Eventually,we were just sitting in each other’s company for a few hours, while I waited for Jackson to eventually get back to me. He didn’t, and it frustrated me more than usual, he was most likely busy sorting out everything back at the manor.
Darius seemed to keep busy by reading history books, while I felt as if I were losing time as I twiddled my thumbs. Some part of me was itching to tell Darius about my mother’s research, but would he feel betrayed if he knew I kept the file from him? Did he even want to know everything?
I had been wracking my brain all day desperately trying to decide what to do or what was the right thing to do was. I came up empty handed and as I fidgeted, moving trinkets on his bookshelf, and pacing back and forth throughout the apartment, I finally decided on something.
“If I don’t get out of here soon, I will lose my shit.”
“You’ve only been here for a day, Hayley. I’m not keeping you prisoner, if you want to go, then go.”
I stopped pacing as he spoke, only glancing up once from his book, and then looked back down at the text. I never thought for a single second he was holding me here, but for some reason I was still here, unsure if I should go to the manor or back home. I would most likely be attacked again or put my loved ones in danger. I was better off staying here.
“I know I can leave whenever I want, but that would just be stupid now, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes, it would be, but again, it’s your choice. Just don’t start crying for help when Angelique’s goons appear.”
“When have I ever cried for help?”
Heading to the main door, I took hold of the handle, waiting for something, waiting for Darius to try and stop me, but instead I heard him turn another page of his book.
For a second or two, I stood there gathering up the nerve to leave, but there was that small part of me that wanted to stay. Wanted him to stop me.
Was this my chance to get to know Darius? To ask questions I wanted the answers to? Did he know more about my mother than he was letting on? What about his mother? Did he know anything?
“Oh, you’re still here? Well, if that’s the case, fancy some training with me?”
How long had I been standing there? It had only been a few seconds, but he was already behind me in the kitchen making himself a drink. The guy was always drinking something, and I wondered if it was to help with his cravings for blood. Surely, he had them too? Should I ask him?
“Training sounds good. Maybe I can give you a few pointers.”
"Ha! I’m sure you will. Follow me.”
Following him down the corridor, we passed the bedroom and bathroom, and stopped at another door which I had thought was just a closet, but as he opened the door and allowed me to enter first, my jaw almost dropped to the floor. It was a fully equipped gym with a space to spar, or wrestle as Eric would say.
“Wow, I wasn’t expecting this.”
“I had a lot of time on my hands until you were called.”
“Called?”
I looked back at him, confused, as he went to a metal cabinet, opened it up and then pulled out two boxing gloves and boxing pads. He chucked the gloves over to me and put the pads on himself.
“You were called when you became leader. Something inside you switched on, I guess. Your mother said it was a 'calling' or something.”
“So, you did know my mother?”
“I did when I was very young, but once she had you, her visits stopped. Other than the odd letter, I heard nothing.”
“You told me you didn’t know her.”
I could feel the chips rushing back to my inner wall, ready to hold down the fort, and protect me with every ounce of its being. He did say he didn’t know my mother, didn’t he? Or had I dreamt that?
“I did and didn’t. The woman I knew was young and motherless, after that though, I have no idea who she was. She mentioned in her last letter to me, the one right before her death, that you were to be called, and I must help you.”
Standing there with my gloves ready, I continued to mentally prepare myself for more lies and betrayals, and wondered why I was still here. Why didn’t I go through that door when I was given the chance?
He bashed the pads together, and then took his stance, looking at me but I was frozen to the spot. I could have sworn he said he didn’t know my mother when he did, and it was all becoming very confusing and frustrating to me.
“Earth to Hayley – I said, 'hit me.'”