Unbound: The Pentagon Group, Book 2 (2 page)

I smacked my chest with my open hand, trying to fill the void created by my greed. Heartbreak was a ‘son of a bitch’. My ego only allowed me to envision us being together forever. If I could never be with her again, I had no reason to stick around. I would relinquish all my worldly possessions and roam off into the horizon. She was my only reason for being. I needed her back. I dialed Zipper’s number again.

“What, man? I’m out with Jenna and her parents.” Zipper answered.

“I’ve lost her.” I said frantically.

“What? What the fuck are you talking about? Lost who?”

“Perla. She knows everything. She left me man. I need her back.” I sobbed the words. Only with Zipper, could I strip away my cool and collected veneer. He’s been my brother since prep school. He was my roommate, best friend, and confidant. He’d know what to do to win Perla back. I trusted him to help me with whatever I needed to get my girl back.

“Shit. How?” I could sense the surprise and concern in his voice.

“I don’t know. She came over and laid it all out. She knew it all; everything. She threw in some stuff I didn’t even know. How could I not know she owed her ex-husband over a hundred grand? It wasn’t in her background check. Brady’s dossiers are usually thorough, man. She’d been working all those fucking jobs because of us . . . because of me.” I took a breath and ran my hand over my hair, pacing around my living room, a room where she seduced me the second day, undressing me as she pointed out all of my positive attributes. No woman had ever looked through me like she did. I didn’t think a woman would have enough confidence to tell a man what she liked or how he pleased her. But Perla was an unusual woman.

Perla didn’t want me for my money or for what I could give her. She didn’t know I was a billionaire. I wasn’t surprised she didn’t know anything about my life outside of being a surgeon. I made every effort to keep her in the dark. I gave her no cause to dig deeper than the simple biography found online. She wanted me for ‘me’, a man who could be good to her. She didn’t know how truly awful I could be. On the very day, when she stripped me of my clothes and insecurities, I’d betrayed her trust and taken the key which would be used to steal her future inheritance. I’d fucked up the best relationship I’d ever had for my financial gain, our financial gain—The Pentagon Group, which consisted of me, Zipper, Lark, Brady, and Kent.

“I need her back. I need you to help me get her back.” I pleaded.

“What do you want me to do?” He asked calmly. Zipper would do anything I asked of him.

“I have a plan. Reschedule your calendar for tomorrow and meet me at your office in the morning. I can’t be without her for too long. It’ll kill me, Kevin.” My heart ached with the loss of her. I lost her at the precise moment she asked me about Pentagon. I could tell by the coldness of her voice. She’d never been so frigid toward me. Honestly, it was the most afraid I’d ever been. I’ve encountered scary people throughout my life and in our business, but Perla made me quake with the tone and crude language she hurled at me. I knew I’d have to fight long and hard to recover her love.

Zipper sighed, “Matt, maybe it’s for the best. You knew it was always a risk she’d react this way if she’d ever found out.”

“Zip, she’s the one, and because she’s the one, we can overcome this, but I need your help. Nobody else will feel for me on this. They’ll think this is just like Sonia. Did I come to you like this when she and I were through?” I shouted.

“No, man. I can tell this is different.”

“Fuck yeah, this is different. She’s the one. I knew it back then and still did the wrong thing. I have to make this right. You have to help me fix this.”

“Okay, man. See you at nine?”

“Eight! I’ll see you at eight.” I hung up to make my point.

There was no way she was going to walk away from me. No matter what Perla said or thought, she’s mine and I intended to get her back—whatever the cost.

“Thank you. Can you take me to The Sheldrake, off of Huntington?” I asked the cabbie, who whisked me away from Dr. Mathias Keene’s apartment building after I discovered our entire relationship was sparked by a lie. The cabbie put on the meter and turned toward my appointed destination. I pulled out my phone and dialed Carson Sayer’s cell. Carson, my former dance partner and ‘gay husband’, loved to take care of me and I needed him tonight after my sudden heartbreak. He answered after a few rings.

