by Diana Nixon
Jumping from it would be magnificent. But what next?
“Let it go, Liv,” he whispered against my lips. “Stop holding back.”
One more thrust, deeper than before, and I knew I was lost. Lost in the bliss that I could have never imagined to be so overwhelming.
I had never been loved like this.
Then again, I didn’t know if what we did could be called love.
It was amazing, no doubt. It was full of emotions, and it brought the satisfaction that we both searched for.
But could it be larger than that?
Could it possibly be love that we just made?
He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, filling me up with his cum, claiming me his.
His cock pulsed inside me, and when he opened his eyes again, I saw pure adoration that was a little unexpected, but no doubt welcomed.
He cupped my face and kissed me deeply. “Stay with me, Liv.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“No, I mean… Stay with me for a lifetime.”
What did he say?
Did he even know how much his words meant to me?
Did he know how much I wanted to send to hell everything that stopped me from telling him how I felt about him and just be with him?
God, he had no idea what we just put ourselves into.
And neither did I…
“How much time do I have to think about it?” I asked, smiling softly. Though I knew no time would be enough to untangle the knots we just tied.
“As long as you need. Unless you need that time to figure out how to get rid of me. Then you have none.”
He gently removed my hair that clung to my cheek and said something I never expected to hear from him, “Never in my life have I wanted someone to stay by my side as much as I want it right now.”
Chapter 13
I woke up to the steady rhythm of the rain, knocking on the windows of Leo’s bedroom. I didn’t remember the moment we moved to his room, or how I ended up falling asleep in his arms that, I must admit, were the coziest place in the world. I could feel his slow breathing on my forehead; my palm rested on his chest as if catching every beat his heart made beneath my touch. It was so good to be there with him, to be his.
The night that was not supposed to end the way it did could be easily called the best of my nights ever. So much more followed Leo’s words about his wanting to have me by his side. There were more kisses, more touches, more shadows of flames dancing on my skin, and more sounds of pleasure that still echoed in my head as if imprinted there.
I didn’t want to leave his warm embrace or start a new day that I somehow knew wouldn’t be any close to good. But the first rays of the morning sun told me my happy place was about to turn into one cruel reality that neither he nor I were ready to face.
But what choice did we have? I couldn’t pretend I didn’t know about his affair with my sister, as well as he would never believe that my last night my arrival was just a spontaneous pull of my intoxicated by the wine mind.
The truth that was supposed to be revealed last night stayed secret. And now, that I let our relationship go that far, it was even harder to come up with the right words to tell him everything I was going to say when picking up the remnants of my midnight thoughts and getting into the taxi that would take me straight to Leo’s.
I followed Parker’s advice and decided to lay the truth bare. I didn’t know what Leo’s reaction to my words would be, but I needed to tell him everything. Even if my words would ruin what he and I had found in each other’s embrace.
“You’ve been snoring,” he murmured, placing a kiss on my hair.
“I don’t snore.”
“Then there must be someone else hiding under the blanket. Do you remember inviting a third person to join our last night party?”
I slapped his chest slightly. “No. There wasn’t anyone but us here.”
“Good. I don’t need anyone but you.” His embrace tightened, and I felt even worse because of how soon I would need to break this illusion of a perfect world where everything seemed to be so much easier and happier than in reality.
“Are you hungry?” I asked, trying to win some more peaceful time with him.
“Yes.” He smiled. “But I don’t think food will fix it.” In the blink of an eye, I was on my back, and he hovered over me, disarming me with his handsomeness.
It was the first time I saw him that early in the morning, with a five o’clock shadow covering his cheeks and chin; with his hair messed up by the sleep. And with the most charming smile, he had ever blessed me with.
“We don’t have time for what you have in that spoilt mind of yours,” I said.
He frowned and looked at the alarm clock on his bedside table. “Shit… I need to be in a meeting in an hour.”
“I know.”
“Ugh…” He rolled off me and cursed aloud. “It’s too late to cancel it.”
“Then how about a quick breakfast?” I sat up and wrapped a blanket around myself.
His sexy lips curled in a meaningful smile. “In the mood for a quickie, huh?”
I rolled my eyes. “I meant food.”
“I’d prefer a quick shower. With you joining me there.”
“If I join you in the shower, we’ll miss all the meetings scheduled for today. And I, as your loyal assistant, can’t let it happen. So, get up!”
I got out of bed and searched the room for my underwear.
“I think you forgot to put it on last night.”
Shit…
“Right.”
He chuckled. “I don’t mind you walking around my apartment naked. There’s nothing I haven’t seen there already.” He motioned for me to give him back his blanket.
“Fine.” I tossed it to the bed and power walked out of the room. “You’ve got five minutes to take a shower!”
