After The Dark (Billionaire In Love 3) (4 page)

“I don't know. I don't think so. I mean, why would he? He didn't mention anything about it. I'm sure that he just wanted to have a fresh start.”

“Are you sure? What happened between you two anyway?”

“Just too many secrets. It's a long story and I don't feel like going over it right now. I was hoping to see him today though,” she said wistfully, for it seemed that her decision had been made for her. Despite what she said to Mandy, she did have a suspicion that this whole thing was because of her, and it could have been Jack's way of ensuring that their paths never had to cross again. Well, if that's what he wanted, then she decided that she would have to respect it. She certainly didn't want to be like Matt and chase after something when it was clear that Jack had made his decision. It didn't get any more clear cut than selling his company.

“What are you going to do now? Are the two of you over?”

“I think we've gone too far. At one point, there was a chance for us to be something, but it all got messy and I don't think we can untangle the strings. It's sad, but I guess that's the way life goes sometimes. I just have to face it and move on.”

But as the day went on, she found the truth harder and harder to face. She kept a stoic appearance at work so as not to show any chinks in her armor, but as soon as she was back in her car, she felt the hot tears roll down her cheeks. Another chance at love had been plucked away from her again. This was the last straw, and she vowed to herself once the tears stopped that she was going to be done with Jack and get her priorities straight again. She was a professional woman, and with the new owners, there would be plenty of opportunities to impress them and start her ascent to the next level.

Chapter 7

Over the next few days, she spent more and more time at work and less at home, which her parents understood after she explained the current situation. After all, she couldn't make a good impression if she as absent around the office. Things calmed down somewhat as people got used to the news. They all received an e-mail with more details about the changeover and they discovered that a big conglomerate that owned a handful of companies in America and China was purchasing their company. People were more careful around Scarlett now, and they looked at her with fear instead of derision. No longer was she the quiet, insecure new girl. Her performance in the conference room had shifted the balance of power into her favor and everyone knew it. Even Sam, through gritted teeth, asked for her input during meetings and she now found that everyone listened to her and gladly took her recommendations on board.

Her father was making a good recovery as well, and he was spending some time outside. It was cute to see her parents together, but it also filled her with a bittersweet joy as she was unsure whether she would ever have someone like that in her twilight years.

She hadn't heard from Matt since he'd gotten into a fistfight with her father, and although it was a horrible thing to think, she was glad that at least some good had come out of her father's heart attack. She felt that it was okay to say that since he was almost back to his peak, and it would just take some more time for him to get his physical fitness back to where it was before. But often, when she had quiet moments, she found herself gazing at her cell phone and wishing that Jack would call. He was till on her mind often even though she made a conscious effort not to think about him. She wondered where he was and what he was doing.

It made her sad to think that she had come so close to something genuine and yet it slip through her fingers like golden drops of air, but it was too late for recriminations and the only thing she could do was steel her heart against the pain and hope that it would diminish over time. Without him, it was easier to work, and she was glad that she had her career to pour herself into, because without something else to occupy her mind, she would have gone crazy.

Soon enough, her father recovered so well that she was back at work practically full time, only leaving early so that she could help her mother in the late afternoon to run errands. On this particular occasion, she was at the hospital to pick up her father's medication. The hospital was close to where she worked so it was easy just to pop in and pick up the medication from there instead of going to a pharmacy. Going to the hospital so many times was eye-opening and made her change her opinion of it. The only times she had been there before had been because of tragic circumstances, and those circumstances had twisted her view of hospitals so that she only associated them with negative things. But when she went there now, she saw the happiness of people who had been helped by the doctors and nurses. She saw the parents and their newborns, ready to start the wondrous journey of life, and she realized how small-minded she had been before.

The hospital was just a building. It was the people inside it that made it different.  If she only saw sadness, it was because sadness resided in herself. There was much more going on, and she had a calmer soul because of it.

She picked up the medicine and was about to turn towards the exit when she thought she saw Jack. She turned her head quickly, but she only saw a trailing leg as he turned around the corner. At first, she brushed it off as a trick of the mind, but then found that she couldn't quite shake it away and was compelled to follow him. Rationally, she was cursing herself because it was a silly flight of fancy, but deep under the surface, there was a part of her that was convinced it was him, and she didn't want another chance to go by. She walked along the long corridor and followed his path to the right. There was no sign of him any more, but she followed her instinct and walked down the smooth, shiny floor to the end, where the labyrinth continued.  She looked in both directions, and this time she went left. The corridors wound around, and she slipped through a couple of doors that she probably shouldn't have, but she was compelled to complete this quest and made her way to a private ward.

