Scorch (Virtues & Lies Book 2)

by Alexandra Silva

  “Why didn’t you say anything?” Francis asks as I start for the door.

  “It’s none of your business.” I need to get out of here. I need to get to Fleur, and I need to make sure she’s safe. I need to protect her from my own family, the people I wouldn’t think twice about killing or dying for.

  “You were meant to look out for her.” Penny grabs my arm as I push past Francis and my father. “You were meant to protect her, not sleep with her.”

  So I kept telling myself every fucking time I allowed myself to get lost in Fleur’s tight cunt.

  I don’t bother responding. Yanking my arm back, I leave them all behind.

  The hotel is quiet, the décor from the auction the only evidence of the function. It doesn’t take long for the valet to get a cab. I manage to get the old boy driving to step on the gas with an overly generous tip.

  The Soho backstreet is dark and quiet as usual. Nothing feels off, and honestly, if any fucker decides to jump at me right now…the joke will be on them.

  Taking the stairs up two at a time, I race up all six flights to my apartment. The loft is still dimly lit by the streetlights as I hurry through it, up the stairs to the bedroom area.

  I don’t waste time getting inside my closet and throwing shit in a duffle. Emptying out the safe, I make sure I have everything I set aside, should the need to disappear arise.

  It doesn’t take me long to change clothes and get in the car. The traffic, however…fucking diabolical. It’s almost Christmas; everyone is running around last-minute shopping which means driving across London is a mission of its own.

  The Winterbourne house is lit up like Blackpool Tower. Fleur has a thing about the dark when she’s alone. Normally I’d call her to let me in, but I knock instead. The bell is a no-no since it’s one of those new fancy ones that send the notification to your phone. Last thing I want is to alert Charles of any movement.

  “What’re you doing here?” Fleur asks as she opens the door. She always makes a massive fuss when she opens the door, pretending she’s being massively inconvenienced, when really she likes the company.

  “Listen to me carefully,” I tell her as I guide her inside and close the door, making sure there’s nothing suspicious out there. “Something’s happened. I need you to get a bag together. We need to get the fuck out of here. You understand?”

  “Okay.” She nods vehemently.

  For once she doesn’t argue. She does as she’s told and starts up the stairs as quickly as she can. The vertigo gets her once in a while as she gets a few things together on her bed. Instinct has me following her around in case she falls or something.

  As I follow her into the bathroom, she stops dead in her tracks, turning with a glare. “Do you mind? I’d like to pee alone.”

  “Oh…” is all I manage before she’s closed the door in my face.

  “So, what happened?” she shouts from the other side of the door as I sit on the edge of her bed. “Why are you going all GI Joe?”

  I ignore her question. She doesn’t need to worry about anything other than getting her shit together. Turning to her pile of clothes and other things on the bed, I sort through it. Folding the leggings and jumpers she’s picked out, I put them in her large weekend bag.

  I do the same to the underwear she’s left out and all the other bits and bobs. She’s coming out of the bathroom by the time I’ve finished packing her things.

  “You didn’t answer my question?” She’s standing in the middle of the room, hands on her waist, her growing belly rounding at the top of her pyjama pants. “What happened?”

  “You don’t need to worry about it, okay?”

  “If you want me to go anywhere with you, you’ll tell me.”

  Her compliance was obviously too good to be true.

  “I don’t remember giving you a choice.”

  “You know, I liked you a lot better before this happened.” She looks down at her belly with a pout. “He was a lot more fun; now he’s all grump and no play.”

  Although her sass is normally entertaining, right now, it’s pissing me the fuck off. I need her to get her arse into gear so we can get the fuck away.

  “Do you want to die?”

  “Oh, for God’s sake, big maaa—” She shuts up the minute her gaze meets my glower. Taking a deep breath, she comes to stand right in front of me, close enough that I have to look down to see her face.

  Fleur’s so small for someone with so much character and fire. Looking up at me with her face all scrunched up, she chews on her thumb, like when she’s trying to figure out a problem or dilemma or something.

  All the air leaves my lungs. She’s so fucking soft. And so fucking pretty.

  “Trouble…” I sigh. “I need you to trust me, okay?”

  She’s not big on trust.

  “Fine. Where’re you taking me, then?”

  “Away.”

  “Where, Casper?” I know she means business by her use of my name.

  “Somewhere no one will find us.”

  “Are you in trouble?” Her hands find my stomach, a worried expression down turning her face.

  She has no fucking clue about what’s going on.

  “Something like that.” I brush a stray hair from her eyes, the urge to feel her soft skin too fucking strong for me to ignore.

  “Am I in trouble?” Burrowing her cheek into my hand, she closes her eyes.

  “Your dad…” I don’t want to tell her anything. I’d rather keep her safe and calm than have her worry about everything and everyone. She’ll be gutted by everything that’s happened.

  Her face falls. Big, brown eyes darken and slope with a perceiving nod.

