Beautifully Broken (21 page)

I
considered a lot of things when I moved here with Liam but this is something I
overlooked. I know he was in the public eye often but I was so wrapped up in
our melodrama to consider how his celebrity would affect me. Now I’m the slut
and Arianna is the victim. I even played the role on the beach by thrusting my
hand down Liam’s shorts which of course they caught with their super zoom
camera and published for all to see.

Rich
pats me on the shoulder in consolation. “Everyone knows those rags lie. Don’t
worry you won’t be the villain for long.” He wraps his arm around my shoulder
guiding me to my office, “Besides you with your hand down the boss’s
shorts…seriously hot. Every man in this building is jealous.” I smile over my
shoulder at him knowing he’s sincerely trying to cheer me up.

“Thanks
Rich and I’m sorry you found out this way,” I say shoving the magazine against
his chest, needing separation from that trash. “I’m not used to having friends
I can confide in so I keep my personal life in a separate compartment.”

“I
know Isabella. You were bottled up so tight when you got here I thought you
would explode if we pushed you the wrong way. You’re a really wonderful woman
but I don’t think you see yourself the way we do. You’re dating one of the most
eligible bachelors around so you’re going to have to open up and talk to
someone. Lillian and I are here for you. Whatever you say to us stays between
us.” He say hugging me at my office door then tossing the magazine in the
hallway trash as he makes his way back to his office.

I
seriously love Palm Beach and all the new people in my life.

My
phone rings as I place my bag on the desk. Liam.

“He
was just trying to cheer me up.” I say before he screams into the phone.

“Every
time I look at this fucking screen Harris is all over you,” now that’s a huge
exaggeration he spends maybe an hour or two a day with me. The rest of the day
we are too busy managing the needs of each department. He’s a great partner but
Liam see’s our quickly formed friendship as a threat. The best way to deal with
Liam when he’s like this is to not feed his aggravation with an argument.

“Did
you see the article about us in Bared?” I ask averting the Rich topic.

“Yeah
Gabby showed it to me. We look pretty good together don’t we?” I can hear his
smile over the line.

“Liam,
Arianna called me a slut and there’s a picture of me molesting you for the
world to see.” I say exasperated by his nonchalant attitude.

“Babe,
don’t take these things too seriously otherwise you’ll never sleep at night.
This is your life now. Soon enough they’ll realize you aren’t going anywhere
and follow you around trying to catch the next story. Let them say what they
want as long as we know the truth.”

I
take a deep breath letting it out slowly knowing he’s right about this. I don’t
need the public to affirm my feelings for Liam.

“And
that picture of you molesting me…umm. I can still feel your hand stroking me. I
might have that one framed.” He chuckles into the line.

“You’re
sexually depraved Liam.” I laugh at his insatiable sexual appetite.

His
laughter rumbles through the line as I hang up.

********

The
next day Lillian and I walk to a nearby deli for lunch. We enjoy the balmy
weather as we walk along the water of West Palm Beach. A shiver runs up my
spine as we near the building. The kind you don’t get from the ice cold
smoothie I’m drinking. It’s a prickly feeling that spreads all over my skin as
every nerve ending in my body jumps to full alert. My eyes dart across the
courtyard in front of Maddox Enterprise not really sure what I’m looking for.

Countless
people are scattered across the large grassy area. Some on their lunch and some
just enjoying the park-like comfort of the courtyard. I stumble at the door, my
eyes locking on a man in a bright polo and khaki shorts. My heart jolts into an
accelerated pace and every limb in my body turns to mush. Lillian clutches my
arm to steady me.

“Are
you okay?” she asks holding my arms to steady me. I nod at her turning towards
the glass door for one more glimpse of the man. He’s still there but faced away
talking on a phone.

It
can’t be. It just can’t be,
I say to myself. There’s no way
this would happen to me now that I’m finally happy. I motion to Lillian that
I’ll be in the restroom and wave her off when she offers to join me.

I
rush into a stall as my chest begins to feel like it closing in. My hands are
sweaty as I pull out my phone and dial the number already programmed into my
phone. He answers on the second ring-my angel.

“Isabella”
he answers frantically. “Are you okay?”

“No”
I squeak into the phone as my vision begins to blur. “Can’t
breathe…again…please”

“I’m
here Isabella. This will pass. Take a deep breath for me like we did before. I
won’t leave you alone, you’re safe. I know you’re scared but we’ll get through
it together.” His smooth voice is like a lullaby soothing my panic stricken
mind.

I
can do this, I did it last time.
He instructs me to
breathe at his count and the awful feeling begins to lessen. I listen to him
count for longer than necessary loving the soothing quality of his voice.

“I’m
sorry Cayden,” I apologize hating that I interrupted his day with my issues.

“Why
are you sorry?  I told you that I was here for you whenever you needed me and I
meant that.” He answers, bothered by my apology.

“I
know but you have real patients to take care of, I shouldn’t be imposing on
your day with my problems.” I whine.

“I
need to see you. Are you free tomorrow for lunch?”

“I’ll
make myself available.” His invitation is a relief. I know I’ll need to keep
him in my life if my past has come back to haunt me.

I
hang up with Cayden and examine myself in the mirror. Amazing how a few moments
ago I felt like I was going to die but outwardly I look fine. The attack
affects me much like my life. Outwardly a disguise as a beautiful woman but
inside I’m a jumble of painful emotions so intense that I feel like I’ll wither
up and die.

I
rush out the bathroom to the elevator in hopes to reach my office before
Lillian worries. The door slides open and Liam slams right into me in his rush
off the elevator. He grabs me by my arms as I stumble backwards.

“What’s
wrong,” he inquires his eye brimming with concern.

