FRAGMENTED

by C. Luca

  Then it dawns on me that he isn’t Nathan at all.

  His dark eyebrow lifts when he sees me. “You are…?”

  “Elena. I cook and clean,” I explain.

  He nods, not looking all that interested. “Coffee, black,” he says before glancing at his expensive watch.

  Thankfully, Griffin likes coffee, so I have a pot ready. I pour him a cup and set it on the edge of the island. I’m half afraid that if I hand it to him, I’ll somehow spill it. I already have Nathan mad at me, I’d rather not upset Corbin. At least I’m assuming he’s Corbin since he looks to be all business.

  “Thank you.” He picks up the cup and takes a brief sip, nodding his approval.

  Cameron ambles into the kitchen. “Car’s ready,” he announces.

  “We’ll leave in ten,” Corbin says briskly before he exits the kitchen, coffee still in hand.

  I stare after him, stunned over how different Nathan—I mean Corbin…appears.

  “Corbin’s all business,” Cameron states.

  His voice startles me, because I’d completely forgotten that he was still there.

  “So I noticed,” I say quietly. It had been nice not to see the usual animosity in those brown eyes, but there’d been a hint of indifference that had been kind of disturbing.

  “It’ll take some getting used to. Eventually, you’ll begin to notice the signs when they switch. There’s a meeting at nine this morning, so we knew Corbin would be making an appearance,” he explains.

  “Do they switch during sleep?” I ask curiously.

  “Sometimes. Other times, it just happens. Especially when Nathan’s present. When something gets to be too much, one of the other alters quickly take over.”

  I nod and decide to switch the topic before Cameron suggests I do more research. “Any requests for dinner tonight?”

  SIX

  Nathan

  I’m more than a little restless knowing I’d lost an entire day to Corbin yesterday. It couldn’t be helped, though. I have no patience when it comes to the company, and I’d learned the hard way that Corbin has a knack for it that is apparently lost on me.

  Usually, it’s almost a relief to have him take over so I don’t have to face the other board members and deal with issues that hold no appeal to me. Unfortunately, my typical avoidance of such issues costs me time—time I really can’t afford to be giving up.

  Another day lost continues to prod at my foul mood as I stand in front of the unfinished painting of the spiral staircase. I can’t envision where it’s leading to, and nothing is coming to mind. I’ve hit a permanent roadblock with this painting, and I have no idea how to salvage it.

  It’s a new day, same shit.

  Where the hell has all my inspiration gone? Usually I enjoy painting and creating something to cover what was once a blank surface. Bringing something to life on canvas has always been the one thing that makes the world fall away—for a short time anyway. All my problems ceased to exist, and it was just me and the canvas. That bliss—the contentment—it’s out of reach now, and I don’t know how to get it back.

  I’m beyond frustrated, and I rake a hand through my hair as I glare at the painting. I’ve spent too much time on it to even consider starting over, and even if I wanted to start over, I couldn’t. My mind is one big fucking blank these days.

  Feeling aggravated, I move to the window and stare out at the late afternoon sunshine. I’ve spent hours in my studio and haven’t accomplished a damn thing except gaining a stiff back and a rapidly increasing headache.

  This isn’t working.

  I give up and leave the studio, heading for my room. A workout is becoming mandatory, or all the tension that’s developed today is going to bring Knight out. That bastard is the last thing I need, because he takes up more of my time than any of the others. Once he’s out, he’s out for a while, and I can’t afford that.

  After changing into a pair of workout shorts and a tank, I make my way down to the lowest level of the estate where the gym is located. On my way, I absently wonder where Elena is—not that I’m hoping to run into her.

  Yeah, she’s an attractive little thing, but she’s a stranger—a nosy one, no less. It still pisses me off that she’d been in my studio, and that fiasco by the pool continues to irk me. She had no business even being out there near the pool if she can’t swim. If she accidentally drowns herself, I’ll have the authorities all over this place. Not to mention I have no idea what kind of past she carries, which means I’d end up in the tabloids for weeks, possibly months if her history is as sordid as I’m assuming it is.

