Chapter 29: The Plot Thickens
"What the fuck is this?"
It was amazing how quickly one could sober up when their ass was on the line. Annette seemingly went from well past the legal limit drunk to stone cold sober in the blink of an eye. Her heart hammered fiercely in her chest as she scrambled to get her shirt back on, all the while keeping one eye on the newly arrived Court.
"Well looky here," he called out loudly across the parlor. "Three assholes for the price of one."
The pounding in her heart began to recede slightly as she realized upon further examination that Court was very, very intoxicated. Like, having trouble standing upright drunk. There was a good chance he wouldn't even remember this in the morning.
"Court how the hell did you get in here?" Kathryn demanded looking over his shoulder for a servant. Annette was wondering the same thing seeing as she practically had to bum rush the butler to get in the front door every time she came over.
"Oh, I told them I came by to fuck you and they let me right in." He grinned, drunk and mean. "Apparently you still have quite the open door of suitors Kat."
"Fuck off," Annette snarled at him.
He looked over at her and scoffed loudly. "What are you even doing here Hargrove? Did you come back for sloppy seconds with Valmont and decide to try out Merteuil's twat instead?" His gaze moved to his ex-girlfriend and her stepbrother. "I always knew there was something fucked up about the two of you. Just wait until everyone finds out that not only are you a rug muncher but a brother fucker as well." He laughed, "They'll crucify you."
Kathryn slowly rose from the settee with a lethal look in her eyes. Sounding decidedly more sober than she had ten minutes ago she ordered him, "You're not going to open your fucking mouth about anything you think you saw here this evening asshole. Because if you do, I just might be forced to release a certain incriminating video tape, which up until now I have kept generously to myself but if your cross me shithead, I promise you I will bring down a world of pain on your head."
"You think I'm afraid of you?" Judging by the way his confidence noticeably dimmed Annette would say, yeah, he certainly was.
"Reynolds, what the fuck do you want?" Sebastian snapped.
Court lumbered further into the room. Shoving his floppy hair out of his eyes, he pointed threateningly at Sebastian. "I want to kick your ass motherfucker."
"Well, I think a few dozen people already beat you to it," he deadpanned.
Court didn't seem to be listening. "You sick fuck. Cecile was sweet and pure and good and you ruined her. I loved her man!
"Boo hoo." Kathryn smiled mockingly at him. "It's a shame she didn't love you back Court."
"Fuck you bitch!" Court started to charge at her. Annette leapt to her feet, but Sebastian quickly shoved him back before he could get too close. The taller boy stumbled backwards, on his ass. Getting his bearings, he struggled to his feet.
"Court, leave now," Kathryn ordered "Before I call the police and have your ass arrested for trespassing."
He didn't seem to hear her as his wild gaze swung back and forth between them. "Wait. I get it now. The three of you are in on this together."
Annette shook her head. "Excuse me? In on what?"
"Oh my god! How did I not see this? It's all connected. You're trying to…fuck with me or something." He pointed accusingly at Sebastian. "You fucked my girl and you," he pointed at Kathryn, "You set him up to do it and you," he turned to Annette and shook his head. "I don't know what you have to do with anything, but you're just as fucked up as the two of them. Because of you I haven't been able to piss without kneeling over in pain!"
Kathryn made a face and looked at her. "What's he talking about?"
Annette shrugged, unbothered. "The night of the gala I may have left him stranded naked on the beach. He got jumped or something."
Sebastian snorted and Kathryn laughed. "That's called karma shithead."
"You want to talk karma Kat?" Court fumbled in his coat pocket for something. She was half expecting it to be a flask. She was rather surprised when it turned out to be a small handgun instead. Waving it at them he exclaimed, "How's this for karma?"
"Jesus Christ," Sebastian groaned. "Put that away Reynolds."
As absurd as it sounded, Annette's first instinct when she saw Court waving around that gun was to laugh. It was just so melodramatic. Had he ever even shot a gun before?
Of course, leave it to Kathryn to decide to make a potentially dangerous situation even worse.
"You fucking moron Court," she snapped. "Are you kidding me with this?"
"Shut up! Shut the fuck up. How does it feel, huh, to know I hold all the power for once?!"
"You hold shit!" Kathryn snarled walking towards him. Annette grabbed at her arm to stop her, but she shook her off. "You're nothing more than a goddamn pussy Court, you always have been. Do you honestly think bringing a gun into my house makes you the man?"
