Lies In Rewind

by Tali Alexander

  I’ve been lying in Liam’s arms and I don’t even know what time it is. Being here with him does feel like our very own world suspended over New York City. His features are becoming as familiar to me as Jeff’s. I want him in ways that I can’t even articulate, let alone understand.

  I reluctantly untangle myself from Liam’s warm embrace to look around for my phone to give Eddie a call. I explain to Liam that I need to call my brother and I’ll be right back.

  Eddie picks up on the first ring, “Where have you been, Sara? Mom was looking for you and said you haven’t been answering your phone.” Interesting, I wonder what my mom wants from me?

  “I’m staying at one of Louis’ properties, the one at The Pierre. Not sure if you heard, but Gavin sold the place on Gramercy, so I needed a temporary place to stay until I figure out where I go from here.”

  “Louis let you stay at the triplex? That’s the most expensive piece of real estate in New York City. The Bruels must really love you!” Eddie says with a chuckle. He’s also not saying anything about the Gavin news I just revealed, which only means he’s already in the know about my stellar pickle with my Ex.

  I try to figure out how to approach this without compromising my brother’s livelihood and having him feel like he’s betraying his best friend. “I need a huge favor. I need you to trust that I would never jeopardize your license to practice law, but you need to do something for me.”

  “I don’t like the sound of this, sis. What kind of crime are you asking me to commit?”

  “I need to see the video footage presented at the trial of Isabella Knight. It is very important for my sanity and my future to see it with my own eyes.”

  Eddie is silent for a few moments. “Sara, the girl is dead. She committed suicide about two years ago. If you or Emily are worried about her book getting published, I assure you that will never happen. The case we built is impenetrable. If anybody ever releases even a line from that book, her billionaire father loses all his loot. Trust me, tell your best friend not to worry, we got this.”

  “Eddie, it’s not about the book, but it is about the role Louis played in that girl’s life. I need to know what that footage contains that you guys were able to build a whole case around. Em told me a little about that tape and that it kept Isabella’s book from ever being published.”

  “Sara, I love you, you’re my sister, I would do a lot for you, but I can’t do this without asking Louis first. If he’s okay with you seeing this, then I’ll even be able to email you a copy on one of our secure servers. But I need for him to sign off on this. One attorney to another, please tell me you understand where I’m coming from?” I nod because my brother is the kind of guy you want on your team, loyal until the end. He continues, “Let me call Louis.”

  “Eddie, I’ll call Louis myself. Thank you for your help.” I wasn’t trying to sound fresh or sarcastic, but my reply comes out strained.

  “Sara! Don’t be pissed. Ask me to help you with something else.”

  “Eddie, I’m not upset with you. I understand. You could do something for me; I’m leaving New York, I can’t stay here anymore. I’m not sure where I’m going but I need you to promise to never tell Jeffery my whereabouts once you find out.”

  “Are you still involved with him? Didn’t he leave you alone after you got married?”

  “No, we’re not involved anymore, it’s been over for years. I just need to make sure he never tries to find me if things don’t work out for him and Jacqueline.” I’m ready to start my life somewhere else. Once I tell another human my story, once Liam knows my truth, I’ll go.

  “Of course, sis. I haven’t spoken to him in years, and I don’t plan to after the things he did to you.” Eddie thinks he understands my life, but he knows shit.

  “He didn’t do anything I didn’t allow him to do. It was mutual, Eddie. I take full blame.” And I mean every single word I just said.

  I hang up and spend the next ten minutes trying to work out what I should say once I call Louis. He’s the only person who can make it all better. Only he has the answers.

  I dial his number and before I even say a word, the king and ruler of New York starts talking. “Sara, I’m in the lobby. I’ll be upstairs in five minutes, get dressed and meet me on the forty-first floor. I’m alone. I want you alone. Tell William I’m just coming to see you.” I stare at my phone, speechless. Not only am I about to have words with Louis, he knows Liam is here with me? What the fuck?

  I walk back to the room to find Liam and give him a heads up about what’s about to take place when the phone in my hand beeps with a text from Louis, stating that he’s waiting for me. The shit show is about to commence and I must brace myself for a war.

  Louis Bruel is a lot of things to many, but perhaps intimidating should be at the top of that list. Still, this shouldn’t be hard, right? I want to see that footage and he needs to let me, simple. For both my and Liam’s sake we need to see it, and if he’s the person that my best friend married, he shouldn’t have any qualms about that request. I walk down the stairs to the grand ballroom and there he is, the man with all the answers.

  “Eddie said you wanted to see the video,” he states with authority.

  “Have you been spying on me, Louis?” It’s the first thing I need to know.

  He smirks. I’ve never felt intimidated by him before, but I have this unexplained cold chill running up and down my body.

  “This is my apartment, Sara. I would never leave my possessions unguarded. Em was adamant about you not wanting any staff here. You’re staying in a fourteen thousand square-foot apartment that is valued at over one hundred and fifty million dollars. Don’t you think as your friend I should at least do my best to make sure you are safe?”