  Knight sure knows how to pick them.

  At least my STD test the other day came back clean. Something is finally going my way, and if anything is going to, at least it’s that.

  As I approach the weight room, I can hear music coming from it. The sound is odd to me, because I know Griffin and Cameron prefer to keep the stereo off when they work out. The volume is low, but it still trickles out from the slightly ajar door. Just outside the threshold, I peek inside.

  Elena must have gone inside to clean, because the carrier with the supplies she likes to lug from room to room has been placed on the bench press. She, however, is sitting against the far wall just beneath the mirrors, her knees drawn to her chest. Tears streak her face, and she’s oblivious to my prying eyes.

  I should leave.

  The expression on her face though…the anguish…

  She’s hurting.

  For the first time since I’d found her in the kitchen, I wonder why she’s really here. Knight may have brought her, but there appears to be more to her than just a stripper hoping for an easy paycheck.

  Carefully, I ease away from the door, wanting to leave before she can notice me. I’ve got enough of my own shit to deal with, I don’t want to get dragged down into hers.

  SEVEN

  Elena

  I wake abruptly, breathing heavily as I try to scramble off the bed. My legs tangle in the sheets, and I fall to the floor—jarring my hip. The brief moment of pain brings clarity, and I blink and look around as I fully awaken.

  That’s right.

  I’m not at the house, I’m on the estate working for Knight…er, Nathan.

  Bright light flashes in front of my eyes, and I flinch as thunder quickly follows. My eyes jerk to the windowed wall, and I realize it’s storming outside. After releasing a slow exhale, I pull myself up from the floor and watch lightning streak across the sky in thin lines that look like claws.

  My meltdown earlier in the day has left me emotionally drained, and there’s a heaviness that has settled deep within my chest. I’d gone down to the weight room to clean since I’ve noticed that all the guys frequent it almost daily. I’d decided to listen to some music while I worked, but then it’d thrown me back into memories of my mother.

  She used to listen to music whenever there was a stereo around, especially when cleaning. There were plenty of days when I was younger that I’d dance around the room, entertaining her while she’d dust and vacuumed. I can still hear the sound of her soft, affectionate laughter echoing in my head, but then it’s instantly sullied by an image of her disappointed face.

  I’m not that little girl anymore.

  I don’t know who I am, and I’m coming to realize just how ashamed I am over my poor choices these past few years. Now that I’m no longer living in the moment, struggling to keep a roof over my head and food in my belly, I’m finding that I’ve lost much of myself.

  There are moments when the shame creeps up on me, and it nearly causes me to double over in pain. I wanted to make her proud, but I failed in that quest.

  Needing to shake off the gloomy thoughts, I slip on my bathrobe and leave the room, padding barefoot down the hall. I just need to move around, maybe drink a glass of water and try to distance myself from my dark thoughts.

  As always, I’m drawn to the main room with the windowed wall that overlooks the patio and pool. However, someone’s already standi
ng there, staring out at the raging storm.

  I recognize Nathan’s silhouette.

  I’m certain I hadn’t made a sound, but he turns and spies me. In the flash from lightning, he looks to be shirtless and only wearing jeans—a bottle of beer in hand.

  Quickly, I back up a step. “Sorry,” I murmur, making a move to leave.

  “Couldn’t sleep, either?” he asks over the low rumble of thunder.

  I’m startled he’d spoken to me, and I hesitate. “Bad dreams,” I confess before inwardly cringing over my admission. He was just being polite, and I’d gone and turned the question into something personal.

  “They’re a regular occurrence under this roof,” Nathan replies dryly.

  I’m stunned by his divulgence, but I don’t want to ruin the moment by furthering the conversation. “Night,” I say quietly before I turn and leave the room.

  * * *

  I move around the kitchen, cleaning the mess from breakfast earlier. I’m a little surprised that Nathan hadn’t appeared earlier since he’s usually an early riser. Maybe he was up quite early and has been working in his studio.

