Love Evolution (22 page)

CHAPTER 28 

“
Good evening, Mr. Jones,
”
the doorman greeted Justin as he entered the Ritz Carlton.

‘
That was weird,
’
Justin thought, wondering how in the world the guy knew his name.
‘
Mistook me for someone else, I
’
m sure.
’
Jones was a common last name after all. He went to the elevator, taking it up to the twenty-third floor lobby. Passing through the modern minimalistic lobby, he
’
d almost made it to the front desk when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he found himself face to face with an oddly familiar, yet exceptionally beautiful woman.

“
How
’
d you get here so fast, honey?
”
she slurred, wobbling unsteadily on stiletto heels. Now he recognized her! Veronica Martinez. Miss V. Wow!

“
You look really yummy tonight, baby. I never was a fan of the metro look. Come on upstairs, you can help me kick off my after-party in a major way, if you know what I mean.
”
Her lips curved up as she smiled suggestively at him. Leaning down, she blew into his ear, and then pressed her moistened lips to his neck.

‘
Hot damn!
’
Justin thought. Trevor could wait.
“
Sure, baby,
”
he told her, sliding his arm around her waist as they got on the elevator together.

Up in her suite, V could not have been more pleased. Reluctant and timid before, Avery was certainly ready and willing tonight. They had gotten into her secret stash, the real good stuff, and were flying high as the guests began to arrive for the party.

Manny watched them sullenly from his post near the door. After all he had done for
her,
V had repaid him by making him look foolish in front of everyone. When Besille had
come
calling, he had provided enough salacious information to make the media shark
’
s head spin. Manny had so much dirt on V he could go into the landscaping business.

Marcus arrived and stopped in the doorway, surveying the scene. Noting the rampant drugs and debauchery that was so commonplace at these parties, he was just about to turn around and leave when he spotted them. Avery and V lip locked.
‘
What the hell?
’
His eyes flaring, he closed the distance between them with angry strides.

V saw him coming.
“
Oh, no!
Look out. Marcus is here,
”
she whispered excitedly in Justin
’
s ear. This was perfect, just how she planned it. A love triangle always made for great publicity.

“
Who?
”
Justin looked up, bleary eyed, alarmed to see the lead singer of Brutal Strength heading straight for him. Big, sculpted, and looking extremely pissed. Coherent enough for self-preservation, Justin clumsily scrambled over the back of the sofa.

Marcus raised one eyebrow sardonically.
“
Never figured you for a coward, Ace.
”
Shifting his attention to Veronica, he said contemptuously,
“
You, my dear, are a royal bitch.
”
Turning, he exited the suite without a backward glance. 

V pouted. She had hoped for so much more. Glancing back, it took her a second to locate Avery.
Great.
The guy had apparently passed out back behind the sofa.
‘
What a lightweight. Oh, well,
’
she thought. Picking up her champagne, she saw Besille and staggered in his direction.
“
Besille, honey, about your next special
…”

*****

Marcus banged on Dwight
’
s hotel room door.
“
Let me in!
”
he demanded.

Inside Dwight glanced at Avery. She had shed her disguise after the concert, and come over to his room, determined to await Marcus
’
return there. He raised a questioning brow to her. 

“
It
’
s time, Dwight,
”
she whispered.

Dwight opened the door. As Avery stood up, Marcus froze. His eyes widened with shock. For a few long tension filled moments he stared, absorbing her evident femininity.
“
What the bloody hell?
”
He
’
d only thought he
’
d been confused to this point. Avery couldn
’
t be in two places at once. So, who had that been upstairs? Then it dawned on him. The only person it could be was her twin brother. Her supposedly dead twin brother!  The resemblance was uncanny. He
’
d have to give it to her, she was one twisted little actress.  Lies and more lies, but why? Had anything she told him been the truth?

The overwhelming thought that drowned out everything else was,
‘
Thank God.
’
He had torn himself up over the past few weeks as his attraction for Avery had grown. She
’
d had him completely twisted up in knots. Marcus wondered if deep down on a pheromone level, his body had always known what his brain had failed to figure out.

Relief was swiftly swallowed by the rage that billowed up in its wake. The full magnitude of what Avery had done hit him like a punch to the gut. All this time she had been a woman. What was her angle? His eyes flicked to his brother.
“
Dwight
get
out.
”
Cutting his cold gaze back to Avery, when he spoke his voice shook with anger,
“
I want to talk to
her
alone.
”

Dwight hesitated. He wasn
’
t sure he
’
d ever seen such a dangerous look in Marcus
’
eyes.

“
It
’
s ok, Dwight,
”
Avery said bravely.

