Chapter 32
The rest of the car ride home was silent and I needed it to be. It can’t be time to think about what Alaric and I are going to talk about in the car but instead it's about how I’m going to have to stand firm on what I’ve said to him.
He told me to figure it out and that I was smart as hell but it’s not that easy. Either way, I’ll do it. I’ll make sure that I remind myself that a problem is nothing to me even if I’m faking it.
We reach the house that feels like I haven't seen it in years but it really hasn’t been that long. I take a deep breath before stepping out of the car.
As we head in, I grab Alaric’s arm and he stops, He turns to face me with a raised brow and he no longer has to say anything for me to know what he’s asking me for or rather, it’s his harsh what…
“What are we going to do about my so–,” I stop my words and correct myself quickly. “Your son?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you want me to still raise him?”
“Was that ever a choice you thought you had?”
My mouth opens but nothing comes out so instead I opt for the safest thing possible between us, I nod once. Alaric doesn’t make any movements to keep walking and he keeps looking at me, this time it’s my turn to wonder what the hell he’s looking for.
“Yes?”
Alaric chuckles as if I’m a comedian and it really has me wondering how much I answer or say that makes him laugh. Does he think I’m funny or is he just looking to get on my nerves so that way I can say something to him and he could further threaten me with something else.
“You’re laughing?” I ask.
“I am. I do that sometimes.”
Before I can retort, there’s a beep that gets Alaric’s attention and his attention is back on the gate. He’s no longer smiling, his face looks both sad yet mad, something I didn’t think was possible.
Turning to face whoever brought that expression out of Alaric, my eyes stumble upon someone that I’ve seen in the media once.
It was a long time ago but I remember her face.
She was his best friend and ex but they stopped talking to each other when he got married.
That’s what the tabloids said and now I wonder if that was the reason or if it was his attitude.
Did he cheat on this girl with Carmen? The timeline was so close too, according to the media.
“Mia?” He calls her name as if she isn’t standing there and he’s shocked to see her.
She’s a beautiful girl with long dark hair and dark features that contrast but bring out her pale complexion.
“Aren’t you going to let me in, Ricky?”
“Ricky?” I whisper and Alaric doesn’t say anything. I turn back to look at him and he’s got a smile on his face.
A genuine smile that I’ve never seen before and it doesn't make me upset or anything but it does make me curious. It makes me wonder what Alaric was like before everything happened. Is this how he smiled at his wife? Was he genuinely happy to see people?
Alaric moves past me like I don’t even exist and he goes to the gate instead of letting the one in charge open it up.
“Mia, darling, I’m both upset and happy to see you.” he says and it annoys me that he’s being that nice.
Both Alaric and Mia continue to talk to each other as he opens up the smaller door at the gate.
She comes in and he pulls her for a hug so tight, it makes me wonder just how much he’d punish me for giving a man a hug like that.
Her car is left at the gate as he signals the head of security to drive it in after he lets Mia go.
Alaric and Mia walk hand-in-hand past me as if I’m invisible and for once, I feel normal. Like the old me again.
It takes me a while to notice that no one is coming back to get me and I take this opportunity to see if I can step outside the gate without anyone noticing. Checking my feet, I smile because I have sneakers on. If I needed to run, I could.
Without thinking about the consequences, I walk towards the opening of the gate.
The head of security watches me in silence as he parks the car but he doesn’t stop me.
I give him a reassuring smile so he doesn’t think to run after me.
Shutting my eyes, my body visibly shakes as I take the first step across the threshold.
A deep sigh is released when I don’t hear anyone shouting my name. I take another step and I don’t make the mistake of looking back to see the disapproved expression that Alaric is going to have.
This is it. RUN…
That’s all I hear and I don’t even think I’m running from him or anything, I just want to feel freedom so I do it.
I feel that freedom as my legs begin running then I pick up speed running in the opposite direction of the mansion.
A chuckle leaves my throat and I can’t think about anything else except the freedom that comes with what I’m doing right now.
I don’t hear anything as I run and run. Maybe I shouldn’t be running but I don’t give a damn because nothing else matters right now except for me.
Was Mia the key to my freedom?
My mind doesn’t register where I’ve run until sprinklers come on and I realize that I’m on some golf course but I don’t care. No one matters to me right now as every part of me gets wet while I run through it and I feel like a child. I feel peace, at home and loved… by me.
My run stops short as I stretch my arms out and twirl instead letting everything overwhelm me.
The years I spent behind bars, losing my son, getting him back but I can’t keep him, seeing a ghost and loving him as my closest friend, mourning his death, and now…
realizing that the key to everything is here.
A plan forms in my head… Mia needs to stay and I need to get them back together so I can go. They can finally have another chance at love.
I was the reason that his love was taken away so I will give him another reason to love. Another person, Mia.
After calming down and soaking in the sun, I walked back to the mansion. This time I don’t run because I want to enjoy the time that I’m taking to formulate this plan.
By the time I get in, my heart is pounding.
The head of security lets me in but he’s looking at my wet hair and clothes, I don’t explain anything as I walk into the house.
My shoes make a squeaky sound after me but no one says a thing.
Instead of looking for Alaric, I go straight to my room but before I get in, Alaric is walking down the hall.
He stops as if realizing I’m here and he glares at me.
“Is it raining?” He asks and I nod. He doesn’t say anything else as I continue to walk away from him.
He didn’t notice and I’m glad. It means operation Ria like they used to call them in the tabloids is on.
“You ran.” Cassius says as I turn the corner. I blink but nothing else comes out of my mouth. He shakes his head at me. “He’s not that stupid, ya know?”
That’s what I’m afraid of … so I have to act fast.