"Kathryn—"
"Take another step and I swear I'll shoot you," he threatened.
Kathryn laughed, mocking and cruel. "As if you had the balls. No wonder Cecile flopped on her back for Ronald."
"Fucking hell Kathryn," Sebastian groaned. "Reynolds. Leave now."
"Don't tell me what to do asshole!"
"Will everybody calm the fuck down!"
Everyone was talking at once and then suddenly a gunshot cut through the noise, Annette heard a scream and realized it came from her own throat as she watched Kathryn and Sebastian fall to the floor. Her heart hammered frantically in her chest as she rushed over. The first thing she noticed was the blood on Kathryn's hands. It took her a moment to realize it wasn't hers. It was Sebastian's.
As it turns out, getting shot isn't as glamourous as it's portrayed in the movies.
For one thing, it hurts like hell. Which was saying something given the epic ass kicking he had received earlier in the day. It was also incredible gross. Sebastian never really had a problem with blood, but there was something about seeing your own come pouring out of you that could suddenly turn one squeamish. Luckily, Reynolds only got him in the arm and the bullet went straight through him so there would likely be no permanent damage. He made a mess out of his stepmother's favorite Aubusson, however. He was likely never to hear the end of that.
The only thing making the situation marginally bearable was getting to witness Kathryn reaming out a couple of New York's finest.
"I don't understand the problem here," Kathryn spat, with all the haughtiness of her class. The two cops she was chewing out where easily twice the size of her, but even they withered under the full force of his stepsister in bitch mode. "How fucking difficult is it to locate one idiotic teenage boy? Put out an APB or whatever the fuck it is you morons do!"
They were all still gathered in the parlor, save for Court who took off running right after the gun went off. Sebastian was on a stretcher while a couple of paramedics worked on temporarily bandaging his wound. Annette was being interviewed by two cops, while a few more officers poked around the room. Jack had shown up right after Court had left, apparently, he followed his drunken friend to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Too little, too late asshole. He stood beside Kathryn trying to reel her in. Good luck with that.
"Kathryn I'm sure they are doing everything in their power to find him." Jack was almost pathologically calm. Sebastian's eyes narrowed at the familiar way his hand touched her lower back. Even more interesting was it seemed to work. He could visible see some of the fight leave her tense shoulders.
"Miss, we have several officers out there looking for him," the burly cop explained. "Trust me, he won't get far. They never do in these types of situations. I'm sure we'll locate him in the next couple hours."
This just managed to set her off again. "A few hours? He tried to kill me. He nearly killed my step-brother—"
"Let's not be dramatic," he sighed. Eyeing the young, serious faced female paramedic who was tending to his arm he asked, "There won't be any permanent damage, right?"
"Not likely. You're very lucky though. Had that bullet gone a couple inches to left it would have hit your heart."
Kathryn's eyes widened and she swung back around to the cop. "I want him found now!"
Even though Sebastian wouldn't have minded seeing Court in handcuffs, he was sensible enough to know that might be more trouble than it was worth. "I won't be pressing charges," he announced.
"Excuse me?" Kathryn strut up to him, face pinched in annoyance. "Don't be an idiot. Of course, you're pressing charges."
Speaking in a more discreet tone he reminded her, "Court had a shit load of grievances against us. Do you really want him making them public?" Then for good measure he said loudly, "Besides, it was an accident."
Annette came up beside him and added, "He has a point."
The cop spoke up before Kathryn could argue. "I appreciate you wanting to protect your friend Mr. Valmont—"
"That yeast infection is not my friend."
"Either way, it's not up to you whether or not to press charges. What he did was a felony and—" He was interrupted by another cop who muttered something in his ear. "Okay, good news, we found him. He's at a bar down in Hell's Kitchen. We're picking him up now."
"Finally," Kathryn sighed.
"We'll be in touch."
Most of the officers followed him out. As they departed Jack pulled Kathryn aside. They talked quietly and then shared a hug. Sebastian cocked an eyebrow at this then looked at Annette standing beside the stretcher. If she was annoyed by this, she played it close to the vest. Sebastian of course couldn't help provoking her. "It appears you might have some competition."
Annette glared at him then looked to the EMT. "If he happens to bleed to death on the way to the hospital, no one will blame you."
Ignoring her the EMT announced, "We have to get going."
"I'm going with him," Kathryn called out as Jack made a quiet exit.
