Drake sighed annoyed. He had been assembling the damn desk for forty-five minutes and still couldn’t get it right. He didn’t understand, he was a good carpenter, usually he would’ve made the desk himself, but he didn’t have time, Lexie was marrying him soon and he wanted her to feel comfortable. It was going to be her home too, and he knew she needed a place for herself.

He smiled thinking about the face she was going to make when he showed her the surprise he had for her. After months of social season and engagement tours, Drake knew Alexis would be eager to settle into their new lives together and write again.

He suddenly heard a car, he went to the window and sighed even more annoyed. Just what he needed, the joyful energy of Maxwell Beaumont.

He stepped out to the house and waited for Max to turn off the car.

“What are you doing here?”

“Hi! Drake! I’m so happy to see you too” Drake never knew if Max was oblivious or sarcastic. After a quick look to his happy expression, he knew. He was oblivious.

“And again, I ask, what are you doing here, Beaumont? I’m busy”

“Remember what we talked about, buddy?”  He pointed at his own chest and inhaled “Deep breaths, veeery deep breaths”

Drake crossed his arms over his chest and gave him a pointed look.

Max smiled even wider, after years of knowing Drake he wasn’t scared of him. Or not anymore.

“You’re getting married tomorrow. I came to take you out for a last guy’s night out”

Drake frowned “My bachelor party was two days ago, Beaumont. Remember? The one where you tried to teach me how to dance and strip for my wedding night?”

Maxwell looked at him defeated “Yes, ok. I came because Bertrand is doing Ramsford’s annual inventory and I’ve never been so bored” He beamed “So, I said to myself, Max go see you buddy who is getting married in two days. Maybe he needs help with something”

Drake took a deep breath “Come in”

A few minutes later they were both angry and annoyed at the Swedish store.

“I don’t get it, this” Max took a small screw “should go here” he pointed at one of the desk’s legs.

“Fuck! I know! Serves me right for buying in that damn store” Drake shivered thinking of the worst Sunday of his life. “I just wanted her to have her own space here, so she felt at home”

“Aww! Buddy! You are a marshmallow” Drake glared at him, making Max swallow hard. Don’t poke the bear, Maxwell. He cleared his throat “We won’t be defeated by Ikea, Drake” He threw a look at the unopened manual next to Drake. “Aren’t you going to read the instructions?”

“I have built almost any piece of furniture in this cabin, I don’t need the fucking instructions, Beaumont”

“Whoa, Drake, that’s toxic masculinity speaking” He took the manual and flipped over the pages “Here! Look that screw goes there”

Drake grabbed the manual and rolled his eyes, Maxwell was right. “Fuck! I have to start over”

“I have an idea! Why don’t I go to the store, and buy some things to decorate and make the room cozier?”

Drake thought about it for a second, on one hand he was never going to finish on time before the wedding. On the other, it meant he had to spend the day with Maxwell. Decorating. He shook his head. The things I do for her.

He took out his card and raised it on the air before Maxwell could take it “Buy yellow tulips, and nothing over the top. She needs a clear space to write” Max was about to take the card, but Drake lifted it again “And nothing pink. She hates it”

One hour later, Maxwell had come back and after doing everything for the third time that day, Drake had finally assembled the desk.

The rest of the day was increasingly annoying. Max played his “Decorating playlist” singing along to all the songs while he worked. He insisted to show Drake something called Pinterest, so he ‘widened his decorative horizons’ and made him change the furniture’s disposition two times so it would “spark joy” following the method of some chick called Marie Kondo. At the end, he had to admit the room looked exactly like he had pictured it.

Two days later, Drake and Alexis got married in a small ceremony in the forest. Neither of them had been happier before in their lives. Drake’s heart swelled while he held his new wife in his arms and danced to their wedding song. After the party, they escaped to a cozy hotel next to the beach in Portavira for the night

They came to the house the next day happy and exhausted after a sleepless night.

He cupped her face and kissed her before coming into the house “Close your eyes, baby, I have a small surprise for you”

When she finally opened her eyes, she gasped. He had rearranged Savanah’s old room to install a home office for her. And everything was exactly like she had always dreamed of. The desk with a million drawers, the clear colors, her favorite books, the cozy atmosphere and the yellow tulips on a vase. Her favorite flowers.

Drake was leaning against the doorframe watching her with a smile in his lips “Do you like it?”

She beamed and jumped into his arms, encircling his waist with her legs. He took her in, steading her with one hand as he cupped his face with the other.

She kissed him deeply, still too touched to speak.

When they parted, she cleared her throat “I love you, Drake”

March 2015

Maxwell and Liam arrived at Alexis’s apartment and ran through the stairs. Maxwell knocked on the door several times, but no one came. He threw a worried look at Liam; she hadn’t answered any calls or messages for two days.  

“Olivia gave me the spare key” he screamed through the door “We’re coming in Alexis, I’m sorry”

Liam opened the door and saw an impossible mess. Dozens of wine bottles, pizza boxes, and piles of clothes were scattered everywhere. She wasn’t in the living room, so they went to her room where they found her on the bed. She had her back turned to them.

They exchanged another concerned look.  Maxwell sat next to her and rubbed her back “Lexie, we were so worried”

She didn’t turn her head, but Max felt her crying silently.

“Go away. I want to be alone”

Liam’s chest tightened “Alexis we can’t leave you like this. Come with us, please”

Her sad, hollow voice was barely recognizable “Where?”

Liam gestured at Maxwell to stand up so he could sit next to her. “To Valtoria. You know how big the estate is, you won’t have to see me if you don’t want to, but I want to take care of you, Alexis, please”

Alexis shook her head, they didn’t understand. How could they get her pain, the emptiness in her chest, the despair that never left her? She needed to be left in peace with her memories, that was everything she had now.

She sat up on the bed, her face was pale, almost grey with deep purplish rings encircling her eyes. Liam noticed that she was gripping a photo album.

“I don’t need you or anyone else. I lost everything” She bawled at him “Everything!  Just leave me alone”

Maxwell’s eyes watered too “It’s been five months, Blossom, maybe we could get some help”

She scoffed bitterly “Is that so? Five fucking months? So, I’m supposed to forget everything? I’m supposed to just move the fucking on?” Tears ran through her cheeks “Just leave !”

“Darling, I-“

“Leave.Now”

Liam stood up “We’ll leave now, but we will come back later with Olivia and every single day after that, Alexis. You may want to die but I won’t allow it” He didn’t dare touch her, even if he wanted nothing more than taking her in his arms and comfort her, he knew he couldn’t help her right now.

After they left, Alexis gathered the little strength she had and stood up to pour herself another drink. More tears came to her eyes when she remembered how he used to tease her for her love of pictures and old photo albums.

She opened it and saw the first one.  It was a picture of a dark sky illuminated by hundredths of bright stars, with the legend “August 2009” scribbled underneath. Next to it, there was a picture of Drake smiling, and then another one of both of them smiling at each other. She was unable to look more photos knowing that dozens of other memories were waiting for her in that fucking album. Memories that were happy once, and that had become excruciating after that day. The day he had… died.

She couldn’t understand why everything was so incredibly unfair. They had so much love. He had so much life left to live. An uncontrollable rage overcame her, and she threw the album across the room.

Then she went to her drawer and took a bunch of sleeping pills. She needed some rest.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

August 2009

Alexis shut the door behind her and hurried to the bar where she had been working since last summer. She lived with her family in a suburb outside of Cordonia city. It took her one hour and a half to go to work or college, but Cindy, her stepmother, insisted on moving there because it was a neighborhood “where rich people lived”. It didn’t matter that her father was an ordinary accountant or that she had to work to afford college. Appearances were everything for her and her father.

She arrived at the bar five minutes late and panting, but she didn’t have time to catch her breath. She changed into another t-shirt and put on her apron, as soon as she finished tying it, two men entered the bar. They seemed completely disparate, one was wearing a jean shirt and Timberlands while the other one had an expensive jacket and loafers.  

