Evangeline knew what she was doing was wrong. She knew the minute she muttered those “oh-too-quick-too-leave-her-mouth-words” “ “sure, John.” …the person that lives in her head slammed their fists on one of her nerves…causing her to get the worst headache. But she couldn’t help herself. She could never help herself when it came to John McBain. He knew how to get to her. It bugged the shit out of her because she wasn’t used to being this weak in situations. She was always the smart one. The strong one. Fools fell in love and lost themselves. Not Evangeline. She didn’t make it through Stanford Law being a fool in love. But here she was…standing in front of her bedroom mirror wondering if she would look pleasing to him for their date. Why the hell did she worry so much as to whether or not John McBain would find her outfit pleasing??? Why did this man have such a pull over her?
Maybe it was the challenge John presented…the fact that she couldn’t figure him out. He was so mysterious to her. She still didn’t really know more about him than she knew a year ago. Hell, did he even know more about her? He never asks questions. He never questions anything for that matter. She could serve the man rat for dinner and he would probably eat it without showcasing any type of emotion.
Evangeline looked at her reflection in the mirror. She had on his favorite dress. A mango colored strapless sundress. The dress fit her snugly, but was still very tasteful. Her makeup was natural…but she highlighted the look with red lip gloss. She flat ironed her hair straight using the hair serum she loved so much. She nodded her head approvingly in her mirror. All she needed now was dab of her body spray in lavender. Lavender was supposed to be an aphrodisiac. It’s been nearly 2 months since she last had sex and this night…she wasn’t going to think about her morals. She just wanted to feel him.
Her phone rang suddenly breaking her train of thought.
Thinking it’s probably John calling to say he’s outside and sly smile crossed her face.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Evangeline…” John said on the other end.
“Hey John…are you downstairs?” Evangeline asked enthusiastically.
John paused on the other end. He hated doing this… “No, I’m not.”
“Oh,” she replied. “Well, I’m ready. How long do you think you’ll be?”
John ran his hands through his hair…he looked over at Natalie who was sitting on his bed. He couldn’t believe was he was about to do… “Van, I’m going to have to take a rain check. Something came up and I can’t make it again.”
Evangeline couldn’t believe this shit. This was the 3rd time he was pulling this crap. “John, what’s the deal? This is getting frustrating, very fast. Why make a date with me if you know you can’t keep it?”
“I want to keep the date Van,” John said quickly. He had to come up with something else to say…something other than he couldn’t make it because of Natalie. “You know how things are…”
“Yeah John,” Evangeline interjected. “I know how things are…and what thing is the reason tonight?”
John didn’t want to outright lie to her. Natalie stood up and walked over to him giving him a look. He told her to be quiet as he called Evangeline…but this was taking longer than what she initially thought.
“John?” Evangeline said into the phone. “John? I need a reason.”
John still didn’t say anything…
Suddenly, it hit Evangeline…
“Oh my God. It’s Natalie, isn’t it?” she asked. Her heartbeat began to quicken. The thought of being trumped again by Natalie made her blood boil.
“Van, it’s not like that. She needs my help…she needs…”
Before John could finish Evangeline hung up the phone. She couldn’t bear to hear another tall tale of Natalie and her troubles and how John’s the only person in all of Llanview that could help her figure out her latest adolescent scandal or trouble.
Damn him! She cancelled on a client to go to dinner with him tonight! She looked down at the cordless phone and hurled it across the room at her bedroom door. The tears instantly sprang to her eyes. She felt like a fool. How could she not? This was the THIRD date he’s cancelled on! Third!
Like magic the phone rang.
This mutherfucker called back, she thought heatedly. She’d been nice by just hanging up but now he was pushing it.
Evangeline rushed across the room and picked up the phone.
“You know what John?!!” she screamed into the phone. “FUCK YOU! I’m so tired of this! Why don’t you lose…”
Cristian jumped back on the other end surprised by the tone of her voice… “Van! Calm down! Whoa…it’s me. Cristian.”
His voice snapped her out of it, “Cristian?” she asked quietly.
“Yes, Vange? What’s going on…is everything alright?”
Evangeline was so embarrassed. Lately, she’s been making it a habit of losing in front of Cristian. What was it about him catching at her most vulnerable moments??!