The area around her was oddly quiet, and she only passed a couple of nurses on the way, both of whom seemed so busy that they barely paid her any attention.

Then she stopped. Through the window, she saw Jack. It was unmistakably him and she was paralyzed for a moment. Scarlett crept closer until she could see into the room properly. Jack was bent over a bed with a woman in it. She wasn't awake, and there were so many machines hooked up to her. It reminded her of how Lisa had looked when she was in hospital, and she wanted to turn away. Seeing Jack and his wife like that filled her with nausea. Not only was it a painful reminder of Lisa's accident, but it also made her aware that Jack had been married all this time, to a woman who was in the hospital. Scarlett couldn't believe he had betrayed his wife like that... and in some ways, he had betrayed her as well.

She didn't know whether to turn away or to confront him, and for a while she simply stayed there, watching him tend to his wife. He looked so caring, so tender. How could a man like that, the man she had come to know so intimately, treat his wife so unkindly? It didn't add up, and the mysteries just seemed to continue with no resolution. Either way, looking at him dote over his wife made Scarlett feel like she was invading. Her throat tightened and she suddenly felt very thirsty.

Jack rose and turned to leave the room. Scarlett's body flushed with paranoia for she didn't want him to know that she had been there. Quickly, she turned on her heels and made her way back down the corridor, but her shoes were squeaking, bringing attention to herself.

“Scarlett?”

Chapter 8

She cringed when she heard his voice and knew that there was no way to escape. She heard his heavy footsteps come up behind her, each one a portent of doom, and she wore a pained expression when she turned around to face him.

“Hey Jack,” she said, and didn't know whether he was angry or happy to see her.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, but now that she was in front of him, she had questions of her own.

“Is that your wife in there? You didn't tell me she was still alive. And why are you selling the company? Did you not think to tell me that when we saw each other yesterday? This is what I'm talking about, Jack. There are so many secrets with you. I don't know what I'm supposed to do or how I'm supposed to feel. Did you not think that this was something I should have known when we started... whatever it was we had?” Her voice began to rise, and she stopped talking before she disturbed the silence too much.

Jack took a deep breath and looked back at his wife, and then to her again.

“You're right, Scarlett,” he said, much to her surprise. “You deserve some answers... but not here. This isn't the place for it. Come to my place tonight and I'll tell you everything you want to know.” He handed her a card with his address on it and walked past her. As he did so, his aftershave drifted by her nose, and she was plunged into him again. She watched him walk away as she kept the card tightly in her hand. Then, she walked into his wife's room, unsure if she should be in there, but unable to resist meeting her.

There were fresh flowers in a vase, ones just like those Scarlett had placed on Lisa's grave. The machines beeped. The woman in the bed looked gaunt and her skin was pale and sallow. At one point, she would have been beautiful, but she had so many tubes inside her that she was almost more machine than human. Scarlett looked upon her, the woman who was responsible for her sister's death. After the accident happened, Scarlett had wanted to confront the other driver and scream at them, make them see how much suffering they had caused. But now that she looked at Jack's wife, the only thing she was filled with was pity. To exist in such a state wasn't living, and in that moment, she knew that it wasn't only Lisa who had suffered, and in some ways Lisa had a better part of the deal. 

“I... I forgive you,” Scarlett said, feeling that it was important to say, even though she couldn't hear her. “I hope you can forgive me too,” Scarlett said. Both women were bonded to Jack, and now it was Scarlett's turn to feel guilty because Jack was married. It wasn't an easy situation though, and she looked forward to the evening when he would explain everything.

She rushed home, dropped off the medications, said a quick hello to her parents and then left again, not wanting to waste any more time. Her nerves were frayed as she drove to his house, which was located outside the city, away from the general population. Through winding roads she drove, and on more than one occasion she thought she was lost, but managed to get back on track. The sun dipped below the horizon as she pulled into the wide driveway, through the foreboding gates. The house was more like a castle and Jack had shut himself away from the rest of the world, locked in the tower he had built. When she knocked on the door there was a lump in her throat and she waited for Jack to open it. He was dressed in comfortable clothes and welcomed her with a warm, but tired, smile.