She went to their table noticing how handsome the man in the denim shirt was. He looked angry and brooding, not her usual type but he made it work.

“Hi, guys. What can I-?”

“Waitress, the menu!” The other man interrupted her.

Alexis cocked her brow, as used as she was to the rich kids on campus and their poor manners, some nights she just didn’t have the patience to deal with them.

She smiled widely before answering “My name is written on my tag, it’s Alexis. I also work faster when people add please or thank you to their sentences” Fuck! There goes my tip.

Drake was suddenly interested. He turned his face to look at her for the first time and his heart skipped a beat. Even wearing a horrible green apron, and with her hair in a messy ponytail, he could see how pretty she was. Shiny eyes and a flirty smile. Fuck, a beautiful smile.

He cleared his throat “We apologize, erm… Alexis. Can we start over?”

Alexis felt his dark eyes penetrate hers and she bit her lip feeling slightly nervous. “Of course, that’s fine” She smiled again “what can I get you?”

“We’ll get three burgers and three glasses of whiskey, please” He added smirking.

She looked puzzled “Three?”

Drake nodded behind her, so she turned around and saw a tall, blond man smiling at her.

“Hi, I’m Liam” He looked at her tag “Alexis?”

She smiled at the impossibly handsome man in front of her. “Hi, Liam, yes, that’s it”

“Nice to meet you, Alexis. That’s Tariq and Drake” He said pointing at the men on the table.

She grinned back at them “Nice to meet you too, I’ll bring your order in a few minutes”

Liam watched her leave for the kitchen “Damn she’s pretty”

“The waitress?” Tariq arched his eyebrows in surprise

Liam smiled “Yes, she’s very cute” he looked at the main counter where she was animatedly talking to the bartender. “I’ll go talk to her after diner, maybe she’ll accept to come out with us”

Drake didn’t bother to say anything, Liam wasn’t only kinder than him, he was also much richer and a noble. He didn’t stand a chance with her, not that it mattered anyway, he was only looking for another fun night.

After dinner, Liam went looking for her, when he came back to the table, he had a huge smile on his lips. “She agreed to come with us. Let’s wait for her outside”

Fifteen minutes later she came out with the same black jeans and sneakers than before but without the apron and the t-shirt she used for work.  Instead, she was now wearing a white tank top that highlighted her tanned skin and hugged her curves. Her hair was down, and she wasn’t wearing a lot of makeup, but it didn’t matter, she was completely natural, one of the most beautiful women Drake had ever seen.

His mouth went immediately dry and he couldn’t avoid blushing as a loud “Wow!” escaped from his lips.

She smiled flirty at him “Wow?”

He cleared his throat and said the first thing that popped into his head “I almost didn’t even recognize you”

She laughed “He! Thanks? I guess?”

He laughed too, a bit embarrassed but didn’t take his eyes off of her and something intangible seemed to pass between them for a second until Liam spoke.

“I booked a table at Kismet, is that alright with you, Alexis?”

“Isn’t that a super fancy club?” She looked at her simple clothes and sneakers.

Liam grinned at her “A woman as beautiful as you would go in spite of what she’s wearing” He winked at her “but I know the owner too”

She blushed “Thank you Liam and I supposed it’s okay then”

Liam offered her his arm and walked her to his Mercedes Benz, Drake was getting more and more annoyed at them, at least he had his jeep and wouldn’t have to ride with the new happy couple to the club.

Kismet was a trendy club at the heart of Cordonia city, when they arrived the manager himself took them to their table upstairs in the VIP section and asked for their order.

Liam talked with a kind but assertive voice “We will be drinking the same as usual, Terence. And you, Alexis?”

“I would love a glass of whiskey, thanks” She smiled at him.

Drake looked at her even more intrigued than before but didn’t say anything. Liam was captivated, so he was already talking to her and making her laugh.

After a while, Alexis turned to the other two friends. “Liam tells me he just finished his MBA. Were you in the same class together?”

Tariq answered fast “Yes, we were, but I still need some credits to graduate”

Drake snorted “The understatement of the year, you were drunk the whole semester”

Alexis chuckled as she turned to Drake “You did an MBA too?”

“No, I hate that kind of shit”

Liam shook his head amused “Drake is in Vet school”

“Wow, that’s interesting” She looked at him “Is this your last year?”

Drake shook his head no and took a sip of his whiskey without adding anything else. He hated her feigned interest; it was obvious that she was only trying to impress Liam by befriending him and Tariq. After years as Liam’s best friend, he knew all their tactics.

Liam sighed “No, he still needs two more years to graduate”

She cocked her brow “And does Drake speak, or does he need you to translate for him?” Liam chuckled. 

Drake shrugged “I just hate small talk”

“Suit yourself then” Alexis scowled; he was infuriating so she wasn’t to lose any more time with him, no matter how handsome he was.

Tariq let his eyes roam over her body as discreetly as he could, she was a simple waitress but certainly a very hot one, maybe he could have a chance with her when Liam got tired. “And you?” He asked, barely listening to her answer.

“I’m an English literature major, I start in the Fall”

He frowned “How old are you?”

“Nineteen. I took a year to save for college”

Before Tariq could reply anything, he saw Alexis jumping off the table to greet someone.

“Blossom!!” Maxwell’s shout could be heard despite the high volume of the music “What are you doing here? I called you like a thousand times. Olivia is here too, she’s downstairs.

Alexis hugged Maxwell. Maxwell, Oliva and her had met each other in High School. Maxwell and she were almost soulmates and had become instant best friends while Olivia and she were completely different so their friendship had taken longer to build but she couldn’t imagine her life without either of them.

“Come, I’ll introduce you, Max”

He giggled “I know the Rhys, Blossom. They’re my brother’s friends” He got closer to her and whispered in her ear “Remember the guy I wanted to set you up with?”

She nodded

“Well, It was Liam” She smiled but her eyes went to Drake, which didn’t go unnoticed by Maxwell.

“Forget it, Blossom. Bertrand says that he and Leo, Liam’s brother, are only interested in one-night stands. Liam is more like you, a romantic”

I gotta feeling (here) started playing on the speakers.

“Our song, Lexie!” Maxwell screamed “Come on guys! Let’s dance”

Liam grabbed Alexis’s hand and took her to the dancefloor, Tariq followed them to talk to a lonely blonde by the bar and Drake stayed alone at the table. Finally.

He poured himself another whiskey and changed seats to watch the people dancing. His eyes instantly drifted to Liam and Alexis.

Liam was a decent dancer, but she was mesmerizing. Her hips moved in sync with the music, and a playful smile never left her lips. He had never seen anyone enjoy music so much, or be that joyful, that full of life.

He must’ve been staring hard at her because she suddenly locked eyes with him and he felt the same intangible energy passing between them that he had felt earlier.

He held her gaze for a few seconds, feeling his heart beating much faster, and his mind running wild with thoughts of him with her on the dance floor ravaging those lips.

He shook his head, breaking the eye contact, she was there with Liam, his best friend.

He needed a distraction, so he went to the bar for another whiskey. While he was waiting, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Hi, there!” She was standing in front of her, grinning at him.

“What do you want, Alexis?”

“Aren’t you a real charmer?” she laughed “Come dance with us”

He shook his head. “I don’t dance”

“As a rule?” She gave him an adorable grin, that made him smile almost against his own will. 

 “Well, I’m a man of principles.” They both chuckled.

She Will Be Loved, started playing. 

“Oh god! I love this song. You’re not going to let me like this, are you?” She said as she offered him her hand.

Drake shook his head smiling but took her small hand, almost nervously. He had no trouble engaging with women almost anywhere except for a dancefloor.

