“You look different honey, what is it?” He asked, holding me back at arm’s length to take me in.
“I dunno, maybe ‘cause I left my hair down.” I prompted as this was something I still rarely did, but even more so after that night.
“That’s it, so this is a special occasion then?” He asked giving me that look. Alex didn’t think it healthy that I was still in such tight contact with my Ex’s family, but other than a few snide comments, ones I ignored, it hadn’t caused too many problems…until now.
“They’re my friends Alex and I want to look nice for them.” I said keeping my voice low. I saw that little tensing of his jaw that told me he wanted to say more, but then just like that he was back to smiling and kissing me on the forehead,
“Of course you do and you look lovely.” I smiled back up at him before taking his hand.
“Well, we might as well get going.” I said knowing that I couldn’t prolong it any longer. So, with my hand in his, we snaked our way through the crowd until coming to the left side of the double staircase. The guard at the end nodded to me, no doubt remembering me and moved aside to let us go on up. If I thought my heart was pounding in the bathroom, then now it was jack-hammering itself against my chest cavity, trying to break free. Maybe it was scared about what going up these steps again would do to the remainder of it, as the last time didn’t go so well.
As we got up to the VIP floor, the sight took my breath away and Alex had heard it.
“You’re sure on this, we could go back?” I felt his hand at the small of my back and the feeling gave me comfort enough to do this. I shook my head as my answer and continued to walk through until I saw the top table coming into view, as for some reason, everyone seemed to be up out of their seats standing.
When I saw Vincent and Sophia I couldn’t help the massive beaming grin from forming. I pulled Alex a little quicker, trying to get through the unusual crowd who looked as though they were all waiting for something.
“Sophia!” I shouted making her turn her head and find me. I saw her lean over to Vincent and whisper something, making him turn my way, but what surprised me the most was the expressions on their faces…worry.
“Hey, sorry we’re…late…” I stopped dead in my sentence as I came to the front of the top table just as another was coming to the head of it. Everyone around us sat down at once with just a nod from the man now stood in front of me. I wanted to cry, I wanted to shout and I wanted to throw something or self-combust taking half of the room with me!
But I didn’t do any of these things…no, for all I could do was let my mouth drop for a few seconds before letting out a breathy name, one not said in far too long…
“Draven”
Chapter 5
Back to the Beginning.
“Draven.” I swallowed hard and managed to say the name I had avoided for all this time. I even had to lock my knees together to prevent myself from breaking down and falling to the floor. I felt completely disarmed and stripped naked of the armour I had erected around the broken remains of my heart, trying in vain to preserve all I had left.
“Keira.” He spoke my name as though it was being ripped from his soul where his voice was thick and hoarse. My breath actually hitched as I took in too much air whilst trying not to cry. It was as if for these first few seconds we were the only two people in the room and meeting once more after all these painful months apart was obviously taking its toll on both of us. I barely took in the rest of the room watching us as I was caught in the most deadly trap alive…two burning purple eyes that held me captive.
Then the spell was broken as Alex cleared his throat next to me and I felt his hand slide round my back and flex against my waist. Draven’s eyes became that of a hawk and snapped to my side to take in the sight of another man touching me, clearly claiming me as his own. I wanted to cry as I felt a surge of guilt I knew I shouldn’t feel infect my soul. He threw me away and damned my love for him…what more could I do? So I cleared my throat also and shut down my emotions from seeping onto my face, like they had no doubt already done.
“Hey everyone, this…uh, well… this is Alexander Cain…my boyfriend.” I added ‘my boyfriend’ in anger when I saw Draven raise an arrogant eyebrow at the stumble in my introduction. I knew it was petty but I thought given the situation and the immense hurt I still felt at the sight of this man, he was just lucky I hadn’t grabbed Alex by his shirt and kissed the breath from him out of spite.
