Broken (Broken #1) (13 page)

“
And I asked
you three.”

“
Fuck this,
if you don’t want my help then fine. It’s on you, not
me.”

My mouth drops open, “I never
asked for your help and no, you’re right. I don’t want it!”

He shakes his head and stalks
away, I don’t realise all eyes are on me until the moment he leaves
and I stop thinking about how much he looks like Caleb from
behind.

“
He’s such an
arsehole,” I say to my boss who frowns at the door where Nathan
just exited. “I’ve met the guy once before and he just swans into
town… what a bastard.”

“
Who is he?”
My boss asks with raised brows.

“
Caleb’s
older brother by two years.”

“
Maybe you
should’ve accepted his offer.”

I laugh once and stare at my
boss incredulously, “He didn’t offer to help. He just asked me
where I was staying. And this was after he’d already walked away
once.”

“
It sounded
like he was offering to help then,” he gives a small shrug. “But I
only heard half of the conversation.”

I relent, “He did, in a strange
way but… he’s infuriating and mean.”

“
He’s also
the only option you have right now. Hear him out, see what he has
to say. Not many people would care about their family members’ woes
and you’re technically not family.”

I want to slap him, I know I’m
hormonal but he doesn’t have a clue what I’m going through right
now. He doesn’t understand the complexity that is Caleb’s
childhood. He doesn’t get it so maybe he should just let me work,
sign my cheques and stay the hell out of it.

Work goes slow, I’m glad for
this as my night is still uncertain. When I’m done here I have no
idea what I’m supposed to be doing. I’ll go to Sasha’s for the
night, I know she won’t mind I just don’t like putting on people
but either way I need to stay somewhere.

I text her to let her know, as
suspected she agrees.

What have you done to me Caleb?
Why am I doing this alone?

I’m thinking about it again. I
need to stop thinking about him.

Every time that I do my body
trembles, my hands especially shake.

It’s tough but I’ll get through
this. I have to for our baby’s sake.

Is it wrong that I’m hoping for
a boy? I want him to be a boy so I can look into his eyes every day
and see his father smiling back at me.

What kind of a life can I give
him now though? I have nothing to offer him.

Deep breaths Gwen, deep
breaths.

After half an hour of driving
aimlessly I fill up the tank and head to Sasha’s. As I’m taking the
turn towards campus I notice a large black car following me. It’s
definitely him. Christ this is becoming irritating.

“
What does he
want now?” I say out loud and pull over when he flashes his lights
twice.

His body moves with ease and
grace as he climbs out of his vehicle and strolls towards me. After
a few attempts I finally manage to stand by the door of my own
vehicle, I still have to tip my head back to look at him. Much like
I did with… no I won’t go there.

“
Problem?” I
ask trying not to sound as exasperated as I feel.

“
You
shouldn’t be getting in and out of a car that low,” he remarks and
already I want to hit him.

“
Well it’s
not like I have another option is it?”

He frowns, “Follow me. We need
to talk.”

“
I don’t have
anything to say to you.” I try to get back in the car but his hand
closes around my arm and effortlessly tugs me away.
“What?”

“
Please?” he
grits out and I can see just that one little word takes a whole lot
of effort for him to say.

“
Fine,” I
relent. It’s not like my day can get any worse. “What’s this
about?”

“
Follow me
and you’ll find out,” he places his hand on my back and the other
under my arm to support me as I sit. I’m not sure whether to be
irritated that he touched me, or relieved that my arse didn’t hit
the car seat as hard as it usually does.

I wait for him to drive ahead
before following directly behind him. He leads me quite a distance,
I’m lucky I stopped for petrol.

We finally pull in to a swanky
hotel set on the edge of town. One I’ve never even been inside
before. It’s not my thing, I like simple and basic beauty. Not
elegance and fine china.

After parking beside him, he
climbs out and this time helps me up and out of my vehicle. I
didn’t realise how hard it was until he started assisting me, he’s
right, the car is low.