Beauty queen of only eighteen she Had some trouble with herself He was always there to help her, she Always belonged to someone else

She grinned bashfully at him “This song is meant to be dance closer than this”

He smiled as he put his arms around her waist and she settled her left hand on his shoulder and her right hand on his waist. “Just feel the music”. She winked at him. He was instantly charmed. And damn, she felt good in his arms.

She was delicate and tantalizing and had a fruity scent, cherry maybe, that was driving him insane.

He felt her move against him, her hips swaying with the rhythm of the song, and her eyes fixated on his. She was the sexiest woman he had ever held before. She had her head turned to him, so he could finally watch her face freely. Her eyes were black and bright with long eyelashes and they were looking at him in a way he had never been looked at before. Her lips were pink and full, and she had the cute habit of biting her bottom lip when she was nervous.

He felt an irresistible need to feel her even closer, so he pulled her against him as they danced. He smiled when he saw the pretty blush coloring her cheeks. She looked away so he took her chin between his fingers and turned her head back to him without a word. He couldn’t get enough of those eyes.

Tap on my window, knock on my door, I Want to make you feel beautiful I know I tend to get so insecure It doesn't matter anymore

Alexis’s heart was beating so hard she couldn’t believe it, a few minutes ago he was driving her crazy, and now she felt like melting in his arms.  

His chocolate eyes were looking so intensely at her, that she was having trouble breathing normally. Suddenly, she felt his big hand on the small of her back pulling her impossibly close to him, getting her knees weaker too. She looked away but his calloused fingers raised her chin to him again, and she saw that he was smiling at her for the first time that night. He was incredibly handsome, with cute dimples and kind eyes that made her feel instantly safe.

Please don't try so hard to say good-bye I don't mind spendin' everyday, out on your corner in the pourin' rain Please don't try so hard to say good-bye

They didn’t notice when the song was over, completely lost in each other, Drake was about to tell her something when Max interrupted them to take Alexis to the bar for a shot drinking competition.

Drake let her go reluctantly, he could’ve stayed on the dancefloor for hours just holding her. He went to the bar as well and saw Liam talking and flirting with her. Maybe it was the whiskey, but just looking at them was making him feel nauseous. And even if he knew he didn’t stand a chance, not if Liam was really interested, he couldn’t help himself, he was drawn to her.

Liam arched his eyebrows seeing his usually brooding friend come to the noisiest corner of the club, where the bartenders were offering free Jello shots.

He hadn’t taken his eyes off of Drake and Alexis while they were dancing. Just a few minutes ago, they appeared to really dislike each other but while they danced, they both seemed…smitten. It was out of character for Drake to be so captivated by someone. He was used to seeing his best friend taking off with a different woman every night but never acting like that. It was a pity because he really liked Alexis too.

He turned his head to watch her and saw her eyes looking for Drake’s. He shook his head; it was clear that she was captivated by his best friend too and he had no interest in a twisted love triangle. He smiled to himself, the cute blonde in the bar had been flirting with him, maybe he should give her a chance. He checked his phone before talking to her and saw a message from his father, he was going to have to cut the night short.

“Drake! I need to go home earlier, Father wants to speak to me about something tomorrow morning, and I better be rested. Could you take Alexis home?”

“Of course, I mean if you don’t mind” He turned to Alexis.

She smiled at him and was about to answer when Maxwell spoke for her “Don’t worry about it, Lexie. I can take you”

Drake and Alexis’s locked eyes with each other, she bit her bottom lip trying to find an excuse.

Fuck, those lips are going to kill me. Drake cleared his throat. “It’s ok, Max. I don’t mind”

“Well, we’re neighbors so it’s really not a prob-. Auch!” Maxwell grabbed his right arm, where Alexis had discretely pinched him.

She gave him an innocent smile “Are you okay, Max?”

“Uhm, yes, but I remembered that I can’t take Lexie home because… because I have, uh, something to do”

“That’s settled then,” Liam said good-bye to everyone and left, after a moment Maxwell went back to the dancefloor, leaving Alexis and Drake alone.

Drake turned to her “Do you want to stay here?”

“What do you have in mind?”

He locked eyes with her as he tugged a strand of hair behind her ear “Do you trust me?”

Inexplicably, after only a few hours of meeting him, she did “Yes, I do”

He smiled. Normally, he would ask her if she wanted to go back to his place, but there was something special about her. For the first time in his life, he wanted to take his time first. And he knew exactly where he wanted to take her.

They got into his jeep, and debated about movies, music, and tv shows while he drove.

After an hour of driving and laughing they arrived at the beach. Drake’s favorite spot.

He took a blanket that he kept on the trunk of his car and extended it on the sand, remembering that he had bought a bottle of whiskey the day before, he put it on the blanket so they could share it.

“It’s a beautiful beach” She took a sip from the whiskey feeling the warm sensation burn her throat.

“It’s more beautiful if you lie down” He nodded at the sky. It was full of stars.

“Fuck! That’s gorgeous”

He grinned “I told you”

“I need to take a picture of this” She took an old camera from her purse and took a picture of the sky, then she turned the camera to them.

“Smile, Drake, I mean if you know how” She stuck her tongue out.

He chuckled shaking his head, he was loving the way she teased him. She took two or three pictures of them and put the camera away.

“Do you come here often?”.

“I do, whenever I can. It’s calm, quiet and far away from everything”

She smiled “I have a similar spot close to home. We live on the other side of the shore. And there’s this little cove, next to the house. I go there when I want to escape”

He frowned “Escape what?”

She shrugged “My father, my stepmom. My life”

He took her arm and rubbed it with the tip of his fingers “Why, Lexie?”

“My family is very strict, very religious. My father would kill me if he knew I’m here. He thinks I’m with a friend”

“I’m sorry”

She shook her head but didn’t answer anything else.

They stargazed for a few minutes, their silence only interrupted by Drake showing her a star or teaching her the name of a constellation. Alexis was fascinated.

“How do you know all this?”

“My father was a bodyguard, but he loved nature and was an amateur astronomer. He learned by himself and taught me everything he could”

“He was?”

There was a short silence.  “He died when I was twelve”

She took his hand and squeezed it. He smiled feeling strangely comforted.

Drake turned to look at her “You have a stepmom”

“My mom passed when I was ten. I had to go live with my father and his new wife in New Jersey, in America. We moved to Cordonia five years ago because he got job here in an American company” She paused “I miss her”

He cupped her face with his hand and gently turned her to him. “I’m sorry, Lexie”

She shrugged “It’s okay, I’m used to it” He looked at her mesmerized. Under the light of the stars, her skin was almost glowing, and her eyes seemed intensely bright.

He was still cupping her face so he left his thumb softly brush her lips, the air rapidly becoming heavy between them. She closed her eyes enjoying the touch of his fingers on her mouth. She had never felt such an intense desire to be kissed before, he made her excited and incredibly aflutter. Drake pulled himself up and leaned towards her, inhaling her delicious cherry scent.

He growled “Fuck, I’m dying to kiss you Lexie”

She managed to mutter “Me too, Drake”

As much as he was dying to ravage her lips, he sensed her nervousness, so he peppered her face with soft kisses first. He kissed her cheeks, her nose and the corners of her lips, as he stroked her neck with his thumbs, and she put her arms around his own neck.  It was soft and deeply tender, but also extremely charged and Alexis felt a warmth sensation pooling between her legs. Finally, he moved to her full lips, and kissed her pouring all the desire and the passion he was feeling. He crashed his mouth with hers again and again softly biting her lips, and letting his tongue explore hers. Alexis had never been kissed like that before. With such passion and tenderness mixed in the same kiss. She knew right there that she wanted to spend the rest of her life being kissed like that. Drake had never felt a kiss so intensely before either, he had never felt his heart beating hard as he kissed someone. He wanted to spend his life kissing her.

