Higher Octave (Heavy Influence #2.5) Read Free Page B

“I
can’t be here with you.”
    Yes you can, you can do
whatever you want. “Have dinner with me
when we get back to LA.”
    “You’re not hearing me, Jake. I can’t do
this with you anymore. I had years to think about this.” She
twirled away from me, bewilderment cloaked her face. “I wanted this
moment, right now, to happen. I prayed for it. Like all the other
times.” Her hands moved under her chin in prayer, and she stared at
me long and hard. But instead of saying more, she moved to exit and
slid the milky glass door all the way open. People in the kitchen
looked in our direction, but went back to their business. “I don’t
want to spend the rest of my life on a roller-coaster, worrying if
you’re gonna freak again. Worrying if you’re gonna…” She threw her
arms out, vexed, and shook her head. “I’m happy you’re sober. I
love you, Jake. I always will.”
    She spun out the door, but I grabbed her
hand and pulled her back in, embracing her. “For now,” I whispered
and kissed her forehead, letting her go. “It’s not over until it’s
over.” I almost pointed to the ring on her hand.
    We didn’t speak for the rest of the night,
but I kept meeting her gaze.
    Until next time.
    The next morning, Marty packed his bags into
the car as I sipped on my coffee, looking over the bay. “Aly’s
probably asleep in one of these little hotels.”
    “Mhmm. Where’s Lilliana?” He changed the
subject. I supposed he was over my obsession with Aly. I’m sure
everyone was.
    “She’s staying. Visiting friends or some
shit.” I could care less about Lilliana. I’d only invited her
because I thought Nathan would be there, guarding his treasure. I
took him not being there as another sign of hope.
    Marty grunted arranging the bags. He stomped
his foot. “Are you gonna just stand there? Hand me your bags.”
    “Did you just stomp your foot?” I
scoffed.
    He rolled his eyes at me. “I’m tired. Hand
me your bags.”
    “Why, Martin.” I wagged my finger at him and
bent to grab my bag. “Did you drink too much last night and fuck
around with Nadine?” Marty ignored me, snatching my bag away from
me, and it made me snigger. I tsk’d at him. “You don’t wanna
disappoint your parents by your continued hanky-panky with the
likes of a non-Jewish girl, do you?”
    He stood rigid, not amused by my teasing. He
adjusted his glasses. “It’s none of your business.”
    “Oh come on. I’m just fuckin’ with you.” I
slapped him on the back kindly and shoved him out of the way. “Get
in the car. I got this.”
    I could tell Marty wasn’t feeling well. He
was the most disheveled I’d ever seen him. He wasn’t wearing his
signature, neatly pressed button-up dress shirt. He wore a black
zip hoodie over a t-shirt. That never happened. I wanted to offer
to drive, but fear interceded. Maybe I’d try to drive around once I
figured out where I’d be staying back in LA.
    “Marty, man, sorry that I can’t drive. I
thought about it, and I need to…like, do it around a familiar
hood.”
    He ran his hand over his head. “It’s okay.”
He sighed. “We didn’t sleep at all. I need at least seven hours’
sleep. I’m never drinking that much again. She certainly loves that
champagne.”
    I chuckled. “You can sleep on the
plane.”
    “Yeah.”
    Marty was flying back to New York from San
Francisco. He’d moved into the guestroom of the apartment Aly and I
used to share after he’d helped Sienna clear all her shit out of
there. I told him he just had to pay the utilities and make sure it
was always ready for me to come home. I’d not set foot in the place
since I hit rock bottom. I’d yet to sell it because of Aly. I
almost put it on the market the day after Bobby told me about Aly
and Nathan. Now I was glad I hadn’t. I’d give it one last shot with
Aly. No matter how long it took, until she married me, or someone
else. If she married someone else, I’d sell it with everything in
it, including the