Three Thousand Miles - Forever, (book #3 of Three Thousand Miles, Series) (25 page)

I select all my food and when I think that I’m finally done, I make my way to the
cash register. I begin to place the food onto the conveyor belt, but I stop as I
hear someone shouting my name. I turn around and I begin to scan the faces
of the other shoppers as I seek out the voice. I look around, but I can’t see
anyone that I recognise therefore I begin to load the belt with the food once
again. Once all the food is secure and the lady infront of me moves away after
chatting with shop assistant for over ten minutes,I slide my cart along the
narrow isle and then I begin to pack my groceries into the plastic bags that
store provides. I pay the food and then I push my cart in the direction of the
exit.

“Alanna,” I hear a female voice shout. I immediately freeze on the spot as I
recognise her voice. I turn around and there she is, Katharine is standing in
front of me with her perfect hair, clothes and body. She is smiling at me as she
towers above me in her six inch heels. I feel dwarfed by her and especially
today as I am wearing flats. I look up at her and I can’t believe that I am
actually seeing her for the first time since our wedding. I have so many
questions to ask her about why she has been so distanced. I want to ask her if I
have done something to upset her and I want to know why she has been
avoiding me. I return her smile as I reply.

“Katharine, it’s been a long time.” I say firmly. She smiles at me again and then
she stuns me when she links into my arm. Her touch is soft and warming and I
can’t deny that I have missed her. She is my friend and I am glad that I have
this chance to see her and to put right whatever wrong I have done to her.

“Let’s grab a coffee in the café,” she says as sheleads me along the wide store
and into the small seated area that they call a café. I slide my cart into a
protection unit as Katharine orders two skinny lattes and two large lemon
muffins. I take a seat at the nearest available table and sit nervously as she
makes her way over. She hands me my coffee and muffin and she sits down
opposite me. She smiles again at me and I can’t help but smile back her.

“So how have you been?” I ask as I begin to sip at the coffee.

“I have been good; I love it here in London.” Katharine gushes as she bites into
her muffin. I quietly laugh at her as I take in her looks. She is dressed in white
skinny jeans, a pink blouse and blue blazer. Her hair is naturally wavy and it’s
hanging freely around her face. She has a large pair of Chanel sunglasses
pushed into her roots and her make-up is fresh and glowing. I look at her and I
can’t help but think that London looks good on her.

“You certainly look good and you have that whole Kate Middleton thing going
on.” Katharine smiles as I feel that the Kate Middleton look which she has
mastered is intentional as she has always been fan of hers. We laugh and then I
have to ask why she has been distant with me.

“I haven’t seen you in so long and I don’t really know why. Have I done
something to upset you?” Katharine places her cup onto the table as she
reaches out for my hand.

“No you haven’t done anything to me,” I frown at her.
“Then why have you avoided me for the last five months?” Katharine pulls her
hand away from mine as she sips her coffee.

“It wasn’t for any specific reason I just felt that we needed some time… apart.”

 

“I see and why did we need time apart?” I sip my coffee – nervously.

“Because you had just gotten married and I had just fallen in love. We needed
our time apart because we needed to make our love lives a priority. I am sorry
if you felt that you did something to upset me, that wasn’t my intention.” I
take in her words and I almost believe her. But I have missed her and she
seems to be out of her non-mood now so I don’t want to ruin our
reconciliation by questioning her explanation. Therefore, I smile and accept her
words.

“Well it’s all in the past now. So tell me about Jeff, is he treating you well?”
Katharine beams at the sound of his name and her actions alert me that she is
very happy with him.

“Yes he is the most amazing guy that I have ever met. He is caring and
generous, sweet and tender and I am in love with him.” I smile at her again as I
am truly happy that she has met someone who she loves. Katharine has been
through a rough time with men, but now she finally seems happy and content
with Jeff. I have longed for her to have the happiness that she deserves and I
am grateful that she doesn’t have permanent scares from her time with
Michael. I shudder as I think of him and what he did to that poor girl Becky,
with that thought I try to wipe it from my mind as I focus back on Katharine.

