“I don’t need a car.”
“No, you get a new bloody horse and they are bloody expensive to run and take longer to clean up after. Not to mention the bloody houses they need to sleep in, Dad spent a small fortune on the new place. Your beasts have better bedrooms than me.”
“Aww poor Luis, still you get to ski there, just think après ski with the horses in the barn with a frisky bungalow maid, you’re on a winner Luis, a bit of rough in the rough.”
“Umm, horses do have something going for them, your barns are always nice to make out in, and handy sometimes.” He winked as he said it too.
“No, you didn’t, who, which one of my girls have you done the dirty with?”
“Only one, you wound me Sister.”
“No, please no, really more than one?”
“All of them Bella and Hill’s too, she may be a little in love with me.”
“No, hell no, she is more than a little in love with Oliver, the soldier away fighting in that God awful place?”
“No, he finished with her, it seems I was her rebound sex guy, and damn fine it was too.”
“Argh, you know I’m gonna have to get rid of them all now? Shit keep your man bits in your bloody pants and not in my damned stable girls.”
“No don’t, you’d be mad to let them all go, besides Hill’s isn’t that into me really, she and I did it the once and we looked at each other after and laughed, said never again and shook hands. I went to bed alone, so no worries, it was what it was, a booty breakup call, I was wounded she used me and toyed with my affections.” Dad came to the table with dinner, followed by Mum. This was the last meal she would cook for us here.
“Eat, what were you to discussing?”
“Just that I’m hiring a couple of stable boys, next time.”
“Boys, are you sure with the three girls you have there?”
“Yeah, I may stick to hiring males in future too.” I give Luis’s leg a kick and filled up on the roast lamb, veggies and Mum’s great croquette potatoes. We washed the pots and had a few teary cries with the house keeper. She was too old to move to the new place, and was going to stop on and help pack up the house and retire. I headed for bed, the flight to New York was early in the morning, and I’d had a pretty bad day, yet a pretty awesome day too, now there’s a stupid thing to say, but I was moving home and gaining three horses. Swings and roundabouts Bella, swings and roundabouts, and not forgetting a text from Chris…
CHAPTER SEVEN:
Chris:
I’m woken at stupid o’clock from a deep sleep, and still half asleep I answer the ringing phone, if this is Dad I will block him. I sit up when I hear the Italian voice on the end of the phone and my bloody curdles as I hear the screams, crying, ranting, then a thud and then silence, I want to be sick, what has just happened as I listened in?
“Hello, who is this? Hello, damn it hello?”
“Hello Christopher, or are you still using Jude? I’m coming to get you next or the bitch girlfriend, take your pick, see you in a little while lover. I missed you so much, but I know what I have to do now to get you back in my bed.”
“What kill me to sleep with me? That’s the only way that’s happening, over my dead body.” There is suddenly silence, there seemed to be no more screams or crying now. Has she hurt someone? I buzz for Henry who is already up. “Trace this call it is Gina, why isn’t she locked away? Find out, and get me answers now and send the police in Apulia’s hometown, to check on her. I fear they have come to some sort of harm, she was shouting kill and die and please hurry and find out. I will keep her on the line for as long as possible.” He does as I asks and disappears, whilst I keep the mad woman on the phone.
“So be it, you choose death for yourself, I’m coming for you. If I can’t have you nobody else can.” Shit she’s deluded how the hell did she get out?
“Gina, Bella and I were never lovers, she was and is my sister in all but name, her brother is my best friend, her father is like a father to me, what have you done Gina, is your son Massimo alright?”
“My son is called Christopher, after his father and he was taken from me. These people would not tell me where they are keeping my son, our son Christopher, where is he, have you got him? They paid the price by lying to me, telling me this Chinese kid was my son. He should look like you, he should be blond and have your bright blue eyes, this one, well he was ugly, with brown eyes, dark black hair and eyes that were Chinese, so he wasn’t my son and the old hag with him died for lying to me, as did the nursemaid.”
