by Lannah Smith
Unfortunately, he wasn’t going to give it to me.
“So why were you trying to escape again?”
Putting the glass in the sink, I still didn’t look at him. “I already told you. I want to go home.”
“Why?” he pressed.
“What do you mean why?”
“You gave up because you knew it was futile. What changed your mind?”
I shrugged. “I never thought it was futile,” I lied. “It’s not my fault you let your guards down.”
“Is it because of Leon?”
Startled, I turned to look at him.
Propping his elbows on the counter table, he continued, “You saw him and what, something clicked inside of you? Did he make your heart beat in an abnormal rate? Did you realize that you still have feelings for him?”
“Don’t make me throw this glass at your head,” I threatened. “Just close your mouth and don’t speak to me. At all.”
Alec’s eyes swept me again and I could see his mind working.
And I watched with a great deal of annoyance as he smirked.
“Did I hit a bull’s eye?”
“You hit nothing,” I countered. “You already did your job. You manage to once again foil my escape plan. Congratulations. You may leave.”
“So if it wasn’t Leon who changed your mind, who did?”
I took in a breath through my nose. Wasn’t he going to drop this?
“Tell me, Miss Locke,” he began in a tone that wanted answers. “What’s on your mind?”
Damn it.
He wasn’t going to drop this.
“You’re not Dan,” I muttered bitterly, clenching my hands.
I watched with a greater deal of annoyance when Alec quirked his head to the side. “Of course, I’m not.”
“So what makes you think I’ll tell you what’s on my mind?”
He shrugged. “I’m not forcing you. If I know what’s making you act up again, it’ll make things easier on my end.”
“Easier for you?” My voice started to rise. “You’re just like your employer. Selfish. You don’t care about my feelings at all.”
“I actually do,” he pointed out. “Because if you’re not happy with our employer, everyone in the house knows since you kind of scream it. And it makes things difficult on my end since I’m usually the one cleaning up the mess you both make when you fight.”
“Then hire a housekeeper!” I said in a shrill tone.
Putting a finger on his lips, he irritatingly said, “Quiet down. He’s still sleeping.”
I threw the glass at him in response. I knew he’d catch it but still, it made me feel a little better to see how startled he was for a split-second.
Struggling not to laugh, he put the glass down on the counter. Then I watched his face turn gentle.
“Come,” he gestured for me to follow him.
“I’m not a dog,” I mumbled.
“You need a distraction. Follow me.”
My curiosity piqued, I followed him.
There were two large boxes at the corner of the living room. Alec took out a utility knife and sliced open the tapes. Shuffling next to him, I peered inside one of the boxes. Then my mouth dropped open.
Decorations.
There were Christmas decorations inside the boxes.
Jaehyun and Klay carried a rather tall fir tree into the room as I stared on in stunned surprise. They propped it up, careful not to get the leaves bent, before stepping back. Alec pointed at the tree.
“You take care of that,” he told me.
I turned wide eyes to him. “I’m celebrating Christmas here?”
“Where else?”
“With you people?”
Alec lifted a brow. “Who else?”
Shaking my head, I muttered, “This is unbelievable.”
“This will distract you from whatever you have in that little head of yours,” Alec informed me. “If you need help getting the decorations in high places, these two knuckleheads…” he paused and gave the grinning idiots a glance, “No. Never mind them. I’ll get you a step ladder.”
Klay laughed and Jaehyun’s grin grew wider.
They were still talking but I wasn’t listening anymore. I was staring at the tree in rapture, my hands itching to get to trimming it.
I loved Christmas.
I couldn’t help it. My mother had loved Christmas. She also had a flair for decorating the house to show how much she loved it, a flair I had inherited. Over the years, I tried to create that Christmas spirit when she was gone but it hadn’t been the same. Something was missing.
Alec came back with a stepladder while I got to work on the tree, something I loved to do the most. It brought back memories of my mother because every time I did this, it felt like she was with me, murmuring instructions on where best to put an accessory.
"He's still sleeping?" I asked Alec as I unraveled the tinsel garlands. Klay and Jaehyun had already disappeared upstairs.
Alec put the ladder down beside me and glanced at the ceiling. "Fortunately."
"How long does he get to sleep?"
"At most? Probably around six hours."
My head jerked to the clock on the wall. It was almost noon.
