Matthew's POV
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However bizarrely even at ten pm whilst the sky is dark and the stars are faintly shining down on us Manhattan is rammed with people. Surprisingly the natural light from the stars and moon alike are dim jewels in comparison to the many vivid billboards, the absolutely wild brightly lit displays. Times Square is loud, a cacophonous symphony of horns honking, yellow cabs idling, music streaming out of restaurants, street performers and cyclists with boomboxes passing us by. When one has been presented with the tranquility of a secluded farmhouse in rural Italy for weeks, almost anything would seem too loud. This is extreme, perhaps the loudest state in the whole of the USA. Pulling my camera up I focus the lens and snap a few shots before walking past a dance troupe performing around the traffic with crowds surrounding them cheering.
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"Which hotel is it dude" Ross says walking slightly ahead of me, his shirt swings open as he turns his tanned face to me and shoots me an open smile.
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"Fancy one" I say distracted grasping for my phone in my jeans pocket, I hadn't wished to check it before because it's a reminder that Taylor has not messaged me, that she's with her husband. I pull it out now and take a look at the reservation booked for us on behalf of my company.
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"Something plaza" I say to him following a map on my phone.
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"Nice man" he says grinning the traveller in him is evident, he enjoys going to new places, he seems at ease in any surrounding. As long as he has a book and a pen he feels at home.
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"Hey Ross let's take a picture" I say lightening my mood for him as he turns around showing me his best grin. Extending his arms either side as I take a picture of him with the backdrop of the buildings behind him, half of his hair pulled into a knot.
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"And a selfie of the both of us" he asks as I roll my eyes.
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"Here I'll take it" he says grasping my phone.
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"Oh a message from Taylor" he smirks as I suppress the urge of snatching it off of him and instantly replying to her. He snaps a picture of us and then gives me the once over before handing back my phone.
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"Dangerous territory" he smirks as I check out her message.
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"Married. Check. Pregnant. Check. One child already check. Ugh yeah" he rattles on as I devour her message.
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"Look you can't talk you proposed to her" I say smirking and looking up at him before messaging her back and sending through the images of us safely in Manhattan. It seems Henry has had another crying episode, Taylor has also described the sea and the white sand of Dubai detailing it eloquently almost like a poet would. I get a vivid image in my head of her in a swanky penthouse and smile.
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"Before she was married. I proposed before she was married" He scoffs pushing his hair back looking up at a rather tall glass building. Circular lights illuminate the main entrance and a marble floor that shines all the way through to the reception opens up to us as we walk in.
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The procedure for checking in is seamless and within minutes we are in one of the suites, Ross lounging back on his queen sized bed and me taking pictures of the skyline over the balcony. The room is luxurious, Ross fusses over the huge flat screen and the interconnecting bathroom as I take my shots ignoring him.
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"Here" he says interrupting me as I zoom in on a tall building. Removing the camera from my face I let it swing around my neck as I take the glass of brandy from him. Seated looking down at the city we share a quiet drink.
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"She's wonderful I've said it time and time again. But I've learnt when Taylor sets her mind in one direction she tends to mean it" he begins softly.
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"You're forgetting that I pursued her when you two were together" he says eyeing me before sipping his brandy and lighting up a cigarette.
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"That brought me a whole load of perspective on her character. Her mindset to stick to her guns." He sighs laughing slightly.
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"This is different for me Ross" I protest instantly as he shakes his head.
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"No doubt about it, the outcome is still the same though right" he says seriously as I look up at him, fathoming his perspective as he lounges back on the upholstered chair.
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"She's still with him. She's still pregnant and married. She's still not with you" he says bluntly and it's like a bucket of ice water drenching me. I glance at her message again and will her to send me another. I must keep our connection alive at all costs.
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"But she loves me" I tell him as he scoffs lighting up a cigarette for me and handing me it.
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"She's still not with you though" he explains shaking his head.
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"How many times have I expressed that Taylor loves me, that she cares deeply for me. It was never enough" he says softly as I nod soberly, remaining quiet and letting him have the last word. I glance down at my phone again and he notices the gesture.
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"What have you been doing!?" He eyes me curiously as I smile down into my lap watching another message pop through.
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"What Jesus?!" He smirks as I push my brunette hair back and laugh slightly.
