Shadows: A Love Ever After Series

by Amber Lacie

  It was his birthday. He was so excited, we spent most of the day watching him try to figure it out. I never thought I would be his muse. I'm staring at a picture of Kayla and me trying to bury someone in the sand. It's the boy with the sunglasses.

  I turn a couple more pages, and the boy just keeps popping up in the pictures. In every picture, whether I'm looking at him or not, his face is turned towards me with a soft smile on his face. I never knew he was looking at me like that.

  I pull out a note, tucked behind a picture of the boy with the sunglasses and me sitting on the beach, our backs to the camera. I unfold it and tears slip down my face. Wiping my cheeks, I take a deep breath trying to find my courage as I read his words.

  A tear lands on the page and the ink starts to run. I wipe my face, putting the note back in its spot. I wonder how long ago he wrote all these letters, and what would have happened between us if he would have told me sooner. It doesn't matter now. I can't change the past. I need to figure out today.

  Does Isa know about Theron and me meeting when we were younger? The thought catches me by surprise, but I'm sure she does. Why didn't she tell me?

  I put everything back in the box except for the photo album, keeping it to the side so I could take it with me to Isa's. Glancing at my phone, I check the time. It's four thirty. I have plenty of time to shower and get ready for Evan.

  I'm drying my hair, when I hear Robert yelling for me. Turning off the hair dryer, I look in the mirror at him. "What?"

  "I was just letting you know I'm home. You got plans?"

  "Sort of. I'm going to Isa's for dinner."

  "Are you going to see Theron?"

  "Isa promised me I won't have to. Evan will be here at six to pick me up."

  "Cool. I'm going to chill and play some Call of Duty then." He gives me a simple wave of his hand, and I go back to finishing my hair.

  It's exactly six o'clock. I'm watching out the door for Evan. It's raining, again.

  Seeing Evan pull up into the drive in the familiar black BMW, I head out the door.

  I've never noticed before, but Evan is built. He looks more like a bodyguard, than a driver. A thought slips through my mind. Why would Isa need someone like him? I pull my hood up, trying my best to cover myself. Hiding the photo album in my jacket, protecting it from the downpour of rain, I run to the car.

  Evan holds my door open for me, never flinching as the rain soaks his jacket. Slipping into the backseat, I put my seatbelt on. Evan starts the car and we are on our way. I watch the rain fall outside my window for most of the drive. Occasionally glancing up, I catch Evan watching me in his mirror.

  Once we turn onto the driveway for the house, time seems to slow. I never realized how far back the estate is tucked in from the main road.

  There's a light on in the guesthouse, my stomach twists into knots wondering if Theron is in there. Does he know I'm here?

  Evan opens my door distracting me from my thoughts. No words are said between us, but he glances towards Theron's house and back to me, a look of sympathy filling his eyes. He holds his hand out to me and I slip my hand into his.

  Stepping out of the car, I take a deep breath. Evan holds an umbrella up for me as we walk to the front door.

  Isa is inside waiting for me when we enter the house. Her smile is so warm and inviting, yet I notice it still doesn't reach her eyes. Something seems off.

  "Eve, sweetie, I'm so happy you are here. I've missed our conversations. You know it's not every day, I can surprise someone with my words."

  I hand my jacket to Evan, and wrap Isa up in my arms. "I've missed you too." I place a kiss on each of her cheeks.

  "Then don't stay away for so long next time. It was getting dreadfully boring over here. I'm so glad you've come. Rebecca has made us some soup for dinner tonight. I thought you might want to warm up after all of that cold rain."

  "Sounds wonderful. Isa, who's Rebecca?"

  "She's a part of my staff. She helps me maintain the house, and helps with meals. She's very sweet. I think you would like her."

  Following Isa through the dining room, I notice there are three place settings out. I stop dead in my tracks. "You promised he wouldn't be here tonight." My voice is shaky and laced with worry.

  "Oh no, I'm sorry. It's not for my jerk of a grandson, it's for Evan. He normally joins me for dinner. Is that alright?"

  "Sorry, I just saw the place setting and I got nervous."