His laughter followed me all the way to the living room that was a reminder of last night’s events. Our clothes were still near the fireplace, lying next to the couch that was one of those places where we made love. God, I felt a little embarrassed by how easily I let Leo do everything he wanted to do with me, and I never once tried to stop him and tell him I was tired for another round. Or two…
I bit my lower lip, picked up his shirt, and put it on to hide my nakedness. It smelled like his favorite spicy and woody cologne, and I took a long intake breath, letting it fill me up from within.
Minutes ticked by, and I knew I would soon leave to go home and get changed for work. Though I knew he wouldn’t mind me showing up at work in my PJ’s only.
I giggled at the thought and went to the kitchen to make coffee for us.
It wasn’t the best time to tell him about my kinship with Winter. He had a long day ahead, and I thought I would do it later, after work. Plus, it would give me a whole day to find my missing courage and admit the fact that I was a liar….
“What’s the reason for your sudden frown?” He asked, leaning against the door frame. There was nothing but a white towel to cover the lower part of his body, and I suddenly remembered the very first time I came to his apartment.
“Hope you’re not dropping it again,” I said, pointing to the towel.
He shrugged. “If you want me to drop it, just say it.”
I shook my head and poured coffee into the cups. I also made toasts and sliced some cheese and bacon to make sandwiches, because it was the only thing we had time for.
“Please tell Molly I’ll be late. I still need to make myself look presentable.”
“Okay.” He took his coffee and sipped it carefully. “Anything else you would like me to tell her about you and…me?”
I made a face. “No. And please try to act as if nothing ever happened between us. I don’t want her to think I did it because I couldn’t resist you.”
“But you couldn’t resist me.”
“Shut up, Mr. Obvious. You were not any better at resisting me.”
“Damn true…” He licked
his lips and gave my outfit a slow, head-to-toe look. “It’s so easy to get used to this…”
“To what?”
“Seeing you making breakfast in my kitchen, wearing nothing but my shirt.”
I tried to suppress the sudden pain that hit me from the inside. It wasn’t physical. It was so much worse than something that could be cured with medicine.
“Let’s not rush things,” I said, hoping it would be enough for him to stop making plans about our future.
In any other situation, I would gladly agree to spend every morning in his kitchen, making breakfast for him, after a long night we would spend in his bed.
But first, I needed to break his heart…
“I really need to go if I want to catch up on at least a part of my work for today.” I kissed him on the cheek and then emptied my cup in a few gulps.
“I’m gonna miss you,” he said, following me out of the kitchen.
“It’s just for an hour, maybe a little longer. I’ll try to come to the office as soon as possible.” I picked up my trench and put it over his shirt. “I’ll return it later.”
“Keep it. In case I don’t want to leave your place one night.”
I smiled. “See you later.” I started to walk to the elevator, pushing my Pj’s deep in my trench pockets, when I remembered something.
There was supposed to be a picture somewhere in my pocket.
What the… I checked on both of my pockets, but they were empty.
“Are you looking for this?”
I turned to the sound of Leo’s suddenly cold voice and swallowed.
The picture that I’d lost last night, was now in his hands, and he was looking at me with so many questions I wasn’t ready to answer.
“I can explain…” I said, knowing it wouldn’t be easy.
“Yes, please.” He started to walk closer to me, still holding the picture in his hands. “I’m dying to hear your explanation, Liv.” He stopped in front of me, and I felt like my body froze under his murderous stare.
“I’m Winter’s sister,” I said, not knowing how else to say the truth.
“Okay… Who’s Winter?” He asked, puzzled.
I blinked and frowned. “The girl from the picture. The one you are embracing in it.”
He turned the picture to look at it one more time. Then his eyes were on me again, and he seemed to be even more puzzled than a minute ago.
“What the fuck are you talking about? It’s the first time I see this girl.”
I laughed nervously. “No, shit? Then how can you explain the fact that you dumped her right after she gave birth to your daughter? Or was she a threat to your precious reputation of an exemplary playboy and a lawyer who knew nothing about morals and never believed in marriage?” I was about to scream because his pretense looked too fake to me. I couldn’t believe he dared to say he never met Winter.
“Hold your horses, Liv… I’m telling you the truth – I have never met Winter, and I have no idea what baby you are talking about. Or wait… Is Bella her daughter?”
“Yes! And she’s yours too!”
“No! She isn’t mine. She can’t be mine.”
I smirked. “And here I thought you were so much better than this, Mr. Cohen. But just look at you – you keep pretending you have nothing to do with my sister’s broken heart and Bella’s ruined family.”
“It’s because the man in the picture isn’t me!”
I stood still, trying to understand if I was having a hearing problem.
“How is that possible?”
Leo stepped closer and pointed to the man standing next to Winter. “This is my brother, Jace. My twin brother if you haven’t figured it out by now.”
“What?”
“I don’t know anything about his affair with your sister, and I swear I have nothing to do with their breakup.”
Did someone just turn off the light? I thought to myself. Because all of a sudden, everything in front of my eyes darkened, and I think I lost balance for a second.