  I suppose he could be avoiding me, but I can’t imagine our short conversation last night upsetting him. Unless he’d felt that I’d once again invaded his privacy. That’s a possibility, and I sigh inwardly. I’ve been doing my best to stay out of his way.

  The dishwasher is running, and I’m wiping down the top of the island when Nathan finally makes an appearance. He’s wearing jeans and nothing else, his dark hair messy as he rubs a hand over his jaw. The sight of that chiseled chest always sends my heart into overdrive. His sleek muscles and tanned skin practically beckon to be touched, and the sight of the ‘V’ of his hips begs for my eyes to drop so I can ogle that area. However, for the first time, I spy the very faint dime-sized scar on his left shoulder, just a few inches above his pectoral muscle. I’m assuming it’s from his childhood, and I feel a twinge of empathy for him witnessing such violence at such a young age.

  My hand has frozen on the surface of the counter, and I hide my inner thoughts as I wonder about this new turn of events. The only time Nathan has appeared without his shirt is when he’s swimming. This is a rarity for him, and I don’t know what brought it on.

  Not wanting to stare at him, I drop my eyes and continue wiping the counter. “Morning,” I greet.

  From the corner of my eye, I see him sink down onto a chair at the opposite side of the island. He rests his elbow on the surface, propping his jaw in hand. “There’s my girl. So what’d I miss?” he asks, his voice still a bit raspy from sleep.

  Once more, I go still and stare at him before it sinks in who’s sitting before me. “Knight?”

  His eyebrow quirks. “Forget me already?”

  “No, of course not…”

  He sobers and straightens in the chair, raking a hand through his unruly hair. “Welcome to the circus, Elena.”

  I wisely choose not to reply to his comment. “Can I get you anything?”

  He shrugs a broad shoulder. “I’ll eat anything.”

  I begin to move about, pulling eggs from the refrigerator before retrieving a small pan. Eggs are always easy and quick. They won’t be as good as the ones he’d made, but my eggs must be edible since no one’s complained.

  While I crack the eggs into the pan, I can feel Knight’s eyes on me. I can’t deny that I’m happy he’s here. After all, he’s the one who’d hired me and actually wants me here. But his appearance also tells me that Nathan must have had too much on his mind last night. I can’t begin to imagine how difficult Nathan’s situation must be for him.

  “How did things go with Nathan?” Knight asks.

  As I stir the eggs, I turn my body so I can look at him. “How do you know he took over for a while?” I ask curiously as I begin to relax in his company. With Knight, I don’t feel the need to be on guard as much, and I can speak my mind.

  He leans back in the chair more comfortably and watches me with lazy eyes. “The last thing I do before I fall asleep is note the date. Same thing upon waking. Usually I eliminate the stress that’s built up, and then Nathan takes over. I’m going to assume you haven’t met Brick or Oliver?” he questions.

  I shake my head. “Does it bother you that you only have so much time each time you switch?” I ask, hoping that my question isn’t too personal.

  If my question bothers him, it doesn’t show as he shrugs. “My time runs together, and the last time is like the time it takes to blink. It’s like going to bed and waking the next morning. Make sense?”

  I nod.

  “Nathan?” he prods, his eyes keen with interest.

  A wry smile forms on my lips as I turn my attention back to the eggs. “He resents my being here,” I say truthfully.

  “He making things difficult?” Knight asks, his tone deepening with a hint of something ominous.

  My eyes jerk back to his as his dark eyes capture mine. “No, not at all,” I assure. “He’s just…not very friendly.” The eggs are finished, and I focus on pouring them onto a plate. Once I set it in front of him, I quickly return with salt and pepper, silverware, and a glass of orange juice.

  Thankfully, Knight seems content to allow the topic of Nathan to rest. While he digs into his meal, I pull out a few slices of leftover ham from the refrigerator and begin to warm them in the pan.

  “How are you adjusting?” I hear him ask.

  I flash him a genuine smile over my shoulder. “Quite well.” My expression turns serious as I gaze at him. “Thank you, Knight.”

  He nods and picks up his fork, scooping up more eggs. The ham is ready, and I bring it over and set it on his plate. “Thanks,” he grunts.

