“I get it. You’re older with more life experience, so there’s no point me promising I won’t ever feel that way because you’re convinced you know best.” She rolls us over, this time pinning my wrists above my head. “So for you I’ll make the promise that if I ever feel lonely and in need of company I will talk to you about it, but I want you to make the same promise.”
“There’s no need; I’ll never feel that way about anyone else. I have never felt that way about anybody until I met you.”
“So why can’t you trust me if I say the same?”
I can see she’s hurt and that’s not my intention. “I do trust you.”
“Sounds like it.” And now she’s pouting…
“Babe.”
“How do you ever expect this to work if you constantly look at me like I’m a child without her own mind?”
Sigh. “That’s not how I look at you, Elle.”
I sit up and retie my robe as she speaks. “But you’re always going on about my age.”
“I’m not always going on about your age. I just remember what it was like to be eighteen and in university.”
“You remember it from a single boy’s point of view, not a married woman’s.” Good point. “I’m not an idiot, Isaac. I know my own mind and I know I’d never cheat on you. I would never need to.”
“But you…”
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” She snaps and it’s probably the first time she’s ever taken that tone with me. I blink and immediately close my mouth. “Don’t ever ask me stupid shit like that again.”
“I’m just…”
“I’m going to get dressed. Hayley will be here soon.”
“Elle, don’t leave angry.”
She burns me with a fierce gaze. “I’m not leaving angry.”
Snort. “Sure you’re not.”
“Don’t be sarcastic; it doesn’t suit you.” She pulls on a clean pair of briefs that happen to be bright blue. I like them. I let her know that I like them by grabbing her by the hips, pulling her to me and biting the fabric that sits on her hip. Her hand pushes my head away but all that succeeds in doing is making the elasticated blue fabric stretch and ping back, whacking her bare skin. “Stop it. I’m trying to change.” I nuzzle her stomach and wrap my arms around her as she repeatedly smacks me on the head; it doesn’t hurt. “Isaac, stop being cute when I’m mad at you.” She shoves once more at my head but quickly gives up with a huff and leans on one hip. Looking up, I give her the best puppy dog impression I can. “Seriously?”
I sink my teeth into her hip until she yelps and beats me over the head with her hands again. “You’re so violent.”
“You make me violent.”
“Classic abuser line right there.”
Her growl is adorable. I stand swiftly and tip her back with one arm around her shoulders and the other on her arse. Then I claim her mouth and drop her onto the bed. “I’m still annoyed.”
“No you’re not.” I throw her jeans at her before pulling on my own. “You love me too much.” As I button my shirt I watch her intently for a moment, my face and posture now serious. “Are we okay now? I really don’t want you to leave feeling mad.”
After sighing she nods and kisses my jaw. “We’re fine. I promise.”
“Good. Where’s my cake?”
Chapter Five
Eloise
In my first class of the morning I seemed to be adopted by a seemingly nice girl called Kira. She sat next to me and basically said, “Hi, let’s be friends. Where are you from and do you like tea or coffee?”
I spent the day wandering around campus with her, laughing at her jokes and enthusiasm while following her lead on where to go and how to get there. The relief that I at least know one person is unreal. I hadn’t realised how desperate I was for a friend in this huge and lonely city. Now I have two, though I don’t think Isaac would appreciate me going for random lunch dates with Jordan. Kira is somebody he would definitely approve of.
It’s not that I’m letting him control my life, like Hayley seems to think when I explained all on the drive to Boston. I’m just respecting his boundaries as he’s respecting mine. We’ll get to a point where we’ll be more confident with other men and women eventually, just not right now.
At least I think that’s how it works.
Eloise: I made a friend today! :D Her name is Kira and she’s very sweet and outgoing.
Isaac: That’s excellent news. I’ll call you tonight. Busy. Your dad is here.
Eloise: Is he being nice?
I don’t get a response and that worries me. I swear, if my dad does something to upset Isaac, I’ll never talk to him again. My dad is a pain in the arse, but he’s still a good man who I know just wants the best for his family.
He was there when I started mixing with the wrong crowds, experimenting with silly and dangerous drugs and getting drunk every weekend. I’m so glad I snapped out of that funk I was in. I’m not sure why I became so resentful of everyone and everything. My mum puts it down to hormones but I think it was a mix of my friend and also boyfriend leaving town and too much pressure on me to do well.
I felt smothered and alcohol at the time was my release. It’s why I don’t drink that much anymore; it just brings back memories of when I’d scream at my parents to fuck off and leave the house until the early hours of the morning, leaving them worried sick and panicked over where I was and whether or not I’d come home in one piece, if at all.
All of that pressure wasn’t for nothing though.
I look around my apartment and grin. I made it. I actually made it and I just made it through the first day. There’s only onwards and upwards from here. Nothing can take me back to how I was; I won’t let it.
Plus I have Isaac to help keep me grounded. I do love that man.
