This Life (COMPLETED)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Martha," I whisper as Kain stares blankly at the letter. His eyes snap to mine with a remorseful look.

"How would she have known about that? Martha died nearly two years after she was stabbed," Kain says as we walk into the apartment. I wasn't sure where Alexander was, but I knew he wasn't home since his car wasn't in the parking lot. It was probably for the best that he isn't here.

"I don't know, but how does she even know who we really are? If she knows that then I'm assuming she knows a lot more then we think."

Kain groans in frustration and puts the letter on the coffee table. I quickly pick it up and grab a lighter from the kitchen to burn it like I did with the others. Kain watches me skeptically. I watch the letter begin to burn as the door suddenly opens. I see Kain's eyes widen in shock. I quickly toss the burning letter into the sink and turn the water on.

Alexander walks through the door looking completely and utterly worn out. His beard has grown longer, his hair was disheveled and he had large bags beneath his eyes. But it was the bottle of whiskey in his hand that made me aware of just how defeated he was.

"I hope you weren't drinking and driving," is the first thing that comes out of my mouth.

His jaw clenches. "It's not even open," he holds the bottle up to me.

"Oh," I whisper.

He chuckles darkly. "It's nice to see you too Charlie."

I immediately feel guilty for how I'm acting. I didn't mean to come across like that the words had just slipped out of my mouth. I was worried about him and after how things have been between us, even before Luna was taken seeing the alcohol made me upset.

"Welcome back Kain," he adds with a fake smile plastered on his face. He walks into the kitchen, turning the sink off without questioning the bit of smoke that still floated out of it. He walked around me and grabbed a glass before pouring himself some of the whiskey. He suddenly looks up at the both of us who stare at him apprehensively, "Oh how rude of me! Would either of you like a glass?"

I frown and shake my head. This wasn't my Alexander, I didn't recognize this man standing in front of me. He downs a glass of whiskey as Kain turns down his offer. He pours another glass and walks into the living room sitting on the chair across from Kain. I quickly take the soaked paper from the sink and toss the remains in the garbage before taking the only seat left, beside Kain.

Alexander looks between the two of us and laughs humorlessly again. "It looks like I'm your father meeting your boyfriend for the first time before he takes you on a date."

I scrunch my eyebrows in irritation even if to an outside person it might actually look like that, but the fact that Alex is addressing it after not caring for so long about our age gap makes me uncomfortable. And with the history Kain and I have it makes this all the more awkward.

"Alex please don't be like this," I whisper.

His blue eyes surrounded by a tired and alcohol-induced redness stare into mine. A wave of sadness and pain pass through them before he quickly freezes them over so I can no longer read him. "Be like what Charlotte? My daughter is missing still and my fiancée or ex-fiancee," he furrows his eyebrows in frustration, "just got back from a trip to Africa to get her old lover who can apparently get my daughter back."

I frown knowing how much I'm hurting him. "I'm so sorry Alexander..."

He avoids my eyes and looks to Kain, "So Kain, what is it that you can do better than me huh? Why are you more capable of finding my daughter than I am?" His voice is slowly rising.