Tormented (Evolution Series Book 2) (13 page)

“Anyway,” Anna continued. “I think you’re better off going to see them tomorrow. They’ll probably be a bit more receptive in the daylight.”

“Tomorrow it is then,” I agreed.

“And until then, make sure you take some time out to relax,” Anna said. “Oh, and I put your bags in my room. I was going to drop them in to you, but then… well, my room seemed a better idea.”

Blood filled my cheeks as I
realised
why she had changed her mind. She had probably been outside the door while Aiden and I were on the bed. “I
gotta
go,” I said, then disappeared before they could hear any more of my thoughts on the subject.

Rather than popping back to Aiden and Lucas, I went back to our room. I really didn’t want anyone else hearing what I was thinking. But Aiden, of course, already knew. Our minds were connected no matter how far apart we were. Well, it was more of a
one way
thing at the moment because Aiden kept his mind block up at home. But that just meant that he knew I wouldn’t want Lucas coming up there before I had a grip on myself.

What I needed was a coffee. That meant I had to find the kitchen. I still had no idea where the kitchen was, but it was getting close to midday, so Bernard would probably be preparing lunch.

Closing my eyes, I thought of the grey-haired man. When I opened them, I was staring at the man himself. “Morning, Miss
Sommers
,” Bernard said in his proper English accent.

“Morning,
Berny
,” I replied, which got an eyebrow raise from him and a laugh from someone behind me.

I turned around to find Lucas sitting on the breakfast bar with a bottle of Coke in his hand. “Yeah, how’s it going,
Berny
?” Lucas teased.

“Oh, shut up,” Bernard quipped, finally breaking his act of the butler who called everyone sir, ma’am, and miss. Oh, and who could forget the master?

“Aiden was right,” I said with a laugh. “He said that you weren’t really like that, and that it was all just an act.”

“Okay, you got me,” Bernie admitted, dropping the proper English accent. “So what is it I can get you? I’m sure you didn’t just come in here to say hi.”

“You got that right,
Berny
,” Lucas said with a smile. “The lady would like a coffee.”

“Don’t call me a lady,” I said a little too forcefully. “It makes me sound old.”

“She is a feisty one, isn’t she?”
Berny
said to Lucas, then turned around and got to
making
my coffee.

“Yep, they did warn us about her,” Lucas said with a straight face.

Aiden came up behind me and put his arms around my waist. “Don’t listen to them. I would never say that about you.”

Lucas cracked up laughing. “And that’s why you’re nodding your head behind her back.”

I gave a quick elbow jab into Aiden’s stomach.

Aiden laughed. “And there you go proving them right.”

I threw up my hands in defeat. “I’m not going to win this one, am I?”

“Nope,” Lucas said before taking a swish from his drink.

Berny
handed me a coffee. With a proper English accent and a smirk, he said, “There you go, ma’am.”

I rolled my eyes. “Thanks.” I took the mug from his hands. Turning to Aiden, I asked, “So are we
gonna
watch a movie now or what?”

“You’re the boss,” Aiden said.

Lucas made a whipping-cracking sound.

Aiden laughed. “Yep, I’m whipped and proud.”

The three of us made our way downstairs to the cinema room. And I found out why everyone in the house teleports all the time… because it took so long to walk anywhere.

We sat in the middle row because, according to Lucas, that was the best spot for the ultimate cinema experience. After listening to Lucas go on and on about wanting to watch
Transformers
, Aiden and I caved and let him have his way. Lucas really did seem to be nothing like his sister. He was a little annoying, but in a fun way. He had a certain charisma that drew me to him. I couldn’t help but like him.

Bernard dropped off some pizzas and drinks, and we were just settling in to the beginning of the movie when an uninvited guest appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

“You could have waited for me before you started the movie,” Georgia said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“We didn’t know you were joining us,” Aiden said, looking at Lucas to see whether he had invited his sister.

Lucas shrugged. “I didn’t invite her.”

“Neither did I,” I said under my breath.

Aiden straightened in his seat and pressed the pause button on the remote. I could tell he was uncomfortable with Georgia and me being in the same room, especially with how things had gone on our first meeting. He was probably thinking that one of us might shoot off her mouth and then all hell would break loose.

“Will you just sit down so we can watch the movie?” Lucas said to his sister. I was surprised by his harsh tone.

“Yeah, we have a real loving relationship,” Lucas said sarcastically.

“You’re an asshole,” Georgia said. She suddenly disappeared, then reappeared sitting beside her brother. “You’re only talking to me that way because you’re trying to impress Jade.” She shot me a dagger look. She then turned her attention to Aiden. “Oh, didn’t you know? Your best mate thinks your girlfriend is hot.”

