Bella Lisa & Her Beast

Chapter Two-1

Chapter Two

Four Years Later, Day One: Saturday

Bella Lisa quietly sat in the front seat next to her father, sipping on industrial strength gas station coffee, on the long drive from Stanford to Seaside City. He had made it to the graduation, sat through the endless ceremony and afterwards gave her a bouquet of flowers and a congratulations balloon. Her dad seemed very proud of her getting her degree, if somewhat uncharacteristically subdued. They packed all her earthly belongings in the trunk right after the ceremony and hit the road, avoiding all the post-graduation parties.

It was just as well. She had just gone through another messy break-up a few days ago and didn’t want to bump into the guy, especially in front of her dad. She knew he would make an embarrassing scene again, whining even more so than the last one. It seemed every time she let a guy she was attracted to touch her breasts, or even worse, have s*x with her, it drove them crazy. Having s*x inevitably changed them for the worse. Though she felt quite comfortable with and very much enjoyed the momentarily heightened sensations of s*x, after the intimacy, her feelings for them would pretty much remain for the same. In fact, she was always slightly let down afterwards. There was an excitement at first, but it never lasted. She wished at least once in her life she would be passionately swept away by the cute guy she was dating.

I’ve got to stop reading those trashy romance novels Mom keeps sending me.

Of course, for the guys it was a completely different story. It was as if her body became their new drug of choice, and each successive boyfriend over the last four years of college became increasingly addicted to her. One taste and they were hooked. They would become annoyingly possessive and jealous, complaining about how the clothes she wore attracted too much attention to her body. They would fight like ugly barking dogs with every other guy that looked at her. Or they would become like little cloying puppies, following her around constantly, never giving her any space, lapping and nipping at her heels. The same pattern would occur for her each time. After she had s*x once or twice with any boyfriend, they began acting weird; she’d lose her attraction for them and then not want to see them again. They would act as if their world was coming to an end just because she no longer wanted to have s*x with them anymore. But after the shouting and anticipated sessions of name-calling and recriminations, she would have peace in her life again. After all the break-ups she finally learned that she really didn’t want a long-term commitment at this point in her life. She didn’t want to follow some earnest guy to a podunk town, raising kids and becoming active in the PTA.

I want to do something more in my life, something important.

She was glad to be free to return to Seaside City, get a job, perhaps to eventually go on and get her Master’s degree in Social Work and do something valuable with her life. She also looked forward to living in that beautiful condo her dad had bought before she left for college, relax a little after all her final exams, lay out on the beach in the new swimsuit she had bought herself as a graduation present and read a few more of those romance novels her mom had sent her.

They made pretty good time and stayed for the night at a hotel a few hours south of Stanford. They ate a quiet dinner at the small restaurant in the hotel before retiring for the night. They left early the next morning. Her dad was usually very talkative, but he said barely a word on the whole trip. Maybe this would be the right time to talk to him, she thought.

“Hey, Dad?”

“Hmmm?”

“You seem very quiet.”

“Do I?”

“Is there anything wrong?”

“No. I’m just tired. I didn’t sleep well. It’s a long drive.”

“Thanks again for coming to my graduation.”

“I’m very proud of you honey.”

“Thanks, Dad. I can’t wait to get back home and just relax at the beach.”

“Yes…”

Another few minutes of awkward silence passed until Bella Lisa spoke.

“Are you sure there’s nothing bothering you, Dad? You seem a little down.”

“Oh, well, I lost a few jobs lately – a movie role I really wanted. I got called back several times, but my agent called yesterday and said they went in another direction. It could’ve really put me back in the game…”

Bella Lisa had a familiar sad feeling talking about her father’s career. She remembered feeling let down in the same way when she read the bad reviews he received in the play she saw him in four years ago, before she left for Stanford.

“Oh, that’s too bad. I’m sorry, Dad. But don’t worry. Another role will come along that’s perfect for you. You’re too good of an actor to be out of work for too long. You’ll see…”

Mauricio just nodded and kept staring down the road. The life of an actor must be hard, facing all that rejection day after day, Bella Lisa thought. They kept driving for another hour until she broke the silence.

“Can we stop for lunch at the next exit? I’m kind of hungry.”

“Do you mind if we just grab a snack or something when I fill up for gas? I have a meeting with this guy who said he’d help me with my stock portfolio at 3:30. If we push on we can make it back to Seaside City just in time.”

“OK, I guess. Do you have food in the frig?”

“Yeah, but… can you do me a favor?

“Sure, Dad.”

“I’ve talked about you so much to this guy, bragging about your accomplishments at Stanford, the Dean’s list and everything, could you pop in for a minute so I could introduce—”

“Listen, Dad, I’m not really in the mood to meet anyone right now, it’s been a long drive, I’m exhausted, I need a shower—”

“It’ll just take a second. He told me he may have a job offer for you; there might be something for you to eat there—”

“No, Dad, I told you I’m not really in the mood—”

“Bella, I don’t really have time to drop you off before the appointment anyway—”

“OK, Dad. Sure, I’ll meet the guy. Sure, Dad. Whatever…”

They drove the rest of the way in silence. Bella Lisa fell asleep. When they arrived, she woke up and rubbed her neck. Bella Lisa recognized her dad’s assigned parking space in their condo.

“I thought you said you didn’t have time to drop me off?” Bella asked.

Mauricio didn’t respond.

Perhaps he’s mad at me.

She grabbed her purse and they got out of the car on stiff legs. He escorted his daughter into the elevator and pressed the 25th floor.

“I thought we lived on the 15th floor?” Bella Lisa asked, as the doors slid shut.

“The meeting’s on the 25th floor.”

“The guy we’re meeting has an office in the building?”

“He lives here.”