He took her through the hallway, which was decorated with various paintings.

“Would you like anything to eat or drink?” he asked. Scarlett declined. Her stomach was in no state to eat. Jack showed her through to the lounge. One wall was filled with books while another had a huge map of the world on it. There were various ornaments and objects dotted around the room, and a large couch. Jack gestured with one hand for Scarlett to sit down while he opened a liquor cabinet and poured himself some scotch.

“I hope you don't mind if I have one. I get the feeling that I'm going to need it,” he said.

She watched him pour the dark liquid over the ice and then take a long sip.

“You promised me answers,” she said. Jack nodded and turned to her.

“Indeed I did. What do you want to know about first, my wife or the company?” he said.

“Your choice.”

Jack smiled wryly to himself and paced across the room, walking behind Scarlett so that she had to twist her head to keep him in her view. He took a seat in a large leather armchair. It looked as though his body was sinking into the dark leather. He rolled his wrist and the ice clinked in the glass before he raised it up once more and took another long gulp.

“I was going to tell you but I didn't know how or when. It just kept getting longer and longer until it seemed like I had lost the moment. Penelope has been in a coma for a number of years. She was the other driver that night your sister died. She was taken to the hospital, but moved to a separate ward and I've kept her there ever since. I wanted to get in touch with... the other family but I lost myself for a while. That's when I disappeared from the world. I shut myself away for a long time, not wanting to talk about it to anyone. I just knew they'd find a way to twist it, to make her a murderer, all to sell papers because it was news. I didn't want them tarnishing her memory in that way. I couldn't have her be remembered like that.”

Scarlett felt numb. It was the same crash, but from a different perspective.

“That night,” he continued, and as he spoke, Scarlett got the feeling that this speech had festered within him for a long time, and it was the first time that the words had met the air. “We had a fight. She was upset with me for spending too much time at work. I'd planned to take a trip with her, so we could get some quality time. I thought... I always thought we had more time and then she went for a drive. Just a simple drive to clear her head. I was so angry at her... and then I got the call. And ever since then, she hasn't woken up. They say she probably never will but there's still brain activity. I can't just switch her off. I want to say goodbye but I keep reading about all the advances they're making and I don't want to turn the life support machine off only for them to find a way to help her. And I feel like I owe her. I want to see her open her eyes again and tell her that I'm sorry, that I should have been a better man... and she's just lying there. I don't know what's going on in her head, if anything.

And then I met you and you started talking about your sister, and it was exactly how I felt. Then I realized that it was the same crash and I didn't know how you'd feel. It's already tough enough knowing that I'm married, but then I didn't know if you'd be angry with her, or with me, or if you’d blame her for what happened. My wife wasn't a bad person... it must have just been an accident. And I wanted to tell you, but your sister meant so much to you that I didn't want to do anything to change the memory you have of her.

But you're the only one, Scarlett. The way you spoke about Lisa, it's the same way I feel about Penelope. When she got injured, it was like a part of me died and I felt... broken, like I couldn't live anymore, like something was missing. Until I found you. It's been such a struggle to live because I didn't think I'd ever be happy again or fall in love, but then I met you and everything changed. Just the way you looked at me and all the things you said, I fell in love with you and it was hard. I didn't know whether I should feel happy or guilty because of Penelope, and that's why I was holding back. But being without you... it tore me up inside and I don't want to have a life without you. I don't want you to not be a part of my life. I mean, look at me. I live in this dark lair. You the only one that brightens up my life, the only one that actually gives me hope that I could be happy, and I'm just angry at myself for messing it up.”

Scarlett listened to him pouring his heart out to her and there were so many things reeling in her mind.

“But what about Penelope? What would you do if she was ever going to wake up? Would you go back to being married and just send me on my way?”

“I'd never do that to you, Scarlett,” he said, looking directly into her eyes. “A long time ago, I made peace with the fact that things would never be the same with Penelope again. Even if she woke up, there would still be so many complications... I keep her just because... because I can't be the one who turns off her life,” he said, choking on his words. He moved over to the couch so that he was sitting beside Scarlett, and placed his glass down, taking her hands in his and looking deeply into her eyes.

