Chapter 9

Kyra

The last few days passed in a blur. Liam was focused on work, Julie increasingly attached to me, and I increasingly lost. Marcos had already found me, but hadn’t shown up yet, and that was even more problematic. I was coming back from swimming with Julie when I almost bumped into Liam leaving his office.

"Kyra?" — I turned quickly, as if my life depended on it. "I need you to sleep here again. I have a trip at 6 p.m. I should return in two days. Is that okay?"

"Of course." — I replied briefly. But only I knew how pressured my mind was at that moment.

"The cleaner resigned yesterday. If you know anyone you’d like to recommend, feel free."

I could be both things. I knew I could handle it, I was sure.

"I can do this, Mr. Blackthorne. I’m agile enough, I promise to keep your house tidy and take care of your daughter at the same time. Can I do a trial?" — I didn’t speak in a joking tone, but he laughed. As if it were a joke.

"Are you sure about what you’re saying? It would be more tiring." — As if I cared.

If I manage to keep two jobs, it means I could pay him faster. Besides, my life would improve a lot. Maybe I could get rid of Marcos by moving apartments.

I gathered courage and faced him. Waiting for a yes or no. He didn’t like games, and I hated to play them.

"So, Mr. Blackthorne. Have you thought enough?" — I asked, fighting against the negative thoughts.

"You know you’ll have to come back to sleep here, right? Take advantage that I’ll be away and choose another room if you want. Decorate it however you like, but please, don’t leave again."

Those words didn’t sound like a request, but I liked the idea. At least, while I’m here, I’ll be safe regarding Marcos.

For endless seconds, Liam looked at me precisely, as if he were recording every detail about me. But then, I felt an unusual emptiness when he turned his back and walked down the silent hallways.

"Kyra, are you coming to live with us again? I miss you." — Julie hugged me tightly, and I’m sure she heard everything.

"Yes, I’ll come back today. Or rather, right now. And you know the best part? We’ll change and you’ll help me tidy up my room again. What do you think?"

Before the little one could respond, I heard her father’s deep voice, standing in front of the door.

"Awake at most until 8 p.m. I’ll call to see how things are." — I just nodded and turned to Julie again.

But before she left, I went after him, as if committing a crime.

"Hey, aren’t you going to say goodbye to your daughter?" — He looked at me incredulously, as if he couldn’t believe my action. "She’s your baby. Did you see her little face? You’re her father, don’t you think she’ll miss you while you’re away?"

"Kyra, I don’t know how to do this…" — It was ridiculous, I know.

"Then learn, before it’s too late. She’s in the room, waiting for a ‘bye-bye, little daughter’ from her dad."

I didn’t dare say another word. He just turned around and went to his daughter’s room.

Liam

She was turned away, playing with the tips of her hair. So small and so lonely.

I approached making a noise, but she didn’t even turn, and then I stopped, as if looking for the right way to do it.

"Julie… I’m sorry for being a bad dad. I…" — Before I could say more, she turned and looked at me with that innocent gaze. And when I least expected it, she hugged me.

"I love you, daddy. Are you going away? Like mommy?" — This shouldn’t be happening. I shouldn’t have let it get to this point.

"No, my love. Daddy isn’t going away. Daddy will never leave you alone. It’s just work, but I’ll be back soon and in the meantime, Kyra will stay here with you." — I hugged her tightly, but noticed her silent crying. "I love you. You’re the person I love most in the entire universe. You’re my princess and I promise I’ll take you with me next time, what do you think?"

"Can Kyra come too?" — Her question was so quiet that for a second I almost didn’t understand.

"Yes, she’ll come with us too."

For a second, I felt as if I were being watched, but I looked at the door and not even Kyra was there. Sometimes I feel as if Ana is watching me from somewhere, but I know that would be impossible. That car caught fire and I saw her being buried.

"Now daddy has to go, but I promise I’ll be back soon." — I kissed the top of her forehead and moved forward.

Before leaving, I looked toward the stairs and there was Kyra. With a tired look, almost giving up on everything, but still forcing a smile when she saw me.

"I think I’m learning from you. Thank you, Kyra." — She didn’t respond, and I didn’t wait for an answer; I was running late.

I arrived at the airport and my partners were acting as if some accident had happened. Among them, Selena. My ex-secretary, who now works with her brother in a company trying to compete with mine. But she never missed the chance to try to be seductive when she saw me; this time was no different.

"Good evening, Liam. Long time no see!" — Her gaze analyzed me well, as if she were a real estate agent and I was a property to be sold. "With all due respect, but you’re getting more handsome and… seductive."

"It must be your eyes that don’t focus on work, Selena. Maybe if you followed the script, you’d realize that beauty isn’t everything in life." — She didn’t care about words. She was so shameless she didn’t care about anything.

"I heard you never managed to be with anyone after your Ana left. But, after all, aren’t you the problem?"

"Yes, Selena. I’m the fing problem and I swear I’ll f anyone who wants to be my problem too. Just won’t f*** you as well, because I hate a pushy woman."