Black Butterfly (43 page)

She never mentioned the word rape to you or anyone until today. She’s distorting things.”

“You knew that Todd was the man who hurt my friend, and you let me hook him up with Trish?” Sydney asked, backing away from him.

“Let’s go somewhere and talk.”

“No!” she shouted, her eyes full of tears. “How could you do this? Why would you do this?”

“Because he wanted to make you and Trish their whores!” Portia sneered triumphantly. “Probably enact his fantasy of getting a black woman into bed.”

Nolen glared over his shoulder at Portia, but before he could speak, Sydney shoved him away. “Get your hands off me!” Sydney seethed, but he pulled her away.

Once they were at a safe distance, he released her. “Calm down!” She swung wildly at him, crying, and he pushed her against the wall.

“Listen to me. I know you’re angry and hurt, but right now this isn’t about me, you, or Portia. It’s about Trish. We need to help Trish.”

Sydney stared into his eyes. “How could you do this? Why didn’t you tell me? Why?”

“I’ll explain it to you later. Let’s just find out what’s going on with Trish first, ok?” She turned her head, refusing to look at him. He released her, and she wiped her tear-streaked face, walking around the corner from him. Hospital security was now crowded in the halls along with concerned nurses and doctors. Portia was on the other side of the hall, glaring at Todd, who kept pacing. Ricky, who stood a little farther away from Portia, walked toward Sydney. “You ok?” he asked.

Sydney glanced at him and then averted her eyes. Ignoring his question, she went straight to Todd as Nolen gave Ricky a warning look.

“Where was she the last time you saw her?” she asked.

Todd looked disoriented. “Emergency,” he said. “The emergency room. They pumped her stomach, but they didn’t know how extensive the damage was. She was unresponsive, so they moved her to Intensive Care.

Her father came back with hospital security, demanding that Portia and I be removed with no further access to her.”

Sydney glanced angrily over her shoulder at Nolen. “Well, do something! You seem to have the power of God! You sure as hell can control all our lives! Get us in to see her!” Nolen stared at her for a moment. “Let me check on some things,” he mumbled.

Sydney watched him walk off, feeling as if her world had come to an end. She was so angry and so in love with him that she wanted to die. She turned her attention back to Todd, who was a complete wreck. His pain was definitely real. She’d seen him with Trish, and she was sure that he really cared for her. “What’s Trish’s secret, Todd?” she asked.

Todd lifted his eyes. “Her father raped her, over and over, from the time she was a child, and inside, she’s destroyed. How she survived this long is a miracle. Think what you want of me, but I only wanted to love her, to help her. I never touched her that way. No sex. No sex.” His voice trailed off. “If you don’t help me get to her, we’ll lose her. I’m all she has.”

“Bullshit! No sex? All you wanted was sex!” Portia snapped. “She has us!” Sydney turned on Portia and the look she gave silenced her loudmouth friend. “Let me clue you in on something, Portia. I know your tricks. I know that somehow you bear a lot of the blame for what happened to you!”

Portia sneered at her. “You know, for a minute, I actually thought about calling you. I thought that maybe, together, we could save her. But look at you. How far down on your knees did you have to go to get that dead animal you’re wearing around your shoulders?”

Sydney smiled. “Not as low as you did to get that fake one hanging in your closet!” Ricky stepped between them. “You two stop it! What the hell is wrong with you? You’re friends!” Sydney met his pleading stare and wanted to laugh. “That’s right, defend your girlfriend.” Ricky looked shocked. “What?”

“You heard me. Portia couldn’t wait to tell me how close you two are now.” Ricky looked at Portia angrily. “Portia, what’s wrong with you? Do you want to push everyone away?”

“Ricky . . .” She reached out to touch him.

Ricky pulled away from her. “What the hell do you care?” he asked Sydney. “You tossed me aside like my feelings didn’t matter.”

Sydney shook her head. “I never treated you like you didn’t matter. But I will now. You two deserve each other.”

Fighting back tears, she addressed Portia. “I loved you. I’d never do anything to hurt you or Trish. I had no idea that Todd was the man who attacked you, and I’m sick over it, but I’m also sick over the way you’ve abused my love for you. As far as I’m concerned, you’re dead to me! After we help Trish, I never want to see your face again.”