“Hi, Perlz. What’s going on sweetie?”

“Carse, I need you. Are you home?” I uttered quickly.

“Love, you don’t sound so good. What’s wrong?”

“I’ll explain when I get there. Can I come over?”

“Of course, Turner’s away on business, so I’ll be the only one to take care of you.”

“Thank you. I’ll be there in ten.”

When I hung up, the phone rang. Matt’s picture popped on the screen. I pressed ignore. The phone rang twice more, each were ignored. I decided not to turn off the phone because I wanted to ensure I got to my destination before I closed myself off to the world. The phone signaled a text. ‘What could he possibly have to say to me?’ I whispered to myself.

Matt: Please, let’s work through this. I love you. I could never fake it. I’m coming over to your place.

I decided to respond, sparing my neighbors the harassment.

Me: Nothing to work out. I’m not going home. No need to come after me ever. I’m done. DONE.

Matt: I’ll give you some space. In time, I’ll show you how sorry I am for deceiving you. I do love you. Everything we experienced physically and emotionally was as real for me as it was for you.

Me: I don’t know if it was real Matt because the entire time I was duped into a relationship. All I know is you pursued me for your selfish interests. It has always been about Pentagon and its need to complete Pentagram. I was a casualty of war. Please consider the “space” to be forever. Quit the gym. Lose my number. Forget my address. I want you out of my life. If I truly meant ANYTHING to you, LET ME GO.

The last text must have made a difference because he didn’t respond. I couldn’t tell what was more painful, the Pentagon revelation or the fact he didn’t continue to fight for me once I walked away. Men will quit the chase when projectiles are being hurled at them, I reasoned with myself. I was launching the largest and heaviest missiles because I was in pain. I took a huge breath. The pain in my chest made it hard to fill my lungs. My throat tightened, and I couldn’t swallow. Suppressing my body’s initial instinct to scream and sob until I passed out, I covered my mouth with both hands.

The cab approached the front entrance of Carson’s apartment building and pulled over to let me out. I paid the fare and exited, running up to the front door of the Sheldrake, a gorgeous building in the bustling college area. The doorman opened the door and I walked toward the security desk. I gave my name and signed the log. I pressed the elevator for Carson’s floor. I held onto myself while pressing into the corner of the elevator. I could feel my strength unraveling. When the elevator stopped at Carson’s floor, I walked swiftly to his front door and knocked.

Within seconds, Carson opened the door and I fell upon his chest, tears gushing from my eyes. Carson promptly brought me inside. He sat us on the couch. He didn’t speak. I didn’t utter any intelligible words. He reclined us and held me close to him. He let me cry until the sobs were so jagged he was concerned I would faint. When my crying jag slowed to a stop and I composed myself, I lifted off of his chest. I saw the large wet spot on his t-shirt from my tears, snot, and drool. I touched his chest. “I’m sorry. This is probably one of your eighty dollar t-shirts I fuss you about, huh?” He shrugged.

“You can destroy any shirt with your tears, as long as you’re okay at the end. Tell me what’s wrong.” He offered gently.

I recited the whole sordid tale—Matt used me for my connection to Liberty Inn and used the information gained for the purpose of purchasing the Inn to demolish and use the land for building a large convention, hotel and residential property. He listened intently without interjecting when I explained Pentagon’s role in destroying my marriage by interfering with Parisi’s Construction Company in a possible takeover bid. He reserved any questions or comments until I was through with the entire story. “Is it possible Matt did fall in love with you despite being on a mission to obtain information for Pentagon?” He whispered.

“Anything’s possible, but how can I trust a love which began in such a deceptive manner. I will always look at him and think it was about the money. If we were to work through this, we go on to get married and have children, what do I say to the kids? How do I explain how mommy and daddy met and fell in love?” I questioned.

“You tell them you met their Dad when you went to his office for medical treatment. You didn’t fake a bum hip.” He suggested. I laughed.

“Leave it to you to make me laugh when my heart is on its last beats.” I whimpered. He pulled me to his chest and held me tight.