“Wait a minute. It’s not that guy from the theater, is it? I saw him exercising here when we moved in. It’s not him, is it?”

“It’s just a quick meeting to hear his job proposal—”

“Can’t we go down to our condo first so I can freshen up?”

The elevator doors opened directly into the Penthouse and Bella Lisa stepped out with her Father. She was struck by how expansive the room was with high ceilings, marble floors and a wall of glass windows overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The foyer was tastefully decorated with leather sofas. There were corridors leading off in various directions.

Did this guy own the entire 25th floor?

An older well-dressed gentleman Bella didn’t recognize greeted them in the foyer, holding some kind of file under his arm.

“Mr. Mauricio. Ms. Mauricio. Hello. My name is Firmin, Mr. Williamson’s personal assistant. Thanks for coming. How was the drive?”

“Long,” Bella Lisa answered.

She started to feel as if something weird was going on. Her Dad’s face had glazed over with a strange expression since they arrived and he wasn’t making eye contact with her.

“Mr. Williamson has been delayed just for a moment. Would you like to sit—?”

“Perhaps it would be better if we came back some other time,” Bella Lisa said.

“No, that won’t be necessary. He’ll be out in just a moment. Would you like a drink while...?”

“No thank you,” Bella Lisa answered, curtly.

“Mr. Mauricio? Can I offer you refreshment? We have a full bar.”

Mauricio shook his head no.

“Well then...,” Firmin uttered.

He gave Mauricio a thick yellow file, filled with some kind of paper documents.

“What’s that?” Bella Lisa asked.

Mauricio took his daughter’s shoulders in his hands and looked her in the eyes, then looked down.

“OK, what’s going on Dad?”

Mauricio kissed her cheek, turned away from her and walked to the elevator.

Bella Lisa followed him.

“Are we leaving?”

“Honey, I’ve got an audition to get to. I can’t be late. Mr. Williamson has a great job offer for you.”

Mauricio pressed the down arrow and the doors instantly opened.

“You’re leaving me here? Alone?”

Firmin reached out and gently touched the back of her arm.

“Don’t touch me,” Bella Lisa snapped, recoiling from Firmin’s touch.

She looked back at her Father, who had already stepped into the elevator without her. His forlorn eyes were focused on the floor. Before she could think to step into the elevator after him, the doors silently closed.

“Dad!” she shouted.

Bella Lisa pressed the arrow repeatedly.

“He left without me!”

“Please try to calm down, Ms. Mauricio. I assure you, you are perfectly safe here. Would you care to relax on the couch? Mr. Williamson will be here presently,” Firmin said in a calm voice, gesturing to the couch.

“I don’t believe this! I don’t see my Dad for four years and the minute I’m home he leaves me in some stranger’s house.”

“Please, Ms. Mauricio, have a seat. This will all be clarified in a few minutes.”

Bella Lisa took a deep breath, pursed her lips and crossed the marble floor to the couch, clicking her heels loudly, clutching her purse to her side. She sat stiffly in a plush seat and crossed her legs, tapping her toes nervously on the floor. She noticed an identical file to the one her father had left with, sitting on the coffee table in front of her. She waited for about a minute while Firmin stood silently by the couch like some kind of haughty millionaire’s butler.

This is too weird.

She uncrossed her legs, checked her watch, impatiently stood up and confronted Firmin.

“Would you mind telling me exactly what is going on here Mr.…?”

“Firmin, Ms. Mauricio.”

“Ok, Mr. Firmin. I suggest you start talking or I’m out of here.”

“Mr. Williamson has an attractive job offer—”

“I am not interested in hearing anything about—”

“Has your father not properly explained to you his particular predicament?”

“Apparently not. Perhaps you could enlighten me.”

“Well, as it concerns a confidential business arrangement between your father and my employer, Mr. Williamson, I’m afraid I’m not able to divulge—”

Losing the last of her patience, Bella Lisa quickly crossed the foyer to the elevator and pressed the down arrow. Since it did not light up, she stabbed at it repeatedly with her index finger.

“What the f**k’s wrong with this thing? The lights not coming on.”

“The keypad mounted into the wall to the left of the arrows activates the elevator. I’m sure Mr. Williamson will give you the security code as soon as—”

“I’m no longer waiting for the famous Mr. Williamson. I’m leaving now. What’s the code?”

“Ms. Mauricio…”

“What’s the code, Firmin?” Bella Lisa demanded.

“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to—”

“What’s the f*****g code?” Bella Lisa shouted.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Mauricio,” Williamson said, entering the foyer.

Bella Lisa’s head turned sharply toward the husky masculine voice.

“You again…”

“Yes, it’s me again. The famous Mr. Williamson,” he said pleasantly, with a half-smile creasing his handsome face.

She caught her breath at the sight of him. He wore a sharply tailored Armani suit with an ocean blue pressed shirt open at the collar, no tie and stylish black shoes. He appeared freshly scrubbed and coiffed, his thick hair slicked back, still wet from the shower. She breathed the aroma of soap tinged with a healthy slap of his musky men’s cologne, reminding her of that night in the dark of the theater, four years ago. He didn’t seem to have aged, perhaps even looked younger and more robust than she remembered.

Suddenly she felt embarrassed, almost as if she were naked, standing there in front of someone so impossibly handsome and impeccably dressed, in her simple jeans, sweater and imitation leather pumps.

Even in her simple clothes, perhaps even more so, Bella Lisa looked gorgeous.

Staring at her, Williamson felt his heart pound in his chest, his blood coursed thickly and swiftly through his veins. Not since the all too brief and memorable affair with his lovely sub, Laura, had Williamson felt so thrilled to be in the presence of a woman. He felt the same nervous excitement to once again be near Bella Lisa, and the stabbing inguinal ache returned.