Becoming His

Epilogue - Friends Or Enemies

{1 Year Ago}

Christian

"I don't need your house or your money." The tears slipping from those deep brown irises made the look on her face even more heart wrenching. She turned away from me and headed for the bathroom, leaving me to stifle in the guilt. I had to get out. Picking up my bag, I left before the voice in my head telling me to stay got any louder.

Walking out of the house and stepping into the town-car, I try to remind myself of how better off she'd be without me. Roberto pulled away from the mansion and immediately my chest constricted at the idea of leaving her like that, but if I went back there's no doubt in my mind that she would convince me not to go; her cries, her words, her body, her touches, her kisses, those beautiful eyes. Fuck!

This is what's best for her, she'll find someone better and I'll... What the fuck am I gonna do?

My phone rang bringing my mental spiral to a halt. I sent the unknown number straight to voicemail not wanting to talk to anyone right now. Without a pause, the ringtone bled into my ears again, and again I hung up, frustrated that the caller didn't get the first fucking hint.

My mind travelled back to her sweet face and the thought of how much she'll probably hate me after this all settles down. She's gonna hate me. The woman that truly means everything to me, will hate me.

I can't shrug the feeling that this is a huge mistake. I can't do this.

I gave her my word that she's mine and I'm hers, always and I meant that. What the fuck am I doing, walking away from the best part of myself? I can't live without her. Shaking my head at how cliché this shit is, I pressed the intercom about to tell Roberto to turn around, but the phone's jingle sets off once more.

Growing annoyed with whoever was desperate enough to piss me off, I tap the green button on the screen.

"What?!"

"Christian?" The soft feminine voice rang out, there was something familiar about the accented voice that I couldn't quite place.

"Who is this?" I could hear the deep shaky breaths coming from the other end as the faceless caller attempted to steady herself. I don't have time for this. "Who the hell is this?" My impatience seeped through.

"Christian, it's me." It only took a second for the voice to finally click. My heart stilled as the same soft tones that told me stories and lulled me to sleep as a child were flowing through the speaker of my phone. A voice I had buried in the deepest, sweetest parts of my memories, was piercing through the walls I built years ago; knocking through the barrier faster than Alesha ever had. "Christian, can you hear me?"

My words failed to muster as all the questions and thoughts flurried around my head, only to pull one word from the cluster: "..Mom?"

***
{Present Day}

"Sweetheart, where are you right now?" Charlotte asked as she looked up at me, resting her chin on my shoulder and winding her arm around mine.

"She's right Chris, you seem a little out of it tonight. Are you okay?" Richard asked from across the table noticing that my mind had wandered away from here.

"I'm good, just work still on my mind." I lied taking a swig from the glass in front of me.

"You shouldn't be thinking about work when you're with family schmoopy." Her words and that infuriating name made me send her a glare that forced her to ease off of me and lean back into her chair.