“Caleb is dead.” Why does he have to be so cold? “Don’t give me that look, it’s the truth.”
“And one day I’ll be dead and I’ll have to go up there and deal with the pain he feels knowing that I was sharing a bed with his brother just a few short months after his life ended so quickly.”
He rolls his eyes. “You’re romanticising reality. He’s gone, I’m here. It’s that simple.”
“You’re tarnishing your brother’s memory by even suggesting I marry you,” I shout, my hands in fists by my sides. My face feels warm. “I won’t.”
His eyes darken. “And why not? Just because of my brother?”
“Because I don’t think of you in that way!”
He laughs cruelly. “I’d believe you if your eyes weren’t flickering all over the place, Guinevere. You don’t lie very well. You’re too honest to lie.”
A growl-like noise escapes me. “You are unbelievable! And deluded.”
“I’m realistic. An attractive woman and an attractive man spend their time at home alone, sharing meal times and conversation. I don’t have female friends. I have female acquaintances.” He steps into me, his eyes boring down into mine. “And I have females that I fuck.”
“Oh, so you’re allowed to swear? I’m done with this conversation.” I try to step around him but he dominates my space, his arms coming up to cage me in. I feel the hard muscles of his stomach press against my belly. “Christ, you are really driving me crazy. Seriously, I’m ready to… to… Gah.” My hands press against his chest but he doesn’t budge. “I’m going back to live with my mum.”
His smile becomes cocky. “No you’re not.”
“Yes I am.”
He leans in close and I can smell the cleanliness of his skin. Soap and Nathan. “You’re not.”
“Please move.” I look over his shoulder, refusing to make eye contact. “I don’t know why you’re doing this to me but it’s not fair. I’ve done nothing to you.” Now I do look him in the eye, in an attempt to make him understand me. “I just want to be friends, but now I’m not even sure if I want that.”
“I’ll let us remain friends for now, but things will change.” My lip vanishes behind my teeth and his heated eyes darken and stare at that area. “Maybe I should just kiss you now. We both know you won’t resist.”
I want to argue with this but I can’t. I’m like a rabbit in headlights.
“But I won’t. I won’t kiss you until you’re ready.” His fingers tuck my hair behind my ear and his thumb swipes across my cheekbone. “But make no mistake, I don’t want to be your friend, Gwen. You know this now, you know my intentions. One day I will kiss you and one day you will be mine.” His smile softens. “Until then I’ll play along.”
“I hate you right now.” I whisper, tired of this game and this conversation.
“Hate is an emotion I can live with.” He smiles wickedly and straightens, his arms by his sides. “There’s a very thin line between love and hate and the opposite to love is indifference. So…” Soft lips touch my forehead for an endless moment. “You can still love me and hate me at the same time.”
“Deluded.” My legs finally do their job and march me past him. “I’m leaving.”
“You’re not.” Grr. He is really pissing me off now. “If you try, I will drag you back kicking and screaming if I have to.”
“You need help. Mental help.”
His smug grin flickers. “Perhaps.”
I leave the room and lock my arms together across my belly. It doesn’t stop them from trembling but it helps me feel a little bit safer.
I’m about to grab the keys from their usual spot when memories of the last time I did this crash through my brain like endless angry waves against a cliff. There’s no way I’m going through that again.
As I ponder what I’m going to do, coming up with zero answers, there’s a knock at the door. Maybe Jeanine forgot to bring her keys.
Before I get a chance to open it more than an inch, it’s being pushed with a force that sends it flying into the wall. If there weren’t a doorstopper at the base the handle would have left a nasty indent in the plaster. “NATHAN!” I shout when his father storms past me and up the stairs. “NATHAN!”
His father isn’t interested in me, he completely ignores me. Should I call the Police? I don’t know what to do.
Mr Weston reaches the top of the stairs but Nathan is stood there already. “You absolute cunt.”
His father’s words shock me but Nathan doesn’t seem affected. “Leave.”
“You absolute cunt, it’s not enough that you’re suing me but now you’re trying to take my business as well?”
Nathan’s body goes tight. “I assure you I’m not touching the family business. I’m starting my own.”
“Same fucking thing!” His father rages, his face purpling with anger and spit flying from his mouth.
Nathan stands his ground. I wish they’d move away from the stairs; it’s making me nervous. All I can picture is one of them falling. “Nathan,” I say quietly, but his eyes don’t come to me.
“You’re drunk,” he states to his father.
“The Petersons have been a part of my company for years… so imagine my shock when they told me they were terminating our contract.”
Nathan shrugs. “They came to me after I spoke to Harrison.” I have no idea who any of these people are. “He’s selling me one of his smaller stores.”
Well that’s good.
“It won’t work.” His father sways slightly as his arm lifts to point a finger at Nathan. “Your jewellery is amateur.”
“Better than old fashioned,” I mutter and the angry drunk sneers at me.
“Nobody respects the opinion of a whore,” Mr Weston growls at me, his tone full of malice and hate. Totally undeserved.
Nathan’s body tightens and I feel the space around us fill with his anger, his fury. It’s so potent I can almost see it. I really wouldn’t like to be his father right now, who is oblivious and staring at me.
“She’s still here.” His eyes are on me but his words are aimed at Nathan. “We had a deal.”
“And when you received the papers from my solicitor, that should have told you I had no interest in making a deal with you. I have no interest in you at all actually.”
Go Nathan!
His father begins to descend the stairs. Nathan cuts ahead of him and puts himself between us. “You always were a failure, Nathan. Failed as a son, failed college, failed university, you’ll fail this too.” What?
“I don’t care. I’m bored of hearing you say it.” Nathan sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “You need to leave before you make a bigger fool of yourself.”
Mr Weston leans around his son. “He’ll fail you too.” His cold eyes go to his son, his body still swaying from the effects of whatever alcohol it is he’s consumed. “Like he failed me and his brother.”