Finally, the need for air became urgent so they parted panting. Drake smiled seeing her pink lips swollen and the blush coloring her cheeks.

She looked at her phone “Shit! I have to go back to my house now or my dad is going to kill me”

“Don’t worry, Lexie, I’ll drive you fast enough” He stood up and help her to stand up too, pulling her against him. He kissed her forehead “When can I see you again?”

She bit her lip grinning “If you manage to take me to my house in less than twenty minutes, I’ll put my phone number in your phone”

He smirked “Deal”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2019  (NOW)

Alexis chose a red dress and nude heels for her engagement party. The last few weeks had been hectic at work and she hadn’t had time to shop for a new outfit, but it didn’t matter, Liam loved that dress. It was tight, mid-length and left her shoulders bare, perfect for the party.

She finished dressing and placed in her neck a few drops of the same perfume she had been wearing since high school, the same Drake loved. The cherry scented one. It didn’t matter how many times Liam teased her about it, or how many expensive bottles of French perfume he gave her, she couldn’t bear the thought of smelling like anything else.

“Hi, love” Liam’s voice startled her. She had given him her key three months ago and was still getting used to his presence in her apartment

“Hi, Li” She turned to him as she put a pair of golden hoops on her ears.

He smiled at her “You look gorgeous” He rubbed her cheek with the back of his hand before kissing her “Are you ready, darling?”

“Yes, let me just grab my purse”

They had chosen to host their engagement party in a cozy but exclusive Italian restaurant. Their wedding was going to be similar, elegant yet small with only their closest friends. It wasn’t the first wedding for either of them, so they preferred to keep it simple.

They arrived with a slight retard, Liam knew his fiancé had trouble being on time, he shook his head trying to forget about old times, about someone else teasing her incessantly about it.

Everyone was already there. Liam squeezed Alexis’s hand knowing that she would be feeling anxious, she gave him a grateful smile in return and gripped his hand.

“Alexis, darling, you look stunning” Olivia smiled “A glass of champagne?”

“You too, Liv, Red is definitely our color” They both laughed “And Yes some champagne would be nice”

Liam looked at her with a concerned expression on his face “Are you sure you want to drink today, love?”

Alexis glared at him “Yes, I’m sure. Please pour me a glass, Liv. If you’ll excuse me, I need some fresh air. I’ll be back in a minute”

“Why are you offering her a drink, Olivia?” Liam’s voice had the cold tone he used when he was angry.

“I don’t see the fucking problem, Liam. She’s doing so much better, and I’ve seen her drink wine with you plenty of times” She looked at him questioningly “Didn’t you went to visit the vineyards near Bordeaux together?”

“That’s not the point, Olivia. Her anxiety peaks in events like this. And you know that around this time of the year it always gets worse” He looked to one of the balconies of the restaurant where Alexis was standing. He smiled thinking how beautiful she was and how much he loved her and wanted to protect her.

“Li, if you’re going to marry her, you’ll have to learn how to trust her. If you continue to coddle her like this, you’ll both get tired very fast. She’s a strong woman, she has been through hell since he died, but she needs to find herself again”

“I just don’t want her to relapse” Liam sighed

“So, stop smothering her”

Liam gave her a surprised look “Well, Jin has really changed you, Olivia Nevrakis. Thank you” He smiled at her mockingly “Now, I know who to ask when I need some romantic advice”

“Don’t you dare, Rhys”

Alexis needed a moment alone. Everything was happening so fast that sometimes she had trouble dealing with it. She looked at her diamond ring. It was beautiful, elegant and expensive but non-ostentatious. Much like Liam himself.  However, no matter how perfect the ring was, she would always prefer the simple ring Drake had given her ten years ago. The one she had lost. She took a deep breath and tried to think of something else. She couldn’t go back to those memories.  

Liam walked to the balcony where his fiancé was standing.  “My love, it’s our engagement party. I want you to have anything you want” he encircled her waist and placed a kiss on her bare shoulder “you deserve the world and I want to give it to you”

She smiled “I know you get worried about me, and I understand, I do, but please don’t try to control me. You don’t need to. I’m doing better” She turned around to face him “I promise”

“I believe you, my darling” He caressed her face “I love you, Alexis. You mean the world to me”

March 2003

Constantine had been preparing for this day since the revolution had stolen him the throne that was his by birthright. After the monarchy had been overthrown, he had sworn to himself that he would be back to rule his people one day, so he had spent the last nineteen years of his life building a strong political career. And, there he was, about to become Cordonia’s third democratic president. He smiled at the irony, all that blood spilled by the revolutionaries had been for nothing. One way or another, he had been born to lead his country.

His eyes drifted to his two sons. Leo and Liam, so similar in appearance but with such contrasting personalities. 

Liam was sitting calmly next to his stepmother, not a hair out of place, his suit perfectly ironed. Leo was the opposite. Despite Regina’s efforts, Leo’s hair was all over the place and he wasn’t wearing a tie anymore. Constantine scoffed; they were going to appear in live television in a question of minutes.

“Leonard Alistair Rhys, could you care to tell me where your tie is?”

Leo jumped at the mention of his middle name. He knew it meant trouble. Plus, he hated it, he had been given the dreadful name of an old, forgotten ancestor, while Liam shared his middle name, Fabian, with one of Cordonia’s greatest kings.

He answered smugly despite the fear his father inspired in him. “I left it in my room, it didn’t suit my wild personality.”

Liam laughed quietly to his brother’s answer.

Constantine snapped his fingers at Jackson, his personal bodyguard. “I need a tie for him, now”

Then he turned to his oldest son. “You may think that this is simply about the tie, but it is not. It’s what the tie represents.” He arched one brow scornfully “You will never achieve anything important, Leo.  You have no discipline, no self-control, no respect. The monarchy was abolished because of nobles like you. I couldn’t see it back then, but they had a point. If the revolutionaries had lost, you would be an heir right now. The next Cordonia’s king. A terrible thing for our country. But thanks to the new democracy your brother who is far more capable and responsible than you can lead this country one day if he applies himself and works for it, as I did. I was against the revolution, but thanks to you I realize now, that they were right”.

Leo’s fists clenched; he was trembling with rage but didn’t reply anything. He was used to his father’s contempt and sourly remarks. He had been his favorite target since he was a little boy and his mother had left, something his father blamed him for. Leo didn’t cry, he had never given him the pleasure of his tears before, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to start now.  

Jackson came back minutes later with the tie.

“Put this on, now, Leonard. We will talk about your punishment later.” Constantine barely looked at his oldest son for the rest of the ceremony.

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After the scandal exploded, Leo Rhys left the ballroom discretely through a backdoor. As he loosened his bowtie, he smiled to himself, the look in his father’s eyes had been priceless. He couldn’t help but feel slight remorse thinking about Liam. Frankly, he would’ve liked to avoid hurting his younger brother, but Liam had interfered with his destiny to be the next Cordonia’s king, so he had become collateral damage. It was too late for regrets anyway, it was done, the wheels were in motion.  

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Franz and Mara took Alexis and the Rhys outside the ballroom, followed by Rashad, Maxwell, and Drake.

When they reached a private room far away from the public’s curiosity, Constantine turned to the three friends.

“This is a family matter, leave us alone. I’ll call you if I need you, Drake.”

Drake’s eyes drifted to Alexis’s face. His heart tugged seeing how hard she was working to keep a strong facade, he needed to be there for her.

“I need to be here, Constantine. I’m the Chief of Staff of Liam’s campaign, this concerns me too.”

Liam stared at Drake, fully aware of the real reason behind his concern. “You heard my father, Drake. This is a family matter.” He entered the room and closed the door behind him.

“Fuck this!” Drake was about to barge into the room, but Maxwell stopped him on time.

“Do you think she needs the two of you fighting right now?”

“You know Constantine as well as I do, Maxwell. He’s going to blame her for everything. She has been through enough!”