“Scarlett, I love you when I thought I'd never love anyone again. You awoke something in me, something that I thought I'd lost in that car crash, and I think I've done the same for you. I know I should have told you all this sooner, but I was so afraid that it would ruin things. It’s been a long time since I've been with anyone. I think I... forgot how things are supposed to work. I'm sorry.”

“And what about the company?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. She needed to know everything. She couldn't allow herself to be swept up in the torrent of emotions.

“I did it for you. It wasn't fair of them to say that you only got where you did because of me. I know it was only rumors but I thought if I sold it then they would be forced to admit that you got where you did because you deserved to be there. Without me in the picture, you could get all the praise you deserved.”

“Oh Jack,” she said, stunned that he would do something like that for her. “I would have figured something out. You didn't have to do that. All that money...”

“I don't care about the money, Scarlett. I've got enough to live comfortably ten times over. All I want now is to live again. To live with you. Before I met you I might as well have been in a coma.”

He looked tired and weary and Scarlett felt her heart swell for him. She processed all his words, and while she was still annoyed that he hadn't been honest with her from the start, she thought about everything that her parents had told her, and everything she had learned along the path of her life.

“You know,” she said slowly. “That accident was the worst day of my life. I lost my sister, who I loved more than myself, but all these years I had no idea about the other person. All this time you were suffering too, and somehow we ended up meeting. I don't know whether I believe in fate or not, but I like to think there are some higher forces in the universe that guide us, and our lives have led us to each other. That has to mean something. I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you, and I know it's not perfect, but I feel safe with you. And comfortable. When Lisa died, I told myself that I'd live a life that was big enough for the both of us, and I'd do whatever I could to make sure that she was proud of me. I'm not sure I've done the best I can at that over the years, but I can't think of anything more important than falling in love. I was so scared that I'd never see you again after I found out that you sold the company. I don't want to lose you again, Jack. We've both been through enough sadness that we shouldn't let each other go by, and whatever else we need to figure out then we'll figure that out as it comes. But right now I just want to be with you, and be held by you.”

Scarlett caressed his cheek and pressed her forehead against his. Emotion swelled between them as they closed their eyes and felt the heat rise.

“I love you so much, Scarlett,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” she said, and they embraced each other tightly as all the years of pain and hurt melted, replaced by a burning happiness and passion that they could find with no one else. They kissed, and Scarlett could taste the alcohol on his lips. They smiled at each other as they saw the happiness in their eyes.

“Are you ready to do this, for real?” he said. Scarlett bit her lip and nodded.

“I want to be with you Jack, completely. That's all I've wanted from the beginning,” she said, smiling.

“Then I guess we have some time to catch up on,” he said, and drew her into him again with a powerful kiss that made her entire body tremble, and caused her knees to go weak. She moaned softly as her eyes clamped shut and she lost herself in the bliss of the moment, lost herself to the scent and taste and feeling of Jack. His big strong arms held her tightly,s and she knew that while she was in them, nothing bad could happen to her. She played with his hair and ran her hands down the back of his head as their lips pressed against each other.

Their hot breath mingled as their lips parted. None of the intensity had been lost in their time apart, if anything their attraction to each other was stronger.

“Let me take you to paradise,” Jack said, and he stood up, pulling Scarlett with him. In silence, he led her out of the lounge and up the stairs, which creaked under their weight. As the reached the top floor Jack turned.

“Fuck, I can't wait,” he said, and slammed her against the wall. He pinned Scarlett's arms over her head and kissed her deeply, pushing her against the wall so hard that she thought she was going to be crushed. Her head was pushed away by his as he moved his lips down. She felt his hot breath all over her neck and then the sweet ecstasy of his teeth biting into her. A sharp moan escaped her lips as he growled in her ear and  pushed his hips into her. Scarlett felt his swollen erection and couldn't wait until she could get her hands on it. The heat rose between them and she was sent to that hazy, blissful place again where she started to lose her sense of self and their two souls came and danced together.

His hands were curled firmly around her wrists as he held them apart, but then he slid them down her body, fondling her breasts and smiling when he felt her nipples quickly grow erect. Jack moved his lips back up to Scarlett's and caught hers in kiss. They kissed deeply and fervently as thought it were the only way they could survive the onslaught of passion that drove their hearts and bodies wild.