There was no way to know if I’d caught her eye with those glasses she had on, and the last thing I wanted was to draw Theo’s attention especially after Lydia’s adamant plea for me to stay out of the way.
But I couldn’t stay away. I swore under my breath and held back the urge to punch my fist into the nearest wall. What was Lydia playing at?
A sudden thought struck me and made me see red for a moment. What if Lydia had been toying with me? Playing some game to pass the time? And now that her billionaire boyfriend was back, she’d had her fill of fun? Or else why had she run off like that, when Theo showed up?
Why hadn’t she done what she should have and come right out with the truth? I’d only decided to give her the benefit of doubt because her call for discretion had made sense. But now I was done with discretion. If I had my way I’d walk right up to that table and ask her what the hell she was up to.
But then common sense prevailed and I exerted the utmost control on my emotions. I wasn’t the hothead youth I used to be; I had responsibilities now. I couldn’t act the fool no matter how much it made me crazy seeing Lydia with Theo again. I had to find a way to seek her out since I hadn’t heard a thing from her and I couldn’t just wait around expecting her to call.
My chance came not moments after when I noticed Lydia excusing herself from the table and heading for the ladies room.
I didn’t think twice, taking a detour that quickly brought me to the corridor outside the ladies’ rest room. I intercepted her the moment she came out again and the way she almost jumped out of her skin at the sight of me made me grit my teeth.
Without another word I backed her right into the room again, noting that the cubicles were empty of other inhabitants. I locked the door behind us and then faced the nervous looking Lydia.
“Brian please, I can explain,” she began in a stammering voice that I quickly cut off.
“Did you tell him about us?” I asked. She was up against the wall and my hand propped against the wall kept her wedged in the corner. “Because if you haven’t, I’m going out there right now and...”
“No!” she exclaimed suddenly, her hand fisting in my shirt to keep me from storming out to carry out his threat.
“Why are you so afraid of him?” I asked angrily. “What kind of power does he have over you Lydia and how long am I expected to stand around and watch you with him?”
Lydia anxiously combed her fingers through her hair and that mistakenly sent her oversized shades going askew on her face and exposing the swollen, darkening bruise around Lydia’s left eye.
“Aah, fuck,” I said in a rush of utter rage that almost had my brain dissolving in black smoke.
“That bastard!” I all but yelled as I finally gave in to the urge to smash my fist in the wall. I didn’t even feel the impact, punching into the opposite wall. I took a few seconds to calm myself, and feeling Lydia’s hand rest on my arm I turned to see her worried face. Her brown eyes begged me. “Brian...”
“He did that to you?” I breathed with deceptive calm, belied by the fearsome fury in his eyes.
She only tightened her hold on my arm with both hands, as if she suspected I was moments away from going out there and punching Theo to a pulp – which I knew I was close to doing.
“Brian, please listen,” she said desperately. “I tried to tell him about us. I told him I wanted to leave him but it’s impossible.”
My fury gave way to shock as I stared at her. “What do you mean, impossible? I want to be with you and I know you want to be with me. What’s impossible about that?”
She bit on her lip, her face creasing as if in pain, before whispering, “Everything.”
For a moment I was simply stunned. I moved back a few steps, unable to credit my hearing. And then slowly, realization dawned. “I knew it. This never really meant anything to you. All we shared – was just a lie.” I burst out in a harsh, mirthless laugh.
“That’s not true!” she cried, hands covering her cheeks. “I just...my hands are tied. I...”
“Spare me the lies,” I said with a cool shake of my head. “I must have been out of my mind thinking you’d dream of giving up Theo Clayton for me. I mean, he’s the one with all the pull, right? Big shot billionaire up against what? Some hotel employee. Pretty uneven playing field, huh?”
“Brian.”
Her hurt expression couldn’t pierce the furious cold I felt inside.
“So exactly what was I anyway? A one night stand? No, of course not – I was even less than that, wasn’t I? Damn, Lydia. You really had me fooled. You’ve either got to be the best actress in the world, or you don’t know what the hell you really want. Or maybe it was all part of your bid to enjoy your vacation to the fullest, just like you once told me. Is that it?”
“Brian, just stop,” she choked, staring at me imploringly.
I was shaking my head and smiling without humor. “I only hope I was up to standard last night,” I mused crudely. “Did my skills in the bedroom meet expectations as much as the other duties I’d carried out? I mean with me being a devoted hotel staff aiming to please a valued guest and all. Did I win the resort a glowing five-star review?”
Lydia smacked my face sharply, and the next instant was gasping in remorse. “Oh God. Brian, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
“Oh yes you did,” I said softly, not even flinching from the blow that smarted my jaw. It was nothing to the ache disintegrating my heart into nothing. “From the moment you met me.”
With a disgusted sigh I turned sharply and unlocked the door to leave. But not before I turned and said, “Seems I was wrong about one more thing – Theo definitely does deserve a woman like you.”
Not sparing her one more glance I walked out of the restroom and the door closed behind me with a decisive click.