Unmatched Love

by Mary Nixon

  "He hates me too?" I asked.

  "Nobody hates you Bianca. You have to understand that Jacob and Tony are like brothers. You offend one of them, you offend them both. Jacob wasn't for the idea of Tony bidding for you because he doesn't want him going through what he went through two years ago."

  "Why didn't you refuse?" I asked.

  "Because I had nothing to do with what happened and it is not your fault neither is it Tony's. You two made bad choices and that is all there is to it. The past should be left in the past. Besides Ben Arden is not the kind of man to entrust a woman to. In my opinion, Wayne Bellingerre should not allow him to bid."

  I smiled at the thought of Tony saving me from Ben Arden. He still cared about me. But how did know about Ben Arden? Maybe it was his bad reputation.

  "What if you weren't there? Who would he have asked?"

  "Ferrer but with him, you can be sure he will want something in return... maybe a sexual favor."

  "Do you want a sexual favor?" I teased.

  He smiled at me and shook his head.

  "Tony would kill me."

  "Would you want a sexual favor?" I pressed on curious about this reserved and well mannered gentleman.

  He pulled up in front of my house and he took my hand into his.

  "Of course I would. How can a man say no to a beautiful woman like you? Besides I just spent almost twenty million on you which Tony will have to give back."

  "I can write you a cheque." I offered. "I can pay you back in installments. I'm not that rich."

  "Don't worry, Tony will take care of it. Besides, twenty million is not that much."

  In their word it was probably loose change.

  I leaned in his way and I wanted to kiss his lips just to say thank you but he placed a finger on them.

  "Don't worry it's okay. It was for charity. Don't kiss me because I will want to go all the way and then we will have Tony to deal with."

  His voice was low and seductively deep.

  "It's just a kiss." I said.

  "No need for me to taste what I can't have. It will be torture. Besides, we have a code. Your Tony's ex, you're off limits."

  He kissed my cheek and stepped out. He got my door and he walked me all the way up to my apartment. I handed him his coat and he bid me good night before he left. He glanced back and smiled at me.

  My breath caught.

  Tony's friends were hot!

  =================

  Chapter nineteen: The flower shop

  It was a rainy afternoon when I decided to take shelter in a flower shop. The old lady saw me and smiled.

  "Summer rains are so unpredictable." She said to me.

  I nodded and I gazed around the shop.

  "Looks empty in here. You must have a good business here. You've sold out!"

  "Actually it's quite the opposite my dear, I hit some financial trouble and I want to sell the place."

  I felt sorry for her as she sounded sad. She was filing some papers and I sat down on the vacant seat.

  "Isn't there another way?" I asked her.

  "I am old and tired. I can barely keep up with this business."

  I was hoping to retire from modelling. I was only twenty three but I was tired of it. I had done it for six years and I hoped to move on to something else. Owning a flower shop wouldn't be such a bad idea. It would be simpler and I could even stay in one place.

  Me staying in one place was something new to me. I was hoping for something permanent this time round. I wanted to remain grounded.

  "Here is my number." I told her as I scribbled my number and email on a piece of paper. "If you want to sell, I'm interested."

  She smiled appreciatively and I glanced at my watch. I was running late for a lingerie photo shoot. I would have to brave the rain.

  I thanked her for the shelter and dashed out with my clutch covering my head. If I was going to get drenched, I thought there is no point so I stopped covering my head and walked in the rain. My seven inch boots clicking on the pavement as I walked.

  I had

  left my car at home because the photo shoot venue was a stone throw away from where I lived.

  James Lyons's POV

  I hate losing bets.

  I had lost one to a good friend of mine and now he was holding me down to deliver my end of the deal. As I drove slowly in the pouring rain, I couldn't help but think about Bea Bianca. She had looked ravishing at the Charity Ball. Her absence from my arms gave a lot of men the liberty to gaze upon her beauty. Her full breasts still lingered in my mind.

  Damn that dress she had on!

  I had asked Jacob to bid on her just to keep her away from other men but Jacob being the stubborn man he was refused. He turned me down! Cole was more than willing to help and I had followed his car from a distance to make sure he didn't stay the night after he dropped her home.

  Bianca was an enticing woman and as much as we were over, she was still mine. I was her first lover and I will be her last. If any other man dared touch her I would make sure they never see day light again. I had been keeping tabs on her to make sure no other man made moves on her. They could look all they want but touching her was a crime.

  My obsession with her had only gotten stronger instead of fading.

  I still craved for her in ways that left me harder than steel. She caused me sleepless nights.

