In The End (Butterfly #1) (7 page)

After settling Jacob with his movie, Max playing with the racetrack; I followed Nicholi into the kitchen and found him on the computer looking at a map.

‘Trying to get away from me already?’ I teased, wrapping my arms around his waist.

‘Fancy taking a little mini break?’ He turned, pulling me into his arms before brushing his lips over mine softly and I leaned in against him. I could feel the tension melting away from both of us, replaced with fire, our bodies igniting together.

‘Sure, where to, sir?’ I mocked, tipping my invisible hat and Nicholi grinned, showing me the computer screen.

‘I have been promising I would take Jacob camping for a while and think it would be the perfect time to go. I have a cabin next to the lake, secluded, peaceful, no one to bother us, moonlit strolls, swimming in the lake.’ His voice, husky and seductive, melted away as he kissed my neck, my skin tingling with pleasure.

‘Sounds perfect, I haven’t been camping in years.’ I pulled away slightly and Nicholi took my hand.

‘I promise you; together we will make so many happy memories that all those haunting you will whittle away. Just give me time, Sophia; you will have everything you ever wished for.’ Nicholi drew me into his arms and I relaxed, listening to the sound of his heart, filled with goodness and purity. My heart beat in unison, though it was stuck together with paper glue, hacked by scissors too often, the folds ragged and soiled. Nothing could penetrate unless permitted. The key had been locked away behind steel doors that hid mysterious caverns; only a true voyager could navigate. Nicholi was that voyager, and I believed he was going to be my saviour, in many ways.

‘Camping it is,’ I confirmed, and watched Nicholi make the preparations while I cooked dinner, mac and cheese again with a side of broccoli, at Jacob and Nicholi’s request.

After dinner, while Nicholi continued to prepare for our trip, I took the boys upstairs for their bath and story time before bed. Jacob had insisted on bringing his crab, Sebastian, into the bath and after determining that Sebastian was in fact plastic, I felt reassured with our water guest. Max, still clutching his Mickey ball that I had given him earlier, was falling asleep in my arms before I had even finished the first page of,
The Little Mermaid
story. Placing him in his bed and wrapping his blanket around, I kissed the top of his head, brushing the curls that had again fallen across his eyes away, and joined Jacob in bed to finish the story.

‘Soph,’ Jake began. ‘Where is Ariel’s mommy in the story?’ Not sure of how much we should be discussing mommies and the lack thereof, I kept as casual as I could without dodging his question.

‘I’m not sure, Jake; they don’t mention her in the story,’ I replied, as nonchalantly as possible.

‘I think she is making breakfast, strawberry pancakes, my favourite,’ he confirmed, so innocently, I couldn’t help but smoother him in kisses until he started laughing so loud I was worried we would wake Max and instead kissed him on the head, wrapping his blanket around him and confirmed I would make him strawberry pancakes for breakfast. Getting up to leave, I felt Jacob drag my hand back.

‘Don’t go, please, the wicked queen tries to get me,’ he pleaded, terror slowly building in his eyes. Remembering what Nicholi had said earlier about Larissa, and Jacob referring to her as the wicked queen, I tried my best to soothe him.

‘Remember Snow White, saves everyone from the wicked queen, Jake, she can’t harm you,’ I replied, gently stroking the side of his face, perching on the edge of his bed.

‘You’re my Snow White,’ he proclaimed, lying back, but not letting go of my hand.

‘You know what I liked to do when I was a little girl?’ I began. ‘I liked to wrap myself in my duvet all snug and no one could get to me as I was in my fortress of steel,’ I explained, hoping desperately to bring him some comfort.

‘Can you wrap me?’ Jacob whispered, and I cocooned him into his duvet as I did every night myself.

‘Sweet dreams, Jake, and remember you’re safe in here, no one will ever hurt you,’ I reassured, kissing him once again and closing the door behind me, headed back to my bedroom.

I had already packed the boys’ clothing and reached into my closet to retrieve my suitcase, excited for our impending getaway. I packed jeans and some warm shirts, underwear and a few basic hygiene products before catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My face was flushed and I could see beads of sweat pooling on my forehead, it was hot, too hot, something must have gone wrong with the thermostat. I had no clue where it was located so instead headed to Nicholi’s room where he had said he would be after saying goodnight to the kids, packing and trip planning. I do not know why, but it never occurred to me to knock and pushing the door open, I could not have regretted it more.

