Chapter 9
"I'm with your brother having lunch," I informed him, ignoring the anger in his voice.
"Where? Cause I'm at the Grand Hotel right now and you're surely not here!" He bit.
"Oh, I thought you weren't coming. Sorry, I would have informed you of the change of plan had I known you intended to come!"
"Briana, what are you doing? Trying to drive me crazy by using my brother?" He barked. I had never heard Leo so angry.
"Who me? Not at all. We changed restaurant simply because your brother didn't want any paparazzi to bother him. I'll return to the office as soon as we finish." I told him.
"I don't know if I'll be there."
"I guess you have another important meeting, right?" I said sarcastically.
"Yeah, right!" He retorted. And then he hung up. Liam kept gazing at me curiously. His blue eyes bore into mine as if he was trying hard to read my mind.
"Everything ok?" He asked when I put the mobile back into my handbag.
"Yeah, the usual," I said.
"Problems with my brother?"
"Another of his tantrums," I replied. "Your brother thinks he can command me all the time and not just during work hours."
"Even though you're not together anymore?" He asked.
"Yes. He can't accept that I don't want to be with him anymore."
Just then, Tony arrived with the drinks and took our orders. Thankfully, after he went away Liam changed the subject and asked me about work. I was grateful for that, as I preferred not to talk about my private life with him.
"So, is it hard to be in Leo's place? Honestly, I know nothing about being a journalist or making interviews. What type of articles do you publish in the magazine?"
I never expected the father of my child to be like Liam. I knew he was handsome. I had seen him in the morning, but with his eyes closed, he wasn't as devastating. It was hard not to shiver each time his blue eyes settled on my face. He had changed a bit in the past year. He was more muscled, probably he had worked out a lot because of the films he had to do.
"What are you thinking?" He asked as a smile formed on his face.
"Ah, nothing."
"Are you sure? I asked you a question, but you didn't seem to hear me."
I blushed. "I'm sorry. Well, I was thinking although you and Leo are brothers, you're very different from each other."
"I guess being the eldest made the difference. I never relied on anyone in my life. Leo, on the other hand, always needed help for everything. And probably this is the reason he needs you so much. I always had different ambitions in my life and running a news agency was never one of them. I wanted more. Acting was my passion, and I wished to make it to Hollywood. It's very difficult to get cast for good movies nowadays, but I've been lucky."
"That's great. Are you working on a new movie at the moment?"
"Yeah. Next month I have to take a week off from the office as I have some filming to do. A few last scenes which the director kept for last. Then, unless something comes up, I take a break until Leo returns from London for about six months."
Six months. Leo was going to leave for six months and he didn't care to tell me. Even if I didn't want to admit it, it hurt knowing that he didn't tell me. Six months without seeing him was going to be hell for me. Deep down, I still loved him, even if I hated myself for that.
"You should talk to him," Liam said.
"What?"
"To Leo. It's clear that you are still in love with him."
"No," I said brusquely. "I'm not. I mean, it's difficult to forget him even though he's been a jerk. I gave him three years of my life and I have loved him so much. But I took my decision and I won't return to him. I don't want to suffer anymore."
"You deserve someone better than my brother." He said, holding my gaze. "And I'm sure you'll find him soon."
I wondered if that someone could be him.
When it was time to leave, Liam took out his credit card and gave it to Tony.
"Oh no, it's on the house," Tony said, winking at me.
"No, I can't accept. Thank you so much for everything. The food was amazing."
"I'm glad you like it," Tony said with a grin. "But really, Briana is like a daughter to me."
"I insist," Liam said again.
"Liam, I'll pay," I told him. "I brought you here."
"As if I'm letting you do it. Tony, please take it."
Tony seemed in difficulty but finally surrendered.
"Liam..."
"Briana. This is my thank you for coming for me at the airport and bringing me here. I enjoyed your company, and I hope we can re-do it again."
"Oh... yeah, sure, but next time I pay."
"We'll see." He said as he got up. Tony returned a few moments later, and before we went away, he hugged me.
"You got yourself an amazing man. Keep him tight, Briana. He's famous and it won't be easy to compete with all the females he meets every day. But I'm sure you'll manage." He whispered in my ear.
"Tony, he's not my..."
But Tony smiled and then shook Liam's hand.
"Treat her well, please."
"Sure," Liam told him.
When we went outside, the taxi was still there waiting for us. I climbed in and we left.
"I'm sorry Liam. Tony must have thought that we're a couple."
"No need to excuse yourself. Maybe you have to get used to this. By tomorrow, I'm sure everyone will think you're my new conquest."
I stared at him as I felt my cheeks burning. Probably I was blushing.
"What? Why?"
