Three Thousand Miles To You,(Three Thousand Miles, Series, Book #1)

by Longford, Deila

  “When are you going to introduce me to your friend?” Katharine says as she moves over to my bed.

  “You will meet him don’t worry.”

  “Is he staying for long then?”

  “To be honest, I am not sure how long he is staying.”

  “What’s his story?”

  “Don’t know.”

  “I thought you said he knew him?”

  “I know of him.”

  “So did you know he was coming?”

  “Yes my friend from London told me last night.”

  “Which friend,”

  “A guy named Adrian Black.”

  “Oh, it’s a guy friend,” Katharine says with a naughty smile.

  “Yes, the most amazing friend.”

  “Sounds like you are more than friends.”

  “Maybe, there is definitely something between us.”

  “Oh Alanna, are you in love?”

  “I don’t know I have never felt this way before, I can’t describe the way I feel.” I hear a little knock at my door and it pushes open.

  “Hello Alanna, my name is Michael, I am Adrian’s step brother,” he says in a cool British accent.

  “Hi Michael, it’s nice to meet you, Adrian has told me about you.”

  “Likewise,”

  “Sorry this is my friend Katharine.”

  “Hello Katharine, it’s also nice to meet to you.” Katharine cannot contain her smile. “I hate to seem rude, but may I have a moment with Alanna?”

  “Of course.” says Katharine and with that she heads out and shuts the door.

  “Alanna has Adrian told you why I am here?”

  “I am sure you know what he is like, every question I ask, he only gives half an answer.”

  “Yes I do rather dislike that about him. However, he has sent me here to watch over you.”

  “What does he think is going to happen to me?”

  “Adrian has a past that sometimes follows him around, and I guess he is just scared that it might catch up on him and retaliate, in the only way it can by hurting you.”

  “Why would anyone want to hurt me over Adrian, I just don’t get it?”

  “I know it’s hard for you to understand, but you realize that Adrian cares about you more than any other thing in his life.”

  “I know he tells me all the time, but what I can’t understand is why?”

  “Adrian has a really hard time trusting women, it’s mainly because of the way his mother treated him.”

  “I always ask him about his childhood but I always seem to have no luck in getting answers.”

  “Alanna I must go just now I have a few calls to make and other stuff that needs doing, but would I be able to meet up with you later and we can discuss this further over dinner?”

  “Absolutely,”

  “I have your number I will text you later to confirm, okay?”

  “Sure that’s fine see you later.”

  Full of anticipation for tonight’s dinner with Michael, I decide I will go out for a coffee to try to kill some time. I wrap up warm and start for the streets of New York. As I pass buy the rows of elegant stores I think to what Adrian must feel when he buys the gifts for me. Whenever I ask him the reason for the gifts all he says,

  “It’s because I want to treat you right.”

  Somehow, that does not wash with me. I feel he maybe has another reason for it, something from his past that makes him the way he is. The more I hear about his secret past the more I want to know. When all I knew was that there was something that maybe he did or something happened to him, I could accept that, but with all this talk about enemies and people coming after him, and with Michael now here to watch over me, it is a little unsettling. I take my regular seat by the window in the Starbucks as I always do. I sit and look out over the streets and at the people of New York. Remembering the way I felt about the streets of London. The cool, crisp air the history that oozes from within the sidewalks of the city, I look out again and what I see is surprising. Parked a few doors down on the opposite side of the street, I see the same black Lamborghini that followed me round the East Hamptons. Only this time I can see that there is a dark grey haired man in the driving seat. I am startled to see him look straight over at me, a rush of fear I felt that night comes flooding around my body. I quickly rise up and walk out into the street. As I walk, I take out my phone and dial Adrian’s number. I wait for him to answer.

  “Alanna hello.”

  “Adrian,” I say in such a quite tone.

  “Are you okay what’s wrong.” I hear him shout.

  “I think I am being followed.”

  “What, by who?”

  “I don’t know Adrian.”

  “Alanna you have to tell me right now, what do you see?”

  “A black Lamborghini,” The phone goes quite at the sound of my words. “Adrian, are you still there?”

  “I need you to go into the first public place you see and wait there for Michael.”

  “Michael told me he had things to do, you can’t disturb him.”

  “Alanna what do think the purpose of Michael being there is? I can disturb him anytime I want and anyway why did he leave you?” Adrian sounds angry a voice I have not heard before.

  “He didn’t know I was going out he left me in the dorms, we are going for dinner later on tonight.”

  “Tell me Alanna how many times have you seen that car?”

  “Twice I think,” “No wait I saw a similar one in London.”

  “They know”

  “Who knows?”

  “Alanna do as I say.” I hear the desperation in his voice and I cannot help but think that maybe I should. “Okay Adrian.”

  “I have to go get Michael on the phone, can you text me the address of where you are?”

  “Adrian wait why did you send me the key to a Lamborghini?”

