I begin to fold away William’s clothes into the closet of his oversized room when I am interrupted by the doorbell. I immediately stop what I am doing and I rush down the stairs. I carefully peep out of the small hole in the door to see a man. I instantly back away from the door as my heart begins to race. The doorbell rings again and this time I ask who is there.
“Who is it?” I ask in a strong voice. There is no answer from the man, but instead there is a firm knock at the door. My heart is pounding and I don’t know if I should answer him. My mind flashes back to the threats that I have been receiving and I instantly think that this could be the guy who has been tormenting me. The doorbell rings again, but this time he speaks.
“I am looking for Adrian,” he shouts in a deep English accent. I rush to the front door and I consider answering him, but then I resist the urge as I question him on who he is.
“Sir, who are you and what do you want?” He laughs through the door and I feel annoyed by his rude actions. “Don’t worry love I won’t hurt you.” He says as he laughs again. I give in and I open the door. When the door bursts open the man has his back turned to me so that I can’t see his face. He is tall and he has jet black hair. He is dressed smartly in dark trousers and a black sweater. He isslim and he looks youngish from the back, but I could have sworn that he was older, given the deepness of his voice. He notices that I have opened the door and he turns to face me. He swirls around with one fluid motion and my heart stops as I take in his face. He is in his late-forties but doesn’t look a day over thirty. His skin is golden and he has thick wavy black hair that is styled to perfection. His nose is broad and his lips are full, but what has really caught my attention are his eyes – his glowing green eyes. I look at him and I know who he is – Edward Black, Adrian’s father.
“Hello my lovely, you must be Alanna?” He says as he lunges forward and grabs my hand. I stare at him – blankly as I can’t believe that he is here. Edward Black is actually standing right in front of me. I have heard so much about him from Alice and Maggie and I don’t know how to approach him. He is staring at me as he holds my hand and I feel weakened by his presence. I don’t know how to act around him; this is the man who abandoned Adrian when he was two years old. I can’t process that he is here standing in my doorway – what am I going to do?
“Hi, Edward, is it?” He smiles at me and I quickly lose myself as I see Adrian staring out at me from his eyes. He is looks so much like Adrian and now I can understand why Maggie was so startled when she first saw Adrian.
“Yes my lovely I am Adrian’s father.” I can’t breathe as he confirms my suspicions. What will I do? I need to invite him in that’s what I need to do. “It’s nice to meet you, would you like to come in?” He smirks at me and again I see Adrian staring back at me. I walk nervously into the house as Edward follows behind me. I escort him into the lounge and can feel my anxiety building as I alert him to take a seat.
“Please take a seat. Can I get you something to drink, tea perhaps?” He smirks again at me. “I wouldn’t mind something a little stronger, if you don’t mind?” Wow he is intense. However, I agree to his suggestion as I make my way over to our drinks cabinet. I begin to rummage through the bottles and I quickly select a bottle of single malt whiskey and a small crystal glass.
“How do you take your scotch?” I ask as I open the bottle. “Neat, my lovely,” I pour him his drink and then I close the cabinet and make my way back over to him. He takes the drink carefully from my hand and he instantly begins to sip at the alcohol. I glide over to the arm chair and I sit down as I think of what I am going to say to him, but he talks first – which saves me from breaking the ice first.
“This is a stunning house and you are a beautiful girl. Adrian has done well for himself.” I blush at his words. “Thanks,” is all that I manage to say. Edward laughs again and I feel uneasy around hm. He is very intense and intimidating andI can definitely see where Adrian gets his good looks from – his father. I feel awkward, but I need to pull myself together as I don’t want to seem rude or childish in his presence.
“I have heard a lot about you so it’s nice to finally put a face to the name.” Edward laughs again as he sips at his drink. “Yes well I am sure that everything you have heard about me is true.” He says sarcastically and now I know where Adrian gets his sarcastic ways from. I gently smile at his comment and then I think of Adrian and that I should call him and let him know that his father is here. I resit as I want to know more about him –first.
