Faded Perfection (Beautifully Flawed Book 2) by Cassandra Giovanni Page B
Authors: Cassandra Giovanni
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hands moved up my spine as I twisted, so my legs were on either side of him. I could feel the smile on his lips as they moved down to my chest, kisses warm and soft.
Chapter 19
Adam successfully distracted me, so I never brought up what was on my mind the night before. I closed my eyes as I snapped the backdrop in place and then pulled the gold fabric over it as I began to drape it. Then I moved on to setting up the lights, umbrellas and other equipment I needed for the shoot. I was tired today like I was every other day and I hadn’t slept the night prior, which was also like every other day. I fought the fatigue in my arms as I adjusted the fabric. A smile came to my face, at least today it was because Adam spent the whole night with me. Tingles shot up my spine as I inhaled.
“You don’t have anyone to do that for you?” a voice asked from behind me.
My body tensed. Thinking about
that
with
him
behind me was awkward. I turned slowly, knowing exactly who it was, and it wasn’t someone I wanted to see. “What are you doing here, Alec?”
For the first time since I was a child, using his first name came easily. Maybe it was because I just didn’t care what he thought of me anymore.
“You’ve blocked our calls,” he said, stepping forward into the direct light of my setup. Bobby and Adam’s father aged in the months since the funeral. Deep lines creased his forehead, and marionettes pulled the thin lips he shared with Adam down. His blue eyes raced over my face as he stepped closer, and I saw the dark shadows beneath them. He looked like he slept about as much as I did.
“Yes, we asked for space,” I replied, turning my back on him.
Rude, River.
I grit my teeth. I may not have cared what he thought, but I still had a conscience.
He closed the gap between us, and his large frame cast a shadow over me. I pressed my eyes shut as I tried to remain calm. “We’ve given you a lot of space, River.”
I turned slowly, my chest rising as I breathed in. “It’s still not enough time.”
“What exactly did we do?” Alec asked as he looked down at me.
I clenched my jaw. How could I be level headed with exactly what had been said and done? I inhaled deeply, softening my eyes so I wouldn’t look like a total bitch. “Look, Alec — we overheard a conversation at the funeral…and it rubbed both of us wrong. Please don’t make me repeat what was said–you have to know–“
“Yes,” Alec replied as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “I don’t know that’s what she meant.”
I went to my tripod and began adjusting the settings.
“Listen, River, Vickie and I have our problems. I’m not saying what she said was right–”
My hand numbed against the grip I now had on my tripod as I stared at him. “You could’ve–“
“Should’ve—would’ve, none of that matters now. You know that as much as I do,” he interrupted, and as I glanced over at him, his shoulders slumped.
I looked down at my tripod and released my grip. I stretched my hand before asking, “Why did you come here?”
“You’re the last connection I have to
both
of my sons…and some things need to be taken care of.”
My stomach dropped at the final words, knowing he meant the apartment, Bobby’s things– and whatever else. I was slowly working on organizing the items into boxes, and I didn’t want anyone else to touch them. I knew where they needed to go–what Bobby would want. I doubted anyone else would.
“River Ahlers?” the model I selected came into the room.
I put my clammy hand to my forehead, its cold icing down my mind as I looked around Alec. “Yeah, come on in. I’m just finishing setting up, and we have to wait for Valerie and a few other models.”
My gaze returned to the stone of a man in front of me. He looked lost as he stared down at me, large arms tensed and eyes tired. “Please, River.”
“Obviously, I have a shoot to do;” I began, the harsh words not matching my soft tone as I
Chapter 19
Adam successfully distracted me, so I never brought up what was on my mind the night before. I closed my eyes as I snapped the backdrop in place and then pulled the gold fabric over it as I began to drape it. Then I moved on to setting up the lights, umbrellas and other equipment I needed for the shoot. I was tired today like I was every other day and I hadn’t slept the night prior, which was also like every other day. I fought the fatigue in my arms as I adjusted the fabric. A smile came to my face, at least today it was because Adam spent the whole night with me. Tingles shot up my spine as I inhaled.
“You don’t have anyone to do that for you?” a voice asked from behind me.
My body tensed. Thinking about
that
with
him
behind me was awkward. I turned slowly, knowing exactly who it was, and it wasn’t someone I wanted to see. “What are you doing here, Alec?”
For the first time since I was a child, using his first name came easily. Maybe it was because I just didn’t care what he thought of me anymore.
“You’ve blocked our calls,” he said, stepping forward into the direct light of my setup. Bobby and Adam’s father aged in the months since the funeral. Deep lines creased his forehead, and marionettes pulled the thin lips he shared with Adam down. His blue eyes raced over my face as he stepped closer, and I saw the dark shadows beneath them. He looked like he slept about as much as I did.
“Yes, we asked for space,” I replied, turning my back on him.
Rude, River.
I grit my teeth. I may not have cared what he thought, but I still had a conscience.
He closed the gap between us, and his large frame cast a shadow over me. I pressed my eyes shut as I tried to remain calm. “We’ve given you a lot of space, River.”
I turned slowly, my chest rising as I breathed in. “It’s still not enough time.”
“What exactly did we do?” Alec asked as he looked down at me.
I clenched my jaw. How could I be level headed with exactly what had been said and done? I inhaled deeply, softening my eyes so I wouldn’t look like a total bitch. “Look, Alec — we overheard a conversation at the funeral…and it rubbed both of us wrong. Please don’t make me repeat what was said–you have to know–“
“Yes,” Alec replied as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “I don’t know that’s what she meant.”
I went to my tripod and began adjusting the settings.
“Listen, River, Vickie and I have our problems. I’m not saying what she said was right–”
My hand numbed against the grip I now had on my tripod as I stared at him. “You could’ve–“
“Should’ve—would’ve, none of that matters now. You know that as much as I do,” he interrupted, and as I glanced over at him, his shoulders slumped.
I looked down at my tripod and released my grip. I stretched my hand before asking, “Why did you come here?”
“You’re the last connection I have to
both
of my sons…and some things need to be taken care of.”
My stomach dropped at the final words, knowing he meant the apartment, Bobby’s things– and whatever else. I was slowly working on organizing the items into boxes, and I didn’t want anyone else to touch them. I knew where they needed to go–what Bobby would want. I doubted anyone else would.
“River Ahlers?” the model I selected came into the room.
I put my clammy hand to my forehead, its cold icing down my mind as I looked around Alec. “Yeah, come on in. I’m just finishing setting up, and we have to wait for Valerie and a few other models.”
My gaze returned to the stone of a man in front of me. He looked lost as he stared down at me, large arms tensed and eyes tired. “Please, River.”
“Obviously, I have a shoot to do;” I began, the harsh words not matching my soft tone as I
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