the cover page that I printed out and placed on top.
“Don’t say a word,” I warn.
He shuts his mouth.
“When you get an offer—and only when—tell Alena. Give her the offer. Don’t tell her that I did this. Tell her… Tell her that you found her manuscript. That you found a publisher behind my back.”
“Dimi.”
“Whatever you do, do not tell her it was me. Understand?”
He pauses. I know what question is coming. “Why don’t you just tell her that you’re sorry? That you want to make it up to her?”
I wince as my heart throbs. “She doesn’t love me anymore, Javier. I made sure of that. I’ve caused her so much pain. I don’t want to cause her any more. The best thing I can do for her is to never let her see me again.” I turn towards the window and look out across the lonely moors, now drained of colour. “No amount of sorrys will ever redeem me for what I did to her. She deserves to be happy. I will do everything in my power to make sure that happens. I just…I can’t let her know. She’s so damn stubborn.” Despite my pain, I smile. “She’ll never accept my help if she knows it’s from me.”
“But wouldn’t—?”
I slam my fist on the desk. “I don’t pay you to question me, dammit, just fucking do it.”
Javier’s only reaction to my outburst is to smirk at me. “Actually, I think you do pay me to question you.”
I let out a groan. “Well, don’t. Not with this. Please.”
Javier studies me for a long moment. The bastard always thinks he’s so clever, reading into all the things I do.
Before I shout at him to fuck off, he nods. “Consider it done.” He heads to the door, manuscript in hand.
“And Javier?” I call after him.
“Yes?”
“Make the necessary preparations for us to move.” I turn to watch the wind playing across the moors, my thumb still playing with Alena’s fingerprint ink stain. “I can’t bear to live here anymore.”
64
____________
Alena
A few days later…
I walk alone along the road from school to our cottage. This way is longer but I like taking this route home because it’s more scenic. It has nothing to do with the fact that it passes by the low brick wall that runs along one side of Worthington Manor. Nothing. I don’t care to see Dimitri again. I just…like to check on the manor. To make sure he hasn’t burned it down in all his rage.
I stop today at the wall near the top of a small hill. From here I am mostly hidden. I can see the front of the massive building, the driveway, and the road that the driveway turns onto. I frown. The windows of the manor look dark. All the curtains have been drawn. There’s a cluster of cars in the circular driveway and people swarming about. I squint, trying to make out what they are doing. Two familiar figures step out of the front door. I would recognise Dimitri’s figure anywhere. The other must be Javier.
I gasp and duck behind the wall. Stupid, Alena. He can’t see you from there. Why did you duck?
I wipe my sweaty palms on my skirt and slowly stand. He’s gone. Where did he go? The car in the front of the convoy sets off down the driveway. The other cars are still there. They’re packing up the cars full of suitcases and boxes.
The first car is now almost to the end of the driveway. Dimitri is in there, I know it.
He’s leaving. Dimitri is leaving.
No. Before I realise what I’m doing, I’m running. I’m running for my life towards the road. My heart thunders in my ears, my legs scream with effort. I’m not sure why I’m running, I just know if I don’t, I will regret it.
I’m almost at the small gate that separates the school grounds and the road. I’m almost—
The black car flies past, Dimitri in the back seat. I see him.
He doesn’t see me.
He doesn’t hear me either as I scream for him to stop! Because he doesn’t stop.
I scrape my hands on the low brick wall separating us. I tear my skirts climbing over. As I tumble to the gravel road on the other side, the back of Dimitri’s vehicle disappears around the bend.
I’m hit with shock and not just from my fall.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was supposed to get to the road before he passed. He was supposed to see me. I was