The Scarlett Legacy (Woodland Creek) (13 page)

SHE KNEW SHE
wouldn’t be able to do this without losing her composure. She stood in the living room of Parker’s condo, her engagement ring in her hand.

In between sniffles she tried to speak.

“I can’t,” she said.

Wes needed her.

Visions of Wes shielding her from their father’s illegal actions; the dead bodies, prostitutes, gambling rings, and whatever else he did in secret resurfaced from her repressed memories. Those deeds had come back to haunt them in the form of a wizard with a grudge.

Wes was her blood, and she couldn’t turn her back on him.

Parker stared at the ring in her hand, his eyes confused.

His face turned ashen. “What’s going on?”

Evie shook her head. She had to do this quickly.

“I can’t accept this, Parker. I was wrong to lead you on, but it’s really not going to work.”

Parker ran his hand through his hair.

Pain shot into her gut when she saw his hands shaking.

I can’t do this. It’s too hard.

“What? Where is this coming from?”

She shook her head and sat the ring on his counter when he wouldn’t accept it.

She couldn’t be engaged for this plan. Her family depended on her.

Parker didn’t back down. Instead, he caught her in his arms when she turned to walk out, wrapping them around her thin body.

“Come now. Explain yourself. Did your mother make you do this?”

Yes. She did,
she thought. But it was more than that. He deserved better than she could give him. He deserved a normal girl without baggage.

The tenderness of his voice broke her heart even more. She buried her face in his chest. How did she let herself do this? Her heart would never forgive. She doubted that she would ever forgive herself.

He held her tight as if savoring her scent and presence. “I love you, Evie. Don’t leave me.”

She drew in a breath. She pulled back and grabbed his face in her hands. She had one chance to do this and she needed to do it quickly before she lost the strength and resolve.

The look in his eyes, full of sorrow and love, made her pause.

She sniffled and closed her eyes. She couldn’t look at him like that. It killed her. She’d never felt physical pain from a broken heart. She didn’t think it was possible.

She took in a deep breath, opened her eyes, and faced him full on.

She lowered her voice. “I can’t love you, Parker. Not right now.”

Parker reached for her hand on his face and pulled it away. He stepped backward.

“Just forget me,” she said and ran out the door, too afraid to look back.

She cried the entire way to Albrecht Mansion. The hours to save her brother’s life were ticking away, and all she wanted was to hold Parker, kiss his soft lips, and love him forever.

EVIE LOWERED HER
eyes the moment Avalon Prince walked down the main black stairway of Albrecht Mansion.

Her bags were packed and stacked at the door as she waited to find out exactly what Avalon had in store for her.

He was one of the most attractive men she’d ever seen, but she hated him. Wearing a black suit and expensive black shoes, he was the man that could ruin her chance at happiness.

Why was he so dressed up?

She wore a green cardigan over a pink sweater and skinny jeans tucked into slate gray boots that came to her knees.

Should I have worn a cocktail dress for my new servitude?

Evie wanted nothing more than to rip his head from his shoulders, for hurting her brother and possibly killing her sister-in-law.

His bright green eyes brightened when he saw her face.

“Evie,” he called. His voice echoed off the walls.

She looked up, her hands shaking. She gripped her purse strap to steady them. “Mr. Prince. I’ve come to end your attack on my family.”

Amusement came to his face as he reached the bottom of the staircase. The butler didn’t betray any emotion on his face as he stood at her side, just inside the foyer.

“Lovely.” His reached an arm out for her.

Evie stared at his arm, wishing she had an ax to chop it right off.

His charming grin at the reluctant expression on her face only angered her more.

“Come now. Let’s have a little chat. Walk with me to the sun room.”

“Fine,” she said. She stepped to him and laced her arm through his. He stood a foot taller than her, and beneath his suit she could feel his hard muscles.

“But I want to know what your expectations are for me.”

He placed his hand over hers, surprising her by its warmth. She’d half expected his hand to be frigid.

“Of course. It’s only natural that you’d want an explanation.”

Evie had expected a bit of resistance, not the calm kindness he displayed at that moment.

Hesitant, she nodded. “Good.”

They walked through the first floor toward the back of the mansion. Her insides were in a bunch, but the beauty of Albrecht Mansion still overwhelmed her.

For a home so large, it was bright and airy. The scent of fresh cut flowers and berries tantalized her senses the further they went into Avalon’s home.

The heels of her boots made soft tapping on the exquisitely painted wood floors as they crossed hundreds of square feet to get from one end of the mansion to the other.