I was still so attuned to Draven that I couldn’t help but note the hardening of his jawline as he ground his teeth and the punishing grip he had on the back of his chair where he stood next to it.
“So I’m told…both of you sit….if you please.” Draven said adding the ‘please’ as an obvious unwelcome afterthought. However his words held a venomous edge before the room echoed with the sound of his chair being scraped back along the floor ready for him to sit. Everyone in the room looked too scared to make so much as a sound and I couldn’t help but bite my bottom lip as my anxiety grew. I shouldn’t be here. I should just make my excuses and leave before my winning streak of a disaster free life took a tumble in the form of one dead boyfriend.
“I think we’d better…”
“Sit down, Keira.” This was an order from across the table and came from a different Draven. I was actually surprised at hearing Vincent sounding so cold towards me. Draven nodded to someone behind me and by the time I turned my head, two extra chairs were being placed where we stood ready for us to fill. I looked to Alex and was surprised to see a slight smirk grace his lips as he looked at Draven. I couldn’t believe the balls he possessed and never would have thought Alex had it in him.
“It’s alright Catherine, let’s sit shall we?” He nodded to my chair as he took my hand to lower me down and I tried not to notice the sound of the gasps around the table as he said my given name. I swallowed down another difficult hit to my guilt and sat trying in vain not to look at Draven. God though, he’d looked so hurt and angry it felt like bile clogging my throat making it hard to get air to my lungs.
“So Keira, how have you be…?”
“Tell me Alec, where are you from?” Draven snapped out his question, interrupting Sophia abruptly.
“It’s Alex actually or Mr Cain, whichever you prefer.” Alex said smoothly not only coating his words in his French accent but also with confidence.
“I don’t give a fuck what your name is but only care for what your intentions are with my…our Keira.”
“Draven!”
“Dom.” both Vincent and I reacted to Draven’s outburst but whereas I shouted his name in disbelief, Vincent’s was a warning for his brother to try and remain calm. I just couldn’t believe the nerve of him! He didn’t get to do all that he had done to me and then act like this!
“I knew this was a mistake! Come on, we’re leaving!” I snapped standing up and reaching for Alex. He simply laughed and said,
“Come now ma chérie, I am not offended…sit back down, Catherine.” I did as he said with a huff, shooting daggers at Draven, a look he ignored I might add.
“I am from Bordeaux, monsieur.” Alex said answering Draven’s question calmly and I couldn’t believe how he could act so cool in the face of Draven’s obvious hatred.
“But you weren’t born there.” This was said as a statement not a question and once again Alex smirked.
“No, I was not but I call it home.” He turned to me and smiled, taking my hand in his to bring it to his lips to kiss. I blushed fuchsia knowing the look of death we both received because of the act. I could have sworn I heard wood splitting. Jesus, what had I been thinking coming here!
“And your parents, what of them?” Draven growled out the question and my head snapped back to him.
“Draven stop it!”
“Dead. Now if you will excuse me I must make a phone call.” He rose from his seat after answering his question just as abruptly as it had been asked.
“Wait, I will come wit
h you.” I said rising but he put a hand on my shoulder and said,
“It’s fine, I will only be a moment…stay and talk with your friends.” I bit my lip again worrying about what to do but in the end I just nodded and let him walk a few tables away to make a call.
“Subtle as always I see.” I said looking back to Draven making him cock an eyebrow at me.
“I think I have a right to these answers, Keira.” He replied arrogantly.
“No, if I remember correctly, you in fact gave up that right, Draven.” I replied trying to keep emotion at bay. I wanted to appear as though saying this didn’t shred at my soul like claws from a bitter beast. Well at least he had the good grace to flinch at my words as he knew them to be born from the truth of his actions.
“I…” Draven started to say something in annoyance but Sophia quickly interrupted asking me if I had heard from Pip lately. I was more than thankful for her change of subject and started to talk about the last time I had seen her, when Alex came back. He bent down and gave me a quick kiss when Draven barked out an order,
“Drink!” making us both jump and ruining the moment. Loz quickly came over to the table and I gave her a little wink when she smiled at seeing me again.