Portia seethed. “I was there for you when no one else was, damn it! Do you think that rich asshole you’re screwing would give you that kind of support?”

“You don’t know anything about him and what he gives me!” Sydney retorted.

“I know that he thinks his money can buy anything. The first thing he did was try to buy you, and it was you that said that. Since then, he’s paid for me to be away so he and his rapist friend could isolate you and Trish for their own pleasure. Open your fucking eyes before it’s too late!”

“That’s enough!” A security officer shouted as another stepped between Portia and Sydney. “It's time for all of you to leave. Now. Now!”

Nolen approached with another man in a suit. He stopped security from dragging Portia and Sydney out. There was so much commotion and bickering that Sydney turned away from it all.

Nolen appeared at her side. “This is Dr. Patel. He’s the chief of staff here. He’s going to take us to Trish.”

Todd stepped away from the wall he was leaning against. “How is she?”

“She sedated. She’ll come out of it soon,” Dr. Patel replied. “Her body has to recover from the toxins in her bloodstream.”

Nolen interrupted. “I’ve learned that her parents want her transferred to Bellevue as soon as she’s stable.”

“Bellevue?” Todd stammered.

Sydney looked at the doctor. “Can they do that without her consent?” The doctor nodded. “Their attorney has already contacted the hospital. He’s filed emergency papers to have her committed.”

“No!” Todd said, crumbling.

Sydney grabbed his arm. “It’s ok. Calm down. Can we go to her now?” The doctor sighed, glancing apprehensively at Nolen. “Come with me.” They all followed the doctor. Nolen smiled at Sydney, but she refused to look at him. Slipping her hands into the pockets of her coat, she breezed past him, swallowing her pain and anger she tried to remain focused on Trish.

They stepped out of the elevator to see Carol Hesser standing outside Trish’s door.

Todd glared at her suspiciously. “Where’s your husband?”

“What are you doing here?” Carol shrieked. She turned to the doctor, baring her teeth. “My husband gave specific orders that this man and his friends are to be nowhere near my daughter!” Dr. Patel blushed. “Mrs. Hesser, please lower your voice.”

Todd raced up the hall, crashing into Trish’s room with Sydney and the others close behind. A man that Sydney assumed must be Trish’s father was hovering over her. Trish was unconscious, with a breathing tube in her mouth, and the man was running his fingers through her hair.

The attack from Todd came swiftly. He threw the man to the floor, pounding and punching him in the face and neck. Nolen and Ricky pulled a shouting Todd off Trish’s father. It was only then she looked back to the bed. Her beautiful friend looked broken.

“Please, please stop this now!” Dr. Patel yelled. “Everyone calm down now or you’ll have to leave!” Sydney ran her hand over her friend’s clammy forehead. “Trish, sweetie, it’s me,” she cooed softly.

Portia came around to the other side of Trish’s bed to touch her hand. “I’m here too. All three of us are together again—The Three Musketeers.”

Trish’s eyes moved under her closed lids and Sydney felt a glimmer of hope.

Nolen dragged Trish’s father out of the room as Todd appeared at the foot of the bed. He walked around to Sydney’s side to be closer to her.

“All of you need to keep it down on this floor,” the doctor repeated. “I can’t have you fighting. This is your last warning.”

As Ricky went to the doctor to apologize, promising that they would stay under control, Todd kissed Trish’s forehead and pressed his cheek against hers. “It’s me,” he whispered. “I’m here. Remember we’re in this together. I won’t leave you. I won’t fail you again. I swear it.” Portia’s eyes met Sydney’s, and she smiled apologetically. Sydney couldn’t return the sentiment, so she turned her eyes away, looking again at the crying and desperate Todd.

“Trish, please,” Todd said, he buried his face against her chest. “You have to fight your way through this.

They’ll take you from me if you don’t fight back. I need you to help me. Fight.” Emotionally exhausted, Sydney leaned against the wall in Trish’s room, trying to understand how she could have failed her friend so completely.

Ricky reached for her, and she stiffened, but he persisted in pulling her into his arms. Tired of fighting, she gave in, crying into his chest. Why hadn’t she seen this coming? Was Portia right? Had she brought this hell into Trish’s life by introducing her to Todd? Trish was so precious, so very special, and she deserved a life without pain and fear.

