Broken (Broken #1) (39 page)

I feel the cool leather of his
gloved hand as it moves my hair from my shoulder. His chest is
pressed against my back and his lips slightly touch the shell of my
ear.

“
Let this be
your last warning,” he whispers dangerously into my ear. “If you
disobey me again, I will put you over my knee, pregnant or
not.”

“
That’s not
even possible, have you seen the size of my belly?”

I feel him tense.

“
I’m not a
child, if you hit me I will report you.”

He tenses further.

My body is trembling, I can’t
stop it. I’ve never been so scared in my life.

I feel his chest shaking and
for a moment I think he’s crying. I’m wrong, he’s laughing. What
the hell is wrong with this guy? “If you say so Gwen.”

“
This isn’t
funny.”

He stops laughing and his body
stills, “No, it’s not funny, you’re right.”

“
We need to
get past this and we needed to do it yesterday.” Pulling away from
him I walk a few steps before turning, my body tense in preparation
of the argument that we’re no doubt going to have. “I don’t know
what’s going through your mind and I don’t know how you’ve
rationalised this, but it doesn’t make sense.”

“
It makes
perfect sense,” he responds, his sure tone loud and a little
smug.

Okay, let’s try this another
way. “You’re his brother. This is the twenty first century. Things
like this don’t happen any longer and if they do, they’re frowned
upon.”

“
You
genuinely care what people think?”

I scowl, my annoyance turning
into anger, “I care what Caleb thinks.”

“
Caleb is
dead,” why does he have to be so cold? “Don’t give me that look,
it’s the truth.”

“
And one day
I’ll be dead and I’ll have to go up there and deal with the pain he
feels knowing that after his life ended so quickly, a few months
later I was sharing a bed with his brother.”

He rolls his eyes, “You’re
romanticising reality. He’s gone, I’m here. It’s that simple.”

“
You’re
tarnishing your brother’s memory by even suggesting I marry you,” I
shout, my hands in fists by my sides. My face feels warm. “I
won’t.”

His eyes darken, “And why not?
Just because of my brother?”

“
Because I
don’t think of you in that way!”

He laughs cruelly, “I’d believe
you if your eyes weren’t flickering all over the place Guinevere.
You don’t lie very well. You’re too honest to lie.”

A growl like noise escapes me.
“You are unbelievable! And deluded.”

“
I’m
realistic, an attractive woman and an attractive man spend their
time at home alone, sharing meal times and conversation. I don’t
have female friends. I have female acquaintances,” he steps into
me, his eyes boring down into mine. “And I have females that I
fuck.”

“
Oh, so
you’re allowed to swear? I’m done with this conversation.” I try to
step around him but he dominates my space, his arms come up and
cage me in. I feel the hard muscles of his stomach press against my
belly. “Christ, you are really driving me crazy. Seriously, I’m
ready to… to… Gah.” My hands press against his chest but he doesn’t
budge. “I’m going back to live with my mum.”

His smile becomes cocky, “No
you’re not.”

“
Yes I
am.”

He leans in close, I can smell
the cleanliness of his skin. Soap and Nathan. “You’re not.”

“
Please
move,” I look over his shoulder, refusing to make eye contact. “I
don’t know why you’re doing this to me but it’s not fair. I’ve done
nothing to you.” Now I do look him in the eye, in an attempt to
make him understand me. “I just want to be friends, but now I don’t
even want that.”

“
I’ll let us
remain friends for now, but things will change.” My lip vanishes
behind my teeth, his heated eyes darken and stare at that area.
“Maybe I should just kiss you now. We both know you won’t
resist.”

I want to argue with this but I
can’t. I’m like a rabbit in headlights.

“
But I won’t.
I won’t kiss you until you’re ready,” his fingers tuck my hair
behind my ear and his thumb swipes across my cheekbone. “But make
no mistake, I don’t want to be your friend, Gwen. You know this
now, you know my intentions. One day I will kiss you and one day
you will be mine.” His smile softens. “Until then I’ll play
along.”

