Until Then : Book 1 - Until Then Series

by Victoria Ashlee

  “On a Saturday? About what?”

  His attention was taken by a truck unloading across the street. “Just business stuff.”

  “Just try to get along with him.” I brought the coffee to my lips.

  “For you, I will try.” He said almost wistfully, his attention was still somewhere else.

  Stefan

  When we arrived home, I walked upstairs to take a shower. I turned the shower on, and removed my shirt over my head. Sophia walked in behind me, and leaned against the wall watching me.

  I smirked, “Are you here to help me?”

  “No.” She shook her head laughing.

  “That’s too bad. “ I stepped into the shower. “What are you thinking little one?”

  “Nothing. Well, not nothing.”

  “It’s clearly something.”

  She stared at me with her arms folded. Kicking her foot back and forth.

  “Will you come here?” I pulled her closer to the entrance of the shower.

  “Stefan! You’re going to get me wet. I still have my clothes on!” She squealed.

  “So?” I laughed pulling her into the water. Her socks were instantly drenched along with her top and shorts. I took in the sight of the wet clothes clinging to her tight body.

  “Why did you do that?” She laughed, trying to escape from my grip.

  I turned her chin up to face me, “I needed company.”

  Her lips were wet from the water dripping down her face. She leaned into me, wrapping her arms around me. She finally gave in to my teasing and pressed her lips to mine. Her touch was an overwhelming passion that would bring the strongest man to his knees. She released my lips and looked up at me.

  I pushed her wet hair out of her face, “Something is bothering you. You’re not acting yourself.”

  “I just want to know what your meeting is really about.” Her eyes were pleading.

  “I need you to not worry about it. I promise everything is fine.”

  “Ok.” She let go of me and stepped out of the shower, clearly not liking my answer.

  “Sophia, don’t do this.” I called after her.

  “You’re just keeping something from me, and it’s driving me crazy.” She said with exhaustion.

  “I need you to trust me.”

  “Yep, whatever you say.” She walked out of the bathroom.

  I grabbed my towel, wrapping it around myself and followed her into my room. She was standing there in her bra and shorts, attempting to peel the wet clothing off of her.

  “You can’t be mad about this.” I said, walking closer.

  “I can be whatever I want to be. You’re not telling me something.” She pulled one of her socks off. “I’m trying, I really am. You were furious that I didn’t tell you about the promotion, how do you think I feel?”

  “It’s for you.”

  “For me? How is it for me? Just tell me what it is.” Her voice strained.

  “Sophia, everything I'm doing right now is for you. If I tell you don’t worry about it, then don’t. Some things you just don’t need to know.” I snapped out of frustration.

  She stood there staring at me, her brows were concentrated. I could tell she was mad, but giving up at the same time. “Fine.” She huffed,

  “I didn’t mean to yell at you.” I walked up to her, causing more of a wet trail than I already had.

  “I know, but I'm still annoyed.” She placed her hands on my chest to stop me from coming any closer. She half smiled, and dropped her arms.

  “Please trust me.” I studied her eyes.

  “I’m trying.” She settled her head on my chest, as we stood there dripping water into a puddle.

  Chapter Thirty

  Stefan

  I pressed the button for the 40th floor. The doors closed. I looked in the mirror and adjusted my tie; it was as if it were strangling me. Just like my family. I kept trying to reassure myself that I was making the right decision. I’m taking a note from my father too, silently fucking someone is key. Thomas of course insisted he had to be present. He has no control, contrary to what he thought. I trumped them all in the end, even if I have been absent.

  The doors opened, revealing a receptionist wearing a headset sitting at a desk.

  She stood and walked around the desk. “Good afternoon, Mr. Edwards. They will be ready soon. I can seat you in the conference room.” She gestured down the hall.

  I followed her into a bright room, with a long table. A fruit tray was placed in the middle, with four waters set out. The girl lingered, until I turned to look at her. “Thank you.” I told her. She smiled and dismissed herself.

  I walked over to the window and looked out at the city. I never thought I would be here. I never wanted this life, this company, but everything is different now. Until her, I didn’t know things could be different. I never cared about the outcome.

  “I’m surprised you showed.” Thomas voice came from behind me.

  I turned around to face him. “I don’t even know why you are here.”

  My father entered shortly after Thomas. “Stefan, I'm so glad we could have this meeting finally.” He made his way to the head of the table. Thomas pulled out the chair to the right of him.

  “Where is this bloody lawyer?” My father asked Thomas.

  “He knew the time.” Thomas pulled his phone out to check his emails.

  “Who are you?” My father asked the man who was now standing in the doorway.

  I pulled a chair out on the other side of Henry. “You can sit here, Mr. Samuels.”

  “Who is this, Stefan?” Thomas demanded.

  I laughed, “You thought I would leave everything up to the family lawyer?”

  Thomas’s face turned white, and my father folded his hands, leaning back.

  “You think you’re smart don’t you?” Thomas snapped.

  “Not now, Thomas.” My father said curtly.

  A few seconds after Thomas stopped talking our family lawyer, Robert, entered carrying his briefcase.