"He'll probably get up soon," Alec told me.
“He should get more sleep,” I retorted. “Is Christopher’s sleeping problems that bad?”
For a few seconds, Alec stared at the Christmas angel in my hands.
Then he spoke but not to answer my question.
“If you need more decorations, I’ll have Klay buy more.”
Then he too went upstairs, still without answering my question.
I closed my eyes hard because what he did kind of hurt. But I figured this must be my punishment for trying to escape. Alec probably thought my concern was a sham. He just didn’t know how much it was paining me to stay here, how much it felt like I was being tortured and burned alive with the knowledge of my feelings for Christopher.
I closed my eyes and bowed my head. I stood there for some time, attempting to push away the torment gripping me completely.
Then, while concentrating on reining in my emotions, I opened my eyes and continued to decorate the Christmas tree.
Chapter 46
The Christmas tree was looking just beautiful. I stood in front of it, silently patting myself in the back. I really did a good job, picking up the best accessories and ornaments from the box. I took a deep breath. It took me all morning to decorate it that way. Could have been shorter if the kitten hadn’t spilled the Christmas balls all over the place and pushed them in all sorts of direction.
Halfway to finishing, Alec had wandered back into the room and sat on the couch with his phone in his hand. He didn’t talk to me so I didn’t either. He pretty much ignored me until he saw me struggling to open the plastic container of the fairy lights. Grabbing the plastic and the utility knife from me, he sat on the couch and opened everything that needed to be opened.
“It looks good,” Alec muttered behind me.
“It will look better once the lights are on,” I muttered back. Cow was rubbing around my legs and distracted, I crouched down to give it a stroke, making it purr.
“You know, having to keep your love a secret is a pretty heavy weight to bear.”
Oh, my God. And here I thought he was done being a jerk. Was he tormenting me for the fun of it?
He was an asshole. And his assholeness was probably carved in marble. But I wasn’t really feeling angry. How could I take him seriously when he was surrounded on the couch with fairy lights, poinsettias and tinsels?
“I keep wondering this,” I stared up at him with a frown. “Why do you concern yourself so much for me?”
The amusement on his face disappeared. He drew his brows together. “You think this is me worrying about you?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t you think that I’m just doing my job?”
“By telling your story? Spilling your employer’s secr
ets? Giving me advices? Deliberately antagonizing me?” I gave him a look of disbelief. “Those aren’t what a bodyguard or whatever you really are is supposed to do.”
He didn’t speak. He twirled the knife expertly around his fingers, his blank gaze holding mine.
“You care about me, don’t you?”
Still, he kept quiet. I smiled triumphantly.
“You like me, don’t you?”
That got a reaction. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “Oh, for God’s sake…”
“Don’t worry,” I kept smiling. “It’ll be our little secret. Christopher won’t find out if you help me escape.”
“Not a chance.”
I lost the smile. “Then he’ll know.”
It was his turn to smile. “Fine. Tell him.”
Narrowing my eyes suspiciously at him, it was my turn not to speak.
“Worst-case scenario, he’ll fire me. If not, he’ll send me back to the city. But,” he pointed the knife at me, “it’ll be a worst-case scenario for you too.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“No one will distract him from you anymore.”
Oh.
I blinked.
He was right. If Alec leaves, Christopher won’t have any excuse to lock himself in the study. He’ll be annoying me every waking moment of my life.
“I changed my mind,” I grumbled, sitting down on the floor, the better position to pet the kitten. “You can stay.”
Alec barked out a laugh.
This was the sight Christopher came down the stairs to.
Alec on the couch, his whole body leaning towards April, his face uncharacteristically warm.
April on the floor in front of him, watching Cow play with a Christmas ball ornament, saying something inaudible without the usual scowl on her face.
Feeling his jaw grow tight, Christopher looked at the Christmas tree in the corner of the living room. It was loaded with decorations. Tinsel glittered from the branches and fairy lights flashed slowly through the tree. His eyes went to the coffee table. It was decorated with a red cloth, a bowl of pinecones, ornaments and greenery, and candles.
Apparently, Christmas has come to his house on the cliff.
And he knew this was Alec’s doing.
Christopher barely got two steps in the living room before Alec noticed him. Eyes lifting to meet his, Alec rose from the couch, his expression smoothing over.
"You're awake," he unnecessarily noted.
