I sigh as I flop down on the large bed. Lucca led me to one of the guest rooms, the place I'll be staying for a week. The bed has a silk comforter, and I want to snuggle into it and never leave. I decide against it, and to explore the property like Lucca said I could. His apologies kept racing through my mind, like a record on repeat.
"I'm so sorry Thea, she didn't mean it. She takes time to warm up to people."
Well she had no problem warming up to Isabella. Just like her name, Isabella is perfect. I found out she is from a loving family, they have accumulated a lot of money from her father's business, and she has wonderful siblings that adore her. While I come from a broken home, where my father is an evil man, not the loving protector he should have been. I sigh as I shut the door, pushing all my thoughts aside. I walk down the long corridor, to where it led to the steps to the main foyer.
Joseph was in the main foyer, speaking in French on his phone. I understand what he is saying, but of course I don't lead on that I do know what he is speaking about. I trudge out the back door, which leads to the horse pasture. There are six horses, all so beautiful and strong, fenced in by wooden posts, an old fashioned fence. I rest my elbows on the woods and rest my head in my palms as I watch two of the horses play. They are running around, as if they were almost playing tag. I laugh at the sight, and the horses ignore me as if I'm not there. A wet nose brushes up against my windbreaker, leaving water and saliva all down my arm.
Letting out a laugh, I look up to see a beautiful quarter horse looking at me with interest. I stretch out my open hand so it can get a feel for me. It's cold nose touches my palm, making me giggle quietly. Once it's done familiarizing me, it pushes my hand with its muzzle, making my hand go to its soft hair. I stroke it's mane first, running my fingers through it. As I start petting it's soft nose, I speak softly to it in French.
"Tu es si belle." I move my hand up to the spot in between its eyes and gently pet it.
"Je parie que tu es un si bon garçon ou une fille," I say, not knowing if it was a girl or boy. I continue to pet it before a harsh voice snaps me from my trans.
"What are you doing out here?" Rachel's cold voice snaps at me, her eyes burning with fury.
"Lucca said I could talk a look around, and your beautiful horses caught my attention. I'm sorry if you did not want me back here," I say politely, holding back the sass and fiery comments I want to throw at her.
"It's not that I don't want you back here per say, it's that I do not want you at my home at all. Lucca said he was seeing someone, so I thought he took the hint and was courting Isabella, not some side-street trash."
Fury burns through me like a wild fire, and I want to stand up for myself, but I hold back my comments and just give her a small smile before heading back inside. The back door is slightly open, and I see Lucca with a frown on his face, looking at me with sadness. Great. As soon as I get up to him, he envelopes me in a large hug and I wrap my small arms around his torso, holding on tightly.
"I'm so sorry for her behavior. I'm going to have to speak with her later." I shake my head against his chest, that's not a good idea.
"No. I know you mean well, but she will get to know me, and see the real me, even though she's acting as if she is pmsing real hard right now." My comment earns a hearty chuckle from Lucca and I can't help but smile, oh how much I adore him.
——
The bar stool shifts a little under my weight, making a loud scraping noise. I try to stay as quiet as possible, not wanting to wake anyone up. I look around in the dark to try to be able to see if anyone has woken up. I go back to my bowl of cereal I made as a midnight snack because I was starving. Granted, I ate around 10, but still, it was a long time for me. I scoop up another spoonful of the chocolatey goodness when an annoyed sigh comes from behind me. My head swivels to see Rachel looking at me, very annoyed for some reason.
"Of course, now you're mooching off of us while we're sleeping." I want to growl at her to back off, that it's just a bowl of cereal, but I bite my tongue. Her next words make me completely ignore what I was planning to do.
"So, when will seducing my son for our money end?" I choke on the food in my mouth, and smack my chest. My hard glare meets her scrutinizing gaze, and I feel my whole body turning cold and angry.
"Excuse me?" I snap, my words slicing the silence like a knife. I stand up off of the bar stool and loom over her 5'2 frame with my 5'7 height. Her eyes widen at my sudden confidence and standing up for myself.
"You heard me." She snaps and I want to ring her neck like a damp towel.
"Oh I most certainly heard you wrong. I feel in love with your son way before I realized he had money, Ms. Maxwell."
"Well, now you are just using him, despite your feelings, are going to get him to marry you for his money."
"Listen here, I am no mooch, or gold digger. If you don't trust my intentions, how about you trust your son's capabilities to realize if someone is using him. I mean you are the one who raised him, am I correct?" I snarl, my anger flaring at her previous words. This woman will not let it go, and understand I'm not using Lucca.
"Goodnight Mrs. Maxwell," I snap. I set my bowl in the sink before walking confidently past her to my room.
——
"Tu es si belle" means 'you are so beautiful.'
"Je parie que tu es un si bon garçon ou une fille" means 'I bet you are such a good boy or girl'
YOU ARE READING
THEA
General FictionThea Grey: co-owner of a flower shop by day, underground fighter by night, but that isn't her only secret. What will happen when her past catches up to her? -- "We thought you were over this, what triggered it?" "Nothing. A monster never changes."...