  I smile and go about cleaning while he eats. My thoughts shift back to Nathan. I suppose it makes sense that Knight has appeared. Lately, with every day that goes by, Nathan becomes tenser. Something must be bothering him, something other than his alters. I’m finding myself intrigued by this man with so many personalities.

  The rest of the day goes smoothly, and Knight seems to disappear for most of the day. Yes, I’m a little curious what he’s up to, but it’s not any of my business, so I go about my day like any other.

  Later that evening, I sit on my favorite lounger in the corner of the patio and watch as the sun sets. I still haven’t seen much of Knight, but I remind myself that I’m here to work, not socialize. As per my routine, I’d left tonight’s dinner keeping warm in the kitchen for when Griffin and Cameron decide to eat, and for when Knight resurfaces.

  The patio door slides open, and I instinctively peer around the corner of my lounger to see Knight stepping outside. He spies me immediately and wanders over. Thankfully, he’s no longer walking around shirtless and is wearing a tee. “There you are.”

  I have to tilt my head to peer at him. “You were looking for me?”

  “Just wanted to say that dinner was great. I’m glad you’re fitting in just fine.”

  “Thank you,” I say with a smile.

  He looks around, his brow furrowing before his gaze returns to mine as he continues standing beside my lounger. “What are you doing out here?”

  “Enjoying the view.”

  A perplexed expression crosses his face. “Why?”

  His response has my smile widening. Typical guy. “Because the setting sun is pretty.”

  He glances at it dismissively. “Looks like your average sunset to me.” His attention shifts back to me. “You’re just sitting out here doing nothing?”

  “Pretty much,” I say with a laugh.

  His expression turns quizzical. “What do you do in your free time?”

  I shrug.

  “Anything at all?” he prods.

  I’m amused over his curiosity. Usually Griffin, Cameron, and Nathan pretend I’m not here and don’t go out of their way to carry on conversations unless I begin them. This is new, and I like that Knight wants to be around me.

  “Sometimes I go to bed early. Exciting stuff,”
I say lightly.

  He stares down at me. “Christ, you need to get out or something.”

  My humor fades. I’ve done enough ‘socializing’ to last a lifetime. “It’s nice to stay in,” I say, keeping my tone light.

  Knight regards me silently, something lurking in the depths of his dark gaze. “C’mon, let’s go,” he says, holding out his hand.

  I’m completely taken aback. “I think—”

  “Don’t think,” he cuts in. “You game?”

  For a minute, I debate what to do. He’s the first person that’s aware of my past and isn’t judging me for it. It’s nice—really nice. “Okay,” I agree softly, slipping my hand in his and allowing him to help me to my feet.

  He scans my attire, taking in the pale pink, baggy tee, black leggings, and my slip-on flats. “You got anything for going out?”

  I shake my head.

  My entire wardrobe consists of simple leggings and baggy tee shirts. They’re comfortable for cleaning in and keep me well-covered. Even my lingerie is unappealing. I’d bought only sports bras and plain white panties. I don’t want there to be any doubts as to why I’m here.

  “Alright, let’s get out of here.”

  He leads me down to the garage level, and I’m aware that Cameron and Griffin are following but keeping their distance. Their expressions are unreadable, but I’m certain they disapprove of my going out with Knight. I know it’s unprofessional, but I enjoy being around him. Besides, it’s not like this is a date or anything.

  I gaze around the garage, in a bit of awe over the pricey vehicles. I vaguely recall being down here before, but I hadn’t paid much attention to the other vehicles.

  Knight leads me to a sleek blue car and pulls out a set of keys. He opens the passenger door and looks at me expectantly.

  “This is very nice,” I comment as I slide into the seat.

  Knight leans down and gives me a wolfish smile. “It’s mine,” he says before closing the door.

  The interior smells expensive, and I carefully slip on the seatbelt as Knight settles into the driver’s seat. “I usually prefer my bikes, but I enjoy this when I have a companion with,” he comments as he starts the vehicle and it quietly purrs to life.