“
Come,” he
orders and leads me inside with his hand gripping my arm. When we
enter we go straight to the desk, the woman takes a look at me and
my stomach before training her eyes on Nathan. There’s no small
amount of admiration and lust there that’s for sure. Ewww. “Send up
some tea and something to eat that’s safe for pregnant women.”
Seriously? I give him a look, he ignores it and propels me towards
the elevator.

It’s awkward, quiet and
uncomfortable as we ascend, I find myself wanting to rock on my
heels or whistle just to have something to focus on.

As soon as the doors open he
takes my arm again and leads me through the patterned beige
hallway. I huff, sick of being led around in silence. Again he
ignores me.

Once inside his fabulous room
he takes my coat and hangs it by the door before leading me to a
large and expensive looking couch. It’s black, pure black with
silver scatter cushions. It looks amazing. “Sit.”

I guess I’ll sit then.

He doesn’t, he shrugs off his
jacket and hangs it by mine, undoes his buttoned shirt sleeves and
rolls them up to his elbows. Is he planning on delivering the baby?
This thought almost makes me smile. Not quite but nearly.

“
Okay,” he
rubs his hands together, drawing my attention to the black leather
gloves that cover them and sits on the coffee table only four feet
away from me. He’s wearing gloves again, was he wearing them
earlier? I can’t recall. “You have nowhere to live. I have
space.”

“
Come
again?”

“
I think it’s
appropriate that at this point in time you stay with me. I live
only a few hours away in a very nice and quiet village only an
hour’s drive from London. Just until you get back on your feet. I
think you’ll find my home to be of good taste,” he talks
weird.

“
W…
what?”

He sighs, “You do speak English
correct?”

“
Correct.”

“
Then listen
to what I’m saying.”

“
I am
listening, I just don’t get it.”

He pinches the bridge of his
nose, “I’m missing work to be here right now, I don’t appreciate
your blatant lack of respect.”

Scoff. “I don’t know you well
enough to respect you and so far you’ve been nothing but rude to
me. Not to mention the fact the last time I saw you with Caleb,
your fist was connecting with his cheek. Forgive me for not wanting
to be all smiles to such an arsehole at such a difficult period of
my life.”

His glare is open and cold, “I
understand you’re hormonal but I never want to hear such language.
It’s improper for a female to curse.”

“
Fuck you,” I
murmur, feeling even more irate.

“
You’re
carrying my brother’s child,” his hands fist between his open
knees, his cold brown eyes stare into mine. “I’ll not have his
child or should be wife wandering aimlessly around town. Whatever
transpired between my brother and I isn’t your concern. Siblings
fight, we would have made up eventually. As it is I don’t have that
chance right now so instead I’m going to assist you and your child
until I feel you’re established. Are we agreed?”

“
I…”

“
Good,” he
clips, not giving me a chance to protest and checks his shiny large
watch that probably cost more than my car. Caleb’s car. “Rest here,
we’ll leave in the morning. Do you have any perishables in your
vehicle?”

“
No,” I
respond to his question, the rest of his words still sinking in.
“What do you mean leave? I’m not leaving. Everything I own is
here.”

“
Which is
apparently very little. I’ve spoken to your previous landlord and
I’ve settled your debt with them. Your furnishings that are locked
away I will have them moved for you when you have yourself situated
in a viable accommodation.” he states, glancing at his watch one
more time. “Is there anything else I need to know?”

“
Yes!” I gasp
and clamber to my feet after he stands to leave. “I can’t and I
won’t leave here.”

“
You’re being
difficult.”

I laugh once, “I don’t know you
and your brother hated you. Why should I trust you?”

He doesn’t even blink at my
words but for some reason I know I’ve struck the wrong chord, “You
will leave with me tomorrow. There’s no doubt about that.” He rubs
his eyes with his gloved fingers. “I have somewhere I need to be,
as enjoyable as this has been… good night Guinevere.”

“
It’s
Gwen.”

He rolls his eyes, “I have your
car keys and the staff have specific instructions to call me if you
try to leave. Good night.”