Maxwell placed his hand in Drake’s shoulder. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but Liam is there. He won’t let Constantine hurt her. You’re just going to make everything worst Drake. Please, wait here with us.”

Drake sighed and leaned against the wall.

Constantine was so furious that he needed a minute to gather himself. Alexis had become a huge liability for his son’s campaign. In spite of her father’s money, Liam had to get rid of her. Regina served him a scotch that he gulped down.

“Could you care to tell us what you were doing in your underwear with Tariq, Alexis?”

She took a deep breath and answered in a calm, poised voice, “I was about to take a shower when Tariq barged into my room and tried to attack me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Liam took a step towards Alexis placing his arm around her waist. “I was there that night, father. Alexis is telling the truth.”

Constantine scoffed looking around the room. “Where the hell is your father?”

Alexis chose to tell him a version of the truth. “He wasn’t feeling right, he had to go back to Cordonia City.”

Constantine answered angrily “He’s like the rats and the cockroaches that leave the sinking boat before anyone else, isn’t he?”

“There’s no need for insults, father.” Liam raised his hands. “We will deal with this ourselves.”

“Don’t you understand, Liam? Your chances to get elected just got cut in half. And all thanks to this … this whore.”

Liam was a man that rarely lost his nerves, but at soon as he heard his father’s words, he cut the distance between them in one step and took him by the lapels of his tuxedo’s jacket. “You say another word against my fiancé, and I swear to God, I’ll forget you’re my father. Do you understand?”

Regina squeaked. “Liam! Stop, please!”

Both men stared at each other until finally, Liam let Constantine go.

The older man went to the bar and poured himself another scotch. Then he turned around with a mocking smile in his face. “I would love to see if you defend her so ardently after I tell you why she has agreed to marry you.”

Liam looked at Alexis and saw how pale she had turned. “Alexis? What does he mean?”

“I’m sorry, Liam I…” Alexis couldn’t find the words to explain to Liam what was happening. 

Constantine was faster than her.  “George confessed a few days ago that he was pressuring his daughter to marry you for political reasons. Alexis accepted because, apparently, she needs money.”

Alexis couldn't believe her ears. “What? That’s not true! You and my father were both pressuring me, and it wasn’t for money.”

“But they were pressuring you”. Liam’s voice was cold and steady.

“Liam, please I-“

“Do not believe a word that comes out of her mouth, Liam. You need to break up the engagement now. This little whore has done enough damage as it is.”

Liam didn’t even think about it. He raised his fist and punched his father in the jaw.

Regina gasped in shock. “God, Liam! What are you doing?”

“Liam is confused, Regina.” He turned to his son rubbing his jaw. “If you want to believe her, it’s your problem, but she lied. She doesn’t want you, the only thing she cares about is being First Lady.”

Liam turned to Alexis. “I just want to know if you only agreed to marry me because your father asked you to.” Before she could answer, he raised his right hand. “Just say yes or no, Alexis.”

She looked at him directly into his eyes, unable to lie to him any longer. “Yes.”

Liam felt something breaking inside of him. “I see. I knew you were not in love with me yet, Alexis. But I thought you felt… something. I didn’t know you were doing this only to help your father’s political ambitions.” He looked at her with utmost contempt “Please, leave”

“Liam, let me explain.”

“Didn’t you hear me? Leave. Now.” He turned his back to her, refusing to break in front of her.

She tried to approach him, but Regina got in the middle.

“It’s better if you leave, darling. Don’t make things harder than they already are.”

Alexis turned around, feeling angry and defeated. She left the room furiously slamming the door on her way out.

Drake and Maxwell looked at each other and followed her.

“Blossom! I’ll go look for the car with Rash and meet you here. If you go through the front door, those so-called journalists won’t let you leave.”

She stopped walking and nodded. Drake went next to her, he needed to hold her and make her understand that she wasn’t alone, but he would have to wait until they were alone, another scandal would destroy her.

“Lexie, are you okay?” He brushed her hand with his fingers.

She hugged herself “No, I’m not. Liam knows everything.” Her eyes watered, Abigail was the only thing in her mind. “I can’t talk right now.”

“Go with them to Ramsford. I’ll drive there in my jeep. It’s better if we don’t leave together.”

“No, Drake. Don’t worry about me. They have a crisis inside, and Liam is going to need you.” She knew that if she threw one look at him, she wouldn’t be able to hold her tears any longer, so she jumped into Maxwell’s car without turning around.

Rashad, Maxwell, and Alexis arrived at Ramsford after a long, silent ride. She got out of the car and after thanking the couple, went to her room.

Abigail. She didn’t even know how to contact her, how to warn her parents. Her daughter needed her and, once again, she had failed her as she had done when she had been born. Alexis paced around the room, incapable of staying put. Her eyes were puffy and swollen after all the tears she had spilled on her way back from the engagement party.  She couldn’t believe that everything was over, but Liam was too sad, too disappointed and he wasn’t going to forgive her. Maybe if she offered something else to her father, he wouldn’t harm Abigail. She was willing to do anything he asked of her if that meant to keep her daughter safe.

“O’Brien let me in.” Drake knocked at her door. 

“Don’t worry about me, Drake. I’m fine.” Alexis was terrified about what could happen to him. She could only imagine her father’s revenge after Drake had beat him up.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t leave you alone. I will sleep outside your door all night if I have to.”

She debated with herself a little longer, torn between the urge to see him and the need to protect him.

When she finally opened the door, he approached her and cupped her face to wipe her tears away. Then, he pulled her to him enveloping her with his strong arms, making her feel instantly safe. Despite that, or maybe because of it, she began to cry again. Drake's heart broke at the sound of her small sobs. He rubbed her back as he talked to her.

“Shhh, everything will be fine, baby. I promise. Cry all you need to cry but know that I will do whatever I have to do to fix this.” He placed small kisses on the top of her head. “I promise.”

“How?” She spread her arms wide. “There’s nothing we can do. Liam hates me now, so it’s over. Over. My only solution is to beg my father for forgiveness and comply with whatever he asks now.”

Drake shook his head furiously “No! There’s no fucking way that’s going to happen, O’Brien. That man is seriously deranged! Only god knows what he’s going to ask from you now! Forget it, I won’t allow it!”

She glared at him “I’m sorry but you don’t have a say on the matter. You have to understand that Abigail is my priority and I will do everything it takes to keep her safe. I don’t even know where she is Drake, I can’t even warn her...her mother.”

He cut the distance between them taking her in his arms again. “Well, you have to understand that you’re my priority and I will do everything it takes to keep you safe. I’m serious, Alexis, anything it takes.” He cupped her face with both hands and looked at her. “I love you. We’ll find a solution together, but now you need to eat something and rest, you seem exhausted.”

“I love you too, Drake” She said as he wiped another tear off her cheek.

“Would you let me stay here with you, Lexie?”

“Yes, I’d like that” She gave him a small smile.

God, he loved her so much. “Perfect, why you don’t go get ready for bed. I’ll go to Beaumont’s kitchen to get us something to eat.” He took off his jacket and his bowtie before leaving the room.

She took a long shower. When she came back to the room, Drake had lighted the bedroom’s electric fireplace and had put some sandwiches and a bottle of whiskey on the small coffee table. Alexis had changed into a huge t-shirt with the inscription “Everything I need to know I learned by watching 80’s movies” printed on it and a pair of mini shorts. He blushed, remembering how soft her long, tanned legs felt around him.

He cleared his throat before speaking. “What’s your favorite?” He pointed at the t-shirt, grinning.

She looked at him. “I know what you’re trying to do, Drake. I really appreciate it, but nothing is going to take my mind off of Abigail”

He got close to her “I know how worried you are. I do. And I promise you that tomorrow we will spend the day trying to figure this out together.” He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “But you won’t solve anything tonight, O’Brien. Please eat something and try to rest.”

