Blood red love
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It was late afternoon and Charlie was trying to work up courage to cook dinner. Vidar had to stay late for the third time this week, and even if he said he didn’t mind cooking, Charlie felt like she should help out. Caine had from the start said he could help cook, but it would be by ordering them pizza. Charlie had asked Lilly for help and she had sent over a recipe for a fish soup that didn’t look too complicated. Charlie had asked Malcom to stop by the grocery store on the way home and Caine had gone with her, pushing the cart. Now she was ready to start cooking and had sent Caine up to the gym to get him out of the way. Things started up fine. Lilly had told her to do all the chopping and preparing before cooking. Charlie was just finished cutting the fish into cubes when the phone rang. She looked at it and frowned when she saw it was Smith, the new doorman.
“Hello, Smith, what is up?” she answered.
“Hello, Miss Maynard. I have two women here that says they are relatives of yours and want to visit you,” Smith told her.
“What are their names?” she asked.
“A Rose and Sophie Maynard. I have confirmed their identification,” he let her know.
“Tell her we were out shopping and Sophie had an accident and need to sit down.” Charlie could hear Rose’s voice in the background, and she sighed.
“It’s okay, Smith. You can send them up,” she told him.
“Yes, miss. Have a good evening.”
“You too, Smith.” Charlie hung up her phone and put down the knife. No need to be tempted, she thought to herself. “I’m guessing you heard that?” she said in a normal conversational tone to the em
kitchen. It didn’t take Caine more than a minute to walk into the kitchen. He was dressed in his work out clothes that left little to the imagination. He was almost as good looking as Vidar, Charlie thought. 1
“We are getting company?” he asked.
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“My stepmother and half–sister,” she confirmed.
“Vidar won’t be happy.”
“I’m not happy. But I’m intrigued by why they are here, and since you are here, I feel safe. Is
there anyway I can convince you to stay out of sight?” she asked. Charlie hoped Caine didn’t get offended by her question. He chuckled.
“Not even if you payed me my weight in gold. I’m not leaving you alone with those people and Vidar would skin me alive, just to start all over when I healed.”
“Fine,” she folded. It was fair, she thought as she heard the faint ding of the elevator. Well, not the skinning part, but not leaving her alone with her stepmother and half–sister. When the doorbell rang, both Charlie and Caine were already halfway to the door. Charlie opened to door and was greeted by the sight of Rose and Sophie loaded with shopping bags and a fake
smile each.
“Charmeze, we were worried you wouldn’t be home,” Rose said in a cheerful voice.
“Please come in and tell me why you are here,” Charlie said. She didn’t bother to act hospitable or introduce Caine.
“Well, aren’t you a grumpy thing.” Rose huffed as she walked inside, followed by Sophie. Charlie enjoyed the look on their faces as they took in the apartment.
“This is quite different from your other place,” Sophie said. She had been in Charlie’s old apartment a total of one time. Charlie snorted. It was a understatement, her old apartment could fit into the upstairs livingroom with room to spare.
“It is,” she agreed. “So, what brings you here?”
“Are you going to make us stand in the hallway? Aren’t you going to offer us something to drink or eat?” Rose asked.
“No.”
“Well, I never. I thought your father, and I taut you good manners,” her stepmother said.
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“Apparently not,” Charlie remarked. It made Caine chuckle and both visitors‘ eyes shot up at him. They hadn’t noticed him until then. It probably had to do with his uncanny ability to blend into shadows.
“Are you entertaining?” Rose asked. Sophie was too busy drooling to speak. Cain looked. mildly disturbed and disgusted, which thrilled Charlie beyond words. She wasn’t used to people resisting Sophie and her mother’s charm. She had hoped Vidar would, and he had. But When Caine did as well, it felt like an extra victory.
“Caine is a friend that is staying with Vidar and me for a time,” Charlie explained.
“Since Charmeze has lost all her grace, let me introduce myself,” Rose started.
