Page 66 of Worth Every Moment (Hawkston Billionaires #4)

ERICA

“ P sst. Erica.”

The noise rouses me from the bed, where I’ve fallen asleep fully clothed, head resting on a pillow that’s stained with tears and makeup.

My head feels muddled. I rub at my eyes, but the room is still dark. What time is it?

A gentle tapping comes from the back door. “Let me in. It’s Amy.”

I hurry to the back door, undo the latch, and open it to find Amy standing in the moonlight. Her pink hair is more vibrant than ever, and she’s wearing a full-length magenta sequinned dress, which hugs her curves and catches the glint of the outdoor lighting like a million tiny sparks.

“Oh, shit,” she says, taking one glance at me as she steps inside and takes me in her arms. “That bastard. I can’t believe he did this to you. I will fucking kill him.” She releases me. “You know he’s out the front? Just lying there in the sand.”

“He is?”

My voice sounds hopeful, and Amy wags a finger in my face. “Nuh-uh. Don’t even think about it. That arsehole is lucky I didn’t throttle him. He doesn’t deserve to see your beautiful face ever again. We’re getting you the fuck out of here.”

“How did you know where I was?”

Marie pops her head around the door, giving me an awkward wave. “Hey there.”

“This one was worried about you,” Amy says, nodding in Marie’s direction.

“Come on, let’s pack your stuff. Everything.

Don’t leave anything. No reason for him to contact you whatsoever.

Take the whole fucking room.” She strides to the cupboard and opens it, pulling down all of my clothes and throwing them on the bed.

“I’ve got a boat leaving in fifteen minutes, and when we hit the mainland, we can take the PJ to London. We’ll be home tomorrow afternoon.”

My stomach sinks while my heart thrums above it; the conflict makes me nauseous. If I go with Amy now, I might never see Seb again. And as furious as I am with him, that doesn’t feel good.

Marie hauls my suitcase out from the hallway cupboard and together they start emptying all my belongings into it. Meanwhile, I sit, dazed, on the edge of the bed amidst piles of clothes as they get to work.

It only takes them a few minutes to pack everything up. But the most important thing I came with is lying outside in the sand.

The urge to cry burns behind my eyes, and I swallow to loosen the thickness in my throat.

“Who the fuck is she, this Diana woman?” Amy says as she forces my suitcase closed, huffing as she zips it. “Where did she come from?”

I raise my hands, letting them drop a moment later.

“Old Mr Hawkston brought her,” Marie fills in. “Kate didn’t know she’d been invited. It was all pretty bizarre now I come to think of it.”

She’s right. It was bizarre. I can’t make it make sense, not least because I’m too distraught to use any brain power to untangle the mess. I hang my head and start to cry.

“Oh, no,” Marie says, rushing to the bed and hauling me off it with a firm grip on my forearm. “No tears. You don’t have time. Boat’s leaving. You can cry later.”

Amy rushes to my other side, ushering me to the door, while Marie grabs the suitcase and rolls it behind us.

“I want to get out of here before Seb realises where we are,” Amy says. “I don’t want to end up in some James Bond-style boat chase when he finds out I’ve kidnapped you.”

Outside the back door, one of Amy’s bodyguards is waiting. He takes my bag, lifting it with ease, and the three of us follow him to the jetty where the boat is moored.

Marie hugs me. “You’re better off without him.”

I squeeze her and step back. “Maybe.”

“Definitely. You wouldn’t believe the Jacob’s Ladder-related injuries we see in the hospital.” She winks, and I have no idea whether she’s joking or not, but the thought of Seb’s dick has me weepy all over again.

“I lied,” I say between sobs. “It’s not pierced.”

Marie frowns. “Oh. I did th—”

“It’s perfect,” I blurt, my voice cracking.

Marie’s frown disintegrates as an awkward smile shifts in to take its place.

Amy puts her arm around me and pulls me close.

“Oh, honey. It’s just a dick. We’ll get you another one.

In fact, that’s on the to-do list as soon as we get back to the UK.

You’re going to show the world you do not give a fuck about that man and his soon-to- be-wife by going out on a hot date with some celebrity. Fuck Seb and his perfect penis.”

Marie sucks in a breath, and Amy squeezes her eyes shut for a second. “On second thought, don’t do that,” Amy orders. “Absolutely do not do that, ever again.”

A few minutes later, we’re settled in the boat and waving to Marie’s shrinking figure on the jetty as we sail out to sea.

“So,” Amy says, linking her arm in mine and leaning her head on my shoulder. “Did you fuck him before he fucked you over?”

“Yeah.”

“Any good?”

A sob shudders out of me. “Yeah.”

“Oh, babes. I’m so sorry. I promise you, we’ll find you someone else. Someone better.”

I let out a shaky sigh. “I don’t think there is anyone.”

She says nothing. I let my weight fall against her, and together, snuggled up in the boat, still robed in all our wedding finery, we begin the journey home.