Shadowed Ménage (Ménage Series Book 3 of 6)

Prologue

Calvin

Listening to the sound of the interior waterfall, raining down from the upper floor is very soothing, but neither one of us could relax now. Up those stairs is the woman from my past.

Amelia was my one true love. I know that sounds lame, but it could not be more accurate. Living without her in my life was difficult throughout college. There were so many times I wanted to pick up the phone, to call her, just to discuss what had gone on that day, but we made a promise and I would abide by her wishes.

Often, I've tried to remember when we first met. Everyone has that first instant when they see one another and their eyes meet, but with us, that's not the case. Amelia was always there. A distant memory, like a déjà vu, and seeing her each day would put me at peace. We may have met when we were younger, but my aunt says that never happened. All I know is, we were meant to be together and now we have a second chance.

Every day at school I would see her in the hallway, walking alone with her head down. She did not want to be seen, but I saw her. Amelia was one year behind me, so we never had the same classes together. In the lunchroom, she would sit with Beth, but when others would join them Amelia would shut right down. I'd watch them each day. Beth would try to get her friend to open up, but that would not happen with those girls. Amelia knew what they were. She saw them as I did and never allowed them to enter her world. Other than Beth, those girls were snobs, and Amelia didn't fit into their perfect world. I found this rather refreshing. That she saw through their façade and knew immediately that this girl was real. Each day I would look for her, but we never spoke until that day on the pond.

We were both very quiet kids, all alone in the world and very mistrusting. Amelia had abandonment issues, and I had no one to love. My childhood consisted of flashes, like a movie where you remember seeing it, but not watching the entire show. My parents were murdered when I was very young, and I have no memories of my father. I had only ever seen pictures of him, but my mother was a different story. There is one moment, burned into my memory of her singing to me while rocking me to sleep. If I close my eyes and picture her, that's what comes to me every time. Amelia is like that. She was an image in my mind, a shadow that was always there, but we never had that first real moment until I turned 16 years old.

When I would see her, my day would be complete. I remember Amelia telling me that, and she felt the same way. She would search me out, just to know I was there and to have that feeling of security. We were each other's sanctuary, someone to rely on, but letting go and opening up to each other was hard for both of us. I didn't want to lose that feeling of being shielded and neither did she, but I had to know her. Amelia was like an ache within me, and I needed her to be in my life.

Going to her graduation, I believed the torment would be finally over, the clouds would lift and we could be together again, but I was so wrong. It only intensified the pain of knowing she would never again be mine. All I could do, in my mind, was leaving and start all over. After losing control with my maid, I hid on an oil rig, away from all women, surrounded by big sweaty guys, and never once did I leave the safety of that place.

Choosing to disappear instead of standing up and fighting for her will be my biggest regret. Knowing that she was here. All this time while I was a coward and ran away pains me more than anything I thought possible.

Returning to my world and taking back my inheritance was the only reason I agreed to come home. Now, taking my place at the head of the table without Don will be more difficult than I had planned. He was killed in a hit-and-run accident the night I came home. Don mentioned I needed to be safe. He even hired bodyguards for me, but I thought he was worried about the paparazzi. There are so many challenges on my plate, but Amelia must come first.