SolanaHe made a fool out of me. I was a fucking idiot to ever think that he could have the barest amount of feelings for me. A fucking idiot for thinking that a Stravkos could be capable of anything good. Anything that didn't involve lies and deceit.He wanted Erin, right? Fine. He could have her. He could marry her. I wouldn't sit back and let myself be used again. I wouldn't sit back and let myself be disrespected. It wasn't in our nature, the Williams family.I took a deep breath as I finally came to a decision. I would leave the mansion once and for all.I strode into the balcony that adjourned his study and flung the cell phone into the woods, watching it go through the thick foliage and crashing to the floor somewhere before I ran upstairs to my bedroom. I threw the closet doors open and began putting a few necessities together in a duffel bag. I simply didn't care about anything anymore. I wasn't permitted to leave the grounds without proper supervision? I had to tell him wher
Solana“Abel has a sister?”She nodded. “Abigail. She was your age when she passed away. Poisoned in the hospital. She has a son, Abel's nephew whom Erin is taking care of.”“Oh.” Shit, I had no idea about this at all. “But how is that possible? How can he be having an affair with his nephew's caretaker?”“Why are you jumping into that conclusion? Have they done anything to make you believe they're having an affair? It could be anything. We might know soon enough.”“Are you... defending him?”“Of course not.” She sat back and folded her arms over her chest, levelling a steady gaze on me. “I'm only curious. Why do you care so much about them shagging? It's not in your nature. You hate him, so why are you so agitated now? Is there something you're not telling me, Lana?”I couldn't look up and meet her eyes, but I could feel their scrutiny — the harshness in the gaze she leveled me with. I sighed as I rested my elbows on the table, and dropped my forehead into my hand, feeling a migraine
SolanaI spent an hour lounging on my back in the living room, before going into the kitchen to heat up the leftover lasagna Helen and Frank had for breakfast. After I'd eaten it, I'd gone up to my old bedroom to sleep, the sinking feeling of hurt and jealousy still curled tight in my stomach. I couldn't wave it off, and it was a miracle when I managed to catch a few hours of sleep. When I woke up later to the heavy sound of terse raindrops beating down the roof, it had subsided a bit. There were voices down in the kitchen arguing and yelling. I sat up, puzzled, wondering who was driving my sister nuts. I glanced at my phone on the nightstand — the time read that it was a little after one o'clock in the morning. The display column on the lock screen showed fourteen missed calls, all from — surprise, surprise — Abel fucking Stravkos.I guess he'd fucked Erin a little too early and had decided to come home only to find me missing. Heartless bastard.I unlocked the phone, and without ev
Abel“You can't force me to go with you. I told you, I'm staying here. Go back to Erin. She needs you more.”I chuckled. “Figured you'd say that. Game on.”“What? Put me down, you freak!” she squealed as I swept her off her feet and heaved her over my shoulder, spanking her ass hard when she kicked her legs wildly and pounded my back with her fists. “I'll scream and wake up the neighbours.”“Feel free to do so.”“That's it, I'm calling the local authorities!” Helen shrieked, running into the kitchen to get her phone.I paid her no mind and moved us out the door into the rain. We were both soaked in no time. “Can't you wait for the rain to stop at least?”“No. You shouldn't have left in the first place.”“Let me down!”I opened the passenger door and dropped her onto the seat, pressing her back down when she attempted to spring out. “I gave you a fucking choice. And just as always, you chose wrong.”I clicked her seatbelt in place and slammed her door shut, keeping it locked until I t
AbelLana lay in my bed, her hair concealing half of her face, the cuts and bruises on her arms, knees and feet bandaged and taken care of. Cozy in my arms, beneath the sheets. She'd stirred up early, but now lay quietly. “Erin is my sister, Abigail's best friend. She's been a close family friend ever since my sister passed.” She had her back to me, so I couldn't see her face. I stroked her upper arm and shoulder gently. “Abigail left her in charge of her little son, Damien. Erin works as a cashier in a big supermarket downtown, but Damien's daycare is closer to her house. When she got there to pick him up yesterday, he was gone. The daycare matron had fucked up, releasing Damien to someone who claimed to be his father.”For a brief moment, Lana didn't move. I thought she'd fallen asleep, and wanted to shake her shoulders when she turned her head to look at me, and shifted herself so she could lie on her back and stare up at the ceiling. I kept my arm over her waist, my hand closed p
Abel“Step back, or you'll lose your job this instant.” I gritted out.He hesitated, and I didn't wait for him to decide. Instead, I turned the handle and pushed the door open to find Andrew, Father, and Andre sitting around the monochrome, rectangular table inside.They all whirled around at the interruption, Father and Andre surprised, Andrew on the other hand was blazing furious.“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” I clapped my hands, narrowing my eyes on Andre, my best friend. The man I trusted out of the three. Never in my whole life could I have envisioned he'd be seated here, dinning and chatting with my enemies.“You bloody motherfucker! I told you no one should be allowed in!” Andrew roared at the guard, rising to his feet.“Sir...I didn't...” the man muttered, but I didn't care about that. Didn't care about him. Instead, when Andrew rounded the table, pulling the sleeves of his red shirt back up his forearms, I pounced on him, grabbing his collar and pushing him back r
SolanaIt was a little past eight when I eventually stirred awake, almost falling face flat from the bed. Luckily, I caught myself up right on time, sucking in a deep breath, my throat parched and painful. Glancing around, from the gold wall clock to the black sheets, I remembered where I was, the events of the previous nights slowly coming back to me. I lay in Abel's bed, his masculine scent still permeating the pillows, sheets and thicker in the air. He'd probably left a few minutes before I woke up. I crawled on my knees to the left side of the bed, my attention drawn to the folded paper on the bedside table, beneath the flourescent lamp.Perhaps something urgent came up. Unfolding it carefully, I glanced through:Good morning, Gorgeous.I hate having to leave you so suddenly, but I need to take care of some important business. I'll be back before noon, I promise. Since I couldn't get a good phone so early, I took Nico's, and I've programmed the number into yours in case you need a
SolanaI was walking so fast now, that too on an unfamiliar path and was not paying attention, so when I tripped over a large tree root and went flying into the air, I shouldn't have been so bothered. But when I landed into a shallow pit, hitting my ankle against a rock, I knew it was over. I was stuck.“Fuck.”I looked back toward the house, but I'd wandered too deep into the woods to see any more than the fanciful chimney tops. I pressed my hands against the soft soil and tried to haul myself up. I held onto the pit's side and tried to claw my way up and out, but my ankle was starting to hum and swell painfully.Panic lodged itself in my throat. “Hello? Can anyone hear me?” I screamed, getting nothing but silence in return.Oh no.There was no way I could get out on my own. Not with my ankle feeling like murder. Pulling out my phone from my pocket, I unwrapped the earbuds and pushed one into my left ear, then tapped the screen, unlocked it, and scrolled down to where Abel had entere