"I'll meet you there." Annette took her hand. "Do you need anything?"
"Change of clothes?"
She nodded then leaned in and gave her a brief kiss on her cheek. Before leaving she paused in front of him. "I'm glad you're not dead idiot."
"Gee thanks."
The paramedics wheeled him to the elevator then out the front door, with Kathryn walking silently beside him. Sebastian grimaced in pain as they lifted him into the ambulance. "Be careful!" she hissed at them.
"It's fine," he assured her as the all pilled in and took off.
As the two EMT's fussed over him, Sebastian studied his stepsister. She was sitting upright in her debutante position. Back rim rod straight, hands folded in her lap, eyes blankly staring straight ahead. It was her hands that gave him pause. They were stained in his blood. Sebastian snickered.
"What?"
"You literally have my blood on your hands."
Kathryn examined her hands and frowned, then looked down at him, face serious. "Why did you do it?"
He knew what she was referring to, but he played dumb. "Do what?"
"Jump in front of a bullet for me."
He let out a long exhale through his nose. "I have no fucking clue. Maybe some latent instinct to play hero, maybe I thought it might convince the aparentals to nix the whole military school thing or maybe…" he paused and looked up into her curious face and admitted. "Maybe, I prefer you in my life rather than out of it."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Yeah, but you could have. It was fucking stupid to antagonize him like that."
He expected her to clap back with some kind of catty defense. Sebastian was rather taken aback when instead she bowed her head and murmured quietly, "You're right. Shit Sebastian, I don't know what I would have done if you…"
"Left you alone with Edward and Tiffany?"
"Exactly." They shared a smile filled with all the things they wanted to say but couldn't. Sebastian could survive being shot but he didn't know if he would survive if anything had happened to her. It was a small revelation to realize she felt the same way.
"Lucky for us Reynolds is a crap shot or things could have gotten very messy."
"Please," Kathryn huffed, easily slipping back into arrogant princess mode. "If either one of us are going out that way, it won't be at the hands of Court fucking Reynolds."
"Amen."
Kathryn eyed him with a bemused smile. "Don't tell me your little brush with death has pushed you to find religion."
He let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Bite your tongue. I'll save the phony sanctimony for you." Giving her a lascivious once over he remarked, "However there is something to be said about worshipping on one's knees."
"That's my boy, always thinking with your dick." Kathryn leaned down and gently cupping his face, kissed him. It was brief, but enough to get his heart racing and the monitor beside him to start beeping.
When she pulled away, Sebastian noticed the EMT watching them slack jawed. Kathryn smiled at her. "It's fine. We're very close."
Annette arrived at the hospital to find quite the scene. Stepping off the elevator she was greeted by the sound of a man's angry shouts. As she made her way down the hospital corridor, back to the room she was instructed by the woman manning the front desk, she was surprised to find the angry man was none other than Edward Valmont. Every time she had encountered him previously, he had been jovial and easy going. This was a switch.
"I don't give a rat's ass who his father is, I want that little son of a bitch locked up!" he bellowed to an exhausted looking man in an expensive suit. "Garrett Reynolds is not the only one with pull in this town!"
"I understand that Edward," the man sighed, in a tone that argued he had been making the same argument for awhile now. "However—"
"What about De Blasio? Can't he step up?"
Keeping her head down, trying to remain inconspicuous as she passed them, Annette snuck past the adults into the hospital room. Sebastian, wearing a gown and a sling around his arm was sitting up his hospital bed looking tired and annoyed, talking quietly with his stepsister who was helping herself to some water. They looked up when she entered, Kathryn's face breaking into that infamous smile that made her momentarily stop breathing.
"Thank god," she sighed as she came sailing over. She greeted Annette with a brief kiss then took the overnight bag she had procured for her. "I'm desperate to get out of this."
Annette glanced down at the red super tight, super short dress she was wearing and she could see why. While it looked perfectly acceptable at home or at the club, it was a little inappropriate underneath the fluorescent lights of the hospital room.
"What's going on out there?" she nodded towards the scene just outside the room. Two nurses and a security officer had joined them, trying to calm Edward down.
Kathryn rolled her eyes. "They aren't arresting Court."
"What? I thought that cop said—"
"The cop didn't take into account Court being a senators son. Garrett Reynolds pulled some strings and Court is currently sleeping off his hangover at the family compound in Rhode Island."
