AFOC Chapter 15

Chapter 15
EPOV

I don’t want to move, but I need to stop the waves roaring in my ears. I need my stomach to calm down before I throw up. The light on my eyelids gets brighter, forcing me to sit up and face my raging hangover. 

Making only slits with my eyes, I find my way out of the den and into the kitchen where I smell coffee and I see some pills out on the counter waiting for my consumption. I slowly pour some coffee and grab the white pills and swallow them down with the black goodness. 

I rest my hands on the counter as glimpses of the previous night play in my head. I remember Jared kissing Bella. I remember her pushing him away. I went for him, but she told me she would handle it, and told me to take a walk. 

Take a walk. As much as that upset me, it was the romantic setup on the desk behind them that really got to me. He was confident enough to set up a romantic dinner at work and then kiss her. Is my relationship with Bella that bad off?

I lay my head on the cool counter; yeah, it’s that bad. I can’t remember the last time I went to the center to surprise her before last night. When was the last time we went to bed together or had a romantic dinner? 

“Edward?” Bella’s soft voice breaks me out of my thoughts.  

Holding in my grunt, I turn to face her, holding my lifeline close to my chest while trying to keep my eyes open. I say nothing as she sits down at the kitchen table. Our eyes never stray from one another. 

“What was that last night?”

I can’t hide my sigh from her as I slowly move to a chair across from her. “I decided for the first time in my life to drink until I forgot that someone wined and dined my wife and then kissed her.”

“Edward, it wasn’t like that.” 

I snort, then wince. “Bella, he had fucking wine poured into fancy glasses.”

She closes her eyes. “I didn’t see it that way. Maybe I should have seen the signs.” 

I close my eyes, trying to think of anything but the turning in my stomach. “Have we really come to the point where other people think our marriage is failing enough that they can make moves like that?” 

She gives me a hollow laugh. “I don’t want to say yes, but I can’t think of the last time we were alone like this.”

I clear my throat, seeing the opening for what I wanted to talk to her about last night before it went to shit. “I’ve been rearranging stuff at work so I’ll only be at the office forty hours a week. Maybe less, but basically, I’m tired of working like I need the paycheck.” 

Bella stares at me with a blank face.

“Jesus, you know our net worth is close to a billion dollars. We’re part of the one percent, yet we act like we aren’t. Bella, most people with our money have staff, they have nannies and drivers. And, God, they don’t work the hours we do. And they vacation a lot. We barely take a vacation every two years.” Opening my eyes, I look into her teary brown ones. “I’m so tired, Bella. I’m tired of missing our kids grow up. I’m tired of not having a date night with you. We can’t keep doing this. I don’t want to do this anymore.” 

She swipes the tears off her cheeks. “I don’t want to, either. I’ll start adding department heads and getting more help so I’m there a lot less. Maybe just three times a week for a few hours.” She shakes her head. “You know, we barely had a party for the twins, and Wyatt is almost to his first birthday but we’ve got nothing set up for it. You’re right, we can’t keep doing this.” 

I reach out and grab her hands. “We’ll give each other two weeks. And in two weeks, we will have new work schedules. We’ll make time for us and our family.”

She lets out a shaky breath and nods. “Bad timing, but I have to go to Florida with Julie this weekend to finish up the paperwork for her to live with us. If I don’t, they’ll take her away.”

“Fuck, all right. I forgot all about that. I just assumed it was all set.”

“Apparently, they need in-person signatures, plus it’ll give Julie time to say goodbye in person and grab some stuff out of storage that she might want to bring home.” 

She sighs, and I see the dark circles under her eyes and the dullness of her hair. All the signs of being run down. I can’t believe I haven’t seen it before. I wonder if I looked just as down as her.

“With our new schedules, things like this won’t slip through. More time with the kids. I really want more family dinners. Getting to know Trisha and setting up things for the baby.” Jesus, the baby. My head is going to explode. 

Bella smiles. “I think we can wait ‘til you aren’t looking like death to make any more serious plans.”

I wince as I snort at her comment. “I feel like death, to be honest. I’ve never drunk so much.”

“I know, you scared Lucian and Mike. Though, Mike felt pretty badass driving your car.”

“What?” I ask, confused. What the hell was Mike driving my car for?

“How do you think you got home?”

I blink a few times as my wife smirks at me. I honestly can’t remember anything after asking for my fourth shot of something. Fuck, I can’t even remember what I asked for. 

