13
1793 Words
REID
I couldn't help myself; I kept sneaking glances in her direction from time to time. Sometimes, I would even position myself in a way that once I look at my wine glass, I would be able to see her reflection.
Once or twice I even had to force myself from moving towards her as some guy or the other tried to impress her with how much property they had to their name, but then I breathed out in relief as I saw her walk away from them.
Nice one…
I tried to enjoy the rest of the evening, mingling with people just the way my father wanted, and I managed to forget a bit about her, losing myself in the crowd, but after a while, I felt someone staring hard at me.
I looked up before she could look away, and our eyes locked onto each other and stayed that way for a long time. For a moment, I pushed aside the bad blood between us and what I thought about her and her mother, allowing myself to think about how it would feel to be in her arms even just for a moment.
The sight of Liam walking up casually behind her with his seductive smile slowly crumbled the image, dragging me back to reality.
I growled, angry at myself.
Who am I kidding?
There was absolutely no way anything could happen between us. For starters, we hated each other's guts, and now we were family.
I watched openly as she conversed with Liam; so engrossed was I that I failed to feel Ella tugging on my tuxedo sleeve.
“Uncle Reid.”
I nearly jumped out of my skin as she shouted into my ear, getting my attention at last.
“What is it?” I asked angrily as I rubbed the offended ear, placing a finger into it and shaking it vigorously.
“Why were you looking at her that way? I thought you hated her.” She asked with the innocence of a fourteen-year-old child.
I didn't know how to weasel myself out of her inquisition, so I opted for denial. “I wasn't looking at her.”
“Liar. I saw you, Uncle Reid. I saw where you were looking at,” she maintained.
“I could have been looking at anyone else. Just because I was staring in that direction doesn't mean I was looking at her.”
“Uh huh” was all she said, and I felt like a little boy caught lying to his parents.
“Look, what's Uncle Liam doing to her?” She suddenly piped up, pointing in Arlyn's direction.
Despite myself, my body acted impulsively, and I turned around just in time to see Liam's fingers close over my wrist.
That was enough excuse for me to go over there.
“Excuse me. I will be right back.” I said, handing my wine over to Ella, and moved as fast as the mass of bodies around me would allow. Smiling where necessary and bulldozing my way through where needed till I was close enough to where they stood.
“... I need to talk to you… It's about Reid, your stepbrother,” he was saying to Arlyn just as I stepped behind her.
She stopped trying to free herself from his grasp and looked quizzically at Liam, as if she was curious.
I didn't plan on revealing my presence just yet, but the thing was I knew I was stepping into her personal space from behind, and I felt her go rigid before me.
“I'm curious to know what you have to say about me.” I said casually from behind Arlyn.
She stepped away before turning around to face me, and I saw surprise followed by relief flash by on her face.
“Reid.” She breathed out my name, and I c****d my eyebrow at her, surprised.
She must have really needed saving for her to call his name out like that.
As for Liam, he kept shifting his gaze between me and Arlyn, and I knew what must be going on in his head.
I gave him a cold look. “Why are you here? I thought we had an agreement.”
Liam chuckled, taking a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. “A good evening to you too, old friend.”
I waved aside his attempt at pleasantries. “You haven't answered my question.”
He took his time drinking from his glass, smacking his lips when he was done and nodding his head in approval.
“Damn… That hit the spot. Trust your dad to go for the good stuff… the very best. Want to know what else he goes for and who he deals with?” Liam commented testily.
My patience was wearing thin, but I held myself back. Arlyn tried to step away from him, but Liam still held on to her wrist firmly, and that bothered me… big time.
I tried to ignore it. “Liam, don't test__”
“Or what, huh? Are you going to slug me again in the face like last time, or will you have the guards do your dirty work for you this time?” Liam blurted out, and I saw Arlyn look at me in surprise.