Annette didn't know why she was surprised. "Doesn't Edward own half this city?"
"Yeah," she sighed. "Which is why this has the potential to become a real shit show."
"Unless someone steps in and defuses the situation," Sebastian remarked with a pointed look at Kathryn. "We wouldn't want Reynolds running his mouth about anything he witnessed tonight or anything that might have antagonized him, would we?"
Kathryn rolled her eyes. "What are the odds he'll even remember it in the morning?"
"Slim," Sebastian agreed. "But do you really want to take the chance?"
She sighed, then with a dutiful nod turned and headed into the fray. Annette watched impressed as Kathryn placed a soothing hand on her stepfather's lower back and spoke softly to the irritated adults. In mere minutes the yelling stopped, and cooler heads seemed to prevail. Annette shook her head in admiration.
Wandering over to Sebastian she asked, "So, how are you feeling?"
He shrugged, his gaze still on the scene outside the room. "I'll live." He flashed her a cocky grin. "Sorry."
"Oh, I don't want you dead Valmont," she sighed, filling up a glass of ice water. "I'll settle for maimed and…silent."
Holding up his injured arm he told her, "Well you're halfway there. Besides, you didn't seem to mind my presence a few hours ago."
Annette winced as she recalled the almost threesome. "Best we don't speak of that again. Ever."
"Agreed"
"It was the alcohol"
"Totally"
Admiring Kathryn as she spoke softly with her stepfather, calming him down, something in her stomach clenched as she realized it could have been her in that hospital bed or worse had Reynolds been more sober or a better shot. "You saved her life you know."
Sebastian shrugged. "You would have done the same thing."
Annette wasn't sure why, but something about that statement and the sureness of this tone gave her pause. Before she could dwell on it further, Edward stepped into the room, decidedly calmer. Clasping his hands together he announced, "We have to have a little family meeting." Edward blinked as if just realizing she was in the room. He forced his normal jovial smile. "Hello, Ms. Hargrove, nice to see you again. Um, you wouldn't mind if I spoke to my children alone for a minute?"
"Of course not." She set her glass down and after shooting a brief smile at Sebastian, made for the door. Kathryn reached out, brushing her hand as she passed, a knowing look flashed in her eyes that Annette mirrored.
She stepped out in the hall where the lawyer was barking commands into his cell phone. Passing him she thought about going to find a cup of coffee in the cafeteria or a snack in the vending machine, but then she reached into her coat pocket and pulling out her phone, she was struck by the need for something else. She needed advice.
Annette dialed up Trevor knowing that even though it was damn near the middle of the night he would still pick up. Sure enough he didn't disappoint her. "Oh, baby girl this better be good," he greeted her with a warm, rough laugh. "I gotta be up in two hours for this lab thing."
"I'm so sorry, but trust me you'll want to hear this."
"Hit me."
She told him about everything that had gone down that day save for the infamous almost threesome which felt like a whole bag of worms she wasn't ready to dissect at the moment. By the time she finished there was a long pause and she thought for a moment he might have gone back to sleep but then he started laughing. "Yep, that was definitely worth it. I swear to Christ Annie, more happens to you in one night than happens to me all year long."
"Somehow I doubt that," she replied dryly. "I really didn't mean to lay all of this on you. I just needed someone to talk to who wouldn't be so…judgmental."
"Well we both know I'm not really in any position to judge anyone besides, you haven't done anything to be judged for. That Reynolds kid is the one who pulled the gun."
"It's not that," she sighed, picking at the paper edge of the poster she was standing beside. She took a deep breath, gearing herself up for what she was about to say. "I'm wondering if…if I made a mistake getting back with Kathryn."
Her announcement was greeted with a long pause. "Mmm, what's bringing on this may I ask?"
"I don't know," she sighed, "Just…everything. This whole crazy night and you said it yourself, my life was never this chaotic before."
"Yeah, but isn't that what you wanted, a life filled with excitement?"
"Sure, but excitement that I can control. There's no controlling Kathryn. I've tried."
He snorted. "Sounds like someone else I know."
She sighed as she stared down towards Sebastian's room. "That's the other thing. I'm starting to wonder if we're too similar to make this thing work. We're both too selfish, too ruthlessly ambitious. Siobhan said something to me earlier—"
"So, you're basing all this on someone else's advise to you? That doesn't sound like my Annie."
