Inescapable

by C. J. Fallowfield

  ‘Do all of the doors lock?’ I asked as I wandered over to check.

  ‘Yes, but as I said before, you’re safe here. Most guests find they prefer to sleep with the doors thrown wide open.’

  ‘All night?’ I exclaimed, as I looked at him horrified.

  ‘Yes,’ he chuckled as he made his way back towards the main entrance and I followed. ‘You’re not in London now. My landline is on speed dial one if you need me, or ring my mobile, which is speed dial two. Before I leave you, there are a few house rules I need to run through with you.’

  ‘I can promise that I don’t have fleas, am fully toilet trained, and won’t intentionally scratch the furniture.’

  ‘Now you’re teasing me.’

  ‘Yes,’ I giggled and bit my lower lip as I looked at my sumptuous surroundings. I had a feeling this was going to be the best job I’d ever accepted. I went and sat on the edge of the bed and bounced a few times, testing it out. I’d never felt one so soft. When I looked back at him he had a strange look on his face. ‘What?’

  ‘I’m just not used to seeing you smile, you should do it more often, it suits you.’

  ‘I smile a lot, but you don’t really know me well enough to know that, nor me you,’ I reminded him, feeling suddenly awkward to be back in personal territory again, when he knew so much more about me than I did him. ‘Rules?’

  ‘Rules, right.’ He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. ‘Okay, you have the run of the house and this southern stretch of beach anytime. My house, its immediate grounds, and the north side of the island are all off limits unless you’re expressly invited.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘I’ll give you advance notice if I’d like you to join me for breakfast, lunch or dinner, equally I’d ask permission to join you here. No offence will be taken if you decline any of those offers.’

  ‘Understood,’ I replied, though I wasn’t sure I did. He’d suddenly turned from relaxed Castle into uptight businessman Tate Castle, in the blink of an eye.

  ‘Do I need to repeat those rules?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes, I’m positive.’ I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

  ‘I hope so, as I need to know that you’re clear on my expectations. I’d be forced to reconsider our arrangement if you don’t adhere to them.’ He removed his hands from his pockets and folded his arms across his chest, so I did the same with mine.

  ‘Would you like me to repeat them for you, sir?’ I replied, adding a little more sass to my tone. What was with the sudden formality and bossiness?

  ‘Did you just “sir” me?’ He gave me an incredulous look, so I raised my eyebrows.

  ‘I think I did. Why, is that against the rules for one of your employees?’

  ‘You’re not an employee.’

  ‘You hired me to paint. So, I kind of think that does make me an employee, right?’

  ‘I assumed that you’d want your privacy here,’ he stated, skirting my question, which annoyed me even more. ‘So, I’ve instructed my housekeeping team that they’re only to call on you when you request them. Speed dial three. That also means that no one will be making any impromptu house calls without telephoning you first to make sure that it’s convenient.’

  ‘Does that include you?’

  ‘Yes, why on earth would you ask that? I already said that no matter my feelings, I’d be respectful. I told you I’m a man of my word and I don’t like having my integrity questioned.’

  ‘I know what you said, I have fully functioning hearing, thank you very much. But as you seem to know so much about my past, maybe you could be a little more understanding that I’m not as receptive to accepting people’s words at face value. I might ask for confirmation a few times, which isn’t about you, it’s about making myself feel better. Why are you suddenly being an arse?’

  ‘An arse?’ It was his turn to raise his eyebrows.

  ‘Yes, you’ve been nothing but nice from the moment you picked me up in Tortola, and all of a sudden you’ve turned into a bossy–’ I blew out an exasperated breath and turned my head away. I felt really tired and emotional all of a sudden and wasn’t in the mood for games. ‘This Castle reminds me of Richard,’ I added quietly.

  ‘Jesus, Alex. I’m not Richard fucking King,’ he snapped back, raising his voice. ‘I’m standing in front of a woman I desperately want to take to my bed, while she’s sitting on one just feet away from me. I’m trying to get this over with as fast as possible, so that I can leave and remove any temptation from my path. The last thing I want to do is fuck this up by acting on my carnal impulses and scaring you off me for life. Are we done?’

