Stolen Fate (15 page)

Shit! I’m so caught up in the moment, I forget they don’t know I’m hiding outside. Before the door is opened all the way, I run as quickly and as quietly down the hall before rounding the corner toward my bedroom.

Thankfully, neither one knows I was just spying on them.

Thankfully, I’m a fast runner.

~~~~

That was a lot of information for me to process in such a short span of time. I’m lying on my bed, trying to dissect everything when my door opens. Drayden is leaning against the frame, hands tucked in his pockets, looking like it’s for the best if he doesn’t enter into my space all the way.

“Well, congratulations. You did a great job at fooling my mother. She’s obviously on Team Essie. Then again, she doesn’t know the full story either.” He’s smirking at me, giving me one of his scornful looks before continuing to harass me. “What do you think she would say if I told her you tried to blackmail me then got yourself pregnant just to have a big payday?”

“You can tell her whatever you want. I don’t care.” I
do
care, and it’s aggravating how much I worry about his family finding out the whole truth. “You know part of that isn’t true, by the way. I didn’t get
myself
pregnant.” I break eye contact with him before saying, “I never intended for it to happen, and you know it.” I feel kind of guilty admitting that now as my belly grows with the life I was hesitant to accept at first. But now…now the baby is all I can think about, my love growing for my unborn child more and more with each passing day. I look back over at him and notice he’s just standing there, still looming in the doorway and glaring at me but not saying anything. “What?” I ask him as I fidget with the hem of my shorts. “Please don’t think I’m just going to sit here while you give me a hard time. I didn’t do anything to deserve your sour attitude today.”

“
Today
.” It’s a short and simple statement, but one which packs a heavy punch.

We stare at one another, both trying to decide what the next move is going to be.

I want him to stay.

I want him to leave.

I want him to stalk me as his prey, devour and claim me.

I want to smack him.

And since I can’t settle on any one want, I make my way toward the bathroom, slamming the door behind me for extra oomph.

It works.

He slams my bedroom door when he leaves and thankfully its void of the deafening click which used to follow.

~~~~

A few days later, I’m taking a much-needed dip in the pool, trying to relax before having to deal with the ornery man who will be gracing me with his presence soon. It’s getting late and he is due home any minute. When I hear a car pull up in the driveway, I let out a deep, soul-reverberating sigh.

Even though it’s the last thing I want to do, my thoughts are all too consumed with him. There are times when he stays out late, doing God knows what, but then other times he’s home when he mentions he will be. I don’t want to picture him flirting or having sex with other women, but I can’t help myself. He gives me no reason to believe that’s not exactly what he is up to. He isn’t interested in being with me in that way, so what other option is there?

The further I get along in my pregnancy, the more these thoughts devastate me. He once told me I belonged to him, that no other man will have me. But I know in my heart the same isn’t true.

Drayden Warner will never fully belong to me.

Pushing these depressing thoughts aside, I dive under the cool water, forgetting the outside world for a few precious seconds.

When I re-emerge, I’m startled to see someone standing by the edge of the pool. At first, I see shiny dress shoes but the further up I look, I see whoever is staring down at me is dressed in an impeccable designer suit. Finally glancing all the way up, I’m surprised to be looking directly into a familiar pair of eyes, peering down at me with solid intensity.

“How are you, Essie?” Eli asks, as he rocks back and forth on his heels, clearly enthralled with what he’s seeing.

He really is every bit his brother but without the nasty overlay.

“Hi, Eli.” I take a few steps back in the pool so I’m not straining my neck. “What’s up? Drayden isn’t back yet.”

“That’s okay. I’ll wait.” He continues to stand above me, hands shoved deep inside his pants pockets.

“Please tell me he knows you’re coming over. I don’t want another episode like last time.” I’m wading in the water, reluctant to get out. I know he’s expressed an interest in me, and I don’t want to encourage it any further. I like him, really I do. He’s easy on the eyes and easy to talk to. But unfortunately, I’m all wrapped up in his brother; as bad as I don’t want to be, that is my current situation.

“Yeah, he knows I’m on my way over. I called him from the car while I was enroute.” He never takes his eyes off me and I know why. I’m wearing the tiny white bikini, spilling out all over the place because my breasts have grown even bigger than the last time I wore it. But it’s the only bathing suit I have right now.

I don’t know what to say, so I blurt out the first thing which comes to mind. “The water’s nice.”

The water’s nice?
Why the hell did I just say that?

“It looks it. Actually, Dray won’t be home for another half hour or so. Maybe I’ll join you.” He looks pensive at first, not really sure how I’ll take it. “Do you mind, Essie?”

It really
is
hot out. And far be it from me to deny him the chance to cool off, in his own brother’s pool and all. “No, not at all. I think there’s a spare pair of swim trunks in the pool house.”

And off he goes to change into something a little less constricting. When he comes back out from the changing area I have to stop myself from blatantly staring at him. His body is amazing, well-sculpted muscles adorning every part of his impeccable form. I’ve only seen one other body which tops his, and that’s Drayden’s. But this guy is nothing to sneeze at. And before I can stare at him like a transfixed woman in heat, he dives into the water, seamlessly swimming under the cool escape.

Eli actually startles me when he reaches out and grasps onto my leg under the water, right before he surfaces. I didn’t expect him to reach me so quickly and when he comes up for air, he just laughs. His playful demeanor instantly puts me at ease. I laugh right along with him and it feels so good. I didn’t realize how much I missed smiling with someone, having a good time with no ill intentions in the background.

“Wow. The water feels amazing, you’re right. Especially after being stuffed into a suit all day long.” He circles around me, cautiously watching me. He isn’t doing anything inappropriate, but I still find his actions a little bit intimidating.