He dipped his head in acknowledgement, and moved to the door where he stopped, and glanced back over his shoulder. Avery was sitting back down in the chair and had scooted to the back. Her shoulders were straight, and she
’
d clasped her hands tightly together in her lap. She looked like a little girl bracing for a reprimand. Her big green eyes were wide but filled with resolve. He sighed, knowing this was about to get real ugly. Dwight pulled the door closed. At the click, the room went completely silent.

Marcus
’
gaze ran over Avery
’
s body, top to bottom and back up. Avery swallowed nervously as he studied her. He couldn
’
t keep from noticing how well she filled out her jeans or how flatteringly her green v -necked t-shirt stretched over her breasts. Hello- where had those been the past few weeks?  Stop, he didn
’
t want to know.
‘
Eyes back to top,
’
he redirected himself with some effort, a muscle beginning to twitch in his clenched jaw. Grinding his teeth together, he attempted to maintain control when all he wanted to do was rail at her.

Avery jumped when he finally spoke. She
’
d been fixated, watching his fists open and close. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.

“
How long has Dwight known?
”

“
Two days,
”
she whispered.

He gave an aggravated snort, crossing his arms over his chest, and glaring at her.

“
I was going to tell you at the farm-
”

“
Oh, that soon, huh?
”
he interrupted, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“
Yes
…
I would have told you sooner, Marcus.
”
She reached out a hand to touch him, but he stepped back out of her reach.

“
Don
’
t you dare touch me,
”
 
he
said in a voice sharp and scornful.

Avery flinched.

“
After the Besille thing, I knew I should have told you right away, but I wanted to help you finish the album first, and I wanted to
…”
Her voice choked to a stop. She looked down, clamping her lips closed.

“
What did you want?
”
Marcus asked in a lethal voice, leaning over her. His blue eyes darkened and marred by the anger that filled them.
“
What, Avery?
”
He put both his hands on the armrests of her chair and shook it.
“
Tell me.
”

“
I wanted to be near you,
”
Avery admitted, the words tumbling out of her mouth.

Marcus made a disgusted noise, pushing back from her chair and turning his back to her.

Avery
rose
to her feet, staring at his back, heart in her throat. She reached out a shaking hand to him, wanting so badly to touch him.
“
I love you, Marcus,
”
she said so softly, he almost didn
’
t hear.

Marcus whirled around, the lines of his face drawn back in disdain.

Avery took a frightened step back.

“
Oh please, Avery. What kind of idiot to you think I am? Give me a little credit.
”

Wham. There it was, like a door slamming shut somewhere deep inside her. Up until this point, she hadn
’
t realized how much she
’
d hoped telling him how she felt would make a difference. It hadn
’
t. This outcome had been inevitable from the beginning.
Time to get out now before she made it worse by begging.
“
I don
’
t know what else you want me to say, Marcus,
”
she said in a dead, defeated voice, feeling detached from her body. She blinked back tears.
“
I
’
m sorry. I made a huge mistake. There is no excuse for what I did.
”

“
Damn right! You had me so screwed up in the head that getting back together with V
was  looking
like a good option, and that night with that blonde... Never mind, I
’
m done with you!
Done with your twisted games and all your lies!
”
He turned his back to her and moved to the door. Pulling it open, hand still on the handle, he told her,
“
I hope you
’
re happy, Ace.
”
Marcus spat out her nickname like it was poison.
“
You
’
ve made a wreck of my life.  As it is now, I
’
m going to have to completely rebuild my soul.
”

CHAPTER 29 

Sometime later, JR knocked on the door. When Avery didn
’
t answer, he quietly let himself in with Dwight
’
s key. He found her curled up in a ball on the bed.
“
Oh, honey. I
’
m sorry.
”
He pulled her up to a sitting position, sat down next to her, and wrapped his arm around her. 

“
He hates me, JR,
”
she whispered in a voice raspy from crying.
“
If you had seen the look on his face...
”
She shuddered.
“
Where did he go?
”
 

“
Don
’
t know. Dwight
’
s gone to look for him. What are we going to do with you, Avery?
”
JR tipped her chin back, and looked at her red, blotchy, tear stained face.

Unable to undergo his scrutiny with her emotions still so raw, she lowered her eyes and tucked her head down into his chest. She was grateful for the comfort he provided. He held her close for a while.

“
Why couldn
’
t you have fallen for me?
”
he half teased.
“
Not enough of a challenge, huh?
”

She looked up at him, managing a wan smile.