“I just think this was the higher forces bringing you together, and yeah, it was fucked up, but you had a great relationship, especially after the Inn was sold. He stayed with you a month after.”

“He probably couldn’t find a way to extricate himself from the ‘relationship’.” I air quoted. “It was probably a matter of time before he’d dump me.”

“I don’t think he’s the type of guy. It may be Brady’s motives, but not Matt. You can’t fake chemistry, and you two have a fantastic connection.”

“Had! It’s over. I thought Ben had ruined all relationships for me. I was determined to never fall in love again. I was never going to marry again. And I figured the only babies I would have would be as a surrogate for you and Turner.” His eyes lit up.

“I haven’t decided that yet.” I informed. His loud sigh revealed his disappointment. “When I spent the first night with him, he proved me wrong; all men aren’t the same. And I fell head over heels in love. I saw the future. It was just as you’ve described your future with Turner: big house, good school district, fat babies, and family vacations. I could see it with Matt.” I sobbed. He stroked my arm and pulled me close for a kiss on the forehead.

“It seems too coincidental the guy from Pentagon would create a means to ruin your life, your marriage to Ben and then betray your friend Alice. Those two issues don’t seem to connect outside of the construction of the new project. Do you know this Brady outside of Parisi Construction or Liberty?”

“I’d never met him before dating Matt. I can’t think of any connection to him outside of Aida and Matt. If he was with Aida, I never met him while they were dating. She didn’t name him. I didn’t even know there was a Pentagon. I was in the dark on everything. I was the pawn in their game.”

“What about this guy, Eric? What was his motivation to tell you about Pentagon?”

“He’s a friend. He wanted to alert me, so I wouldn’t be hurt beyond repair.”

“You sure he didn’t have an ulterior motive?”

“No.” I answered in disgust. The idea Eric was trying to use me was unfathomable. “Sure, he hit on me a few times, but I made it clear I wasn’t interested and I was in a serious relationship with Matt.”

“This guy is in internet and computer security systems, right?”

“Yes. He moved here from California to work on a major project for Pentagon. He claims he retrieved the information from emails, memos, and texts saved on the server when he was doing some recovery work.”

“But honey, how did he know how to connect this sordid mess to you? It just seems too neatly wrapped. He becomes the ‘knight’ who saves you from the big, bad kingdom of a corporation, led by one of the Princes, Matt.”

I considered Carson’s conclusions. “It feels like this guy was fishing for a reason for you to end it with Matt, and he’d swoop right in to fill the void.” Carson finished.

“He didn’t try anything after he told me.”

“Love, he wouldn’t try anything today. But he’d try it a few weeks down the line. He’d offer to be a shoulder to cry on. Little did he know I’m the other man in your life, and you’d be coming to my eighty dollar clad shoulder.” He laughed. I couldn’t laugh, but it did make sense.

“He’ll contact you shortly. I may be gay, but I know how to play the male game. It’s ingrained in our DNA. I don’t want you to fall for it. He’s not a hero in this. He’s the guy who wears the mask, kidnaps the girl and ties her up to the railroad tracks, takes off the mask and rides in to the rescue.” I dismissed the notion. Eric saved me from heartache. The pain I’m suffering now is lesser than it would’ve been months and years down the road.

My phone rang in my purse which Carson had draped on the chair. I rose up and took my phone from the side pocket. It was Chelsea. I informed Carson it was Chelz. I didn’t want to talk to her. I didn’t feel like running through the whole story for a third time. I hit ignore. Voicemail alert chimed soon after. Within minutes a second call. I ignored the call.

“If you don’t answer her or call back, she’s going to call your dad, your sisters, and me. I just don’t want to hear her mother hen chirping.”

“Okay. Okay. I’ll call her back.” He rose to give me some privacy while I dialed Chelz’s number.

“Perla. What the hell is going on? Matt called me frantic about you. He asked me if you were at my home. He wanted to know if he could come over to talk to you. When I told him you weren’t here he sounded panicked. Speak!”

“We had a fight . . .”

