by Marie Kelly
Lee had looked back at him, a sad expression on her face
“Or when Jim tells you the truth and I end it” she said with such a pained look on her face
Yanis had closed his mouth his lips tight as he unlocked the door.
Lee hadn’t waited for him, but had moved out of the car walking forward towards the entrance. He had quickly caught up with her and silently together they had made their way to Jim’s ward.
As they entered Lee had cried out with delight seeing her friend sitting up against the pillows watching as they came into the room. He had spotted Lee first and smiled broadly at her as she rushed over to him to throw her arms around him
“Dear God Jim, you gave us such a fright” she cried
“I was worried sick about you”
He had laughed weakly at her
“Steady on” he laughed, only then spotting Yanis behind her
“Yanis” he cried with delight
“You two know each other” he said with a smile. Lee had smiled gently back at him.
“We met here” she said the hurt look in her eyes not escaping Jim who despite his own condition had looked at her with concern instantly spotting her pale face
“Are you OK” he asked her placing a hand on hers. Lee had looked over at Yanis who was watching the scene before him with a sick feeling slowly working through him
“They found a letter in your car Jim” she said gently
“They think that you tried to kill yourself because you were in love with me”
Jim looked at her in stunned silence for a few seconds
“They thought what..” he said in disbelief before looking at Yanis
“No…no” he cried softly
“There was a dog or something in the road, I swerved to avoid it… it all happened so fast”
Pausing he had looked at her again
“Did you read the note” he asked as she had nodded
“Then you know what it was about” he said frowning in surprise. Lee had nodded again
“And you didn’t tell them the truth” he said, a small tear rising to his eye. Lee had brushed it away with her finger before hugging him
“It wasn’t for me to tell” she said softly
“I couldn’t break a promise I made to you” she said a small tear falling down her own cheek
Jim had nodded
“Thank you Lee” he said with such love and warmth in his voice, before the two of them had looked over at Yanis who stood in stunned silence listening to the exchanges. Giving Jim a small kiss on the forehead Lee had risen to make room for Yanis who Jim had beckoned over.
“I’ll let you two talk” she said before looking deeply into Yanis’s eyes had said so sadly
“Goodbye Yanis” and left the room.
As he made to stand up and follow her, Jim had placed a hand over his arm to stop him
“Please I need to tell you something”
Jim could see the way his friend was torn with his desire to follow Lee and his need to stay with him before he had finally sat back down turning to look at Jim
“What’s going on Jim” he asked, his face confused and more than a little ashen
Taking a deep breath Jim had blurted out “Yanis I’m gay” waiting for a response from his friend his face tense as Yanis had looked back at him dumbfounded
“I met somebody special, but I just couldn’t come out and tell everybody. I planned to just give him up and push down my feelings but I couldn’t do it Yanis..I just couldn’t do it” he paused for a second seeing the look of surprise on the other mans face
“Lee told me that I should be true to myself or I would lose the love of my life – she just told me to be honest and that anybody who really cared about me would understand”
His voice trailed off as he looked at Yanis with apprehension.
His face was white and sombre as though he had just discovered something completely unpleasant. In a voice as calm as he could make it, he slowly said
“Are you telling me Jim that she was keeping your secret – that you weren’t in love with her”
“Yes” he replied
Much to his surprise Yanis had stared at the floor for a second, his face a myriad of emotions before he leapt from the bed and started to walk quickly out of the ward breaking into a run as he tried to catch up with Lee. As he reached the exit on seeing her about to get into a taxi he had called her name. For a second she had hesitated looking at him sadly before getting into the car.
As it drove away he had run his fingers through his hair watching as it joined the many other black hacks on the main street before becoming lost among the multitude of other taxis and cars. Slowly he turned back towards the hospital, to mend some fences with his friend and to admit to him what he had done to Lee.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Two weeks later Lee stood before a full length mirror pulling on the electric blue cocktail dress, which she had picked up from Claire the previous week. Claire had been surprised to see Lee, but had handed over the garment which they were storing for the orphanage benefit the following week. Although the gown had been paid for at the time she had ordered it Lee had felt guilty about keeping such an expensive garment, especially as she could pay for it herself. However, Claire had refused to take her money and return Yanis’s money to him. Claire had shown concern for her seeing how pale she was.
“Yanis was in touch” she had told her softly
“He wanted me to let him know if you came in”
Lee had looked at her pleadingly
“Please Claire, don’t tell him” she had said, seeing how the other woman had looked at her before deciding. With a nod she had given Lee a hug, promising to keep it to herself, giving Lee her private number if she needed somebody to talk to. Lee had been touched by the other woman’s kindness thanking her as she left
On the day of the event itself, she had spent the afternoon in the salon having her hair placed onto her head and her make-up professionally done. She had smiled at the irony of her little treat to herself, one which was designed to try to make her feel better as she tried to deal with all the changes in her life, knowing how she had refused such luxuries when she had money being thrown at her. Looking into the mirror she had looked sadly at her reflection. Once more her mind full of images of Yanis which tugged at her heart strings so painfully
For two weeks she had stayed at her friend Nicola’s house, hiding from the members of the press who had very quickly realised that her engagement to one of the richest and most powerful men in Britain was over and who were determined to find out what had brought an end to the golden couple.