“I know who both you and your daughter are, and Charlie just told you who I am. No introduction necessary,” Caine stopped her. It seemed to surprise her enough to shut her up. “I think Charlie asked you a question,” he added. Charlie sent him a grateful smile.
“Does Vidar know you are here all alone with this ‘friend‘?” Sophie asked.
“He does,” Charlie said.
“It’s hard not to notice me sleeping in the guest bedroom,” Caine chuckled.
“So, back to why you are here?”
“Well, we were out shopping nearby and Sophie tripped and may have hurt her ancle and we thought that since you lived just around the corner, it would be easier to come here for her to sit down,” Rose said.
“She looks fine to me,” Caine remarked, looking at both of Sophie’s feet.
“She is an angel, always putting up a brave face,” Rose praised her daughter. Charlie was just about to add her five cents to the conversation when the door opened and Vidar stepped inside. He ignored the two women and walked straight over to Charlie and k*ssed her.
“Hi,” she said.
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“Hello, everything okay?” he asked.
“It’s fine. Apparently Sophie twisted her ancle while shopping,” Charlie filled him in.
“How bothersome, and you didn’t have a car?” he asked Rose.
“Eh, no. We thought a walk would do us good,” she lied. It would take a fit person about an hour to walk from where they lived to the centre of the city. Considering both women had on high heels, it was obvious it wasn’t the truth.
“How unfortunate,” Vidar said, taking out his phone and sending a text. “My car will be in front of the house in two minutes. It will take you home,” he said in a flat voice.
“Oh, Mr Vidar, how kind of you,” Sophie said with a flirty smile. Vidar had the same look Caine had a moment previous, like he was going to be sick.
“I don’t want you around Charlie. If lending you my car and driver accomplishes that, it’s a small price.” Charlie almost giggled when she saw the look on her stepmother’s face at his blunt reply.
“Well, I don’t know what to say.” Charlie watched her stepmother trying to find her footing.
“Thank you, would be the polite response,” Charlie pointed out, which earned her a nasty look from both women. That, in turn, caused the two men to draw nearer Charlie. “Okay, this has been fun. Let’s not do it again anytime soon,” she said to make Rose and Sophie leave.
“I hope you know what is going on in your home, Mr Vidar,” Sophie said as she turned to leave. She gave Charlie and Caine a look. Vidar followed her look, and he started laughing.
“I know exactly what is going on in our home. No need to worry about us,” he chuckled and k*ssed Charlie’s temple. Charlie knew exactly where his mind had gone. They hadn’t talked about that night, and Caine hadn’t mentioned it either. But now she felt herself blush. The three of them stood in the hallway until they heard the elevator close behind Rose and Sophie. then they waited a moment. Charlie presumed Vidar and Caine kept listening when she no longer could. When they both seemed satisfied, they relaxed. Caine walked awa probably to continue his workout. Vidar studied her and then k*ssed her again.
“I’m guessing your appearance here wasn’t a coincident?” she asked. He smiled.
“No, both Smith and Caine texted me.”
“Do you need to go?”
“No, I just sent my car away. I’m done for the day,” he told her and put his arm over her shoulders.
“I was going to cook for you,” Charlie said. She was disappointed that she didn’t get to finish.
“Really?” he asked, sounding surprised.
“Yeah.”
“Do you want me to help?”
“Sure,” she said, trying to not let her feelings bleed through into her voice.
“But you prefer if I didn’t?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with you. I was just looking forward to do something for you for once,” she explained.
“Baby, you do things for me all the time, and this is a relationship. We don’t keep score. But if you want to do this, I will join Caine in the gym. Call us when dinner is done,” he told her and k*ssed her forehead.
“I love you, Vidar. I promise to do my best.”
“I know it will be delicious,” he said as he walked away. An hour later, they were sitting and eating her soup with garlic bread. It wasn’t half bad. The vegetable may have needed a few minutes more to cook and the fish a few minutes less. But the flavours were good, and the soup was overall nice. The boys acted like it was the best soup ever made and both of them had seconds. She smiled at them. They were adorable, the two of them.