  “Alanna I didn’t.”

  “Then who did?”

  “I am guessing the same person that is in the car you see.”

  I turn around and the car is still sitting there. I feel a pang of fear crawl up my spine, why was someone following me. What did Adrian do that was so bad? Who is he? I go back into the Starbucks and wait for Michael to arrive. I order another latte and sit by the window. Adrian phoned me to say that Michael was on his way and he would be ten minutes. I took the time while I was waiting, to search the internet for some possible answer as to what Adrian could have done. I type in his name but nothing of any interest comes up. I try the name of Adrian’s company James and Brookes, to see who are his main rivals but still no luck. The only other name I can think to try is Mr Jenkins. I scroll through the pages and one thing that grabs my attention is that, Mr Jenkins has another son. One that is not Michael or Adrian, his name is Chad and according to this website, he had a falling out with the family and moved away to France. Could this be something of importance?

  “Alanna,” I hear Michael say as sits down at the table.

  “I am okay, a little bit shaken that’s all.”

  “What happened?”

  “There is a black Lamborghini; it has been following me for a while.”

  “And where is this car now?”

  “Over there if you turn around you will see it.”

  “Wait here.” Michael quickly gets up and races out the front door, as he does the car speeds away down the street and is out of sight. I get up and go out to Michael.

  “That’s not normal is it?”

  “No, its not,”

  “Let’s get you back to the dorms.”

  Michael is very quiet on the way back to Columbia. I try to break the silence. “Michael, do you know why this is happening?”

  “Alanna it’s not for me to tell you.”

  “It’s clear to see that, I am in some kind of danger and all I get from you and Adrian, are vague non-answers to every question I ask.”

  “Alanna this is not my secret to tell.”

  “Whatever he did, must have
been so bad that someone wants to kill him - am I right?” I say shouting.

  “Alanna they don’t want to kill him, it’s you they want to harm.” Michael shouts back.

  “Me, what did I do?”

  “It’s because Adrian cares about you.”

  “So they want to hurt him, by hurting me?”

  “Now you finally get it,” he says a little too sarcastically.

  “You have to understand that all this is new to me, I have never had to deal with anything like this before.”

  “How do you think Adrian feels he has had to live with this his entire life?”

  There is nothing that I can I say back to him to. We walk in silence back to the dorms. When I walk in the though the door, I am faced with a whole lot of curious faces looking at Michael and me together. Not least, the one I cannot bear to look at right now Marco. I walk past him and I hear him say,

  “Can we talk a minute?” I look to Michael and say, “It will only take a minute.”

  Marco leans against the pale yellow lockers with his arms folded, Michael stands near buy. “Alanna what has happened to us?”

  “What do mean Marco, there were no us.”

  “You know what I mean, the little cute arguments we used to have.”

  “Okay Marco, I think you are little crazy if you thought they were cute, they were anything but.”

  “You don’t even talk to me anymore; I want to know what your problem is.”

  “Marco, I have had the worst day, so please can we talk about this some other time?”

  “No, it’s now or never.”

  “Then I guess it’s never, goodbye Marco.” I try to walk away but I feel Marco’s hand pull me back and before I can breathe he has me pinned up against the lockers, there is about an inch between our faces and the look of rage that’s on his face is terrifying.

  “Get off her now.” I hear Michael shout; he pulls Marco away from me and slightly pushes me to one side. I gasp not believing what has just happened. I look to Michael, and his hands are forcefully griped around Marco’s neck.

  “If you ever touch her again,”

  “What will you do huh?” Marco says in a voice that is too smug,

  “I will kill you.”

  Michael takes my hand and marches me back to my room. “Adrian is right that bloke is trouble.”

  “No Michael he’s really not, I just wound him up that’s all.”

  “Alanna he was about to hit you or something even worse, don’t you stick up for him.”

  “I am not sticking up for him, but don’t you think we have more to worry about than Marco?”

  “Maybe, but I will be telling Adrian about this.”

  “No please don’t?”

  “Why?”

  “He has enough to worry about and I don’t want to give him any more stress.”

  “Stress you think that this is stressful. Alanna you have no idea what he has been through.”

  “No you are right I don’t because no one will tell me.”

  “You don’t deserve to know.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  “Why are you being like this?”

  “Like what Alanna, honest, cause that’s all I am being and I am honest when I say, that I wish Adrian never laid eyes on you.”

  “Michael, what is wrong with you?”

  “Nothing wrong with me,”

  “Then why are you saying these things?”

  “Because it’s the truth, if he had not met you, then none of this would be going on.”

  “I was under the impression that this had been going on for a while, long before I came along.”

  “Yes it was, but you brought it back to the surface.”

  “What on earth are you talking about?”

  “If he hadn’t met you, then there would be no one for them to hurt. Adrian would be free to live his life.”

  “Surly you can’t blame me for that? How was I to know that there were people after him?”

