Chapter 11

Liam

I spent the night reviewing some charts. I like to leave everything in order, with no pending issues. The last glass of wine and I had also finished my work for today. I put on a t-shirt and called Kyra, I missed my daughter.

She answered on the second ring, always so precise. Her voice so sweet, made me aroused without effort. And the best was yet to come:

"Mr. Blackthorne, good evening." — She spoke like a whore. As if she was testing me, until I lose my self-control.

"Good evening, Kyra. How are things over there? How is Julie?"

"She’s sleeping." — There was silence between us, for a few seconds she seemed not to be there. "I want to apologize for what happened today. I should have paid more attention."

"It wasn’t your fault. They let her pass through the gates, even knowing the rules…"

I want to punish her, but she doesn’t give me obvious reasons, and I am running out of patience. She does everything perfectly right and my daughter loves her company. She gives me no sign that she wants me, and that is torturing.

"Can I see Julie?"

"Of course!"

She switched the call from voice to video, and I saw her. Julie sleeping, with no concern at all about what the world is. But this is good, I don’t want to see her corrupted anytime soon. And Kyra was being so essential in her life. Even without knowing, she saved me in many different ways.

"Can I see you?" — I asked, as if it were a desire that was silently consuming me.

She turned the camera to her face and I could see her. She looked tired, but it wasn’t only physical. And above all, she didn’t look at me, even through the camera.

"Are you okay, Kyra?"

"Yes. Why wouldn’t I be? I was just a little distracted. Forgive me."

How can she be just a simple nanny? It feels like I’ve known her much longer than I actually have. She speaks as if she were whispering, afraid someone might find her. And that scares me more than I’d like to admit.

"How are things going with Julie?" — I took a deep breath before saying what I had been thinking since early. "Is there something you’d like to do with her? Somewhere? Anything."

"I never thought about it. But if you want I can choose a suitable place to take her. Like a movie, what do you think?" — That would be a lot of trust, and I never trusted anyone that much.

"Fine by me. But I want you to use my car. Use my card. Go to the mall, buy whatever Julie wants and I want you to do the same for yourself. I don’t accept no for an answer." — I said, disbelieving. "You are an important person in my daughter’s life."

"Thank you." — Her tone made me impatient. "I will choose something good to take her."

I knew she wouldn’t do anything I said — regarding herself — but knowing she would be distracting herself a little already made me somewhat relieved. Before she could say anything else, Selena entered my room without warning and I had to hang up. Even though she was still on the call.

"Liam… they’re planning a last-minute meeting. Since you didn’t answer my messages warning you, I decided to come tell you personally."

"You didn’t need to waste your time for something I planned. If you could excuse me, I’d appreciate it."

She didn’t say anything. She left, slammed the door, and finally I was alone again. I thought about calling Kyra, maybe asking how her day had been and if she was okay. But, I also think it would be a bad idea. She might hate me, for being such an idiot.

Kyra

I don’t know if he hung up, or if the call dropped, but I didn’t call back. Didn’t even think about it. Julie slept peacefully, while my mind insisted on going back to the past.

When that couple came here, their faces were not unfamiliar. Then I remembered: they are Marcos’s parents. Ana, Liam’s wife, was my sister-in-law and Marcos was her brother. Marcos is… Julie’s uncle. How can someone so rotten contaminate good people? I took a deep breath and tried to just react naturally. I have to get rid of this here, before my life falls apart again.

The phone vibrated on the bed, I thought it was some stupid notification, but it was him:

"Sorry, the call dropped. Are you okay? How was your day?"

The message came as a surprise. I had never seen him so friendly before. Maybe it’s because he’s far away, or he just wants fun.

"I’m fine. My day was good… and yours? And I’m okay."

"I spent the whole day thinking about you." Direct, raw and blunt. "Don’t take me wrong. It was a strange premonition."

"Must have been the sleepless nights. A tea would solve your case, sir."

"I’d love to receive a tea from you, miss. I believe I would sleep enough to restore everything I need."

I didn’t reply. Not yet. I don’t want to get involved with anyone right now. I have too many problems. I have to get Marcos away from me. I have to find a way to say goodbye to Julie, I just have no idea how I’ll do it.

I made some tea before going to the bedroom. Picked a romance book from Liam’s shelf, looked at Julie before going into the room and convinced myself: it won’t be easy saying goodbye to this little girl.

The clock read 03:57 and I woke up with something jumping on me. I turned on the lamp and saw it was Julie. Hugging my waist, eyes closed and head on my stomach.

"Hey, it’s okay. I’m here." — I picked her up and made a spot next to me. "You’ll sleep with me tonight. My little one."

"I like you. Don’t ever leave."

"I’ll stay here with you. Now let’s sleep."

I wrapped us both in a warm blanket, and without realizing it, I was hugging her small warm body. Her smell was good. A mix of baby and children’s perfume, and by coincidence — genetics — Liam has the same scent, only of a man.