A Passion Rekindled (16 page)

“Do you still love him?”

“We divorced two years ago. And while I still have love for him I am not in love with him.”

“So what does all this have to do with us?”

“If you thought I wasn’t good enough for your life before what do you think now?”

He wiped the tears from her eyes and kissed her. He filled that kiss with all the passion he could find. After a moment he stopped.

“I think I could fall in love with you.”

“What?”

“Look at you. After everything you have been through you are still going strong. You are proof that one person can try to ruin your life but they will only succeed if you give up.”

“I don’t understand.”

“What's to understand…I'm so proud of you…everything you have been through? You are so brave.”

“What about your mom?”

“What about her?”

“She hates me. She feels like you can do some much better, like you want to do so much better.”

“Scarlett. I have wanted you since the first day I met you and you kissed me in my office. Every time you’re near me my pulse races. You’re Smart beautiful and so fun to be around.”

“But you really want to be with me? Knowing that my past experience was being raped by a man who got me pregnant? Being divorced to a man who cheated.”

“I know that must have been tough.”

“Angel doesn’t know.”

“Doesn’t know what?”

“She and Maggie have no idea what is going on. Maggie knows that Danger exists but that’s it. And Angel has no idea that her father raped me and abused me. She thinks he’s dead and I want it like that. She’s not less loved because of who her father is.”

“I want to erase what those men did to you.” He moved closer to her.

“I want to hold you and love you make up for the years you were hurt.”

“Oh Christian I want that too…but I'm no good for you. What will it look like having me on your arm?”

“You will be as beautiful as you are now…you are it for me…I know it now I just have to convince you.”

Scarlett stood folding her arms. “I don't want to get hurt in all this?”

“What?”

“What if your mom is right and I am just a fling for you?”

Christian stood next to her. “You can’t be afraid of what you don’t know and you can’t believe I would really hurt you like that.”

“I don't know what to believe.”

“Believe me. That I care about you a lot and I won’t hurt you.”

“Christian you are such a wonderful man.”

“And you are an amazing woman. I know you don't want to be hurt but I don't either.” She looked him in his eyes.

“You think I would hurt you?”

“You told me about you and maybe I should tell you about me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Scarlett when I was 22 I was engaged to be married to this wonderful woman. She was a year younger than me working on her Masters. Everything was going so well until she lost it. She decided she wanted to quit school and live her life. She grew up like me she in a household where you had to be perfect. Her parents were worse than my mom. So she went off and lived her life.”

He walked across the room.

“One night she was at a party and she got carried away. She called me to drive to Cincinnati and pick her up. When I got there, she was in bed with these two dudes. She saw me and just kept going. I lost it. It took everything I had in me to walk away. She came to me the next day apologizing and saying that I just wasn’t it for her. She kissed my cheek and said that if I was any kind of man I would stop living for my parents and start living for me.”

7 years earlier.

Christian checked himself out in the mirror as Charlene walked into his apartment. He smiled as she planted a kiss on him. He looked her up and down and loved everything about her. Charlene was 5’9 with baby blue eyes and long brunette curls. She was freshly tanned so Christian knew she has just left the spa. She frowned as she saw him in his three-piece suit.

“You’re not wearing that to the party are you?”

He turned towards her. “Party?”

“Maddox is throwing the party of the year in Cincinnati don't tell me you forgot.”

“Lene I'm sorry I can’t make it. Chris and I have a merger to help with.”

“Christian you are not doing this to me again.”

“I’m sorry. I will make it up to you I promise.”

She threw up her hands in anger. “Forget it. Christian when are you going to wake up and realize that there is more to life than just work.”

“I’m sorry but I have a job to do.”

“Is this what I have to look forward too as your wife?”

“Look baby I would love to talk to you but I have to go. Just call me later ok?” Christian grabbed his wallet and keys. “Lock up when you leave.”

Christian walked out the door and Charlene kicked the couch. Three hours later Christian arrived home looking for Charlene. He frowned when he noticed all her things were gone. He picked up his phone but before he could dial, is phone ringed.

“Hello?”

“Christian its Maddox.”

“Oh hey man how are you?”

“I am good but I think you should head up here.”

“I would love to but I have a huge merger tomorrow and just a lot of things going on.”

“I really think you should come here.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Lene is here and I think you should come get her, she is not in her right mind.”

“Oh ok I am on my way.”

Christian ran to his car and took that two-hour drive to Cincinnati. He wanted to do anything he could to prove to Charlene she was important to him. As he arrived, he smiled and waved as he interacted with his friends. He looked around for Charlene. Maddox Bentley walked over to him.

“Christian glad you came.”

“Where Lene is?”

“I saw her go upstairs about an hour ago I told her she could wait for you in one of my rooms.”

“Ok thanks.”