“Set up a fountain for the table, Loz for I think our Lord is in the mood for something a little stronger this night.” Sophia asked referring to absinthe. She nodded and was about to walk away when Draven called her back.
“And for Keira, she will have a Corona…”
“Red wine,” Alex interrupted and poor Loz looked lost and torn between the two men.
“It’s alright Loz, a Corona will be fine.” She looked relieved and quickly made her escape to get the drinks.
“I thought you never cared for red wine?” Draven asked and even hearing his abrupt, harsh voice gave me goosebumps as I was flooded with too many memories to cope with.
“Tastes change, Draven.” I replied quietly knowing he would get the inner meaning to that statement.
“That they do.” He gritted out his reply and I bravely raised my eyes to see him glaring at the new taste in question.
“Catherine, I am afraid I have to leave you sooner than I thought.” I looked to Alex and realised what he was saying.
“Why…is everything alright at the office?” I asked knowing Alex was working on a big project and would often have to leave suddenly.
“Leaving so soon, how disappointing.” Draven commented dryly gaining another fifthly look from me. Loz came then and placed an elaborate green glass fountain on the table. She turned to take the black, gothic looking crystal glasses from Rue’s tray that were just the right size to fit under the four taps that spouted from the centre. The fountain was in the shape of a giant teardrop and topped with a beautiful dainty glass fairy that looked like she was being chased mid-flight.
“I have to get back to Portland and get these new designs ready for a meeting that has been rescheduled for tomorrow.” Alex said ignoring Draven’s snide comment and turned to the rest of my friends to add,
“I’m an architect in the city.” Draven rolled his eyes and said sarcastically,
“Sounds thrilling,” before downing a full glass of green liquid just poured by Loz. I, like everyone else, ignored Draven and turned to give my full attention to Alex.
“I will come with you.”
“No it’s fine. You stay and be with your friends, I know how much you were looking forward to it.” I blushed again as of course he was right, apart from seeing Draven I had been dying to see Vincent and Sophia again and also I thought I would get another chance to see my old bodyguard Ragnar but as of yet he hadn’t appeared.
“But…”
“It’s fine Catherine, really… but you got a ride here, correct?” I nodded as Frank had dropped me off so I could have a drink.
“Then how will you get home? Is he picking you up?” I hadn’t arranged anything as I just gathered Sophia would try and convince me to stay or if not at least arrange for her driver to take me home.
“Your concern isn’t needed. Keira, will of course be taken home and get there safely in my care.” Draven’s cutting voice was once again invading my senses and making me want to both cringe in frustration and curse my heart for taking notice for the first time in over ten months.
“But that’s where you’re wrong, as she is my concern now and not yours any longer.” Alex said bravely and you could almost hear the entire room suck in a sharp breath of disbelief.
“Say that to me again.” Draven threatened transforming the air in the room to thicken making it harder to breathe.
“Brother.” Vincent was once again the voice of reason, placing his hand on Draven’s shoulder and trying to get him to remain calm and stop him from what he looked like he wanted to do and that was rip my Alex to bloody shreds and bathe in the pieces!
“Enough, Draven! He’s right, I’m not your concern anymore…”
“You will always be my…”
“And to answer your question Alex, I can call Frank or get a lift with Jack.” I said interrupting him before he finished that sentence, for both his sake and mine as I knew the argument would just escalate. I also ignored Draven’s growl of frustration.
“Very well, I will see you in a few days at the airport.”
“Airport…Keira are you going somewhere?” Sophia asked making me wince. She had told me they were coming back for a few weeks and we were going to spend some quality time together.
“Erm…well Alex kind of surprised me and…”
“Yes I did, as I thought she could do with a break and get away for a while.” Sophia nodded her head but I could tell she wasn’t happy with the way Alex put it or it could be that she wasn’t happy with the plans he had made for me.
