The Badboy's Secret

XXVI Everything

Enjoy the chapter. Taking a small break just to sort stuff out so next chapter will be in a fortnight (on Christmas in Aus, Christmas Eve in USA!!!). Hope this tides you over. XXOO

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"Lexa, I really like you okay? That's why I came with you here. That's why I- Why I asked you out, why I spend time with you! Why don't you understand that? How can you not get that!" Archie exclaims emphatically, running his hand through his hair. "I've waited and waited and waited. Please. Just tell me the truth. Please," he begs. "I can't sit here nonchalantly when my girlfriend flew me half way around the world and won't even tell me why! How am I supposed to comfort you?"

I sigh. I can't do this right now. Not after the news I heard in the law firm. After I came to, my mind was so foggy and my body so numb that I barely remember my mum asking me to call Archie and check if he got hotel rooms, thanking Attorney Smith and then leaving to get a taxi here.

"Archie I know I owe you it. But I'm so so tired. I just learned some bad news so-" Archie interrupts abruptly.

"I know you're tired. I know. But please. You can sleep. We can sleep and cuddle all night. All day. As long as you like! Just tell me first. Tell me what's going on."

"It's a long story...I don't know if I can do this," I look away from him, tears already stinging my eyes. I don't want to be reminded.

"Fucking just tell me!" Archie loses his temper momentarily and I see anger flash across his normally unreadable green eyes. How dare he demand such things when he won't even reveal half his past to me.

"It's not that simple. It's not like you go spilling your life to me," I say with a touch of venom dripping from my tone. He's sees my hurt and flops down on the crisp white hotel bed.

"I'm sorry," he apologises. "I just really need to know. I don't know much about you Lexa. I honestly don't and I'm no expert but in a relationship I'm pretty sure you're supposed to know a lot about the other person." I sigh and sit down next to him. I know he's right. I have to do this. I owe him an explanation but I've never told anyone everything like this. Never. Not even Carly knows the full story.

"Fine. I'll tell you everything. But you can't speak until the end. Promise that you won't. It's long."

"I swear it. Just tell me the truth," he replies. I take the deepest breath I've ever taken and try to calm myself. I don't want to have a panic attack in the middle of the explanation.

"I don't know where to begin," I put my head in my hands.

"Just start where you want. Start right at the beginning," he starts rubbing my lower back and I close my eyes for a moment, diving into the dark memories that I refused to acknowledge for a year. Memories I've only ever brought back through my nightmares. They've become a dark, swirling mass, a blurry collection of visions. I'm scared but I have to do it for Archie. I take another deep breath. And I tell him everything;

"A while ago. Before I moved and when I lived here in Sydney, my father was obviously alive," I check to see if Archie's listening and he is so I continue. "He had a job as the CEO of a large company and work started getting kind of tough I guess," I check again, self-consciously, at Archie's reaction. He face is unreadable. "The company had like a sister company that my father used to own and passed on to two co-owners. They were having a bit of a falling out at the time because the other company was failing and my father refused to support it. Business was tough. Meanwhile, I had a...a boyfriend," I look up to see Archie's eyebrows raised. He looks as though he's about to ask a question but he refrains, remembering his promise not to speak yet. "He was older and worked for my father. His name was Jarrod. To me, so young and carefree he was amazing. He was an older guy with money, with experience who was interested in me, a young innocent girl. My family welcomed the relationship. They knew him well from the company and he was said to be my father's protege. We dated for a long time and we'd often go partying at clubs and stuff. One day, we were partying again...well making out at the club," I take a deep breath, looking out of the window at the passing cars and bright streetlights. Sydney is most gorgeous at night. I watch some pedestrians walking by, oblivious to the serious conversation I am having with my boyfriend right now. "...I thought we would get married. I thought he actually loved me. He said he loved me. And then I got the phone call," I take a silent sob and Archie pulls his hand around me. "They told me...the hospital...I got a call that said-my father he was..."