They sat on some cushions in front of the table and started eating the grilled cheese sandwiches he had made, in comfortable silence.

“Back to the Future,” Alexis said. 

He looked at her “What?”

“My favorite 80’s movie, Back to the Future.”

He grinned. “Chicken, Mc Fly”

She squinted at him. “Nobody.Calls.Me.Chicken”

They both laughed locking eyes for a few seconds. He placed a strand of hair behind her ear before speaking again.

“Mine is Indiana Jones.”

She giggled. “Figures, Walker”

“Why?” He asked, puzzled.

“Why? Seriously?” She smirked “A movie about a lonely, hot-headed hero that protects everyone around him?”

He chuckled.“I don’t need to protect everyone around me, O’Brien. Just you.”

She sat in his lap and gave him a soft kiss. “Thank you for everything, Drake. I don’t even know how I would’ve dealt with all of this without you.”

Drake smiled at her. “There’s nothing to thank me for, Lexie. I love you.” He gently rubbed her back. “Now, let’s go to bed, you need a good night of sleep.”

She rubbed her eyes. “I don’t think I can sleep now, I’m too anxious.”

He kissed the top of her head, before speaking. “What if I look for a movie on Netflix? You might fall asleep watching it, baby.”

Alexis shrugged. “It can’t hurt.” 

Drake grinned at her, placing a small kiss on her nose. “Perfect, Lexie.”

She began to undo the covers when she saw him taking off his clothes. 

“Are you giving me a strip show, Walker? Because I don’t have any dollar bills.” She smiled.

He chuckled. “Get your head out of the gutter, O’Brien. I’m not going to sleep all night in a fucking tuxedo.”

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Alexis teased. 

They went to bed together. Alexis snuggled against Drake and he held her while they watched “Back to the future 2”. Both of them enjoyed the intimacy, the proximity to the other. Drake revealed in the sensation of having her in his arms. He swore to himself that he would never let her go again. An hour later, he smiled content, Alexis had fallen asleep. He watched her for a few seconds, admiring how serene, and peaceful she looked. After placing a loving kiss on her forehead, Drake turned off the computer and put it on the bedside table. Then he went back to bed and carefully pulled Alexis against his chest, he needed to feel her close to him, safe and sound in his arms.

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Hakim knew that restoring the monarchy was the right measure for his country. Thirty-five years ago, when he was young and idealistic, he had been one of the few nobles involved with the revolution but now he saw the errors of his ways. Democracy hadn’t solved the numerous problems Cordonia had, worse than that, it had added several more. Corruption was a sickness at every level of the state and liberal ideas like gay marriage or abortion rights were threatening the conservative values he cherished so deeply. The old noble houses like his continued to rule in more ways than one but they were losing more and more power every day and depended on the elections. Of course, he had considered forming an alliance with Godfrey Amaranth but that would only have fixed the problem momentarily, and he needed something permanent. Something that would bring the monarchy back, along with all the old titles. He sighed thinking about his father the old Duke of Castelraillan and how that title would be inherited by Ezequiel one day.  

Hakim remembered the day he had approached Leo Rhys to help with his plans. The idea was actually quite simple, he would help Leo claim his right as an heir to the old Monarchy and in exchange, Leo would have him as his closest advisor. Hakim wasn’t worried, he knew Leo since he was a small boy, as long as he had enough women and scotch, he would be easy to manipulate. The first step was to ruin the reputation of the candidate highest in the polls, Liam Rhys. It was a pity, Liam would have made an extraordinary king in other circumstances. The second was to create a scandal big enough that it would make everyone question their democratic leaders and the third, well it was the most extreme but undoubtedly the most effective of the three.

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Alexis laid down restless with her eyes open, she had slept exactly three hours before a nightmare had woken her up. Fortunately, Drake was still asleep, he was exhausted and worried about her, he definitely needed the rest. Drake’s concern for her filled her heart, no one had ever cared so deeply about her before. Liam might’ve thought he loved her, but the truth was that he didn’t even really know her. Of course, that didn’t help diminish her guilt. Alexis knew that she had deeply hurt him, and she wasn’t going to forgive herself. She rolled over to look at Drake, and couldn’t help the smile forming in her lips, she had never imagined she could love someone with such intensity before meeting him. She stroked his face with her hand, and he opened his eyes.

“Hi,” he looked at his phone. “It’s only 4 o’clock, Lexie. You can’t sleep?”

She ran her hand through her hair “There are too many things on my mind. I’m sorry that I woke you up though. Go back to sleep, Drake.”

He lifted his upper body with an elbow and leaned down to kiss her. She tugged his hair and soon the soft kiss became hungry, passionate.

“I need to feel you, Drake.”

He slid his hand under her shirt, her naked skin underneath was unbelievably soft. “I need to feel you too baby.” He pulled her shirt over her head, the smell of cherries washing over him.

“Fuck, Lexie you’re gorgeous.” He ran his hands all over her body, almost desperately. When he finally found the hem of her short, he softly stroked the skin under it, locking eyes with her, enjoying how her breath hitched with the mere touch of his fingers. He lowered himself, covering her stomach with soft kisses, savoring her soft gasps, until he reached her lower belly. He carefully undid the knot of her shorts and pulled them down with her underwear, as he kissed the inside of her thighs, her knees, her calves. She was lost in his touch, barely able to moan. Then he made his way up kissing the length of her legs all over again until he reached her core.  

She wasn’t able to think anymore. “Oh god!” Her voice sounded raspy, foreign.

“You make me insane, Lexie” He took his time kissing the hot skin around her core, taking pleasure on how wet she already was. He sank his head on her until his tongue found the little nub inside of her making her moan harder. Drake thrust two fingers inside of her curling them as his tongue continued to pleasure her and she came hard, losing all control of herself.

When he felt her become undone under his tongue, he couldn’t take it any longer. He placed himself over her, as desperate as he was to enter her, he took a second to watch her. She looked like a goddess with her messy hair framing her beautiful face and her eyes closed as she tried to stabilize her breath again.

“Open your eyes baby” He whispered, and she complied, her already brown eyes, darkened with lust.  

-For me. That look is only for me- he thought, feeling himself grow harder.

Drake didn’t stop looking at her for a second as he positioned himself over her entrance, teasing her with the tip of his cock before slowly sinking into her.

“God, Drake! I need you!”

He growled at the sound of his name falling from her lips. He thrust into her as she moaned his name over and over again.

“Come for me, Lexie,” he whispered, and she moaned again. Sliding his arm under her back, Drake pulled her closed to him and pounded mercilessly into her, capturing her lips until her walls clenched on him. Soon, Alexis was too far gone to care about her screams.

“DRAKE! DRAKE!”

“That’s my girl.” He growled coming right after her.

He held her close to his chest, their bodies covered in sweat as they tried to even out their breath, and he noticed her eyes fighting to stay open.

“You need to sleep, baby” He laid down wrapping her body with his arms and kissing her nape.

She felt her eyes closing. “I love you, Drake”

“I love you, Lexie.” He whispered before falling asleep next to the love of his life.

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Regina Rhys wasn’t used to making important decisions on her own, she had always let others, especially her husband to make them for her. That was the reason why she had kept quiet when she had found out that Constantine was trying to buy a wife for Liam. A few days later, she had heard a conversation between George and her husband and had discovered that they were blackmailing Alexis into accepting their deal. Regina ignored the secret they had over the poor girl, but it had to be dark because she had barely protested. For all those reasons, she had been tempted to defend Alexis the night before, but she knew her husband would never forgive her and she definitely didn’t know how to confront him, so Regina had decided to wait until the morning to speak alone with the man she considered her son.

