Page 74 of The Keeper

He held up his hands in resignation. “Alright. No need to bite my head off.”

“Sorry,” I grumbled, pacing the floor again. The phone rang in my hand. I stopped, looked down at it and wanted to cry. I had to answer. If I didn’t, the ringing would never end.

“What?” I growled.

“Is that any way to greet your mother? You’re a grown woman. I swear, your manners are nonexistent.”

I held the phone so tight I thought I might crack the screen. “Sorry, Helena. Hello, how are you?”

Something caught my attention near the bed. I looked over as Xavier sat down, his eyes fixed on me.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

“I wish you wouldn’t call me that,” she muttered.

“It’s either that or we’re back to what.”

I heard utensils clattering on plates. She must be having breakfast. Oh wait. Helena does intermittent fasting. She’s probably having coffee. Her husband was the one who eats everything in sight. I rolled my eyes.

“You and Dan enjoying the view from your palace?” My tone dripped with sarcasm.

“We are,” she gushed, missing my venom and mistaking my question for actual interest. “It’s beautiful here. We’re going out on the boat later. You should really move somewhere better than Manhattan. Ugh. All that concrete and exhaust.”

I clenched my fist.

“Now that you mention it, there’s a house for sale in the English countryside. I’m standing in it right now. Empty, messy, broken, sad. Sound familiar?”

My pacing path crossed where Xavier was seated. I glanced at him. He looked stoic. His expression was unreadable. But those eyes remained glued to me, following every move I made. I turned and walked into the hallway. Having him watch me so closely added to my rising anxiety.

“That’s why I’m calling. Why are you being so stubborn about the damn house? I want it gone.”

“What about dad? What does he want?”

“Your father wants to enjoy his life in Ekali and spend long weekends in Mykonos. He doesn’t care what happens to it.”

Xavier’s shadowed figure appeared in the doorway while I continued to pace up and down the hallway. I shot him a deadly look, hoping he’d get the message. The last thing I needed was an audience.

“Then if he doesn’t care, why do you?”

“You know why, Victoria,” she spat. “That house is alive with memories. Get rid of it.”

I stopped pacing and started shaking. “Alive with…you haven’t set foot here in nineteen years,” I shouted. “What fucking memories live in you from this house? I’m the one standing in it right now. I’m the one cleaning up your mess. I’m—“

“You’re the one who caused all this.” Her voice blared through my phone. “You just had to go to that party. You just had to drag your sister. Your. Sister.” Glass shattered in the background. “She was just starting to feel better, Victoria. She was healing. But you’re so selfish. You only think about yourself.”

“I’m not selfish.” I sobbed openly now. “Charlotte was my—“

“Do not say her name in my presence.”

I ended the call. My hands shook uncontrollably. Tears spilled from my eyes. My whole body hurt. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move.

The phone rang again. I dropped it like it was on fire, walked away and crumbled to the floor, burying my head in my hands. This was so messed up. Nobody in my family healed properly from this. Nobody. We all ran from it in our own ways and then attacked one another when the pain reared its ugly head.

I thought I heard someone talking. I lifted my head. The silence was deafening. My phone wasn’t ringing anymore. Thank—

“Yes. I’ll be buying the house. My realtor will finalize everything this week.”

I looked up, horrified. What the actual fuck was Xavier doing? His whole demeanor was impenetrable as he stared at me. He almost appeared god-like in his determined stature. Tall, strong, fierce.

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