  ‘We’re done,’ I whispered, feeling the overwhelming urge to sob as I continued to stare out to sea.

  ‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ he sighed, softening his tone. ‘Sarah will come in as I leave.’

  I nodded, got up and walked towards the front deck as I heard him head in the opposite direction. I rubbed my eyes and quickly pulled myself together. Once I was done with Sarah, I could let my emotions out then, and maybe have a relaxing bath before going to bed and catching up on the sleep that I’d missed out on for the last few nights. After I locked all of these damn doors first. Seriously, who could sleep with an open invitation for anyone to wander in?

  ‘Hello, Miss Bishop.’

  ‘Hello, Sarah, please call me Alex,’ I said as I plastered a smile on my face and turned to face the petite blonde, who didn’t look much older than me.

  ‘Alex it is then, Miss. Right, I’ll be as quick as I can, you look exhausted from your trip. Let’s start in the kitchen, shall we?’

  Sarah was fast and efficient, she knew every nook and cranny of the bungalow, and the place was immaculate. She visibly beamed with pride when I told her so. As she closed her small flip pad, that she’d listed my requirements for my food and art supplies on, not to mention sunglasses and sun lotion, she asked if I had any other questions for her.

  ‘What are the red buttons I’ve seen dotted around the bungalow?’ I asked. There was one on a number of walls in each room, even out on the deck.

  ‘Mr. Castle didn’t tell you?’ she asked, a look of surprise on her face. I shook my head. ‘Well, they’re the panic alarm buttons. You press that and it will alert him and his security team, who’ll be down here in a matter of minutes.’

  ‘I thought it was safe here, he said people sleep with the doors open,’ I replied, feeling a little unsettled at this information.

  ‘They do, Alex. In all of my years on the island I’ve never locked a door or window. His team would intercept anyone who crossed the ocean perimeter before they even made it ashore.’

  ‘Then why does he have panic alarms everywhere?’

  ‘He had them installed yesterday, after you’d accepted his offer. When I asked why, he just said that he wanted you to feel as safe as you could and if that meant alarms he’d have alarms.’

  ‘Oh.’ The surprise at that news must have registered on my face.

  ‘He’s a good man, Alex. If he’s promised you safety here, that’s what he’ll give you. He’s a man of his word and highly respected by all of his employees.’

  ‘Thank you, Sarah. That’s good to know.’

  I saw her out, then closed and locked the door and rested my forehead against it as my shoulders slumped. All of the tension and drama of the last few days hit me like a sledgehammer. I’d bottled up my feelings for so many years, thinking that was the right way to deal with what had happened to me. But it didn’t seem to have worked. So, this time, I removed the cork and let them flow, my legs turning to liquid as I slid to the glass floor and started to sob. I had no idea it felt so cathartic to let what you were feeling out as I gave in to it.

  When I was all cried out, I finally dragged myself up and went to close all of the bi-fold doors, taking a few moments to take in the view and breathe in some fresh sea air. I made my way into the calming white and limestone spa-
like bathroom and winced as I saw the state of my tear-ravaged eyes in the mirror. Throwing my case open, I pulled out my toiletries and brushed my teeth as I wandered back into the main room to find the controls for the air-conditioning, I was already getting too hot in here. Cranking it on to the lowest setting, I then went back to rinse my mouth, and decided I was too tired for a bath. I stripped off and pulled on my sleeping shorts and vest. Usually I slept in the nude, but considering there were no curtains on any of the windows I didn’t fancy a passing fisherman getting an eyeful of my assets, let alone any of Castle’s security team that might patrol the waters.

  I tapped out a quick text to Tom and Janice to let them know that I’d arrived safely, then soaked some cotton wool pads in cold water and took them with me to the bedroom. Climbing into bed and rearranging the nets around me, I lay down and put the cold pads on my swollen eyes and let out a sigh. I just needed a good night’s sleep and everything would feel better in the morning.