“Someone looks happy,” Jordan points out as he sticks his head around the open bathroom door. I instantly notice the thick layer of shaving foam across one side of his face. “Good weekend?”
I nod. “Excellent. Yours?”
“Could have been better.” He seems to grimace before vanishing back into the bathroom. His voice still carries through no problem. “Let’s just say my company turned out to be not so much company but more of a dead fish.”
“Oh dear, how unfortunate for you.” I roll my eyes playfully and dive onto the couch with my books in hand.
“She seemed wild and then she just wasn’t anymore.”
“Why? What happened?”
“She fell asleep,” he grumbles. “On that couch.”
I throw my head back and laugh loudly. “Sounds like you need to work on your skills.”
“This was five minutes after we’d walked through the door.” I hear the taps running and then the sound of splashing water as he no doubt cleans the foam from his face. “And then the next morning she had the cheek to ask me if we’d had sex. I’m not sure what she thinks sex is exactly.”
I laugh harder. “She sounds… pleasant.”
“Tell me about your weekend.” He moves to the couch and sits down as he pulls his top back on. “What did you do?”
“Stripped…” His brows shoot up before I finish. “The walls, you pervert. We stripped the walls in the living room and had a picnic in the garden.”
“Is that it?”
“Just other normal stuff, visited parents and enjoyed his birthday together.”
“Cool.” He takes the remote and flicks through a few channels. “Doing homework already?”
“Nah, just taking key notes to refer back to from each book.”
“Clever. I might do that. Makes it easier to find the references you’re looking for, I bet.”
“It does.” Isaac taught me that last school year. Isaac taught me a lot last school year.
Shiver.
Isaac
“A word.” Darren, Eloise’s dad, hisses as he passes me.
Here we go.
I straighten my back and follow Darren through
to a room at the back of the building. It takes ages to get there and all eyes follow us as we go.
The second the door closes behind us, Darren turns, his green eyes bright with anger. “Let’s get a few things straight between us.” Yep… here we go. “I don’t like you; I’ll never like you and I’ll never give you my blessing.”
“Too late for that. Elle gave me her blessing and that’s all I care about.”
“Please, Eloise is young, naïve and foolish. She’ll get bored. I’m just waiting for that moment.”
Eye roll. “Great, anything else?”
“There are only two reasons I’ve given you a job here. One, so I can keep an eye on you. Two, because my daughter, as foolish as she is, doesn’t deserve to struggle. But know this: when you two break up, and you will, you’ll no longer have a job here.”
My hands clench into fists. “Was there a point to this meeting?”
“I don’t know what she sees in you. Or, more importantly, I don’t know what a man only ten years younger than me sees in such a young girl. She’s a child,” he hisses, spittle flying from between his lips.
“She’s not a child and she hasn’t been for a long time.”
His laugh is cold, almost cruel sounding. “If you honestly believe that to be true then you’re nothing but a pervert.”
“I love your daughter. Think what you will. I know the truth and so does she.”
“She doesn’t know shit,” he yells, swiping his hand in front of him. It’s an aggressive move. “She doesn’t know what love is and you, I should report you for leading a young and innocent girl astray.”
“And then you’ll go to prison for stabbing me, or have we forgotten about that?”
“You think I’m scared of prison? Besides, that whole event is null and void. If you go to the police, Eloise and your father will be in trouble for protecting me. They’d be as equally guilty as I am in that matter and don’t forget the money your father accepted on your behalf. Speaking of which, why the fuck isn’t that being put towards my daughter’s house? It’s a shit hole and it should be fixed by now.”
“We’re using it for my mother’s healthcare,” I bite out, knowing he’s not wrong about everything he just said and hating him even more for it.
I see him wince. “So let’s make a deal, seeing as you no longer have leverage against me and I have plenty against you.” He moves to a long desk in the corner and runs his hand along the surface.
“It doesn’t matter what you do; I’m not going to leave Elle.” No matter what he says or what calls he makes.
He looks at me incredulously. “Do you think I’m stupid? That girl would never forgive me.”
It’s strange that such a vile man could actually love his daughter as much as it seems he does. “So what the fuck do you want?”
“Two things.”
“And if I refuse?”
“I’ll tell the entire town what a pervert you are, ruining not only your reputation but your father’s too.”
“I’m not scared of you.”
He grins evilly. “You should be. I could ruin you.”
I bite my tongue to stop myself from saying or doing something I’ll regret. “So you don’t want me to leave your daughter? You’re not going to try to force that on me?”
“I know my daughter; she’ll leave you soon enough.” His confidence in his statement is making me feel sick. “I want you to talk to Elle, convince her to pick up the phone when I call.”
This definitely makes me laugh. “Why the fuck would I do that?”