“I do not,” Lucas snapped back.

“You see, Jade,” she continued. “My brother, when he likes someone, he gives out a vibe that only I seem to be able to pick up. It must be because we’re twins and more connected than your average twins.”

Lucas turned to Aiden and me. “Don’t listen to her. She’s
friggin
’ nuts.”

“You know it’s true,” Georgia shot back.

“How many pills have you popped today?” Lucas asked.

Georgia scowled. “I don’t do drugs,” she said through gritted teeth, making me think that maybe she did. Georgia turned to me. “I said I don’t do drugs! You got it?”

I was about to snap back at her when Aiden said, “Georgia, whether Lucas does or doesn’t have ‘the
hots’
for Jade is neither here nor there. I don’t care. All we want to do is watch the damn movie without having to listen to you trying to cause trouble.”

She stared at Aiden for a moment. “Fine. I’ll just go then. I know when I’m not wanted.”

Lucas started clapping. “If only you’d been a little quicker in working it out. Maybe I got your share of the smart gene.”

Georgia tried to slap him, but Lucas was too quick and blocked her before she even got close. “Looks like I got your share of the speed gene, too.”

I cracked up. Watching the two of them bicker was better than watching the movie. I was kind of glad I was an only child if that was the way that siblings interacted with one another.

“No, I just lucked out,” Lucas said, responding to my thoughts.

“You’re such an ass.” Georgia ran her hands through her golden blond hair. She turned to Aiden. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Just piss off, will you,” Lucas said.

She gave him one
more dirty
look and disappeared.

Lucas flipped the footrest out on his seat. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Aiden replied. “Now let’s watch the movie.” He pressed a button on his chair, bringing up the footrest.

By the time the movie ended, I was ready for bed. It was just after five in the evening England time, but my body clock was still on Australian time, and I needed to get some sleep before I had to head back to visit the Greys.

Aiden decided to have a game of pool with Lucas before he joined me. I could tell he was in desperate need of sleep, too, but he was having too much fun catching up with Lucas to let tiredness stop him.

I didn’t bother to get changed into my pajamas before I curled up in bed. I was practically asleep by the time my head hit the pillow.

CHAPTER 13

My iPhone alarm woke me from another dream about my mum. As always, I was like a fly on the wall, watching my mother’s body lying in what I thought to be a morgue. I never understood the dreams or why I kept seeing her in that same scenario. I was just glad that the dreams didn’t come as often as they had when she was first killed.

I picked up the phone to look at the time—7:01 a.m. I’d been asleep for just over thirteen hours, but I still felt like I needed more.

I rolled over, expecting to see Aiden beside me, but the bed was empty. “Hmm,” I muttered, sitting up. I so wished that I could go back to sleep, but I needed to get up and get ready to go back to Australia. The time-zone differences were really going to kill me.

Resisting the temptation of lying back down, I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom, where I stripped and jumped in the shower. I so loved having the instant warm water raining down on top of me. It was such a nice change from the not-so-fast plumbing in Thailand.

When my skin was all wrinkly, I turned off the tap and stepped out of the shower. Wrapping myself up in a bathrobe, I walked back into the bedroom, where I found a steaming mug of coffee waiting for me. I smiled at the little smiley face someone had drawn onto the mug in black
nikko
.

“Just what I needed.” I picked up the mug and downed half the contents in one go. I sat down on the sofa, turned on the TV, and sipped at the rest of the coffee.

“Glad you’re enjoying it,”
Aiden said.

I turned around, but the room was empty. I guessed I should learn to trust the feeling I got when he was nearby, and the emptiness I felt when he wasn’t.

Aiden appeared by my side. “Missing me that much?”

I looked over at the door, which was still closed.

“Guess
who’s
finally able to transport properly.” Aiden had a grin plastered across his face.

 
“That’s awesome.” I leaned over and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

“Yep. Gone are the days where I have to rely on you or mum or dad to transport me overseas.”

“So what? You’re planning on doing some travelling without me, huh?”

He brushed a strand of my wet hair behind my ear. “Yeah, I was thinking about sneaking away with Georgia for a few hours,” he said with a straight face.

I slapped him playfully on the arm. “You do that, and let’s just see what happens to you.”

“
Oooh
, I’m scared.”

“You should be,” I said with a laugh. “You better hope that she isn’t somewhere in this house listening and already planning that time away with you.”

Aiden laughed. “Even if she was downstairs, she wouldn’t be able to hear our conversation. You and I seem to be the only ones that are able to hear each other’s thoughts at any distance. We would have to be in a
neighbouring
room for her to overhear what we’re saying.”