Page 118 of Under Your Scars

I notice that her father looks a lot older than the last time I saw him. Probably on account of him worrying about his daughter. He peeks out from over Elena’s shoulder at me, and the scowl he gives me is so hot with fury he could dry up oceans. He squeezes her one more time before releasing her. She comes to stand next to me and another man emerges from a powder bathroom.

He smiles at Elena and waves. “Hi, Ellie.”

She waves back. “Christian, this is Justin, Travis’ future husband.”

I shake Justin’s hand and then he takes a seat next to Travis at the kitchen island.I can still feel Elliot staring at me like he’s trying to get my head to explode. I glare back at him as if to say, ‘knock it off’.

Bethany sighs loudly. “I’m so happy the whole family’s here.”

Family. That word feels equal parts icy cold and burning hot in my chest. Family is such a distant concept for me that it feels wrong. It feels like I’m betraying my parents somehow by using the word.

Elena moves to the kitchen to help her mother with the food, leaving me alone under the burning glare of her father.

“Well Christian,” Bethany starts, stirring a pot on the stove, “we were all so preoccupied with taking care of Ellie that I feel like I know nothing about you. How did you two meet? I mean I know it was through work, but that can’t be the whole story. Tell me everything!” She throws her head back and makes a squeal of delight. “I bet it was romantic. Was it romantic?”

Elena and I share a look. I give her a strained smile. “Sorry to disappoint you, Bethany. I saw her in the office one day, thought she was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I haven’t left her alone since.”

Elliot lets out a sound between a sarcastic laugh and a dangerous growl. His arms are crossed over his chest, his mouth in a hard line.

“Oh my God!” Justin loudly exclaims, gathering the attention of everyone in the room. “Holy shit. You’re ChristianfuckingReeves!” Justin lightly swats at Travis’ arm. “Babe, what the fuck? You told me Ellie was dating some rich guy, you didn’t tell me he was a fucking billionaire.”

Travis chokes on his water. “Billionaire? Like…like with a B?Billionaire?” They look at Bethany. “Mom! You said he lived in areally big house.”

“Don’t look at me!” Bethany defends herself playfully. “Ellie’s the one dating the man. She didn’t tell you he was a billionaire either!”

“Yeah, Ellie, what the fuck?” Travis tosses a crumpled-up paper towel at her.

She narrows her eyes in their direction. “Can you two stop making it weird? You’re telling me you didn’t connect the dots when I told you I was going on a business trip to Mykonos and staying on a yacht?”

“You didn’t say you were going on a business trip with theCEO!”

Elena shrugs. “Oops.”

I can understand Elena not telling her parents I’m a billionaire. I think that would send most parents into cardiac arrest. I’m shocked she never told her brother though. They’re very close. They talk all the time. I figured he would have been the first person she told. I’m sure her parents googled me the second they stepped into my mansion. Her mother at least. Her father doesn’t seem to be all that interested in who I am—only that I stay far, far away from his daughter.

Elena goes back to helping her mother, and Bethany sends me a wink before turning her attention to the stove. I smirk. At least her mother likes me.

I take in Elena’s childhood home. How cozy it is. My mansion is pretty much stripped of all signs of living. No family photos on the walls. No souvenirs from vacations. No ‘Live Laugh Love’ signs. The only family photos I have are on the bookshelf in my room. I don’t even have that many since my parents have been dead for thirty years. The only other ‘family’ photo I have is one of Edwin and I when I graduated from MIT.

I remember that day so vividly. I walked across the stage, and then got drunk in a bar and had a threesome with two tall blondes. Only after I stumbled back to Edwin’s hotel room at 3 PM the next day did I realize he had gotten me a cake and a gift. The cake was left uneaten, and the gift was my father’s Breitling. The one he was wearing the day he was murdered. The police had kept it for almost twenty years as ‘evidence’.

That was the first and only time I’ve ever hugged Edwin.

I’ll never be able to give Elena the simple life her parents have. Their world seems so disconnected from mine. From ours. Simple won’t do. Not for her. Not after what she’s been through for me. Pretty soon I’ll have to start carving her name into mountains to prove my love.

I watch my angel with a smile on my face as she dances around the kitchen with her mother.

“You’re staring at my sister.”

Travis’ voice pulls me out of my besotted stare, and I look at him. I nod down at him, turning my gaze back to her.

“She talks about you all the time, you know. All good things, I promise. Be good to her, okay? She deserves happiness.”

“I know.Fuck, I know she does. She deserves everything. I’m…trying my best.”

Travis nods. “You coming to the wedding with her?”

“Didn’t know I was invited.”