Dark Layers (Volume 4)

by Gray, A L

  I grit my teeth - this man is so frustrating sometimes. "I have been with, your father, a Mr. Rockerfella, and... your brother."

  Unexpectedly, he grabs my forearms and holds me in a tight grip. I jump at the sudden contact. He runs his eyes over my entire body and looks worried.

  "Why the fuck were you with them when you told me you were with Derek?"

  I swallow hard and just stare up at him with guilty eyes.

  "Anile, tell me the fucking truth, I hate liars!" He almost shouts.

  "I didn't mean to lie. I did this for you. Please Elijah, let me go!"

  He releases me and walks past me, and with a tense body, he sits on the sofa.

  "Well?" He snaps.

  I roll my eyes and take a seat next to him.

  "Elijah, a lot has been going on." I lower my head. "I don't really know where to start."

  For the first time ever, the sofa is uncomfortable. I start to fidget.

  "How about the beginning, Anile?" He snaps, crossing his arms.

  I don't want to keep anything from him, I want him to be free in every way possible - after all, that is why I have been doing all this.

  "Elijah, you didn't kill your Mother. I have proof." I stare hard at him, in hope that he will understand why I have done all this.

  "What the hell are you talking about?"

  Reluctantly, I pull my phone out of my coat pocket. "Elijah, do you trust me?"

  He frowns. "I did, before you lied to me!"

  My heart sinks at the thought of him never trusting me again.

  "Please, Elijah, trust me when I tell you this, you don't want to look at this video." I hang my head in shame. "It shows your father killing your Mother." I pass him my phone, I know I have to.

  He doesn't reach for my phone so I look up at him, he's just staring at me impassively.

  "I believe you." He breathes, water in his dark blue eyes.

  "I found this in the Forbidden Room. Jezebel sent it to you. I took it in hope that I could blackmail your father into giving you back Darks Lawyers. And it worked."

  "You fucking what? Why would you do that?" He stares at me for a few seconds, confused, shocked. "You're... you're good, you're Anile. You would never do something like that!" He gets to his feet and starts to pace in front of me.

  "Elijah, I was out of ideas. What did you expect me to do?" I plea. "We had the chance to start again without you being a part of all the darkness, but you didn't want it. I did it for you."

  "And my father just rolled over? You expect me to believe that?" He snaps.

  "He wasn't exactly happy, but what could he do?" I stare up at him but he doesn't heed my gaze. "You know, I won't feel bad for trying to save you. I have been through so much shit Elijah, I just wanted out of it all."

  He thrashes his hands through his hair. "Darks Lawyers was signed over to me the other day, so where have you been tonight?"

  "After your father and I agreed on a deal, he told me that your leader owns shares in Darks Lawyers, so I pretty much failed at freeing you. I sold us out for your freedom but ended up, with us again, being owned by your cult. I asked your father how I could get you released from the Freemasons, and he gave me a way out."

  "How?"

  "I had to get your brother to confess to killing Jezebel."

  His eyes are wide and wild, I know he secretly wants to kill me for doing all this behind his back.

  "You went and met Caster alone? Are you fucking stupid?" He shouts.

  "Elijah, I got into a little trouble and he saved me. He told me everything, why he hates you. But I told him that you were not responsible for killing your Mother. He believes me, and he wants to start again."

  "Anile, all that doesn't change the fact that something could have happened to you! You're playing with the Devil, you stupid girl!" He shouts.

  I rise to my feet, angered, frustrated... the list is endless.

  "If you just listened to me, and forgot Darks Lawyers, and started again with me on my fathers' money, this would not have happened." I shout back at him, fists clenched.

  "Oh, so it's all my fault?" He waves his hand around, casting it over an invisible blame.

  "Yes, this lot is. Do you actually think I would just sit back and have all them evil Bastards order your life for you?"

  "You said you would listen to me, and follow suit. You lied. Twice. How the hell can I ever trust you again?"

  "If you don't understand the reasons why I did this, and cannot trust me, then what's the point in anything?"

