Page 40 of Cruel Love
The image of a carefree Billie danced in my head until James broughtthe car to a stop a minute later. As I glanced up, it was to find we’d pulled up outside a huge manor house made of old stone, and looked eerily similar to Peartree House. Waiting by the front door were two men dressed in suits like James was.
“Fuck,”James cursed as he glared at the men.“Why the fuck is Elijahhere?”
Even if I knew who Elijah was, I knew better than to reply, but thevenom in James’ voice made fear spike in my blood, certain that I’d bear the brunt of any anger brewing within him.
Following James’ lead, I stepped out of the car and made my way tohim where he snatched my hand and rubbed a finger over my wedding band as if he was checking I was still wearing it.
“James, my boy. Good to see you,”the older of the two men saidcheerily, stepping forward and offering his hand to James.
It was evident that he was James’ father, James had inherited hislooks from his dad, and even though he was easily twenty years older than his son, he was just as handsome.
“Dad,”James said, shaking his father’s hand, but dropping it quickly.“This is my wife, Willow. Willow, this is my father, Eric.”
Eric turned his attention to me, a blatantly disgusted sneer curling hislips as he ran his assessing gaze over my body. The hatred rolling off him caused words to lodge in my throat, but just before I looked away in embarrassment, a pang of familiarity shot through me.
I’d seen his face somewhere before.
Had he been to Peartree House to claim a girl?
“Does she speak or is she as pathetic as she looks?”Eric barked, stillglaring at me, and making me want to shrivel up on the spot.
“She speaks,”James said, his tone neutral, but for some reason, hegave my hand a gentle squeeze, almost as if he was reassuring me.“She’s just well trained.”
“And so she should be given her time at Peartree House.”
Next to me, James’ body tensed.“You know I went to Peartree?”
Eric smirked.“You think I don’t know every move my son makes?”
For a tense few seconds, James and his father glared at each other,an unspoken argument going on between them, only interrupted when the other man cleared his throat, drawing James’ attention to him.
“Willow, I’m Elijah, James’ cousin,”he said, beaming brightly at mebefore turning to James.“I have to say, James, I’m surprised that a man of your stature stooped to such pitiful measures to find a woman willing to marry you. Peartree House? Honestly,”he tutted.
James’ hand squeezed mine once again, only this time, pain shotthrough my bones where he was squeezing so hard. Biting my lip to stop a wince from escaping, I wiggled my fingers to get them free. James’ head whipped to the side, and when he saw the pain etched on my face, he released my hand.
“Yeah, well, a man will do whatever he has to do when he’s backedinto a corner,”James replied sharply.
Elijah chuckled and responded to James, but whatever hesaid, I didn’t hear as an intense feeling of unease coursed through me, growing stronger when I found Eric carefully watching me with narrowed eyes.
“Where’s mom?”James said, pulling Eric’s attention from me.
The feeling of familiarity reared to life once more, and a memory that Icouldn’t quite grab onto lingered in the deepest recess of my head.
“Your mother isn’t very well. She got herself worked up over thismeeting, especially when she found out how you came to meet your wife,”Eric replied.“I’ve given her something to keep her calm, but she won’t be joining us for dinner. If she’s feeling better tomorrow, you can visit her.”
James didn’t reply, but chancing a look up at him, it was to find amuscle ticking in his jaw, something I’d come to learn was a sign that he was trying to keep his temper in check.
“Well, now introductions are done, I’m sure you’ll want to freshen upbefore dinner,”Eric said, throwing yet another disgusted look my way.“Your old room is ready for you and your wife, and dinner will be served in thirty minutes. I expect all three of you to be sitting at the table before then.”
He spun on his heel, and strode back toward the house, leavingJames and Elijah glaring at each other, as I tried my hardest to not drown under the anxiety coursing through me.
If I thought the first meal I ever had with James was tense, it wasnothing to how dinner was. A heavy atmosphere hovered over the four of us as we were served dinner, and any time Elijah spoke, James’ body wound tighter than a coiled spring.
At some point, he was going to snap, and I doubted Elijah would bethe target of his wrath.
For the entirety of the conversation, I was excluded. The men talkedabout their businesses, each one bragging about how much money they’d made over the last year.
I kept my head bowed, focused on the food in front of me, but mytime at Peartree House had taught me how to pretend I was occupied while really listening to conversations.