"Well, they saw me going away with you at the airport. I was holding your hand. They took photos, and I'm sure we will be on most of the gossip magazines and all the social media by tonight or tomorrow."
"Oh my God, are you for real?"
"You know, this is something I like about you."
"What?"
"The fact you treat me as a normal person and not as a celebrity. You don't realize how famous I am. I'm telling you this not to boast, as popularity is not something I am fond of, but to make you realize how much today means to me. For an hour, I felt free, and I enjoyed a normal conversation. Thank you, Briana."
Oh my God, he was really sweet. I sighed and wondered how he'd react when I told him I was the girl he slept with a year ago.
"I enjoyed it too. Liam, where do you want to go now? Have you decided where you're going to stay yet?"
"No, Leo said something about staying at his house, but I'm not sure if he meant after he'll leave."
"I see."
"I need to take a shower and change before we go to the office."
"Sure. Listen, is it a problem if I go for a moment at home before we go to Leo's house? You see, I started working today after I had Joy and it's the first time I left her with a babysitter. I just want to make sure she's OK."
"Fine for me."
As we approached my house, I felt tension building in the pit of my stomach. Liam seemed to sense my agitation as he kept glancing at me curiously. But he said nothing. Probably he was thinking I was a freak, or that I had some emotional disorder. When we arrived and the driver opened the door for me, I almost stumbled as I got out of the taxi. I was trembling as walked towards the door. I kept glancing behind me to see if Liam had come after me, but he didn't.
"I wait for you here, Briana." He told me.
"Are you sure?" I asked, even though I hoped he would. It was too early for him to meet Joy and I wanted to be in a better state of mind to handle my emotions.
"Yes, your child might be asleep and I don't want to disturb her. I'll wait here. I'll meet her another day." He said with a smile.
I smiled back, and I didn't insist. I hurried in and called the babysitter to announce my arrival. As Liam had predicted, Joy was fast asleep. The babysitter had washed her and fed her. I sighed as I looked at my beautiful daughter.
"Your father is here, Joy," I whispered as I caressed lightly her head. "I found him and I'll do all I can so that you will get to know him. I promise." I kissed her cheek and, regretfully, I had to leave her again. I spoke to the babysitter and then I returned to Liam.
"So is everything ok?" He asked.
"Yes, fine. She was sleeping." I said as I sat next to him again.
"You must miss her a lot." He continued.
"Yes. This morning I left in tears. I felt like a terrible mother leaving her behind me."
Liam grabbed my hand. His hand was warm and comforting.
"I'm sure you're a wonderful mother, Briana. Don't be harsh on yourself. You're providing for your daughter. You're taking full responsibility for her upbringing. It's a lot."
My breath caught in my throat as I looked at him. His fingers caressed my wrist, moving slowly and sensually in circles. I swallowed, his nearness was causing havoc inside of me. I felt so attracted to this man. Was this how I felt the first time I saw him? If I only remember? What did we tell each other? Did I tell him my name? How did I end up making love to him a few moments later?
"I will help!" He whispered in my ear as he bent down. His breath tickled my neck, and I felt goosebumps forming.
"Ho...w?"
I murmured.
"What about if we do a nursery at the office? I haven't seen it yet, but I'm sure there is a room we can spare. Your babysitter can come and care for your little Joy there, so you could put your mind at rest and sometimes go to take a peek."
His thumb circled my wrist, pressing softly. I feared he was feeling my heartbeat as it had increased its rhythm.
"You're not the boss yet. Leo would never approve."
"Leo won't be here and he won't have much say in this."
I sighed as I inhaled the wonderful smell of his aftershave. What the hell was wrong with my body? I felt an ache. Was it desire? No.. no, I had to stop. I couldn't melt like this. I had just got to know him. Yes, but for my body, his was not a stranger. My body has been one with his and it seemed that even though my mind refused to remember my senses and my body did.
"Ah.... Liam."
"Yes?"
"I... thank you," I said, not knowing what else to say.
"The more I look at you, the more I think we have met somewhere." He told me then. His hand still holding mine.
"You see so many people," I told him as butterflies erupted in my stomach. "Maybe it was someone who resembled me."
"Maybe. But there is something in your eyes. I know I have seen those eyes somewhere. I just can't place where right now. Are you sure we have never met before? You might think I say this to every woman, but I swear I don't. I feel like I know you. I can't explain it. Even when I saw you at the airport, I had a strange feeling."
"I'm sure," I told him as I tried to compose myself. He let go of my hand and finally, my poor heart could return to its usual rhythm.
"We have arrived," I told him as I looked out of the window at Leo's house.
"He lives her?" Liam asked.
"You have never come to his house before?" I asked, stunned.