"No, no that's not it. I mean she made a good point. If we're together, Kathryn will never let me outshine her. Her ego will never let her come in second to anyone. Even someone she claims to love."
"Once again, that sounds familiar."
"Exactly."
"I don't know Annie," he yawned on the other end. "I think you may be being too hasty. It's been a long night, you're probably just freaked out. Get some sleep, think it over. Bet it will look different in the morning."
"You're telling me to sleep on it?"
"What do you want from me? I don't exactly do long term relationships or really any relationships."
"Yeah me either until recently."
"Now, if you want to know how to sneak out of a bedroom undetected in the middle of the night and shimmy down a drainpipe I'm your guy, otherwise…"
"I'll keep that in mind." Annette's wry smile soon crumbled as Sebastian's earlier words filtered unwanted into her brain. Forgetting for a moment she was on the phone she said out loud, "I would have jumped in front of a bullet for her."
She could hear Trevor inhale sharply on the other end. "Well, that's a good thing, right?"
"I'm not so sure," she admitted quietly.
Trevor said something to her then, but she got distracted when Sebastian's door opened, and Kathryn stepped out of the room. Spotting her she approached, now dressed in the cashmere sweats Annette had brought for her.
"Hey Trev, I have to go. Thanks for listening."
"Any time baby girl. Call me tomorrow."
"You know it."
She hung up the phone as Kathryn arrived. "So, what's going on?"
The brunette rolled her eyes by way of answer. "Not much. Come on, let's go get some shitty coffee and I'll fill you in."
As the sun was starting to break over the Upper East Side, Kathryn dragged herself across the threshold of her townhouse. She was exhausted, having spent the whole night with Sebastian at the hospital. All she wanted was a nice hot shower and twelve hours of sleep.
Too tired to even consider taking the stairs, she entered the elevator and slumped against the mahogany wall. As it made its slow climb to the second floor, Kathryn eyed her nails, cringing. Despite a vigorous scrubbing there were still remnants of Sebastian's blood under her fingernails. She released a shaky breath. He's going to be fine, she told herself. Shaking her head at her own stupidity, Kathryn remembered the image of Sebastian sitting up in his hospital bed, wearing that salacious grin of his, surrounded by fawning nurses. Of course, he'd be fine.
Getting off the elevator she made a bee line for her bedroom tossing her coat over the piano as she cut through the parlor. She stumbled momentarily when she noticed the two maids cleaning up the bloodstain on the carpet. Their bucket of water had turned pink from the blood.
"Oh, Miss Merteuil," one of them spoke. "There have been several calls—"
She held up her hand silencing them. "I don't care. I'm exhausted. It can wait till later."
"Very well miss."
Kathryn scowled at the stain. "Just throw the whole rug out. We'll replace it tomorrow."
Not waiting for an answer, she disappeared into her bedroom. It wasn't until the door was closed behind her that she noticed she wasn't alone. "Jesus," she called out in surprise. "I didn't see you there."
Annette smiled softly, getting off her bed. She was dressed for the day, pretty as always in a pale lavender dress and cardigan. Kathryn felt a twinge of envy knowing she looked like death. "I'm sorry," she laughed lightly, "I didn't mean to startle you…especially after last night."
She slipped her arms around her neck and kissed her briefly. Kathryn had the urge to sink down into her and bury her face in her neck. "It's fine, what are you doing here? I thought you went home."
"I did, but um, I wanted to talk to you."
Kathryn nuzzled against her neck and sighed. "I'm glad you're here. Hell of a night."
"Yeah I think it was just about as, what the fuck as things get." Annette pulled away and Kathryn felt the absence. "How's your brother?"
"He's fine. He's resting comfortably, flirting with all the nurses, obnoxious as ever. He'll be fine," she repeated. Kathryn headed to her walk in closet and stripped off the cashmere pants and top.
"How did things go with Edward?"
"He and his lawyer are meeting with the Reynolds this morning. Sebastian thinks Edward will just try to settle things quietly. We're not to say anything to the press, they don't want any of this getting out. Fucker should be in jail."
Annette nodded, leaning against the doorway. Kathryn thought something was off with her. There she stood, in only her panties and Annette barely glanced at her. Something was going on.
"Is your mother coming back?"
