My father gave them a tight smile. He knew it was a lie and so did I. I never really thought about it until Donovan and I saw each other again. He was there at the party. It was where we met. I remember my dad asked me if I saw any of the Pierce kids at Natalie’s party and I told him no. I really thought I didn’t. Now this truth could never be told because I would have to say he was with me. In reality I wouldn’t because I truly believe if Donovan was there he was just as much of a victim as his brother...
It wasn’t hard to peace it together. I thought back on how they said his brother walked himself to his house, but he wasn’t by himself. It was Donovan. He had to struggle carrying him while he bled all over the street and was forced to watch him die.
“Well I guess it was just strange how your brother was so wounded, but still he managed to walk himself to your house.” Just when I thought my dad couldn’t be more of an asshole!
“Dad!” Shit. It just came out. I don’t know what the hell happened.
Everyone stares at me in disbelief. I can’t believe I just did that.
“Henry maybe this isn’t the appropriate dinner conversation.” The mayor says, giving my father a stern look. It’s about time he took notice of what is going on.
I seriously need to stop thinking so hard because obviously I get so lost in my thoughts, I start blurting them out.
Donovan
Wow. I still can’t believe she stood up for me like that. She did just stand for me right? To her father of all people.
“Aw, dessert. My favorite.” The mayor broke the silence while cheesing at the delicious piece of chocolate cake in front of him. Of course dessert is his favorite course to eat.
“So Roman, how are your investments going? I hear you’re investing in more local New York Businesses.” Henry says glancing at my father.
“That is correct.”
“Yes it’s very interesting, how you can easily own over a hundred legit businesses in under a year, don’t you think?”
“Well Stonem, I had some royalties leftover from my past endeavors.”
“You mean, from your smuggling operations? Or maybe from the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, territory you took over.”
“Henry” The mayor warns Stonem again.
“I’m sorry mayor. I really am, but I don’t get how we can just sit here and act like we don’t know who this man is. Let me ask you something Donovan, did you handle the operations in London or Roman are you just waiting until your son at least reaches twenty one because we all know you started younger than him. ”
“Stop right there, Stonem.” My father interrupts. “I have kept my mouth shut long enough. Tonight you have not only disrespected my family, but also my deceased son. You can come at me all you want, but I guarantee you this. You cannot call yourself a man of the law when you stoop so low by attacking someone else’s children because you’re desperate. That’s always been your problem Stonem. You’re desperate, like a junky. You get so needy for your next fix, that you become sloppy and once you become sloppy, you lose your dignity and self-respect. You go from stealing money from your mother’s purse to committing sexual favors for a dealer. That’s what a desperate junky does. That’s what you are, a junky.”
My father’s words immediately shut him down. He completely shut Stonem down; I mean he basically compared the man to a low level junky in front of the whole table. I can’t help but to slowly grin as Stonem’s smug look turned into embarrassment during my father’s comeback.
“Maybe it’s time for us to go Henry.” Mrs. Stonem says.
“Maybe it is time for you to get another drink.”
I swear all the forks on the table drop at Stonem’s rudeness to his own wife. What the hell is with this guy? He seriously needs help or something.
Henry continues glaring at his wife who is completely covered with embarrassment from her husband. He rises up from his seat and throws his napkin on the table.
Mrs. Stonem and Claudia glance at each other and rise out of their seats and quickly follow Stonem.
My father sits back on his chair grinning. Ella sits back trying to hold her laugh in. My mother shakes her head smiling to herself.
That was worth every minute, I swear.
Through all the grinning I still can’t help but to feel bad for Claudia.
“Are you okay?” My mother notices my sudden change in mood.
“Yeah, I just have to go the bathroom right quick.” I tell her.
Claudia
“Henry, you need to calm down.” Julia says, following my father in the hallway outside the banquet hall.
“What the hell was that?!” My father turned back towards us furious. I haven’t seen him this pissed since he lost that case against Pierce when I was thirteen. “That criminal humiliated me!”
“Well you were going a little too far.”
“And you what was that huh?” My dad asked me.
“Dad you were embarrassing me. I go to school with them I don’t need any problems.”
“Are they giving you problems?”