“Yeah, this is one of the things I enjoy for both exercise and relaxation.” I playfully pat my round belly. “Don’t want to get too big.”

“You look amazing, Essie. Pregnancy certainly agrees with you.”

Why am I feeling shy all of a sudden? I’m never shy. “Thanks, Eli.” After a brief moment of silence, I resume the chit-chat which has been flowing quite nicely between us. “So tell me. What do you do for a living?” I’m bobbing up and down in the water, trying to keep my body nice and cool.

“I’m a corporate lawyer. Boring, I know, but it pays the bills.” He’s imitating my actions, submerging his body in the water to keep cool.

“I don’t think it sounds boring at all. I’m sure you’re very good at what you do.”

“Yeah, I am.” He smiles again. Damn, he is a handsome man. I only wish his brother followed suit and graced me with one of his killer smiles every now and then. But no, Drayden is always either scowling at me or his features are frozen, not revealing any emotion whatsoever.

Now is as good a time as any to try and pry some much needed information from him. Information about his secretive brother. “Can I ask you something?” He cocks his head to the side, clearly showing his interest. “It’s about Drayden.”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Who’s Elizabeth?”

Eli’s smile falters and his face is now void of any and all expression, looking more like Drayden than I care to admit. After a few agonizing seconds, he opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted by a harsh warning from his younger brother.

Drayden is standing at the edge of the pool and is shooting daggers down at both of us. He’s blocking out the sun, looking more like a monster than the breathtaking man he truly is.

Breathtaking in the physical sense.

His personality is certainly a monstrosity.

“Eli,” he says with warning laced in his tone. “Don’t you dare answer her.”

His attention is now solely focused on his brother, not paying any attention to me at this point. That is until I stand up, giving both men a full view of what is wading just underneath the surface of the water, a tiny scrap of material hiding my now-erect nipples.

Drayden’s eyes are glued to my chest and the effect I have on him makes me smile. Even though he can’t stand me, at least I can still entice him with my body. But when he sees my smug reaction to his blatant perusal, he steps back and speaks to Eli once again.             

“Why are you swimming with her? Are you trying to get into her pants or something? ‘Cause let me tell you right fucking now, that won’t happen. Ever!” He’s yelling by the time he’s finished, surprising his brother enough to back up a couple steps.

Even though Eli is older than Drayden and clearly not afraid of him, he knows enough about his younger brother’s demeanor not to push him or back him into a corner. Eli shakes his head, looks at me and says, “Well, I guess that’s my cue to get out now.” He winks at me before pulling himself out of the pool.

I can’t help it. I watch his arm muscles ripple when he pulls his own weight from the water. And Drayden watches me watch him do it, too.

You know the old saying,
if looks could kill?
Because it sure as hell applies to me right now. If he was able to end my life with a mere glance then I would certainly be dead, sinking right to the bottom of this very pool.

Before I can recover from his death stare, he speaks, this time directly at me. “And what the hell are you doing,
Essie
?” My name rolls off his tongue with utter contempt. “You trying to fuck my brother? ‘Cause I’ll tell you the same thing I just told him. It’ll never, ever happen.”

“I’m not trying to do anything.
We
weren’t doing anything but having an innocent conversation before you interrupted us.”

“Innocent conversation, huh? Then why are you trying to get information out of him? About me?” he asks while pointing over at Eli, who is now drying off a few feet away.

I guess now is a good a time as any to lay some of my cards out on the table. If he wants an answer then I’ll give him one. “Because you won’t talk to me. You won’t tell me anything about yourself. Ever. And I’m tired of not knowing. The only thing I do know about you is you hate me, dare I say despise me even.” I look away from him, afraid I’m going to cry in that moment and look like a pathetic idiot. “That’s the only thing I know,” I mumble, staring at the other end of the pool.

“I don’t hate you, Essie. That would imply I have some sort of feeling toward you. Which I don’t.” His hands are balled up at his sides, totally contradicting the words just spoken.

“All right, Dray. That’s enough already. Knock it off.” Eli strides up to him, clearly trying to get him to walk away. I’m sure he’s confused as to why his brother hates me so much. Little does he know, I pushed him to this point.

Initially, at least.

But I’ve been trying to make up for the mistake. He makes it so hard. I just can’t break through his grim exterior toward me. I don’t know what else to do.

I thought if I found out a bit of information about him, like what he’s been through in the past, I could try and find some kind of connection with him. Something which would lighten his mood toward me.

But again, it’s a big fail.

I walk over toward the pool ladder, climb the few steps, and make my way over toward his irate presence. I’m dripping wet, my bikini bottoms revealing a bit more of my cheeks than is probably decent but I don’t care. I’m too pissed off and humiliated to worry about my appearance.

Eli is standing behind me as I approach his brother. I’m sure I’m giving him an eyeful, but again, I don’t care.

I stand right in front of my unborn child’s father, fists at my sides just like him. “You might not hate me, but I detest you,” I bark out at him. “I curse the day I ever laid eyes on you.”

He moves closer to me, gripping me up so there’s no mistaking his intention. “No more than I do, sweetheart. No more than I do.” He releases me quickly, spins around on his heel and stalks toward the house, leaving Eli and I standing there in his wake.

I glance back at Eli and faintly smile. “I’m sorry you had to witness that, Eli. There are a lot of issues between us I don’t think will ever be resolved.”

“Don’t apologize to me, Essie. I’m just sorry he’s too dumb to realize what he has right in front of him. He can be an ass sometimes. But he wasn’t always like this; I want you to know that.” Eli moves closer to me and puts his hand on my shoulder, trying his best to comfort me without being inappropriate. But before his touch even fully registers, I’m ripped backward, stumbling before finding my footing.