‘Oh, I’m so sorry,’ I blustered, turning around, my face flushed crimson with embarrassment.

‘Ouch, that was not the impression I dreamt of creating,’ Nicholi teased, wrapping a towel around his lower half and closing the shower door behind him.

‘No, oh god no I meant…’ I was floundering, and it didn’t help at all that Nicholi had come behind me, wrapping his arms around my back and kissing my neck, his hands tracing the curves of my hips down.

‘The thermostat.’ I finally found some words after turning around to face him. ‘It’s five hundred degrees in here and you’re like the Scrooge McDuck of air-conditioning,’ I accused, trying to focus only on his face and not let my eyes wander over his naked torso. The water still clinging to his skin goaded me to follow its path as it snaked down his body.

‘I just wanted to get the paint dry,’ Nicholi advised, reaching for the remote that was resting on the vanity and adjusting the heat. ‘You have a controller too; it adjusts both your room temp and the rest of the house,’ he confirmed, handing me the device.

‘Oh that’s so cool,’ I replied, marvelling at its ingenuity.

‘We aim to please,’ he smiled, kissing my neck once again and making me forget everything other than how his lips made me ache all over for more.

‘Come, I want to show you something,’ he explained, taking my hand and leading me through what I thought was the closet, but in actual fact was a doorway, with spiral stairs leading to the next floor. ‘I have the kids on video monitor.’ He showed me the portable monitor and I could see Jake and Max both tucked up safe in their room.

We climbed the stairs to the very top of the house and into what looked like the attic, but was clearly serving as Nicholi’s design studio. A huge glass window had replaced the bricks on one side of the room, revealing the woods and beyond from its private porthole. On the desk was the structure Nicholi had been working on and I stared in amazement.

‘Welcome to
The 4our Seasons
,’ Nicholi, still holding my hand in his, introduced his structure as though presenting it to a client. The two-hundred-floor building was split at each fiftieth floor starting with winter at the bottom and summer completing the last, a sundial casting its rays upwards into the night sky. Each season’s exterior was designed specifically for the brief; icicles, pirouetted throughout winter, stalagmites and stalactites were used for structural support. Autumn was derived from wood, contrasting against the rainforest of spring; I had never seen anything like it.

‘Each floor is designed with the season in mind and contains everything you can possibly associate with that season from the activities to the restaurants,’ Nicholi explained, showing me the waterfall cascading down in the rainforest to the beach-lined coast in the summer season.

‘That is simply breath-taking, I am in awe, seriously, such an innovate design. What are you going to do with it?’ Curiosity was building inside me.

‘I have a few hotel chains that I’m going to pitch it to soon, but I may also try to finance it myself. You really like it?’ he asked and for the first time since I had met him, he looked vulnerable, awaiting my response.

‘I think if anyone who saw it didn’t snatch your hand off, they would be insane. It’s brilliant, I love it.’ Nicholi smiled and pulled me closer to him, seating us on the sofa that overlooked the grounds.

‘Are you looking forward to our trip?’ he asked, stroking my arm, my skin tingling with every touch.

‘Yes, it’s going to be great,’ I replied, anticipating what might come next and preparing myself, I turned to face Nicholi.

‘There are some things I need to tell you, things you need to know about me, my past,’ I began, fading slowly watching his expression for any sign of rejection. Instead, he pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead then nose before pausing.

‘Only when you’re ready, let’s get to bed, we have a long drive tomorrow and I’m beat,’ he confirmed, pulling me up and leading me back downstairs. He walked me to my room and brushed his lips gently on mine, whispering sweet dreams, I love you, and walked back to his room.

I opened the door to my room and flopped onto the bed. I felt so cold now that Nicholi was no longer there and reached for my pyjamas, dragging them into the bathroom with me to change and brush my teeth. I climbed up into bed, reached for my cell phone and typed a message to Cross. I had not intentionally decided to write to him, but knew deep down that if it were my child, I would want to know, so I messaged an update telling him what Max had done that evening, eaten and his activities, attaching a picture of him proudly holding the Mickey Mouse ball I had given him. I then opened a new message to send to Nicholi.
I love you more today than I did yesterday and twice as much on Sundays.
Something I remembered fondly my dad often saying to my mother before rolling over in bed and cocooning myself in the duvet.

