The Desire to Deny

Disclaimer: Before reading, I will say that this story is rated 18+ since it has explicit scene and languages. If uncomfortable with the book, I advise you not to read it. Thank you.  - Talia bit on her nail as she looked out to the outside world from where she sat in the cab. She didn't know what compelled her to make the decision to go to New York, but she decided to give it a shot, and come back home, especially when it was to surprise him. Him meaning, Alaric. She blew out a frustrated sigh as she had been in the horrendous traffic of early morning New York for the past fifteen minutes. Leaning her head back, she rubbed her temple from the lingering headache she had all morning. Distracting her from the swelling pain, she pulled out her phone and scrolled down her list of contacts to his. The feeling of nervousness came to her as she didn't know if it was right to suddenly call him out of the blue.  It had been four long years since she stepped foot back into New York soil as she was given to Alaric to be her guardian. She had been living with him since the age of sixteen till she became the age of legal adult and moved out to Florida. During those time, neither had call, text or visited each others. Expect for the occasional message of "Happy whatever the occasion was," or him sending a birthday card and a bouquet of flowers to her. She remember his words telling her that "they would keep in contact," but that promise didn't held out long enough, not even for a day in Florida. Beside that, they were now like strangers to each other. Gaining her courage, she pressed his number and soon the sound of a phone ringing was heard from the car space. She hoped he would answer and somehow didn't answer. For her, the phone call died out into pure silence and some part of her sighed in relief. She wasn't ready to talk to him or see him yet, but she knew she would soon, so she pulled up her big girl panties and anticipated to do so.   Soon the traffic had began to move and within time her destination had arrived. She looked up from where she sat to see the skyscraper that reached the sky. She was here... and the place where she used to call home. His penthouse. The once tranquil of peace within her mind ended when she heard the cab driver speak out, "Mam' your destination is here." She turned back to the cab driver and quickly paying him, and soon got out of the vehicle along with her purse and suitcase. She had stood there in the edge of the walk way looking up once again. The frigid wind blew her hair around for mile as she didn't care or when the bitter cold made her body shivered as she pulled her coat more into her body. She knew she couldn't stand there all day, so she made her way into the building.  Walking into the building was such a change for her since the once lobby that she once knew was completely different. It must have been remodeled to a modern twist. She looked around the area until her gaze met someone so familiar. "Kameron!" She gasped out as she walked over to the front desk to where he stood behind it. He had looked up from the computer to see her, as he quickly rushed over to her and grasped her into a hug.  "Talia!" His voice shook a little as he tried to hold in his shock of seeing her. Pulling away from the hug to give a quick glance at her, he couldn't her but notice that she wasn't once the young beauty that used to enter and leave he building years ago. "You've changed into quite a beautiful young lady." He says.  Talia gave him a warm smile as hugged him once again.  "You're back." He couldn't help but utter out. "I am."  "You here to book the night?" He dumbly asked as she rolled her eyes at him. "You know better to ask that," She sighed. "I came to visit Alaric for the holiday. As of a surprise, since we haven't spoken or seen each other for years." "Oh," Was all Kameron breath out as his once smile faded away and he walked back to behind the desk. Talia had noticed the change in him as she raised a brow at him, walked his way and turned to him.  "What was that?" She questioned him. "What was what?" He innocently retorted back giving her a tight smile, that didn't show in his green eyes. "That." She pointed out toward him. "The minute I mention Alaric, you changed so suddenly, why is that?" Kameron didn't answer as he looked back down at the monitor once again. "Nothing Talia." He shortly told her, but she didn't believe him, so she leaned over the marble counter, close to where he stood and whispered toward his direction. "Tell me, Kameron." Sighing, Kameron gave in and told her. "Look Talia, he had changed." She wasn't expecting that answer from him, so she took a step back and looked at him with confusion.  "What do you mean by that?" She whispered out. "Or how or when?" "Talia, I mustn't say, you are still a child." A surge of anger swept through her as she leaned over the counter once more and gritted out, "I am an independent twenty-two year old, so I am merely not a child." "As in age and physicality yes, but mentally, you are too innocent like a child. I am sorry if I had offended you in anyway."  "As in what?" "For one, do you cuss now these days?" It felt like such a dumb question to hear, but it made her freeze a little.  "You don't need to know that." She rebuked him.  "That must be a hard no, I can see it in your eyes. Alaric's rule must have stuck to you." Talia couldn't denied that. That rule of no cussing was one of Alaric's rule that was given to her when she was under his care.  "Fine, I don't, but I will do so if it could get me to know." "You know curious that you are, it could lead to trouble." "Like what?" She challenged him. He didn't answer so it gave her cue to cuss away all that she knew. "f**k. Damn. s**t -" Before she could sail away with her vocabulary, Kameron's hand cover her mouth as she began to scowl at him. "Please stop." He sighed. "I get it, you know cuss words. No need to say them." "Seemed like I had too just for you to confess eventually." Her sarcasm was at its peak today.  "Can we just leave it as it was, Talia? Just know that he changed." He then slip a card toward her. She greedily took the flimsy black card and gave him a look.  "What this for?" "The card is to his penthouse. He isn't back yet but I doubt he'll mind you up there, you seemed tired and need rest."  "Thank you," She breathed out. She didn't ask anymore of the so called change of Alaric, so she gathered her suitcase and went to the elevator. Once up to the floor, Talia placed the card in it slot of the door, as it clicked to unlock. She found herself standing in the foyer as she soon took small steps into the living room. It was the same as she remembered, the black leather sofa, the grand piano in the corner by the window but came a new smell of cigarette butts that lingered in the air. Scrunching up her nose, she placed her coat on the sofa along with purse as she began to explore the place.  She found her way around the place like she used to. She had passed many hallways downstairs, never went since they were all locked, and never had the courage to go upstairs. Her last place was the kitchen. She had always loved that space. The once marbled island laid bare as no sign of care was given to the counter. She ran her fingers around the cold marble as she went to the fridge and opened it, hoping for a cold bottle of water. To her shock, the fridge also was bare, nothing filled with except Takeout food. Frowning, she never expected to have Alaric in such a style of Fast food. She remember when she used to live with him, that home cooked meals were essential tp her life. Guess not anymore.. Rubbing her now tired eyes, she walked back into the living room, slide herself into sofa and the shade of darkness filled her eyes.