RYAN
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I grimaced while taking another swig from my glass. The cool liquid, burning my throat as it went down. Through all 18 years of my life I never thought I'd be like this, like him.
Drowning my sorrows with a bottle of Hibiki whiskey. Swirling the familiar liquid in my glass, watching as it swam around the sphere of ice. I slouched back in the leather chair, mothers screams echoing through the walls as she stomped down the hall. The sound of her heels clicking against the marble floor. Closing in on the office where I sat.
"Leave him, Diana" Father's voice boomed. With a huff she ignored his demand, pushing open the wooden doors that separated me from them.
As she approached me I stood from my chair, her cheeks stained with tears making my heart sink. If there was one thing that truly hurt me it was seeing my mother cry.
"You're leaving?" She croaked. Her heavy gaze filled with both anger and sorrow. Before I had a chance to speak, my father stepped in behind her. His face was hard, void of any emotion as he walked around his desk.
"Course he is, he has no interest in working under me. He made that clear by trashing the contract signing this afternoon" I clenched my jaw, tipping back the rest of my glass before slamming it down on his desk. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, letting out a dry chuckle.
"I don't care for your hand me outs" He scoffed as I spoke.
"This is a family business, it's not a hand out!" I shook my head in disgust as he boomed.
This whole life was a scam. Father didn't care how he got money, he would throw anyone and any company under the bus just to make a quick buck. It didn't used to be like this.
Father run's one of, if not the largest Industrial Mining companies. We were doing fine but he insisted on up-scaling the business. In doing so, he undermined and sold out allies. Buying their land and their teams for cheap, then tripling the price. Not that he cares. The day Earnshaw Enterprises went global was the day Father lost all care for the smaller things in life.
The luxury had ruined my mother and the money had blinded my father, them both in their own ways only ever wanting more. My two younger brothers too naive to understand, and then there was me. The eldest born son, 18 years of age, refused to take part in this money scheme. The son that on this day, stormed out of their lives.
I made a vow to myself that I wouldn’t return to sign that paper until I had earned it. Born with a silver spoon they say. But what they missed was how it was dipped in poison.
So I worked for it. I studied. I read every book and aced every test. For five years that night was the one that consumed my thoughts. Five years it took before I picked up that pen. The thing that all this time had motivated me to keep going, to achieve what I needed to succeed. But the proud gleam in my father's eyes when he saw my name printed on the page made my stomach turn and my blood boil. The day I signed the papers became the day I took what I wanted. After five years of focus I had never given myself the chance to let go of the memory that fueled me. But now there was another, one that burned through this like it was the sun against a flame.
I remember it like it was yesterday, every detail etched into my mind like a never ending story. The look on her face as she lay beneath me. The sounds that escaped her when she felt my breath on her neck. The way her skin felt under my hands as I held her still, or the way she shivered from the anticipation of us.
Six months had passed since that night. And ever since, the memory of her ruled my mind. Zoe Pierce, my little butterfly. The first and last time I had her in my grasp, and it had killed me ever since. Signing that contract became my life. The most demanding thing in my mind didn’t comprehend how stubborn the other could be.
You shouldn’t have left... Those words danced in my mind everyday.
The regrets of how I left her alone in those sheets. I knew what was to come of my life so why did I decide to strike then. I couldn’t hold back seeing someone else make her smile. I wanted it to be me. I agreed when she said she needed time to overcome the guilt she was enduring, yet I couldn’t shake the bitter taste it left in my mouth. Listening to her goodbyes as I walked away after having my chance of claiming her. It killed me.
Finally I had something I wanted. Something that was a decision I had made from my own free will. But as always, I walked away. I didn’t fight beyond the look in her eyes. She was young, confused… she didn’t want to hurt me anymore than she had. So I agreed.
All those memories bring me here. To the moment the words left My best friend's mouth.
