Beyond Uncertainty

The Distraction

Liam Montgomery lived a fast paced life. Being rich and influential made him too busy and preoccupied.

[“Son, when are you coming for a visit? Your sister will be coming home next week and it would be nice if you could too.”] His father tried to hide the disappointment in his voice but he failed. Liam dropped the pen he was using to sign the documents his secretary left on his glass desk. He massaged his temples before responding to his father.

“I’ll try. I’ve been closing this deal with the Aussie’s and I can’t lose track of this now.” He stood up from his swivel chair and walked towards the glass walls of the building his family owns. He tapped the glass and from it’s hazy blacks setting, the walls turned clear and Liam stared at the glowing city lights below.

[“Liam, I unloaded you with the weight of your mother’s Financing firm as well as our Production Company, but now you’re obsessing with making your new IT empire number one in the world. Can’t you just slow down and try to have fun every once in a while?”] He sighed. This topic is wearing him off.

“Papa, I’m still overseeing Luna in managing the Financing Firm, so I’m not really hands off with that.” The Bluetooth headset he was wearing beeped signaling him that there was another call waiting for him.

[“Liam, there’s still another thing I would like to bring up to you. It’s about—“]

“Sorry to cut you, Dad, but I really need to take this call.” His father sighed at the other end of the line and said goodbye. He answered the call waiting and spoke to the Australian investors via conference call. Their time difference made Liam stay at the office late at night. After the meeting that ended at 2 am, Liam headed off.

The drive to his condominium was fortunately short. When he parked his car at the garage, he saw a familiar car next to his. He shook his head and dismissed the thought. It couldn’t be.

Liam went up the elevator to the Penthouse. His pad is as modern and techy as the buildings they own. The lights turn on and off with just a snap of his finger or his voice if not controlled with his phone. The furniture theme is black and white with touches of silver. The paintings that hang on his walls are all abstract in red and blue. These are the only color on his off-white walls.

He went to his bedroom that occupies one fourth of the floor. It is almost as big as the normal apartment in New York but with a roomy walk in closet and magnificent brass king sized bed with black and white fluffy covers.

He stripped down to his black Calvin Klein boxers and headed to his kitchen to get a glass of water. He stopped dead on his tracks at the doorway when he thought he saw some apparition beside his refrigerator. Liam had to squint his eyes to look closely. From the darkness of the room and the light illuminating from the hallway, he saw a silhouette of a woman that is drinking from a wine goblet. He racked his brains if he was expecting some guest but he wasn’t. Only his sister has the key to his home and she is in Italy at the moment with her spoiled brat best friend.

Liam bit his lower lip as he stealthily walked towards the intruder who seemed to be oblivious of his arrival, and so he thought.

“Hi Liam. I didn’t know you could look sexy and yet look stupid with the way you were silently walking behind my back.” The woman turned around and he almost had a heart attack, not only with the skimpy red lingerie that she was wearing that peaked from her pink silk robe but simply because of her presence. She still looked gorgeous in fact she is the most beautiful woman he had laid his eyes on. He missed seeing her expressive green eyes, high cheekbones and pointed nose. He didn’t want to stare at her soft inviting lips or the curve of her toned body but he couldn’t control himself. He was not prepared for this at all.

“Francesca.” He walked backwards as she placed the wine goblet she was holding at the kitchen counter near the fridge. She smiled at him but it was more of a smirk when she realized that his eyes were glued on her open robe. She tightened her robe and covered her body. That was the only time Liam’s brain functioned.

“What the hell are you doing in here? Who gave you the access? When did you arrive? Where is my sister?” She laughed and looked at him like he has grown three heads. Well, he only has two and both are throbbing because of the crazy woman in front of him.

“You didn’t even say you miss me. Didn’t Uncle Lance call you? You were supposed to pick me up at the airport tomorrow, oh I mean, this morning. But I took the earliest flight I can to surprise you. Here I am! Surprise!” She walked closer and he backed away. “Oh, Luna is still in Italy with Alejandro. They’ll be here next week I think. And of course, she gave me access to this wonderful haven of yours.” He gulped as she leaned closer.

“What are you doing here, Francesca?” She was a temptress and he knew he needed to stay away from her.

“I’m also not sure. I have been thrown here in your mercy and care. They said I need you to teach me some things I need to run our company. Take note of the word, company. I didn’t say organization like my brother would have.” She said the word organization while rolling her eyes. He smiled as he watched her complain with her hands fisted tightly as if she wanted to punch someone.

“I am not aware that I would be doing some baby sitting.” She noticed his smile and she smiled back at him. He was momentarily caught off guard when her smile turned into a smirk.

“As you can see and I think even your body recognizes that I am not a baby.” He almost combusted when she approached and hooked her arms on his neck, pressing her body closer to his shirtless body. She was just a few inches shorter than him. Their noses almost touching as she tried to prove a point. “I am here not because I want to. I just want to be a good daughter for once in my life and follow the elder’s orders. Will you help me?” She felt good and she sounded troubled but he knew better. She knew how to manipulate people and make them follow her every whim and Liam vowed never to fall for her tricks. But he could not deny his father nor Godfather if this is what they want.

“I have to confer with my father and Uncle Marco first. Go to your room, wherever that is. I’ll see you in the morning.” He said in a formal voice as he gently removed her arm from his neck and backed out of the room.

“Liam.”

“Yes?” He stopped and looked back at her. She was leaning at the kitchen counter looking at him with a sad smile on her face and with her arms crossed on her chest.

“It’s nice to see you again after all these years. This has been the longest conversation we’ve had since my 16th birthday. How long has it been?” Her words struck him hard but he did not let her faze him.

“Ten and you haven’t changed a bit. Goodnight.”

Liam locked his bedroom door that night. Not because he was afraid that Francesca would come to his room but because he had to force himself to stay inside and not go to her. Her presence will distract him and that is something that he could not allow. He had to do something and he had to act fast.