  I have no choice but to play hardball, he's just not getting it. He walks past me and sits the other end of the sofa, chin in hand, and I can almost feel the heat of anger on his breath.

  "So, let me get this straight. You blackmailed my father and succeeded in getting me my company back. Then you set out to free me from my cult - did you succeed in that too?" He stares up at me, eyes ablaze.

  "Yes, but at a price. We have to sell our Law firms and be out of the game in order to move on freely, away from your cult. The deals will be finalized in three months."

  "And Castor, when will the Police be arresting him?"

  "They won't be. I recorded your father and Mr. Rockerfella in an... intense conversation, and threatened to release the conversation to the media if they didn't give me the recording of Castor confessing to Jezebel's murder. I couldn't send him to prison, that's not me, Elijah."

  He sighs heavily, and viciously smiles.

  "You know, for a timid little woman, you have some balls." He shakes his head furiously. "I bet my father is secretly impressed with your cunning nature."

  "He said as much."

  "That doesn't surprise me." He cups his mouth. "I cannot believe my father killed my Mother." He frowns and looks confused. "All these years I have suffered."

  "Elijah." I shuffle towards him and steal his hand. "Your father didn't want to kill her. He had no other choice, he used it for your last sacrifice because he knew you didn't possess the means to do so. He had to do it, otherwise your cult would have come after you."

  "I would rather my Mother still alive, Anile."

  "I know, I know, there is no excuse." I *sigh*. "Your father is a dark person, darker than you. But everything he did, everything he has done has been for you, and Castor."

  A single tear breaks free from his left eye, and it's like a knife twisting inside my heart.

  "My Mother died for me." He sobs lightly, pulling his hand back and seizing his face to hide from me. I pull him into my arms. He tries to pull away but I don't give up on comforting him.

  "Elijah, just know this, everything I have done, it's been to free you, so you can move on with me, so we can be happy."

  I pull him into my chest and rest my nose and mouth on his head. His soft hair tickles my lips.

  "I would have died inside every single day if something happened to you, Anile." He whispers.

  "I know, but I just wanted you free, even at the cost of my own life. That's how much I love you."

  He releases his face and slides his hands around my waist. He doesn't make an attempt to rule our embrace, he stays inside my arms.

  "Elijah, can you do something for me?"

  "Anything." He breathes.

  "Please make peace with Castor."

  I hear him swallow hard. "I will do anything for you."

  He bears all to me, and for the first time ever, I feel so close to him, and know, nothing on this planet will come between us, not ever.

  ONE MONTH LATER

  WE HAD TO MOVE, Elijah's house was sold in exchange for my mother's freedom, so, we moved on. The new house is small, but it's perfect, set in the countryside of the Garden of England. We don't have any neighbours either side of the cottage for at least a mile either end of the road. Surrounding us are acres and acres of greenery. A small forest is behind the cottage, hiding the cottage from the world with the vast green trees stretching towards the heavens. Beyond the forest are fields filled with sheep, cows and horse
s. You couldn't possibly get any closer to nature if you tried. Green vines stretch across the white cottage, covering every feature, but the four small white windows are visible, and the little brown front door is too. The front garden is covered in wild flowers, fresh white daisies, blood red tulips, and bright yellow daffodils., all set around the small lawn. The lawn is so green and loved by the previous owner. The pathway is old uneven grey stone with moss growing between the stones. The pathway stretches around the entire cottage from the grey stony driveway. The house is perfect. Inside, the rooms are small and intimate, homely, and almost every room houses an exposed redbrick fireplace to keep the cottage warm in the snowy winter. Every wall in the house is uneven and old, and painted light cream to ooze space. The kitchen is handmade; the cupboards and the worktops are antique dark oak. The worktop is classically worn and so charming. We have invested in chopping boards to prepare food on and rest heated trays on so we don't damage the worktops further - I desperately want to keep them, I don't want to have to update them. The floor is dark orange terracotta, like my mothers' kitchen. There is an eight ring arger in the centre of the kitchen, it's light cream and stainless steel, and stunning, fitted inside an exposed redbrick wall. This is my favourite room in the house - the kitchen.

