Chapter 7

"You're not going to him Amber and that's final."

Tristan couldn't believe what he was hearing, that bastard Christopher bought her father's company from her idiot of a brother so she would go running and begging for it back. Tristan was not having any of it. Although it was a bastard thing to do, it was smart. Alexander Christopher knew how much that company meant to Amber and he was using it as leverage over her.

"Tristan, I'm going. This is my father's company, the only thing we have left of him. Alex said if I agree to meet him he'll give me the company back. I have to go, please understand."

Amber pleaded with Tristan, she loved him but she couldn't let her father's company be taken away just because her brother was an idiot and her boyfriend was jealous. She was going to face Alex, she knew it was going to be hard, after all, that she did to him, but she had to do it for her mother.

She could see that Tristan was angry, but she couldn't let herself worry about that. Focusing her attention on getting dress, she pulled the zip up on her dress and looked at herself in the mirror. She saw a frightened young woman looking back at her. Her reflection in the mirror almost made backed out of going, but she squared her shoulder and walked out of the room.

Tristan watched her, he notice the extra care she took getting dress and fixing her hair. He clenched his fist, he wanted to punch Alex in her face. If he thought that Tristan was going to give Amber up without a fight, he had another thing coming.

Tristan followed Amber out of the room, he still did not want her going anywhere near Alex. He would have bought back her father's company if he could. Heck, he was even willing to start up a new company for her, but she didn't want that. All she wanted was her father's company and she was the only one that Alex was willing to give it back to. Bastard!  

"Let me try talking to him one more time, maybe I will get him to sell it back to me."

"No Tristan, I don't want you spending your money, this is my problem, I have to sort it out my way. Besides, Alex said I'm the only one he'll deal with."

Amber grabbed her purse and ignored Tristan brooding against the wall. After making sure that she had everything that she needed, she turned to him.

"I promise I'll call you as soon as I get there and right after it's all over, okay?"

Tristan didn't like it, but he also know that he couldn't very well stop her from going. He stepped closer to her and pulled her to him.

"I'll be waiting."

With that, he kissed her awaiting lips then let her go. She smiled at him as she walked out the door.

++++++++++++

Alex stood by the window of his home office and gazed out at the view. He watched his daughter played with the dog she begged him to get her. Her pink and yellow sun dress smeared with dirt from her rolling fit with the mutt. He smiled as he watched her fall over of the tenth time. She got up and wiped her hands on her already dirty dress. At the rate she was going, he would be buying dresses by the dozens each week.

He continued to enjoy the view of his daughter. He was angered by the fact that he missed five years of her life. If he hadn't found out about his her through Jessica's half-sister, he would have never known about her. He thanked god that the Murphy's were good people who loved and cared for her. They were upset and sad to see Emily go, but Alex knew he had to take her, she was his after all. He clenched his fist as he thought about Jessica. He swore to himself that she would never be able to see Emily ever again. His lawyers were already dealing with the proceedings.

A light tap on his office brought his thoughts away from Jessica to his housekeeper Grace. Grace was an older woman in her fifties, her family has been working for his family for many years. She was more of a mother to him than an employee.

Alex smiled at her.

"Is everything alright, Grace?"

Grace nodded her head.

"Yes, just wanted to let you know that a Miss Amber Parker is waiting for you. I put her in the white room."

Alex nodded his thanks and she left. He couldn't believe that she came. Her father's company must mean a lot to her for her to agree to his demands. He wondered what else she'd be willing to do in order to obtain her father's company back.

He wasn't sure if he was ready to see her, but it had to be done sooner or later and he wasn't the type of man to stall. He looked at his daughter one more time then walked out of the room.

As he walked into the white room he found Amber admiring a painting on the wall, of all the paintings he had in the house it was his favourite. It caught his eyes when he was in Australia on business.  A street vendor was selling it and a lot more of its kind. The beauty of the little girl sitting in the Methow with a scared, lost look in her eyes called out to him. He wanted to find out who the artist was but was told the artist would preferred to stay anonymous.

He stood back and watched her for a while longer. The flowered dress that she wore did nothing to hide her amazing body from him. His hands still ached to touch her, to explore all of her hidden depths.

He walked into the room, coming to a stop right beside her.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Amber gasped. She turned to look at him, but his eyes were on the painting. She was nervous and trying her best not to pass out from it. She wasn't sure if he would still see her, she thought that maybe he would have changed his mind and send her packing.

"It's a piece by an unknown artist. The sadness in the painting was captured with every brush stroke, don't you agree?"

Alex turned to Amber with a questioning look. Amber was unable to say anything, she just stood there and stared at him. All her instincts were telling her to run and never look back. However, that wasn't an option. She came to see him for her mother, she had to stick out if she ever wanted to have her father's company back.

Alex gave her an amused look. This was something new for Amber, he's never seen her so rattled before. She was always sunshine and smiles. He used to love her carefree ways, the way she never lets anything bothered her. However, he was glad that he was having an effect on her. He wanted her nervous, he had something she wanted and he wanted her. Maybe not the way he had before, but he still wanted her body, however, Alex was not a sharing man. He wanted her for himself if she wanted her father company she had to get rid of the boyfriend.

"Come, we have much to discuss."

He took her arm and led her to a set a chairs. He waited until she was seated before he took his.

He placed the file he brought down from his office on the table between them. Her eyes followed. She looked at the file then back at him, still not saying a word.

"Aren't you going to look at it?"

She nodded her eyes then with shaky hands she picked up the file. She opened it and started to read. It was a contract of agreement, stating all she had to do in order to get the company back. As she read her eyes grew wide. Amber looked at him then backed at the file. She couldn't believe what he was asking of her.

"Why would you want me to do any of this? This is my life Alex, you can't just expect me to hand it over to you."

Alex leaned back in his chair. That was exactly what he expected her to do.

"If you don't agree with my terms, you can always leave. I am not stopping you."

Amber heart sunk, she has never seen him so cold hearted before. How could he expect her to just break off her relationship with Tristan and move in with him? She could see that he was punishing her for what she did to him. She wanted to apologise to him but from the look on his face she knew it wouldn't be accepted. Alex wanted nothing less than blood.

"Please Alex, don't make me do this. I know I hurt but please don't let that turn you into this person you're being right now. I know you Alex and this is not you."

Alex clenched his fist and leaned forward. His eyes filled with rage.

"You know nothing of me Amber Rose, just like I knew nothing of you."

He stood so fast making Amber jump back.

"I don't have time to waste on meaningless conversation, either you agree to my terms and sign the contract or get the hell out of my house right this instance."

Amber was shock. She stood on shaky legs. Why was he doing this? Why was he punishing her? Was it just to see her beg?

"Please Alex," she begged one last time, "This is my life."

He was up on her before she could finish her sentence, standing so close she could feel his breath on her face. He tugged her close to him.

"And this will just be a new chapter in your life."

She was breathing hard, with his hand around she was finding it hard to concentrate.

"Don't make me do this." She said breathless.

Alex smirked. "I promise Amber, everything that you'll do, will be of your own free will."

His lips descended on hers and she melted against him. Amber knew that her life was going to erupt into chaos.