“Gina, what the hell have you done? You have killed your family, that Japanese boy was your son, and you, you are still a mad woman, what else have you done? Why are you out of hospital, did they let you out?”
“No, I let myself out. I’d had enough of being there. I need to see you my love, just you and see our son, is he a bright boy? Is he safe, are you in love with him like you are his Mama? Oh, you asked how I walked out, that was easy they let me walk out of the front door, good job too those bells and whistles and screams made me thankful to be out of there, it was too loud and they kept me from my family, they kept me from you.”
“You walked out of a high security hospital?”
“You say that like it’s a hard thing to do, when I put my mind to it, I can do anything.”
“What did you do to get out?”
“Nothing bad. The nurse who gave me my tablets, she gave me her uniform, her keys to her car and her flat. It was so nice of her to help me settle, she always said we looked like sisters, so I was able to get out of there with no problem she had a sleep in my private room, but the silly girl she didn’t wake up. She had to come with me to get money from the bank, but this woman here has lots in a jar, lots of money. She must be rich looking after this ugly kid?”
“Gina, you need help, wait there, someone will be with you shortly.”
“No I don’t need help, I’m fine. I have been looking you up on the laptop she had, the nurse woman. So I’m coming to find you and that bitch you say is like a sister, if she’s like a sister she won’t mind dying to save you? They are all quiet now they were liars. They died trying to save this ugly baby… Such an ugly baby… Not like our son… He is beautiful, but you know that… I will see you both soon Christopher… Bye, bye lover, we will be happy when you marry me and then we will be a family.”
“Stop there Gina, because that is never happening.”
“You need me to be happy. I can make it a happy home for us to live in, in the place you have in Australia. Does our son ride a pony like you, do you teach him things, and do you tell him about me and you how we met? I bet you do, I remember how we laughed and danced and you wined and dined me, you romanced me into bed, you are a naughty man.”
“Gina, we did no such thing, we fucked. We fucked and I left you there. I wish you would stay there and get help Gina stay and get some help.”
“No. I will see you soon for some catch up, we have a wedding to plan, I have to go, the noises are starting again, the ringing, the screaming and the sirens please make them stop Christopher, they hurt my head so. You’re right I need to get away I’m coming to you I won’t be long…” The line goes dead and I scramble from my bed I feel sick and dizzy shit, shit, shit Bella and her family are in danger, all because of me. I phone Hugh and it goes straight to voice mail, time differences, what are the time differences?
They are seven behind us so its eight at night, where is he? I ring Bedford and he picks up on the second ring.
“Bedford do not put the phone down, I have some bad, bad news, the mad woman Gina is out, and has killed her family, I think, and is on her way to find Bella and I am afraid for her safety.”
The poor man listens to the whole tale and says he’s on it and I am not to worry, the family are at dinner and Maria has a no phones at the table policy. I breathe a sigh of relief. I am stopped in mid-tale to Bedford, by Henry who tell me there are four people dead, a nurse, the baby and his grandmother and the a
unt. I had listened as she killed her family. I hurled and quite spectacularly so, and began shaking. Henry continued with the rest of the call, as I scrambled to throw the rest of my guts down the toilet pan.
“Chris, we need to be going to New York she will come here first as this is where you live and we need to fly commercial too. We have grounded your plane here so she will not follow, we have seats booked for you and I on the first plane out tomorrow, so pack a bag or do you want Francis to do it for you. Chris pull yourself together.” I receive a slap for zoning out on him.
“What, yes, Francis, pack for me. Bella, is she safe?”