“Nothing,”
I answer brushing past him into the elevator. He follows me into the empty car slipping
his key in the slot. His eyes glare into mines demanding an answer.

“Ella
you’ve been in that restroom for 15 minutes. Your pale and you’re hiding
something from me.”

“Why
are you always watching me on that fucking camera,” I snap. “Don’t you have a
business to run? Stalking me is getting really old Liam.” I scream at him not
even sure where all this anger came from. He visibly flinches at my words, staring
down at me like I just grew two horns. He closes the distance between us. His
lips are a hairs breathe away from mine.

“You
are my business,” he says under his breath. “I’ll stalk you, I’ll chase you, and
I’ll hunt you across the world if I have to. You’re mine and I will protect you
to my last breath. If I have to spend the day watching you on a screen to
ensure that safety then that’s what I’ll do.”

The
elevator door dings open and Liam drags me past reception. The girls at
reception wave at me, having already become accustomed to our crazy
relationship dynamic. He locks the door after we enter his office. He removes
his jacket while walking to his desk to sit in his big intimidating chair. He
motions for me to sit across from him and I immediately do as he says. Liam in
business mode commands the room and makes me a little nervous.

“Are
you sick Ella? Pregnant maybe?” he asks leaning towards me.

“What!
No it’s nothing like that,” Pregnant? That’s what he thought this is about.
Hell
no!
To bring a kid into my crazy existence would be a disaster. “I just had
another attack, it’s not a big deal and I’m okay now.” Telling him the truth
and dealing with his concern was a lot better than his pregnancy suspicions. He
jumps up from his chair pulling me out my chair and wrapping his arm around me.

“Why
didn’t you call me. I feel like I’m never there when you need me. I’m sorry you
had to go through that alone baby. I should’ve come down sooner.” He holds my
head between his hands, kissing me repeatedly. The regret etched in his face
convinces me to not tell him Cayden helped me again. If he knew I called
another man for help there’s no telling how he would react.

“I’ll
call Lillian and let her know I’m taking you home”

“What?
No Liam I’m not going home. It’s the middle of the day, I have things to do and
you have meetings. I’m perfectly fine so I’m going back to work.” I attempt to
put my foot down at his coddling.  

“You
have two options” he says holding up two fingers, glaring down at me. “Either I
bring you home and take care of you or you go back into my suite and let me run
you a bath so you can take a nap while I take my meetings. I need you close by
so I can take care of you but there’s no sense of us both missing the workday.”
A determined glint sparkles in his eye and I know this is not a winning battle.

He
walks through the door leading to his personal suite without waiting for an
answer, he knows I’ll do as he says. I hear water running as I grab the phone and
let Rich and Lillian know I’m not feeling well. They quickly dismiss my
apologies’ assuring me they have everything under control and I should let Liam
take care of me.

I
enter Liam’s ensuite admiring him in his suit. His sleeves are rolled up while
he pours scented oils in the tub for me.

 “You
have scented oil here? Did you bring women here?” Disgust quickly churning in
my stomach.

“No
Ella I had these put in here after we came back. Every aspect of my life is
open to you now. This suite is as much yours as it is mine.” he says removing
my clothes and folding them. He helps me into the tub then kisses me on the lip.
Quickly backing away as I try to deepen the kiss. He smiles at my childish
pout.

“You
need to rest and I have meetings soon. I’m not going to let you tempt me into
that tub.” He says walking towards the door.

“Come
on,” I scream after him but he ignores me, shutting the door behind him. He
said he wanted me to relax and nothing relaxes me better than a big hard dose
of Liam. I close my eyes focusing on my love for Liam and Cayden’s soothing
voice as I seep into a relaxed state.

Liam
nudges me awake a while later, holding out a towel for me. He tends to me like
a child, rubbing lotion into my skin and dressing me in one of his button up
shirts. He tucks me in, placing a kiss on my forehead before heading back to
his office. I linger between sleep and consciousness surprised by how tired I
am after that short episode I suffered through.

Liam
finishes early and takes me home. He makes me dinner and rubs me down with oils
until I fall asleep. Despite my whining for him to make love to me and his rock
hard erection that poked me several times during his massage, he refuses to
have sex with me. I love him for wanting to take care of me and show me his
love through non sexual channels but I crave him. The hunger for him so fierce
I wake up in the middle of the night and ride him so hard we’re both screaming
our release within five minutes. I collapse on top of him, falling into an
exhausted sleep still connected to him in the most intimate way.

********

The
next day Lillian and Rich pamper me, taking turns checking in on me. They even
try to lighten my workload by taking the burden themselves. I have to yell at
them to seriously get them to leave me alone and quit the babying. I have a strong
feeling Liam put them up to this annoying attempt to get me to relax, if he had
his way I would have spent the day at home. His over protectiveness is so
aggravating I flip the finger at the surveillance camera on my way out to lunch
knowing there was a high probability he would get the message.

I
meet Cayden at a small bistro in the area. I talked Liam into letting me drive
in to work today knowing I would need transportation for my lunch with Cayden.
Telling Liam I wanted to drive just in case I wanted to go home early was low.
I prayed on his concern for me and felt sick with myself for lying to him.

Cayden
rises from the table and hugs me with surprising familiarity. Everyone I’ve met
since getting here have encroached the protective bubble I’ve work for years building,
each relationship growing at a super-speed. I feel like I’ve known them all for
a lifetime. Fate played a role in gifting me this new life and I wasn’t one to
defy fate. After the shit hand it dealt me early in life, fate owed me
something better for my future.

Cayden
hold’s my hand across the table analyzing my state of mind with his sharp
psychologist eyes. We order quickly needing the privacy to talk.

“What
happened yesterday?” he asks. I knew I would have to talk about it but I’m a
little afraid talking will initiate another attack.