by Zaydee Rain
Because I was feeling a little guilty, I impulsively kissed the line between his brows. 'Come on, don't be so serious all the time. You-'
'Well, isn't this a cozy scene?'
My head whirled around to find Tripp leaning against the wall. I quickly scrambled off Luc's lap and sat beside him like a guilty little girl.
'What do you want, Tripp?' Luc asked briskly.
The other man plopped down on the couch facing us. 'I just thought we could hang out, Luc. But I see you already have a new hang out buddy.' Tripp grinned at me, which increased my embarrassment.
I cleared my throat. 'Do you always hang out a lot?'
Luc nodded beside me. 'We grew up together.' He explained. 'His father was my father's right hand man.'
Ah, that explains Tripp's casualness when it comes to Luc. I thought he was being disrespectful. How silly of me.
'Then I worked for him,' Tripp continued. 'After my football dreams died.' There was only a tinge of regret in his voice when he said this. However, I felt that he was quite satisfied with his position with Luc now.
I think he would be perfect for Aunt Nic. Oh, and thinking about that...
'Where's the phone?' I asked the two men.
'There's one in your bedroom.' Luc answered for me. 'Why?'
'I need to call my aunt.'
'Her hot aunt,' Tripp sighed dreamily.
I laughed at his facial expression and glanced back at Luc. 'I'm sure by now she has read the papers. I need to explain to her about... er, our arrangement.'
He nodded again and I stood up to go back to my room. He called my name though when I was almost out of the living room. 'Lorraine?'
'Yes?' I looked at him over my shoulder.
'Don't you have a mobile phone?'
I flushed. 'I sold it,' I muttered reluctantly. 'I couldn't keep up with my bills.' Then before he could ask me more about my financial status, I ran to my room.
Luc and I have formed a pattern after two weeks of living together. I wake up after six, brew coffee and cook breakfast while he shower and get dressed for work. Sometimes I would eat with him; sometimes I would go back to bed to catch more sleep.
I would then spend the day cleaning the apartment, going to the market for supplies or whatnot. Luc usually arrives before seven. By that time, dinner is already served, waiting for him.
He always insists that I eat supper with him. Of course, I could not refuse. You just can't refuse a man like him.
But there were no more kisses.
Ever since Tripp caught us in the living room, Luc seemed to distance himself from me. Or maybe it was the other way around.
I admit that the feelings Luc had stirred in me were a little alarming. Okay, a lot.
Wherever he is concerned, I just lose my head. It didn't help that when I called Aunt Nicole about the picture in the newspaper she was so incensed. She asked me what I was doing with a man like Luc. She even asked if I was his mistress.
Mistress. The word made me uncomfortable.
So I didn't encourage the man after that. He didn't seem to have any objections to that. Actually, he didn't seem to have anything to say about the matter.
We never talked. I mean, we never talked about it. When we have dinner together, we always chat about safe topics. His day, my day, the weather.
Not that I have any problem with that. Okay, maybe I do.
I don't know. I'm not sure with myself anymore. Luc is driving me crazy.
Just then I heard a crash, followed by loud cursing. I quickly got out of the bed and opened my bedroom door.
'Infierno! Mierda!' Luc was skipping with his arm wrapped around his right shin. 'Hijo de puta!'
I cringed at his Spanish cuss words. It's the fifth time I rushed out of my bed to find Luc hurt and cursing. That's why now I know the meaning of the foreign words he is using. Tripp translated them for me.
'Are you alright, Luc?' I asked with real concern.
He let go of his injured limb to spin around in my direction. I gulped at the sight of his naked torso. His thighs were also bare except for the short, black silk boxers he was wearing. The man is a sex god.
I shook off the thought and focused on his face instead.
'I am not alright!' He roared. 'The damn table was on my way! Why didn't you fix it?'
I patiently told him that I fixed it and that it wasn't in the middle of the hallway.
'Then have it remove at once, woman!' He turned his back to me but not before I spied the blood dripping down his leg.
'Oh my gosh, Luc! You're bleeding!' I rushed to his side. I pulled his arm to guide him back to his room. It was big and definitely any man's dream. The walls were painted in navy blue though the whole back wall was glass. There were several flat screen televisions in one corner and a mini bar in another. In the middle of it was a very wide bed-3 meter wide, I think. Above it, part of the ceiling was a mirror. I don't even want to think why Luc had it put there.
I pushed him down the foot of his unmade bed and knelt before him to examine his wound. The cut was long but shallow so he would not need stitches. I think he banged his shin against the edge of the table.
'Wait for me. Don't move. I'll just get the emergency kit, okay?' I didn't wait for his answer. Instead, I went to my own bathroom to pull out the medicine bag I have there.
