Faith and Lies (Vera Reid, Reid Family Book #2)

Part 31

"Son of a bitch." The words escaped Edwin's lips just above a whisper, luring Vera out of her stupor and back into reality. 

She hadn't fainted. The room had grown black and she could have sworn she stopped breathing and yet somehow, she had not fainted. She stood just as straight and proudly as always, not a single part of her had flinched.  Still, she couldn't focus on that, she couldn't focus. Her mind was working too quickly. 

Was this real?

Was it really happening?

What was he doing here? 

He looked so different.

He looked the same. 

She could almost see him, smiling at her boyishly from a strand of hair that lightly grazed his eyes. She blinked, trying to push the image away. It was him. It was Tom... just not the Tom she remembered. 

"Nice to see you too." He said, standing arrogantly in the doorway. So different. Everything from the way his hair was slicked back from his face to the highly polished shoes beneath the impeccable suit. If she hadn't memorized every gold fleck in those green eyes, she would swear it was a different person entirely.  

Slowly, she moved forward, half afraid that she might faint after all. 

"What are you do..." She began to say as she lowered herself towards her chair.

She should have stayed standing. She should have know she was much too distracted to be coordinated. She missed. She let out a cry, reaching for the chair to try to catch herself only to hit it and send it sliding across the room, crashing into a bookcase. She fell. She fell slowly and awkwardly, hitting the ground with a thud. 

"Ow." She muttered, frozen in place on the ground as she realized how ridiculous she must look. 

"Shit." Both men said in unison after several seconds of silent shock. She heard their feet shuffling as moved towards her... that was when she reacted. 

"I'm okay." She said, beginning to pull herself up as they reached out. Unfortunately for her, it was not Edwin who got to her first. 

"Here." Tom said, putting a hand on her arm but she quickly slapped it away. 

"Touch me again..." She hissed, turning and reaching towards Edwin who was now pulling her to her feet. 

"You're okay?" Edwin asked and she nodded, turning back to Tom. 

"What... what are you doing here?" She asked, taking a few steps back, widening the distance between them. 

"You look good." He said. 

"What?" She replied, incredulous. Tom straightened himself out. Was he taller? No, that wasn't possible. 

"I said you look..." He began and she shook her head. 

"I heard you." She said with a frown. 

"Tom, what the hell are you doing here?" Edwin asked, his fists clenched tightly. "Do you have any fucking idea what you put us through?"

The thoughts were racing too fast in Edwin's mind. He was angry, he was surprised, he was indignant but mostly... he was angry. 

"I know, just listen. Let me explain." Tom said, stepping close before  a fist connected with his jaw. 

Edwin stared as he stumbled back, surprised by his own actions. 

"Stop!" Vera cried out, moving to Edwin and placing a hand on his chest as she gently pushed him back. "Stop. We're not going to do that."