“I figured. About what?”

“It’s too long of a story to get into right now Chelsea. I’ve had a long day. The gist of it is we’re over. I found out he only started dating me to get information about Liberty Inn. It just so happens that Matt is a billionaire, along with his buddies, and they wanted to buy the Inn so  they can build this immense project on the waterfront. And on another note, Matt’s company bought out Parisi and was instrumental in breaking up me and Ben, and here’s the kicker, creating the phony debt I’ve been killing myself to pay back.”

“What the fuck? If that’s the nutshell version, then I don’t think I can handle the entire story. Where are you? He said he went to your place, but you weren’t there. He said he’ll spend the night outside of your apartment building waiting for you before he calls the police.”

I huffed, “I don’t give a shit what he claims he’ll do. He fucked me over in more ways than one. I’m with Carson. And don’t you dare give Matt any information as to where I am or who I’m with. I need to be distanced from everything Matt.” I sighed and took a deep breath. “I’m taking the day off tomorrow. I’m texting Ray tonight. I hope you can get coverage or cancel my classes this week. I don’t want to be where he can find me. Listen, I’m tired. I’m going to be crying all night, so I’m going to turn in and hope I get some sleep.”

She sighed, “Oh, Perla. I’m so sorry. I had no idea it was this bad. I totally fell for his charms too.”

“We all did. But I was the one who was actually fucked over. I should’ve never gone home with him. He preyed on me, and I let him devour me. It doesn’t matter now.” I choked on a sob.

“Okay, Perla. I know you’re angry and hurt. Call me when you can. You can stay here whenever you need. I’ll text ‘A-hole’ to leave us alone and you won’t be coming back as long as he’s attempting to contact you. Be safe.” She knew not to push the issue, and she would try to keep me safe.

“Thanks, lovey. I’m sorry I was pissy, but I hope you understand I need time. This isn’t like Ben, this is actually worse, but I’m a lot stronger than before. Okay?”

“Okay.” She quietly responded.

“Bye.” Before I could hear anymore, I hung up. Carson returned to the living room.

“I fixed up a room for you. I put a cheap t-shirt for you to sleep in. Not my pricey, designer cotton tees for you.” I smiled halfheartedly. He held out his hand, pulling me toward the bedroom in the back. Carson showed me the fresh toothbrush and paste, towels, and a t-shirt and stretch shorts he must’ve used for dance. If he thought they’d fit over my hips, he was sorely mistaken. I gave him a long hug.

“Thank you for taking care of me. I feel like déjà vu, just in a lux apartment. You and Turner have done so well in the last two years. I’m so happy for you, and selfishly for me ‘cause I don’t have to sleep on an old futon.” I winked. He kissed my head again, which made me feel loved.

“I’ll leave you to rest. If you need me I’m right across the hall, love. You know where the second bathroom is, so you don’t have to worry about my needing to use it.

“Thank you.” I whispered as I hugged him. He left the room and I was left to my own thoughts. I turned on the small flat screen TV affixed to the wall. I changed into the comfortably worn t-shirt and entered the double bed, dipping into the soft white sheets. I turned to grab some tissues on the night stand and proceeded to cry quietly. I didn’t want Carson to run back in here to check on me. I just needed to release some more angst.

My cell phone buzzed with a text.

Matt: I’m going to spend the rest of my life fixing this. I’m so sorry. I’m so in love with you and I can’t bear to live without you. I really, desperately love you, babe.

I turned off the phone and threw it on the bed. He wasn’t going to break through the fortress I erected as soon as I walked out the door of his apartment. Never wanting to have contact with him again, I made a mental note to block his number. Despite the anger I felt coursing through my body, I missed him. I mourned his touch and kisses, and wanted him to hold my body against his. I grieved not feeling his hands entwined with mine as we talked to each other in bed. The reality of never feeling his hand in mine as we walk down the aisle as man and wife or cradling our first child was excruciating. The thoughts became more morbid as the film of our time together rolled in my head and faded to a black screen without a ‘happily ever after ending’.