When I got back, Luc was still sitting down and I smiled. I didn't think he would follow me so I resisted the urge to pat his head and say "Good boy."
I knelt down again to apply antiseptic on his wound. Luc's curse words were meaner this time. Some of them I can't even understand. When I finished bandaging him, I squeezed his knee in comfort.
'All done.' I announced cheerfully. 'You're good as new once more.' I looked up to his face.
He was frowning, his eyes trained on his thighs as if he could see. I followed the direction of his gaze and heated up when I saw the delicious contrast of my pale hand on his golden skin. I started to remove it but he stopped my hand with his own.
'Luc?' I croaked out his name nervously.
His hand was teaching mine to rub his hard legs. I watched the motion in fascination. It was like being hypnotized. The feel of his muscles under my hand was so erotic. And when he finally guided it to his groin, I released a loud moan and tilted my head for a kiss.
Chapter 9
I don't know why I suddenly remembered that day when I cleaned Luc's wound. It was embarrassing enough that I daydreamed about touching him... there. I mean, it was so not me to think of a man's... you know.
And ugh, I'm doing it again! What the hell is wrong with me?
I went back to doing the task at hand-decorating the Christmas tree. It wasn't big but it wasn't small either. I think it was just right for Luc's living room. The tree didn't make it look too crowded.
On the other side of the pine, I could hear James and Jenny argue about which star to put at the top. Jenny wants it to be the pink star. James retorted by saying it's "too girly" and that they should put up the blue one.
'Rainie!' I saw Jenny stomp her foot the same time I went around to their side.
I knelt down beside her. She's really a dangerous little thing when she's mad. 'Yes, sweetie?'
'James ish being a freeeak.' She declared with a deep frown in her face.
'Am nots,' James countered.
'Ish too.'
'You looks like a bloated frogs!' My little brother stuck his tongue out.
Jenny gasped and her little mouth started to quiver. 'No, I don't! You do!' Her arms automatically rose up but before she could push him, I wrapped an arm around her.
'Okay, no fighting, little girl.' I said.
'But he said I look like a frog,' she wailed while still glaring at her brother. 'He's the one who look like a frog, right, Rainie? Tell him.'
I hugged my drama queen sister and looked pointedly at my brother. 'James,' I started. 'You don't like a frog.' Jenny gasped-again-in my arms. 'But neither does Jenny. If both of you do, then
you can't be my brother and sister. Mom and Dad couldn't have made slimy little things like you.' A giggle erupted from both of them. 'Now, James, say sorry to Jenny and, Jenny, say sorry to James.' I kissed the two of them after they reluctantly apologized to each other.
The television set was turned on at the other side of the room. When I heard Luc's name, I immediately twisted my head to look at the screen. I focused on the face of the newscaster. She was saying something about spotting Luc somewhere. I couldn't really comprehend what she was saying because Jenny and James were yelling about the gifts under the tree. However, the photos the network showed after that explained everything.
Luc was assisting a woman from his limo. And from the business suit he was wearing, I gathered that it just happened yesterday. He was wearing that suit yesterday when he told me he will be gone all day off to his office.
The next picture arrested me. Alighting from the car was Stella Reveron, sporting a short yellow bandeau dress and a baby bump.
'Is glamorous supermodel Stella Reveron and sexy billionaire Lucas De la Vega expecting their first baby? It's that why she was out of the picture for months after their accident in March?' The chirpy newscaster was asking excitedly. My heart sank lower and I struggled to breathe normally.
'Hey, it's Luc!' Jenny squealed beside me and she ran towards the television to study her hero's face. 'Who's the girl with her, Rainie? I don't know her.'
'I...' Jenny was waiting for my answer but I couldn't say anything else. Because just then, Luc walked in and I broke down.
The first thing I realized when I walked into the living room was that the TV was on. And it was on one of those bloody celebrity channels. It was currently reporting about my meeting with Stella yesterday afternoon.
My gaze found Lorraine's-who was kneeling beside the tree-and her eyes immediately watered. The twins, obviously confused with what's going on, stared at their sister.
'Lorraine,' I murmured her name and started to walk towards her but she managed to get up shakily to her feet and run away from the room.
Jenny's lip started to quiver. 'What'sh wrong with Rainie? Ish she mad at me? I jush ashked a queshtion.' As much as I wanted to go after Lorraine, I knew that the little girl needed me too.
I knelt down in front of her and she immediately pressed her small body to mine for comfort. 'No, she's not mad at you, princesa. Your sister was just tired.'
James stood beside us and patted Jenny awkwardly. 'Yeah, I thinks so too.'
With big tears were rolling down the girl's cheeks, she asked, 'But why is she crying?'