The phone illuminated the room shortly after;
you have my heart forever, you always will and nothing can ever change that
. With that thought in mind, I drifted off to sleep still clutching the cell phone as though it was an extension of Nicholi, breaching the boundaries of the rooms that divided us. I had not been asleep long when I heard the sound of footsteps entering the room.

‘Can I sleep with you?’ the voice whispered, the light from the doorway dazzling my eyes.

I was walking along the lake, hand in hand with Nicholi; the wind was just starting to pick up sending ripples cascading outwards across the water. The crisp, recently sprinkled frostbitten earth was yielding underfoot, penetrating the permeable layer of my shoes, my feet protesting to the hostile intrusion. Jacob and Max were slightly ahead, throwing stones into the water, watching them bounce lightly before gravity sucked them downwards, where they were laid to rest. I could feel someone watching me, uncomfortably so; it felt like their gaze was gouging out holes in my back. I shifted and turned around to see Larissa, she was wearing all black, but had slashes of red splattered across her dress.

‘You thought you could steal from me?’ she ranted, her tone dripping with disdain. She reached into her pocket and lunged forwards. The blade in her hand twisted just as she released it. I fell to the ground, the earth clinging to my skin, absorbing the red velvet river that was erupting outwards. I turned to see Nicholi, trying to mouth the words as he slumped and Larissa looked at me, filled with hatred.

‘Your turn.’

I jumped out of bed, the cell phone hurtling across the floor; my heart was beating so fast I could not exhale quickly enough. I was hyperventilating and ran as fast as I could to Nicholi’s room.

‘Sophia, what happened?’ Nicholi gasped, holding me, stroking my hair.

‘It was Larissa; she murdered you right in front of me and then tried to kill me.’ I was stumbling over my words, my heart still hammering in my chest.

‘It’s okay, we are safe, and I’m here.’ Nicholi was doing everything possible to calm me.

‘It’s not me I’m worried about.’ I spoke so softly, the rain lashing against the windowpane, drowning out my words and eventually I felt myself relaxing, cocooned in his arms. I pulled away slowly, letting the oxygen circulate.

‘Jacob had come into my room and fallen asleep after I told him a story,’ I explained. ‘I carried him back to his room and must have fallen asleep myself,’ I whispered, my voice dwindling.

‘I’m so sorry, baby,’ Nicholi replied, kissing my forehead and nose before our mouths found each other, slowly at first until the spark ignited between us. Nicholi was the first to pull away, breathless. ‘Do you want to sleep here tonight?’ Nicholi asked, pulling the covers back for me to enter, I nodded and slid inside. Nicholi held me in his arms until we both fell asleep together listening to the sound of his heartbeat and the rain beating against the windowpane, washing away the memories of my dreams.

I slept peacefully the rest of the night and was awoken by Jacob gently rubbing my arm.

‘Sophia, I’m hungry, can we have pancakes now?’ Jake whispered, holding Sebastian in his other hand.

‘Hey, buddy.’ Nicholi spoke first, pulling Jacob onto the bed. ‘Did you sleep well?’ he asked, ruffling the little boy’s hair affectionately.

‘Yes, Sophia has magical powers,’ Jacob gushed. ‘She made all the bad dreams go away,’ he exclaimed, and I reached to pull him into my arms, kissing his face, turning to face Nicholi. He looked so beautiful, his eyes sparkled, exuding happiness, and I could not help but reach over and kiss him on the cheek as I climbed out of bed to start breakfast. I looked at my watch and noting it was six o’clock, proceeded to wake Max and take both children downstairs to the kitchen. Nicholi followed shortly after, joining me at the stove as I was pouring the fragrant strawberry pancake mixture into the pan, my stomach growling in anticipation.

‘How are you doing this morning?’ Nicholi asked, his brow furrowing with concern.

‘Better thanks, sorry about last night, it was such a vivid dream, I had to see you were alright,’ I explained, embarrassed at my late night calling.

‘Don’t be sorry, I’m just disappointed it took a nightmare to get you in my bed, that’s all,’ he smiled, the creases of his brow smoothing out, my body responding to the proximity of his, making me forget any possible coherent response. ‘You shouldn’t worry about me, Sophia; I’m very capable of looking after myself, being a Veneto has certainly trained me well. I can definitely stand my own ground and yours too, god forbid it ever being necessary.’ He was interrupted by his phone ringing and left to take the call while Jacob and Max, returning to the kitchen, helped me prepare the rest of the breakfast, pouring cereal and milk.