  “Do you know what punctuality means?” Henry said dryly. “I’d fire you, but you’ve represented us for so long I don’t feel like training another one.”

  “Apologies, Sir.” Robert sat down next to Thomas.

  “Why have you brought us here?” My father brought his attention back to me.

  I walked back toward the window, “I’m going to take my company.”

  Thomas laughed, “Your Company? You’re a joke.”

  “I’ve come to make a deal.” I continued, ignoring Thomas, turning to look at my father.

  “What kind of deal?” His eyes focused on me.

  “I will take my position, on one condition.”

  Thomas waved his hand in the air. “No, you don’t get to just come in here, make demands and take over the company like you own it!” He yelled.

  I laughed, “But I'm going to own it, aren’t I? It’s my choice.”

  “You’ve never even shown any interest. You just need to disappear with Jess, and let the actual adults run the companies.” Thomas snapped.

  “Big brother, I think you forgot your place.” I leaned into the table.

  “You’ve peaked my interest.” My father said.

  I rested my hands on the back of a chair. “Leave Sophia alone.”

  Thomas laughed. “Are you kidding me? This is over that girl?”

  “What about the arrangement with the Donahue’s?” My father asked.

  “You can’t be serious?” Thomas had panic in his voice.

  He looked at Thomas, then back to me. “What about the contract?” He asked again.

  “We will cross that bridge when we get there, but you leave her alone or all deals are off. Including the contract.”

  “So, Sophia is fair game then right? Since you have to hold up your end of the bargain.” Thomas mocked.

  I slammed my fist on the table. “If you touch her, ALL deals are off.”

  Our father sat silent for a moment. “You have to play your
part.” He said to me.

  “What part is that?” I asked.

  “Jessica. You know her family connections, and what this means.”

  “This is insane; I don’t even know why we’re making a deal with him.” Thomas stood up from his chair, opening a water.

  “I don’t think you really have a say here.” I snapped at Thomas.

  “You were a mistake, if you weren’t born, all this would be mine. You were the fuck up.” Thomas yelled.

  Our father swiftly stood up from his chair, knocking it backwards. “Thomas, you are making deals with no one! Sit down!” He yelled.

  Shock ran across Thomas’s face.

  I laughed, “Did the favorite son just get put in his place?”

  “Fuck you.” Thomas snapped.

  “Do we have a deal?” My father asked me calmly.

  I looked him in the eyes. “Yes.”

  Thomas slammed the water on the table and stormed out of the room.

  Mr. Samuels took the contract regarding Sophia out and handed it to my father.

  He took the file, “I’m going to have my lawyers look over this. We will be in touch tomorrow. I look forward to this agreement.” My father held his hand out to shake mine.

  “I don’t know if I would say I look forward to it.” I gripped his hand.

  “We’re both getting what we want.” He buttoned his coat up.

  “Hardly.” I said lowly, as he walked out of the room.

  It was almost dinner time by the time I got home. I found Sophia fast asleep with her laptop open next to her. My father and Thomas don’t know what just hit them. I’d do anything to protect this girl. My girl. Even if that means taking the company from them. The company that I never wanted and all the things that come with it. I’d do it for her.

  I walked around the sofa and leaned down in front of her. I ran my thumb along her bottom lip. Her eyes slowly opened, a sleepy smile appeared.

  “Hi, Beautiful.”

  “You’re home.” She whispered.

  “I am. Are you hungry?” I asked, resting my hand on her shoulder.

  “Mhmm. I want Mac n cheese,” she mumbled.

  “I can make it,” I tell her.

  She leaned up. “No, I want to. You go change.”

  “Whatever you want.” I stood up, and moved her laptop. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

  “Ok.” She smiled, and walked into the kitchen.

  When I got back downstairs I found her dancing around the kitchen to Frank Sinatra, using the spoon as a microphone. She had set the table, and lit a few small candles.

  She did one final spin and crashed into me. “I'm sorry.” She yelled from shock.

  “You’re fine.” I laughed.

  She shuffled over to the pot, placing the spoon back in it. “Dinner is ready.” She scooped two bowls full of macaroni, and brought it over to the table.

  “What did you do all day?” I asked.

  “Would I be a total sloth, if I said that I laid around all day?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I am most certainly a sloth.” She waved her spoon in the air.

  “Well you’re a cute sloth.” I took a bite of my food.

  “How was your meeting?” She asked hesitantly.

  “Sophia, I told you not to worry about that.”

  “I know, but you can at least say if it went good or bad?” She pursed her lips together.

  “Fine. It went fine.”

  She stood up and walked over to the refrigerator, “See that wasn’t that hard.” She poured a glass of water from the pitcher.

  The front door opened; the voices of Keira and Leo yelling back and forth filled the house. Sophia turned to look at me, panic was on her face. I stood and walked over to her. I looked into the living room; Sam was standing behind Keira and Leo.

  “Get out,” I snapped at Sam.

  “I told Leo not to let him in here.” Keira said, throwing her coat on the sofa.

  “Stefan, I just want to talk to you. Sophia too.” Sam pleaded, stepping back toward the door.

  “I don’t care. You are not welcome here. It was one thing, you being at the bar with us. It’s another you being in my house. Leave.”

