Read Destined to Fly: An Avalon Novel for Free Online

hard.
    The kids take her words in their stride and merely bounce back to Robert. ‘Go on, dad, please, can we?’
    He looks toward Adam, who shrugs. ‘Sounds like a great idea to me.’ He picks up the intercom and asksfor the luggage to be brought up. Robert walks over to Alexa and affectionately squeezes her shoulder; she doesn’t respond.
    ‘How about we leave you two alone for a bit?’ He glances cautiously at me. ‘I’ll get the kids organised. We can talk later.’ He gives me a very blokey ‘good luck, mate, she’s all yours’ look before bunching Elizabeth and Jordan up in each arm. ‘This way, kids. Let’s take a look around.’
    Martin remains stationed at the lift doors looking nonchalant.
    I walk over to AB and kneel down before her so we are at eye level. She is sitting still though shivering and deathly white. ‘Please, have a drink of water. You need some colour back.’
    She eventually swallows a little as I bring the glass to her lips. The last time I knelt before her like this was at the InterContinental when I asked her if she would spend the weekend with me. God, what am I asking her to do now? Is it any better? Shit. She might hate me forever.
    ‘Alexandra …’
    ‘Don’t you dare “Alexandra” me, Jeremy.’ Her voice is low and lethal. ‘What the hell have you done?’
    ‘We are meeting here to work out the next step.’
    ‘Next step! My next step is perfectly clear and has been since I received the letter. I am giving the Witch what she wants so she will leave us alone. That is my next step, J.’
    ‘Well, unfortunately, I beg to differ.’
    ‘You can beg to differ all you want but that’s what I’m doing.’ She gets up off the lounge and strides over to the lift where Martin is standing and attempts to press the button. I’m not sure whether she truly expects that she can leave, or is just proving a point to herself. Martin blocks her, knowing that she is not to leave the apartment without my express consent. ‘Martin, please?’
    He shakes his head but remains resolute. ‘Sorry.’
    ‘There are other options, sweetheart. Honestly, we can get through this without her blackmailing you.’
    My words and Martin’s actions seem to break something within her as she spins around and lashes out toward me, her small fists pounding against my chest. ‘Don’t you understand, there are no other options.’
    I hold her against me as her bravery dissolves and she bursts into tears, knowing she is fighting an invisible fight, shadow boxing. A fight that we know we can’t both win. I’d do anything for her not to be going through this anguish, not to experience the pain she is being forced to experience. It’s hurting both of us and I vow that Jurilique will pay for putting her through this nightmare. I lower her body back onto the lounge, still holding her tight.
    ‘You must understand that you are not alone in this,’ I say with the same level of intensity, and add with conviction, ‘I will not allow you to hand yourself over to that evil woman, Alexa, under any circumstances. As I said before, it will be over my dead body.’
    ‘God, Jeremy, please … you can’t … The kids … the risk … you have to let me go, you must. I survived once, I’ll survive again.’
    Oh god, this is almost killing me, just as it is breaking her. She is so distraught, so fragile.
    ‘I don’t think you understand me, sweetheart. I’ve lost you to her once. I will never allow that to occur again. I’m sorry it has to be like this, but it is the only way.’
    Her sobbing reaches new heights causing the pain in my chest to intensify as if I’m being stabbed. Her face looks as if she is experiencing the exact same sensation. This is the first time she has reacted this way since receiving the letter, almost as if she is finally giving herself permission to express the distress she must be feeling, knowing the kids now have their father around. She has experienced a watershed, something has