“The last I heard of you was that you were living in Scotland.”
“Yes I lived in Edinburgh for a while, but I have now moved back to London.” I clear my throat as I say my next words.
“I am sorry if I seem rude, but why are you here?” He looks surprised by my words and he downs his drink as he considers his reply. “I am here to see my son and his wife.” I roll my eyes at him as I feel that why now – after twenty six years of no contact why does he want to see Adrian now?
“That’s a little hard to believe.” “Listen my lovely, I appreciate that I haven’t been the world’s greatest father, but I am here because I want to try to be in my son’s life. I want to make up for all those years that I was absent.” I stare at him as I try to believe what he is saying is true. I would love for Adrian to have a relationship with his father, but at the same time I don’t want him to get hurt by him either. Edward has a reputation for being a dead-beat- dad, he abandonedtwo children and never gave them a second thought, I really don’t know if he is sincere in his words, after all a leopard can never change its spots.
“What about your daughter, Emma?”
“What about her?” Edward says in firm tone that stuns me. I feel my face flush hot as I try to compose myself. “You say that you want to be in Adrian’s life, but what Emma’s life? Have you been to see her?” Edward scowls at me and I am getting a hatred vibe from him. My heart gently beats as I stare into his intense green eyes – waiting for his smart answer to my question.
“Of course I want to be in her life, but I haven’t had the chance to bond with her in the way that I have with Adrian.” I frown at him – did he just say what I thought he said? Has Adrian already met his father?
“I am sorry what did you just say?” Edward rudely rises up from the sofa and he bounces over to our drinks cabinet. He stares at me as he helps himself to another glass of scotch. His eyes are piercing through me and I can tell that he isn’t impressed by me. However, I try to hold my own as I wait for him to make his way back over to the sofa. He sits down and he has brought the entire bottle of scotch back to the seat with him. He arrogantly rests the bottle onto my glass coffee table and I frown at him as I jump from my seat and immediately place the bottle onto a coaster. I take my seat again – opposite him as I stare at him for an explanation.
“Wasn’t I clear? Adrian and I have bonded lately and I was simply saying that I haven’t had the chance to meet with Emma- at least not yet anyway.” My eyes are spinning around my head and my chest is pumping violently I can’t breathe as I take in his words.
“So let me be clear with you, you have met with Adrian?” Edward pours another drink as he smirks at me.
“Of course I have, love.”
“When?” I snap. “I tracked him down at his office about a month ago and we have been seeing each other ever since, hasn’t he told you about this?” I squeeze my temples as I take in his smug response.
“No, he hasn’t told me anything. I don’t understand why is he keeping this from me?” Edward laughs at me as he leaps from his seat on the sofa. I frown at him as he glides over to my side. He reaches down and he gently strokes my chin with his index finger as he reassures me that Adrian meant no harm.
“My lovely Adrian hasn’t told you about me because he wanted to protect you from me. He felt that he wanted to get to know me before he exposed you to me. Please don’t be mad at him he was only looking out for your best interests.” I roll my eyes as I push his
finger away from my face. I lunge out of the arm chair and I begin to pace the room.
“That’s a load B-S you really expect me to believe that? I just knew that he was hiding something from me, but I never expected that it would be this.” Edward looks angry as he rushes over to me. He grabs me in his firm arms as he tries to make me agree with what he is saying. I try to break free from his grasp, but he is holding me too tightly and I can’t loosen his grip.
“Listen to me; you will not cause any problems between Adrian and me. I have finally gotten my son back and I will not let some little American tart ruin what I have spent my whole life working towards. Is that clear?” I am shocked at his outburst and I am little scared from his tone. But I snap out of my fears as I tell him how it is.