“I am happy for you and Jeff is a wonderful guy, I know that Adrian thinks
highly of him.” Katharine beams at my praise for Jeff and then she questions
me on my love life.

“So how do you like being married? Is it weird?”

 

“What, no, of course it’s not weird.”

“Sorry, it just seems so grown up and I guess that I am still getting used to the
fact that you are a wife.” I laugh and then my smile fades as I think back on the
last few months and that Katharine has missed so much of my life. I want to fill
her in on exactly what has been going on as I havemissed our chats and I have
missed confiding in a friend. I want to share the news about William and
Edward with her, but I resist as I am not sure what her reaction will be to
Adrian having a son.

“You and me both,” I say as I bite a chunk from my muffin. Katharine narrows
her eyes at me.

 

“Is everything okay?” She quizzes me. I stare at her as I think about caving in
and telling her everything.

 

“Everything is fine, but we have had a little… drama lately.” Katharine leans
forward in her seat as she takes my hand.

 

“Tell me everything,” I sigh and then I begin to explain to her exactly what has
been going on in my life.

 

“OMG,” is her reaction when she hears about William. “I don’t know what to
say.” I laugh at her reaction.

“There is nothing to say, Adrian is a father and I am a stepmom. It’s strange but
its life and he is the cutest little boy that I have ever seen. I adore him and now
that he is in our lives I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”

“Taking on someone else’s kid is a massive responsibility. I don’t know if I could
be as brave or has kind hearted as you are. What about his mother, who is
she?”

“Remember when I told you that Adrian had an affair?” Katharine racks her
brain as she tries to remember. I watch as her face changes when she realises
that Zara is William’s mother.

“Oh, Michael’s bothers wife, am I right?”

 

“Yes,” I admit. Katharine leans back in her chair and she folds her arms like she
always does when she is nervous.

“That’s pretty unbelievable, if you don’t mind me asking, is Adrian a good…
father?” I’m a little stunned by her question and Iwant to answer her honestly
as I don’t like the fact that she has asked me thisin the first place.
“Of course he is, Adrian adores that child and he has done nothing but care for
him and show him love ever since he found out that he was his father.”

“Really?” Katharine asks in a surprised tone.

“Yes, why are you finding it hard to believe that Adrian is a good father?” I can
feel the tension building as Katharine thinks of her next words and I am
dreading the moment I hear them as I know that they are going to be negative.

“I find it hard to believe because of the way he treats you.”

 

“Excuse me?” I snap.

 

“I just think that he is a little –well not really a little, a lot actually… weird.”
What the fuck is she saying?

 

“You are going to have to explain a little better.” I say bitterly.

“Okay the guy freaks me out. I don’t know what it is about him but he is just…
strange.” My mouth hits the floor as now I know the real reason why she has
avoided me for the last five months – because of Adrian.

“He treats you like a slave and you think that it’s romantic. I have watched as
he looks at you like you are a piece of meat and I am sorry that I have to say
this, but I feel that he doesn’t really love you, it’s more of an obsession with
you.” I grab my handbag from the spare chair and I leap out of my seat. My
heart is racing and my blood is boiling. I can’t believe what Katharine has just
said to me and I am not going to sit around and listen to her bad mouth Adrian.

“Oh so now you are mad at me?” Katharine shouts after me as I walk away
from her. I stop walking and I race back over to her.

“How dare you say that Adrian doesn’t love me? Whatis your problem with
him? Are you jealous that he didn’t pick you? Do you wish that you were his
wife? Is that what’s wrong?” Katharine shakes her head at my eruption.

“I am not even going to dignify that question with an answer.”

“Wow you are using big words since you came to London. Tell me does Jeff
know about your past?” I threaten her with her deepest secret and she
instantly backs down.
“You wouldn’t tell him, would you?” I roll my eyes at her and at how pathetic
she is. I don’t give her a response instead I walk away from Katharine and I
honestly wish that I don’t see her again for a very long time.

