Mr. Brockwell

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

*Calista*

It's Saturday and Adrian has to head out to the office for a couple of hours, the perfect time for me to meet up with Ivan and get this break up done. Yesterday, I almost kissed Adrian, and the only thing preventing me was still being in a relationship with another man. Well... that and the fact that he's my boss. Nonetheless, I need to break up with Ivan once and for all.

It's ten in the morning and I just stepped out of the shower, carefully drying my hair. My neck is doing much better, and I'm finally starting to feel like myself again. I noticed a small smile on my lips, one that I hadn't even noticed was there. Smiling even wider, I promise myself that things are going to get better.

I apply some makeup, but nothing heavy. A little bit of mascara, some blush, and lip gloss. I dried my hair with a round brush and had it curling in different directions, flowing beautifully down my back. I applied some light perfume, a gentle sweetness that was accompanied by lavender. It's my favorite fragrance, one that reminds me of a time before Ivan entered my life.

I changed into a pair of light blue jeans and a long sleeved black sweater, paired with black ankle boots. Grabbing my purse that was on the bed, I scurried out of the room and downstairs. I peeked my head around the wall and found Ida in the kitchen. She and Walter are preparing me breakfast. I can't leave without speaking with them, otherwise they'll send the cavalry after me.

"There she is!" Ida exclaimed as I walked into the kitchen. She and Walter turned to smile.

"Good morning, Miss Calista." Walter greeted me with a nod, setting a plate of pancakes down in front of me on the table.

"Good morning, Walter, Ida. Thank you for breakfast, this looks wonderful." I smiled and immediately started eating.

"What are ya plannin' for the day, darlin'?" Ida asked, sitting beside me at the table with a steaming cup of coffee.

"Well, now that I'm feeling better, I was hoping to do a little shopping." I responded, which isn't a lie, I'll shop as well as break up with Ivan.

"Goin' to the mall, aye?" Ida asked, glancing at Walter with a suspicious look.

"Yeah." I shrugged, avoiding their stares.

"I'll have the car out front for when you're ready, Miss Calista." Walter nodded.

"I'll be ready after breakfast, if that's alright?" I asked, almost finished with my meal.

"Of course." Walter gave a warm smile, before leaving the kitchen.

I finished breakfast and exited the house, where I found Walter waiting next to a black sedan. He held open the right back door, motioning for me to get inside. I did, and he shut the door behind me, climbing into the driver's seat himself. Pulling away from the mansion, I glanced back and felt a small pang hit my chest. A part of me feels bad for lying to everyone, but I need to handle things the way I see fit. I really think it would go better with Ivan if no one else was around, especially Adrian.

"Shall I come with you, Miss? I can hold your bags." Walter offered, turning onto the street that leads to the mall.

"No need, Walter. I'm only getting a couple of small items, but thank you." I smiled, watching him glance in the rear view mirror at me with suspicious eyes.

"If you insist..." Walter muttered, pulling into the parking lot of the mall.

"I'll call you when I'm finished, thank you again Walter." I smiled and opened the back door, hopping out at the curb and shutting the door behind me.

Once inside the mall, I released a heavy sigh and regained my composure. I told Ivan I would meet him in the food court at eleven o'clock. I've got ten minutes. On my way to the food court, I spotted a new shop on the right and a particularly radiant crystal necklace caught my attention. I stumble into the store and admire the necklace, until I see the price tag, and it's enough to make me choke. Who would pay over five thousand dollars for jewelry?

I browsed around the store a little more and found something that was not only more in my price range, but also suitable for the current situation. It's a keychain shaped like a cat's head, but the ears are sharp and pointed. It can be used as a self-defense weapon, so I brought a black and gold one up to the counter. I handed the woman twenty dollars, and she gave me some change. I turned to leave the store and attached my new keychain immediately.

The closer I got to the food court, the more my stomach began to knot and twist inside me. My entire body was sweating like I was standing in a sauna. I sat down at a two-person table and waited, looking around the food court at all the surrounding strangers. My heart hammered against my chest and I felt a knot form in my throat, causing me to choke on air. I cleared my throat and wiped my forehead clear of sweat, finding Ivan approaching to my right. Suddenly, I'm overwhelmed with regret, but it's too late to leave and save myself. I pulled my new keychain off my keys and into my palm, squeezing it tight.

Ivan sat across from me with a stoic expression, just as cold and callous as I remember from our last encounter. He cleared his throat and loosened the tie around his collar. Could he be nervous too? Maybe he knows I'm going to break up with him. After all, the only thing I texted back was 'we need to talk'. Everyone knows that's a universal code for we're breaking up.

"Do you want anything to eat?" Ivan asked, looking around the crowded food court.

"No, I didn't come here to eat." I huffed, sitting up in my chair and pulling all the courage I have together.

"Look, Calista, I know I f****d up-" Ivan started to respond and I cut him off, thoroughly pissed.