“Because I fucking said so!” He bellows, his face turning red. “You’re going to convince her that we’re trying to be cool with each other and, to her face, that’s what it will seem. Regardless of who you think I am, my family means a lot to me and she’s my only child. Without her in my life, it’s all fucking pointless.” I’m shocked at the sorrowful tone to his voice. I still hate him though. “Secondly, you’re not going to quit this job. You’re going to work your arse off when I say and how I say.”
“I quit right now.”
“You don’t, because if you do nowhere else will hire you. Nowhere else will pay you even nearly enough to keep your head above water and your mother out of a home. I know the circumstances; I’ve seen what Alzheimer’s does first hand. So, when you walk out of that door you’re going to go back to work and you’re going to be the best fucking worker you can be.”
“How does this benefit you?”
A malicious glint sparks in the corner of his eyes as they narrow menacingly. “You can go now.”
“I didn’t say we had a deal.”
He doesn’t respond; he only walks straight past and leaves.
I hate him.
Who the hell does he think he is? The fucking godfather?
I calm myself and run my hands through my hair. I should speak with one of the guys. Maybe they can tell me what kind of man Darren truly is.
After work I sit in a pub with Tony and Stan, sipping a beer and relaxing my aching arms as I wait for dinner to come. It’s money I shouldn’t be spending, but I can’t get what happened today out of my head and going home to dwell on it alone doesn’t seem like the greatest idea.
The atmosphere in this pub isn’t great either. Everyone in here seems down and depressed. It’s not helping in distracting me from the reality of whatever situation it is that I’m in.
When Tony stands to get another round, it’s then I strike Stan who’s seems to be eyeing up a woman across the room with more interest than a married man should have for another woman. “Your brother said a few things to me today.”
He winces and peels his eyes off the female’s arse. “It was only a matter of time.”
“Should I take him seriously?”
Stan cringes. “Probably.”
Fuck. “Probably?”
“He’s a good man, don’t get me wrong, but he isn’t somebody you want to cross and you have definitely crossed him. He’s smart though. If he’s told you to do something, I’d recommend doing it, just until shit calms down.” He downs the last of his beer and slams it on the table with a satisfied gasp followed by a loud belch. “What’s he asked you to do?”
“Help him repair his relationship with Elle and stay working for him until he basically says.”
He looks away this time, clearly uncomfortable. “Sounds too easy. I dunno, I’m not smart like he is. Just keep your head down.”
“What the fuck have I gotten myself into?”
“Don’t do that; don’t doubt shit now. It’ll only make it harder. At least you have a job and at least he loves Eloise enough to keep her comfy, which will hopefully keep you comfy. I shouldn’t be saying this or getting involved but… you seem like an okay guy. Just keep doing what you’re doing and maybe one day you can both put shit behind you, when he sees you’re both serious.”
I hope so. This is all too TV drama for my liking. “I should never have accepted this job.”
“You would have done eventually. If my brother wants you under his thumb, he would have made that happen eventually. It was the same thing with Tony when Darren found out he’d been fooling around with Nick’s wife. Shit blew up but then it calmed down.”
Nick? “What does that… it’s an entirely different situation.”
“Nick’s wife is our niece so yeah, it’s a different situation but it’s still the same.”
I blow out a breath. “If my mum wasn’t ill I wouldn’t even be here. I hated this town and now I hate it even more.”
“It could be worse; you could be stuck here without a job, or forced to leave your mum in order to find a job. He’s not stupid. He obviously wants you here to keep you from Elle.”
I hadn’t thought of that. “I guess that makes sense.”
Tony comes back to the table, three beers in his hands. I definitely need this one.
Eloise
Isaac: Can I skip calling you tonight? I’m exhausted and need a shower badly.
/> I didn’t see his text until I was on my way to class this morning. I’d already fallen asleep on the couch, surrounded by my books. Jordan was nice enough to grab my blanket and throw it over me. Unfortunately he didn’t set my alarm, so I was almost late for class.
Kira and I actually traded numbers today and braved the food hall. I get just my lunches free with my university package, but had yet to try the many foods they have to offer.
It was divine, so divine I went back for seconds.
I can see myself really enjoying this.
“I’m exhausted. I hate this,” I say around a large yawn as Kira and I sit on my couch, surrounded by books that may as well be in another language.
She nods her agreement. “Don’t you have work in the morning?”
“Yep.”
“Maybe we should call it a day?”
“Yeah.” I slam the book on my lap closed and dump it on the floor.
She pulls out her phone and begins to text, her pixie cropped black hair frazzled from running her fingers through it so many times. “There’s a party at my friend’s building tonight. Want to come? Might help you unwind.”
“Next time,” I say, smiling politely. “I don’t think I can make it to the lift, let alone to a party.”
She giggles and begins piling her books on the table. “Mind if I leave these here? I’ll pick them up in the morning.”
“Feel free.” I place my own beside them and stand so I can see her out. “Are you going alone?”
Destruction: The Distraction Trilogy #2 Page 7