The Price of Freedom

Chapter 20: Holy Water

DINAH

After working through my lunch and getting the most important aspects of the charity gala set up it was time for the interviews. I took the elevator to Henri’s floor and met with his assistant. I should probably ask for his name, but he hasn’t given it, and doesn’t really talk to me unless he needs to.

The interviews went by painfully slow; some people should have not gotten to this stage of the interview process. One woman came in and requested maternity leave immediately she looked like she was about to pop. This guy came in and demanded the job be given to him on the basis that his father was an important man, he never did tell us what his father did.

“Who did you like for the positions?”

I checked my notes to get the names of the few that I thought would be able to keep up with the demand, while Henri looked through his, “I think Leila, and Matthew showed promise, but Sam really surprised me.”

“I agree, I’ll be hiring Sam for sure, now we can decide between Leila and Matthew.”

Henri has not looked me in the eye since my call with Liam, I have a feeling he might have actually heard the conversation. He seems distant, even more so than he already was. We were just beginning to be friends again and then he springs his feelings on me unexpectedly. He can’t just expect me to drop everyone for him.

He was right that I was unhappy with the whole sharing my life thing, but I want Liam. The thought of Liam being mine transcends my need for privacy. Maybe after a while of seeing how ordinary I am the media will get tired of me and move on to someone else.

“I think either one could do a great job, so it’s up to you.”

“Okay, well I think we’re done for now,” he replies indifferently.

I grab my things and exit his office, when I take a look back, he’s still staring at his computer as if nothing happened. I should be happy that he isn’t flirting with me anymore, but I feel bad instead. He’s my boss now, and we should have a decent relationship if we are going to work well together.

I get back down to my floor and the first person I see is Jesse sitting at his desk. He hears me walk off the elevator and looks up but as soon as he notices it’s me his face contorts with contempt. He wreaks of arrogance.

I walk over to his desk and he seems surprised that I would dare approach him, “Jesse, how is that list coming?”

“I’m still working on it,” he answers flatly.

“Work a little faster I need it by tomorrow,” I tell him then walk away to check on the others.

The hours went by dreadfully slow, but once I was done coordinating for the gala I went home. I hadn’t realized how late it was until I checked my phone and saw a text from Serena asking me where I was at.

I arrived home and went straight for a relaxing shower. Thankfully Serena cooked dinner, so I was able to eat and then sleep for the rest of the night. I didn’t know how exhausted I was until my head hit the pillow and I was out like a light.

******

Work was work, and Jesse was still Jesse. He got me the list I had asked for, and now we had to work on the financials for the charity gala, and decide which business partnerships would work best in our favor.

The man might be an ass, but he clearly does a great job. I didn’t try making small talk with him, we clearly don’t care for each other, and therefore we just focused on our work. It was a very productive day.

Once I did check ins with the rest of the team, I was able to start curating the list of invitees as well as plan for media ads, as well as a press conference for Wednesday.

Throughout the day, I found myself daydreaming of Liam, in short intervals. I just wanted to be in his company, I wanted to smell his cologne, and feel his hands on me. At one point I was thinking about how it would feel for him to take me against the glass wall looking out into the city.

I need to be bathed in holy water.

The rest of the day went by fast. I was ecstatic to get home and get ready for my date.

When I walk into the flat, I find Serena on the couch watching tv. She has been working with Catarina and is practicing the whole runway walk along with modeling the main pieces for her. On her free time, she’s taken up ballet and running so that she can stay in shape and be more graceful with her movements.

“Do you want to go to the movies with me tonight?” she asks me from her seat on the couch.

“I can’t I have a date,” I answer trying to make a run for my room.

She quickly jumps up and runs after me before I can close the door and shoves her way in. “With Liam or Henri?”

Why does she just assume I would go on a date with Henri, it’s not like I’m throwing myself at him. I have a little more self-respect than that. And besides, what I felt for Henri was a long time ago, I’m just happy to have my friend back.

“With Liam, there’s nothing going on between Henri and I,” I explain with an annoyed tone.

I make my way into the bathroom and start taking my clothes off so I can hop in the shower. Serena has no sense of boundaries and enters the bathroom behind me and sits on the bathroom counter. I stop undressing myself waiting for her to leave, but she doesn’t.

She rolls her eyes at me and once again I am wishing I could just poke them out, “Keep telling yourself that, but I saw the way he looked at you at the airport.”

“What I felt for him was a long time ago, I’m with Liam now.”

I hadn’t realized what I’d just said until it was too late. She smirked at me from her pedestal and leaned back on locked arms.

Her stare made me feel naked, like she was staring deep into my soul. I was still in my underwear, but she made me feel exposed with one look.