"And you've been busy," Christopher muttered, his eyes on April's body which had stiffened.
Her head slightly turned over her shoulder but she didn't look at him. She was feeling him out. Had heard the rumble in his voice which had set her on edge.
He noticed this.
Alec noticed this.
Moving towards him, Alec said, "Headache?"
Christopher exhaled. "You know it."
He nodded. "I'll get you something for it."
Then he was gone.
April was staring at him now. He didn't look at her, he fell on the nearest armchair with another heavy sigh. Eyes on the Christmas tree, he tried not to focus on the pain that was drilling a hole into his skull.
He felt her move.
Felt her hand hesitantly land on his forehead.
"I'm not sick," he mumbled.
Her hand went away. "Then why are you like this?" she asked with a hint of panic in her tone.
"It's because I overslept."
"Overslept? You barely slept at all, Christopher."
He looked at her then. She was angry and worried. He finally smiled.
"Did you do all of this?"
She stared at him for a few more seconds before shrugging. "It’s not yet done."
“Why is there no star on the tree?”
Right away, she handed him a star topper ornament. “Are you feeling well enough to reach the top of the tree?”
He didn’t know what to say to this and to the hope in her eyes. So he just took the star from her hands and moved to the tree. Stepping on the ladder, he placed the star on top. Then he took a step down and glanced at April.
The twinkling lights reflected in her beautiful eyes. There was a smile playing on her lips, her gaze on the Christmas tree. She had no idea how much that smile transformed her beautiful face and Christopher returned to the chair before he could do something that would definitely frighten her. The moment he did, Alec came back with some painkillers and a glass of water. April hovered nervously behind him as he took the pills and downed the water.
"What about lunch?" she asked Alec.
"You offering?" he returned with a brow raised.
Her eyes returned to Christopher. "What do you want to eat?"
"You're scaring me," Christopher told her.
She blinked. "What are you talking about?"
"You're being nice."
Her eyes narrowed down on him. "I'll just fix you a sandwich."
Then she stomped into the kitchen.
"How are you feeling really?" Alec murmured down to him.
Christopher ran a hand down his face. "Like shit."
"You have calls to make."
"I know. I checked my phone before coming down."
Alec processed this, examining his face. "No wonder you look and feel like shit."
His conversation with Leon lasted all throughout the night. And most of the conversation centered around on him trying to make Leon back off. But Leon had made his intentions clear that he wasn’t. Christopher was going to have to either shake him off forcefully or let him in.
He’d never forgive himself if he chose the second option and have his friend killed.
So he was going to have to stick to door number one.
Clenching his teeth, Christopher looked at the tree again. There were noises coming from the kitchen and a smell of garlic. She clearly wasn’t fixing him a sandwich.
"You don't have to worry about..." Alec paused and glanced over his shoulder. "That other thing. I've already taken care of it."
"No buybacks?" he wanted to make sure.
Alec nodded. "None. Klay is working on situation number 3 as we speak."
“Make sure he doesn’t fuck up.”
“He won’t. Jaehyun won’t let that happen. Nothing will go to surface.”
Good.
“The Morettis are also finally on board. It won’t be long until we convinced the other family.”
Also good.
But it meant that he needed to return to the city.
"We need to act fast," Christopher whispered. “We need to arrange a meet.”
A flash shot through Alec’s eyes.
Displeasure.
"So you're not planning to linger here any longer?"
Christopher studied him.
Then he told him quietly, “No.”
He couldn’t. Not when he had so many things to do and so many people to meet. He’d told Leon the truth. They were leaving after Christmas. When they did, his bet with April would have to end. And it didn’t sit well with him knowing that he might lose her. These thoughts had him lying awake in torment for many nights.
Alec fell silent, knowing exactly what was going on through Christopher’s head.
Then his trusted right-hand man jerked his chin up and said, "I'll make the preparations."
Christopher’s headache subsided after lunch.
Then he was ushered into the study by Alec.
Outside, April continued decorating the house with the help of Jaehyun. He was the only person Alec could trust around her to keep a level head as Klay had fallen under the spell of her beauty. Jaehyun, on the other hand, was contented to stare at her. The two were still young. The two still needed more training. But they were good, they were tested and they’d proved themselves worthy to stand by Christopher’s side.
And they knew that if they touch her, death would be too sweet a punishment.