“
I hate you
right now.” I whisper, tired of this game and this
conversation.

“
Hate is an
emotion I can live with,” he smiles wickedly and straightens, his
arms now by his sides. “There’s a very thin line between love and
hate, and the opposite to love is indifference. So…” Soft lips
touch my forehead for an endless moment. “You can still love me,
and hate me at the same time.”

“
Deluded,” my
legs finally do their job and march me past him. “I’m
leaving.”

“
You’re not.”
Grr. He is really pissing me off now. “If you try, I will drag you
back kicking and screaming if I have to.”

“
You need
help. Mental help.”

His smug grin flickers,
“Perhaps.”

I leave the room and lock my
arms together across my belly, it doesn’t stop them from trembling
but it helps me feel a little bit safer.

I’m about to grab the keys from
their usual spot when memories of the last time I did this seem to
crash through my brain like endless angry waves against a cliff.
There’s no way I’m going through that again.

As I ponder on what I’m going
to do, coming up with zero answers, there’s a knock at the door.
Maybe Jeanine forgot to bring her keys.

Before I get a chance to open
it more than an inch, it’s being pushed with a force that sends it
flying into the wall. It there weren’t a doorstopper at the base
the handle would have left a nasty indent in the plaster. “NATHAN!”
I shout when his father storms past me and up the stairs.
“NATHAN!”

His father isn’t interested in
me, he completely ignores me. Should I call the police? I don’t
know what to do.

Mr Weston reaches the top of
the stairs but Nathan is stood there already. “You absolute
cunt.”

His father’s words shock me,
Nathan doesn’t seem affected. “Leave.”

“
You absolute
cunt, it’s not enough that you’re suing me but now you’re trying to
take my business as well?”

Nathan’s body goes tight, “I
assure you I’m not touching the family business. I’m starting my
own.”

“
Same fucking
thing!” His father rages, his face purpling with anger and spit
flying from his mouth.

Nathan stands his ground, I
wish they’d move away from the stairs, it’s making me nervous. All
I can picture is one of them falling. “Nathan,” I say quietly, his
eyes don’t come to me.

“
You’re
drunk,” he states, referring to his father.

“
The
Petersons have been a part of my company for years… so imagine my
shock when they told me they were terminating our
contract.”

Nathan shrugs, “They came to me
after I spoke to Harrison.” I have no idea who any of these people
are. “He’s selling me one of his smaller stores.”

Well that’s good.

“
It won’t
work,” his father sways slightly as his arm lifts to point a finger
at Nathan. “Your jewellery is amateur.”

“
Better than
old fashioned,” I mutter and the angry drunk sneers at
me.

“
Nobody
respects the opinion of a whore,” Mr Weston growls at me, his tone
full of malice and hate. Totally undeserved.

Nathan’s body tightens, I feel
the space around us fill with his anger, his fury. It’s so potent I
can almost see it. I really wouldn’t like to be his father right
now; who is oblivious and staring at me.

“
She’s still
here,” his eyes are on me but his words are aimed at Nathan. “We
had a deal.”

“
And when you
received the papers from my solicitor; that should have told you I
had no interest in making a deal with you. I have no interest in
you at all actually.”

Go Nathan!

His father begins to descend
the stairs, Nathan cuts ahead of him and puts himself between us.
“You always were a failure, Nathan. Failed as a son, failed
college, failed university, you’ll fail this too.” What?

“
I don’t
care. I’m bored of hearing you say it.” Nathan sighs and pinches
the bridge of his nose. “You need to leave before you make a bigger
fool of yourself.”

Mr Weston leans around his son,
“He’ll fail you too.” His cold eyes go to his son, his body still
swaying from the effects of whatever alcohol it is he’s consumed.
“Like he failed me and his brother.”

Gasp.

Nathan takes a step towards him
but my hand shoots out and grabs his arm, “Nathan.”

He looks back at me, his eyes
sad and showing his wavering control. His father doesn’t stop,
“This business will fail. You don’t have what it takes. You’re
lazy, incompetent and stupid.”

