TWENTY-SEVEN: PREPARING FOR THE PARTY
KIMBERLY
Iris' eyes widened when she saw me coming into the bar with my briefcase. She beckoned me to come over and sit. I flopped down on the seat she had given me and sighed in frustration.
"What happened? Didn't you say you were coming from home?"
"Can I get something strong? I asked. I have been sitting at the park since morning, my battery was flat and I didn't care to power it because I didn't want anyone to call me on phone. I didn't want my parents to get to me, I didn't want Aiden or even haughty Liam to call me.
When the sun started setting, I texted Iris to meet up with me in a bar. She complained about her company's party, but I pleaded with her. She beckon to a waiter, he came and took the orders and left. She faced me again.
"Do you care to tell me why you look so homeless?"
"I left home."
"What? Why?"
"Iris, I'm tired of being a failure, I'm tired of mum's constant nagging."
" How many times do I have to tell you that you are not a failure? Do you have anywhere to move to? Did you tell Liam about this?"
I looked up at her and sighed. "Don't even talk about him."
"Have you met Mrs. McGillivary yet? She is back."
"Iris, that is not my problem right now. My life is so messed up. I can't do this anymore."
Iris reached over for my hand on the table and held it. "Hey, listen, you just have to be focused. You can do this."
"I could pretend, Iris, but I can't pretend with Liam McGillivary, he is getting on my last nerve." I saw a ghost of a smile twitching up the corner of her face, my eyebrows drew together in a frown. "What? Why are you smiling?"
"Strong hate turns to love," Iris said, the smile still on her face.
It took me a while to comprehend what she was on about. I withdrew my hand from hers immediately. "Are you being serious right now?"
"Liam is a hot guy, have you not noticed it yet?"
I felt the color rise to my face as I remembered what happened last night and in the morning. When he had held me with his hand and how I had been lost in his gaze, the way I felt and the way my stomach twisted even now as I recalled it. I shut my eyes and shook my head, trying to shake off the thought from my head. There was nothing to like about him, he was not nice and he was so insensitive and he was the bigger part of my problem.
"Haven't you?" Iris asked peering at me.
My eyes refocused on her. "Haven't I what?"
"Do you want to tell me you are not overwhelmed by his charm? He doesn't attract you?"
I clicked my tongue. "What are you talking about? We fight always."
Iris clapped her hands cheerfully. "That's so romantic."
The waiter arrived with our drinks and placed them on the table. We thanked him, I took out my phone and gave it to me to power it for me. He took it and left. I faced Iris.
"Looks like you have gotten tipsy already, let's drink up.
We drank for a while and I forgot about the party. After a while, three hefty men entered the bar, looking around. I didn't give them much thought until they approached our table. I have not seen them before, but I panicked for those split seconds they headed over to our table.
"Ma'am, we were asked to bring you home," one of them said.
"Home? Where is home?" I asked. The alcohol was already affecting me.
"Mr. McGillivary said to bring you home to get ready for the party."
"What? How did you even know I was here? Go and tell McGillivary that I said he should hug the slime! I don't want to do this anymore!"
Iris stood up immediately and covered my mouth, but I wanted to talk, I tried to remove her hand but she held the back of my head with her other hand and my voice was muffled by her hand over my mouth. She smiled at the men. "Of course, she will go with you. She is so tipsy, but she loves Mr. McGillivary so much."
One of the men shoved Iris aside. "Mr. McGillivary instructed we bring her by force if she resists."
Before I could say anything, he lifted me off the seat and put me on his shoulder, the other one held my briefcase, while the other one took hold of my purse. I screamed and kicked for him to bring me down but he didn't. He carried me out of the bar, leaving people to stare at us and some asked if they were kidnapping me. Iris went and took my phone from the barman and followed the men behind as they carried me to the car.
A few minutes later, I was standing in front of a well-dressed Liam. He stared calmly at me in his bedroom. He was leaning on his dresser, hands in his pants pocket, looking more handsome than ever with unruly brown hair and wicked green eyes, with a stubborn jawline. I willed my heartbeat to something approximately normal, trying not to think of what Iris had said earlier.
I stood there awkwardly like a child caught stealing candy, my briefcase stood by my side.
"You are a mess, honey. I will get them to fix you up. We are late for the party."
I didn't say anything, didn't even try to say anything, I was tired. Liam pressed a bell and a woman wearing heavy makeup came inside the room with a smile, a younger woman tagged along.
"Give her the best look madame Delica. I trust you." He went over to her and patted her shoulder before leaving the room.
Once he left, the woman smiled so broadly at me. "Mademoiselle, let Madame Delica give you a magic touch," she said in a strong French accent.
I smiled at the woman and looked at the receding figure of Liam. I wondered why he knew only French designers and makeup artists.