Her brow raises just slightly. “You called Lucian asking for a ride and to bring Mike so he could drive your car home.”

A brief flash of Lucian’s face comes to mind, but everything is fuzzy or just not there. “Fuck, I am such a bad parent.”

My eyes close as I let my head fall back. It isn’t long after that I feel her hands on my shoulders and her hot breath in my ear as she whispers. “I’d rather you called for a ride than attempt to drive home and get the phone call that you aren’t coming home.”

I kiss her cheek. “Good thing we’re rich; we can pay for their therapy sessions. Now I have to go check out my car because I know how our son drives, and it’s not well.”

*AFOC*

“You have plans this weekend, boss man?” Veronica says as she leans against my doorframe. 

I look up; she’s wearing a little black dress. I would describe it as the type of dress you can wear for any occasion, but mostly for first dates. “Not much, the wife will be in Florida and most of the little ones are having sleepovers.”

I go back to my paperwork, dismissing her. After she flirted a little with me last week, I decided being cold and dismissive is the best approach ‘til I can get a return date from Angela, who assures me she wants to come back.

“Okay, well I’m done for the day. I’ll see you later.”

I wave my hand as I finish up some emails. I have almost everything in order so I won’t be in the office as much. I can feel the weight lifting off my shoulders. 

I close everything and head home. The only ones there are Damon, Lucian, and Mike. 

“Hey, it looks like two of you have dates.”

I take in Lucian with his fancy jeans and blue button-up shirt and Mike is wearing tailored pants with a dark button-up. My oldest boys are dressed to the nines. “Is it a double?”

Mike looks over to Lucian with the tip of his ears turning red. “No, just a coincidence.” 

Damon laughs. “Yeah, Mike wants to get laid and Lucian will argue with Red again about college.”

Lucian glares at his brother. “Shut up, you’re just mad cause Trisha told you no again when you asked her out on a date.”

“Go out, have fun. Lucian, leave poor Sam alone with her decisions. It will only make things worse in the long run. Mike, be safe. Damon...” I look at him with his cocky smirk but sad brown eyes. “Want to split a pizza with your old man?”

“I need to do a phone interview with Seth, but after that, I’m so down for some pizza.”

The boys scatter while I check in with the other kids and the guardians for the night. It's odd being all but alone for the evening. 

I get into my comfy clothes and flop down in my den, ordering the pizza. For the first time in what feels like years, I’m fully relaxed and ready to have an evening with one of my kids. 

I hear the doorbell so I get off my ass. Waking to the door, I grab my wallet to pay the pizza guy. But on the other side of the door is not the delivery boy. “Veronica?”

“Hey, boss, can I come in?”

Confused, I move out of her way, letting her in. A million scenarios run through my mind about why she could be here on a Friday night. “Everything okay?”

“Yes, I just thought I would keep you company tonight. Maybe give you some release.” She drops her jacket off her shoulders, revealing naked skin.

“Dammit.” I quickly turn away, praying that Damon comes down to save me but also praying he doesn’t come down so he won’t get the wrong impression. Fuck. “Veronica, I don’t know when I gave you the impression that this would be okay, but I can assure you, it’s not.” My voice is strained from her stupidity. Jesus, I’ve been purposely ignoring her to make sure she doesn’t get any of these kinds of ideas. 

I feel her stand close to me. “Edward, it’s okay. I know you're having problems. Let me help you. No one will have to know.”

I let out a humorless chuckle. “There won’t be anything to fucking know. This isn’t happening. Please put your coat back on and leave.”

I feel her hand on my arms as I clamp my eyes shut.

“I can make you feel so good,” she purrs in my ear. 

“Dude, my dad told you to leave. And if you don’t, I’ll call the cops to haul your sexy, crazy ass away.” Damon’s voice startles me, forcing my eyes to open. He’s standing there with his phone in his hands. 

“Oh God.” She grabs her coat and puts it back on. “I thought you were alone.”

I scoff. “What does it matter? You need to leave. And come Monday, we’ll discuss your career.”

Her eyes bug out of her sockets. “Edward.”

I put my hand up. “No. I won’t have an assistant that disrespects my family like this. Now, you need to go.”

She flees out the door, almost knocking over the poor pizza guy.

“Damn, Dad, who knew you still had that much game?”

I smack the back of his head. “Your mother will be so pissed.”







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