"Supposedly." Kathryn slipped into her robe, recalling her brief conversation with her mother she had on the phone last night. She was more annoyed at cutting her trip short than Sebastian getting shot. Kathryn had been irritated enough to call her on it and before her mother could fire off a retort, she hung up on her. She was kind of hoping she'd stay away for the foreseeable future. "They are still holding tight on the military school thing though. As soon as he's recovered, they're shipping him off to Utah."
"You really don't want him to go, do you?"
Kathryn paused in her movements and glanced over at Annette. Her tone wasn't accusatory, more curious. She wondered if this was what was bothering her. It was true she didn't want him to go. As much of a pain in the ass as Sebastian was, she couldn't imagine him not being there. It seemed almost comical given the amount of shit they put each other through these past months that she could feel bereft at his leaving, but she did.
Although she vowed to stop lying to Annette, she supposed a little white one couldn't hurt. "Actually, I'm starting to think it's for the best." Leaving the closet she removed her earring, placing them on the vanity. "Maybe it will keep him out of trouble and out of our hair of course."
Annette nodded, looking distracted. Kathryn slipped her arms around her, pulling her into a kiss. She hoped it would pull her out of whatever funk she was in. It didn't work. Annette kissed her back briefly before pulling out of her embrace. She didn't meet her eyes and Kathryn thought she saw a flash of guilt there.
"Is something wrong?"
She waited for her to deny it. Instead Annette shifted on her feet, looking nervous. Annette never looked nervous. "We have to talk."
Nothing ever good started with that statement. "Can it wait? I want to take a shower."
Annette shook her head. "No, it can't."
Kathryn observed her as she turned away and paced in front of her couch. She ran a hand through her hair, suddenly restless. "I don't know how to say this. Shit."
Watching her she was almost amused to see her flustered. "You sound like you're trying to break up with me," she joked.
Annette stopped and looked up at her. "I am."
For a brief moment Kathryn forgot how to breath. Then she realized she was joking. She had to be. Letting out a laugh she didn't feel she told her, "Right. Very funny. Look, I'm exhausted can we save it until—"
"Kathryn I'm serious. We have to break up."
"What?"
"Kathryn I—"
"What are you talking about?" she rushed at her, feeling as though the rug just got pulled out from underneath her. "You can't be breaking up with me after everything we've been though. I thought we were good? I thought you loved me?"
"I do, that's the problem." Annette sighed and explained, "I realized last night that there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Last night, after Sebastian jumped in front of a fucking bullet for you, I was jealous because I didn't get to do it for you. I would give up anything, do anything, sacrifice all of myself just to make you happy and that scares me. I don't think I can be that person."
Kathryn shook her head, trying to make sense of her words. "What are you talking about? I don't want you to sacrifice anything. I just want to be with you." Thinking over their conversation the past few minutes she asked, "Is this about Sebastian? About what happened last night between us?"
"No"
"Do you think I want to be with him or something? I don't! Jesus, we were drunk. All three of us, might I ad. It meant nothing. Besides, he's leaving in another week anyway!"
"It's not that—or at least it's not all of it. I still think you're incapable of ever truly letting him go, but if Sebastian was my only problem, I could deal with it."
"Then what is it?"
Annette took a seat on the couch. Shaking her head she looked upwards. "God, I can't believe I'm about to say this. I don't trust myself around you."
"What does that mean?"
"It means, if push comes to shove, I'll put you ahead of myself and I can't afford to do that right now. If all goes to plan, I'll be at Yale next year and then law school and then who knows. I have to concentrate on myself. I can't have all the drama that comes with being with you—"
"The drama that comes with being with me?" she echoed incredulously. "Are you listening to yourself right now? You sound like an asshole."
She sighed. "I'm aware."
Standing over her, arms crossed to her chest she tried to make sense of this but her exhausted brain wasn't having any of it. "I don't understand where this is coming from. The election is over. I'm not asking you to sacrifice any of your future for me."
"Not yet. What if we're both at Yale and I decide to run for student body president there and you want it too. Then what? Am I expected to drop out for you?"
"I would never ask you to do that!"
Annette laughed. "Baby, you just did."
"That was different! You suddenly decided you wanted it run."
"Yeah and then you demanded I drop out and when I didn't, you did everything you could to sabotage me."
"You weren't exactly innocent in any of that."
"Exactly! You and I are both manipulative and driven, we'll do anything to get our way."
"That's what makes us perfect together," Kathryn exclaimed, sitting down beside her. Cupping her face she tried to draw her back in, get her to listen. "Only we can understand and appreciate each other."
