Vendetta

Chapter Twenty Two: He's an Ass, But I don't Care

Westhall.

It's a beautiful mansion, much bigger than Chamberlain House, and it has a vintage, Victorian-era look to it. We are at the lumbering gates, and I jab at the intercom.

'Yes?' A voice cackles.

'Uh, I am here to see Alice? With Christian Beneventi.'

'Your name?'

'Coral Collins.'

The gates swing open. I cruise over to a stop right by the pristine doors. I turn off the engine and look over at Christian. I had shifted his seat backwards, so that he could recline without waking up to stiff cramps and threw his shirt over his exposed abs so that they wouldn't distract me while I was driving.

I place my palm on his shoulder.

'Christian. Wake up.'

He stirs, slowly opening his heavy eyes, the vestiges of last night's alcohol-induced drowsiness still in them.

'Coral?' His voice is rough, and he stretches himself, his lids still half closed. 'Where are we?'

I fidget. 'Alice told me to bring you to Boston.'

Christian sits upright, as if he was tasered. He goes from sleepy to wide awake in seconds. 'What?'

'Boston.'

Christian looks out of the window, at Westhall. He closes his eyes for a moment and when he opens them again, he is furious. He grabs me by the collar of my shirt.

'What else did she say?' Though his actions are rough, his voice is surprisingly gentle. It cracks. 'Is he okay?'

I gaze up at his green eyes, so close to me. 'Who?' I whisper.

The doors throw open and a woman stands at the doorway.

'Coral?'

Christian lets go of me. I climb out of my car, adjusting my shirt.

The woman is beautiful, dark, with a mane of luscious brown hair. She looks about thirty, with a good figure. She smiles at me, displaying even teeth.

'It's so good to finally meet you.' She extends a hand. 'I'm Alice Farley. My mom was a fan of Lewis Carol.'

I don't know who he is, so I smile back politely. So she wasn't the ex. Unless Christian was into older women. And then there was the fact he asked me about someone....

The car door slam shut, and Christian himself appears next to me. He has thankfully put on his shirt, though the buttons are in the wrong button holes. He looks like he's just rolled out of bed.

'Is he okay, Alice?'

Alice tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. 'He wants to see you.'

Christian pushes himself forward, through the doorway, leaving me on the steps with Alice.

'Come in,' Alice steps to the side. 'He's been dying to meet you.'

I have no idea who she's talking about but I enter.

The interior of the mansion surprises me. There are dark green curtains, and glass partitions, and people in uniform scurrying about. The smell of disinfectant overpowers me.

It's a hospital.

Or it looks like one, for I don't see any patients.

'Come on. We don't want to miss it.'

Miss what?

I follow her without questions. She leads me through up the stairs and through archways. She finally stops a few feet from a closed double door, in front of which Christian stands, his head low. His hands are on the doors, and he is breathing deeply, calming himself, before he throws open the doors.