“No, but dad you really need to chill.”
“Henry what happened?” Judge Winthrop comes towards us.
“I need to get out of here. I swear when I’m done. I swear as soon as we gather the rest of that evidence, Pierce will be the one begging me to show mercy.”
“Let’s go talk outside.” The judge walks my furious father outside while Julia and I stand there.
“Alright, I guess we might as well head to the limo” Julia says.
“Why do you let him talk to you like that?” I question without thinking.
“Claudia”
“No Julia, I don’t get it. My dad treats you horribly. He embarrassed you in front of everyone at the table and you still do nothing.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You may judge me all you want, but I didn’t hear you stand up for yourself. If it wasn’t for Vera Pierce asking what other school you wanted to attend; you wouldn’t have said a damn thing.”
I don’t think I have ever seen Julia this angry before.
“Whatever.”
“Whatever is right. I am very curious to know why you stood up for the Pierce boy though.”
“I told you, I didn’t want my father to embarrass me. I go to school with them.”
“Of course you didn’t.” Julia gives me a strange look, like she knows I’m lying. “Just know one thing Claudia. I may need a drink to keep going, but if you’re not careful, you will end up just like me. You may have your little outburst, but at the end of the day you’re going to do what daddy tells you.”
I can’t even say anything. I’m speechless. How could Julia say those things to me?
“I have to go say bye to Jade.” That’s all I can say. A part of me want’s to punch her in the face, but the other part wants to do nothing because I’m scared she is right.
“Hurry up. I don’t want your father to get any angrier than he already is.” Julia walks away.
I use to admire Julia when she first started dating my dad. She was her own person but once she married him she became one of them. She is right. My dad has these plans for me and no matter how I feel I’m probably going to do what he wants.
I can’t believe Roman Pierce said those things to my dad. I never heard anyone talk to him like that before. You would think I would be angry that he said those things to my dad, but I’m not. I kind of feel like my dad needed someone to tell him those things. He needed someone to put him in his place. My dad was unbelievable and he had no right. He always says how we are better than the criminals, but how can we be better when we act like that. I really didn’t know what I was doing I just didn’t like the way my father pushed Donovan
Speaking of Donovan, he is standing in front of me in the hallway.
I look around to see if anyone is around and there’s no one in sight. I wish there was because it could make my plan to avoid him easier.
> Just walk right past him Claudia. That’s all you have to do.
Okay I’m walking past him; I’m not even looking at him. Why isn’t he stopping me? No, shut up. You don’t want him to stop you.
“Claudia” I instantly froze at the sound of his voice.
This is the first time I’ve heard him say my name so personally. It sounds nice.
No stop it. Oh God please leave me alone. Tonight has just been a disaster, it can’t get worse.
“I just” I just? That’s it?
I slowly turn around to see if he has more to add to that sentence. It was probably a mistake to turn around because his piercing blue eyes are completely captivating me right now. It’s like I’m in a trance or something. My stomach turns just looking at him. He makes me so nervous, but in a good way. Even though it’s a good feeling it also hurts. It’s like all the butterflies in my stomach are ferociously attacking me from the inside. I think it hurts because I can’t feel this way. This is wrong. Isn’t it?
“I just wanted to say thank you. I know it wasn’t easy for you… and I appreciate you sticking up for me.” He says it in the most calm and nerve wrecking way.
“I didn’t do it for you. I was just annoyed by my dad.” I lie about the first part. I did do it for him.
He keeps the same face like he knows I’m lying. It’s that face where he looks at me like he sees inside my soul.
Not being able to endure it, I start to turn back around.
“I also know that you could easily tell your father that I was there that night, but you don’t. I thank you for that too.” God why is he still speaking?
“Yeah, well I would have to tell my father that I also kissed the son of a criminal. So yeah I have no choice.” I say as I still stare at his eyes. He still keeps the face. Why am I being rude to him? Claudia, you are such a bitch.
He politely grins, but I can tell he is hurt. He is hurt because I am acting the same way as my father. I’m no better than him. “Okay.”
Okay. Now I can go. I slowly turn around and start back walking.
“Also!” I freeze again.
Okay now he’s really annoying me.