Annette took her hands and gently removed them. "Yeah, and only we can destroy each other and I can't afford to take that risk. I love you Kathryn, I always will but I have worked too hard to let anyone, including you, fuck it up for me."
Kathryn couldn't believe she was saying this to her. "You bitch." Her voice broke on the last word and she struggled to hold it together. "You promised you wouldn't leave me."
"You're going to hold me to something I said mid-orgasm?"
"I thought you were different, I thought you understood…but you're just like them aren't you?"
"Who?"
"Court, Sebastian, all the ones before them who left me because I was too ambitions, too sexual, too calculating."
"No! Kathryn that's not what this is." Annette grabbed her hand, her eyes soft. "I love all those things about you."
"Then don't go, stay," she pled. Jesus, Kathryn barely recognized herself right then. She never, ever pled for them to stay. She was always coolly indifferent, but now, she felt as if she would get on her knees and beg she was so desperate. "I won't stand it your way. I'll be supportive. I won't interfere, I won't make any kind of demands on you—"
"Then you wouldn't be you," Annette told her. "I don't want that Kathryn. I don't want you to ever have to sacrifice yourself for me or pretend to be something you're not. I never want you to be anyone but who you are. You're a ruthless, conniving, selfish bitch and to me you'll always be perfect."
Kathryn grabbed at her, her desperate hands clinging to her neck as she pulled her into a kiss. She was quickly rebuffed. Squirming against her, Annette ordered, "Kathryn stop." Meeting her gaze, she gave a brisk shake of her head then got to her feet. Somehow it felt like a bigger rejection than anything else she said to her that morning.
Her rage began to mix with her desperation, creating a potentially lethal mix. "If you leave me," she warned, "I'll destroy you I swear to god. It will make what I did to Court look like a hug."
Annette wasn't moved. "No, you won't."
"Oh?"
"All those boys you laid in your wake, you didn't care about them, not really. Your ego was bruised. What we had is different. You love me every inch as much as I love you and you know, deep down, that even though it hurts like hell now, it's the right thing to do."
"The hell I do."
"Kathryn, you don't think this is killing me? The idea of never kissing you again, never…" she trailed off as her voice began to break. She wiped angrily at a tear. "Walking away from you is the hardest thing I've ever had to do but I don't have a choice."
She could feel tears fill her eyes as she muttered quietly, "I hate you."
"No, you don't."
Annette stepped forward and embraced her, holding her. Kathryn allowed herself to feel it only once. There was a part of her that dearly wanted to reveal in it, beg her to reconsider but she had humiliated herself enough already. Besides, it wouldn't matter anyway.
It was then her self-preservation kicked in. Breaking away from her abruptly, she turned her back and took a seat on the bed. Annette stood awkwardly, her brows knit in concern. "As lame as it sounds, I'd like us to still be friends."
Kathryn let out a short, humorless laugh. "Yeah, I don't think so. You said it yourself, we were a lot of things but we were never friends."
"Kathryn I—"
"No, you're done. It's my turn now. You want to leave, fine. I won't come after you and I won't retaliate, but if this is the end of it, I want a clean break."
"Meaning?"
Kathryn tried to regain her haughty bitch exterior as best she could. "We'll make polite conversation in public, but in private you'll cease to exist for me, I'll change my number and you won't be dropping in unexpectedly. You'll destroy anything I ever gave you and I'll do the same. There will be no cliché retrieval of personal items, no lingering looks in the hallway at school. We'll erase everything. It will be like this whole thing never happened."
Annette shook her head. "That's not what I wanted."
Wiping angrily at her tears she snapped, "I think I'm done giving a rat's ass what you want. Do you agree or not?"
"Okay. If that's how you want it." Annette bit her lip, looking unsure. Looking at the ground she asked softly, "Are you going to be okay? You're not going to…do anything, right?"
Kathryn suspected she was thinking back on the whole mirror episode. Right then she felt as if she could put her whole head through one right now, but no, she wouldn't. She didn't have the energy. "I'll be fine," she replied icily. "Your concern for my well being is noted. Now get the hell out."
Annette turned away and headed to the door. Kathryn didn't watch her, staring out the window instead. She listened as the door opened and Annette lingered on the threshold. "I just…I love you. Always."
A moment later the door closed and she was gone. Only when she was sure she was gone from the premises did Kathryn succumb to her tears.