  This is home for us, Elijah and I, we finally have our fresh start. My Mother has moved back into her old home, she's not that far from me.

  Elijah and I made love by the huge open fireplace in the living room, on our first night. We stayed up all night long and had breakfast the morning after, at four a.m., because we didn't want to sleep and miss a single moment of our first day here. We ate our breakfast outside and enjoyed the cool, end of summer, morning freshness. Six a.m. arrived too soon, but we spent it wonderfully, picking the wild flowers from the garden. Autumn is upon us, and all the flowers will soon die, readying themselves for the next spring. We picked the flowers just in time. We arranged the flowers in crystal vases, and set them on the window ledges in the kitchen and the cosy living room. It's all this house needs to feel homely, Elijah and I, and beautiful flowers.

  THREE MONTHS LATER

  I'VE BEEN SICK FOR DAYS, the flu, it's consuming me whole. My head is full and cloudy, my thoughts unhinged, and my body, lethargic beyond words. I just cannot make it out of bed. I want lots of junk food, poor movies and long peaceful music. I'm huddled in my small double bed, my pink and blue patch-work duvet devouring my body. My curtains are hiding the small cottage window, blocking out the sun. I like it dark when I'm ill, I like to feel as though the world outside does not exist.

  "Anile." Elijah calls while smashing open the little bedroom door. It's an old door, made from sheets of wood. It's stained dark walnut. It's cute and fits the house well, like all the other doors.

  "Be quiet, my head hurts." I moan with my pillow over my head.

  "Princess, it's one in the afternoon. This is the third day you have been festering in that bed. You need to get out and get some fresh air."

  "No, no, no!" I repeat this mantra. "I want to stay here. Can you bring me some Wotsits, please?" I beg, my eyes peering beneath the pillow.

  He stops beside me and gazes down at me affectionately. "I tell you what, let's make a deal. You come see my Doctor, and if she says you're ill, I'll let you fester further."

  "No, I'm not leaving my bed!" I say firm.

  He sighs heavily. "You leave me with no other choice."

  I frown. "What do you mean?"

  "I dare you to come with me and visit my Doctor."

  I am shocked, open mouthed like a fish gasping for air, shocked.

  "You cheeky Bastard!" I cough lightly. "You wasted a dare on me seeing your Doctor, are you mad?"

  "I've been madder, now get up!"

  He pulls the duvet back, revealing my sweaty naked body.

  "Put on some comfy clothes, I'll be in the car waiting."

  I sit on the edge of the bed, body tender, light headed, and I have the most sickening feeling dancing around my uneasy tummy.

  "I am not going to see the woman in white." I say firm.

  I don't look up at him, I cannot take his damning eyes.

  "Why not? Alexis is a great Doctor, one of the best."

  I gaze up at him, eyes red and sore. "Elijah, she creeps me out, big time."

  "Anile, sometimes you are so dramatic." He shakes his head. "Fine, I'll have Hester find you a Doctor."

  "Hester?"

  "Yes, she is still useful to me. And I am very fond of her."

  I smile at how kind he is to her - she is a lovely, wonderful, kind woman.

  "We can go see my Doctor." I say.

  His face is of disgust. "Anile, your Doctor may as well be in the ghetto, you are seeing my desired Doctor, end of discussion."

  "Fine, but first, can I please have a bar of chocolate?"

  He laughs loudly. "Anile, you are such a Princess." He shakes his head and leaves the room.

  I quickly throw on a pair of old grey sweat pants, an oversized white tank top, and one of Elijah's hoodies, and I head downstairs. The cottage is still so new to me. As I make my way down the hallway, I touch the uneven walls; they are cold because they are old, but they are charming with so much character. Light brown beams stretch through the centre of the walls - the beams appear to be the structure. I have arranged tons of photos in little brown frames and dotted them all over the walls like my Mother's house. They hang throughout the halls and in the living room. Elijah and I, the past three months, have captured every moment of our new life. We have spent a lot of time at the cabin, and I have taken to fishing - for him. We captured everyday on camera, and the photos of our new life hang here in our new home.