  “Wait...” Sophia spoke up, walking around me.

  I looked over at her. “What?”

  She raised her hand at me to stop talking. “I want to hear what he has to say.”

  “You can’t be serious?” Keira chimed in.

  “I am.” Sophia said, folding her arms. “Now speak.”

  Sam walked closer to her, and my blood began to boil. I would throw him through the front door if she wasn’t in this room.

  “Sophia, I'm sorry about that night. Nothing can excuse my actions. I understand if you hate me, but I wanted you to know that I was sorry. Even if neither one of you speak to me again, I just had to tell you both.”

  Sophia closed her eyes and bit her lip. “Have you ever felt helpless? So helpless, that your body was frozen. You couldn’t move, you wanted to cry and scream at the same time, but you were so afraid that you were just frozen? Like a dark hole you were falling in, that you couldn’t get out of? That’s what I felt.”

  He stood there staring at her. “I’m sorry.” He whispered under his breath.

  “Oh I know you are sorry. I just needed to describe how I felt to you. Doesn’t sound pleasant does it? Don’t ever fucking do that to another person again.” She snapped and walked past him toward the stairs. She stopped at the bottom. “I accept your apology, but I don’t want you near me.” She walked up the stairs.

  Sam looked at me, as my eyes followed Sophia. “Stefan, I'm sorry. I didn’t understand how important she was to you.”

  I walked up to him, standing a foot away. “That shouldn’t matter, and yeah she is important to me. I will take care of her no matter who leaves my life. Including you. I don’t want to repeat myself. Get out.”

  “Ok. I said what I needed to say.” Sam backed away with his hands up, and left through the front door.

  I shut the door behind him and turned around to face Leo and Keira.

  “He was waiting outside forever. He wouldn’t leave until we let him in.” Leo admitted.

  “Just don’t do that again. He’s not welcome here. I’m going to go check on her.” I said quickly, and then made my way upstairs.

  She was sitting in the same place I found her the first night she came into my room. Her knees pulled up to her chest, looking out the window.

  I sat down next to her, “Are you ok?”

  “I’m fine.” She rested her chin on her knees looking at me.

  “I don’t know why you forgave him.”

  “Because,” she paused, and took in a deep breath. “I can’t live in that moment forever. It’s something I want to put in my past. I don’t want to remember it. If allowing him to apologize helps it not get brought up ever again, then I’d let him apologize ten times over.”

  “I’m sorry, you had to do that.”

  She released her legs from her arms, and moved closer to me. “It’s not your fault.”

  “He was my friend, it was my fault.”

  She placed her hand on my cheek, making me look at her. “You kept me safe that night.”

  I covered her hand with mine. “I will always keep you safe.”

  Chapter Thirty One

  Sophia

  Not being able to sleep started to feel routine. Something felt out of place, and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Stefan was lying on his stomach, arms wrapped around the pillow his head was resting on. I traced my fingers along the muscles on his back, causing him to stir in his sleep. I decided to let him rest, and climbed out of bed. One of Stefan’s sweatshirts was at the foot of the bed; I pulled it over my head, and made my way downstairs.

  Leo was sitting on the couch watching TV. It was still early; I could only assume Keira was still asleep.

  “Morning Cartoons?” I laughed.

  He stopped mid bite o
f his cereal. “You try to find something to watch this early.”

  I made my way into the kitchen, popped a pod into the coffee maker, and then walked back over to the living room. “What are you doing next weekend?”

  “We’re going to my parents' home in Woodbury for Thanksgiving.”

  “That sounds fun.”

  “You know, you and Stefan should come. It would be a lot of fun. My parents tend to go off and do their own thing with their fancy friends.” He said with sarcasm. “Stefan’s family doesn’t celebrate, what do you think?”

  “Really? I’ll ask him. I haven’t made any plans.” I sat down on the chair next to him.

  “You guys should, you can see how Stefan usually lives his life.” He laughed, and leaned back into the sofa.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You just haven’t met his other friends. That’s all.”

  “Well now I'm interested.” I laughed, making my way back into the kitchen.

  “What are you talking about?” Stefan entered the living room.

  “Just making plans for you to come to Woodbury this weekend.”

  “I can’t.” Stefan replied quickly.

  Leo turned to look at him. “Why not?”

  “I will be out of town.” Stefan said, entering the kitchen.

  I look at him confused. “Where are you going?”

  “I’ll tell you later.” He pulled a cup out of the cabinet.

  “Well Soph, you can still come without him.” Leo yelled from the living room.

  “I don’t want you going,” Stefan said bluntly.

  “Why not?”

  “I just don’t. The people that will be there are just a lot of trouble.”

  “Stefan, you can’t just leave me here alone.” I snapped, and walked back into the living room.

  He followed behind me, “You can visit your Mum.”.

  “Do you not remember the trip your Grandmother and my Mom are going on?”

  “Come on man, she will be fine. Keira will be there.” Leo argued.

  “I said no.” He left the room, without another word.

  I plopped down in the chair, “Well that was pointless.”

  Leo leaned forward. “Stefan is my friend, but we can’t leave you here alone either.”