Read Online Fighting the Inevitable by J C Gordon - Free Book Online

gown and all but ran to the door. She
yanked it open furiously.
    “ What the
fuck do you want?!” she screamed at the strange man on her
doorstep.
    Jared Hanlon actually
took a step back from the tiny red-haired woman screaming at him.
He blinked in surprise as he stared down at her. She was in her
nightclothes, and her long auburn curls were tumbling wildly about
her pretty face.
    Lavender eyes flashed at
him, and he could see the deep pain within them, could see the tiny
lines of grief around her eyes and mouth. He could also see the
resemblance to Rafe in the woman before him, and he struggled not
to show any sign of recognition. “Pardon me, Miss, but I’m looking
for Rhianna Armand. Is she at home?” He kept his voice level and
very neutral.
    Rhianna stared at him
open mouthed, and then suddenly blushed scarlet. She had just
screamed at the man and yet he was so polite to her, acting as if
she hadn’t just behaved like a screaming banshee. She swallowed
slowly. “I’m Rhianna Armand,” she managed to get out. “What can I
do for you, Mr….?”
    “ Hanlon,
Jared Hanlon.” The gorgeous man responded. “I’m here about the
estate of your brother, Rafe Armand. Would now be a convenient time
to discuss this with you or would you prefer for me to make an
appointment for another time?”
    The mere mention of Rafe
brought tears to her eyes and she looked down to hide them from
him. She stepped back and allowed the man to enter her apartment.
“Have a seat,” she said quietly. “If you’ll just give me a few
minutes, I’ll get dressed.”
    She didn’t even stop to
see his reaction, she turned and fled into her bedroom and closed
her new door behind her. She doubled over and let the tears come.
There was no point in fighting them, they would come whether she
wanted them to or not. Smothering her sobs with her hands to muffle
the sound, Rhianna headed into her bathroom and closed the
door.
    Jared’s enhanced hearing
could pick up Rhianna’s sobs and he sighed sadly at her pain. He’d
promised Rafe he would check up on his sister, make sure she was
okay. He had also told him he’d provide financially for the girl
until she could get back on her feet.
    Rafe’s closeness towards
his sister was clearly reciprocated. The girl was in immense pain
at the loss of her brother, and he truly wished there was something
he could do to ease both of their pain, anything other than
revealing the truth that was.
    He put down his briefcase
and took off his jacket when he heard the sound of the shower going
on. He headed across the open plan great room into the kitchen area
and decided to make some coffee for both of them. The next half
hour or so was going to be difficult for him, and probably
excruciating for Rhianna. A coffee seemed the least he could
do.
    He was sitting at the
breakfast table sipping his coffee when she finally left her
bedroom. She stared at him for a long, silent moment, before she
crossed the room and sat down in front of him.
    “ I didn’t
know what you take so I left it black,” he said as she looked down
at the cup of coffee before her.
    Rhianna flushed with
embarrassment and look at him. “I’m really sorry about that
screaming stuff,” she said self-consciously. “I’m still trying to
come to terms with…you know…and some days are more difficult than
others.”
    Jared smiled gently at
her, his blue eyes warm. “Think nothing of it, Miss
Armand.”
    Rhianna rose and went to
put a sugar and some milk in her coffee. “Please, it’s Annie,” she
finally said as she sat back down.
    “ And I’m
Jared,” he smiled. “I’m sorry if appearing out of the blue like
this upset you, Annie. I’ve been trying to get in touch with you
for a couple of weeks now and haven’t been able to. I really did
need to get the estate sorted out as soon as possible.”
    Rhianna frowned as she
looked at the gorgeous man across from her. He didn’t look like a
solicitor or whatever the person was who