Then Came Alexandra (Southern Love #1) (9 page)

“I don’t trust you.”

“And you trust this random girl?”

“She isn’t random,” he said simply.

“Have you fucked her?”

“I shouldn’t have to answer that,” he said. “But no, I haven’t fucked anyone. And I can’t until you leave. So now you understand why I’m in such a hurry to get rid of you.”

“How can you say that to me?”

“Shut the hell up. You told me we didn’t need to wear condoms because you were on the pill. You obviously lied so you would get knocked up. Or you lied about being pregnant so I would ask you to move in. You’ve been after my money from the beginning. And I was an idiot for falling for it.”

She sniffed. “That isn’t true.”

“Give it a rest.” He walked toward the door. “Now it doesn’t matter. Since I’m not a complete asshole, I’ll let you stay until I figure out what to do with you. I’m ready to move on with someone else, but I can’t do that when everyone thinks we’re still together.

She averted her gaze, looking at anything but him.

He slammed the door closed, shaking the entire house.

13

After Blaise finished his economics course, he met with his counselor.

“Hello, Professor Hank.”

“Sit down.” He nodded to the chair across from his desk.

Blaise received an email from his professor, asking for a meeting. He wasn’t sure what the topic of their conversation would be. He waited for him to speak.

“After looking at your transcripts and your course plan, I’ve come to realize that this isn’t working.”

“What do you mean?” Blaise asked.

“If you keep taking one course a semester, you’re never going to finish on time. It’ll take you twelve years just to get your bachelors. You need to take more classes, Mr. Cunnings.”

Blaise sighed. “I would if I could. The cotton takes up a lot of my time.”

He nodded. “Maybe you should just concentrate on that, then.”

“But this is my dream,” he said quickly.

“Well, you clearly can’t do both. Pick one, Mr. Cunnings.”

Blaise didn’t know what to do.

“And law school is another four years. This isn’t going to happen.”

“In a few years, I’ll figure out what to do. I’ll sell it or higher an overseer.”

“You’ve been saying that for two years.”

“I know…”

“I know this isn’t my place, but I’m just trying to help you. If this is what you want to pursue, you need to do it now. At this rate, you’re just wasting your time.”

“It’s complicated…”

“Then uncomplicated it.”

“It’s not that easy.”

Professor Hank shrugged. “I’ve given you my advice. Do what you will. But if I were you, I’d be happy with what you have. Most people aren’t so lucky.”

Blaise hated hearing that. Losing his parents didn’t constitute as luck. He had always planned on going to college, knowing his brother would take over the company in his stead. But that hadn’t worked out. His father left the company to him. He trusted Blaise to keep his legacy alive. How could he just walk away from that? If he chased his dream, he would be selfish. The argument repeated itself in his mind, over and over. He didn’t know what to do. “Thank you for your concern.”

Hank nodded. “I’m your counselor for a reason.”

Blaise left the office and walked back to his truck. He felt the stress weigh heavily on his heart. Danielle was still at the house so he avoided going home as much as possible. He was only there for work. He decided to go to the bar where he knew his friends would be.

He ordered his beer then sat in their usual booth.

“You look like hell,” Ray said.

“That sounds about right.” Blaise drank from his beer then stared at the TV.

“She still driving you crazy?”

“Don’t remind me.”

“You want to crash at my place tonight?”

“I would love to.”

“You live in a mansion, but you’re going to settle for an apartment?” He laughed. “That’s ironic.”

“It’s not a mansion when the devil lives there. It’s a haunted house.”

He laughed. “Why don’t you just break up with her?”

“It’s complicated…but it’ll happen eventually.”

“And you’ll be hunting pussy again.”

Blaise glared at him. “No. I’m not like that anymore.”

“What?”

“I’m done with that. I need to grow up and be a man. And that got old. Look where it got me.”

“That was just a really bad experience.”

“I’m still done with it.”

“Do you have your eye on someone?”

Blaise hadn’t told anyone how he felt about Alexandra. Word traveled fast in Savannah. Since he had to keep up pretenses, he decided to keep it to himself. “No.”