  "No worries dear. I should have told you earlier, when we spoke. This will be a jerk free zone tonight."

  Shaking my head, I let out a giggle. She has such a way with words.

  I take my seat next to Isa, across from Evan. Rebecca brings out wine and pours us each a glass, mine being first. I down my glass of wine before Rebecca can even finish pouring the other glasses.

  Isa lays her hand on Rebecca's arm, stopping her before she walks away. "Perhaps you should just leave the bottle." She nods in my direction making my cheeks flush. This is just great. Now, I look like a lush. Rebecca sets the wine down in front of me, before heading back to the kitchen.

  I fill my glass up again and smile towards Isa, "Nerves."

  "I can imagine. You've been through a lot this past month."

  With Isa having someone to cook for her, I assumed the soup would be something unheard of, but to my surprise, Rebecca carries in bowls of chicken noodle soup. She places a bowl of soup and a salad by each setting. Grabbing a basket of dinner rolls off her serving tray, she places them in the center of the table. She nods and heads back into the kitchen. Everything smells amazing.

  "Chicken soup?"

  "Not everything is complicated. Sometimes it's just exactly as it seems."

  We finish our meal with little conversation. Evan inquires about my new job at the bookstore. Isa nods her head and makes little "hmm" noises as we talk. She doesn't say much, but her body language is giving her away. She's either distracted or not feeling well, maybe it's both. After dinner, we move our discussion into the library.

  "Eve, come sit with me. I want to talk to you about Theron."

  "I brought a photo album for you to look at, but I forgot it in the foyer."

  "It's fine. Evan, please see to the album."

  Evan stands, briefly glancing at me, and leaves reluctantly to get the album. I take a seat on the leather sofa next to Isa. She grabs a box of tissues from beside her. Handing them to me, she takes my hand. "Just in case."

  I try to smile, but I can't. I'm a nervous wreck. My stomach is doing backflips, and I'm now regretting eating so much.

  "Did you know who I was when we first met?"

  "No, I had no idea he had found you. I knew you were someone special though, because he had never brought a girl here before, not even the whore he was forced to be engaged to before."

  Her words pierce my thoughts. "What do you mean forced?"

  "I was hoping he would tell you before this all blew up in his face, but he wouldn't listen. He was so intent on not upsetting you. I'm sure you know he is not his father's biggest fan."

  "He's mentioned it."

  "Thomas was very jealous when Theron was born. Theron had all his mother's attention, and it didn't sit well with Thomas. As Theron grew, so did Thomas' jealousy. When Angela starting getting sick, Thomas was lost. He blamed Theron for taking her energy and overworking her. Poor Theron was just a child. He couldn't understand why his father was so angry with him all the time. Then Angela was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia when Theron was twelve.” Isa wipes a few stray tears before taking a deep breath.

  “She did her best to fight it, but the last few months were the worst on Theron. She died when he was only fourteen. He was completely heartbroken, and became a mere shadow of the boy I knew and loved. Thomas blamed Theron for everything, and sent him away to boarding school."

  "That's just awful." What kind of father does that? He may have given Theron his DNA, but it doesn’t seem like Thomas was ever a real father to his son.
r />   "Yes, well, his father is an asshole. Anyway, Theron went to college and received his business degree. His father had been seeing a therapist, and it was suggested he make amends with Theron. So, Theron, being the sweet boy he is, didn't turn down his father when he offered him a position at his company. What Theron, nor I knew at the time was Thomas' true intentions.” Isa’s fingers twist the tissues in her hand into tight knots as she looks at me with anger in her eyes.

  “He hired Theron so he could make it appear like Theron was to eventually take over the company. Thomas had a business merger he desperately wanted. He couldn't offer the man, what he was asking. However, the man had a beautiful daughter and Thomas had Theron. So, he arranged a business deal with Theron being included. Theron would marry the daughter, and in turn she would eventually inherit some of the company as well."

  "Are you serious? Who uses their kid as a business deal?"