They went through two dining rooms, an elaborate sitting area, a long hallway, and a ballroom before reaching the French doors that led to the sunroom at the back of the house.

“You came at the perfect time, Evie.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I’m hosting this year’s Halloween party, and I want you by my side.”

“A party?”

“Yes. It’s a big tradition here. Isn’t it?”

Evie nodded.

“Well, the mayor wants it held here. It will be part tradition and also a way to welcome me back to town. Of course there will be all of the pomp and circumstance fit for a king.”

Avalon put his hand on the small of Evie’s back. “And his queen.”

Evie tensed at feeling his hand on her body as he led her into the room.

She stepped away from him, his hand slipped down her bottom. A glance caught him smirking before folding his hands before him.

Inside the sunroom were some of the most beautiful flowers Evie had ever seen in one place. Lush greenery and vibrant colors mixed to create a sight worthy of being immortalized in a painting. Caged birds chirped and sang from their perches, making the room feel like a glamorous exhibit at a zoo.

“Fit for a king, huh? You really think highly of yourself,” Evie said.

“Why shouldn’t I? Do you not feel the same about yourself?”

Evie stopped and faced him. “No. I really don’t think I’m better than anyone else. But, I know that I’m not an evil person. You are. And I don’t really think you’re someone that should be celebrated and honored.”

Avalon didn’t drop his smile. He nodded, dropping his hands to his sides as he took a step toward her.

Evie didn’t back down. She tightened her jaw as she glared up at him, her chest pressed against his abdomen. She didn’t flinch; she wanted him to know exactly how she felt about the entire arrangement. She would not forget what he did to her brother.

The green in his eyes was especially ethereal in the bright sunlight. She didn’t like how enchanting they were, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to look away.

“Maybe I am evil.”

He lowered his voice as he spoke to her, the smell of mint escaping with each elegantly spoken word. The thickness of his accent was incredibly sexy, but she refused to let her expression betray her.

“Yes, I cursed your brother, but why? He killed my brothers and had his wife kill my father. I suppose that makes me evil to an extent, but I could have ended his life that night in the study.”

“Why didn’t you?”

He shrugged. “I’m not as impulsive as Wesley. I know how to show restraint…and how to make my revenge much more creative.”

Evie swallowed. She didn’t mention that she didn’t know that Wes killed his brothers. To her understanding, they died in a car accident.

She wasn’t surprised. In fact, this new knowledge broke her defiance down a bit.

Things really weren’t what they seemed.

She was judging him off of his retaliation for what her family had done. How could she justify their actions?

“I want you to understand something, Evie. I am not all about curses and using my power for evil. Quite the contrary. The mayor is honoring me because not only did I donate enough money to build a second elementary school, but I funded the cancer research center at the hospital.”

Evie’s face softened. “You did?”

“Yes,” he said. He looked past her, his smile fading. “You know my mother died of cancer. I don’t blame your father for her death like my father did. I know that her chances were faint…but I want to do what I can to help others survive her fate.”

Evie swallowed, her resolve faltering further. Her shoulders lost their hardness, her face relaxing from her frown.

So what? He has a soft side. Still, it’s no excuse for what he did to Wesley.

Evie wanted to hate him, but he was making it hard. She kept her face unreadable.

“I still don’t know what you want from me.”

They walked over to a small table next to the floor to ceiling windows.

“Sit.”

Evie sat in the brass chair that he held out for her. She folded her hands in her lap and watched as two servers walked over with trays of food and a bottle of red wine.

Her stomach grumbled as she looked at the tray of roasted potatoes, vegetables, and steak.

“I hope you’re hungry,” he said, as the servers put white cloths over their laps.

“Answer my question.”

He raised a brow and smirked.

“Fine.” He sipped his wine.

She watched him, folding her legs.

“It’s simple, Evie. I don’t want to keep this feud going any more than you do.” He leaned across the table, reaching for her hand.

Evie didn’t know what to do. She felt awkward holding her hand to him, but she needed to know his motives. The last thing she wanted was to upset him.

“I like you,” he said, stroking her knuckles.

The sincerity in his eyes startled her. She hadn’t expected that. She found herself unable to look away from his beautiful green eyes. Seeing him up that close revealed hazel around the center. The longer she looked, the more she could actually see the magic inside of him.

She saw more in Avalon than she’d even seen in her father.

“What I
want from you is simple.”

Evie held her breath when he kissed the back of her hand.

“I just want you to give me a chance at winning your heart.”

Evie searched his eyes. If he hadn’t cursed her brother, kidnapped her sister-in-law, and came at a time when she was single…she might have fallen for his charm.