“When the last time you got any?”

“Months.”

“So you must be dying.”

He shrugged.

“If you’ve been with Danielle this whole time, you may as well have kept banging her. That sounds fair.”

“I didn’t want it. When you hate someone, any desire you may have had disappears. The idea of being with her disgusts me.”

“Damn…”

“Let’s talk about something else.”

“Okay. How’s the business?”

“John keeps riding my ass.”

“That guy seriously needs to let it go,” Ray said. “It’s been two years.”

“He follows me everywhere, watching my every move.”

“That would get old quick.”

“I feel like I’m always talking about myself,” Blaise said. “What’s new with you?”

He shrugged. “School is lame—like always.”

“Any lady friends?”

“Nope. Not recently.”

“You’re boring,” Blaise said with a laugh.

“What a nice thing to say,” Ray said sarcastically. “But at least my life isn’t full of drama.”

“You have a point.” Blaise tapped his glass again his. “And be grateful for that.”

“I am.”

Blaise downed his glass then threw his money on the table. “I should get home.”

“It’s only a little while longer, man. Hold on.”

“Thanks.”

He drove home and walked into the parlor. When he heard voices in the other room, he sighed in annoyance. He didn’t feel like entertaining anyone. He walked into the kitchen and felt his irritation rise.

He glared at Danielle, silently cursing her.

“I made lasagna,” she said sweetly. “I hope you’re hungry.”

Blaise didn’t respond to her words. He looked at his Uncle John, who was sitting at the table. “Uncle.”

“I thought I would stop by. Your lovely wife let me in.”

“She isn’t my wife,” Blaise snapped.

John shrugged. “Sorry.” He had similar features Blaise’s father, the dark brown hair and blue eyes, but his nose was larger and his face rounder.

Blaise sat down and took a bite of his lasagna. He hated Danielle but he liked her cooking. “What do you want?” he said simply.

“Just to visit.”

“Cut the shit,” Blaise snapped.

“Always had impeccable manners,” his uncle said simply.

Blaise ate his dinner and tried to ignore his uncle. He would admit what he wanted in time.

“I found this buyer in South Korea. He said he would pay three times the amount per pound of cotton.”

Blaise hardly ever did international orders. His father warned him not to, and he followed his advice. “Thank you for the tip.”

“So you’ll do it?”

“No.”

“Come on,” John said. “I’ll take a small percent. Twenty.”

Blaise shook his head. “I don’t do orders outside the US.”

“That’s where your dad was wrong. If you want to increase your market, you have to expand. We can buy more land and feed the orders.”

“I’m already the biggest cotton manufacturer in the south. I don’t need more business.”

John shook his head. “You’re a horrible businessman.”

Blaise ignored the insult. Now he was more upset with Danielle because she let him in the house. He specifically told her not to. “What do they need the cotton for?”

John stared at him incredulously. “What does it matter?”

“It does fucking matter,” he snapped. “Why do they need the business now? How did you even get a hold of them?”

“I know a guy.”

“A smart businessman doesn’t dive head first into a pool when he doesn’t know how deep it is.”

“Fine,” John said. “They are selling it to North Korea so they can make uniforms. North Korea is losing trading partners by the day. They are growing desperate for goods so they’ll pay any price. I’m using South Korea as the middle man so I don’t have to deal with them directly.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Blaise snapped. “This is exactly why Dad wants me to run this business, not you.”

John stood up. “And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Blaise stood up. “Do you know what the hell is going on in South Korea? They are practically running concentration camps. Why would I give them cotton to make fucking uniforms? So they can enslave those innocent people even more? Fuck no.”

“That isn’t our concern. We are businessmen. We care about numbers, not ethics.”

Blaise slammed his plate on the ground, making it shatter into pieces. Danielle covered her mouth and gasped. John’s eyes widened. “Get the fuck out of my house!”

John stared him down.

“I said get out.”

John left the house and slammed the door behind him.

Blaise clenched his fists at his sides, trying to control the anger inside him. He turned to Danielle, wanting to rip her throat out. “I told you not to let him in,” he snapped. “I specifically said that.”