“Cris, I’m so sorry…I thought you were John calling back…” Evangeline started. “The last conversation wasn’t a pleasant one and…”
“I’m coming over,” Cristian blurted before she could finish.
She couldn’t object because he hung up the minute he got the sentence out.
Great. Now Cristian was coming over and they were about to begin their usual ritual of the “woe-is-me” routine. She hated the idea of a pity party…but she loved Cristian’s company. He knew exactly what to say to help her feel better. If she gained any reward for fighting for his freedom…the greatest one was his friendship.
Evangeline sighed and decided to get ready for his visit. She slipped out of her dress and replaced it with a pair of sweat pants and a white fitted wifebeater.
She opened the door to her bedroom and headed for the kitchen. This was a popcorn and movie night. She had stocked up on the jalapeno cheddar popcorn that Cris loved so much.
Evangeline had positioned herself on her couch and was deep into a rerun of Will and Grace laughing her butt off when she heard that familiar knock on the door…
“Come in!” she yelled.
Cristian stepped through the door holding a bottle of wine.
“Hi,” she said. Looking at the wine, “I guess you could feel my mood through the phone.” She said nodding at the wine in his hands.
Cris let out a small chuckle, “Vange, I know you, remember? Let me guess…John probably did something stupid again, huh?”
She patted the space next to her on the sofa.
Cris threw his finger up. “First let me get some glasses for this.”
He knew his away around her kitchen now and had two wine glasses within seconds. Looking over at his friend he couldn’t help but shake his head. John McBain was a fucking idiot. Here he had this gorgeous, smart woman that would give anything to be with him…and he was ignoring her to chase after his childish ex-wife. He had been trying to for months now to get Vange to see the light…sooner or later he was going to get her to return to the land of the living.
“What are you doing?” Evangeline said interrupting his thoughts. “I’m in crisis mode remember? Get over her with that wine!”
Cris let out a soft laugh, “yes, ma’am!”
He walked towards her and sat next to Van on the couch.
“Will and Grace?” he chuckled.
She gave him a friendly glare, “It’s funny! You like it…I’ve seen you enjoy a laugh or two!”
She tossed her long hair over her shoulder and shot him her smile that made his heart flutter.
Cristian handed her a glass. He reached to open the bottle of wine. Evangeline held her glass out for him to fill.
“Now…what happened this time with John?” he asked topping off her glass.
Evangeline leaned down and took a sip. “He stood me up again.” She said softly.
“What?” he asked in disbelief. “Vange…this is like the third time.”
“I know,” she said softly. “I just don’t get it Cristian…he’ll practically chase me down to ask me to do something and then he just…he just…BAILS. Like…what is that about?”
Cris put his glass of wine down on the coffee table. He looked straight into Evangeline’s eyes. He could see the pain and the hurt in her eyes.
“And do you know why he cancelled?” she continued.
“Does it matter Vange?” he asked touching her leg. “The point is he disappointed you again. It’s always about disappointing you when it comes to that guy.”
Evangeline put her glass down. She took a deep breath, “Natalie. It was Natalie. Again. Trumped by Natalie!” Evangeline threw her hands up in frustration. “Cristian, am I THAT girl?” She looked into his eyes pleadingly.
Cris looked at her confused, “huh? That girl?”
“Yes. The girl that can’t have a man love her! THAT GIRL!” A tear that she had been holding since she first hung up with John dropped from her eyes.
Cris was totally taken aback. He didn’t say anything…he couldn’t say anything…all he could do was grab her hand. He pulled her into a hug and held her as she started to cry…he cries got louder…but he just continued to hold her without speaking. He guessed that she was letting go the months of tears that she had been holding.
****
John sighed and hung up the phone…he knew it would do no good to call her back. She’d probably curse him out. Natalie stood their smirking…happy that she had come between him and Evangeline once again. However, this time around…she did have a real problem.
“Natalie, this better be good,” John said turning around to look at her. “I hate disappointing Evangeline and you know how she feels about our friendship.”
Natalie stepped to him looking him straight in the eyes, “Friendship? That’s what you’re calling it?”
John blew out a frustrated breath, “Natalie…I can’t get into this with you right now. If nothing’s wrong…I’m going to head over to Van’s to try to salvage this latest fuck up.”
Natalie tossed her hair back. She hated playing games with him. He knew full well why she was here.
