Chapter 27
Alaric is gone…
Not physically but emotionally. There's a look of his that I’m used to seeing but it isn’t there. It’s like he doesn’t even see me as he floats around the motel room.
He does this routine for the past couple of days and nights, where he showers, dresses up, drives me to that dank diner and then he just disappears. I don’t see nor hear from him.
This is your chance to run…
A voice in me so strong reminds me that I really could go but if I go now, Edwin wins. Alaric wins and every other person who has hurt me… wins.
I can’t leave without getting what I need. Being selfish has never been who I am but after everything, I deserve to be selfish. I deserve to tell others how I want the world to go.
Now, as I finish early and wait for Alaric outside of the diner, I think about what to do to snap him out of his stupor. This isn’t just for him but for me.
Alaric and I may never settle into some form of respect or anything like that but there has to be something that I’m getting out of this.
The anger that I normally don’t feel with my predicament is brewing inside, that sort of white-hot anger that wants me to hurt something.
Being in prison changed me, yes but I don't show it. I don’t like to admit that Alaric made me stronger because then I would have to attribute that to him when I can’t give him that. He doesn’t deserve to take that from me. No one can make me stronger than myself.
That’s what I want to believe but at the same time, deep down inside I know it's not my own work.
There’s also the matter of what happened to Godric. I haven't gotten the chance to read it because I’m afraid to read it. I don’t know what to do about that once I find out.
Yes, I am spooked out that I saw a damned ghost but being in prison, it was like living with them. Maybe something in me opened up about it again and that’s where I am but this town… there was a need to come here and now that I’m here, I wonder how or what made me come.
So many questions fill my head and there are no answers…
I guess that’s what Alaric must‘ve felt like when he asked about his brother. There is pain in his eyes and not just from his recent loss but much more. A pain that I know all too well but I don’t want to say out loud because then there is something that we’d have in common and I don’t want that.
There’s no need for him and I to have anything in common, especially because of what he did to me as revenge for what I did to him.
His pain is replaced just like I am.
As my mind drifts, there is a car pulling up that pulls me back into the now. It's an expensive car but I don’t recognize it.
There aren’t that many people here that can say they drive that kind of car so I know it is another rich person.
The man steps out of the car and I can tell that he is a Crowne. He looks like the spitting image of Alaric. Hell, if he didn’t look like he was in his 30s, I would’ve assumed he was Alaric's son coming to haunt me as a ghost.
“Hello, sister-in-law.” He says in a dangerous yet appealing voice.
“Sister-in-law?” I ask.
“You’re married to my brother, aren't you?”
“Yes. How did you find me?”
“Well, a small town like this, there aren't too many places you’d have to go or people to bribe,” he stands in front of me and I squint up at him. “I’m Dane.” he smirks.
If Charisma was a person, I would say it's him; Dane Crowne.
He’s just as tall as his brother or maybe a bit taller than him with a much leaner build.
The eyes, facial expression and everything is the same except Dane has blue eyes.
Striking blue eyes that I’m sure charms the women in his life but I’m not one of them and neither am I looking to be one so I look away from him.
“Juliana but I’m sure you know that.” I give him a polite smile.
“I do know that Miss Juliana Hart, the woman that has set my brother’s world on fire.”
My smile disappears, but his is still in place.
“Hey come on, I meant no harm. You served your time and now, you’re my brother’s wife. Taking over my sister-in-law’s place.”
There it is; the disdain in his tone and the hatred in his eyes. He doesn’t like me and I don’t know why he’s here but he’s going to make this worse.
“I didn’t mean to kill her. I never meant to take her life.”
“We all don’t mean to do things yet here we are. Just like how I’m sure my brother didn’t mean to be in this fucking cursed town but somehow he’s here because of you.”
I open my mouth to defend myself but then I shut it. I don’t have to listen to him nor do I have to put up with another Crowne. There’s only one of them that’s essential to me. I may not be an asshole but that doesn't mean I have to deal with them either.
“Yeah, no.” I shake my head and begin to walk instead of waiting for Alaric.
I would rather have my feet burning like all hell than have another Crowne tell me what to do or how to feel when I know exactly what happened. I WAS THERE!
Before I can get far, Alaric’s car drives up to where I’m walking.
“What are you doing?” Alaric asks.
“Walking.”
“Why?”
“It’s refreshing and I’m enjoying the fucking outside air.”
I’m not sure where the attitude and the cursing comes from but suddenly, I’ve had enough for today.
Alaric lightly chuckles but continues to follow me.
“It’s hot as hell out here and there’s no wind blowing your way. Who are you running from?”
Before I can answer him, something tells me to stop and turn around.
When I do, I see Dane catching up. Alaric stops the car with a screech and hops out, without giving anyone a moment to understand what’s happening, Alaric swings on Dane and hits him square in the mouth.
Dane stumbles back but then catches his footing.
“Hello, big brother.”
“I warned you.” Alaric says.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. The next time you saw me, you were going to swing. I get that two years isn’t enough for you to move on.”
“Shut the fuck up, Dane.” He points at him. “Get in, Juli, let’s go.”
“Oh, she’s Juli now? Did you forget all about Carmen with her replacement?” He says to Alaric.
Alaric steps up in Dane’s face and Dane lifts his hands up in surrender. Quickly, I move in the direction of the car and hop in the passenger seat.
“That’s what the fuck I thought.” Alaric says to Dane and he gets in right after me, speeding away from Dane as if the devil is nipping at his heel.
What is going on?