Highest Bidder

“It doesn’t say. He was in a restaurant and suddenly collapsed. It’s everywhere online.”

Ella looked towards Maddie. “They aren’t close, are they? Will he be heavily affected by this?”

I rose up to my feet. If only they knew what was in my head. “I have to go,” I started to say, but the room started spinning from under me, and before I knew what was happening, I felt myself falling.

When I came to Ella and Maddie were watching over me, their eyes filled with concern.

Stop shaking me, I wanted to say, but I couldn’t find my voice.

Maddie eventually brushed Ella’s nervous hand away and sat me up.

Looking around, I realized I was on the floor. “I fainted?”

They nodded.

“How long?”

“Almost a minute,” Ella cried.

Maddie calmly watched me. “Haven’t you eaten today? Why the hell would you faint?”

“Perhaps I stood up too quickly,” I said and with their help, I made it to the sofa. When I saw the quiet shock on Maddie’s face, I added. “And I haven’t eaten much today.”

“What about yesterday?” Ella asked.

“I can’t remember.”

“Let’s go to the hospital,” Maddie said, and began to pull me up.

“There’s no need,” I responded. I had to go to Brent. I needed to find my purse, but my vision was still a bit hazy. I saw my purse on the table. “I’m leaving.”

“You’re fucking not!” Maddie glared at me. “We’re going to the hospital.”

“I’m fine,” I said and started to stand.

“You’re going to him, aren’t you?”

“She’s worried about Liam and what effect it will have on Brent,” Ella tried to explain to Maddie.

This wasn’t true at all. I wasn’t worried, at least not for Liam.

I was terrified for Brent.

Freya

When I arrived at Brent’s home, I stood by the cast iron gate and dialed his number.

“I’m here,” I said and instantly I was granted access.

He answered the door, dressed in nothing but a pair of dark slacks. They had been hastily thrown on, the button was still undone, revealing the light dusting of hair on his groin.

I couldn’t take my eyes off it. How I had missed him. I pulled my gaze up to his, and saw the remorse in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Freya,” he said.

I nodded and walked into the apartment. I stood in the middle of the living room.

“Do you want a drink, or are you hungry?” he asked.

I shook my head. I still didn’t know how I was going to ask him about his brother. Perhaps my aloofness and silence would guilt him enough to respond to me the way I wanted but I was aware that I was treading on dangerous ground. Brent Lucan was not a man to be easily toiled with.

“I was on a day trip to Edinburgh,” he said. “And I just returned. I was about to take a shower. Will you wait?”

I nodded and listened. He did not close the door and I could hear the sound of the water. I stood there for a few more minutes, then I stripped off my clothes and headed over to his bathroom.

He was in the pose I’d seen him in countless of times. Head bowed, as the scalding hot water pelted down onto his head.

I pulled the door open and he straightened. I didn’t look at him.

“It’s too hot,” he said, and quickly lowered the temperature just as I stepped under the cascade.

I shut my eyes while my head got soaked and water flowed down my body. I tilted my head away from the cascade to lather the shampoo in my hair and he tried to take over, as he had done countless of times before.

“It’s fine,” I said and brushed his hand away.

I could feel him behind me, naked, vulnerable, and apologetic, but I knew that he would not remain too long in that state. When he lowered to place his chin on my shoulder, his hands sliding around my waist to glue me to him, I allowed him to hold me. After rinsing the suds from my hair, I turned around to face him then, and looked into his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized again. “I was so furious. I felt as if you had betrayed me. You knew how I felt about Liam and yet you wanted to give them your ear, but I shouldn’t have left you there. I sent the driver back with the car for you and took a taxi myself, but you had already left.”

“Why didn’t you call me afterwards?” I asked.

He hid his face in my neck as he spoke softly, “I was still mad. I couldn’t believe it when I saw your text coolly telling me you were going over there half-an-hour later. You have no idea how dangerous it was. Liam could have harmed you. What better way to hurt me than to hurt you.”

“I didn’t call because you were supposed to be in New York.” The accusation was clear.

“I wanted to surprise you,” he said. “I rounded up all the meetings early so I thought I’d fly in and surprise you, but then I got the text to say you were going to the manor. It was a blow. I couldn’t believe it. I became paranoid. I knew they were trying to convince you that I killed your father, but I didn’t, Freya. I swear on my life, I didn’t. I could never have done that to you.”

My heart melted in his embrace. God, I loved this man so much. I turned around and wrapped my hands around his neck and immediately, he picked me up. My legs encircled his waist as he leaned me against the tiles.