Liam hadn’t slept all night, his mind was consumed by her and all the moments they had spent together. If he was true to himself, he had to admit that she had never really told him that she loved him. She had been kind and gentle, but a wall had always been there between the two of them. He couldn’t understand why he felt such a powerful need for her, for someone that was so clearly not interested in him and so obviously…infatuated with someone else. He threw his glass furiously against the door. It was his fault. Everything had been perfect until he had decided he liked her too. Liam knew Drake was a womanizer, just like his brother. And even if he thought he was in love with her, eventually he was going to get tired of her as he always did, and she would end up sad and alone. Not that her fate mattered to him anymore. Liam took another tumbler from the cabinet and poured himself a glass of scotch.

Regina found him in his office, nursing the glass. “Good morning, Liam. I brought you a cup of fresh coffee.”

She removed the scotch from his hand and gave him the mug, squeezing his shoulder.

She cleared her throat trying to summon her courage. “I want to tell you something about Alexis.”

He looked at her expectantly.

“Your father and George were blackmailing her. I know it isn’t money, Liam. They mentioned an old secret. Your father told George that she had asked him to stop the engagement because she didn’t want to hurt you. I think you should go and talk to her. I’ve known the ambassador for a long time now, and there is nothing he wouldn’t do for money or power, including hurting his own daughter.”

“I don’t think I should talk to her, Regina. She doesn’t care if I love her or not” His voice sounded hollow, hopeless.

She approached him, placing her hand in his shoulder “Liam, If you love someone, you tell them. Even if you’re scared that it’s not the right thing. Even if you’re scared that it’ll cause problems. Even if you’re scared that it will burn your life to the ground, you say it, and you say it loud and you go from there.”

“I already did, and it didn’t change anything.”

“I’m only telling you all of this because I think you deserve to have all the information, what you do with it, only concerns you, Li.” She rubbed his shoulder and let him alone so he could think.

Drake felt her absence as soon as he opened his eyes. He sat on the bed and found her wrapped on a blanket watching absentmindedly through the window.

“Hey, Lexie.”

She turned her head towards him. “Hi, Drake”

“Come to bed, baby”

Alexis went to him and sat on his lap looping her arms around his neck. She rubbed his stubble with her nose. “You’re so handsome in the morning”

He teased her. “But only in the morning.”

“Yes, you lose all your charm at noon, like a reversed Cinderella.”

They grinned at each other, but he noticed that her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “What were you thinking over there?”

“Abbie … and Liam”

He furrowed “Liam?”

“Yes, how sad he seemed last night, all because of me”

“Because of both your fathers, O’Brien.”

“I accepted the offer and no matter the reason, I hurt him.” She sighed “And Abbie, she will be eleven years old soon, what if she never gets to ...”

Drake lifted her face up to him and locked eyes with her. “Hey! Look at me, Lexie. I swear, I would keep you two safe.” She tried to shake her head but he cupped her face. “I swear it on my life, okay?” He kissed her softly “This morning I thought about contacting Damien, he’s a friend of mine in New York and he’s a PI. He’s the best there is, and I’m sure he will help us find her. I promise I’ll help you fix this.”

“And my father?”

“I will deal with him.”

Alexis was about to respond when her phone rang. She saw the name and the screen and answered immediately

“Hi, Liam.”

Drake stood up from the bed and angrily started to dress. He didn’t want to hear their conversation; he knew how it would end. If Liam was as in love with Alexis, his Lexie, as much as he was, he wasn’t going to go without a fight.

She finished her call and sat next to him on the couch. “He wants to talk to me in person. He asked me if I could meet with him today at noon at his office”

Drake cocked his brows as he asked the question he already knew the answer to. “And you accepted?”

Alexis hugged herself. “You know I did, Drake.”

He answered bitterly. “Yes, I forgot that we were just friends, O’Brien”

Her heart sank at his words. “Drake, please. Don’t do this now”

He shook his head. “I know it’s difficult for you, Alexis, but it’s damn hard for me too. Can’t you see that I die every time that I have to see you two together?” He raised his voice “Every time he touches you, I want to fucking kill him. He was my best friend, and now I want to end him every single time he dares to look at you.”

She approached him and rubbed his face with her small hand. “You know, I love you, Drake.”

He took her hand between his closing his eyes. “Yes, I know you do now.” He muttered.

“What does that mean?” Alexis asked, glaring at him.

He took a sharp breath. “It doesn’t matter, Lexie”

She took his head between her hands. “I love you, Drake, you have no idea how much.” She stood on her toes and kissed him tenderly. “I will never, never, stop loving you. Please, never forget that”

“I know, baby, I know” He kissed her forehead “I’m sorry. Let’s focus on Abbie right now”

She smiled at him.

“What, O’Brien?”

“I like it when you call her Abbie”

He smiled back at her “We’ll find her, Lexie. I promise”

They decided that she was going to ask Maxwell to lend her a car so she could go to Cordonia city by herself. He would go later, so no one could see them arrive together.

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Alexis steadied her breath to calm herself before entering Liam’s office.

“Hi, Liam” His heart skipped a beat just hearing her voice.  

“Alexis, sit please”

She sat on the couch he was pointing at.

“Something to drink?”

“Do you have whiskey?”

He scoffed “Yes, I do”

He poured a whiskey for her and a scotch for him before sitting next to her on the couch.

“I talked to Regina, she seems to think that my father and yours are blackmailing you”

She gulped her whiskey before speaking. “Yes, they were, they are. I don’t know how much Constantine actually knows, but he’s definitely aware that my father was forcing me.”

He spoke with an icy tone. “With what exactly? What was so important that it was worth your happiness and mine?”

“Almost eleven years ago, I was … attacked and I got pregnant. Obviously, I wasn’t married, so my father wanted to avoid a scandal. He was ashamed of me.” She took a deep breath refusing to cry in front of Liam. “When my daughter was born, I had to give her up. My father knows where she is, and if I don’t do what he says, he … well my daughter won’t be safe anymore”

Liam couldn’t believe what he was hearing, he settled his glass on the table and took Alexis’s hands, squeezing them softly.

“I’m so sorry, my love. I can’t even begin to imagine what you have been through” He wanted to hold her but he wasn’t sure that she would accept it. “Can I hold you?”

Touched by his concern, she nodded. “Yes.”

Liam took her in his arms trying to erase the past, trying to make her understand how much he loved her. It was comforting and kind, but she couldn’t feel the same sense of security she did when she was held by Drake.

Liam broke the embrace and looked at her. “I’m here for you Alexis. I told you I loved you, and I wasn’t lying. If you want to, we can still get married.”

“Even knowing that I … that I’m not in love with you?”

He took her chin between his fingers. “Yes, I want to help you, and I will. I imagine that your father wants to control the commerce we have with America.”

She nodded

“And he wants us married as some sort of guarantee for him”

“Yes, your father told him he would convince you to give him all the access he needs”

Liam stood up, his hands tightened into fists.

“I want to marry you, Alexis, more than anything, but we can’t let our fathers control our lives.”

“I know, Li, but I have no option, if we go against him, he will harm Abigail. That’s her name.”

“I’ve known George my whole life. I know he would.” Liam took her hands again and kissed them softly. “Marry me, Alexis. Marry me and I swear, I won’t let him harm you or your daughter. We will make them think that I will go along with their plans, but we will be looking for her and gathering evidence against them. I’m sure we will defeat them at the end. Together.”

Alexis didn’t have another option. As much as she loved Drake, she had to accept. “I can’t even begin to thank you, Liam.”

“I’m only going to ask you one thing, Alexis.”

She looked at him expectantly.

“That you try. That you really try to fall in love with me. I promise I won’t pressure you. I won’t be expecting anything from you on our wedding night, or any other night for that matter. Not until you’re ready. But, other than that, I want us to be a real couple, I want you to be honest with me.” He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “I want us to go in dates, and get to know each other better.” He lifted her chin to him “And for that to happen, I need you to stop seeing him, for good. Can you do that, Alexis?”