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"You cannot tell a soul" I look up at him, images flood my brain of taking her to London one day. Buying the house I've had planned, for years. Watching her every morning asleep, holding her in my arms. Im not utterly delusional these things take work, but I'm willing to put in that work for the idea of us. For the day where I can look back and say it was all worth it.
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"Be real you're my friend. Jay and I haven't ever seen eye to eye" he laughs and I snicker slightly.
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"I asked Taylor to leave with me the night Jay dislocated her arm. She told me no of course. I offered again to get us out of there including you by the way to anywhere away from him. After I walked in on him holding her down in bed, she was shouting I heard from the hall and that's what the bruises were on her arms. I told her I could take her anywhere away from that situation and she told me under no circumstances would she leave him" I begin and he nods understanding, stroking his hair back.
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"She's not in any direct harm with him?" He asks curiously as I shake my head unknowingly.
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"I'm not sure, he went into shock. Or some shit" I say exasperated.
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"She defended him" I say angrily.
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"It's nuts but the whole thing made me super protective like I needed her away from him more than ever. So the last day I tried when you went off writing. I thought that if I could just plant a seed in her head, if I could just open her up to the idea of being with me then maybe in time, who knows. So I kissed her and she let me" I mutter surprising myself as he inhales his cigarette and looks out at the skyline.
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"He's not right for her. You know that Ross" I defend myself as he shakes his head sipping brandy.
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"He's her husband Matthew. She has chosen him. You care for her deeply and so do I. But if she were in any danger kissing her is not the answer it just riles him up more and makes room for more arguments" he says stubbornly as I shake my head.
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"He won't find out" I tell him seriously watching his surprised expression before I carry on.
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"He won't and eventually what he did to me, when he took my whole life from underneath me he will receive the karma for it. I never stopped loving her, she's the only one." I explain as he eyes me seriously.
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"You guys went through it" he nods thinking.
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"I dealt with it awfully. Had my whole life planned and then it was over. But I live for the day where she turns to him and tells him she is leaving him" I say defiantly.
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"I would never hit a woman, let alone somebody I love. Nor would you." I say supporting my case turning to him and pleading with him to see my side. To see past Jay and his money, the way he keeps her with his wealth.
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"But he would. It killed me to look at him after that. To see her defend him every time anybody mentioned her arm. I had to watch her in pain because of him when they put her arm back into its socket. Grief or no grief it's wrong. You don't hit your wife." I say looking back down at her message and replying.
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"What has she been saying" he asks intrigued as I sign off my message with my name and kisses.
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"About Dubai and Henry. How the beaches are beautiful even though they arrived just before sunset it's very warm. How she loves that you look happy in New York, how she wishes she could experience the street art and the dancers." I say wistfully imagining her here. He nods solemnly setting his glass down on the table before standing up and looking out into the city lights. The differing shapes of the buildings lining the skyline, the many lights and the noise, a muffled hum that rises up to our balcony.
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"I miss when she wasn't with him" he says oddly and I look up at him. His face solemn and his eyes unusually sad.
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"What I mean is when they got with each other I knew that was it. She was sold on him. He's utterly enthralled her Matthew, created a little dream world for her and filled it with fancy cars and designer dresses" he smirks taking a seat again and lighting up another.
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“Something tells me he’s not far off ruining things for himself with this new job” I mutter, wishful thinking for sure as I look out at the stars lining the dark sky.
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“He gets that look in his eye when he feels like taking over the world” I laugh looking over at Ross.
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“You think he’s done being Mr family man” he says inquisitively and I laugh watching him as he ponders the entire thing.
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“He’s a CEO. It only gets more and more demanding. More and more time away. She’s not that kind of woman. Taylor needs somebody who’s there, who’s present both physically and emotionally” I say looking down at the image of us on my wallpaper. The one I took when we were engaged, her happy smile and my arms around her waist. Ross strokes his hair back thinking as I sit back in my own chair finishing off my brandy.
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“But do you think she’s safe” Ross asks softly, his voice a whisper in the dark as I turn to face him reliving the moment I saw Jay hold her down, the fear behind her eyes as she looked up at me.
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“I will make it my absolute goal to be sure of that” I tell him before pocketing my phone and turning in for the night.