  Once I reach the kitchen, I spot Elijah eyeing five chocolate bars.

  "They will all do." I joke.

  While leaning against the worktop of the kitchen, he slowly turns to stare at me. "You are not even joking are you?"

  "Nope." I joke.

  He collects all the chocolate, and makes his way over to me. I take the chocolates from his hands and firmly hide them inside my hoodie pockets. I'll eat them in the car, I damn well need them, I feel like absolute crap.

  "Ready to set off?"

  "No, not really, but do I have a choice?" I moan.

  With a firm shake of his head, he openly gestures for me to leave the house first. I roll my eyes and make my way up the kitchens' terracotta steps, down the parquet hallway, and head towards the front door. Once I'm outside, the cold hits me deep within my bones. I feel strangely weak, like... I might pass out. I start to wobble slightly.

  "Whoa." He says, catching my waist with a firm arm. "You alright?"

  I shake my head in hope that he will put me back to bed - what the bloody hell is wrong with me?

  "I don't feel well, Elijah. Maybe I should just stay in bed."

  He ignores my request and ushers me to the car. I drag my feet across the stony driveway like a silly child. Once he's set me in the passenger seat, he takes pride position in the driver's seat, and off we go.

  THIS DOCTORS SURGERY IS BETTER THAN the one Elijah took me to before. The walls are a nice bright white and look freshly painted with absolutely no imperfections. There is no need for lights on at this hour, the window opposite us is huge and bright with the sun. The sun is warm on my face. The flooring is white tiling, clean and smelling fresh like bleach. The spotless appearance stretches throughout the little house. And the blue seats in the seating area are comfy and intimate. He's booked me into a decent Doctor's clinic this time. I smile fondly at him while he eyes the clinic. The wall behind where we are sitting is homing beautiful artwork canvases. The pictures are pretty and remind me of the cabin. The centre photo remarkably resembles the lake, it even has a white Dock with a small boat at the very end. The other photos are beautifully capturing a vast forest with the tallest, greenest trees. I like this place.

  "Excuse me, how long will it be? We have been waiting over half hour?" Elijah asks a passing nurse.
>
  She stops to answer him, fiddling nervously with her silver pocket watch. I roll my eyes. Yes Love, he has this affect on all women!

  "Sir, everyone has to wait their turn." She says weak but I know Elijah will take her order badly.

  "I am Elijah Darks, I am paying good money to be seen!" He snaps while rising to his feet. "My girlfriend is sick, she needs a Doctor, now! Or should I find someone more capable?" He sniggers.

  Her face is of shock - I wonder if it's because she recognises his name, or if it's because she's scared?

  I tug at the hem of his blue blazer. "Elijah, calm down." I beg.

  Luckily there is only one other person in the waiting room, and he at least has the decency not to eye bog us.

  "Anile, be quiet." Elijah orders.

  "I will go and find out what the holdup is now, Sir." She says and scurries off into door number three, just down the hall. We have a clear view of the examination rooms just to the left of us.

  I *sigh* heavily and pull Elijah back down next to me, still tugging at the hem of his blazer.

  "Elijah, you cannot order everyone around!" I admonish.

  He eyes me shrewdly. "Princess, you be the Princess, I will be the Bastard. Just sit back and look pretty, I'll get you into see this Doctor within five minutes."

  And without him properly finishing his sentence, we are called in.

  "Anile Gooden?"

  Muther fucker - I mentally joke with myself.

  "Yes, that's me."

  Elijah helps me to my feet and we enter door number three. The examination room is the same as the waiting area and the hallway, white from wall to floor, but it smells like human odour mixed with plasters - it's awful and makes my tummy curdle. Once the door is closed, I spot the Doctor. A nice Asian young man, dressed completely in white of course - the thought that Elijah requested his outfit actually enters my mind. I take a seat next to him and cast my eyes over his black Dell computer.

  "Hello Anile, I am Dr. Codine. Sorry about the wait."

  I roll my eyes and look at Elijah - I'm not bothered about the wait, it's him! I want to shout out in embarrassment. Elijah is sitting proud next to me, one hand rested on my crossed knee.