Because of me, I wanted to say but did not.
It took me quite a long time to assure Jenny that there's nothing wrong with her sister and that she's not mad at her. When she finally stopped crying, I brought them to their room and told them they can play until dinner.
I sighed and dragged my feet across to Lorraine's door and knocked softly. When I received no answer, I slowly pushed open the door. Lorraine hastily sat up on her bed, her eyes swollen from crying.
'Do you need anything?' She asked coldly. My eyes never left her face that's was why I stumbled over an ottoman before reaching her bed. 'Luc!' I've never seen Lorraine move so fast. One moment she was on the bed, and the next she was beside me on the floor. 'Are you okay?'
I nodded and brushed off myself. Lorraine offered her hand to help me up. I grasped hers in my big ones and straightened up. But before I could gather her closer to me, she moved away.
'Do you need anything?' She asked again.
'No-'
'Then can you please go now? I'm really tired.'
I knew what she was trying to do but I can't let her do it. I can't let her build up walls and close herself to me. I need her in my life. I'm too selfish to allow her to get on with her life without me.
'No. We need to talk.' I said determinedly.
She buried herself under the covers again. 'I told you I'm tired.' She turned her back to me. 'And I don't want to talk right now, Luc. So please... just go.'
I couldn't leave. Especially when she's like this. I know that if I leave now without explaining, she would not listen to me ever again. So I spread myself down on the other side of the bed and went under the covers with her. 'I'm not going until you talk to me, querida.' I whispered while I pulled her to me so that I was spooning her.
The instant my body touched hers, Lorraine kicked back from me. 'What the hell do you think you're doing?' She yelled.
I reached for her again. 'Lorraine-'
She slapped my hands away. 'Don't you dare touch me!'
'Lorraine-' I repeated her name but she wouldn't let me talk.
'Do you know how disgusted I feel?' She was pacing and throwing her arms wildly. I've never seen her this mad before. Actually, I've never seen her when she's mad. I've only regained my sight a couple of weeks ago and she didn't have any reason to mad during that time. 'I let you touch me while you already impregnated another woman!' She continued. 'What kind of a sick bastard are you?'
I stiffened at her words. 'Let me explain, querida.'
'Explain?' She scoffed. 'What is there to explain? You don't answer to me, Luc, and it's not as if we have a relationship for that matter. I'm just somebody who cleans your apartment.'
I know that Lorraine was hurt. However, I couldn't help but start feeling angry. She would not even hear me. I thought she was the most sensible woman I've ever met but what the hell is happening to her right now?
'You know you're more than that to me!' I stood up to stalk her pacing.
She spun around, glared and went back to pacing. 'Oh yes, I forgot! I also prepare your freaking food!' She laughed dryly. 'I wished I poisoned you from the start.'
It would've amused me to hear what she was saying if the situation was different. Unfortunately, it wasn't.
I snatched her arm and made her face me. 'Stop!' I managed to resist the urge to shake her until her teeth fall off. 'You're not just a cleaning lady, a cook or whatever it is you think you are to me. I-'
'I don't really need you to clear what I am to you.' She retorted. 'Just tell me one thing.' I saw her breathe deeply. Her face showed that she was gathering the courage to say whatever it is she wants to say. Finally, after the pregnant silence that filled the room, she talked again. 'Is Stella's baby yours?'
I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Everything felt surreal to me. First, with the miracle of seeing again. Second, Lorraine. Third, the baby.
My throat suddenly felt dry. I just nodded, to answer her question.
Tears instantly formed in Lorraine's eyes. She turned her head away and cried softly. I wanted to pull her into my arms but I knew it would be for nothing. She would just push me away and hate me more.
'Querida...' I started to say.
'Don't call me that,' she whispered as if she was in pain. 'Don't ever call me that again.' She put a hand over the one I had one her arm and slowly detached herself from me. 'I think it would be best if the twins and I leave as soon as possible.'
'No!' I heard the panic in my voice. I can't let Lorraine leave. She's too important to me. And those little kids... they started to be special to me too. 'You can't leave!'
Lorraine smiled sadly. 'What's the point in staying, Luc? You're going to start your own family now and I'm sure you can find another person to clean this flat.'
'You can't leave me, Lorraine!' I didn't realize that I was shouting already until she jumped and stared at me with wide eyes. The few feet separating us felt like a mile. If I let her go, I'm sure she would put a million more miles to that.
'There's no reason for me to stay.'
I looked at her. Her red hair was a mess, her green eyes were swollen, her lips were so pink... and she's never been so beautiful to me. My gut was twisting inside of me. If what I was about to do won't make her stay, I would lose her forever.