  “You didn’t, but the second he sent you those gifts, you should have put a stop to it.”

  “How could I?”

  “It would have been easy enough; you were just too desperate, to tell him to go away.”

  “How dare you say that, you don’t know me?”

  “No but I know your type and you always get what you want, as long as it’s in your best interests, tell me do you even care about him?”

  “Of course I do, how can you say a thing like that, you really think I would stay with him knowing that I am in danger if I didn’t care about him?”

  “I don’t know it’s like you say I don’t know you.”

  “Okay, you can leave, go on get out.”

  “Don’t worry I am gone.”

  He slams the door and I fall to my knees. I start to sob so violently, that I start to pant. I begin to feel short of breath, but I manage to pick myself up off the floor and go over to the table next to my bed, where I grab a bottle of water and the white Blackberry. I check to see if have any messages from Adrian, but there is none. I sit down on my bed and look over towards the mirror that sits on the dressing table across from the bed. Who is that girl, her face is so pale and gaunt? Tear-stained cheeks with no happiness in her eyes-only sadness. I pull myself together and take a hot shower. I do not want to worry Sophie when she gets in, so I put on one of my facemasks, put my earphones in try to, just for a little while forget everything.

  Fifteen

  The next morning I wake to find myself in tears. I must have been having a nightmare again, but this time I cannot remember it.

  “Alanna, you are shaking.”

  “I just had a bad dream, that’s all Sophie.”

  “No wonder you are having nightmares after what happened yesterday.”

  “How did you know about that?”

  “Everyone is talking about it.”

  “How did they find out?”

  “Marco assaulted you right there in the hallway, with numerous witnesses how would everyone not know?” I feel relieved that it is the issue with Marco she is referring to and the other one.

  “Yes of course, but it really wasn’t as bad as that.”

  “No? What happened then, everyone is saying he was about to slap you.”

  “I don’t think he was, it was just one of the many heated arguments we have, and this time it got a little out of hand.”

  “How could a tall, muscular guy grab such a little delicate thing like you and with such fury?”

  “I would rather just try to forget all about it now.”

  “I wonder what your Prince Charming would say about all this. I bet if he were here, then he would have knocked Marco’s front teeth out. Nevertheless, I hear he may have some competition for you.”

  “What?”

  “I heard some new guy jumped in and saved the day.”

  “No that’s no new guy, that’s Adrian Blacks step brother.”

  “Wait what?”

  “Yes, he is his step brother.”

  “I got that, but what is he doing here?”

  I know Adrian told me to tell Sophie the truth about Michael, but I just cannot, what would she say if she knew the truth.

  “He is an exchange student from Oxford, and he relocated here for better work opportunities.”

  “Wow, what’s he like?”

  “He is okay.”

  “What just okay? Do you not like him or something?”

  “No he is a nice guy, I don’t really know him.”

  “Is he hot?”

  “Sophie.”

  “What, just wondering that’s all.” I shoot her a disapproving look.

  “Well is he?”

  “I suppose so; you will see him around, you can decide for yourself! But let me warn you I think he is spoken for by Katharine, you should have seen her swooning over him.”

  “I don’t know what you take me for Alanna; I am with Dan now, so there will be no swooning on my part.”


  “We will see.” I say and both of us let out hysterical giggles.

  I start to take a shower but I hear my white phone buzzing in the background, so I shut off the water and go over to check the phone. I have a new message from Adrian; I take a deep breath as wait for the message to show.

  Alanna my love, how are you feeling today?

  I am okay, a little shaken though.

  I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for all this.

  I know you are. Have you spoken to Michael today?

  Yes, he told me what happened yesterday.

  Really, what did he say?

  He told me you two had words, Alanna do you not like Michael?

  He seems all right, but I think that it is Michael, who does not like me.

  He does like you, it is just he has a funny way of showing things; he prefers to be the cold outcast type than be the hero.

  I suppose.

  You seem like you have something on your mind what is it?

  I am having a hard time coming to terms with all this. I cannot understand why there is someone following me. You say it is because there is someone out to hurt you, but yet again, I do not know why.

  Alanna I wish I could tell you, but you will be safe with Michael, please stay close to him at all times.

  I will, but please you have to give me something, I cannot go on not knowing a thing.

  Okay, Alanna,

  When I was a child, you know I did not have the best upbringing, my father left when I was two and Alice never got over it. She went from guy to guy sleeping around and staying out for days at a time, drinking. One time when I was six Alice locked me in the cupboard under the stairs, with nothing to eat and a single candle for light. All I remember was being so scared and cold and I was sure that she was never coming back.

  That is terrible Adrian, did she ever come back.

  Yes, she came home three days later, with her face all covered in bruises. Her clothes were hanging from her and she stank so bad I could not stand near her.

  Adrian I do not know what to say, I am so sorry that you had to go through that.

  You said you wanted to know ,so here I am telling you. Can you not handle it? Are you seeing me differently now?