“If that's what you're looking for, it can easily be arranged.” I said. Unable to bear the sight of his fingers around Arlyn's wrist, I stepped forward and held onto his hand restraining her, applying pressure on his own wrist until he winced in pain and let go.
He looked first at me, then Arlyn, rubbing his wrist. His lips curled up in a nasty grin. “Wait. What exactly are you two? Don't tell me you want to start acting like the protective elder brother, out to save your sister from the big bad wolf.”
I didn't reply and tried to mask my emotions, but it was too late. Judging from the look on Liam's face, he already had his answer. I never really could play poker face with the jerk right from childhood.
“Whoa… wow… I will be damned,” he exclaimed excitedly, clapping his hands together in joy. I looked around and saw that a small group had gathered them.
“Liam—”
“Don't tell me you have got it hot for your stepsister…” he said teasingly, interrupting me, and a murmur rose up among those gathered.
What is he talking about?
Who is he?
He is so handsome.
I heard snatches of what some of the murmurs were about. Liam and I were easily the most attractive bachelors: both handsome and from rich families.
I grunted at him. “Liam, don't make a scene. This is your last warning.”
Liam laughed again and finished the drink in his glass. He stopped a passing waiter and replaced his empty glass with a full one, drinking from it immediately.
He is drunk, I realized.
Of course, why hadn't I thought of that? He must have had a lot to drink before he approached Arlyn. That would explain his present display. Liam cared too much about public appearance to become the center of attraction for something that wasn't going to boost his popularity.
Done with his drink, he hurled the empty glass at the wall, frightened gasps escaping from females as glass shattered about. I didn't move an inch.
He ran a hand over his face, trying to appear sad. He looked AT Arlyn.
“Come on, Arl… I said I'm sorry. You can't hold a fling with some random w***e over my head forever. Stop being a b***h already and come back to me while I'm still being nice,” he said, his drunkenness slurring the words.
“That’s enough, Liam. You have had enough to drink. I think it's time to call it a night.” I said, approaching him and placing a hand on his shoulder, but he slapped it away, almost falling over with the effort.
“Don't touch me…” he screamed, getting hold of a bottle and shattering it against the edge of a table, brandishing it like a knife at anyone who came close. He was looking at Arlyn again, and this time, there were tears streaking down his cheeks.
“Why won't you have me back? Why… WHY?” He screamed hysterically and lunged with the broken bottle aimed at Arlyn, intending to stab her with it, but I quickly pulled off a tablecloth from a nearby table and intercepted him, using the tablecloth to cushion the jagged edges of the broken bottle as he tried to stab me with it and twist his hands to the side.
Next, without giving him a chance to recover, I kicked him behind the knees and he went down on his knees. He tried to get to his feet, but he was too unstable to stay standing.
Two security men in suits came running over to where we were.
I eyed them angrily. “Where were you guys when he was making a scene?”
They apologized. I looked at Liam, still flailing on the ground. It was really a pitiful sight, and I wondered how his dad would react when he saw the video tomorrow. Some of the guests had recorded the whole deal.
“Take him away, but be gentle with him.” I ordered them. They picked Liam up from the floor, one on each side of him.
“Wait. I need to tell this arsehole something.” He was referring to me. After a while I looked at the guards and nodded, and they let him go, standing close by.
He staggered towards me, winking at Arlyn on the way. He stood very close and brought his mouth alongside my ear. I felt his hot breath against my skin, and he smelled heavily of alcohol.
He kissed my ears, and I felt disgusted, but then he drew back and grinned at me.
“I know something you don't…about her,” he said. I knew who he was talking about.
“What's that?” I asked him, curiosity getting the better of me.
He looked at Arlyn and winked again at her before blowing a kiss at her.
He whispered his next words to only me, but I felt it was the beginning of something that shouldn't be.
“If you are that curious, then check your father's study… The answers are all there.”
He walked away on his own after making that dating statement, and I stood watching his retreating back, unable to stop the ominous feeling mounting inside of me.
What was in my father's study?
- Writer