I push the shopping cart out into the cold parking lot as I make my way over to
my car. I violently throw the groceries into the trunk as I am still boiling from
Katharine’s confession about Adrian. I can’t understand where she was coming
from and I was stunned that she stooped as low as to say that Adrian doesn’t
love me. I slide the cart into the nearest parking bay and then I jump into the
car and I speed out of the parking lot of the Waitrose store. I slam my foot
down on the gas pedal and my Mercedes takes off like an airplane. I whizz
around the streets as I continue to drive in an angry manner. I halt at the traffic
lights and I rethink Katharine’s cruel words. She said that Adrian treats me like
a slave and that I am just a piece of meat to him. I violently shake my head as
her words ring my ears. How could she be as cruel as to say that Adrian doesn’t
love me? Katharine knows about how insecure I am about not being enough
for Adrian so the fact that she has stooped to this level is – heart wrenching.
She was my bridesmaid and she stood at the altar smiling at me as I said my
vows, I can’t describe the pain that her words are causing me. I feel betrayed,
hurt and angry, but most of all I am sad because I know that Katharine and I
will never be friends again.

I stop at yet another set of traffic lights and this time I glance in my rear view
mirror as I check my make-up. I wipe my mascara from my eyes as it began to
run when I let out a tear over my altercation with Katharine. I straighten my
tangled hair and as I give myself a final glance, I see something that terrifies me
– a black Lamborghini. I stare out of the mirror as the car’s engine roars behind
me. As soon as the lights turn green I slam my foot down onto the gas pedal
and the car speeds forward. I continue to drive, manically around the streets of
London – making sure that I keep one eye on the road behind me. As I speed
through the busy traffic, I catch another glance of the car. The Lamborghini is
right behind me as it’s rudely bumper gating my car. I push harder on the gas
pedal, but the Lamborghini senses my intentions andnow it has moved within
inches of my tail gate. I maintain my speed as I approach another set of lights.
The light is at amber and instead of slowing down; I go faster until I am safely
through the lights. I make a darting look in my mirror and I am relieved when I
see that the Lamborghini is stuck back the lights.

I continue my fast pace – until I reach the house. I park in front of our house
and I quickly unload the shopping bags from the car. I rush up the steps of the
house and as I unlock the door, I spot a small white envelope. I grab it as I look
around to see if can see anyone strange. As I don’t spot anything unusual, I
quickly open the door and I push my way into the house. I lock the door behind
me and then I make my way into the kitchen. I dump the bags down onto the
counter as I begin to open the envelope. I am startled when I see that it’s
another message. I unfold the paper and I begin to read over the words.

Miss Alanna, why must you continue to ignore me? I have tired many times to
persuade you to leave that snake that you call your husband, but despite my
best efforts you continue to be with him. Therefore, you give me no choice but
to give you an ultimatum. You say that you love him and that you will support
him through every storm that comes his way; I know that you will so I want to
put your loyalty to the test. If you want Adrian to live out his sad, pathetic life,
in peace then you must leave him. Go back to New York and never think of him
again, if you don’t then Adrian Black will no longer be living. I will kill him whilst
you watch and Alanna you can take this message as your final warning.

My heart is racing and I can’t breathe, who is doing this to me? Why would
someone want to torture me in this way? I have done nothing wrong in my life
so why must I be punished? I have been a good person and I have done
nothing but try to help those who are less fortunate than me. I can’t
understand why I deserve to go through an ordeal like this.

I push the note into my pocket as I don’t want to leave it lying around,
especially since Sophie and James are going to be staying with us for a few
days. I take a deep breath as I begin to unload thefood from the bags. As I
pack away the contents of the fridge, I hear my phone buzzing from inside my
bag. I quickly stop what I am doing as I rush over and the answer the call.

“Adrian,”
I gush.

 

“Baby what’s wrong?”
Adrian stuns me as he senses my irritated tone.

“I have had the worst day, ever.”
“What happened, are you alright?”

“I went to the store and I saw Katharine.” Adrian exhales as he takes in my
words.