Because next thing I knew, Leo’s arms were around me, and he was carrying me to the couch.
“I’ll bring you some water.” He put me down and left.
When he returned, I still couldn’t believe his words were true.
How could I mess things up so badly?
He gave me a glass of water, and I drained it dry.
“Feeling better?” He asked, taking the empty glass away from me.
I nodded and gave him a careful look. “So you have a twin brother…”
He nodded too. “That’s why I was so stressed last night. Jace and I have never been close. We always fought like cats and dogs. But every time he got into another trouble, I was the first one to save his ass. Except for this time… I didn’t know anything about Bella. How did he and her mother meet?”
“I wish I knew… She wouldn’t tell me a word about him or their first meeting. She wouldn’t even give me the name of Bella’s father.”
“Is that why you thought it was me?”
I nodded, feeling as guilty as ever. “I found this picture in her things and then googled your brother’s face for a match. It turned out the net gave me the wrong information. Because I saw you and thought you were one and the same person.”
Leo thought for a moment, probably trying to put two and two together.
And when he looked at me again, I knew he wouldn’t say anything good to me.
“And you did what? Decided to stalk me to… I don’t know… To punish me or something. What was your plan, Olivia?”
I swallowed sudden tears that I knew would pool my eyes any second. “I didn’t have any plan. I just… Wanted to look you in the eye and know a little more about you.”
He stood up and looked down at me. “You lied to me. All this time… You’ve been lying to me.”
“No, I swear…I…”
“I don’t have time for this.” He turned away from me and stormed out of the room.
“Leo, wait! Let me explain!” I was about to run after him. But my words didn’t affect him, as if he didn’t hear me at all.
My shoulders fell. And when I heard the sound of his bedroom door shut behind him, I knew it was the end.
The end of everything.
The end of my lie.
The end for us…
So, I picked up the picture that he dropped to the floor and walked to the elevator, feeling as down as ever. Tears wouldn’t stop running down my face.
What were you thinking? My inner voice asked.
I didn’t see anything behind the raindrops that covered the window of a taxi that was taking me home.
Leo hated me…
Maybe even more than I hated him when I went to Madison and asked her for the files that I hoped would help me destroy Leonel Cohen.
He was right – I wanted to make him suffer.
Now what? Did I get what I wanted?
I sure as hell didn’t.
Because I was wrong about him. I made a mistake. And now it was my turn to pay for it.
My phone buzzed in my hand.
“Don’t forget you need to be in the office today,” said a text from Leo.
I was surprised to know he still wanted to see me. I was sure, after what I did, he would never want to talk to me, not to mention let me keep working for him.
When I got back home, Bella was awake and packing her bag.
“Where are you going?” I asked her.
“To grandma’s. It’s just for a few days.”
“Oh… Where is she?”
“In your bedroom.”
When I walked in there, mom was sitting on my bed, with the most troubled expression I had ever seen on her face.
“Parker told me everything,” she said.
“Damn it… I should have known she wouldn’t be able to keep her mouth shut.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you found Bella’s dad?”
“Because it wouldn’t change anything. Besides, I was wrong about Leo
nel Cohen. He isn’t Bella’s father. It was his twin brother our Winter dated a few years back.”
“Judging by your vinegar face, now your boss knows the truth.”
I nodded and sat down next to her.
“And you are in love with him.”
Another nod followed, as well as more tears.
“Oh, darling…” Mom put her arms around me and kissed my forehead. “Is there anything I could do for you?”
“No. I need to deal with it on my own. But first, I need a shower and another cup of coffee.”
Mom didn’t ask where I had my first one, or why I was wearing a trench over a man’s shirt that obviously wasn’t mine. She knew I was too wrecked to explain things, so she let it go.
“I thought it would be better if Bella stayed with me for a few days.”
“Great idea. Thank you.”
“Do you think Leonel will tell his brother you’ve been looking for him?”
“I don’t know. He said they’d never been close. But I’m sure he won’t forget about the existence of his niece. And I’m kind of scared to know what he’s going to do next.”
“I hope everything will be fine.”
I smiled sadly. “As fine as it can be, considering I’ve done my best to betray his trust and…” I was going to say ‘his feelings for me’. But I didn’t say it, not sure if there were any at all.
If last night I was sure I saw something in his eyes, now I knew it wasn’t there anymore.
“Call me if you need anything,” mom said.
“Okay.”
I told her to call me when they got home, and then I went to the shower. Five minutes was the longest I could afford to take it.
Going back to the office today felt weird. And, well, as scary as ever.
I didn’t know what to expect from Leo. Or why he still wanted me to come to the office.
He sure as hell wasn’t going to pretend this morning never happened. Or forget about the fact that his brother was the father of my niece.
But what happened when I crossed the threshold of the familiar office, turned out to be so much worse than any of my expectations…
“I want a full custody of Bella,” he said, instead of greeting me.
