CHASING TEMPTATION

Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

Juliet glanced at the home that once used to overflow with warmth. Now it was just another mansion in the street, filled with nothing except coldness and utter emptiness. Sighing, she pressed her palms against the soft fabric of her grey pencil dress. Her gaze fell on her father, sitting on top of the table. She placed a kiss on her father’s cheek, completely ignoring Chris sitting across the exquisite dinner table. She could feel her father’s questioning glance behind her as she took her place at the table.

“Where is John?” He finally inquired, unable to contain his curiosity.

“Why don’t you ask your son?” Juliet bit back, trying to hold the last scraps of calmness.

James McCann glanced at his son then back to his daughter and judging from the guilty look weighing heavily on Chris’s face, he did not need to ask even though he did anyway.

“What did you do now Chris?” It was almost like an exasperated sigh.

When he said nothing, out of bitterness Juliet chirped in,” What? Cat got your tongue now brother?”

“Juliet,” Chris sighed.

“You know what? I only came here because Dad wanted us to meet an old friend of his. So dad,” She angled her head to face the older man, “is your friend running late or what?”

She did not mean to sound that bitter but the amount of damage Chris had done to her was getting unbearable by the minute and his presence at the table was not helping.

“Um… about that. Kids I wanted to talk to you first,” whenever her father used that tone, Juliet knew something really serious was about to be dropped on them. Honestly she already had enough shocks for a day.

“What happened Dad?” she questioned sounding a little impatient.

“You know that it’s been long since your mother and I got separated, right?” James gazed at his twin kids with an expectant look on his face.

“You mean since you kicked her out?” Chris intervened just what exactly had been running through both the twins’ minds.

“Chris, Juliet. She cheated on me and you both knew that,” James sighed. He hated talking about his cheating wife and in truth it hurt that his own kids still blamed him for it.

Before he could say anything more, the doorbell rang, instantly capturing everyone’s attention. A look of perspiration hit James’s face instantly. Unwillingly, Juliet shot a confused look at her brother but Chris just shrugged, completely unaware of what was going on. The house maid, Janet, quickly answered the door, a medium height, smiling gorgeous blonde, probably in her mid-twenties greeted their curious gazes. James immediately stood up, a nervous smile lighting up his features.

“Who is she?” Juliet questioned as the blonde cat walked into the house like she belonged there.

“Chris, Juliet. I would like you to meet Kerry, my girlfriend,” James introduced, his arm wound around Kerry’s waist.

Juliet stared at both of them blankly for a few seconds before she burst out laughing, through her head back a bit.

“Yeah, right,” she shook her head, completely amused by the entire spectacle.

“I’m serious Juliet,” James snapped, in a rather frustrated tone. The confident smile had now fallen off Kerry’s face.

Now taken aback by the seriousness in her father’s voice, Juliet started back in shock. What the f**k was happening to the universe all of a sudden? First her boyfriend-ex-boyfriend to be precise-and now her father?

“You and mum have only been separated for three years dad and suddenly you bring your hoes here? You are despicable,” she spat with the utmost disgust.

A hard look painted on James face and were it not for the fact that Kerry squeezed his arm, he would have probably struck Juliet. Unable to control her own rising temper, Juliet picked her purse and stood up.

“What the hell is wrong with the men in this house?” she spat, before matching off to the door, her heels clicking against the marble floor. The moment she reached the door, a thought popped in her head and she faced her family one more time.

“By the way I’m getting married,” for a moment she was tempted to relish in the shock painted on their faces but she was too damn angry to spend another minute in that house.

Sliding into her Audi A3, she pulled out of the double gates of her childhood home. Taking a deep breath once she was a safe distance away, she slowed down the car as she dialed Vicky’s number. The moment she heard the loud music in the background she almost cut off the call.

“What’s up girl?” Vicky’s voice came like a screech in her ears.

“Where are you?”

“At Ryan’s party,” she was already a little bit tipsy.

“Ryan? Your ex Ryan?”

“That same Ryan. I think we might hit it up later, if you know what I’m saying,” She could almost picture Vicky winking on the other side line.

“Can we talk?”

“Yeah sure. Is it about John?” she was basically screaming.

“No. I think I might take you up on your offer and marry Byron,” she announced.

“Yes! I knew you’d come around,” Did she ever stop screaming even for once? Juliet internally groaned, cussing herself for making such a rush decision.  She would probably regret it later.

“And I’m crushing at your place tonight by the way. So we’ll talk tomorrow when you are sober. Have a great time Vicky,” she said.

“See you then,”

As she drove to Vicky’s apartment she had a feeling she’d probably sold her own soul just because she had been damn pissed at her brother and father.