“I hardly think even Gina can be in two places at once Christopher, go grab a shower and change. I will have Francis clean this mess up.” I do as I am told and step under the shower. I sit on the cold marble floor and cry for that poor child. What wheels had my mindless actions put into motion? Gina was crazy and had killed her family because of me, and because of me his young aunt wouldn’t have the family she wanted, he wouldn’t get the life he deserved and her wonderful mother was dead, all because of me screwing Gina, what the fuck is wrong with all this? I cry tears for the first time since Glenda died. Did these poor people die because I needed to have sex and chose Gina? What did I do? Never in a million years did I ever think that mindless sex would ever lead to this, is this my karma coming back to bite me in the arse for sure? My tears are stopped by the gentle rapping on the door.
“Chris the floors clear. I have laid out some clothes and will pack as you eat breakfast, come on get out of there, I don’t want to be coming in to get you, do you hear me?”
“I hear you Francis I would like just a cup of coffee, thank you I will be out in a second.” I hear the door shut and get up the floor is still wet from my up chuck session and the room smells of pine disinfectant. I can’t focus, but I get dressed, I feel like crap for poor Massimo. I pray they catch her before I do. I get to the breakfast bar and drink coffee it’s still the middle of the damn night. Henry and I discuss Tammy coming, I want her with us she is pregnant and I’m not having another loss of a child on my conscience.
“No, she comes, it’s not like I can’t afford another flight? Can’t we just get on my jet and have it come straight back it will be easier for Tammy?”
“No, Gina seems to be able to get information out of anyone she has a mind too, this way is safer. I will leave Jerry here to look after this place Francis is going home until we get back, everything is done, and thanks for saying Tammy could come, she has missed Bella and her folks.”
“Umm, what, right yes, I’m missing Bella.”
“Really, you’re missing Bella? Chris wake up, eat this and when Francis has finished packing we will head to the airport, with a full day in the air to look forward to.”
“A private jet, would be easier and more comfortable, hire one then?”
“Really Chris, you don’t know about hiding in plain sight, do you? Don’t take the fucking Stetson, that’s an instant give away, you in that hat.”
“Don’t dis the Stetson, instant dismissal buddy.” I go to put the hat in my room as Francis is coming out of my room.
“All packed, your home there has clothes, this is just and overnight bag Chris. Here take this and give me the hat.” I take the bag and go back to the breakfast bar.
“Come on the cars waiting and Tammy is downstairs too, you have been given a suite by Luis, you’re under the name Cooper Hayes and Hugh would like a word when you get there. Bella isn’t happy, and her brother says she’s way madder than he has ever seen her.”
“My fault I know, I wish I could change the past but I can’t, shit will this crap ever end?”
“When they catch Gina yes, she will never be allowed out now, come on the airports calling, here’s your laptop, phone and gadgetry, all charged and ready in airplane mode.”
“What would I do without you Henry?”
“Get some other idiot to do it I guess?”
We ride in silence to the airport and wait for what seems an age, damn it I can see my jet across the tarmac, why the fuck am I flying commercial? After a gruelling twenty-four hours in the air, we touchdown in New York’s JFK, and I swear I am never flying that far commercial ever again. Okay I’m whining like a bitch and tired, that damn kid in the next seat whined all the fucking way here. I don’t think I ever want to be a father now, twenty-four hours sat next to a shitting, burping, farting machine, it well, it is sort of off putting and stops you having thoughts on wanting them.
Then we have the wait for Tammy’s baggage, we have stuff here, she didn’t and if she apologises one more time I am leaving her luggage here and buying her more. Thankfully it is retrieved by her attentive husband, and I head to the suite Luis has reserved for me, Tammy and Henry are stopping with her parents, that’s his payback for Henry making me fly commercial.
A week or so with the in-laws, I smile as they get their car to Manhattan, and my car takes me to ‘By the Park’ why Henry insists I stop here when I have a perfectly good secure penthouse above my hotel and club, beggars’ belief, I suppose he knows what he is doing? I check in and fall straight on the bed and sleep, until I’m woken by a loud banging on the door, I take a look at my watch and I have slept the clock around, wow.