  “They’ll find us eventually, you know?” she murmurs, staring into my chest. Her lips wobble and a lonely tear drips from one of her eyes. “They’ll find us and they’ll hurt you for getting in their way.”

  “They’ll have to find us first, and considering no one knows about this place…” Obviously with her being pregnant, I need to work on my plan. We can’t disappear off the face of the earth when she needs proper medical care.

  “No one?”

  “Nope.” She relaxes a little with my reply.

  “But how? Why?”

  “Because sometimes I like to disappear. I don’t want to be found.”

  Her soft lips upturn into a smile. “But I’ll be able to. Is that what you want?”

  “What?”

  With a low laugh, she turns to the bed and nudges her bag towards me, peering inside with a roll of her eyes.

  “Do you want me to find you, big man?” Looking back at me as she goes back into the bathroom, she winks.

  It’s an act. She’s terrified—it’s obvious from the way she’s grinding her teeth when she smiles. Her laugh doesn’t carry; it’s short.

  “I want to keep you safe.” I tell her when she comes back out holding her toothbrush and paste in one hand and her anti-sickness tablets in the other.

  “Is that all you want? To keep me safe because your baby is inside me?”

  “A man worth his salt always protects what’s his.” I zip up her bag when she throws what’s left of her shit in.

  She’s sticking her Uggs on when I start heading for the door. I wait for her to finished and in the process grab a pair of Nikes she’s got by the bedroom door.

  God, she’s so fucking messy.

  “What happens when the baby is here?” She follows me. “Are you going to let them have me?”

  “Fleur…” My only plan right now is to get us safe.

  She slams the front door shut, stomping to the passenger side of my Lambo without getting in while I drop her bag on top of mine in the front boot.

  “Get in.” I open her door, searching the street for anything dubious. Threats, people that look like they could be a threat…

  I’m relieved when she follows my command without a fight. But when I get in the car, she’s looking at me with a narrowed stare. It feels like she can see through
every layer of me to my core.

  “I won’t let you take my baby away from me. You know that, right?”

  “That baby is ours, an—”

  “You’ll have to kill me yourself. That’s what they want to do to me?” Clicking her seat belt into place, she sighs. Her worry and fear fill the space around us like some life-leaching force.

  “No one will lay a finger on you. Not me, not Christopher…none of them. You understand?”

  She nods, but it doesn’t ease the tension surrounding us both.

  Without another word, I drive away, pretending she’s not silently crying and that I’m not aching to comfort her.

  That’s the crux of the problem, isn’t it? Once you’ve crossed a line, you can’t uncross it…and if they come for her…I’ll kill every single one of the motherfuckers before they can come anywhere near her or our child.

  Acknowledgments

  I am in love with this story. I am in love with the characters and this world that keeps unfolding and surprising me. And I really couldn’t do it the justice it deserves without the wonderful people who support me.

  Firstly, thanks so much to you, the reader, for taking a chance on me and my baby. I hope that Christopher and Arabella are as epic as some of you predicted.

  I want to thank the tribe that props me up. You ladies make my world so bright.

  Alison, thank you for reading my stories a gazillion times. You are the best alpha reader and greatest friend a girl could ask for. It’s been a crazy year, but thank you for sticking like glue. You’re forever the Tigger to my Pooh.

  My BETAs: Kim, Kat, Darlene, Azalia, Yamina, Lorna, Manda and Sarah. You ladies are the bomb. I love you to the moon and back.

  Annette and Michelle, my Book Nerd beauties, you are out of this world. I couldn’t do this without your friendship and support. Thank you for having my back and telling me when I go too far, or not far enough.

  Wendy and Claire at Bare Naked Words, as usual you ladies are the bee’s knees!

  Lou. Lou…Lou…Lou…what would I do without you? You listen to my crazy ramblings and you turn them into gorgeous magic. Every project we work on turns out better than the last, even when I think it can’t get any better. You see my crazy and get it like you’re in my head. THANK YOU!

  Sandra and Sarah, you have polished up this baby something beautiful…and in a blink of an eye. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your care and attention with this baby. I know it was tighter than a nun’s fanny at one point, but we did it! Woop woop!

  Trilina, Ella and Cali, I have to thank you for getting my stupid humour and dry wit. Thank you for consuming enough coffee to get me when I don’t make sense to myself!

  Autumn, my gorgeous writing buddy…let’s get it on!!! I’m ready and game for you anytime!

  Last but never least…my boys. You are everything to my world, and my world is and will always be you three terrors.

  About Alexandra

  Alexandra Silva is a tequila loving book hoarder living in London. She writes about real people who have to fight for their happy endings. Her stories are raw, heartfelt and sexy. Her heroes are flawed, dirty and sweet with feisty heroines who give them a run for their money.

  Although contemporary romance is my jam, I’m currently writing a romantic suspense series I am super excited to share with you.

  www.AlexandraSilva.co.uk

  Also by Alexandra Silva

  Imperfect Hearts

  No One But You

  For You

  Someone Like You

  Virtues and Lies Series

  Burn