Arianna's Daughter

Chapter 4

Jason Williams sat in his office at Oxford University contemplating his first trip home across the pond in almost sixteen years. Home. Just the thought of going back home to North Carolina made his blood both hot and cold. He missed his friends and family, but most of all her missed her. Arianna with the sweet caramel skin and voluptuous body. Arianna with those big, beautiful almond-shaped eyes that could look at him in such a way his nature would rise in an instant. But he didn't want to miss her. He didn't want to think about her. He wanted to hate her. He lived off his need to hate her for the past sixteen years. So many things had reminded him of her throughout the years. The smell of jasmine would cause his groin to swell with need. The sound of joyous laughter would cause a sharp pain to grip his heart. And he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a peaceful night's sleep without the mind-numbing effects of alcohol to aid his cause.

And now he was about to go home at his mother's request because his father is dying. Just thinking of Jackson Williams was enough to give Jason an intense migraine. He hated Jackson just as much, if not more, as he wanted to hate her. Jason knew he was a lot like his father, after all that's where he gets his devastatingly handsome good looks and deep sea blue eyes, but he also inherited his stubbornness. And for that reason Jason has not seen or spoken to his father since he left home sixteen years ago.

Jackson had wanted his only son and heir to follow in his footsteps, but Jason had other plans for his life. Plans that, he thought, would one day include Arianna and a family. And he thought that was what she had wanted too. But that wasn't what she wanted. What a fool he had been. She never really loved him. He thought they had been happy together and were building a future. Then suddenly out of nowhere she ordered him out of her life, without any explanation or valid reason. He thought if he gave her time she would change her mind. But she never did.

The night he left his parents' home so abruptly, Jason had just had a fight with Arianna and she said that she didn't think things were working out and she wanted to break up. Jason could tell how stressed and tired she looked, but thought if he gave her time to think about what was really bothering her, she would see reason and everything would be fine; they would be fine. When you've grown up and ready to talk, call me, he'd said to her before he stormed out of her apartment. But she never called. Not once. Jason clenched his jam as he thought of that night. He'd planned on proposing to her that night. But he never got the chance. And it was all Jackson's fault.

Later that night after his fight with Arianna, Jason's father approached him about his "plan" for Jason's life. The bitter memories of that night came rushing back to Jason as if it were yesterday.

******

"Jason, its time you started thinking about your future," Jackson Williams had said.

Jason was in the library drinking some of his father's aged whiskey. He looked at his father and laughed sardonically, "What future Jackson? The only woman I'll ever love just walked out of my life. There is no future without her."

Jackson tried to act shocked. "This is news to me Jason. Your mother and I had no idea you were even seeing anyone seriously, other than Shelley that is," he replied smoothly.

Jason's face hardened. Jackson was not aware that Jason had severed all ties with Shelley months ago, back in the summer when he had come home unannounced one weekend only to find Shelley and Jackson together in his study. The sight both repelled and liberated Jason at the same time. Jason had never really wanted a relationship or a future with Shelley; that was what Jackson wanted him to want. He was only too glad to once and for all be rid of her.