  Castle

  I pulled myself up out of my infinity pool, where I’d been doing lengths for the last hour. When I couldn’t relieve tension by fucking, I did it by swimming, pounding the treadmill or sand, or kickboxing with my personal trainer, Jason. None of that had helped. Not when I knew she was down there, or that my attraction to her was reciprocated.

  When I’d first met her, she was everything that I’d told myself I didn’t need in my life. She reminded me of Imogen, Tom had unwittingly confirmed that she wasn’t the kind of woman that enjoyed casual sex, and I hadn’t been convinced that she had the inner strength to fight her demons. Reading some of her court reports though, and seeing some flashes of attitude from her this afternoon, had blown that theory out of the water. She hadn’t just endured that final beating, she’d encouraged it in order to live. Alex Bishop was the personification of strength, she just didn’t know it, or portray it.

  I grabbed my towel off the sun lounger, wiping my face and rubbing my hair dry as I headed towards the drinks cabinet in my lounge. I tucked the towel around my waist and poured myself a generous brandy, then jogged up the stairs. Making my way through my master-suite, I stepped out onto my private balcony and leaned on the glass balustrade as I looked down the hill towards to the beach house and took a sip of my drink.

  It was late, there was no reason for her to still be awake, but I was disappointed not to see any lights from the kitchen or bathroom window to indicate she might still be up. I wasn’t happy with the way we’d left things. And I hated going to sleep with things unresolved. You never knew what the next day might bring, or the chances to set things right that sleep might strip from you.

  I wasn’t tired, so I threw myself down onto the outdoor sofa and crossed my ankles up on the low coffee table in front of me, as I savoured my brandy and listened to the nightly chorus of tree frogs, crickets and birds. I always found it hard to sleep when I was in London. Even with triple glazing, the noise and light pollution was so jarring. Here you could be lulled to sleep by the sounds of nature. The noise of the surf breaking on the shore was one of my favourite sounds. If someone had told me ten years ago that I’d crave the peace of somewhere like Pepper Island, I’d have laughed them out of my Knightsbridge door. Everything had changed, and despite how much I felt Imogen’s loss, it was definitely for the better.

  My eyes snapped back down to the beach house as a light appeared in the kitchen window. She was awake. I lifted my left wrist up, propping my elbow on the armrest and ordered the watch to call Alex.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘Alex. Is everything okay? I noticed the light come on.’

  ‘You’re spying on me?’

  ‘No. I’m sitting on my balcony enjoying a nightcap after a vigorous swim, and just saw that you were up. It’s late so I wanted to make sure you were okay?’

  ‘Oh, I’m fine thank you. I came to get something to drink.’

  ‘Trouble sleeping?’

  ‘It’s a nightmare,’ she exclaimed dramatically. ‘I’m in the most comfortable bed I’ve ever had the pleasure of sleeping in, but if the air-con is on I’m too cold, I turn it off and I’m too hot. And it’s so damn noisy, how anyone sleeps around here is beyond me. Tell me you can hear that racket? What is it?’

  ‘First of all, I’m assuming you’ve locked all of the doors?’ I chuckled.

  ‘Well, hello. It’s me, Alex Bishop, with a vindictive stalker hot on her heels, of course the doors are locked.’

  ‘You’re safe here, Alex. And the reason you’re uncomfortable is because the doors are locked. During the day keep them shut, make sure the awning is down and the air-con on. Then at night you’re better turning off the air-con and pulling them open. There’s always a light ocean breeze that’s damp, which will cool the bungalow, and you, down.’

  ‘Hmmm, well for now the doors are staying shut. Besides, if they don’t drown out that cacophony of sound when they’re closed, I have no chance of sleeping with them open.’

  ‘You’ve never heard crickets or tree frogs I take it? It’s actually quite soothing once you get used to it.’

  ‘Soothing? The noise of my dentist’s drill is more soothing than that.’

