Bridget puts her arm around me. “Tash, we don’t think you’re cold. We are just trying to understand.”
I stand as I try to hold in my tears. “Then I want you all to understand this. Tell Joshua I want him to go home to Amelie. She wants the money and the lifestyle … she can have it. I want nothing to do with it. I want him to move on with his life without me.” I sob. “This is one of those sad cases in life where love simply isn’t enough. I don’t want his lifestyle or his money or those fucking horses. I just wanted him to love me … but he didn’t.” I sob again. “Joshua and I have different morals now and I can’t change that, I only wish that I could. I would give anything to be with him but he is better off with someone else who is more like him and will understand his infidelities. I’m not that girl and I never will be.” I stand and turn and shrug my shoulders. “Who knows? Perhaps in ten years when I’ve slept with half of Sydney and Joshua is onto his third wife maybe we will understand each other’s point of view, but at this point I don’t.” I stand and walk out of the café with Max hot on my heels. I walk out of the front door where once again those stupid tears fall down my face and Max tries to comfort me as we walk down the street to his car.
Joshua
Darkness surrounds the car. It intermittently rocks as each car speeds past us on the busy street. I sit behind the wheel diagonally opposite Oscar’s café. We are waiting for Cameron who is having coffee with the girls. They don’t know we are here. My elbow is on the
window and I swipe the side of my pointer back and forth over my lips as I think.
“What do you think they are talking about?” Adrian sighs from the passenger seat as he stretches and puts his feet onto the dash.
I shrug without answering.
“I know … I’ve got a plan.” He holds his hands up in karate style. “How about we just bowl over there and, like, kidnap her or something.” I look over at him and he smirks. “We could take her I reckon. I ‘ll handle Max and you take Tash.”
“Don’t tempt me,” I reply dryly as my eyes flick back to the café. “Don’t think I haven’t thought about it.”
I link my hands on the top of my head in impatience.
“Why don’t you just walk over there and just … I don’t know.” He shrugs. “Do something Hollywood.”
I roll my eyes. “Like what Einstein?”
“I don’t know. Drop to your knee and propose.”
I blow out a breath. “If I had some fucking privacy I probably would and besides this isn’t the time or place.”
He stays silent for a while. “Josh, this privacy thing. I know it’s driving you crazy but it will pass, as soon as they get them you can have your life back.” Adrian sighs.
“It will be too late then, she will be gone. Because we can’t have a fucking minute’s peace.”
Adrian rolls his eyes. “You’re being melodramatic now.”
“Am I?” I snap. “You should have seen me the other day Adrian, crying like a baby. Begging for her to listen to me. The guards would be in their element, loving this gossip.” I run my hands over my face in frustration.
“Josh, your staff love you. They are just as sad about this split as you are.”
I raise my eyebrows at him.
“Ok, that’s an overstatement. I mean they don’t like it either.” He shakes his head as he corrects himself.
“I just want a normal life without drama, without bodyguards. The money is not worth this shit. I have zero privacy, all I want to do is follow her around till she listens to me but I can’t because I might be photographed with her and then she will be a target for the sick fuck who is after me. You have no idea how frustrated I am,” I snap.
“Here she comes,” Adrian whispers.
We both sit up in silence as we watch Natasha and Max briskly exit the café. She’s crying, Max puts his hand around her shoulders and pulls her into him. They walk quickly down the street where he opens her door and she climbs into the car.
Jealousy rips through me as I grip the steering wheel with both hands and brute force.
“Fucking Max. I swear to god I am going to …”
“Stop it. You’re being crazy. This is Natasha. You know she’s not like that,” Adrian comforts.
“I know exactly what’s in that fucker’s head,” I growl.
“Bullshit,” he snaps. Their car pulls out and the two other cars of guards pull out after them. My heart rate speeds with anger.
“See—she’s gone again, and I could do nothing but sit in this car and watch her go.” I punch the steering wheel hard. Adrian jumps in his seat.