Chapter 20: Lydia

Drake and Lydia had barely gotten Amelia’s room straightened up, and were exiting the room, when they heard the sound of footsteps walking up the stairs. Drake had hurriedly pulled Lydia into the room closest to Amelia’s old room, which happened to be an old library. The footsteps stopped near them, and Drake and Lydia had held their breaths, worried that they been caught. When the handle on the library door started to turn, Drake pulled Lydia into his arms, wrapping his arms around her waist, and began to kiss her passionately, making the scene look like to lovers being caught in a passionate embrace.

“Eehmm,” Came the annoying noise of Dianne clearing her throat, “Sampson had told me you left the room abruptly to take care of business,” Dianne said looking Lydia up and down snidely, “But I know see what type of business you meant.”

“Is there a reason you’re hear Dianne?” Drake asked ignoring her comment.

Dianne glared at Drake at his use of her name but continued on deciding to ignore it for right then, “Yes, I spoke with Jessica and she will be attending the cruise with us. I am expecting you to escort her around the islands.”

Drake scoffed at Dianne’s request, “Dianne, I am attending this shit show of a wedding with my GIRLFRIEND,” Drake gestured down towards Lydia, who was still in his arms, “I’m not planning on escorting anyone. And I’ll tell Jessica that straight to her face when I see, unless of course, you want to get that ridiculous notion out of your head right this minute, I can’t imagine the scandal the press will publish at my public rejection of Jessica.”

“Why you…” Dianne’s spit out, her face turning red with rage.

“Come on Princess,” Drake said running his hands down Lydia’s arm, before grasping her hand, “Let’s finish our discussion somewhere in private.”

Lydia looked up at Drake, smiling up at him her eyes lit with affection even though she was feeling less than affectionate. “Goodbye Dianne.” Lydia said, not even bothering to look in Dianne’s direction before following Drake out of the room.

As soon as they reached Drake’s room, Lydia pulled away from him, a look of irritation appearing on her face. “That was too close Drake.” Lydia hissed.

Drake frowned at Lydia, not sure what she was upset about.

“We are looking into a potential homicide Drake.” Lydia said pacing back and forth in the room, trying to keep her anger tampered down. “We can’t risk you losing your temper and throwing a damn hissy fit, we were almost caught.”

Drake was going to apologize until Lydia accused him of throwing a fit. Her insinuation irritated him to no end, he thought if anyone, Lydia would understand his feelings towards finding out what happened to Amelia, but it seemed like she didn’t care about how he felt at all. Drake had begun to think that something more was happening between Lydia and himself besides their contract, but now that didn’t seem to be the case. Drake lashed out with his next sentence, “Sorry, I forgot you’re just here for the money and the publicity that comes with dating a billionaire.” Immediately after the words came out of Drake’s mouth he wished he could take them away, especially after he saw the look of betrayal on Lydia’s face.

“You know Drake,” Lydia responded, turning her back to him as she walked towards the private bathroom, “You can fuck off.” Lydia slammed the door shut behind her, before falling down against the wall, and quietly sobbing into her hands. She’d thought Drake was different than her normal johns, but apparently he was one in the same, she vowed from that day forward, that she would steel her emotions towards Drake and treat this exactly how it was, as a business transaction.

“Lydia,” Drake called from outside the bathroom door, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it. I was just lashing out.”

Drake’s voice sounded remorseful but Lydia wasn’t going to let him off that easy. “The fact that you voiced it, shows that’s how you view me.” Lydia responded angrily, the hurts she was feeling before now turning into anger, anger at Drake, anger at herself, anger towards the hand life had dealt her.

“That’s not true.” Drake said, rattling the door handle to see if Lydia had locked the bathroom door, which she had. “Come out Lyd, and we can talk this over.”

“I don’t want to see you right now.” Lydia responded, turning on the water to the sink and the shower to drown out Drake’s voice.

Drake let out a heavy sigh, running his hands through his hair, before turning and leaving the room to head to the downstairs bar area, needing a strong drink after the night he had. He also needed to find somewhere private that he could call his PI to investigate into Amelia’s disappearance. It was important for Drake to find out what happened to her, maybe after he learned the truth, he would be able to fully move on with his life.

The steam in the bathroom had begun to build up and Lydia decided to take a shower, in hopes that it would cleanse her of her anger and the hurt Drake had bestowed upon her. She felt like such a fool. Drake had weaseled his way into her heart and had duped her into believing she was something more than just an escort, when all along that was how he viewed her. Lydias let the tears fall down her face as the hot water burned her skin, she vowed that once her shower was complete she wasn’t going to waste another tear on Drake Whittenberg.

Lydia awoke the next morning still upset over the happenings of the night before. She turned to her side and realized at some point in the night Drake had come back into the room and laid down beside her, wrapping her into his arms. Lydia briefly recalled Drake entering into the room last night, but she’d been to tired to care. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked over his features while he slept, he was so damn attractive, and for right now, he was Lydia’s. She shook that thought out of her head immediately, Drake didn’t belong to her. He was the means to the end of her poverty. That was it. Lydia begrudgingly pulled herself away from Drake’s warm body and climbed over him to leave the bed. She gasped when she felt Drake’s arms around her again pulling her back into his embrace, her chest flush against his, her eyes starring into his.

“Look Lyd,” Drake began, running his hand up to her face, cupping her cheek gently, “ I truly am sorry, I was hurting and I lashed out on you. Please believe me, when I say, you’re so much more than just a business transaction to me.”

“No worries, totally forgave you already.” Lydia replied, letting out a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes, placing a quick kiss on Drake’s nose, to prove her point. “Now will you let me go so I can relieve my bladder.”

Drake was hesitant to release his grip from Lydia, he wasn’t convinced that she’d forgiven him that easily, but he’d vowed to himself last night over his glass of scotch, that he would work to win Lydia’s forgiveness, even if it took the entirety of the wedding. For the first time in a long time, Lydia had brought happiness into Drake’s life, and he was determined to keep it.

“Okay,” Drake responded, leaning in and kissing Lydia gently on the lips, “I’ll pack the rest of our bags and have them brought to the car.”

Lydia’s cheeks flushed red, embarrassed by the way her body reacted to Drake, apparently her body and her mind were not on the same page as her heart skipped a beat at the soft kiss Drake had placed on her hips. Lydia slid off of Drake and onto the floor, making her way back to the bathroom, when she felt a sharp slap on her ass. She turned to look at Drake and he had a big smile on his face. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Your ass was too tempting in those lacy panties.”

Lydia rolled her eyes at him and continued her way into the bathroom to ready herself for today, today was the day of the cruise. Lydia would be stuck on a boat at sea with Drake and his family, for a minimum of a month. Lydia prayed for her sanity as she brushed her teeth, the anxiety setting in as she realized that this would be her last moment of peace, as if on cue, there was a knock on the door before Sampson called out that they were headed to the docks.

***Schedule Update: Starting today 12-01-2021 I will be actively workinbg on three books. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I will be updating the Escort, on Mondays and Wednesdays I will be updating The Vampire Kings Slave, and on Fridays I will be updating the Unexpected Duo- Book 2 of the Unexpected Luna. I will be posting a minimum of one chapter, if time allows I will try to post more frequenlty. Once again thank you readers for helping make my childhood dreams of becoming a writer come true, I truly apperciate each and every one of you. xoxo- Marriah***