“I know—but he kept talking and it just happened. I’m sorry.”

“I can’t wait until you are out of my life forever.”

She flinched at his words.

Blaise marched into his shower and sat under the water, still fully clothed. He had never been so angry in his life. The frustration was so strong, he felt the tears bubble under his eyes. Everything in his life was so messed up. He was stuck there, carrying out the legacy, but he had no desire to be there. He wanted to get up and leave, never looking back.

14

Blaise and Alexandra worked in the field bright and early the next morning. Blaise was quiet, still upset about the day before. He didn’t have much to say and stayed quiet most of the time.

When they returned the seed planter machine to the warehouse, Alexandra stared at him, seeing the stress etched on his features. Blaise felt her look.

“Is everything okay?” she asked gently.

He kept his back to her and opened the refrigerator. He didn’t think he could lie to her. She would see right through his exterior. He had already told her more than anyone else. He grabbed two waters. “Yeah.” He turned around and handed her one.

She took it apprehensively. “I’m here if you change your mind.”

Blaise sighed, irritated that she didn’t fall for his lie.  She drank from her water and tilted her head back, exposing her neck. He stared at the curves of her throat, noting the slender lines and grooves. She was petite everywhere, small and round. He noted the slight curl of her hair. The waves bounced around her shoulders and highlighted the green color of her eyes. He always preferred brunettes, and he was especially attracted to her.  Her sweetness and compassion immediately drew him in. Selfish people flooded the world, and he was grateful there were a few people who weren’t like that. She had a naturally bounce to her. “I just had a bad day yesterday.”

She turned to the ladder that led to the hatch up above. She climbed it until she reached the top. “Come on.”

He tried not to stare at her ass as she climbed. It was round and perky. The jeans fit her perfectly, making his imagination run wild. He shook his head to clear his thoughts then followed her to the loft.

She sat on the hay pile then stared at him. He sat across from her then held his water tightly, suddenly aware of how alone they were. They were hidden from the world, away from the peeking eyes of her aunt. He looked at her lips, wandering how soft they were. He imagined how they would feel against his mouth.

“I used to climb up here when my aunt and I played hide and seek.”

“What?” He stopped thinking about kissing her.

She smiled. “When I was little I would hide in here. It was my favorite spot. Martha never found me because I would take the ladder with me.  One day, she got so scared she called the police. I thought it was funny at the time.”

Blaise laughed. “I would have loved to see that. She must have been pissed when she found you.”

“Actually, she wasn’t. She hugged me and started crying, saying she was so happy I was okay.”

“That’s a sweet story.”

“But the next day she was pissed.”

Blaise laughed. “That sounds more like Martha.”

“So I always come up here when I’m trying to hide. You can use it if you want.”

His eyes softened at her words. When she said things like this, he fell for her more. “Thank you.”

She grabbed a piece of straw and played with it. Her gaze was downcast.

Blaise took advantage of the opportunity to stare at her. The curves of her face were angelic. Everything about her was perfect.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she whispered.

Blaise didn’t want to talk about Danielle. To keep her safe, he couldn’t tell anyone she lived with him, and if he did say she lived with him, he had to say they were still together otherwise it wouldn’t make any sense. And telling the wrong person in a small town could get back to Evan, and Danielle would be screwed. Blaise was screwed either way. Admitting she still lived with him even though she was his ex would be a huge turn off for Alexandra, if she even had feelings for him. Blaise couldn’t tell if she did. Sometimes she stared at him, her eyes lingering on his lips and chest, but he wasn’t sure if it meant anything. She was nice to him but she was nice to everyone. She was a sweetheart. “My uncle is upset that I got the business and he didn’t. He came over last night and tried to convince me to make a business deal that was completely unethical. I said no and lost my temper.”

“What was it?”

“Basically, I would be giving North Korea supplies. Since they have such an inhumane government system, I refused to do business with them. I couldn’t care less how much money was on the table.”

She nodded. “We need more business owners like that. We could have destroyed their government by now.”