hollow, so empty, so much like I’ll never love again. I feel like it’s all over for me. Once the elevator doors open again, I begin to walk but Jagger pulls me back into him. I don’t even fight him as he hugs me. I’ve never hugged Jagger a day in my life but when I hear other voices, I know that we’re not even on his floor, others are getting on. He holds me to him as I try my best not to cry. His arms envelop me tightly and he gives me a hug I didn’t know I needed until now. I’ve been looking for this for as long as I could remember.
“Hey Jagger,” a female’s sultry voice bothers my fucking ears. “Heard you got married. Congrats sucks for the rest of us.”
He chuckles and I want to punch him in the chest because it vibrates through my entire body.
“Yeah, I did. Thanks. The Missus is crying here because I’m such a great catch. She can’t stop crying because her childhood dream has come true.” He says, and the female laughs with him.
I wrap my arms around him tight trying to make it hurt but there’s only so much arm length that I can give. Jagger tightens his hold on me too, suffocating me. I stop thinking about my sadness as I try to hurt him, but he’s winning. I open my mouth and bite him right in his chest. Jagger releases a groan so deep, it makes me pause. He leans in so close to my ear and whispers, “you want to be fucked raw, Ains? Because I remember telling you that hitting me would result to that.”
