FOUR

FOUR

LILY

“What is he doing here?” my father questioned as soon as he stepped down from the podium and walked into the room backstage; after he had had to shake Nickolas’ hand.

He is livid with rage as he turns on me while I twirled my fingers in anxiety. He hates when I do that and although the doctor had said it was a result of anxiety, he still hated it.

No child of his should be anxious; he was Robert Blake! A multibillionaire and there wasn’t anything in the world that scared him.

“Lily, is that Nickolas?” My mother asked

“Yes” I respond, not saying anything more.

I had made no mention of us meeting at the party or dancing earlier because I could hardly wrap my head around the fact that he was back in my life after leaving me.

I smile bitterly as I remember waking up that morning and having my father tell me that I wasn’t going to see him anymore because he had offered him money to leave and he had taken it.

So much for the promises of forever and even though we had only been children, I had believed him.

“I need to know what he is doing here” my father raged.

It is true that he had taken us all by surprise and it would seem that my father was not too happy about not being able to control the situation. He always was in control of everything.

“You should have him removed from the premises and have our lawyers contact him. There is no way we are accepting money from that lowlife” my mother argued.

Of course, she never considered Nick as anything other than the charity we had to feed because his father died on us and his mother killed herself with drugs.

She had been more than happy when her husband discharged of the boy.

“We do not need to involve the lawyers for someone like Nickolas. I am pretty sure he does not have that money anywhere and he only wanted to rattle us. I will have Edward make sure he is escorted out of the premises” my father bellows.

I continue twirling my fingers, I can feel the onslaught of a headache coming on and this is all as a result of Nick’s presence.

What did he want? I think to myself.

More money?

Did my father not pay him enough to leave me and had he not collected the money with glee?

“You will do no such thing, father” I mutter, finally finding my voice

“Excuse me?” My father growled

“You will not send him out; he already made the most donation and the surprise will be awarded to him” I announce to them

My father stared at me like I am definitely out of my mind and maybe I am.

The surprise is a two days boat cruise between me and whoever made the highest donation and I know that my father had been rooting for Edward although we mean nothing to each other. It is the reason he had handpicked him to be my date for the night.

“You want to be alone with the man? Have you been meeting with him all these while… tell me!” he snaps, grabbing my arm and shaking me.

“Robert!” my mother screams.

He let go of my arm, sighing as he rubbed his eyes.

“You will not go on the boat cruise… I forbid it and I am going to have a word with that boy about this.” He mutters, leaving the room.

My mother waits until he is out of the room before she approaches me, her eyes filled with concern.

“What is the matter with you, Lily? You should allow your father handle this” she tells me

“I can handle whatever this is, mother. I am a grown woman that doesn’t need her daddy stepping in anytime something does not go his way.”

“Don’t say that; he cares a lot about you and only wants the best”

“I am sure he does. Isn’t that why he paid Nick off in the first place? And why he wants to discharge of him now?” I query.

I am angry and my mother could see it in the stormy flash in my eyes.

“I can take care of myself; I am no longer the sixteen years old girl who could not resist the Spanish charms of Nickolas” I mutter, smiling bitterly.

“Lily.” Her mother begins.

“If you will excuse me mother, I have a headache and would like to leave”

“I will have Edward escort you home”

“No, I want to go alone… just have the driver turn the car around, please” I request, walking out of the room.

I had been a fool once and i was not about to be made a fool of again.

I resist the urge to look in Nickolas’ direction as I pass, pretty sure that he is staring at me.

I feel that if I take another look at the man who had broken my girly heart to pieces then I was going to crumble to the ground and never get up.

How I had waited for him… hoping that my father had been wrong and he would come back for me like he promised.

I will save you, Princess, he had told me

I will rescue you and we will travel the world, he had promised.

A fucking pathological liar he had been because he had not rescued me. I am still in the shackle that has held me as a child, only this time it is tighter and I know that I will never escape it.

I slam hard into Edward who is walking in my direction.

“Are you okay? I have been signaling to you” He questions, holding unto me.

I let out a bark of laughter at the question.

It would seem that everybody wanted to know how I was doing tonight; from Nick to my father and now Edward

Was I okay? I ask myself.

“What is wrong? Come… I will take you home” He tells me

“I would like to be alone, Edward” I stop him.

“You look extremely pale… I should call the doctor” He insists

“I said I am fine… let go of me” I push, gasping as Edward falls back on his ass.

“I am so sorry” I shriek, reaching out as he stares at me in surprise.

He isn’t the only one staring at me, I notice

The crowd had turned and had their eyes pinned on me and in that crowd was Nickolas… his dark eyes branding me as she spun around and ran.