“
You can’t
just force me to stay,” I grab his arm, my eyes blurry from unshed
tears. He looks at my fingers tightly gripping his forearm before
looking at my face. “Please. I don’t want to leave.”

“
It appears
you don’t have any other options,” he states and pulls himself
free. “Be ready at seven. We’ll leave then.” The door shuts behind
him. I want to kick it.

Who does he think he is
speaking to me like that? He doesn’t know me, he barely even knew
his brother.

But he’s helping you, a
niggling voice tells me. Nobody else is.

And damn it if I don’t need
help.

I’m resigned to my fate right
now, he’s right; what other options do I have? He could at least be
kind to me and maybe discuss it with me first.

And I’ll curse all I fucking
want.

Shit, fuck, twat. Arsehole.

Chapter
Seven

As instructed someone does in
fact bring me tea and a healthy looking mixed leaf salad with
boiled chicken and a natural yoghurt for desert. I don’t hesitate
to wolf it down almost angrily. That’s how hungry I am.

Next I flick on the television
whilst sipping my hot tea. My mind wanders as it usually does. I
don’t know what to do, the thought of leaving this town behind,
this town where I met Caleb, this town where we made love, where we
conceived our child and where he died, it’s all too much to
bear.

I don’t want to leave but
something keeps prodding me, telling me to do it. Part of me
wonders if it’s him, throwing tomatoes at me until he gets his own
way. He used to do that sometimes. Never hard, only enough to
irritate me and normally we’d roll around afterwards.

He said my angry sex was the
best sex.

What’s the deal with Nathan? I
never really spoke to Caleb about it much, all I know is that he
and Nathan never got on. Nathan stayed behind and Caleb left. Why
so much animosity? And if Nathan hated Caleb as much as Caleb hated
Nathan, then why is he helping me now?

Guilt?

It’s possible and it’s Nathan’s
explanation but it doesn’t add up right to me.

While pondering on this I call
Sasha and let her know my day of events. She doesn’t like the fact
I’m leaving any more than I do but even she agrees I don’t really
have any other options. Sigh. I’m too tired to keep tormenting my
mind with all of these questions that seem to have no answer. I’m
not in a place where I can freely discuss things with Nathan. He
seems to hate me so I doubt he’ll want to answer me.

After a few minutes of
exploring the hotel room and finding a glass for some water, I
decide to have a bath in their luxurious bath. I even go all out
and add bubbles. Maybe too many because when I climb in the only
thing visible is the hill that is my stomach poking out of the
water and through the foam. I love this, it’s relaxing.

Caleb would tell me to relax in
the bath though sometimes he was too busy to join me. But each time
he didn’t, I’d leave the door open and splash a little, pulling his
thoughts to the naked female in his tub. He’d give in and five
minutes later he’d climb in behind me. Every single time.

After my bath I pull on my
nightgown and climb into the large bed. I have no clean clothes and
I’m not putting back on the ones I wore just to sleep in. This’ll
have to do.

Shoving a pillow between my
thighs I turn off the lamp above my head and try to sleep. Sleep
doesn’t come easy but eventually is does come.

******

My arm is being shaken, words
are being spoken rather loudly, “Wake up. Guinevere.” Someone
clicks in front of my face. “Guinevere.”

“
Five more
minutes,” I grumble, my eyes burning. So comfy, need
sleep.

“
Guinevere!”
This time my name is being shouted, my eyes instantly open.
Caleb?

My heart sinks when I realise
it’s, Nathan. Why do they have to look so much alike? “Yeah?”

“
Your alarm
has been going off for the past thirty minutes,” he snaps and
shoves my phone in my hand. “I could hear it from my room next
door.”

“
Oh, sorry,”
I sit up, making sure my nightgown is covering my assets. “I sleep
heavy. It’s the pregnancy.”

He only frowns and moves away
from the bed to the curtains. With a swift move he tugs one side
open before the other. “Get up, we leave in twenty minutes.”