Many had left messages with different friends of hers offering her obscene amounts of money for her story. She however, had kept quiet and out of sight. She had also ignored Yanis’s attempts to find her, as he too had phoned around and had an investigator searching for her.
When she had talked to Jim, on the phone she had been happy to find out that he was going to America the following week to recuperate with his family. He had told her that Yanis had told him the whole story, admitting what he had done to her, as well as giving him his blessing to love anybody who made him happy.
“He is looking for you Lee” he said
“Won’t you talk to him?”
Lee had held back the tears and said only that Jim should remind Yanis of the contract he had made her sign and to stick to it as she had. Jim had sighed sadly
“I hope you know what you are doing Lee” he said sadly
“Maybe you two were meant to be together”
On the phone Lee had closed her eyes with pain
“No Jim, to Yanis I’m just a body in a bed” she said before ending the call.
A few days later she had bit her lip wondering wither to go to the orphanage benefit or not. She had not made her meetings or dance sessions with the children for fear of bumping into him, and it had caused her distress to let them down that way. She had sent them videos of
moves to practice, telling them that she was not well, which in many ways was the truth, but deep down she knew that she would need to return soon.
She had cancelled all the other events which she had been invited to, worried about meeting Yanis or the members of the paparazzi at one of them, but somehow she had been unable to decide on the orphanage event and she had carried on making plans to attend. She had waited a couple of days before the actual event before phoning the organising committee to find out if Yanis had confirmed that he would be attending or not.
However, her heart had leapt on learning that he had already contacted them with his apologies and that he would not be in the country. With an intense feeling of relief she had then confirmed her own attendance, checking on the internet to find if he really was out of the country as he had said. With a small lump in her throat, she had read the reports from Paris following him around the city reporting on his refusal to discuss his relationship with Lee. With confirmation that he really was out of the country she had carried on planning to attend
With a final look in the mirror, not really seeing how beautiful she looked, she had wished Nicole a goodnight before leaving the flat.
The night had gone well, although Lee found that the paparazzi had quickly discovered her attendance. She had found herself being photographed as she entered the luxurious hotel, and had sighed knowing that she would have to be careful when she left, not wanting them to find out where she was staying.
Lee had planned to move up to Scotland the following week, given recent news which had rocked her to her very core. She felt that moving completely away would be the best solution and would allow her to make the new start she so desperately needed. However, Lee was still struggling to cope with her broken heart, each night struggling to sleep as the moment her eyes close she was bombarded with images of Yanis which would tug so painfully at her heart causing tears to fill her eyes.
That night Lee had talked to many charity agencies creating links and possible future partnerships. She had danced with many powerful men, none of whom had even come close to the man she had walked away from, and she had smiled at them hiding the sadness in her heart. Keeping each at arms length, Lee had found many had tried to ask her for lunch dates, many pushing for even more, however, Lee had politely but firmly refused each and every advance. After just such a dance she had turned wearily away to move back to her seat, suddenly wishing that she could run away and escape the many questions which she had needed to ignore all evening, only to find herself rooted to the spot at seeing the tall handsome man standing before her.
Lee had stood frozen feeling so many emotions galloping through her at his sudden appearance, as she had just stared in disbelief, her mind not fully believing that Yanis was there in front of her. Standing in total shock her eyes had looked all around in panic for a way out, but before she could recover he had moved forward with a determined expression on his face, pulling her into his arms and onto the dance floor as the next song had begun, only then having her senses come back to her. Still looking wildly around her for an escape she had cried out in pain
“Get away from me Yanis… You can’t do this” her voice husky with emotion. He however, held her tightly, his hand firm against the base of her back, as he swayed with her on the dance floor. Looking down on her his face sombre he had said gently
“You left me little choice Lee, You wouldn’t answer any of the calls I left with everybody, not even those I left with Peter”
“What are you doing here” she whispered huskily in confusion
“They told me you were out of the country; I checked you were in Paris”
Yanis’s face was grim as he looked at her
“I’ve been trying to find you for weeks Lee, not even the damn paparazzi could find you …..so in the end I had to resort to a little subterfuge. You had quit your job and cancelled all of your other appointments so this was the only avenue left to me. I stayed out of the country until an hour ago only coming back at the very last moment.. I couldn’t take the chance you wouldn’t come”
“Why, Yanis” she said miserably “Just leave me alone, we have nothing more to say to each other, please just go away”
“I disagree Lee, we have a lot to talk about” he said gently, holding her tightly against him as she had closed her eyes to once more, even for that fleeting time feel herself in his arms. Miserably, she had felt her tears start to rise at the way her whole body yearned for him while knowing that she had to get away. After a few seconds she had become aware that he was slowly moving her towards the exit. Realising his intentions she had tried to move away from him as he had held her even tighter against him as she moaned gently feeling his hard body against her, causing all the old sensations to rise up within her.