“Hold your horses I’m coming.” Opening the door, I find it’s Henry and he has my clothes and is laughing with Luis. Luis comes in for a hug.
“I looked in earlier, but you were dead to the world, and yeah I saw you were sleeping and left you. How’s it hanging Chris?”
“Umm, come in and thanks Henry put them down and go spend time with Tammy, he has protection look, I will be fine.” I point to the man loitering around in the hall way. “I’m in here for the day I have catching up to do, Henry I swear I will be fine.”
“If you’re sure that’s alright Chris? She’s a tad cranky about not being allowed out on her own.”
“Use the card take her places buy her stuff, by my way of an apology.”
“Thanks, but it’s not necessary her mum is a great cook, and lucky ole me is having her mama’s Creole cooking tonight. See you tomorrow?”
“No, take the next couple of days off, I have to eat humble pie later today or tomorrow, pay me a visit in the hospital once I see Bella.” Luis shuffles uneasily, as Henry leaves.
“Explain the foot thing, what have I done?”
“Bella doesn’t know you are here, and doesn’t want to see you, if you do come.”
“I have a ball to attend and her present to give her, so she will have to deal with it. I need to apologise. Shit is she ever gonna forgive me?”
“Give her time, and yeah, I know two years is a long time, but you know she’s had it bad Chris, her time in hospital, Mum’s cancer. I’m even surprised she did so fucking well in college and still has a nice side line in horses.”
“So I can’t go to the ball then?”
“What? Oh yeah, it’s a masquerade ball, you know face masks and tuxedos are required, it’s a black and white ball? It was Dad’s idea, it hides who Bella is and sort of gives her anonymity to be herself? Security has been beefed up too, but she is losing it big time Chris. So go to the ball, but don’t talk to her, let her come to you? Send her a present and an apology card saying you don’t think you can make it after all. That way she will be happy to see you when you do turn up. Don’t fuck up, be nice, don’t bring a date, or mention Gina and she may just talk to you again.”
“I can do all that, besides every time I fuck up it costs me a horse.” We both laugh.
“Those she doesn’t mind getting, so keep doing it and fill her stables with reasons to forgive you. Gallant is her favourite horse he’s the damn demon horse of Satan for anyone else but her. Horses still aren’t my thing Chris.”
“I need to get my tux and a mask then, and I fancy going out for lunch, join me?”
“I can’t sorry, I’m on Bella minding, she has dresses to get and I have her damn mask to pick up, someone Dad knows
has made her a custom job, all black and feathery, what do I know? Do you want me to pick you one up?”
“Yeah plain back and it needs to cover as much of this mug as possible. If that’s the only way I get to see her?”
“Sorry Bro it is, what’s the deal with you two, do I have to be beating your arse down? She is all you talk about.”
“I like her, a lot, the age thing is a killer and the fact that every time we see it each other my past comes back to kill it and no Luis, we have done nothing about the thing we think we have, because we don’t know what we have, and yes, I know that seems like a crock of shit, but it really is a confusing thing. I like her a lot, she likes me, but we are not meant to be, simple as.”
“Shit I thought it was just her, not you too? Look, whatever went down at the ranch really killed those feelings for you, I got the abridged version and I don’t want more details, but she is way smarter than any other eighteen-year-old I know.”
“I know way older in her head, a killer body and too trusting.”
“Err, boundaries Chris that’s still my little sister you’re talking about, and yeah she has them hanging around her at college, some even book in for riding lessons to get near her, and no none of them get a look in, in fact they don’t do more than three or four lessons before they get the message.” I laugh as Luis heads to the door.
“Drinks this evening? I want to get drunk.”
“It’s a date, we eat and then go for a few drinks, don’t forget the mask Luis and I will see you later, some of us have to work for a living.”
“Megalomaniac, employ someone to run the damn mines for you, you’re a boring bastard stuck out there with the kangaroos.”
Soul Mates. The Beginning. Page 14