Christian took the stairs two at a time and went to the first door. He knocked and then walked in. Two guest yelled for him to get out and he slammed the door apologizing. As he walked to the next door he heard a moan as he walked away he heard Charlene scream. He walked back to the door and opened it. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. Charlene was bent over the bed with one man behind her and one in front of her. She was moaning and screaming as one guy was hitting it from the back and the other was giving her a mouthful. Christian felt sick to his stomach.

“What the hell is going on here? Charlene?”

She looked at him but went back to what she was doing. Christian not knowing what to do walked out the room and down the stairs. He got into his car and just drove away. He sat in his room and didn't know what to do. He couldn’t wrap his head around what just happened. The next morning he was shocked to see Charlene at his front door.

“You have some nerve showing up here.”

“Christian I am so sorry.”

“Sorry? You’re sorry you were getting done in by two dudes Charlene. Two guys!”

“I know. You don't have to yell.”

“Oh I don't? Well ok then.”

She looked down to the ground. “I don't want to do this ok. I came to apologize. I am sorry you saw that I didn't mean for you too. I was wasted when I asked Maddox to call you and didn’t want to drive. As I waited for you this guy came up to me telling me how sexy I was and how he and his friend wanted me. I was flattered and I just wanted to feel alive again so it happened and I am sorry you saw that but I can’t change it.”

“Why don’t you just leave ok? I can’t even look at you.”

“Christian this life just isn’t for me. I love you I do but when are you going to wake up and realize there is a great big world out there.”

“Whatever.”

“You know what fine. I just wanted you to know how sorry I was.”

Charlene walked over to Christian to kiss his cheek but he moved away from her.

“You can leave now.”

“If you are any kind of man you should stop living for your parents and start living for you.” She walked out the door and Christian looked after her.

Back to present

Scarlett stood up and walked over to him.

“Christian I am so sorry that happened.”

“I haven’t been serious about anyone since then until now.”

“Christian neither one of us wants to be hurt, but there is always that possibility that we will be. I just.”

“Tell me you don’t have any kind of feelings for me other than boss and employer or friends and I will be just that.”

“You know I do.”

“Then let that be enough to start something here.”

He bent down and took her lips in his. Scarlett stopped him.

“Christian I cant.”

Christian pulled away. “What’s wrong?”

“I am glad we got things out in the open and it makes me feel so much better to tell you about my past, and yes I do have these feelings for you that make me feel weak in the knees but it doesn’t change what's going on now.”

Scarlett turned away from him and he looked at her.

“And what is going on?”

“Jonah and I are kind of dating.”

“You had one date.”

“Actually we have had a couple of dates and I really like him.”

“And what about us?”

Scarlett looked at him. “What about us?”

“I came here ready to give us a try. You just let me kiss you.”

“You caught me off guard before. And not to be cliché but it's too little too late.”

Christian stood. “Why because Jonah is so much better than I am?”

“No because he actually cares about my feelings. When Jay and I left your parents’ house we were both really hurt. Chris went to her right away and consoled her. You ignored me until work that Monday and then you acted like everything was fine. You know after the club scene tonight Jonah could see that I was a little insecure with your date and he made me feel better.”

“I didn't know how to handle that situation.”

“And that is fine with me but all that got me thinking maybe we were just meant to be friends.”

“You don’t believe that?”

“I do. I owe it to myself to see what’s going on with me and Jonah.”

“And you don’t owe it to us to see if this could work?”

Scarlett moved away from him. “I did give us a chance and you didn’t take it. And that just makes me think that maybe you just want me because of some rivalry between you and Jonah.”

“Who said anything about a rivalry?”

“Jonah told me about you guys and school.”

“It doesn’t even matter because that has nothing to do with it.”

“Really, because you didn’t seem all that interested in being with me before tonight.”

“Scarlett this is all so new to me. I have never had a woman make me feel the way you do.”

“Christian maybe this is for the best I mean I work for you I and we are becoming good friends and maybe that is why this is not going to work.”

“Are you attracted to me?”

“Excuse me?”

Christian pulled her closer to him.

“Are you attracted to me?”

“You know I am.”

“Do you think that we would make a good couple?”

“I think that we would be great together.”

He pulled her even closer so they were face to face.

“So why not give us a try and see if this can work.”

“Because I can’t.”

Scarlett moved away from him and stood.

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah me too.”

Christian stuffed his hands in his pockets. “So I think I should get going.”

“Christian are we ok?”

“Yeah we are ok.”

“I just don’t want you to be angry with me.”

“How can I be mad at you for what you are feeling? This was my fault and I understand that.” Christian walked to the door and Scarlett followed him.

“I am glad we had this talk.”

“Me too.”

Scarlett wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

“I will see you Monday.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

***

Devon grabbed the phone as Scarlett walked through the front door.

“Hello.” 

“Hey is Scarlett there?”

“She just got home can I ask who is calling?”

“Jonah.”

“Jonah is it? Ok and what do you want with my sister?”

Scarlett grabbed the phone from him. “Devon come on that’s was rude…hello I am sorry about him.”