  "Well, that's just one of the many reasons why he's an asshole. Theron and the girl dated for a while, and eventually he proposed to her. He was under the assumption she loved him. He was wrong. He later found out about the deal, and when he questioned her about it, she didn't deny it. She knew all along of the arrangement. He was furious. He immediately called off the engagement, sold his stocks in the company, and left for two years, traveling around the world. He would send me postcards to let me know he was okay.” Grabbing my hand in hers, Isa let out a soft sigh. It must be so hard for her to have to tell me all of this.

  “I had a heart attack last fall, and somehow his father found him. Theron came to stay with me, to make sure I was okay. I didn't need his help, but I loved having him around. Eventually, I gave him a job working for my company. He works for me, but at home. Thomas doesn't know of my company, or that Theron works for me. I'm going to keep it that way as long as I can."

  I’m completely stunned. "That's just crazy. This all seems so insane." Daytime Emmy’s could be won just from Isa’s life story.

  Evan appears in the doorway, clearing his throat. "Your book, Miss Davidson."

  “Please, just call me Eve.” Evan doesn’t say a word. He just stands there holding the book out for me. I take it from his grasp, and hand it over to Isa. "This is a photo album my friend Matt gave me. I loved him very much, he was one of my best friends. He's always been so good at helping me. I think this is his way of helping me now."

  Isa holds the book open, and turns to the pages with the boy in the sunglasses. I watch as her eyes fill with sadness. My heart falls heavy.

  "I know it's him, but I need you to confirm it for me. We've met before, haven't we? I didn't remember Theron when we met. If I had seen his eyes when we were younger, I'm sure I would have immediately recognized him. I've dreamt of the boy with the sunglasses before. I always thought they were just dreams, until recently. Then I started putting all the pieces together. They aren't dreams, they are memories."

  Isa wipes a tear from her cheek. I don't want to upset her, but I need to make sure I know everything before I come back to him.

  Nodding her head, she grabs another tissue. "That's my sweet boy. He would never take those damn glasses off. That's the summer his mom died. He never mentioned your name, but he would talk day and night about the girl he met at the beach. He named you ‘beautiful’. You were his first true friend. You knew nothing about him and accepted him for who he was. You changed his world." Reaching up, Isa grabs my hand. "When I heard him call you, beautiful, that's when I knew who you were. I'm sorry he didn't tell you. He can be such a stubborn ass sometimes."

  Suddenly, there's a commotion in the hallway. Isa and I both turn our attention to the doors. The doors open and my world falls apart. Theron stands in the room, his fists clenched at his sides, trying to catch his breath. "What the fuck is going on?"

  I look over to Isa and back to Theron. Isa is obviously as shocked as I am to see him.

  "I find out from Robert that she's here. When I ask Evan about it, I'm told not to come in here. He tried to block me from opening these doors. What the fuck is all this?"

  I'm frozen still, standing in front of Isa. I can't move any part of my body, let alone speak. He's furious. I've never seen him this angry before, even when it involved his dad.

  "Neither of you are going to say anything? You, I expect sneaky shit from. It's who you are." He points to Isa, then slowly approaches me. I still can't move. I'm mentally pleading with my legs for them to run, but they ignore me. "But you…I never thought you would be capable of hiding from me."

  A soft whisper escapes my lips. "I wasn't hiding from you."

  He steps closer, his hands brush my cheek. Heat courses through my body. I can feel my heart thumping in my chest. Traitor. "Then what do you call this?"

  "I don't know. I'm just trying to figure everything out on my own. I want to see everything clearly."

  "My love for you is clear." He holds my face in his hand, stroking my cheeks with his thumb. "How clear do you need it to be?"

  "You lied to me."

  "No, I didn't. And you wouldn't let me explain."

  "You kept things from me, it's the same thing."

  "Is it?"

  I'm at a loss for words, his touch has me frozen in my place, and my heart is pounding in my ears. I want to feel him so badly. "Kiss me,” I whisper. Our eyes meet as he leans his head down, slowly meeting my lips with his. His touch is so addicting, it scorches me, leaving me desperate for more. Wrapping my hands around the back of his neck, I pull him closer to me. His hands twist in my hair, tipping my head back, allowing him complete control of our movements.

