Rejection Runs Deep (The Canleigh Series, book 1: A chilling psychological family drama) by Carole Williams (uplifting novels TXT) 📕

she would have to keep a firmer grip on her feelings in front of him.  Her head was still whirling with all that had occurred in the last couple of days and she couldn’t afford to let down her guard, even in front of Barrie.  She had to be so careful she didn’t say the wrong thing and give anyone any inkling of how exactly she felt about her father, Ruth, the new baby heir or Richard and Rocky.  She had to bring all her actress skills to the fore now and be ultra-careful.  She ran her hand through her hair, pushing it back from her face.

“Sorry, Barrie.  I’m just overwrought with everything that has gone on.  Of course I care about Father but there’s nothing I can do.  He’s in the best place and has family around him.  As soon as I feel a little better, I’ll go up to Yorkshire but he’s a fighter.  He’ll pull through just fine.  You’ll see. I just want to concentrate on myself for a little while … and I’m sure you will help me do just that, won’t you,” she said teasingly, her eyes sparkling mischievously as his gaze met hers.

Barrie put his foot down and the miles sped by and by early afternoon they pulled up in the car park at the rear of the club.  The only person in the building was Alex, who was in the office.  Barrie could see the back of his head bent over the desk.  Well aware bringing Delia back to the club was playing with fire, he threw caution to the winds as a crazy kind of madness took over.  Praying Alex wouldn’t look up and see them, he swiftly removed Delia’s suitcase from the boot of the car, unlocked a side door and escorted her up the back stairs to the flat he shared with Vicky.  As the door of the flat closed behind them Delia was all over him, her tongue in his mouth, her hands ripping off his tie and undoing the buttons on his shirt and so began the affair that was going to cause ructions throughout the Canleigh family for years to come.

*   *   *

By eleven o’clock that night Alex was becoming thoroughly annoyed.  The club was beginning to hum, with no sign of Barrie.  It was a particularly important night as a top Russian diplomat was hosting an engagement supper for his daughter in one of the two private dining rooms and two members of the royal family from nearby Kensington Palace were amongst those invited.   Vicky had originally planned to be back from her short trip to Yorkshire to assist but with her father unexpectedly in hospital, it was quite understandable that she would have to remain there until he was out of danger.  Therefore, it was essential that Barrie pulled his weight this evening.

Alex was brilliant at arranging events and keeping the clubs accounts up to date but without the same easy manner with people, his hosting skills weren’t a patch on Barrie’s.  He was a good-looking young man, tall, slim, brown hair, chiselled features and good strong, white teeth but even though he attracted the attention of several hopeful females, he found it difficult to respond to their overtures.  There was only one woman for him.  There always had been, right from the moment he met her at University.  The love he felt for Vicky was deep and would never change as long as he had breath in his body.  He idolised her, utterly and completely and the day she had married Barrie had been one of the worst of his life, especially as Barrie insisted Alex was his best man so he was in the limelight for the whole of the event and couldn’t drift away.

Hiding his feelings that day had been the hardest thing he had ever had to do.  He had known the marriage wouldn’t last, of course.  As charming as Barrie was, he was too selfish, too egotistical, too determined to milk the Canleigh family for all he could.  One day it would all end in disaster and Alex intended to be around when it did so that he could rescue Vicky.  That’s why he had agreed to join them in the club venture, although watching how Vicky idolised Barrie hurt him more and more each day and it took enormous strength to keep his feelings in check and not to give up and walk out of their lives for good.  So he remained, enjoying the working relationship he had with her.  It was the nearest they could be for now and it would have to suffice.  He had learned to live with it.

Barrie had guessed, of course, and mocked him for it.  “You really should find a woman of your own,” he urged Alex one evening as they stood together watching the crowds.  Barrie had seen the way Alex had his eyes protectively on Vicky when she was being chatted up by a couple of merry young men.  “She’s mine, Alex.  Mine.” he goaded.  “And you can never have her.”

Alex had turned to look at Barrie and saw the taunting merriment in his eyes.  He had wanted to punch him there and then and restrained himself with difficulty but Barrie grinned and moved away to look after a group of girls who were determined to give their friend a hen night she would remember.

Nothing more had ever been said but it was always there, just under the surface, and Barrie watched Alex and Alex watched Barrie, waiting for him to trip up with the females who fawned over him every evening but so far Barrie had charmed, flirted and delighted all who came near him but that was as far as it went.  Until today.

Alex knew about Delia of course.  The shooting at Richard’s flat had been in all the tabloids and on the television news and Vicky had tearfully