“How dare you speak to me like that? What makes you think that you have any right to tell me what I can and cannot do? Adrian is my husband and I am no tart. You are nothing to me and as soon as I tell Adrian about this you will be nothing to him either. Is that clear?” Edwards’s eyes are bolting and his lips and hands are shaking. He looks furious with me and I feel as if he could slap me from his anger. With one swift action I pull away from him and I march out into the hallway of the house. Edward follows me ashe stares at me.
“Leave, now.” I say firmly as I push open the front door. Edward steps towards me and I can feel his warm breath blowing down on me as he looks into my eyes.
“I will be in Adrian’s life and there is nothing that you can do about it.” I bite my lip as he mockingly laughs at me – again. Now I am the one who would like to slap him. Edward smirks and then he glides over to the door. As soon as he steps out the house and onto the cold street, I slam the door shut.
I march back into the lounge and I grab my phone from the coffee table. I flip up the Blackberry –a little too roughly and then I dial Adrian’s number -taking my anger out on the buttons as I dial. I wait for him to answer and when he does I get straight to the point.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you have met with your father?” The phone is silent as Adrian takes in my outburst.
“Baby, what are talking about?”
“Oh please you know exactly what I am talking about. You have been meeting with him for over a month now and you have neglected to tell me about it.” “Calm down and tell me how you know this?”
“Don’t tell me to calm down,” “Alanna stop it, I won’t stand for you yelling at me down the phone. I am leaving work now and I will be home shortly. I will explain everything to you when I get home.”
“You can’t just brush this off like it’s no big deal.”
“I wasn’t, now I am just getting into the car; wait for me to come home. Don’t be sneaking off into the city looking for a distraction.” Adrian hangs up and I clench my fists from anger. I can’t believe that he has lied to me about meeting with his father. Why would he want to hide this from me? Doesn’t he trust me enough to tell me when something important is going on in his life? I am his wife and he knows that I would have supported him through this, so why didn’t he tell me?
I franticly rush up the stairs as I continue with my chores. I push my way into the room and then I start to arrange William’s clothes – again. As I fold and push the clothes into the chest of drawers, I can’thold back my tears and they soon begin to flow freely from my eyes. I close the drawers as I slouch over the bed and fall onto its surface. My heart is breaking and my head is pounding, I can’t stop my tears and now I’m sobbing.
After a while I have sobbed out all of my tears and now I’m lying on William’s bed as I reflect and wait for Adrian to come home. My eyes are stinging from my tears and I jump off the bed when I hear front door open. I march into the hallway and I approach the staircase as I wait for Adrian to come into sight. I clutch the railings of the stairs for support as Iam feeling a little light headed. I gaze down into the hallway as I hear Adrian’s voice.
“Alanna, where are you?” He shouts and I clear my throat as I answer his question. “I’m up here,” I say firmly. I wait for around thirty seconds and then Adrian is standing at the bottom of the stairs looking up at me with those burning green eyes.
“Baby, come down here so we can talk about this,” he pleads, but I stand my ground as I am not going to let him off with lying to me like this. He needs to know that I am his equal and that I won’t stand for being made a fool of. I’m angry with him for not letting me know that his father is back in his life, but most of all I am hurt by his actions. He is my husband, my friend and my world so I can’t begin to describe how hurtful his decision to keep me in the dark about this is. I can’t bear to look at him as I feel that I could burst into tears – again. I look across the hallway as I answer him.
“You weren’t so keen to talk about it before!” Adrian races halfway up the stairs as he tries to reason with me.
“Baby, I know what I did was wrong and I shouldn’thave keep it from you, but please come here so that I can explain it you.” “No, you want me to come down there so you can manipulate me into agreeing that what you did was for the best.” Adrian looks furious at my outburst as I shout down at him.
“My patience is wearing thin, I won’t ask you again.” Adrian snarls as he locks his eyes onto mine. I can feel his retinas burningthrough me and I feel that perhaps I should do as he says. I know how angry he can get and I don’t want to witness that side to him. So I march down the stairs and when I reach him he turns and walks further down and then he glides into the lounge. He races over to the drinks cabinet and to my horror he pours a glass of scotch. At first I think that he is going to give it me to calm my nerves – but how wrong I was as Adrian downs the drink in a flash. I march over to him and I stand in front of him as I look up at him in surprise.
