Chapter Eleven
Famous last words, Liz thought as she walked around to the stairs leading to her apartment. She should have noticed Kyle’s car parked out front, but her mind was still on the budding feelings she was having toward Max Evans.
“Liz,” he said, getting to his feet.
“Kyle,” she replied, trying to get past him and up the stairs.
“Liz we need to talk,” he implored, grabbing a hold of her arm.
“Get you hands off of me,” she snarled, trying to break his grip.
“I said we need to talk.”
“You need to drop dead.”
“Is that the way to talk to the father of your child?”
Liz barked out a laugh. Freeing herself with a wrench, she spun on him and snorted. “The father of my child, what a hoot!”
“Liz what’s the matter with you?”
“Me? I think the problem here is you. I want nothing to do with you. Why can’t you get that though your thick head.”
“I want to discuss those ridiculous demands your lawyer sent me,” he growled.
“They are not ridiculous Kyle, they’re what I deserve. Considering what you’ve been doing behind my back for the past six years, your getting off easy.”
“Easy? Liz you want it all! What am I going do do? Where am I going to live after you sell the house?”
“That’s not my problem. Why don’t you shack up with one of your lovers, I’m sure one of them will take you in until you get back on your feet.”
“Is that where you want me to take the baby when I have visitations?” he sneered.
“Your never going to see the baby, so there’s no problem.”
“It’s half mine and I’ll be damned if your going to take him away from me!”
Liz’s control on her anger broke. She hauled off and slapped him across the face. “You don’t have anything. Aurora’s mine.” She laughed bitterly. “Remember the the Halloween party? Do you remember what we did?”
“We didn’t do anything at the party, I was with....”
“With who Kyle? Not with me that’s for sure, but that’s the night I got pregnant. So you see, she’s not yours.”
“You cheated on me?” he asked incredulously.
“No I thought it was you, he had on the same costume, but I should have know it wasn’t you from the first. He treated me like you never did; like a woman. Go away Kyle. Sign the papers and forget about the last six years. I know I plan to.”
Kyle watched her walk up the stairs. “You cheated on me! Wait until I tell my lawyer, he’s going to take you to the cleaners!”
Turning to look down a him she replied, “Do what you got to do, Kyle, but remember this: if you try and make this unpleasant, your finished. I’ll make sure this divorce is the biggest and ugliest thing to ever hit the papers. Oh and by the way, how’s your Dad?”
“You bitch! You turned him against me and you know it!”
“No you turned him against you. Didn’t you ever realize that your mother almost killed him by what she did? Your no better that she was.” Turning the key in the door, she opened it and closed it softly behind her.
###
Kyle spun away from the stair and straight into Max’s fist. Falling to the ground, he grabbed his nose and cried out when he saw the blood. “Who the fuck are you?”
“The guy who's going to beat the shit out of you,” Max said softly, an evil gleam in his eye.
“Your Evans, right?” Kyle asked, regaining his feet. “What the hell are you doing at my wife's house?”
“Making sure Liz was okay.”
“You leave my wife alone. If she needs anything, I’ll take care of her.”
“Like you did in New York?”
“How did you... did she tell you? She lies. She got everything screwed up, like usual.”
Max punched him in the gut. “No she didn’t tell me a thing. You think you didn’t have an audience at the hotel? Your a fool, Kyle.
"Marrying Liz was the only good thing you ever did with your sorry excuse of a life and you blew it. Leave her alone. She deserves to be happy and with you around, that can’t happen.”
Grunting, Kyle unfolded himself from the crouch he was in and snarled, “And you can? I know all about you, Evans. All you care about is a bunch of lowlifes who refuse to get a job and make their own way. Instead, they come begging to you and Masterson hands over all the money I work so hard to make for Metachem. You disgust me.”
“The feeling is mutual. Stay away from Liz and you might make it out in one piece.”
“What’s that suppose to mean?”
“Leave Liz alone and you'll never have to know.”
“You wait, Evans, I’ll make you pay for this!” he cried, staggering down the ally.
Max watched him go and resisted the urge to climb the stairs to Liz’s apartment. He had come upon their argument right before it finished. He had been shocked to hear that she knew Kyle wasn’t Aurora’s father. This could be the opening he needed to tell her it was him behind the mask. No, she’s been thought enough today. Maybe I’ll talk to Iz. She might know how I can approach Liz.
###
“Well, that’s it,” Liz’s lawyer said, sliding the papers Liz had just signed into her folder. “All I need to do is have the judge sign these and it’s over.”
Liz gave him a grateful smile. She didn’t know what made Kyle change his mind, but he had his lawyer send over the signed papers a few days after their fight at her apartment. He accepted everything she wanted and had given up all rights to the baby.
“Thank you,” she said, getting to her feet and showing him to the door. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
“My pleasure, Miss Parker. If you need anything else....”
“I’ll be sure to call you,” she finished.
“Good afternoon.”
“Bye.”
Maria came over and put her arm around her shoulders. “That was weird. After you told me about Kyle’s threats, I was sure he was going to make you divorce into a three ring circus.”
“You and me both. I wonder what changed his mind?”
“Who cares! Your finally free from that scum bag.” Maria did a little dance and Liz laughed. She blessed the day she met her best friend. She didn’t know how she would have made it thru all this without her.
“Who’s on baby-sitting detail tonight?” she asked the capering blonde.
“Me,” she groaned. “Can you please tell me why we have to spend half the night at Metachem? It’s seriously cutting into my social life.”
“What social life?” teased Liz.
“Thanks for reminding me!”
“Sorry. I know it’s a pain, but Doug wants everything perfect and if one of us isn’t there overseeing things, we’ll never make the deadline”
“But why June twenty-fifth? Nine weeks to makeover two floors and the conference room is nuts! I know money is no object, but damn girl, he’s asking the impossible.”
“We still have seven weeks left, Maria. That’s plenty of time. All we’re doing is a little painting and replacing the carpets.”
“And the window treatment, the art work and half the furniture. Do you realize what I had to do to get that manufacture in North Carolina to put a rush on the tables?”
“I’m sure you handled it like you always do; with grace and charm.”
“Try spit and determination,” she complained.
“Just think about the huge commission we’re going to get," she cajoled. "Didn’t you say you were getting tired of the Jetta? Maybe we could get a Volvo or something.”
“Sure, go ahead and bribe me, why don’t you,” she laughed. “Okay, I’ll go, but I don’t have to like it.”
Liz kissed her cheek and said, “Thanks. Oh and by the way, give my love to Old Stonewall for me, will ya?”
“Oh don’t get me started on Mr. Michael Gurien. I swear to God, one of these days I’m going to knock his block off.”
“Just make sure you don’t get blood on the new rugs!”