  He slowly breaks the kiss, resting his forehead against mine, and looks me in the eyes. His eyes are swimming with emotion. I run my fingers over his stubble to make sure he is real.

  "Is this not clear enough for you? Tell me you don't feel this. Tell me, and I'll leave you alone."

  "It's not that simple."

  "It is, and you fucking know it. You are overthinking all of this. Just stop it, come home with me where you belong."

  I want to, I so badly want to go with him. My body wants to, my heart wants to, but my mind is so confused and hazy. I can't tell which way is up anymore. "I can't."

  I look around for Isa, but it seems she has escaped the room without me knowing. She really is sneaky. "Theron."

  "What, Eve, what's keeping you from me?"

  "I don't know. I think I should go."

  "I'll drive you."

  "No. It’s fine, Evan can give me a ride."

  "He's with my Gram. Please, Eve, just let me do this for you."

  His eyes are pleading with me. His brown one is almost completely gold, and contrasts with his bright green one. It's mesmerizing and once again he holds me in a trance. My body and heart betray me as the words leave my lips.

  "Okay."

  Neither of us spoke on the drive back to Robert's. I wasn’t sure what to say. I know he wants forgiveness, but I'm not ready for that yet.

  Theron is sitting on the futon in my room. His feet are spread and his head hangs in his hands between his knees. I'm standing, staring at him. Never in a million years, would I have pictured tonight ending like this.

  When he pulled in the driveway, he just looked at me. I opened my door and walked into the house. He followed me. I couldn't tell him to leave. My voice and body will not cooperate with my mind.

  "What are we doing, beautiful?"

  "Stop. Just stop calling me that."

  "No." He looks up at me, his eyes are dark, almost black.

  "What?"

  "No. It’s your name."

  "It's not my name, Theron. Stop calling me that. I can't keep my thoughts straight when you call me that."

  "You want to know why that is? It's because we can't fight this. I don't want to fight this."

  "Theron."

  "I need you."

  I shake my head no. If I go to him, it will be over. I will lose this battle, and I will ultimately be his.

  "I need to fe
el you."

  "No," I whisper, my voice quiet, but firm.

  "Beautiful, I love you. I'm done with this. You want to fight me, fine, but I will not deny my feelings for you. You've pushed me too far." He stands, with determination I've never seen in his eyes, and forcefully pulls me to his body. I slam into his hard, firm body. Bracing my hands on his chest, my fingers spread feeling his muscles beneath his shirt. "You cannot deny this. I won't let you." He grasps my face in his hands. His lips crash into mine, demanding entrance to my mouth.

  My head is screaming no, but it's too late. I succumb to his touch.

  My lips part and his tongue fiercely takes control. I don't notice his hands moving, until my shirt is ripped over my head. His teeth rake my bottom lip as he hastily works the buttons of my jeans, roughly dragging them down my legs. I cannot deny this intense feeling of warmth and love that’s pouring through me. I kick my jeans off, spinning us around as he pushes me onto the bed. I pull at his shirt, my nails raking his skin.

  "Fuck, baby." He pushes himself off me, pulling his shirt over his head. He desperately pulls his jeans off, kicking them to the side along with his boxers. He stands above me, stroking his hard cock in his hands.

  I don't need his mouth or any foreplay, I'm soaked. Just the touch of his lips has me willing and ready for him. I try to scoot back, allowing him room to join me on the bed, but he grabs my ankle.

  He pulls me towards him, until just my ass cheeks are resting on the edge of the mattress. Running his hands up my legs, he spreads them apart. He pushes on the back of my thighs, stretching me wider for him. I feel the tip of his warm cock rub against my clit. Flexing my hips, I try to feel more of him.

  "God damn, I need to feel you. Tonight, you are mine." With his last word, he slams into my wet pussy, filling me, stretching me. Tears spring to my eyes. I've missed his touch, our connection.

  He slowly pulls back and thrusts back into me, pushing me into the mattress. "I can feel your pussy gripping my cock. You need this. You want this."