"No. He never invited me." He said with a smile.
We got down. Liam paid the taxi driver and took out his hand luggage. A moment later, we walked towards Leo's house. I opened the gate, and I knocked. We waited, but no one came to open.
"I guess he's not here," Liam told me.
"And now? What shall we do?"
"We should just head to the office even though I would have loved to shower and change. I only have a change of clothes since my luggage is in the limo."
At that moment, something came to my mind. I opened my handbag and rummaged inside.
"What are you doing?"
"I should still have the key. I forgot to give it back to him."
"I don't think it's a good idea. Leo won't be happy if we go in when he's not here."
"Oh, I'm sure he won't mind. You're his brother." I opened the door, but I felt reluctant to go in.
"Anything wrong?" Liam asked when I didn't move.
"Ah no. Let me just make sure he's not here. Leo!! Leo, it's me, Briana. Your brother is here. Can we come in?"
But nobody replied.
"He's not here. Come in. I'll show you where the bathroom is."
Liam followed me inside and even though I had come here many times, I felt like an intruder. I hesitated before opening his bedroom door. I peeked inside, still fearing to find some naked woman on his bed or worse find him having sex with her. But there was nobody. Sadness washed over me as I glanced at the bed. I had been on that bed many times. I had made love with Leo, thinking he was the man I would spend my life with. But I have been an idiot. I wasn't the only girl he had brought in there. God knows how many more had shared with him moments of passion. He had given what we had to other women, using their bodies to fulfill his needs, even though I had tried my best to please him in every possible way.
Just then, Liam bent down and picked something from the floor.
"What is it?" I asked.
He had a sad expression on his face as he tried to hide whatever he had picked up.
"Nothing." He said.
"Let me see."
"No. Where's the bathroom?"
"Liam, nothing can hurt me anymore? What did you find?"
Liam moved his hand from behind his back, exposing a red thong.
"I'm sorry," Liam said.
"Don't be. It's finished now. I don't care."
"Then why are you crying?" He asked me softly. He moved towards me and then he raised his hand up, rubbing away a tear that had rolled down my eyes. I hadn't even noticed.
"I didn't realize," I said.
"You're still in love with him, even though he doesn't deserve it."
"No."
"You're suffering." He caressed my face. "You need someone to heal your pain."
"I'm fine." I lied.
"Oh, you're not." Saying that he pulled me into his arms and hugged me. Oh God, how good it felt. It was bliss. His chest was warm and hard against my face. His hands went into my hair and caressed my scalp.
"I promise it will get better. You'll go over him and find a man who will truly love you because you're a wonderful person."
"How can you say that? You just got to know me."
"I just know." He said as he kissed the top of my head. I looked up into his face and shuddered as I met the intensity of his gaze. That gaze, I had already seen it. Suddenly, I got flashbacks of the night I met him. I was at the bar, crying like an idiot. I was drinking my fifth drink. Pam was nowhere to be seen. She had left me alone for some time. I felt awful as if my life had finished. Leo had destroyed my happiness. Tears blurred my sight, and I felt dizzy. As I had attempted to get off the stool and return to my friend, my knees gave under me and I almost fell on the floor if this tall stranger hadn't grabbed me in his arms just like he did now. I had stared at his face and my heart had missed several beats. I had never seen such a handsome man. He had smiled at me and then he had kissed me. Oh my God. Now I remember. He had kissed me and I had melted in his arms. I was kissing a stranger and it felt really good. It felt soothing, and it had made me forget all my sorrows. I kissed him back with passion in front of everyone. I remember hearing his friends chuckling and cheering. But things didn't stop there. He had touched me indecently, he was drunk as much as me. He whispered something that I didn't catch. But after that, we never spoke. We just kissed until someone told him to go out. He took me out of the bar and we made out in a corner outside. His hands had run all over my body. I had touched his arousal. My hands had tried frantically to open his trousers and feel him. My eyes widened as I remembered what I did next. Oh my God!
I must have tensed as he suddenly stopped hugging me.
"What's wrong?"
I didn't know what to say. I swallowed and moved back from him. "Nothing."
"You looked shocked. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to touch you."
"Oh, it doesn't matter. Ah... I should go now. I'll leave you here so that you can take a shower and maybe rest a bit. I'll be at the office."
"OK. I'll see you later."
As I was going to leave, Leo's luggage caught my attention. I stared at them as I felt another stab in my heart. He had already prepared everything. He was going to leave without telling me anything.
"Bye Liam," I said as I walked away.
"Bye."
I rushed to go outside, still shocked by what I had remembered. I tried hard to remember something else, but the flashback stopped there. I couldn't remember what happened later and how I ended up in bed with him in that bungalow.