My voice cracked and the tears finally found their way to the surface. Elijah gave me a small, sad smile and then tapped on the roof to signal the driver. Marcus waited until I had fastened my seat-belt to start the engine.
The car purred to life as Marcus maneuvered out of the giant driveway and to the main road. I looked back, seeing the ocean glinting of the receding moon as we drove away. I could just make out Bastian's silhouette against the water. His head thrown back as if he were screaming at the water.
I turned away, not wanting to look anymore. It was time for me to go home.
Chapter 23
The flight to Florida was short. The private jet was just as huge as the one we had arrived on, but it felt too small now. I was confined by the plane. Confined to going back to my life. Alone.
I stayed awake, keeping myself busy with paperwork, but I kept having to redo it. I couldn't concentrate. Every time I had to write Sebastian Belrose's name as the owner of an item, my brain would freeze and I would picture his face. The way he smelled. The touch of his skin.
“Miss?” the flight attendant caught my attention, smiling politely. “We need to refuel. You're welcome to go into the airport and walk around for a few minutes.”
I looked down at the blank form in my hands. All I had accomplished in the past thirty minutes was filling out Sebastian's name. Twice. In the wrong locations.
I sighed, folding the paper into fourths to throw in the trash. “Thank you, I think I will,” I said, standing. “The fresh air might clear my head.”
I carefully navigated the stairs out of the plane and onto the tarmac. It was a private airport, but it still smelled of asphalt and jet fuel. At least it was quiet. The humid air hit me like a punch in the face after the dry air of the plane. Ominous lightning flashed in the distance. I could smell it on the wind. It would probably rain later.
Moving felt good. I walked the length of the terminal, just stretching my legs and getting blood to flow again. I found a cute little coffee-shop and purchased an overpriced latte. But some caffeine and mocha sugar sounded like comfort food and I needed some comfort.
The barista finished my coffee and I continued to wander the terminals. The plane would be ready soon, but I wasn't. Florida was still closer to the Caribbean than Colorado was, which meant that right now, I was still closer to Bastian than I would be in several hours.
I stopped in front of a big window looking out on two private jets. Beyond them, the lights to whichever city was closest twinkled in the distance. It was pretty, but in a lonely way. The lights were people but far away.
“You look amazing with those lights behind you,” said a voice I didn't want to hear. Every muscle in my body tensed as I turned, praying it wasn't Chad. I knew he was supposed to go to the Caribbean to prep for the auction, but what where the odds that he would have a layover at the same airport at the same time I was leaving?
The odds were not in my favor. It was him.
He stood in the private airport, looking for all intents and purposes like he belonged. He had on pressed khaki's, a pink polo shirt, and had even tied a sweater around his shoulders. He looked absolutely pretentious.
“What are you doing here, Chad?” I asked, coldly. I had to focus on not crushing my coffee cup into oblivion. Luckily, it was mostly empty, so even if I did lose my cool and squeezed, it wasn't the end of the world.
“We're refueling before heading to the island,” Chad announced stepping forward. He oozed suave confidence. “I'm the lead auctioneer for the Belrose Estate. Gotta have the best.”
I wanted to smack his cocky grin off his smug face. But I had enough fighting today to last me a lifetime. Instead I did my best to smile politely. I wanted to walk away, but he had me pinned between him and the window. The only way back to my plane was past him.
“You look like the island was good to you,” he commented, his eyes doing a once over. I instantly felt dirty.
“It was. Excuse me, I need to get back to my plane,” I replied, sidestepping him and walking away. I was already heart-sore and homesick. I didn't need another fight with Chad.
“Ava, please... please don't walk away from me,” he begged. “I just want to talk to you for a moment.” For a second, I thought he might actually be human and feel regret, so I paused and instantly regretted it.
He took my hand in his, holding it up to his cheek. He was certainly handsome, but he lacked Bastian's charms. Where Bastian's eyes told me everything I wanted to know, Chad's were flat and deceptive. I had once believed those eyes, but now I knew better.
“I love you.” He said it like the words had meaning. Except I had heard him say those words every day before going off to bang Charity. They were just a leash to tie me to him.
“I don't want to hear this.” I tried to pull my hand back, but he held on tight.
“Ava, I want you back. I've missed you so much.” He fluttered his long lashes, doing his best to make me believe but failing. I had seen what it looked like when someone wanted me. Bastian had wanted me. Chad wanted something I had to offer, but it wasn't me.
“I don't believe you.” I wanted to get away from him.
“All our friends say how good we are together,” he tried again. “Please, just give me another chance.”
I ripped my hand from his grasp, stumbling back in the process and spilling what was left of my coffee on the floor. He was a liar. All his friends said we were good together. I had lost my friends when he came into my life. I realized that now. He had distanced me from anyone who would say anything ill about him.
“It's too late, Chad,” I snapped. He had broken something inside of me and I didn't want him touching me anymore. I wanted him to stop trying to make me forget the pain he had caused. I was never going back to him. “I'm seeing someone else.”
I had no idea what possessed me to say such a thing, especially to Chad. While it was partially true, it was such a juvenile comeback and I knew it carried almost no weight. Chad obviously wasn't too keen on exclusivity.
Chad laughed. It made my teeth stand on end. I hated his laugh. “It's a small town, Ava. I know you're not seeing anyone.”
“Who said it was in town?” I nearly clapped my hands over my mouth. I needed to stop talking. I needed to get back on my plane and run from Chad. He was nothing but bad news.
“Who then, Ava?” Chad's eyes widened and then narrowed. “The billionaire?” His laughter was cruel, contrasted with a beautiful face. “I don't believe you. I don't believe someone like that would even look once at you.”