“
What I don
’
t get is why you went up to V
’
s party in the first place. I mean
…”

Avery cut him off,
“
JR, I didn
’
t go to V
’
s party.
”

“
She said you did.
Texted me a while ago.
Said you looked hot and had a great bod
…
It didn
’
t make any sense.
”
  

“
JR, I
’
ve been waiting here with Dwight ever since the concert ended.
”
Avery stood up on wobbly legs. It couldn
’
t be, could it? Maybe V was lying to make Marcus jealous, but she had to be sure. She squeezed JR
’
s arm, and said in a firm voice,
“
Call her for me.
”

“
Ok.
”
He raised a skeptical brow, but pulled out his cell, selected V from his contact list, and hit send.
“
What do you want me to say?
”

“
Ask her if I
’
m still there.
”

“
What... Hey, V.
”
 
He looked at Avery like she was certifiable.
“
Is
…
Avery there?
…
.
Really?
 
Because I
’
m looking at
…
him right now.
”
JR
’
s gaze flashed back to Avery. He drew the phone away from his ear, staring at it in confusion.

Avery shook his arm.
“
What did she say, JR? What did she say?
”

“
She said that you were lying on her couch, and that if I was looking at you, then she must be looking at your twin.
”

Avery gasped, hand over her mouth. She turned away from him, ran to the door, and opened it, looking back at him.
“
Take me to her room. Come on JR, hurry!
”

“
Ok, Ok, Avery.
”
He followed her out into the hall and they got in the elevator.
“
What
’
s going on?
”

“
I think it
’
s my brother, JR.
”
 

“
But I thought your brother was dead?
”

She shook her head, heart pounding, afraid to hope.
“
So did
I
.
”

The party appeared to be winding down when they got to V
’
s room. Avery pushed past the few remaining people mingling in front of the doorway. Scanning the room, she saw Veronica. As their eyes met, V
’
s jaw dropped, all the color draining from her face. And there on the sofa
…“
Justin,
”
she gasped. Suddenly, Avery
’
s ears began to ring, and everything went black.

*****

When Avery came to, she found herself snugly tucked into her brother
’
s side with him leaning back against the headboard in her hotel room. Slowly blinking up at him, she twisted around, and clutched his shoulders.
“
Tell me you
’
re real.
”

“
You bet I am. I missed you, sis.
”
 
Justin kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms more tightly around her, sensing she needed physical confirmation that he was really there. He then proceeded to fill her in on the whole affair involving Campanella, the FBI, and his disappearance. By the time he finished, she stared at him in wonderment.
“
Now your turn.
What
the hell is going on with this?
”
He ran his fingers through her short hair, lifting his brow inquisitively.
“
And you
’
re in Brutal Strength?
”

She nodded,
then
shook her head.
“
Was
…
It
’
s a long, complicated story.
”

“
Hey, I
’
m not going anywhere, sis. Spill it, I
’
m all ears.
”

Avery told him the whole convoluted tale, confiding how she felt about Marcus and ending with his response to her tonight. By the time they
’
d finished catching up, the darkness outside was just giving way to the predawn light. 

Justin tried to comfort her.
“
Hey, I don
’
t think it
’
s as bad as all that. I
’
m supposed to be the pessimist, remember?
”
He stood, turning around to reach a hand back to pull her up.
“
The sun
’
s coming up. Watch it with me.
”
Entwining his fingers with hers, he led her to the sliding glass door and slid it open. They stepped out onto the balcony together.

Gazing out over the rooftops of LA, side by side, leaning against the railing, they could see the ocean in the distance. Justin turned to her, lips curled into a bemused smile.
“
Who
’
d ever thought we
’
d be here, huh? Sunrises in LA are spectacular.
”
Noting the sadness in her eyes, he kissed her cheek.
“
Come on now, it
’
s a new day. Let
’
s make it be a new beginning for both of us, ok?
”

The stress of the last few days had completely drained Avery. She leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and sighed. Feeling the warmth of the sun soaking into her skin made her sleepy, and she wished she could climb back into the bed and pull the covers over her head. But there was still something that needed to be said, and until now, she
’
d never had the confidence to say it.

“
Justin, I love you.
”

“
Ditto sis.
”

“
I never said anything about this back in New York. But I
’
m not going to make that mistake again. I won
’
t sit by and watch you destroy yourself with drugs, Justin. I won
’
t. I lost you once. I won
’
t lose you again. I refuse to.
”
She took hold of his hand, pressing his palm against her cheek.
“
Justin, you
’
ve got to stop before you get yourself killed, for real this time. Please.
For me.
Promise you will get some help?
”
she begged, her emerald eyes pleading.

Identical green eyes locked with hers, Justin didn
’
t say anything for a long time. He knew that everything Avery had been through was largely his fault. He saw clearly for the first time that every bad choice he had made- the affair with Antonia, borrowing money from Campanella, even the agreement to go into hiding- had put Avery in jeopardy. None of it would have happened, if it hadn
’
t been for the drugs. He nodded,
“
You
’
re right. I don
’
t want to do this anymore. I
’
ll do whatever it takes, sis. I promise.
”