  I wonder briefly if he knew that Liam watched Jeff and I last night. But then the feeling of shame fills me for even questioning him. Of course he has a right to watch over his investment. I now know exactly how Emily feels when she used to tell me that Louis sometimes makes her feel like a spoiled little girl—that’s just how I feel. I can’t even bring myself to look at him for shame. This man was gracious enough to give me a place to stay and I question him. I literally invited his enemy into his home and I’m the one throwing accusations around like I have a right to.

  “Sara, you’re a grown woman and who you bring to your bed is none of my or anybody else’s business. My only business is your safety, especially while you’re my guest. I wasn’t concerned and I certainly didn’t watch the surveillance footage when the manager informed me of Jeffery Rossi being your guest. However, when I got confirmation of his departure last night and then my security team noticed a man carrying a woman down the hall, I had to make sure you were okay. That’s when I recognized your guest, William. And yes, I have been keeping an eye on the both of you since then.”

  I finally look up to catch Louis studying me, no doubt trying to figure out why and how I got involved with Liam. I should be embarrassed knowing he’s been watching us, but I don’t care. I only care about one thing as I ask the question I fear the answer to. “Does Emily know?” I ask softly, trying to figure out what will happen once she finds out what I’ve done.

  Louis shakes his head and I’m able to take a deep breath. Thank God, thank God she doesn’t know, because I have no idea how I’d get myself out of this lie.

  “I wanted to understand and hear from you first before I do any damage to your fragile friendship. The two of you have not been on speaking terms for years; I don’t need that again. Sara, Em loves you and I’m not going to be the one to ruin your friendship. I’m sure you’ll tell her the truth about everything when the time is right,” Louis says, pinning me down with his knowing stare, making me feel like the horrible, worthless friend that I am. “I’m really glad you want to see that video. I was under the impression that Liam had a copy; I know his team of lawyers does. That footage played a huge part of the trial. Was he the one to tell you about that video?”

  “Why did y
ou just call him Liam?” I ask Louis, confused. I thought I was the only person to call him Liam, since his name is William. I know there are bigger issues as to why Liam said nothing to me about that video when I brought it up, but right now, my heart wants to know why Louis just called William Liam.

  “Isabella, his late sister, used to talk about him all the time. She only ever called him Liam. I actually didn’t even know his name was William until he introduced himself to me in my office, maybe twelve or thirteen years ago. He came to teach me a lesson and rearrange my ugly face, he told me back then. He blames me for everything that happened to Isa, her life and now her death.”

  I nod because I can’t argue with that. Liam hates Louis, no question about that, and after seeing that photo I can’t blame him. “No, he doesn’t know anything about the video. I don’t think he has much contact with his family, especially after Isa’s death,” I say, still trying to decipher how he can have no knowledge of a video that apparently was extremely instrumental in his sister’s trial.

  “Why would his father not show him that footage?” Louis looks confused, which is a rarity. I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen him not be sure of anything. I’ve only once heard him lose his cool and that was the night Emily left him, right before his heart attack.

  “I was just thinking that, too. I would think he’d at least hear about it from his parents or the attorneys on the case.” I hope Liam is not fucking around and trying to con me to get to Emily or Louis. It’s a dismal thought.

  Louis gets up out of the chair he had occupied and comes to sit next to me on my couch. He then asks, “Who told you about that video?”

  I’m certain he thinks my brother did. “It wasn’t Eddie; it was Em. She told me about Liam and what happened in St. Lucia, and…”

  He closes his eyes when I say the last part, undoubtedly not thrilled about his wife talking to me about Liam. “Nothing happened!” he barks out, not giving me a chance to say anything different.

  I’m sure even if something did happen, Louis doesn’t want to know about it. I nod, knowing that enough happened to make Liam wait for her here for over a month.

  “Did he tell you something happened between them? Em told me everything; she told me they only slept in the same bed, but he didn’t touch her, right?” Louis demands and questions simultaneously, and we both know he doesn’t want to hear the truth so I change the subject.

  “How can I see that footage? I’d like Liam to see it, too.”

  “Are you two … together?” Louis asks, employing hand gestures.

  “I haven’t slept with him, if that’s what you want to know, but yes, we have been intimate, as you may have seen from the surveillance cameras,” I tell Louis, feeling like a slut. I’m sure he already thinks of me as a serial man-eater. He has no idea how many men I’ve actually been with.

  “Are you sure about this? You’ve already had a run-in with an English playboy, is this wise?” Louis questions me, and I know he has the best intentions, like Em or my brother, but he also doesn’t know anything about Liam. Well, I don’t know much about him, either, I only know how good I feel in his arms and how my body aches for him. I only know that I hope and pray that he wants to be my friend even after he knows what kind of a person I really am.

  “Louis, don’t worry. I will tell Emily when it’s time. I need to see that video and I need for you to trust me. I just found out that Phillip Dashell is a friend of yours and was involved with Isa. I met Phillip when I was eighteen. I walked into his club and we almost slept together. I would never think that you’d associate with someone like him. But Liam just showed me a disturbing picture and I need to see that video before my head explodes with all the ‘what-ifs,’” I say, feeling the pounding of my heart in my throat. I hope Louis understands my concerns and doesn’t give me a hard time.