“Why are you drinking alcohol?” I say as I snatch the glass from his hand. He pulls it back from me and then he pours yet another glass of scotch. I can’t believe my eyes – Adrian is drinking alcohol. For as long as I have known him he has never touched a drop and now he looks as if he is a regular drinker –the way he is throwing back the single malt. He has told me numerous times that he despises alcohol and that he could never take any because he was scared that he would become addicted just like Alice, so why is he going back on his words?
“Because I want to, that’s why.” He snarls at me. I throw my arms into the air in frustration – who is he? “Now sit down I need to explain everything to you.” I shake my at him but I do as he says. I sit on the edge of the sofa as Adrian takes a seat next to me. He reaches out and tries to grab my hand, but I pull away from him as I don’t feel comfortable around him. He seems as if he changed and I don’t like what I am seeing. He exhales as he runs his fingers through his hair and then he turns to face me as he begins to talk.
“About a month ago Edward came to the office. At first I was reluctant to see him so I told my secretary to send him away. The next day he came back, but this time he insisted on seeing me. So I let him into my office and of course I questioned him on why he was here and on what he wanted from me. He told me that he wanted to make up for lost time and that he just wanted to see me. I didn’t believe him at first, but I was intriguedby his appearance. So I invited him to have lunch with me and we talked and he seemed genuine in his pleas.” Adrian trails off as he stands up in front of me. I look up at him as he talks again.
“You know how I felt about meeting with him. I was scared that he was going to reject me and as I ate lunch with him that’s all that I thought about. When I was a boy I used to sit at the window of the orphanage and look out into the busy streets, wondering if he was coming to find me. When he showed up at my office I was shocked, terrified and worried. I didn’t know this man who was claiming to be my father and the first person I thought of was you.” Adrian is now kneeling in front of me as his words ring my ears.
“If that’s true then why didn’t you tell me about him?” Adrian reaches out his hand and this time I place my hand into his. He leans in towards
me and he rests his forehead against mine. He stinks of alcohol a scent which I have never smelled from him before. However, he seems vulnerable so with my other hand I gently run my fingers through his hair as he pulls back and answers my question.
“I was frightened to expose you to him. I didn’t know anything about him and for all I knew he was the one who was sending you those messages. I couldn’t risk you getting hurt – again.”
“By not telling me about this you have hurt my feelings and you have made me feel worthless. I am your wife and you are supposed to confide in me about what is going on in your life. If you don’t trust me enough to tell me about the important things in your life, then what was the point of us getting married?” Adrian clutches my face in his strong hands.
“Don’t you ever think that you are worthless, you are my whole world and without you I would die? I trust you more than anyone else I know, but I couldn’t tell you about him because I was worried for your safety.”
“How can I believe that’s actually the reason?” Adrian leans closer to me as he maintains his grip on my face. A gentle tear falls from my eye and it runs down onto his skin. At the touch of my tear Adrian looks firmly into my eyes.
“Don’t cry, don’t get upset, just believe me.” I consider is words and then Adrian leans forward and kisses me gently. At firstI resist him as I pull away from his embrace, but he kisses me again and this time he makes it impossible for me resist. I kiss him back as he slides his hands down my back and onto my waist. His lips are exploring mine as I lunge forward and grab his head in my hands. We kiss passionately and then he slowly rises from floor as he holds onto me. I pull back for a second as Adrian positions himself on the sofa. His hands are still on my back as he leans in and kisses me again. I clutch him like my life depends on it as he gently pushes me down onto the sofa. My head hits the soft cushion and I smile as Adrian’s head hovers above mines.
Three Thousand Miles - Forever, (book #3 of Three Thousand Miles, Series) Page 18
