Chapter Three

A smile hides many secrets.

 

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Cole

 

 

“Congratulations.” I said to my best friend as I hugged him and thumped his back.

 

Maddox gave me a grin as he replied, “Thanks, man.” And a moment later his arm was back around his... Wife. I watched them with amazement as in that dark cell talking to him I would've never thought that this man who had been filled with cold need of vengeance for this one girl would end up falling for her and then would marry her. Since the moment they had come back from their vacation, that now we all realised was Maddox’s impromptu plan to whisk Brenna away for a quick Vegas wedding, they hadn’t parted away more than for a few seconds.

 

“I can’t believe my baby got married.” Mrs Carter said, her voice soft and amazed as she looked on with tearful gaze at the newly married couple.

 

Mr Carter flashed one of his rare smiles as he turned to Brenna and said, “Come here, sweetheart. Give me a hug.” With a wobbly smile Brenna did just that and Mr Carter said, “You come to me if he ever upsets you.”

 

“Or me.” Alex said as he too gave her a hug. He was a second eldest brother of Maddox, him being the youngest of them all. And just like Mr Jared Carter, I knew Alex meant what he was saying. They both will forget their own relationship with Maddox if he ever tried or hurt her in any way.

 

“Hey, sweetness, let me congratulate you too.” Dom or Dominic, just a year older than Maddox chirped and stepped forward to hug her when she was pulled back with a jerk.

 

Brenna let out a squeak while Maddox gritted out at Dominic, “You can hug me and congratulate her from two feet away.”

 

“That’s so unfair.” Dominic said, “And it’s not like I don’t have my own woman.” He waggled his brows as he said, “And imagine what my kitten would feel like if she comes to know that her best friend got married with an arsehole like you and didn’t tell her.” With that he walked out of the house, no doubt going straight to his kitten, his girlfriend— Kiara, to stir some shit up. He’s always doing it except when he isn't doing it.

 

Three months ago when both Brenna and Kiara got kidnapped. Something bad happened to both Kiara and Brenna, which affected both their relationships with their partners Dominic and Maddox. But thankfully their love for each other, support of the Carter family and time helped the four of them to come over their hurts and gave them a second chance at happiness.

 

I was happy for them.

 

And now looking at them I almost believed that there was someone up there watching all over us.

 

“Come now, we should celebrate.” Mrs Carter said as she turned to her husband, “Should we go out for dinner, Jared?”

 

Mr Carter’s green eyes looked down at his wife with nothing but pure affection as he replied, “Whatever you want, baby.”

 

I looked away from them, feeling like an intruder, and my eyes met the haunted ones. I watched as she descended the stairs. Today, she was wearing a dark grey. A full sleeved blouse with a shrug over it and a pair of jeans. And I knew if I looked down what I would find. Sure enough, her feet were covered with dark socks in the flip-flops.

 

The early morning had a slight chill but it wasn’t cold now, but then the chill in the air or the weather wasn’t the reason she covered herself in layers of clothing. Even three months ago when she came, the clothes were the only thing she seemed to like.

 

Soon everyone started to notice her and I gritted my teeth when she looked away from me and focused on Mrs Carter. She seemed to like her a lot. And it doesn’t take a genius to know why, they were shaped and made in the same darkness. Faced the same set of monsters. After Mrs Carter, she preferred Brenna and I knew the reason for it too. While Kiara was loud and talked in spades, Brenna prefers to listen and be quiet. It didn't mean that Violet liked Kiara less, she seemed to look fascinated whenever Kiara was near.

 

But except the women, Violet kept her distance from all the men. Not that she talked to anyone but it seemed like she would bolt any second when she was in the company of the opposite sex. I didn’t even pretend to not understand that. I knew why. Every fûcking one knew the why of it. And I also knew that the only two she would prefer between all the men in this house would be Maddox and Alex. The thought disturbed me a lot, and I have no idea why.

 

She was silent as she came to know about Mad and Bree’s marriage. She squeezed Brenna’s hand in silent congratulations and got a huge smile in return. Maddox said or more like announced to her, “We are going out for dinner to celebrate and you are coming.”

 

I saw it in the way she stilled and how her fingers curled into fists as she looked at Maddox. She wanted to deny the invitation but she won’t say so. Not just because she wouldn’t speak, also because she didn’t want to hurt their feelings.

 

Her head turned and she looked straight at me. I arched a brow at her, she stared at me in return. Like I was the odd one out. Like I was the one willing her to understand my silence. She probably was wondering about last night and probably had hundreds of questions, starting with why. But I wouldn’t answer them, not unless she asked them, which I knew won’t happen. And I was okay with it because I wasn’t sure what I would answer if she managed to question me.

 

Why was I in her room?

 

Why did I sit there and watch her sleep?

 

Why did it feel nice to just be near her?

 

Why did it calm me?

 

I didn’t fucking know.

 

And I wasn’t in any rush to find out. For all I knew it was a momentary lapse of judgement as last night my mind was overwhelmed and I didn’t have an outlet.

 

It was when I was in my room, unfortunately that was next to hers, that I had heard a soft thump on the other side of the wall. Call it curiosity because I wasn’t worried, I had gone to check on her and found her curled up on the floor, sleeping like the dead.

 

After a long debate with myself I had walked in and picked her up. I had laid her down on the bed and pulled the covers over her. And then I had watched her. Watching her sleep was like watching a calm sea. I knew torments lay beneath that surface but when she was asleep, she had been breath-taking. Serene and devoid of utter devastations that peeks from her eyes. Asleep, she had looked like a fairy and only when she opened her eyes you were able to see the tormented and broken angel who had lost her fiery light and wings in the hell she had come from. A princess who had been forced out of her castle.

 

“Cole, will you bring Kiara and Dominic with you? We will all meet you at the restaurant, okay?” Mrs Carter’s question brought my attention to her and I nodded in answer. She stepped forward and softly patted my cheek in a motherly affection that I had seen her showing to her sons. “Good boy.” She sometimes reminded me of my own mother but I refrain from thinking about that part of my life. It has been more than two years, now almost three years, that I have talked to any of them. Sometimes, like yesterday, it has been too difficult to suppress my emotions, to not think about them, to not want to pick up my phone and make a call. But then what... If I did it then it would open up a box of memories that I didn't want to face. Call me a coward but I was running from the pain that would only add on with the total devastation I already felt in my broken heart.

 

I looked at the girl who was now listening to something Mrs Carter was saying, a smile on her face. A beautiful one. A real one. But her eyes, they were still windows to a broken mess inside her.

 

I shook my head. Fuck it. I shouldn't focus on her. I didn't know why I was. It was like everytime she was close, my eyes circle back to her. There won't come anything out of it, I knew it. I won't allow myself to go there. Hell, there shouldn't be anything to begin with. The best thing I could do for both of us was to stay away from her.

 

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@Gupta