“It’s Vincent. He still won’t back off. He keeps saying that he wants to cash in on his favor I owe him for finding out that David was the one that shot your father. And for taking the heat on the gun.”
John flinched at the mentioning of that. The mystery he searched to solve for so many years had finally been solved close to a month ago. He now knew that Vickers had shot his father when he was a teen and that Paige, his boss’s girlfriend, had let him die on the operating table due to her drunkenness. The kicker came in to learn that Spencer Truman had covered it all up and was using it for his own personal gain as leverage for Paige’s silence in the whole Margaret Cochran case. He and Natalie had chased Truman all the way to Canada about to cross the border. He was holed up in some sleazy hotel. He had Truman ready to turn himself in….but then Vincent Jones shows up with his boys causing trouble. One thing lead to another and the next thing he knew…Natalie snatched one of Vincent’s boys’ guns and blew Truman’s head off. Her fucking hot temper. Everyone was shocked and he and Vinny acted quickly together agreeing to cover up Natalie’s mess. The officials were called and they made it out to look like self-defense.
Bo and he got the governor to pardon David and Paige for their part…and Todd Manning was exonerated for Margaret’s supposed murder.
The whole thing was a clusterfuck…he thought that finding out who killed his father and bringing them to justice would silence the nagging feeling in his heart. But he still felt empty inside. Something was still missing.
“John!” Natalie barked. “Did you hear me?”
“What?” he said moving past Natalie. “What’s all this talk about Vincent?”
Natalie sighed, “he wants his favor John. He’s been calling me now for a few days…saying that I owe him and if I don’t deliver then…”
John turned around, “then what? He comes to snuff your lights out?! He makes you prostitute for him?!?! Or maybe he breaks your arms!?!”
Natalie jumped back surprised. “John…why are you flipping on me?! What the hell! I’m here telling you that the guy is threatening me and now you’re yelling at me like it’s my fault! You know he can go to the cops on me John! I could end up in jail.”
He started to laugh. “Natalie…did you forget that the guy is a criminal? What did you expect? That he was kidding with you? That he would just let it slide…”
Natalie threw her hands up in the air, “I didn’t know, ok! I thought…well…I don’t know what I thought! But he’s making threats now John! I’m in way over my head!” She plopped down on the sofa and put her head in her hands.
At that moment, John’s heart softened. He knew he had to help her. Vincent Jones wasn’t some small time crook. He’d kill Natalie and not think twice about it. John shook his head and sat down next to her.
“Tell me what he wants,” he said softly.
She looked up with tears in her eyes, “the worst thing in the world…”
“Huh?” he asked. “Does he want you to have sex with him?”
Natalie shook her head. “He wants sex alright. But not with me.”
John rolled his eyes, “Natalie spit it out. So now you’re telling me that he doesn’t want sex from you? What the hell are you talking about?”
She let out a breath, “it’s like this…about 3 weeks ago I was in Rodi’s talking to him and she walked in…she came over to the table to say hello…before she had taken two steps away he was all over knowing who she was…”
“Who is she?” he interjected.
Natalie didn’t say anything.
“Natalie? Who are you talking about?” John asked.
“He said that she would be his payment. Deliver her to him and he’d call us even.” She said quietly. She hung her head down to avoid his eyes.
“Who are you talking about?” John asked again.
“Evangeline,” Natalie said softly.
“What?” John asked in disbelief. “He wants Evangeline?”
Natalie stood up quickly. “Yes. He asked me to put him in her orbit. To introduce him. He wanted to know her numbers, her address…I…I…”
“You what?!” John demanded standing up too. “You what Natalie? What did you do?”
Natalie wrapped her arms around herself, “I didn’t know what to do John. I avoided him then…but then he kept persisting…and I…”
“And you what?! Please tell me you didn’t give him info on Evangeline…”
“John…” she pleaded. “I didn’t know what to do…he was threatening me…”
John got in Natalie’s face, “what information did you give him?”
Natalie stalled.
He was losing patience “ quick. “Natalie…Vincent is a dangerous man. These kinds of guys don’t understand the concept of not getting what they want…”
“Tell me about it,” she said rolling her eyes. “I told him Evangeline had a man. That didn’t work. He wouldn’t hear of it. He wants me to set them up on date. A date John! What am I? Some type of criminal matchmaker!”