Looking pleadingly into his face she had whispered
“Please don’t do this Yanis”
She watched his jaw clench tightly as he released her, before grabbing her hand to drag her out of the door. However, she had held back struggling with him, until with an exasperated sigh he had pulled her back into his arms kissing her. She had heard the flashing cameras, not seeing the flashes themselves, as the moment his lips had met hers, she had been lost, her head dizzy with the sensations he rose within her. Automatically her arms had wrapped around his neck, as she moved to the once place in the world she most longed to be, in his arms. As he released her, his eyes had been dark and full of such passion, before he had once more become determined and with a small moan he had grabbed her hand leading her out of the room as she had let him, walking with him in an almost trance like state.
It was only as they reached the lift and after he had punched in a floor number that she had once more come too.
“What are you doing… you can’t kidnap me” she cried in frustration
“Technically there is a whole room of people who will confirm that you left the room with me willingly” he said not meeting her eyes as he watched the floors slip away
She had stared at him with a panic welling up within her, as she wrung her hands by her side her face full of so many different emotions as she searched for something else to throw at him
“You promised that you would leave me alone… you signed a contract” she threw at him as the doors to the lift opened. As he grabbed her hand once again, pulling her forward to one of the rooms he had bit out
“So sue me” before opening one of the many doors on the landing, which had opened up into a large suite.
Finally they were alone, the two of them facing each other. Lee had tried to ignore his long lean muscular body so close to her that she only needed to take a step forward to feel his hardness fully against her. Swallowing hard she looked down at her feet, her arms wrapped around herself protectively, not willing to look up at him
“I can’t do this Yanis” she said her voice low “Please just let me go back to the party”
He however, had taken a half step closer to her to raise her chin with his finger so that he could look into her eyes. As she finally saw his face, she had gasped in shock, seeing just how drawn and tired he looked, his wonderful eyes lack lustre.
“I just want to talk to you Lee” he said gently
Lifting her finger to softly touch his cheek she had whispered
“You look so tired Yanis”
He had given her a small sad smile “So do you Cara”
Lee had shaken herself pulling away from him, and he was reminded for a moment of another man who had stood before her, who had done her wrong, and the memory had shaken him, knowing how she had refused to forgive him
“Please, there really isn’t much to say… Let’s just put this behind us and get on with our lives” she said quietly
Yanis had shaken his head
“No, Lee, there are things we need to talk about”
Lee had turned her back on him
“Please, stop” she whispered softly in anguish. Yanis had moved behind her his hands moving to her shoulders. Feeling
him so close behind her and her whole senses invaded by the smell of him Lee had closed her eyes in pain
“You once said you loved me” he said softly
Lee had shaken her head
“What does that matter… you were quite clear about your feelings Yanis….and I won’t stay your trophy wife or your mistress” she said softly
“When you told me, I was shocked Lee” he said “Part of me was so happy and then I thought you were just saying it to trick me the way that I thought you had Jim, and I was so worried that if I said anything to you then you would use it to get away from me”
She could hear his voice break softly
“I couldn’t lose you Lee, I had brought you into my home to teach you a lesson and to throw you away when I felt you had learnt that lesson, but the more time we spent together, the more I realised that I never wanted you to leave. I didn’t care about anything you had done, just so long as you stayed with me. When I asked you to marry me, I thought that it would be a way of keeping you in my life…and when you turned me down, I was so damned confused, everything was falling apart and I knew then deep down that you were not the person I pretended to believe you were. The person I needed you to be because if not then I knew I could never let you go”
Slowly he had turned her around so that she could look into his eyes
“I love you Lee, I love you with all my heart. I couldn’t believe that there were people like you in this world and I am sorry for the way I treated you. I am begging you to forgive me”
Lee had stood staring in disbelief at the man before her, her mouth dry, as she watched him pull out the engagement ring she had sent back to him two weeks earlier
“The first time I gave you this ring, it meant nothing to me, but now I am asking you, with all my heart to marry me…to be my wife. Not some trophy wife, but the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with… because without you Lee, I can hardly breathe because I love you so much… I can’t sleep at night without you being beside me…in fact I haven’t been able to since we first started sleeping together” he had looked softly into her eyes added so gently, his voice full of need “I need you Lee”
