Page 28 of Wanted

Buzz. Buzz.

Scrambling off the floor took every ounce of energy I had left inme. Whoever was out there was going to surely get an earful from me. Unless itwas Sara.

Shit!I wasn’t ready todeal with our relationship yet.

I shook my head as I reached for the intercom. “Hello,” Imumbled.

There was a crackling sound before I heard a woman’s voice. “Hi,sweetheart. Can you let me in, please?” I couldn’t place who it was, not atfirst, but knowing it wasn’t Sara gave me a fleeting feeling of relief.

“Who is this?”

“It’s me, silly. Cora. Can you please open the gate so I can comeup?”

What the hell is going on?Was I still dreaming? Cora? No, it couldn’t be. Why would she come back hereafter all this time? And why the hell was she calling me ‘sweetheart’ andacting as if we were still on good terms? I made it clear the last time we saweach other I wouldn’t be held responsible for my actions if she ever came nearme again.

Even though more than a year had passed since I laid my eyes on thedespicable woman, my hatred for her was still as intense as the day I found outshe aborted my child.

“Go away, Cora. I’m not letting you in.” I walked away from theintercom but she was relentless.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

“If you don’t let me in, Alek, I’ll stay out here and lay on thehorn, disturbing whatever neighbors you have.”

“What do you want? Why are you here?” I mumbled.

“Let me in so we can talk, then I’ll go if you still want me to. Please,sweetheart.”

“Don’t fucking call me that,” I barked. I reached up and grabbedmy neck, pulling down to assuage the tension which was quickly building. If Ididn’t let her in, she would definitely cause a scene, which would only makethings worse. It was already almost midnight and I was fucking cranky and tired,never mind a pulsating headache was already starting to rattle my brain.

Deciding to find out what she wanted, I pushed the button to openthe gate. The quicker I let her in, the quicker I could kick her out.

My doorbell rang thirty seconds later and I was instantlyenraged, mainly because she was forcing me to deal with my past. Seeing heragain was going to put me in a dark mood for a while to come, and I had enoughon my goddamn plate.

Looking back on my time with Cora, I realized I never truly lovedher, not like I loved Sara. There was simply no comparison. Which was why whenshe cheated on me, I was able to cut ties without a second thought. But when Ifound out she killed my child on purpose because I wouldn’t take her back, thatwas the clincher which pushed me from not loving her to full-on hating her.

Ready to engage the crazy bitch, I flung open the front door. Iknew I looked like I was hit by a train, but I didn’t care. I was far fromtrying to impress her. Hell, she was lucky I didn’t reach out and throttle herright where she stood.

Our eyes connected but neither one of us spoke. I was instantlyhit with all of the bad memories of the last conversation we had. After aminute of simply standing there and staring at each other, she decided myrudeness was no longer tolerable. She smiled and pushed past my forebodingbody, entering my personal space.

I think I was still drifting between reality and drunken stupor,the alcohol wearing off a little the more I was forced to be in Cora’spresence.

After I shut the door, I turned around and realized I was onlyhalf-dressed. I’d quickly thrown on my jeans which had been tossed over theedge of the couch. They weren’t even buttoned all the way, for God’s sake.

She was busy taking in every facet of my home, her eyes wideningthe more she looked around. She was definitely impressed. If she’d only kepther legs closed, she could have had it all. But thankfully, she and my cousinCameron were cut from the same cloth.Her betrayal essentially forced me to find my one true love.

Sara.

My thoughts flitted to the woman who was going to hate me soonenough.

“What do you want, Cora?” I pulled her attention to me, and itwas a mistake. The way she drank me in actually gave me chills. I hated I wasstanding in front of her, shirtless and pants half-undone.

“I’ve come to win you back, sweetheart.” She took a step towardme but I held up my hand. One look in my eyes and she knew she would be in forit if she came any closer.

Teeth clenched and jaw squared tight, I yelled out again. “Don’tfucking call me that, Cora.” My sudden rage startled her, and she took a stepback. As I was about to tell her there was no way in hell I would ever take herback, my doorbell rang.

Nowwho the hell is here?

I turned back toward the door and as I tried to control my anger,I gripped the handle and swung it open. Standing there on my doorstep, atmidnight, was Sara. She looked a little worse for wear but still stunninglybeautiful. Her eyes were red and puffy. There was no argument she’d beencrying.

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