“
I wonder who
he gets that from,” I remark dryly.

“
Stay out of
this Gwen,” Nathan warns and runs a hand through his hair. “Leave
us.”

He’s asking me to leave? No,
not asking, telling. “What?”

“
Take the car
keys and go out for an hour. There are things I need to speak to my
father about.”

“
I’m not
leaving you. Not with him,” my face contorts in disgust.

Nathan flies around and tilts
his head to catch my eyes, “I said leave. You’re my guest, you’ll
do as you’re told. My father and I have things we need to talk
about, without you present. Contact Jeanine, tell her not to
come.”

I want to be angry but the pain
in his eyes wipes that away in an instant, I speak in a hushed
tone, “Are you going to be okay?”

His eyes soften and his body
drops an inch, “Yes. Please. I don’t want you to be here while he
is. Let me speak with him and then he’ll never have a reason to
return.”

“
I don’t like
it,” I admit but feel my previous decision begin to waver. “Call me
if you need me.”

Nathan reaches into his pocket
and pulls out a bunch of notes, I go to back away but he shoves
them into my back pocket and nudges my forehead with his nose. I
find the strange display of affection comforting, even though I
shouldn’t.

“
Paying for
her services already?” His father bates but I ignore him. Nathan
doesn’t though, he twists and grabs his father by the throat. I
squeal and press my back against the wall as Nathan whispers into
his father’s ear. I can’t hear what he’s saying, I’m not sure Mr
Weston can either. His face is almost purple.

“
Go, I’m not
giving him the ability to speak until you’re gone,” meaning if I
don’t leave right now, his father will suffocate in about twenty
seconds. I duck my head and flee the house, grabbing the car keys
on the way.

Jeanine is pulling into the
drive as I exit the house, I immediately rush to her and lie my
arse off. “Nathan wants to be alone right now, he’s just had some…
umm… bad family news that he needs to deal with.”

She doesn’t believe me, not in
the slightest. She does promise to follow me back into the village
though for a drink. I need a coffee, decaf or not, I still need
it.

Mr Weston is vile. VILE! Grr, I
just want to poke him in the eye.

Who would say that to their
son? It’s disgusting. Nathan isn’t a failure. He’s talented and
smart and he can actually be quite funny at times.

******

“
Whatever it
is, it’s none of your business,” Jeanine says softly, her hand cups
mine over the table. My free hand nurses my coffee close to my
chest. “You’ve been mulling over whatever is on your mind for far
too long. It isn’t your business and it isn’t mine.”

“
I
know.”

“
Do you?
Nathan is a complex man, there are secrets that the Weston house
keeps that I even dread to think about. If you want to help him,
just be there for him.”

I nod quickly and chew on my
lip. “I don’t think I like it here anymore.”

“
Did you
ever?” She seems to be joking but I can tell it’s to soften the
tone of her sincerity.

I nod again, “Yes. Nathan is
actually a joy to be around sometimes.”

“
He’s no
Caleb,” she comments, causing me to wince. “He’ll never be
Caleb.”

“
I know,” why
do people assume I don’t know this? “I don’t want him to be Caleb,
Caleb doesn’t even enter my mind when I’m with Nathan.” Oh shit.
Wrong choice of words. “I mean… he does but not in a comparison
type of way… you know what I mean Jeanine.”

She smiles, showing sparkly
white dentures, “Yes. I do.” Her body tilts closer as her eyes scan
the people around us. “Don’t try and figure it out.”

“
Figure what
out?”

“
Why Caleb
was loved and Nathan wasn’t. It…” She sighs heavily and leans back.
“Forget I said anything.”

Oh no, she can’t leave it like
that. “What do you mean Caleb was loved?”

“
I’ve said
too much.”

“
Then say
something more, what’s the difference?”

Jeanine frowns, her eyes shadow
over with past memories I’m eager to know. “I signed something, if
I say anything to anyone, Nathan will take pleasure in destroying
me.”

“
Can’t you
give me even the slightest hint?”