Never the Same

Chapter 38

"You devious, deluded cow. I knew you couldn't leave well enough alone. You couldn't take your break up on the chin and move on like a normal person. You can't leave my boyfriend alone for one second because all you want is answers from him. Well, he may not want to give them to you but I sure as hell will. He dumped you. Get over it. He has. He doesn't love you, he loves me. He even loves me enough to allow me to be part of his empire when we're married and that is what true love is. He's moved on now. So do one. If you contact him again, I'll make it my mission to teach you a lesson you will never forget."

Nadia's evil voice is still ringing in my ears as I play the voicemail back for Luca. It's the very first one she left for me and we're talking way back before she and Luca broke up. Long before she found out she was pregnant. It still sends chills down my spine when I hear it. It did when Allison and I first heard it when we were sitting in my gran's living room, it did when I listened to it earlier today, and it still does even now.

You can hear the sinfulness in her voice. You can hear the vindictiveness in her tone as she tells me to get over my feelings because they aren't reciprocated. Even if you were to play this to a stranger, they'd be able to hear how nasty of a person Nadia is.

"I know we used that in court but we can use that with the new evi-" I stop mid-sentence as the office door opens with a small knock.

"Mr. Madden," Jones greets with a tight nod.

"Jones, I thought you were still on leave," Luca responds, standing up straight. "Carlo told me that you're not scheduled to be back until next week at the earliest."

I briefly look at Luca when he mentions where Jones has been. At least he wasn't fired for not fulfilling his duty that day. He's still got a job and I'm actually glad that he's been given some time off because he too has gone through a lot lately. It's something we can easily forget and we have forgotten that.

Jones has gone from protecting Luca, to protecting me which is a big deal because Luca wouldn't trust just anybody with that job. Add in being in a car chase, witnessing a car accident and not being able to save the person he's being paid to protect. They are things that can easily take its toll on you which it has with Jones. He's needed time away from his job and if I'm being honest, he's looking a lot better than he did the last time I saw him.

"I am but I wanted to come and speak to Miss. Fletcher." He doesn't look at me as he speaks my name. His head is bowed, hands are clasped and I know it's because he feels bad for not following through on his promise to protect me. "Miss. Fletcher, I would like to say to you that I'm sorry for not fulfilling my duties."

"It's fine, Jones." I assure.

"Now it is but I should have been watching over you that day. I should have been sitting outside waiting and I was until I had to move the car because I was parked up in a restricted area."

"That area being for residents only," I voice the unspoken meaning.

"Yes," he confirms, his gaze lifting to meet mine. "One of the neighbours had called the police about my car sitting parked up in the same place with me in it for a substantial amount of time. The police came and I had to move."

"Which is most likely when Terence took you out of Allison's flat and into his car," Luca sighs.

I frown and look back at the computer screen. The file from Nadia's latest voicemail to me is on the screen still to be played. I click 'play' and her voice begins to play through the speakers.

"Luca may have won the court case but this is far from over between us. If you think for a single moment that I won't get to you by one way or another, you're wrong. You may not use this phone anymore but I know you'll still have it. I know you'll pull this out of its box sooner or later and when you do, it'll be too late. I'll have gotten to you in a way that goes undetected by others and that will be the ultimate win."