Chapter 22 #3
When we reached the table, the salads had disappeared and were replaced with entrees.
Jerome had very obviously spared no expense where this dinner was concerned.
Either this was the way he always was, or he was trying to make an impression.
The entrée was grilled steak, lobster, and asparagus with a small side of mashed potatoes.
When everyone was seated, the sound of forks and knives clinking against dishes rang through the air.
The food was delectable; the mashed potatoes contained a small amount of horseradish, and it was absolutely divine.
The slightly charred tips of the asparagus hitting my tongue instantly caused my mouth to water.
The conversation was minimal while each guest enjoyed their main meal.
After the dinner dishes had been cleared, and dessert had taken its place, Alexander started in again with his story.
“By the time I reached the location, they had already arrived for the meeting. I parked further away and approached on foot. I couldn’t let him go to that meeting alone with a man he didn’t trust. I begged him not to go, but he told me if he didn’t go, Scott would know something was up, and he would be in even more danger.
He didn’t believe that his partner could kill him, and he thought that he had the time to piece it all together.
By the time I got there and was able to get close enough to see what was going on, I found a group of vampires running away from my father, lying dead in the woods near the abandoned estate where the meeting was set up.
There were a few other dead vampires lying nearby.
It was obvious he had put up a hell of a fight.
Scott was there, and he was completely unscathed.
He didn’t even attempt to help Xavier, and he was armed.
The motherfucker didn’t even appear bothered by the scene.
He opened his phone and called The Order. ”
“You are a vampire. Are you not stronger than him?” I asked him, wanting to know why he wouldn’t come out of hiding and confront Scott in the moment.
“Yes, I am much stronger than him; normally. I had just experienced my maker dying; I can’t explain how that feels.
Just know that if I could have taken Scott, dead or alive, trust me, I would have.
I am also positive that those other vampires hadn’t gotten very far.
Scott is an agent of The Order, and I am not involved with The Order at all.
Even though Xavier wanted me to keep with the tradition.
Not to mention that when he called The Order, he plainly stated that I orchestrated Xavier’s murder.
I heard him pin the whole thing on me. He told everyone that I did it and that he had seen me do it.
No one had any reason to doubt Scott. I didn’t doubt him either—until that moment twenty-three years ago.
So, before he was done with his call, I left.
I didn’t know what to do, but I did know my maker would not have wanted me to run in there with guns blazing when he was already gone.
I would have more than likely met the same end.
I couldn’t save him; I was too late, and trying to kill Scott wasn’t going to bring him back or clear my name.
No one would have ever known; they would have just assumed—especially after he made that call. ”
I was intently listening to Alexander’s version of events.
I searched his face for any type of emotion that may be evident.
It had been twenty-three years, and I was certain that any tears would have been shed long ago.
I expected slight anger, but nothing over the top at all.
This was an older vampire that should have learned to control himself.
To be honest, if he had shown emotion, I would have thought it to be bullshit.
He raised his eyes to mine. His soul was tortured, but there was no outward emotion.
He wasn’t lying, but I wasn’t about to announce that to everyone.
“So, what do you want from me now that I have heard what you have to say?”
“I want Scott punished for Xavier’s death. I want to find out the identity of the vampire that helped Scott pull the whole thing off. I want to know why he did it. I just want answers and justice. I don’t feel like that is too much to ask for.”
The intensity in his eyes was growing, as was his anger. I felt Maddox lean forward from his chair next to me, and I placed my hand on top of his, squeezing slightly.
“Alexander, I suggest you calm down. I asked you the question seriously, not sarcastically. Do not let your temper and vendetta get in your way of actually accomplishing something. Do not let your pride stop you from leaving this garden. Do we understand each other?” I felt Maddox relax back into his chair.
“I came here willing to listen to you, but you seem to have forgotten that you kidnapped my cousin, and I still don’t see her here.
Do you?” The anger disappeared from his face, and his body shifted slightly to a less menacing presence.
“I am sorry for my behavior. You were very kind in listening to what I had to say. I appreciate you being open-minded and not letting other people tell you what to think.” He was desperately trying to backtrack into my good graces.
“Look, I am not unreasonable, and I am not Ray. I’m not sure how he ran things, as I only recently found out about all of this.
I will do what I feel is right without living in anyone’s shadow, because I wouldn’t trust anyone to tell me how he ran things.
I am no one’s pawn, and I will think for myself.
Stop kissing my ass, keep your ego in check, or I will do it for you.
I have a lot to think about before I figure out what I am going to do.
Now, you told me Charlotte was going to be here two hours ago. Where is she?”
“I am going to go figure that out. I will return with an update. My guys definitely should have had her here by now.”
He pulled his phone from his pocket as he rose from the table. He began talking as he exited the garden. I got up from my seat, as did everyone else at the table.
I turned to Jerome. “Thank you so much for hosting tonight. Dinner was exceptional, and you are a delightful and obliging host.” Jerome took my hand in his.
“Thank you for allowing me the honor. I am so pleased to meet you and experience the breath of fresh air that surrounds you. I am at your service should you need anything in the future. As your employee and as your friend.” He brushed the back of my hand with his lips.
I stepped away from the table, and Maddox followed as he had been doing all day. “I am ready to leave when you are,” I said as I entered the house. Alexander was coming out of the living room as we approached.
“I am trying my hardest to get her here, but she isn’t really being cooperative, and I told the guys that they aren’t allowed to use force with her.” I could hear the desperation in his voice and decided to put him out of his misery.
“I knew she wouldn’t come. This meeting had absolutely nothing to do with her.
You have no intentions of hurting her, and she has no intentions of coming home because her pride has been wounded.
Leave her be. I don’t care anymore. She wants me or you or someone to come running to her side and tell her how important she is and how much we need her in our lives.
Anything less than that would be an embarrassment to her. ”
He could stop feeling guilty for taking her. He never took her because he thought she was in charge. He took her to get me to listen to him.
“So, you took her to get my attention and to make me listen, right? I’m not as stupid as you believe.
You didn’t have it wrong when you took her.
You knew if you took me, Maddox would kill you and you would never accomplish anything.
Well, I will tell you the punishment you get for kidnapping her: You get to keep her.
If she doesn’t want to come home, then it is your job to take care of her.
I don’t give a shit if you make her happy or not; just don’t physically hurt her.
Got it?” I could think of no better punishment. It definitely fit the crime.
“You don’t want her back?” Genuine confusion flooded his face.
“She is, quite frankly, a pain in my ass. It’s exhausting trying to run interference all the time for someone who has absolutely no clue what they want, and nothing ever makes them truly happy.
It’s all chaos, all the time. It’s your turn to be exhausted.
” I turned and walked toward the door. “I will be in touch about Xavier,” I said over my shoulder as Maddox opened the front door. I walked out, and he followed behind.
When we got to the airport and boarded the plane, Maddox sat across the aisle from me.
“If you want to go home, you can. No one is going to stop you. I should let you know that I won’t be leaving your side, though.
Too much is going on at the moment, and a security detail sort of comes with the job. ”
“I know. You feel like a permanent fixture in my life now.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “But truly, you can go home, and if you want Ronan to stay with you, he can. He is waiting at the airport in Michigan. If you would rather, he goes back to the compound or even back to Ireland, he will. He will follow the orders that you give him.”
“But you won’t?”
“It’s not that I won’t follow orders; I will, for the most part. If you don’t want me to be the person protecting you, I don’t have to be. However, it will be someone. I would stay with you until they sent my replacement. Everyone gets replaced at some point, but that decision is yours.”
“I do want to go home, and I also don’t want to be peppered with questions, which is exactly what I believe Ronan is going to do.”