Her heart tugged, learn to live without Drake would be the hardest thing that she’d ever have to do, after giving Abigail up. But Alexis will do it for her.  

“Yes, I can. I just need to talk to him one last time.”

Liam shook his head “I don’t think it’s a good idea”

“I’m only telling you because you want me to be honest, but I will talk to him one last time, whether you like it or not Liam. He deserves to hear it from me”

“When?”

“I’ll go to his office now.”

He poured himself another scotch. “I’ll be waiting here.”

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Drake was unable to work or focus on anything related to the campaign. All he could think about was Alexis, and her discussion with Liam.

Suddenly, he saw her standing at his door.

He stood up to join her.

“Come in, O’Brien” He was about to ask what had happened with Liam, but he saw it in her eyes.

“He wants to marry you.”

She nodded. “He wants to help me, but he wants us to try to have a real marriage.”

Drake scoffed. “Of course, he does.” He pulled her close to him and kissed her, only her lips at first, but after a few sweet seconds, he let his tongue rub hers, at first softly, almost delicately but fast the kiss became hungry and burning. She parted from him, panting.

“He asked me to stop this, us. He’s going to help me, but in exchange he wants me to stop seeing you.” Alexis took a deep breath. She was going to need all the courage, she could muster. “Drake, listen to me. I need you to quit this job that you hate so much, and finish your veterinarian degree.” She rubbed his cheek. “I need you to live your life and forget about this horrible world.” Her eyes were filled with tears but she forced herself to keep talking. “If you love me, if you really love me, please just leave me here and try to be happy with …with  someone else, anywhere else.”

He shook his head. He wasn’t going to lose her. “I told you before that that’s not happening Alexis. Forget it.”

“Drake, we can’t be together. We just can’t.” She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “It kills me too but If I have to live my life seeing you being miserable here, I won’t be able to do it, and if I leave with you and something happens to her, I’ll die.” She was openly crying now. “Can’t you see that no matter what I choose I lose something?”

His chest tightened “I know, baby.” He kissed her front.

Liam hadn’t been able to wait in his office for more than a few minutes. The jealousy was killing him. He decided to go to Drake’s office when he got to the threshold and saw him holding her, he approached them almost shaking with rage.

“Do not touch her!”

Alexis gasped “Liam, it’s fine. We’re just talking”

“She doesn’t belong to you, Liam” Drake balled his fists

He tapped a finger into Drake’s chest. “She sure doesn’t belong to you either”

“Get your fucking hands off of me, asshole!”

Liam took Drake by the lapels of his jacket “Or what, Drake. What are you going to do?”

Drake took a swing at Liam connecting his fist with Liam’s jaw, so the blond man hit him back “I’m going to kill you”

Drake grappled him and they fell together to the floor.

Alexis yelled. “Fuck! I can’t take this anymore. Stop or I swear I’ll fucking kill you both myself!”

Both men stopped, panting. Liam threw her an apologetic look.

“Alexis is right, we can’t keep going like this” He turned to her. “We need to talk, darling. Please leave us alone.”

She nodded “I will, just please don’t kill each other”

Drake looked at her cleaning a drop of blood from his swollen lip “Don’t worry, Lexie. We won’t”

Drake stood up from the floor and extended his hand to Liam.

Liam took it .“You still punch hard.” he rubbed his chin.

“You haven’t lost your magic touch either”

Liam sighed “I guess you know everything about Alexis’s story”

“I do,” Drake replied simply.

“I can help her, Drake. I have the resources to do it, and if we marry her father will back off.”

Drake scoffed. “He’s a fucking monster, he won’t just back off. He will keep on asking things because he knows she will do anything for her kid.” He smiled “When she loves someone, she’ll do anything for them”

Liam poured himself and Drake a whiskey. “I love her, Drake.”

Drake gulped his glass. “I know, Liam. I love her too”

“I will help and marry her, but we need to try to be happy, and that won’t happen if you stay here. We were friends, almost brothers, for a long time. I’m asking you for that friendship and for the love you have for her, to leave.”

Drake didn’t want to renounce to her, she had become everything to him, but he wondered if that gave him the right to be an obstacle to her happiness. Right now, she loved him but if he left now, maybe one day she would be able to be happy with Liam. The thought of them together was almost unbearable, but he didn’t have a real choice. He reminded himself that her happiness and safety were the only things that really mattered to him if that meant that he would have to look out for her from afar … he would do it.

“And the scandal?” Drake asked.

“I’ll ask Alexis to give a statement to the press of what happened that day with Tariq. I’ll be there for her. I’m sure they’ll believe her. In any case, Franz and Mara have investigated and they found other women that he has attacked and that are willing to come forward.”

Thinking about Tariq made Drake’s blood boil. “And that asshole? Have you found him?”

“Franz has some leads, apparently he’s in America. In Los Angeles. I swear to you I’ll find him, and he’ll pay for what he almost did that day.”

Drake nodded. “I’ll work in your campaign until you find a replacement for me. After that, I’ll leave.” He took a sharp, painful breath. “If she has to marry you, she deserves at least the opportunity to try and be happy.

Liam placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I appreciate it, Drake-“

Drake raised his hand interrupting him “I mean it, Liam. Make her happy, she deserves…” He stopped himself “She deserves everything, give her everything.”

Liam stared at Drake stupefied “I didn’t know how much you actually cared for her, Drake. I promise I’ll do anything in my power to make her happy”

Drake stared at his former best friend “I don’t care for her, Liam. I love her. I’m crazy about her. She’s the only reason I’m leaving. Her”

Drake stood up and left the office, Alexis was waiting outside. He looked at her one last time, trying to take her all in, trying to print her image in his brain so he would never forget one single part of her. He had never felt anything so painful before. 

They locked eyes for a few seconds, both understanding that it would be for the last time. Both trying painfully not to take the other in their arms. Alexis felt like something inside of her was dying at that moment. 

Finally, Drake shook his head and left her there, broken.

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George entered the rich mansion limping, he also had a swollen eye and a fat lip, all of it, courtesy of Drake Walker. The butler took his coat and walked him to the room where the meeting was being held.

Hakim cocked his brows when he saw the injured ambassador enter the room.

“Is everything alright, George?”

“Perfect. Let’s go straight to the point.”

Hakim nodded. “As my daughter told you, I and some other important people have formed an alliance that will overthrow the democracy. Our plan is to restore the monarchy and give the throne to his rightful heir, Leo.”

George looked at Hakim with obvious contempt. “Leo Rhys? Please, Hakim. Even his father thinks he’s a useless drunk.”

“He is going to give this revolution what it needs, a real cause. There are a lot of royalists in the streets, and they will follow the real heir blindly. Plus, Leo is very easy to manipulate, we will marry him with someone adept to the cause”

“Like your daughter?” George smiled thinking about all the nights he had shared with the beautiful brunette.

“My daughter just ended her engagement, she’s not ready for another one. But we’ll find someone else, someone from an old noble house.”

The American ambassador raised his hands smiling. “It was just an idea”

“The real question is why do you want to join us. Your daughter is about to marry, Liam Rhys”

“After what she did with that Tariq his chances to be president are almost zero, and I need to be in the winning team. I would contribute with money to fund your little movement and you already know what I want in exchange of my…help” He sneered. “And don’t worry about my daughter, we can still use her as an advantage, I‘m sure that I can convince her to help us betray Liam Rhys, she will give us anything we ask.”

Hakim furrowed. “How can you be so sure?”

He gave him an arrogant smile. “Believe me, Hakim, I know. There’s just one more thing I need.”

“You’re already asking us to control all our commercial deals with America. What else could you possibly want, George?”

“Kiara told me the last stage of your plan. I know you are planning to attack Liam Rhys’ headquarters the day of the election.”

Hakim looked at him, thinking that George was going to ask for protection for his daughter, but the rich ambassador had someone else in his mind.