‘Cross is going to drop by soon to see Max before we leave,’ Nicholi announced, returning to join us at the table looking visibly aggravated.

‘Everything okay?’ I felt stupid asking, as it clearly was not, but Nicholi just shrugged it off and proceeded with his breakfast.

‘Wow, I think Earl has some stiff competition, these pancakes are amazing,’ Nicholi marvelled, tucking into his breakfast and seemingly calming down. That was short-lived though as the intercom blazed, disturbing the once peaceful room, with an extremely irritated Cross on the other side yelling that he could not get the gate to open. Cross arrived at the house ten minutes later and was even angrier that he could not use his key to access the door.

‘Nicholi,’ his voice boomed. ‘Open the freaking door now.’ Cross was livid and sensing this could go very badly, I took the children upstairs to finish packing for our trip.

‘Jake, can you put the toys you would like to take in your rucksack and then help Max with his, please?’ I left the boys busy packing and went back to my room to shower and get dressed. I had just gotten out of the shower and wrapped the towel around myself when in walked Cross.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ I yelled, reaching for my dressing gown that I had hung on the back of the door.

‘Oops, my bad.’ Cross stifled a laugh, sitting himself on the edge of my bed.

‘Can you leave please.’ My voice was as hostile as I could muster, glaring at him and trying to remember why I ever thought he was attractive.

‘I just wanted to thank you for the update, very sweet of you and especially at that time of night. Were you thinking of me before you fell asleep?’ he asked, grinning arrogantly. I resisted the urge to throw my hairbrush at him and instead walked over to the door, opening it wide.

‘I thought I had judged you too harshly on the company you kept and that as a father you would want to know how your son was doing. Now I realise you’re exactly how I imagined and not in a good way. Get the hell out of my room.’ I raised my voice sufficiently to get my point across without causing alarm to the children, and as soon as Cross left, I quickly finished getting dressed before checking in on the boys and proceeded downstairs to find Nicholi.

‘Hey, baby, are you ready to go?’ Nicholi asked, reaching his arms out to greet me as I descended the stairs.

‘Sure, has Cross gone?’ I questioned, still seething from his unwelcome visit earlier.

‘Yes and I am sorry you had to see him that way, he was not always such a…’ Nicholi paused, and I interjected.

‘Arrogant asshole, petulant child, delusional idiot.’ Nicholi laughed, pulling me into his arms and kissing me so passionately I forgot I was angry and instead burned with desire, not rage, for more.

‘So,’ Nicholi began, as though reading my mind. ‘The lake house has a few guest bedrooms, but mine has an exceptional view,’ Nicholi teased, stroking his fingers down my arm. We were interrupted by the patter of little feet raring to go and headed out to the car to start our journey.

We arrived at the lake house five hours later after stopping for lunch en route. The house was beautiful and just as Nicholi described, perched on the edge of the lake, its water sweeping out, secluding us from the landscape around. It was a three-storey timber structure with a glass side that overlooked the lake. To the front of the house, a wooden deck was suspended, providing a safe passage to the boat dock. Inside was just as spectacular with open fires, modern furnishings and the customary technological accoutrements.

We unpacked the car and settled inside, starting dinner prep when the sound of a car pulling up, its tyres straining on the gravel path, sent Nicholi to investigate. I could not believe my eyes when in strutted Cross and a female friend who would not have looked out of place in a Victoria’s Secret catalogue.

‘Hi, all,’ Cross announced. ‘Come and give daddy a hug, Maximus,’ he shouted, reaching to lift Max into his arms. Cross smiled at me as though we were old friends.

‘Well this is a surprise,’ Nicholi volunteered, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

‘I thought we could use a little family bonding time,’ Cross announced, and Nicholi interrupted.

‘Really, oh, and what is she doing here then?’ Nicholi pointed at our second uninvited guest.

‘Well, you can’t have all the fun, big brother. This is Lily, a good friend of mine.’

