Save Me From Myself
Read Save Me From Myself Online
Authors: Stacey Mosteller
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Erotica, #Romantic Erotica
All Rights Reserved
No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying or recording, or by any storage and retrieval system without permission in writing.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and situations are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, event or location is coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 Stacey Mosteller
Cover design by Kari Ayasha of Cover to Cover Designs
Cover photo – Nashville Tennessee, Copyright © sepavone
Cover Photo - Red Hair Girl Copyright © zoomteam
“Forever Night Stand” lyrics used by permission
Rayen Belchere
Jagermaster@ascap
To the boys who hold my heart
Stephen, AJ & Jakob
And to my husband
for always encouraging me to follow my dreams.
Standing at the doorway of my fiancé’s bedroom, I can’t even bring myself to really be surprised. Aria tried to warn me that this was happening, and I wouldn’t listen to her. I didn’t
want
to listen. Really, I guess I didn’t want to believe that after everything that has happened over the last ten months that he would do something like this to me. Was “the accident” as he refers to it not enough of a blow? Now, I have to deal with this too?
Without saying a word, I back out of his bedroom and pull the door closed. Does it make me a coward that I didn’t interrupt him and the buxom blonde on top of him? Even if it does, I’m past the point of even giving a damn. I’ve been numb for months now. Numb to everything, everyone, and every situation.
Making my way silently through his apartment, I pick up the things that mean the most to me. I grab the blanket my father’s mother made for me when I was younger - it always made more sense for it to be here, I spent most of my time at this apartment once we were engaged. Stopping in the kitchen, I pick up the “Journalists do it on deadline” mug that Aria got me for my birthday last year, and after grabbing a few more things, I realize the noise in the bedroom has quieted. Knowing I don’t have long before someone interrupts me, or just finds me and makes me have to deal with this, I practically sprint for the door.
***
Shutting the door to the upscale Manhattan apartment that I hate but my mother pays for, I lean my head back against the door and close my eyes. I just want to go back and restart this god-awful day. The past year has been full of nothing but a few ups, lots of downs, and heartaches that are guaranteed to break a person just by having to experience one of them. Me? I’m so lucky I get to experience them all one after the other like a row of dominos. I never used to understand why people would decide they didn’t want to go on living, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s that that whole “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle” platitude thrown around by everyone who’s never been through what you have, is a load of crap. Because, if that’s the case, he obviously thinks I’m stronger than I am. Either that, or he has way more faith in me than he should.
Once I’ve calmed my breathing, I head into the living room and sit down on the couch to call my sister. I’m sure she’s been expecting this phone call since she left my apartment earlier this afternoon. Aria answers the phone before the first ring even finishes, “Lyric? Are you okay?”
“How long have you known what he was doing?” There should be some kind of anger in my voice, right? It shouldn’t sound so flat, so lifeless.
My sister sighs, and her next words come fast, like she’s trying to reassure me. “I saw them at a cafe on Lexington this morning. I swear Lyric, that’s the first time I saw anything.” Well, at least my sister didn’t keep the secret. She was over here at lunchtime to tell me about it. “I’m guessing you confronted him then?”
“No A, I didn’t get the chance to confront him.” Not that I’m sure I would have anyway. “I went over to his apartment and when I walked in, I could hear them in the bedroom. After I saw it for myself, I took some of my stuff back and left.”
“Seriously, Lyric? You didn’t do or say
anything
? You didn’t rip him a new one, or beat her ass? You just saw them and
left
?!?” She sounds really confused, but I don’t know how to explain my reaction to her. I know the normal response to finding your fiancé in bed with another woman is not to calmly walk out and leave, but that’s exactly what happened.
“Why would I fight
her
? For all I know, she knows nothing about me.” I sound like I’m speaking to someone who isn’t all there. I don’t get how this is the girl’s fault. Matt’s the one at fault in this situation.
Aria lets out a frustrated groan, making me roll my eyes, “Do I need to send Edward and Phillip to talk to him?”
I don’t even try to stop the snort at that mental picture. Talking is so not what she really means. And while my stepbrothers are awesome, they aren’t exactly the uber-macho type. Well, Edward isn’t at any rate. He’d probably refuse to punch him because he doesn’t want to ruin his suit. If he did, his wife Grace would probably kill him. I don’t even think she lets their two kids get dirty. Phillip would probably beat him down though. He’s extremely protective over Aria, Kaitlin and I. Kaitlin’s starting her freshman year at NYU later this month, and I’m fully expecting Phillip to follow her around growling at every guy who looks in her direction.
To answer Aria’s question though, “No, sending the two of them over there won’t accomplish anything. I’ll handle it.”
“Right. Sure you will,” Aria sounds beyond skeptical, but I need to do this my way.
We talk for a few more minutes, mainly about my last semester in college. I ended up taking a semester off after everything happened last year, so instead of graduating last spring, I’ll be graduating around Christmastime. Finally, I’m able to get my sister off the phone, and I don’t know how long I sit on the couch staring blankly at the TV, the TV I didn’t even turn on. Yeah, I’m pretty pathetic.
Six months later…
Seeing the Nashville Skyline in the distance is all it takes to make me breathe a sigh of relief. The drive from Manhattan was extremely long, possibly the longest in my life. It didn’t help that I got constant phone calls from my mother, my sisters, both of my stepbrothers, and even my stepfather. Although, Edward Sr. only called because my mother was still in hysterics after finding out the night before I left that I was in fact moving.
Ever since I broke things off with Matt, she’s been calling me daily to tell me that I
must
forgive him. In her world, cheating is a given, not the exception, and if I was doing my soon-to-be-wifely duties correctly, he wouldn’t have felt the need to find someone else. Gee, thanks mom. You’re
fantastic
for the ego.
I hadn’t planned on telling anyone but Aria that I was leaving. That is, until my mom showed up at my apartment that last night while I was loading up my new car. To say she was upset was an understatement. Unfortunately for my stepfather, he’s the one who has to deal with her when she’s upset, and I feel a little guilty for that. I’m sure she was fun to deal with after our argument.
Anna’s apartment, soon to be mine as well, is on the south side of Nashville, the West End area she tells me. I’m a little earlier than I expected to be, so I take a little bit of time to drive through the city in an attempt to acclimate myself. Unfortunately, it’s a huge waste of both time and gas, because other than the few pictures I’ve seen online, I know next to nothing about the city that’s going to become my new home.
Finally, I make my way back to the route that will take me to the apartment, and when the set of buildings comes into view, it’s hard not to gawk. My mom and stepfather have money, and they live in an apartment overlooking Central Park. My apartment in New York was top of the line as well. It had a doorman, an elevator, and loads of amenities. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like this apartment complex is falling apart. But, it’s definitely not what I’m used to. In fact, I’m pretty sure my family would carry me back to New York like the hounds of hell were after me to get me away from it.
Following the directions Anna gave me last night, I pull my car into one of the parking spots close to the building Anna told me our apartment was in. She sent me a key before I left Manhattan so I wouldn’t have to wait for her to be home in order to start bringing my belongings in. Anna’s a photographer for a popular Nashville Entertainment magazine, and she tends to keep odd hours. I’m lucky she was able to get me a phone interview and job offer from the magazine. I’d always imagined myself working as a journalist for a newspaper like the New York Times, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Stepping out of the car, I push my sunglasses up and take in my new home. The building has a slate gray exterior with bright white accents, and is three stories tall. Our apartment is on the third floor, because according to Anna, it’s cheaper. I’m not looking forward to lugging everything I own up three flights of stairs, but it’s not like there’s anyone else to help me. Opening the backdoor, I grab the box closest to me and head for the stairs.