John chuckled, he couldn’t help himself. Natalie was getting stupider by the minute. He put his hands on his hips, “Natalie…once again…what did you tell Vincent? Did you agree to setting him up on date?”
She stared at him…at little hurt by his concern only for his ex-lover. “No, I didn’t.”
“Good,” he reached in his jeans pocket and pulled out his keys. “I’m going to go over to her apartment to check it out and let her in on what’s taking place. You know how to let yourself out.”
He moved past her and Natalie reached out and grabbed his arm. “John, listen to me for a second! It’s too late…”
John paused for a moment…knowing Natalie…this was the part where he realized that he wasn’t getting the whole story.
“Natalie, I don’t have time for the games…what are you not telling me?” John gave her a serious look.
Natalie looked down at her hands. “I gave him her numbers John…”
“Oh God…”
“And her address,” she said quietly.
John resisted the urge to slap her.
***
Evangeline was laughing so hard that she almost spit out the wine she was trying to swallow. Cris had just done his infamous Layla impression for the fifth time and she swore that if he did it again, she would bust from laughing so hard.
“Oh my God Cris! You’ve gotta stop!” she said between giggles. “I can’t take anymore and Layla would kill you if she walked in here right now!”
Cris stopped satisfied that he had managed to erase the mood that Evangeline was in earlier. He looked over at her sitting there in her “down clothes” and she looked as beautiful as ever.
Evangeline stopped laughing to look up at Cristian staring at her. God he was handsome, she thought silently to herself.
“Cristian, I love you,” she blurted suddenly. Realizing what she had just said…she threw her hand over her mouth.
Cristian shocked, looked at her. “What did you say?”
“I mean…I love you…but I mean it like in a friend kind of way,” Evangeline said innocently. “You make everything better.”
Cris walked over to her silently and pulled her up by her arms. Without saying words he pulled her into a hug. Evangeline sighed in his embrace.
“I love you too Evangeline. You are my best friend,” he said softly.
“Really?” she asked.
He could feel her heartbeat he was holding her so close. Reluctantly, he released her to look her in her eyes.
“Yes Evangeline. You saved me when I didn’t want to be saved,” he grabbed her hand. “And for that, I will be eternally grateful to you.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently.
Evangeline bowed her head, smitten by his delicacy with her.
“Will you stay the night?” she asked surprising herself.
“Really?”
She thought about it for a moment…she hated being by herself. Layla was never around anymore, she spent most nights at her new man’s house. Having Cristian here fun, they could talk about absolutely nothing for hours…
“Yes, really. Come on…it’ll be like the sleepovers from back in the day,” she kidded.
Cris laughed, “I don’t remember any sleepovers like this!”
“Well there’s always room to try new things, right?” Evangeline shot him a smile.
“Right,” he agreed.
****
John was furious. Or was it more like mad as hell? Either way, he could’ve wringed Natalie’s neck. He couldn’t get over the fact that she had given a man like Vincent Jones Evangeline’s information.
Natalie’s cell phone rang. She looked over at it afraid to answer it.
“Well aren’t you going to answer it?” John asked.
Natalie stood still, “I don’t want to…it could be Vincent calling again.”
John shook his head and walked over to the cell, looking down on the screen his saw the name V JONES blinking across it. John handed the phone over to Natalie.
“Answer it.”
“John…” she started to whine.
“Answer it now dammit,” he demanded. “You can’t ignore this guy.”
Natalie took the phone, opening it up, she looked straight at John. “Hello?”
“Oh so you finally answer the phone when I call,” Vincent said on the other end. “I’ve called you like 4 times. I’m starting to get the feeling that I’m being ignored.”
“No, no…” she cleared her throat. “I’ve just been caught up at work and with classes. I was going to call you back tomorrow.”
Vincent let go an evil laugh, “Classes huh? Now see…a little birdie told me that you weren’t enrolled this semester. I wonder who the liar is right now?”
Shit, she thought. How did he know so much?
“Are you stalking me?” she asked.
“Honey, why would I stalk you? You’re of no interest to me,” Vincent replied bluntly. “You know who I’m interested in. The lady lawyer. Speaking of which…I need for you to arrange a meeting.”
Natalie sighed, “why me Vinny? You already have her numbers…call her yourself.”
John waved his finger at Natalie signaling no.