‘Hi y’all,’ Lily piped up and leaned around Cross to smile at me. I just looked at Nicholi in dismay and excused myself to go finish making dinner. We were planning to grill, so I was making the marinade for the meat and some salad accompaniments when I felt someone touch my arm. I jumped in response and groaned when I saw my kitchen guest.

‘What now, Cross? More innuendo? I cannot be bothered arguing with you right now, go play with your supermodel.’ This was not how I imagined the evening’s events to unfold.

‘Do I detect a little green-eyed monster?’ Cross smirked, I turned around and looking him straight in the eyes, spoke so clearly there could be no misunderstanding.

‘I’m sure that you are used to women fawning all over you and falling to their knees at the slightest bit of attention you deem to throw their way, but let me make this super-clear for you and I will say it slowly so there can’t be any misunderstanding. I’m not interested, go bother someone else or better yet, grow up, get a pair and be the father your kid deserves, not some embarrassing loser who thinks he is god’s gift to all women, when in actual fact he is nothing but a fake pathetic waste of space.’ I abruptly turned and marched out onto the deck into Nicholi’s arms and tried to extinguish Cross’s remark; why in the world would I ever be jealous?

Dinner was delicious, Nicholi grilled steak, chicken and salmon and along with the garden salad I had prepared, followed by chocolate cheesecake, my stomach was purring with satisfaction. Cross’s friend Lily had eaten a salad leaf and spread the rest of her food around her plate, something I did as a child, attempting to create the illusion that I had eaten my vegetables, and pouring herself another glass of wine declared she couldn’t eat another bite.

I had taken the kids upstairs for bath time and was just adding some blue bubbles, for Sebastian of course, when I heard screams of laughter coming from the bedroom with Jake and Max bouncing around, Cross swiftly following as the big bad monster. I could not help but smile that upon catching his victims, a tickle attack ensued, both boys in hysterics by this point and I could not resist lunging in and joining them.

Somehow or another, Cross had managed to switch the tickle attack to me and had me pinned down on the bed with both boys joining in the tickle feast. I attempted a counter manoeuvre and succeeded, pinning Cross down underneath me when Nicholi walked in.

‘Looks like I’m missing all the fun,’ he sneered, reaching his hand out for me to take and I quickly untangled myself from Cross, flushing crimson. ‘Cross, your little friend has just thrown up her lettuce leaf and a bottle of wine over my rug,’ he explained, looking slightly annoyed, though at what exactly I was not sure.

‘Some people can’t handle their alcohol,’ Cross mused and pulling himself up off the bed, proceeded to locate our puking guest.

‘Did your phone calls go okay?’ I questioned, leaning in closer, feeling guilty for what he had walked in on, but at the same time, knowing it was completely innocent.

‘Yes, the renovations to the security at the house will be completed in two days, Earl is overseeing everything so I can relax and enjoy our time together here.’ Nicholi, eyeing the bed, without warning picked me up and threw me onto it, rousing the boys to come join in the new tickle game that ended up with a four-sided pillow fight. I conceded defeat and commenced the delayed bath time.

The boys had their stories and were tucked up in bed. I returned downstairs, finding Cross sprawled out on the sofa and Nicholi nowhere to be seen.

‘Where’s Nic?’ I asked, Cross, looking particularly comfortable with an array of pillows under his head, seemed reluctant to reply.

‘He has driven our puker back to town, you pining already?’ he crooned, back to his obnoxious self, after the momentary glimpse of someone else earlier.

‘You know for a second there, I thought I was wrong and maybe you did actually have some redeeming qualities, but then you have to open your mouth and blah blah we are back to square one again,’ I raged. ‘Why didn’t you take her anyway?’ I complained, annoyed at the fact that he was ruining my night once again.

‘A little too much red wine, I’m afraid, tends to wreak havoc with one’s driving abilities,’ he retorted, sitting back up. ‘So you and big brother,’ he scoffed. ‘Not that I’m surprised, Nicholi always had a way with the ladies, he has got that dark mysterious Italian facade down. I’m just surprised you fell for it so easily, I expected more from you, Sophia, must admit I’m a little disappointed.’ I was so shocked by the spiel that was coming out of his mouth that I hesitated, and he saw it. ‘Ah, not so sure about big brother then? Maybe there is hope for you yet.’ He pulled himself up off the sofa and strolled out of the living room, as though he had just pulled the pin and would leave to let the chips fall where they may.