STRANGER (2)

CHAPTER   TWO

A week before…

“He doesn’t know anything, I would know if he did, he’s not capable of this He…he avoids  even the slightest confrontations” she spoke into the receiver, pacing up and down the bedroom.“yeah but I work with him  and how would you know? Besides who else would do this to me?” she rolled her eyes, making a mental list of all the possible culprits, “to me? ” she repeated shaking  her head in disbelief “-to us”  he corrected, realizing how insensitive it was since they were both being blackmailed. “he hasn’t changed, he still looks at me the same way he did the first time we met, lives his life routinely, I’m telling you I’d know, he wouldn’t go through so much trouble, he’d come out straight and ask me or just leave…” she said trailing off with a sigh. She looked out the window. “ well, I swear I’m gonna make his life hell,  and if he’s the one doing this, I’m calling the cops” he sounded so angry over the phone. “NO, Brad-” she stopped when she heard the beep and she  angrily tossed the phone behind her to the bed, ran her long pale fingers through her hair and  exhaled loudly before walking to the bathroom.  He couldn’t find out about them, she knew he wasn’t the one making all those threats, she knew the man like the lines on her palm. He still remained the gentle man she knew him to be, forgetting that even the friendliest dog could bite when riled up.

*******

He dialed her number, absentmindedly drumming his fingers on his desk while he  rehearsed his rejection speech. “Hello?” a feminine voice answered.  Brendan watched as Bradley Locke, his smug faced boss walked in the man had mastered the art of showing up at the wrong time. “Hello? Brendan?” she said sweetly. “uhm, hello yes,  Lydia its Brendan, I …I uhh…” the words he’d carefully crafted to communicate his distaste “you sent me a picture last night and uh…I had a nice time yesterday, But did I forget to mention- ” she knew he was about to mention his wife Morgan “you wanna do it again?”  she cut in giggling to herself “what? No, I’m saying-” “I’m not taking no for an answer Brendan. I think after work drinks should be our thing. And I didn’t send that picture to you by mistake” he imagined her  licking her lips seductively when she said those last words.

“Brendan, Mr Locke wants to see you in his office now” Bradley's secretary, Monica walked in his office, he stared up at her, held up a finger returning his attention to Lydia, “NOW” she warned, she warned before turning to leave. .

“You like me?" he asked foolishly, simultaneously praying she said yes and praying she said no, but she laughed.   “Buckett’s … 7 o’clock” she said before she hung up, he wasn’t sure whether that was a question or a statement. But he made a mental note to decide that when he got back from Bradleys office.

 Bradley sat haughtily behind  the desk with his back to the door ideally throwing a blue stress ball  repeatedly and catching it while he hummed some bullshit Brendan didn’t want to know. He shut the door behind him before Bradley stopped humming, “Hey man” he said, Bradley turned to face him, he stared at him with disdain, they were friends alright but Bradley liked to remind everyone at the firm that he was the boss and that accorded some respect “how far have you gone with the Morris Watt account? ” he asked frankly, squeezing the stress ball in his right hand.

“You assigned that account  to me yesterday, I haven’t really gotten to it yet, I’ve still got a week right?” he replied casually resting his weight on the chair facing Bradley s' desk. Bradley locked eyes with him, he thought if he stared hard enough he’d scare Brendan. But Brendan raised a brow when he didn’t reply.

“Do you remember why I hired you Brendan?” he asked staring lovingly at his stress ball. “Yup” Brendan replied again, more casually this time and it irked Bradley to his soul. “I thought were a man who knew how to get the job done. And you’ve been that man until lately. What’s happening?” and without waiting for him to speak he continued  “Morris Watt is one of our biggest clients and I want a revised proposal  on my desk by noon tomorrow”. Brendan drew back with a puzzled look on his face, the way he remembered it, Bradley approached  him when he started the firm before that  he had a good job with a decent salary at his old firm “that’s vaguely impossible Brad, Finn’s mums funeral is tomorrow and Rose has just had a baby.  My entire team will be unavailable for the rest of the week, I’ll need more time” he said, his words lined with irritation. Bradley shook his head, “ don’t make excuses Brendan, you’re slacking and its affecting your work. You have until tomorrow morning to get it done” Brendan rolled his eyes hard at him “and send Zic to my office on your way out” Bradley said dismissively. There’s no one by the name “Zic” at the firm that was Bradley’s way of saying, “this discussion is over so get out” that cocky bastard Brendan thought, mumbling something about Brad's ugly tie as he exited. Bradley stared after him, a mischievous smile forming on his lips, and  a nod. Someone had to tame the rogue, he thought to himself.

Brendan crashed in his seat heaving out a sigh “I hate my life” he muttered to himself. He eyed the file labelled ‘Morris Watt’ sitting on his desk  and remembered Bradley’s words, He could just disregard what he said and finish the work whenever he did, Bradley wouldn’t dare fire him, he thought and even if he did he’d be the one at loss, everyone knew Brendan was the secret behind Brad’s huge success. He just had to deal with Brad’s bullshit boss attitude for a while, then he’d start up his own firm taking everyone who hated Bradley just as much as he did with him. 