Ricky held her gently, rubbing her back and kissing the top of her head.

Nolen spoke from behind them. “Keep your fucking hands off her,”

“Stop it, Nolen,” Sydney snapped.

Todd lifted his head. “Would everyone please go? She doesn't need this. Just go."

Sydney glared at Nolen. As she left, Nolen hurried after her. “Where are you going?” he asked.

“Away from you!” she snapped.

“The hell you are.” He grabbed her hand.

“Let me go!”

“Never!” he said, dragging her to the elevator.

“I said no Nolen! I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“We’re going home to have this out, Sydney. Whatever anger and disappointment you feel, we’ll face it, and then we’ll come back and deal with the rest of this mess. I won’t lose you to this.” He forced her into the elevator.

Sydney snatched herself away and moved away from him. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

“I’m the man who loves you, damn it. I’m the man you love!”

“The man I love wouldn’t lie to me over and over.”

“I didn’t.”

“The hell you didn’t! Every day that you kept the truth from me, you lied. You knew I would have never dated you. Oh, God! You set this up from the beginning!”

“Stop this! Give me a chance to explain!”

Sydney just stared at him. The elevator door opened, and Nolen extended his hand to her. Looking at his hand, then at him, she walked out, leaving him behind.

Chapter 23

Tears of Regret

The ride back to Nolen’s penthouse was filled with silence. Sydney followed Nolen inside shedding the coat he bought her, vowing to never wear it again. She headed to his office. She had even forgotten to tell him that she agreed to move in with him. And it dawned on her; she had already done so, without much thought of the consequences. The driver dragged in their luggage. Nolen entered the room as she poured herself a glass of brandy at the bar, drinking it without acknowledging him.

He stood in the doorway, watching her with his hands in his pockets, and she returned his stare coolly, turning the brandy snifter between her hands.

“I’m sorry for not telling you about Trish,” he began.

“Are you? Are you really, Nolen? Because I see that Todd is sorry, but you, I don’t see that you’re sorry at all.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means that all you care about is you and your needs. You knew that my friend was with a man who could potentially hurt her, and you did nothing to prevent it. You didn’t even bother to clue me in.”

“That’s not true,” he said, taking a step toward her. “I didn’t encourage that damned relationship. I told him to break things off.”

Sydney glared at him over her brandy glass and then looked away.

“How exactly was this supposed to end? You must have known that I would find out. Wait, I’ve got it.

You were going to wait until our wedding night.”

“That incident had nothing to do with us. Todd told me that he was going to take Trish to therapy and tell her there.”

“And you didn’t find that odd?” Sydney shot back, slamming the glass down on the bar. “Take your girlfriend to therapy to tell her you tried to rape one of her best friends?”

“He never tried to rape her, and you damn well know it.”

“What I know is that you didn’t care how Trish handled the news or what happened to her. All you cared about was you. I remember the call that you made in the limo, when you got the news, and the look on your face.

From the very beginning you played me. All that mattered was what you wanted! To hell with anything and anyone who got in your way.”

“No, damn it! All I cared about was us! I’m sorry that your friend was hurt, and I’ve made damn sure that she won’t suffer another moment at that sick bastard’s hands, but there are only two people in this relationship—

you and me!” He pointed from her to himself to highlight his point.

“What relationship? I can’t trust you!”

“Don’t go there, Sydney.”

“Why not? It’s true! After everything we’ve shared, all the intimacy and the soul searching, you never once told me about Todd and Portia. You knew that I would find out, and you didn’t care how.” She started to walk away from the bar but stopped abruptly, looking at him with a horrified expression.

“My God, Portia and Ricky called it. They said I was naive. They said you were manipulating me way before I found out that it was true. I feel sick!”

Nolen walked closer to her but said nothing.

“You manipulated me from the start,” she repeated. “And you’ve never stopped.”

“That’s not true. I’ve tried to protect you. Why do you think I did—” She backed away. “Did what?”

“Never mind.”

“Say it! What else did you do?”

“I had Ben Mendoza taken care of. He hurt you and I made sure he paid for it. I would never let anyone hurt you and get away with it. What we have is real, and you can’t fight it any more than I can. I didn’t force you to fall in love with me. You did that all on your own.”