“Also, you look really beautiful, actually you look beautiful every day, but tonight you have this glow about you and it’s nice and... I miss you. Is that crazy? I miss you and I never really knew you, but I guess that’s what it’s like when you meet someone that makes you… feel.”
Oh God, why did you do this to me?
What I’m about to do I’ll probably regret, but for once I just want to feel something again.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I quickly turn around and begin walking fastly toward him while staring at the floor, shaking and not breathing.
I finally look at him and instantly grab his face, crushing my mouth against his, hard. I exhale at the touch of his soft lips. I can’t help but to let out a slight moan.
He quickly places his hands around my waist. Our kiss turns from slow and hard to intense and fast as he slips his tongue into my mouth. I instantly greet his with mine. We begin devouring each other with our mouths falling into complete bliss. Our kiss is so intense and deep that I pull on his hair with one hand while the other pulls on his suit jacket. I pull so hard that I swear I could hear a tear and feel strands of hair coming out between my fingers. I feel his hands gripping my waist so hard. He presses me into him. I get this intense feeling going through my whole body. Finally that good feeling doesn’t hurt anymore. All the nerves and butterflies in my stomach start calming down. I bite his soft bottom lip so hard that I taste blood. He moans while I do this.
The kiss continues on for probably a few more seconds, until I push him back ending probably the most intense kiss in the world.
I stare into his blue eyes that are now dark with hunger.
He looks at me shocked but also aroused. If self-control didn’t exist, we would probably rip each other clothes off right now in the middle of the hallway.
I snap out of his gaze and quickly run outside.
That’s it. I did it. I got it out of my system and now it’s over.
God please let it be over.
Donovan
All I can do is stand there. That kiss was probably the best kiss I’ve ever received from a girl.
Did she bite my lip?
I touch my bottom lip. I see the blood on my finger. Holy shit she bit my lip…and I liked it. Hell I loved it.
I didn’t even expect her to kiss me I just wanted to let her know. I just wanted to let it out. I guess she has been feeling the same pain as me, the feeling of keeping everything in, our emotions, sexual tension, everything.
“Holy shit dude.” I look up to see Emile with his eyes wide open in complete and utter shock.
Did he just see us?! I could have sworn I didn’t see anyone in here.
“Emile?”
“Yep” He says still with his eyes wide open.
“Did you see anything?”
“I didn’t see anything.”
“Emile”
“Okay maybe I did just walk in…. on you and Claudia Stonem kissing.”
“Shit”
“What the hell are you doing dude?!” Emile says frantically coming up to me.
“You won’t understand man.”
Okay well why don’t you try explaining to me because that was not only a kiss, but one of those movie type kisses. Man, I swear I saw her like bite your lip or some shit”
“Listen, just pretend you didn’t see it okay?”
“Come on man I can’t ignore that. Listen if you don’t tell me I swear I will tell Ella.”
“Really we’ve been friends for how many years and you’re going to snitch on me?”
“Oh come on, don’t try that shit. This type of stuff needs to be told because if you haven’t notice…she is the daughter of Henry Stonem!”
“Would you be quiet” I say pushing him toward the side of the hallway as people are walking through. “Okay you really want to know?”
“Start talking jackass.”
Claudia
I went back to my usual self after that kiss. It’s a month and I still haven’t even looked at him. The only thing is that it hurts worse now. When I feel him near me, it hurts. I shouldn’t have kissed him again because now I can’t stop thinking about him at all.
It’s like that song Bloodstream by Stateless. It’s one of my favorites. One of the lines in the song is I think I might have inhaled you. Well, I definitely think I inhaled Donovan Pierce and I think he’s rushing through my entire body.
But it doesn’t matter because I can’t be with him. I just can’t. It’s been a month since that kiss and everything is still the same, but some things have changed. My father is on the news more in his fight against the mob. There are also talks of Roman Pierce around the town and people’s opinion about him. More people are starting to believe he is actually straight now, but of course my father doesn’t. Julia looks sadder every day. I just ignore her now. We haven’t really spoken a lot since that night. My dad is never really home either.
Love and Hate (The Pierce Family Trilogy) Page 11