He thought of calling Lydia back –or just meeting her at Buckett cafe and bar as she said. So he did make up his mind to go after all, deciding that this time, he’d stay sober and get to know her better, figure out whether or not to remain friends with her or not. The picture of her bare chest still fresh in his memory. The guilt welling up inside of him and boring holes in his conscience. He picked up the file before him, ordered coffee and began earning his salary.

Hours later, Brendan pulled up at the small parking lot in front of Buckett  café and bar, he eyed his wedding band and slipped it on, it should serve as a reminder and help him resist Lydia’s charm. Still dressed in his office clothes, he took off his jacket and undid the first buttons of his  cotton blue shirt, trying to look more casual. 

he walked in, his eyes searching for the blonde haired beauty hoping he’d see her first. She sat at the bar and waved at him when their eyes met, with a cheerful smile.

“Didn’t anyone ever teach you never to keep a girl waiting?” she asked ogling him  when he took the stool beside her. “Sorry, I got off late today, my boss-” “yeah! I get it” she cut him, she was so fond of it and he didn’t mind. “How was work today?” he asked innocently, she shrugged, “oh you know just the usual” she said. She looked even prettier than yesterday, She wore a black faux  leather jacket over a  turtle necked mini scarlet bodycon dress and chic black ankle-high boots, so when she wasn’t revealing her ample bosom she taunted him with her long slender thighs, Brendan thought to himself while he undressed her with his eyes and his mind.

 “What are we having?” she bubbled up, when he was seated. He looked around the bar, squinting, he already knew what he wanted –one beer he wanted to keep a clear head. She didn’t protest. She had a beer too, her intense gaze on him he avoided eye contact because  she made him nervous, only Morgan had that effect on him. “You look nice” welcoming a distraction as he took taking a sip of his beer. “Don’t you mean thank you for covering up your cleavage today?”  He looked way shyly.

 “So you didn’t send that picture to the wrong number after all?” picking up the conversation where they left off earlier. She shook her head vigorously. “You like me?” he added dumbly, like she didn’t make it obvious already. “Yes I do” laughing the next minute when his eyes widened he didn’t expect her to be so direct, “ now you know. I go after what I want”.

 “You know I’m married right?” Brendan said, stupidly waving his ring hand before her like a diva.“Yet you came here” trailing off as she sipped from the bottle. “I’m not asking you to leave your wife Brendan. And drinking isn’t the only thing I’m good at” his heart tightened, “if you know what I mean?” she finished off. It felt like someone plunged into his chest and literally squeezed his heart,  that was his cue to leave. He smiled, finishing his beer, in his mind he wanted to leave right away, but his body didn't move. She made his pulse run marathons and his lungs forget their function. No one had that effect on him. She studied him for a while, “so? Do you want to come over to my apartment tonight? ” she asked bluntly and this time she did not smile, she really u meant it.

“I can’t” he said frankly. This time he didn’t do it for Morgan, he did it because it was the right thing to do. She  nodded., turning to face the bartender standing a few feets on her right behind the bar. 

 “Let me drop you off” he offered.  “Sure” she didn't look disapponted at all, instead she looked eager to be far away from him. he paid for the drinks and lead her to his black Audi parked outside.

The awkward silence made him uneasy, she kept tapping at the screen of her phone, he just glanced at her occasionally when she giggled to herself. 


 Soon he pulled up in front of her apartment. He was unsure of what to say, he was going to apologize when suddenly, he felt her lips slowly close on his, he blinked, eyes wide. She bit his lower lip, suckled on it a bit; it was slow and exhilarating but short. For that moment, Brendan’s brain blanked out, the impact of her lips on his emptied his brain completely, and it switched the tiny voice of his conscience to mute. He stared at her, a thousand and one questions running through his mind and she smiled gleefully. “Call me” she said, before getting out. He watched her keenly, she went around the car without glancing back she walked up the stairs.

“Hi honey” Morgan said when he walked in; she wore her white satin night dress tonight, looking slick and sexy as ever. He smiled back at herwith an  impassive look  “How was work?” she took his brief case from him, setting it on the kitchen counter, Brendan ignored her, he walked over to the fridge,  shrugging like Lydia, “just the same” he answered without looking at her.  “Nothing new?” as she placed cold lasagne in the microwave.

She rested her arm on the counter and waited for his reply, “Honey?” Brendan’s mind trailed off, he turned back to face her and then he noticed it. There was something different about her, she glowed, a contrast to how he was faring. He studied her intensely, she had a certain spark in her eyes, she looked happy. Ironic as it seemed, it bothered him that he wasn’t doing all the things she loved yet she seemed happy.

 “Bradley’s been doing a good job at being an ass ” he said plainly.  She froze in her movements, the name resounding in her ears. She bit her lower lip, hesitantly turning off the microwave and placed the dish before him  “And uh…I keep getting these mails from the bank. Could you help me check it out tomorrow?”  She nodded. “I’m going to bed” she said frankly. Something he must’ve said put her off, her mood changed. She placed a kiss on his cheek, shut the  door to the yard and walked to the bedroom. He watched her, he had a plan. One he hoped would save his marriage, maybe he was the unhappy one and she needed him to be happy. He smiled, scooping the last of his lasagne before retiring to bed.