“I’m moving out, buying a house for Belle and I” Landons words being one that I wish I was saying myself. Don't get me wrong, I was happy for him. But looking at him always reminded me of her. The past five years my only focus had been work. Everything else I easily glided through with jokes and smiles, the only hiccups being my father.
But when those words left his mouth I couldn't help but freeze. There was no smile or congratulations, because my mind went straight to Zoe. Right now she is living with Belle. Now, knowing Belle would say yes, she would be alone. The thought both excited me and left me uneasy.
Throwing down the papers on the table I rubbed my hands over my face. Processing what he had just said.
“Did I leave the Ryan Earnshaw speechless?” Landon teased as he dropped onto the couch beside me. I chuckled.
“Is this why you were asking about bonuses, so you can buy your princess a castle?” Leaning over he hit my shoulder with a smile, though we both knew I was joking. With Landon and I still living together he had managed to save almost everything he’d earned. And considering I’m the one who signs his paychecks, I can tell you it's enough for a deposit on a house.
“No but, I do need to ask a favour” The sincerity in Landons tone almost distracted me from the sound of our front door. I didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. Her heavy footsteps followed by her signature groan being all I needed to know it was her. My butterfly.
As she rounded the corner our eyes locked. The weakness she hid so well from others consumed her face briefly enough for me to catch it before she rolled her eyes.
"So you roped us both into this huh?" Rounding the couch she picked up the pillows that covered it. Throwing them in my direction before taking a seat. Her eyes met mine, a mischievous gleam in them as she crossed her legs over the coffee table before her.
This wasn't the first time we had seen one another since that night. But it seemed that every time we did, my little butterfly would turn into a brat. Her way of protecting herself only made me want her more. Refusing to look away from her stubborn eyes I smiled as I spoke.
"Roped us into what exactly?" She huffed at my words. Her eyes squinted in challenge as she kicked her feet off the table.
"Well, my brother here wants to steal my best friend from me. Again." Her eyes darted to Landon who laughed. Zoe had always been stubborn, even towards him. But she was seemingly worse when I was around. That much was evident.
Sadly for Landon, the more frustrated she got, the more I wanted to tease her. A game we played yet something we would never admit.
"And...?" Leaning forward I prodded, knowing she didn't have an answer.
"And in doing so, he needs our help. God knows why, ask him" Her eyes flicked back to mine, I could see the anger brewing in them. But beyond that was a spark. Though it was dim I could recognise it every time. The small sight let me know that even though I was pissing her off, she was enjoying it nonetheless.
"Can you two get along for a second. I kinda need you too for this to work" Landon lent forward between us.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well I don't want to ruin the surprise or make anything seem suspicious. So I was hoping you two could put your personal s**t aside and go to all these open houses for me" He sighed before pulling out a stack of papers. I reached out, taking them from his grasp to scan through them. Now realising just how serious this was to him, there were around 30 houses here, all different styles and locations.
Before I could flick to the next page Zoe stood from the couch, reaching over to rip the papers from my grasp. The realisation that I just had hit her making her mouth gape. 30 Odd houses meant we would be spending days together, let alone a few weeks.
"You want me to go with him?" She groaned, pointing between us as if the idea were the most disgusting thing on earth. The way she acted only made me want to gag her and prove her wrong. I felt my gaze drop to her hips as they swayed in front of me, the heat in my eyes evident to her as her thighs clamped shut.
Looking back up I smiled deviously watching as she blushed.
"Zoe, you know Belle better than anyone. I think you could really help me find the right home" Landon interrupted, pulling Zoe out of the trance she had seemingly found herself stuck in.
"Y-yeah but..." She attempted to protest to which I stood, pulling the papers back from her small hands.
"We'll do it" Landon smiled but Zoe gasped. She turned to me shocked at what I had just agreed to, but what I saw in her eyes this time hit me in a way I wasn't expecting.
She was scared. I hated the thought of it but I understood why, it was the same reason all those months ago I walked away. She was scared to hurt me again because though she wouldn't admit it, she was scared to hurt someone she loved.
This time I wasn't going to miss my chance.