  He nods, takes out an envelope from his pocket and hands it to me. “Everything you need to know is on that flash drive, including Isa’s book, which Emily read. I don’t have secrets from my wife anymore. I had a friendship with Isa and I cared about her deeply. Not the way I care about my wife but I never meant to hurt her. I have an idea of the kind of picture he showed you, Isa had lots of those pictures, and I’m not proud of the things I’ve done before I met Emily, but I will take the blame for them. Phillip and I haven’t been friends for years; yes, we were very good friends once and yes, I did things with him I would never want my friends and family to know about. I was an idiot on a destructive path together with him and Isa. We were all lost, looking for a quick fix in all the wrong places. I won’t ever go back to that horrible version of myself. Phillip almost cost me the love of my life, twice. I’m glad he didn’t mar you at eighteen. You should know he loved Isa in his own twisted way and probably resented me for being the man she chose to love over him. He pretended she meant nothing to him but I saw the truth. He did things to her to punish her for how she felt about me. He read and knew about that book before I ever did and that screwed him up even more. Sara, in this life, you can only control your actions and reactions, you can’t always help the people around you. You can try, and I did try, but some people can’t be saved.”

  He gets up, kisses the top of my head and starts to leave. As he gets to the doors to leave the grand ballroom of this palatial penthouse, he turns to me and says, “I believe Liam Knight is a good guy, Sara. Isa loved him more than anything in this world. He deserves to find some happiness, just not at my expense.” He offers me a pained smile and leaves.

  My heart aches at his words. I don’t want to think about the person Louis was before he met my beautiful best friend. He’s an attractive man with extraordinary means, which makes him susceptible to a wild lifestyle not available to the rest of us. How Emily was able to tame and convert a notorious playboy into an amazing loving husband and father is nothing short of a miracle. Whoever Louis Bruel was before he became Em’s husband doesn’t matter anymore, he is and always will be a good guy. I look up the staircase and think that the beautiful stranger waiting for me is also a good guy. I know it. I just don’t deserve either one of them in my life, not in any capacity.

  “Please Don’t Go” by KC & Sunshine Band

  I’ve been listening to Louis and Sara’s conversation and I’m having a hard time comprehending why my father never mentioned or let me view this tape they’re chatting about. I feel like a loon for never knowing there was a tape involved. It’s safe to say that up until today, I felt certain that Louis had somehow paid enough money to make my sister and her book go away. If I weren’t a member of a group of strangers that call themselves “my family” I’d call one of my parents and ask them about this. But I haven’t spoken to my father in almost two years. My parents always attempted to cover up anything that could possibly tarnish our good name, and my sister’s conduct didn’t help the façade they struggled to uphold. My mum can’t even hear my sister’s name without falling apart, and Isa never uttered a goddamn word about that video. Bullocks! What can possibly be on that bloody video?

  Once Louis leaves, I go back to our room and wait for Sara to get to the bottom of this. Well, it’s not our room, it’s just a room. I heard what Louis said about Phillip loving Isa. That’s another bit of history I had no knowledge about. I haven’t cried in two years but in a span of less than twenty-four hours, I’ve had to hold back tears a few times. I’m not sure how I was able to keep it together when he mentioned Isa talking about me. When I think of our short time together, I can’t recall her once saying she loved me. She only ever talked and cried about loving him. I wonder what she said to him about me? I wish I could talk to someone who actually knew her while she lived in the States.

  Sara walks in a few minutes later holding her laptop. I’m seated at an armchair by the window and I’m baffled that the small act of her filling the same space as me calms me. I almost wish we could skip this awkward part and have her be confidant enough to walk over to me and sit in my lap, where I feel she belongs. I know she
has the footage and we’re about to witness another dimension to my sister’s tragic tale, but I’m elated to not be doing this alone.

  “Did you know about this video?” she questions me.

  “Only after you mentioned it, earlier,” I answer truthfully. “Do you not trust me?” I ask, fearing her answer.

  “I trust you, you’re not a liar,” she states, which I’m thankful for.

  “Are you ready?” she asks me. I nod but I don’t know what I’m ready for. I don’t know what missing piece of the distorted puzzle this video will fill. “Liam, I want you to promise me that whatever you and I are about to witness won’t change anything between us. We can’t go backward, we can’t change the things that have been done. The past has been written; it’s only the future that remains open, clean, unknown, and untainted. Please promise me you’re willing and open to have a conversation with me about whatever this video holds.”

  I nod again, but how can I promise not to react when I have no idea what kind of evidence is about to punch me in the heart?

  She places her laptop on the bed and walks over to me. My heart actually gets lodged in my throat as she approaches. She gives a small smile that may actually make me burst and then she sits in my lap, curling herself into me and nestling every part of her beautiful body as if molding us together. She has no idea what she’s doing to me. I wrap my arms around her and bring her as close as I can without crushing her delicate bones.