“Where?!” Draven asked shrugging off his brother’s hand from his shoulder. Obviously he had calmed enough from his last outburst to ask but I was now fearful that the answer to this question would just bring on a new rage.
“Uh…well see we thought…”
“Italy.” Alex butted in and I frowned at how thoughtless it was regardless of Draven’s behaviour.
“Italy…really Keira?” He said looking even more hurt and I once again wanted to cry from the guilt I felt. It was like being torn in two. One side of my broken heart wanted to scream ‘YOU BASTARD, YOU LEFT ME!’ and the other wanted to quietly beg for forgiveness that I was now sat here with another man.
“I…”
“I planned our trip, as it was on a flight back from there last year when we first met. However, from what I heard, the trip didn’t exactly go to plan and left a sour taste in Catherine’s experience of the country. I thought this time I could show her the real beauty of Italy and that it has so much more to offer.” I closed my eyes when he finished and banged my head back on the chair before turning my face to his.
“Alex…don’t,” I whispered on a sigh but didn’t know why I even bothered as the damage had already been done.
“Right…right…” Draven for the first time looked dumbstruck as he tried to find his words and Sophia had her eyes closed as if feeling her brother’s pain. I thought back to how that sounded and wondered if Alex had said it that way on purpose. Christ, but it had made me look like the biggest, most heartless bitch in existence!
“Draven I…” I started but as before I wasn’t going to be able to get a word out.
“Well I’d better get going, Catherine.” He nodded for me to get up with him to say goodbye in private and I happily complied just so that I could have a minute of freedom from being crushed to death by my guilt. When we were out of earshot I frowned up at Alex and said,
“You didn’t have to say it like that!” He simply smiled down at me making me for once want to slap that handsome face.
“Catherine, I understand that I don’t know exactly know what happened between you two but I do remember the hurt I saw etched deep there when I first met you…don’t forget what he put you through, ma chérie.”
He said running a perfectly manicured fingertip down my cheek.
“I haven’t forgotten Alex, I just choose not to be a bitch about it!” I snapped back turning my face from his caress. God, I was so frustrated and just wanted to stomp away from both of them and drink myself stupid till I forgot either of their names!
“Forgive me for being protective of my girlfriend’s pride but I guess with dating a man like that you were used to being walked over.” Now it was Alex’s turn to get snappy. I took a deep breath and tried to remember that there was little doubt that we were being overheard, even this far away from the top table.
“Let’s just forget about it. Text me later?” I asked not wanting to say goodbye on a disagreement. That was the other weird thing about me and Alex, we very rarely argued and I think the only major one was when I tried to press for information about what happened to his parents. He had walked out and not called me for three days making me wonder if it was over or not.
His eyes softened and when he smiled he got that trademark line in his cheek.
“Don’t I always?” I smiled back at his answer.
“Alright then, I will see you in a few days.” I said leaning up and kissing him on his cheek. I then turned to go back to the table but was halted mid step with a hand on my arm.
“Alex?”
“Don’t I get a real kiss goodbye?” He said laughing.
“I…I don’t think that’s a good idea, not with…” I never got to finish as Alex pulled me to him and crushed his lips over mine before I could utter another syllable. He tilted my head with his hand on my neck and deepened the kiss. My hands fisted in his shirt as I held fast the urge to push him away. It didn’t feel right to me rubbing Draven’s nose in it and I started to feel sick. Luckily Alex let me go but not before kissing my neck, which I knew was so he could look at Draven over my shoulder. I felt him smile on my skin at whatever he must have seen and that sick feeling doubled.
I stepped away abruptly and muttered a goodbye before rushing back to the table, only chickening out half way there and running for the balcony instead. It was admittedly one of the last places I ever wanted to see again, knowing how many painful and delicious memories it held for me but what choice did I have.
The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) Page 6