"That's it? You think you just f****d up? You sent me to the hospital, Ivan! No. You did a lot more than f**k up, you ended the relationship. I came here to break up with you, Ivan." I grunted, feeling my own rage grow inside.

"Break up?!" Ivan raised his voice and people glanced over, "Baby, it was an accident. I would never mean to hurt you and I promise, it'll never happen again. I realized how much I love you and can't believe I did that to you... Please, forgive me?"

Adrian knew what Ivan would say, and I sat there shocked at how precise he was, like he took a peek into my future. I took a deep breath and shook my head at Ivan, standing my ground. I could feel the tension growing between us, and I was thankful for choosing a public location for our meeting, because Ivan was ready to attack.

"So that's it, you've come here to dump me? Is it because you're sleeping with that new boss of yours? That's who you're living with now, so I bet that's who you're f*****g!" Ivan roared, and all eyes were on us, as I sat frozen in front of him.

"I'm not seeing anyone, Ivan. Even though I was planning to break up with you, I wouldn't cheat on you." I scoffed and felt him grab my knee from under the table, squeezing it tightly within his fist.

"You're not going anywhere, Calista." Ivan grunted, his eyes piercing my own.

"Goodbye, Ivan." I said through gritted teeth, pulling my knee out of his grasp and walking away from the table.

"We're not over, Calista! I'm not done with you yet!" Ivan hollered from behind me and I turned the corner as fast as I could, never looking back.

I walked back past the jewelry store and felt my eyes well up with tears, because I was afraid Ivan was right. This isn't the end between us, however badly I wished it was. I scurried to the exit and pushed out the heavy glass doors, walking outside towards the parking lot. I texted Walter that I was ready and sat on the edge of the cement railing, waiting for my ride.

I heard the door shut again behind me and I turned to find two strangers leaving the mall, holding hands and caught up in their own conversation. A few more people walked in and out of the door, enough to where I started not to notice them. Instead, I search the parking lot for the black Sedan that Walter is driving.

The door shuts again and suddenly, I'm yanked off the railing and pushed onto the ground, Ivan standing above me. He has a sinister expression as he reaches down for my newly healed neck. His grasp is tight, and he lifts me off the ground with his hand around my throat, dragging me to the side of the building. Away from prying eyes.

I whimper when he throws me back to the ground, feeling my head collide with the grass. I groaned and turned over on my back, helplessly watching as Ivan reeled his arm back to strike me in the face. I shut my eyes and prepared for the impact, but it never came. Instead, I heard Ivan grunting, as well as someone else. I opened my eyes to find Adrian wrestling Ivan to the ground, punching him a few times in the face, before stepping away from the limp Ivan and rushing to my side.

Adrian's lip was bleeding, a small trickle of blood dripped down the side of his lip and onto his chin. He supported the back of my neck while lifting my upper body into his arms. He began examining my neck and I couldn't help but wince when his fingers touched the sensitive tissue in the back of my neck. Adrian grimaced and at that moment I felt how much he cared for me, it was undeniable. I lifted my hand and used my thumb to wipe the blood from off his chin, which caused him to flinch. I paused and waited for him to look at me again. When he did, I cleared his chin and lip of blood, and he stared deeply into my eyes. My finger lingered against his lip, but as I pulled it away I heard him sigh.

I don't know what possessed me to act so quickly, but it wasn't something I could control. I grabbed the side of Adrian's face with the same hand that had his blood, lacing my fingers between his ears, pulling him closer. His eyes flickered at my lips and I watched him gulp, his Adams apple bouncing up and down. Our lips were inches apart, I could feel his hot breath against my skin and I closed the gap between us. Pressing my lips against his, I sighed exasperatedly and wrapped both arms around the back of his neck. It's such a relief to do what you've desired to do for so long, and this is it. Kissing this man.

Adrian curls his arm around my waist and pulls me flush against his body, deepening the kiss. After a couple of minutes, I pulled away, out of breath. Embarrassment consumed me instantly, and I stared at him absolutely mortified, but secretly incredibly pleased. He cleared his throat and lifted me into his arms, carrying me away from Ivan, who was still knocked unconscious on the ground.

He carried me to his car, which was carelessly parked on the curb, just a few feet away. Adrian set me in the passenger seat and buckled my seat belt for me, his face just inches away from mine. I want to kiss him again, but I already regret the first one. I shouldn't have done that, especially when he just apologized for almost kissing me! What have I gotten myself into?

Aside from that, though, how the hell did Adrian know where I was and what I was doing? Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful he showed up, but I want to know how he knew. There's something about Adrian Brockwell that's not only mysteriously sexy, but also intimidatingly dangerous. I suppose I'm drawn to both... but I can't be! This can't happen, it's not appropriate.

Adrian starts the car, and we leave the mall, both of us silent and unsure of what to say. This time I'm the one who crossed the line, so I'm the one who has to apologize... but what if I'm not sorry? What if that kiss was the best kiss I've ever experienced? It was the type of kiss I see in the movies or envision in my dreams. It was everything I'd ever expected and more. I don't want it to end... I want more.