Battle Lines. Read Online Free PDF

said. “I won’t be in town for long.” Another fib.
    “This is a flying visit.” He said, she could hear the sarcasm in his voice again. How did he know when she was lying?
    “I am not planning on staying and it would only hurt her more if she knew.” She replied, trying to ignore his angry tones.
    “Like you care.” He accused her. He spat the words at her as if they had left a bitter taste in his mouth.
    “Think what you like.” She threw at him.
    “You haven’t cared, not since the day you walked out.” His voice sounded hurt as though it had been painful for him. The audacity of the man.
    “You have no idea.” She told him.
    “There has been no phone call, no letter. In fact, there has been no contact whatsoever. Not even an attempt either that I can see.” Amanda watched his eyes darken and he clenched his hands at his sides.
    “There was no point. I probably wouldn’t have been able to talk to my mother anyway.”
    “Of course you would have done.” Amanda gave a cynical laugh.
    “I wouldn’t have been able to get past her bodyguard.” She taunted him cruelly. He took a small step toward her and she stepped back immediately.
    “I would have let you talk to mum.” Jake told her.
    “Let me… let me.” She echoed. “Who the hell do you think you are. Let me speak with my own mother.”
    “That’s not how I meant it and you know it.” Jake defended.
    “Huh.” Amanda replied. “Yes you did and no, you wouldn’t have… let me…. Talk with my mother. You would have withheld the opportunity until I told you where I was so that you could come and get me.” She squared her shoulders.
    “Amanda.”
    “See, I am right.” She gloated.
    “I would have only wanted to make sure you were safe.”
    “No, it’s about control.” She flung at him.
    “No, It’s about caring. Looking out for you.” He said.
    “You… care?” Amanda gave a short laugh. “Yeah right. You mean control Jake. You want control. It has nothing to do with caring. It has always been about control.”
    “If you really cared then you would have pick up the damn phone, just once would have been enough.” He paused briefly.
    There was no disguising the hurt in his voice, in his eyes. But he quickly composed himself and soon he was back to cold hearted Jake. Which was just as well, she could handle that Jake.
    “If I really cared?” She echoed as she pointed to herself. “Why should I care? Nobody cared about me.” She shouted, not even attempting to hide the hurt she felt.
    “O don’t be so bloody ridiculous. Of course we care about you.” Jake sighed. “You don’t make it easy.”
    “That’s right, it all my fault.” Who would have guessed.
    “You always were…” He stopped.
    “No go on. I was always what?” she challenged him.
    “A redhead.” Jake said.
    “How dare you.” She fumed.
    “I dare.” He assured her.
    “At least I’m not an overbearing egotistical power hungry maniac.” She flung at him.
    “Amanda, you are… frustrating, it is you that doesn’t seem to care about anything or anyone. Just yourself. Dad spent everything he had trying to find his precious perfect little girl.” Jake scorned, spitting the words at her as though they had left a bad taste in his mouth. “He died a broken man. You…” He pointed at her, his voice dropping to barely a whisper.
    “I was forced out.” She defended.
    “Dad worried himself into an early grave. You did that. Proud of yourself?” he asked her raising an eyebrow at her.
    “You are a nasty son of a bitch.” Amanda swallowed against the painful lump that had formed in her throat and blinked away the tears that were now stinging her eyes.
    “So where have you been all this time? No doubt living it up someplace without a backward glance at the family you left behind.” He snapped angrily at her.
    “Well isn’t that just typical of you Jake. You always did make assumptions. You always did jump to the wrong conclusions feet first.