  ‘You live in London, that’s how I feel every time I return and hear the traffic. Trust me, you’ll soon get used to it.’

  ‘I’m not sure I will, but I do like the sound of the waves below me.’

  ‘Good, I’d hate to think there was nothing about your stay that was enjoyable.’

  ‘There’s lots to be enjoyed, I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. And I’m sorry I overreacted earlier, I was tired.’

  ‘I’m sorry too, for turning into a domineering arsehole and reminding you of your ex.’

  ‘So, if I can get some sleep, avoid being anywhere near a bed with you, and you can learn not to be too domineering around me, we should get along just fine, shouldn’t we?’

  ‘Yes, we should,’ I smiled, sipping some of my brandy.

  ‘Do you have casual sex?’

  ‘What!’ I sprayed the contents of my mouth all over myself. Talk about being blind-sided. I hadn’t seen that question coming.

  ‘Casual sex, do you have it?’ she repeated.

  ‘Is that a proposition, or a rather bizarre question?’

  ‘It’s a perfectly rational question.’

  ‘Not from my point of view it’s not,’ I said, setting my glass down and trying to wipe the sticky alcohol off my stomach.

  ‘I’m just wondering if you’re the kind of guy that screws multiple women while he pursues others.’

  ‘No, I’m not that kind of guy. Maybe in my early twenties, but I was upfront about it being casual. Where is this coming from?’

  ‘Clearly I don’t understand men much, or relationships. I’m just trying to learn more about the man who says he wants me in his bed.’

  ‘Because there’s a possibility that you want to be there?’ I asked, waiting with bated breath for her response.

  ‘I don’t know. Maybe I’m just curious.’

  ‘You know that curiosity killed the cat.’ Curious was better than a flat out no, curious gave me hope.

  ‘Being oblivious to what’s actually happening can be just as dangerous. All I know is that asking questions helps me to see the full picture, so I don’t get any surprises.’

  ‘Most people enjoy surprises.’

  ‘I think we’ve already established I’m not most people.’

  ‘Well, neither am I.’

  ‘No, I’m getting that. So, you’re not seeing anyone then?’

  ‘No, Alex, I’m not seeing anyone. Are you?’

  ‘No,’ she scoffed. There was a long pause and I picked up my drink again, wondering what was going on in that head of hers right now. ‘Who’s Angel?’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’ Another question I hadn’t expected.

  ‘Angel called you, I’m just curious who she is.’

  ‘Who said it’s a she?’

  ‘Woman’s intuition. So, who is she?’


  ‘No one that you need to worry about,’ I said firmly, tipping my glass to take a large glug.

  ‘She’s not an ex then? Or a fuck buddy?’

  ‘Christ no.’ This time I choked on the alcohol. Maybe it would be best for me not to drink while talking to Alex Bishop. I was getting whiplash from the sudden change in directions of this conversation.

  ‘But you have feelings for her, right? The way you answered the phone, it was obvious.’

  ‘You know how you told me that you didn’t want to talk about something to do with your art, earlier?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said slowly, dragging the word out.

  ‘Well, this is something I’d like to move on from. I haven’t, and never will, sleep with her. Besides, I told you that you’re the one that’s been in my thoughts from the moment I met you. I wasn’t lying and nothing’s happened to change that. Which is why I feel that it’s best that we respect each other’s privacy as much as possible and avoid spending too much time alone together.’

  ‘I’ve enjoyed spending time with you, for the most part.’

  ‘Well, I’d never want to feel that I took advantage of you, but the moment you’re ready, Alex, I’ll be there. Until then, let’s stick to our agreement,’ I suggested, and heard her let out a gentle sigh.

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘It’s late, you should try getting back to sleep. You have your session with Ester at two o’clock, so you have the morning free to sleep in or enjoy the comforts of your home and the beach. We can have a tour of the island the following day and discuss my requirements.’

  ‘Castle?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Thank you, for going to so much trouble to help me, and make me feel safe. I really do appreciate it.’