CHAPTER 6– INTERRUPTED.
~Alexander
There she was. Amelia Carrington.
My step sister and my ex fiancée.
I seriously would have loved an earthquake better than this right now.
Every breath I didn't know I was holding clawed its way out of me. Same amazing grey eyes, same red lipstick that once had me on my knees.
At least that was before I realised what a snake she and her mother ,Olivia was.
"Adrian," she breathed, shutting the door behind her like she still owned the place. "I heard the news."
The aura around us turned chilly with the swift change in Jaxon's mood.
He straightened and I tensed.
Jaxon hated Amelia and made no bones about showing it.With his Anti personality disorder,Jaxon was a scary guy .
Even Amelia taught twice before daring him and that was saying a lot.
"Who let you in?"
Jaxon growled,both arms shoved deep into his pockets ,his dead eye staring nails into Amelia.
"Jaxonnnnn" she cooed with a fake smile I knew would only serve to enrage Jaxon all the more" it's been so long ..."
A jaw nerve flexed taut in his cheek .
"Jaxon," I warned.
He spun, impaling me with a chill gaze and stretched his lips in a smile.
It didn't reach his eyes.
"Welcome back , Amelia. Looks like my brother is more than happy to go down on you again."
He spat and then leaned into her .
His whisper was barely audible.
" Pull this stunt next time and I'll make sure Olivia doesn't see your corpse."
He grated and stormed out of the office. The door clicked shut behind him.
Amelia had gone chalk-white in fright.
I sighed in exasperation .That was Jaxon for you.
"You know you should learn to put your junior twin in his place.You are the CEO here."
She whined,an angry glint belied the patronising tone.
" CO-CEO." I corrected sharply,my tone beginning to pulse with anger too "and should I remind you that's my brother you're talking about?"
The glint faded from her eyes and a more deadly one leapt into it.That scheming light she always had that repulsed me as much as it attracted me.
"I'm sorry.It was a joke.".
I ran a finger through my hair.I reached into a drawer and withdrew a bottle of aspirin.I popped two to stauch the coming migraine I knew I would have tonight.
"When did you fly back to town ? And why are you here , Amelia?"
Silence stretched. The kind that dripped memories.
"You look good," she said finally, stepping closer. "Though I suppose a fiancée helps with that."
I stood, buttoning my jacket. "I'm not in the mood to play games Amelia.What is it you really want?"
Her laugh was soft, seductively feminine. "What I've always wanted. You."
"Amelia—"
She moved fast—hand on my chest, eyes glinting. "Don't pretend you don't feel it. We were perfect. You can't just erase that because of some arrangement my mom and I made."
I scoffed angrily, appalled "you call what you and Olivia did " an arrangement"?"
She clasped her long slim arms around my forearm.
" Come on.This is all in the past and I've begged you enough.Its high time you forgave me."
" It's not high time enough."
I ground out ,before walking around her to get to the door.
" Alex -"She called in a needy voice ,clasping her arms around my chest me from behind.
"I'm sorry,Alex.Please..."
Her perfume hit me first. Jasmine and smoke. The scent that used to mean trouble.Her teary tone hit me next
"I've moved on,Amelia," I said, but it came out hoarse.
She pulled away and spun me to look into my eyes.
She smiled like she'd already won. "You're lying."
"Amelia, stop."
"Tell me you don't still think about that night."
I froze.
Her lips curved. "Exactly."
She stood on tiptoe, her mouth inches from mine, whispering, "One kiss, Alex. For old times' sake."
And damn it, for a heartbeat, I almost did.
Her fingers brushed my collar—
"Alexander?"
We sprang apart.
My mother stood at the door, pearls gleaming, expression commanding.
Her gaze slid from Amelia's hand on my chest to my arms around her slender waist.
"Well," she said coolly. "I see the welcome-home committee has arrived early."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Amelia and my mum stared icily at each other before she sashayed out of my office confidently.
I huffed out a breath
For years, silence had been my only company. But when my mother finally walked through the door, heels clicking like thunder itself, I realized I'd almost missed the sound. Almost.
"Mother," I said with a grimace. "You look well."
She set down her purse and took a long, assessing look at me. "You don't."
I smiled faintly. "Work's been... work."
She sat on the couch and relaxed .I remained standing.
"And love?" she asked, arching a brow. "Or should I say—your fiancée?"
I stiffened. "So that's what this visit is about."
Her expression softened, just for a moment. "You really think I'd come all this way for small talk, Alexander?.We need to see her,approve of this 'girl' you've so fallen for that you got engaged to her barely minutes after meeting her."
I shoved my fists into my pockets.
"She's good for me," I said quietly. "She doesn't ask questions. She doesn't—"
"—know who you are," she cut in, her voice sharp. "Or what you've done."
I exhaled, the air heavy in my chest. "We're not doing this again."
My fists were beginning to tremble as they did whenever we talked about this.Sweat sheened my forehead despite the air conditioning.
She ignored that. "Fifteen years, Alexander. Fifteen years, and you still think love can wash away blood?"
My jaw locked,the trembling had begun a full blown shaking now.Images flashed behind my eyes as the migraine I suspected pounded in my skull.
"It was an accident."
I managed to strangle out .I couldn't breathe.
"An accident doesn't leave the blood of a mother and child that rusted you with their lives on your hands !" she snapped. "Don't you dare hide behind that word."
I turned away,clasping my aching skull in both hands to stare at the floor-to-ceiling window.
"Do you ever get tired of this?" I muttered. "Dragging me back every time I try to forget this?"
Her voice trembled—not with weakness, but fury. "I was against you getting married to Amelia for obvious reasons but if you are getting married to some gold digging Carrington wannabe,I'll actually prefer you get married to Amelia.If anything she knows what you did and is okay with it.Whats more ?You compromise Olivia so she doesn't do anything without risking a falling out with her daughter.You think you're the only one haunted? I lost a son that night too. The good one."
That did it. Something inside me cracked, clean and deep.
"Then why did you come here?" I asked hoarsely.
"So you never forget what you did and what we owe Olivia for shushing up the media and covering up your crime.".
Her eyes glistened.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke. The air pulsed with things better left unsaid.
Finally, I sank back into the couch, pressing my palms into my eyes. "You should go, Mom."
She hesitated by the door. "Try all you might to erase your past , Son but you can't escape it. When I look at you , I see a murderer ."
"Get out!!!! " I yelled at her,the veins pulsing in my head.
She left without another word.
I collapsed into the couch , panting. Beating against my chest to mirror the pain and anguish I felt inside .
I felt rather than saw Jaxon enter the office.He took a long look at me and propped him
self against the wall.
He lighted a cigarette.He blew two smoke rings into the air .
"What did she say this time?"
"The truth.I killed them."