“You’re with Liam... what exactly does that mean,” she asked c*****g one eyebrow.

“I don’t know, I want to talk about it with him tonight,” I mumble

“And tell him what? That you’re in love with him?”

I think I am in love with him, but I’m not going to tell her that. Liam should be the first to know. This isn’t a conversation I should be having with Serena in my underwear.

“I’m not in love with him, we’ve only known each other for a few months,” I lie.

“Dinah, I know you, the way you look at Liam, I’ve never seen you look at a guy like that.” We know each other too well it’s ridiculous.

“He’s just so wholesome,” I add, just thinking about him has my entire body fluttering and excited for his touch.

“You two had s*x the first time you met, what part of that is wholesome?”

“Not the point.”

“Whatever, I guess I’ll hang out with Sacha tonight, if you know what I mean.”

She is too comfortable talking to me about s*x, I guess that could be a good thing. If she needs help, she’ll come to me, but there’s a limit to what I can handle her telling me. If I didn’t stop her, she’d give me every detail she remembered.

“I don’t want to know what you mean,” I answer with a scowl, pulling her off the counter and pushing her towards the door.

“Do you need help picking out an outfit?” She turns to me and asks.

“I think I’m going to wear the white blazer dress with a pair of nude heals,” I reply.

“Very cute, easily accessible,” she motions pulling up her skirt.

“What is wrong with you?”

She completely ignores my question and continues with her inappropriate conversation, “You should wear some of the lingerie Catarina gave you, make it extra sexy.”

“Serena get out,” I yell at her slamming the door in her face.

“I’m trying to help you get laid,” she screams from behind the closed door.

As soon as she’s out of the way, I start getting ready for my date. My body is soft and silky after using a body scrub and shaving every inch of my body. Not exactly expecting s*x, but if it happens, I won’t stop it.

I add loose waves to my hair and minimal makeup since it’s hot outside I don’t want to feel like I’m suffocating.

I quickly get dressed and for once I actually listen to Serena and wear one of the sets CATA gave me. As I’m strapping on my second heal, I hear the doorbell ring and my stomach does flips.

Checking the peephole, I see Liam standing on the other side holding a large bouquet of yellow tulips.

I find myself smiling from ear to ear and lean my forehead against the door trying to reign in my excitement. When I finally open the door, Liam is wearing a greyish blue linen suit looking ever so handsome. His steely gaze pinned me in my spot and heat began to crawl up my cheeks. I was sure that I must be as red as a tomato by now, his half smile only proved that he could tell what he was doing to me.

“Hi gorgeous,” I managed to get out.

His smile grew wider as he took a step towards me, “I thought I was pretty?”

“What?”

“Never mind, you look stunning,” he said handing me the flowers. I didn’t have a vase to place them in, so I set them on the kitchen island and turned back to him. I noticed how his eyes were roaming my body, once he reached my eyes it was my turn to smile.

“Ready?” he asked holding out his hand for me. I took it and he lead me out of the flat and into his car. A short fifteen-minute drive later and we had arrived at a beautiful French restaurant.

“I hope you like this place,” he tells me as he holds the door open for me.

“As long as I’m with you I think I’ll love it.”

Liam hands the keys to the valet, takes my hand in his and leads me inside. The maître d’ lead us through the crowded restaurant and to a lift, when we stepped off, we were taken to a table set by the windows overlooking the city.

Liam pulls a chair out for me and then takes a seat across from me. “Why is this place so empty, it’s Friday night,” I ask looking around seeing all the empty tables.

He just shrugs, “I’m not sure.”

“Wait. Did you rent this place out?”

He calls over the waitress and she brings over a bottle of wine, “Would it be bad if I said yes?”

I don’t miss the look she gives him, smiling a little too long, swaying her hips a little more. A twinge of jealousy hits me and I want to yank her little pony tail, and toss her around like a ragdoll.

I suppress my murderess jealousy and ask him a question instead, “Why would you do that?”

“Because I wanted you all to myself.”

“When you say stuff like that, I forget that you mindlessly spent money for one evening.”

“It isn’t mindless if it’s being spent on you. It’s an investment, you are my future wife after all.”

Liam calling me his future wife sends shivers down my spine. I can see myself getting married to this man, the only person I ever felt that for has been Henri. Every person I dated up until now was temporary, and I knew it. There was never that spark. But I feel it with Liam, every time I hear his voice, every time I see him, every time he looks my way. He makes me feel like I’m the only one for him. I feel so confident in what we could be.

“You sound so sure of yourself,” I taunt him.

“I am without a doubt, in love with you.”