“Do I have to remind you how you shot Spencer Truman wildly for no reason and then I covered it up for you?” Vincent seethed. “You’re gonna do exactly what I ask bitch or else there are gonna be problems. Are we clear?”
Natalie was silent.
“Are we clear?” Vincent asked again.
Natalie still had her eyes trained on John. “Yes, we’re clear,” she answered.
“Good. I will be in renting a room at the Palace Hotel. I expect you to have arranged for Evangeline to meet me for dinner tomorrow night,” Vincent paused. “Set it up as you know someone that needs attorney services.”
“Vincent…I…”
“No excuses. Tomorrow night, 8pm,” Vincent hung up the phone. He knew that the stupid redhead better come through or she was going to find herself with a one-way ticket to jail. Shit, the gun she grabbed was preserved with her fingerprints on it and everything. She better deliver the beautiful attorney or else her Uncle dearest and all the other rich snobs in her family were gonna know what their little precious Natalie had been up to.
Natalie closed her cell and looked up at John was standing nearby glaring at her.
“What did he want?” he asked.
“The same thing he wants whenever he calls…Evangeline,” she answered rolling her eyes. “He wants me to set them up, like a client meeting, tomorrow night at the Palace. How in the hell am I gonna get Evangeline to believe me?”
John ran his hands through his hair, “Set it up. I will warn Evangeline about what’s taking place. She’s smart, she’ll be able to play it coy. In the meantime, we’ve got to get something on Vincent that will get him to back off.”
Natalie looked at John, “you think we’ll be able to get something on him? Something bigger that will keep him from taking me down too?”
He fixed his blue eyes on her, “I hope so. Now go home. I’ll head over to Evangeline’s in the morning to let her know.”
She reached down and grabbed her jacket. She was glad John was able to help her with this…she would hate to actually have to call Evangeline and make up something about a new client wanting to meet her. Natalie could care less about what happened with Vincent. Maybe she would actually like him and run off into the sunset with him, and then she wouldn’t have to worry about the competition for John’s heart. They weren’t together, but she couldn’t get close to him because of this barrier he put up around his heart. She knew it was because he was still carrying feelings for Evangeline.
“John, thanks again for your help,” Natalie said heading towards the door.
She opened it and walked through, she took one last look over at him standing there with his hands on his hips and his head down.
“Get some sleep John. You look like shit,” she shook her head and closed the door behind her.
Glad she was gone, John headed over to his bed. His head was ringing terribly. He would have to go over to Evangeline’s first thing in the morning and explain the Vincent Jones situation to her. She wouldn’t be pleased with the fact that she would be doing this to help Natalie…but he knew that he had no choice. Vincent was a serious man and would expect to see Evangeline there tomorrow night. Damn Natalie for putting him and Evangeline in these circumstances.
He couldn’t imagine something happening to his Evangeline, much less another man having her. He was a fool to let her go, but he knew that part of him couldn’t love her the way she needed and deserved right now. He was still a broken man who needed to fix himself first. To top it all off, he was being unfair with Evangeline’s heart. Secretly, he desired her to wait on him. To just give him some time to figure it all out. It wasn’t right and he certainly didn’t vocalize those desires to her…but she was still single and that gave him hope.
John set his alarm for 7am, he wanted to get over to Evangeline’s early tomorrow. Maybe he could get her to get some goods on Vincent that would help them take him down.
***
Evangeline woke suddenly. She looked around her. She was on the couch lying in between Cristian’s legs. Her head was snuggled on his chest. His strong arm was thrown across her body pulling her deeper into his chest. It had been a long time since a man had held her while she slept. She liked it. There was something very comforting about it.
She had told Cristian she loved him tonight. It just rolled off of her tongue. It came so natural to her that it shocked her. Cris had quickly become one of her best friends…but she didn’t want to murk up their friendship by pushing it further. She appreciated what they had. Cris had gotten her through some pretty tough times the past few months.
Evangeline stirred a little…Cris, still asleep, automatically pulled her a little closer to him. Continuing to appreciate the closeness and feel of his body, she closed her eyes and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Members: 497
Series: 0
Stories: 263
Chapters: 2316
Word count: 5758652
Authors: 46
Reviews: 2241
Reviewers: 42
Newest Member: james83
Guests: 2
Members:
Members: