“Stay for dinner. The kitchen’s preparing something nice for you.”
What the fuck?
“Not a social visit.” I finish my brandy in one gulp.
My father stands. “Evan, just stay for dinner then I’ll have Dex drive you to the airport.”
What? Is he dying or something? This isn’t like my father at all. “Sure, but after dinner I have to go.” I give in very unwillingly and against my better judgment.
“Absolutely.” He nods to Beth and she exits the office.
I stand and walk to the pouring another drink. “What’s going on out there?” I nod in the direction that Beth had just exited.
“Clean up.” He hesitates standing from his chair to look out the window.
“I see. There’s always something needing to be cleaned up, right?”
“You give me no credit at all do you? You never did.”
“No Thomas, I decided you weren’t worth it when you killed my mother.”
“I know what you think happened Evan, but you were just a boy.” He’s being unseasonably nice and it’s actually starting to freak me out a little.
Thomas Carter is a cold, sadistic son of a bitch. There isn’t anything warm and fuzzy about him. I imagine that’s how he got to the place with all the top dogs like he has.
“Hang on to this until I leave.” I hand him the folder.
He nods.
“What do you think is going to happen with the—” Drake bursts in seeing me and his posture becomes erect.
“I’m having a conversation, Drake.” Thomas waves him away and an evil grin takes hold of my face.
I hate that douche, he’s always been a dick to me. He has no soul. Doesn’t care if he hurts people.
I sneer at him.
Thomas tends to his business dealings while I walk around the enormous house wondering why the fuck I’m here and wishing that I was with Abby.
“You look great, Evan.” Beth approaches from behind me.
I turn wishing I hadn’t ended up in this room. “Hey.” I’m not feeding her the bullshit I know she’s looking for.
“Don’t I look great, Evan?” I knew that’s what she was after.
She grabs my hand lifting it to her breast. Fuck! I pull back. “You used to love to touch me here and here.” Her fingers slide up her thigh and under her black skirt. “Don’t you want to do that again, Evan? For old times’ sake?” She moves closer bringing her lips to my face.
I’ve had my fill of women. I’d never deny her if she had asked me, back then. I never denied anyone back then, but I’m dedicated to Abby and only Abby now.
“I’m not in that place anymore Beth.” I feel like she’s about to pounce.
“Oh, I didn’t realize.” She takes a step back, embarrassed.
“No, I know that. It’s cool.” I smile.
“Who is she?” Her hand slides up my thigh and over my dick. I’ve got nothing for her he’s as limp as he can be.
“There isn’t anyone,” I lie. If Thomas finds out about Abby, there’s no telling what he’ll do. And while I know Beth wants me at this moment, she’ll always remain loyal to Thomas Carter, for what reason I have no fucking clue.
“You’re just not into big tits and tight pussy anymore?” She’s offended.
I laugh because there isn’t anything tight about her. “I’m just not in a place to offer you what you want.”
She nods her head and turns to leave. “Your loss asshole.” She turns walking out of the room and flips me off as she turns the corner.
Yeah Ok, I laugh. When she walks out in her bright red heels, I look down to my feet wishing I wasn’t here. The day goes by slow as fuck. When I return to the study, I see Thomas is there and he offers me a glass of brandy and cigar.
“I don’t smoke.”
He looks down at the large brown cigar. “Hell son, neither do I.” He lights it up. I wave the smoke from my breathing space.
“Nothing like a good brandy, cigar, and a woman. Am I right?” He laughs choking on the smoke
Oh fuck, I blow out a breath. Did Beth say something to him?
“The more, the merrier.” I try to save the situation, so he does not think I have a woman if that’s what she’s told him.
He watches me, questioning my statement with his eyes. He gulps his drink in between cigar puffs. “Oh, shit son, there all bad for you. You’d do good to remember that.” He stands throwing his arm inside his jacket. “Dinner?”
Finally, I need to get this shit over with…
Dinner was boring just as I knew it would be, same ole shit. I’m just glad to be back in the space of my Hummer and only minutes away from Abby.
The folder that’s sitting on my seat is screaming at me. I pull over to take another look inside. What I see has me reach for the door of my Hummer puking my guts on the road.
I clean up Thomas Carter’s messes, but this mess will definitely not be something that I clean up. I’ll also have to deal with this to make sure no one else does.
The picture that stares back at me is haunting. He knows. He knows what I’ve been trying to hide for a while. Why does he think he’s a threat? Does he know that I know her?
My sister isn’t getting caught up in this. She could take care of him herself if needed, but I won’t ask her to do the one thing I should’ve done a long time ago.
Chapter Eight
Abby
“Marco called me and said that you had approached him.” Why would he do that?
“I saw him, but it wasn’t like that, Abby,” he defends. “Why would I do that?”
“If I knew the answer we wouldn’t be having this conversation would we.” Not a question, no this is my smart ass way of saying I don’t want to deal with this anymore.
I have two men acting like total douchebags toward each other and I’m the prize. This is definitely not the Cinderella story I dreamt about as a child.
“What do you want me to say, Abby? What can I do to say I’m sorry in a way that you’ll accept?”
There’s little Evan can say right now that’ll make me forgive this childish behavior.
“I want you to say that you understand that I need time, Evan. I want you to say that you’re willing to be my friend while I get this figured out.”
“Marco? Of all people he can’t possibly be one that you would want to talk to? Do you want him the way that you wanted me?”
I cross my arms over my chest and push my hips to the left narrowing my eyes. “Really Evan? Do you want me to be mean to him?” I huff. “You think this is easy for me? To have this confusion smothering my brain, to have every thought be a stranger?” A tear runs down my cheek and for the first time this week I don’t hide it.
Evan approaches me immediately bringing his hand to my face wiping the tear away. “I would die for you, Abby. I will do anything for you, be anything you need me to be and if you need me to be your friend then that’s what I’ll be.” He closes his eyes to blink holding them closed a few extra seconds. As his eyes open and a smile lifts at the corners of his mouth.
“Evan I… ” I hesitate. “You think that I don’t want you the way that you want me? I get why you think that. But, I have amnesia. I have these intense memories of you and of Marco. I know that you don’t get it. Hell, I don’t get it.” I swing my arms to my chest.
“Do you think about me when I’m not with you?”
I feel like he wants to ask me something else, but he’s holding back and I’m not going to push.
I don’t answer right away, but instead bring my hand to his cheek. I don’t know why I’m doing this. I feel all of the stress burst through and a moment of relief washes over me. Evan’s body tightens in response to my touch.
He doesn’t speak he only shakes his head in such a subtle way that I almost don’t catch it.
“I know it’s there, Abby and I’ll be right here when you know it too.” His smile is flat and it worries me for some reason.
He must catc
h my concerns because he grabs my face in his hands and kisses me. I don’t feel fireworks or any unrealistic feelings for him. I feel something stronger, but I don’t know what that is. It’s the confusion I was talking about.
“Ahh…” I sigh.
“Ok, I’ll go.” I shake my head. “I shouldn’t have come here and I’m… I’m sorry that you have to put up with me.” I shake my head again.
Evan doesn’t say a word, but the look he holds on his face says everything that I need to hear.
I know that I’ve got feelings for him. I just can’t get away from the guilt though. The guilt of knowing that I remember Marco and that I don’t remember Evan. The guilt of knowing that Marco left me and Evan has stayed by my side throughout everything and yet I’m doing this to him.
I turn to walk to the front door when I feel Evan’s hand make contact with my elbow.
“I have to go out of town, Abby. I don’t know when I’ll be back and—”
I turn in the flats that I forgot to take off when I came in. And that’s when it hits me like a punch in the gut.
“Wait!” I hiss cutting him off. I turn toward the front door then to the kitchen and then the living room.
“What’s wrong?” Evan jumps like he’s going to tackle someone.
“I… ” I whisper.
I remember my shoes against the wall and the kitchen, I cooked in this kitchen. I begin my slow tippy toed journey to the kitchen. My hand slides across the smooth cold countertop as I make my way through the kitchen.
I see myself standing in front of the stove. I’m cooking something, but I’m not sure what. I grab hold of the towel that sits next to the vase on the counter with the dried flowers it holds.
I tilt my head and take a deep breath.
Evan’s arms slowly wrap around me. “You’re the best cook in the world. There’s nothing better than watching you in here doing your thing. Well, besides eating it I mean.”
“I remember being here, Evan,” I whisper again.
He tucks his head into my neck. “I knew you would.”
“I remember cooking in here and… ” I’m beginning to have other memories, but I’m scared because as quickly as I grab hold of the thought with the net I’ve been trying to catch them with, I can’t get past the fear that there’s a hole that they’ll escape from.
I turn my body inside of his hold. “Everything’s a blur, but I know it’s there somewhere.” I smile.
His hold on me tightens and he kisses the top of my head.
“I want to remember everything,” I say excitedly.
“You will.”
I break from the hold jogging into the living room. “This couch?” I point to the couch and then sit on it smoothing my hands over the cushions on either side of me. I jump up feeling elation about the fact my memories may actually come back. I approach the window looking down to the street. “Is that?” I can’t ask, but I know. I shake my head when Evan starts to speak. “I know.” I raise a hand.
“Ok,” is all that he says.
I turn my body to see a print of white roses hanging on the wall next to the eight-person dining table. “That’s beautiful,” I gasp. The flowers seem so alive in this picture.
“Thank you.” He chuckles quietly to himself as his hand crosses his sexy facial hair.
Mmm, I love watching him do that.
“No problem.” I wink.
“It’s just that I bought it for you on one of my work trips and I never got to give it to you. I wanted to wait, but I needed to hang it. It just reminds me of you so much and…” he hesitates. “It’s been so quiet here that I needed a piece of you here with me.”
Evan’s sitting backward in one of the eight chairs at the table. He’s barefoot and the sleeves of his white Henley are pushed up. His hair has a messy just fucked look it’s so sexy.
I smile.
“Can I?” I point in the direction of the hallway.
He nods as he stands from the chair.
I slip out of my ballet flats and pad down the wide hallway. I don’t see Evan, but I know he’s walking close behind me.
I stop at his bedroom door holding onto the door frame. I’m terrified to enter, I don’t know why. Well, I know why, but…
I stare at the huge bed thinking about the dreams I’ve been having. I’m wondering if he and I had done anything like that in here. My heart begins to pound against my chest and butterflies swim in my tummy. A smile forces its way to my lips and I lay my head against the door frame.
“This is our room,” Evan whispers as he leans into me.
I melt, my body and mind are abandoning me and the plans I had.
Damn them!
I want to speak, I do, but I can’t and if I’m honest I’m not going to say anything that I want to hear myself say anyway, so I better just keep my mouth shut.
“Our room?” I ask, finally speaking.
“Mhmmm.” I feel him nod against me.
“I didn’t live here.” I furrow my brows in question.
He laughs. “I pretended that you did. I asked you too, but yea you didn’t technically live here. This room and this bed though…” He breaks his hold on me to walk in and he sits on the edge of the bed. “This was always ours, never anyone else’s.”
I lift my head and look down at my bare feet as I step inside. I take a deep breath as my foot touches the cold floor stepping into the room.
“I won’t bite,” Evan says and I feel bad that he has to say that to me.
“I don’t think you’ll hurt me Evan, I’m just… It’s just a lot, ya know.”
“Mhmmm. Anything?” he asks.
“Sorta, it's familiar, but no memory yet. Can I look around?”
“Like I said before, this is our room and that’ll never change, Abby.”
“Evan?” I need to talk to him about his father. Hopefully, he doesn’t try to avoid the conversation this time.
“Yeah?”
“When are we going to make your father pay?” I’m walking through the room and I’m not making eye contact, for good reason.
When Evan’s eyes pierce mine he could pretty much get what he wants, well within reason of course, and even though he said that we’d deal with his dad, he has yet to make good on that promise.
There’s a loud noise from the other room and Evan stands from the huge bed with a freaked out look on his face. “Abby, stay in here. No matter what, do not come out,” he commands.
He runs to a shelf near the bathroom door and opens the drawer pulling out a gun. “If anyone comes in here you fucking shoot.” He stares me down. “Abby! Do you hear me?”
I’m frozen in my bare feet. I can’t move let alone speak.
“Abby!” He shakes me by the shoulders.
“What are you talking about?” I demand.
He grabs me hard and forcefully by my shoulders. “Listen to me…” he pauses and looks up. “Do not come out of this bedroom until I tell you to, and if anyone comes in here...” He grabs my hand that holds the cold metal he’s put there. “Flip this, aim, point, and pull the fucking trigger. Do you understand me? Nod if you understand.”
I nod.
“I love you, Abby.” He kisses the top of my head and then walks out of the bedroom closing the door behind him.
“Yes, I’ll stay here.” I nod.
I don’t know what’s going on, but Evan is freaking out and by the look on his face something serious is going on. I don’t know what it is, but if it has anything to do with Marco, and if they’re going to fight then I’m going to have to intervene. Although, I don’t think he’d actually tell me if there was a problem, but if there is I will know.
I slowly walk toward the door to see if I can figure out what’s going on. I don’t hear anything. Why would Evan give me a gun if nothing’s going on?
I slowly crack the door open to see if I can hear anything. I still don’t. I slowly and quietly shut the door back closed and walk toward the bed laying the cold metal down. The
weight is a little bit too much for me and I hope I never have to use it.
I look around the room while in here. I might as well. My heart’s racing, I need to keep myself busy.
I walk over to the large window next to the bed and that’s when it hits me. One quick flash. I was here with him. I don’t know what happened or specifics, but it’s there somewhere.
I hear someone walking down the hallway and I panic. I think Evan’s coming back, but what if he’s not? What do I do? I search the room for somewhere to hide.
I grab the gun, but I’m not going to use it. I can’t, there’s no way.
I sprint to the closet and gently close the door.
Oh my God, what do I do?
“Abby? It’s Evan.”
I release the breath I was holding onto and collapse from the pure adrenaline that’s just passed through my veins. I gasp for air because the closet is closing in on me.
The door cracks. “It’s me, angel.” Evan appears through the light that’s coming in from the other side of the door. I tilt my head from the place I’m sitting on the wooden floor.
“Abby, I need you to get up.” His shoulders are held tightly, and his lips are pressed in a hard line.
Inner sexy girl shakes her head, probably because I’ve never seen Evan with any kind of a look that says he can’t handle something.
I stand slowly taking my time and dust off my jeans as I do. I feel like something bad is about to happen and I don’t like it. My heart’s pounding and the blood that runs through my veins is hot in my cheeks.
I approach Evan in the closet doorway and his hand grabs my wrist, his eyes close tightly, and his lips are in a flat line. “Don’t say a fucking word, do you hear me?”
“Evan?” I blink my eyes confused.
Evan quickly jerks me out of the closet. “I’m so sorry, I have to do this. Say nothing, Abby,” he whispers. Instantly my body goes cold as fear rips through me. You know that fear that comes when you think you’re in danger. Yeah, that kind of fear.
Evan drags me down the hall squeezing my wrist in a clenching grip.
My Demons (The Angel Trilogy #2) Page 6