  I had gotten myself a girlfriend to keep me occupied but she lacked the wildness that Bianca had.

  She bored me but she fulfilled her purpose.

  I turned to my left on the pavement only to see a woman braving the rain. On closer inspection, it was Bianca.

  My first instinct was to pull over and offer her a lift but then my black heart wanted her to get rained on. I wanted her to suffer for the pain she had caused me.

  I did what any other gentleman would do. I pulled over and honked at her. She turned my way and I lowered the window on the passenger side. I signalled her to come over and she froze looking at me for the longest time. Her green eyes sparkled causing my heart to skip a beat. I had missed getting lost in those eyes. I switched off the car. I grabbed an umbrella from the back and stepped out into the rain. I walked up to her and covered her. Her white chiffon blouse clinged to her molding out her full breasts. Apart from her sweet lips that was my best part of her. I smiled at her and she just stared like she couldn't believe it was me.

  We stood there for the longest time as we just gazed into each others eyes. We had made the tabloids today with a photo of us holding hands after my father had made us hold hands. The caption was still clear... 'Getting back together?'

  Would it be so bad?

  No.

  But I didn't want that toxic relationship back. I was done with her. She was my poison.

  "Where to?" I asked her.

  "Just a few blocks from here." She

  said and her beautiful voice made me catch my breath for a moment.

  "Me too. Let's go then?"

  Bianca's POV

  I was shocked to be standing next to the very man I thought about each second of my life.

  "Yes. Let's go." I agreed.

  I followed him to a white Range Rover and he opened the door for me.

  Once he got in, he shoved the wet umbrella in the back. Thank goodness his seats were leather. I would have hated getting them soaked.

  He began driving and I noted his casual wear. He was in a pair of khaki trousers folded at the bottom with a fitting pilot shirt and a pair of expensive Italian loafers. He had a gold Cartier watch on his right wrist and a Gothic ring on the middle finger of his left hand. The stubble on his face made him look more perfect than ever.

  "You lost your privilege to stare love." He stated bluntly.

  "I'm sorry." I apologized and looked away. "Thank you for asking Cole to bid on your behalf. I really didn't want to go home with Ben Arden."

  "Sure. It was my obligation as a descent man. Ben Arden is a pervert."

  His tone of voice was s
harp and I ignored him. He glanced my way and then scoffed.

  "Have you grown so sensitive love that you get offended so fast?"

  Love... he still called me love.

  "I believe I lost the privilege of being called love. Shouldn't it be Miss. Buchanan as you insisted on calling me yesterday? As I should probably

  call you Mr. Bellingerre?" I asked calmly.

  He went quiet and he didn't say a word even after I directed him to where we were headed. After he parked the car, I reached for the door ready to open it. Without glancing his way, I thanked him for the lift and I stepped out of the car walking in the rain until I reached the building.

  James Lyons's POV

  I couldn't believe my luck.

  The photo shoot I submitted to was for a fitness magazine. What were the chances that Bianca was headed to the same place?

  I got out of the car with my umbrella and walked inside.

  I got on the same elevator with Bianca but we didn't speak. She literally looked away from me the entire time. When we got to the floor we were both headed to, she went the opposite way and I went the other way.

  At least it wasn't the same shoot.

  I got to the venue and my good friend Fabio, owner and editor of the health and fitness magazine greeted me.

  "Tony!" Good to see you." He said excitedly.

  "Fabio, I trust I made your day by losing the bet ."

  "You have no idea amico. This issue of my magazine will sell like hot cakes with your handsome face and perfect body gracing my cover. Come, let's get you undressed and get some shots of those muscles you hide beneath your shirt." He said as he handed me over to women who looked abnormally happy to see me.

  I gazed around and sighed.

  I hated photo shoots!

  Bianca's POV

  I hated lingerie photo shoots. It was a closed set but still I felt a little uncomfortable. The pieces

  I was displaying were very sexually alluring lingeries. My worst was the shoots that required me in a thong only with my fingers covering my pink buds.

  I had modelled most pieces except for my nightmare.

  That came a half an hour later.

  This is the part of my job that I hated but my manager always got me these gigs saying I had a perfect body.

  As I placed my index and middle fingers on either nipples of my breast and posed with lacy under wears only, I spotted Tony watching me. I lost my resolve and just stood still as I looked at his dark eyes. I then remembered he said I wasn't allowed to look at him anymore and I turned my back to him. Tears stung my eyes at how much I wanted to get back with him but only he could let me back in if he wanted to.

  "Okay Bea we are done!" The photographer announced.

  When I turned, he was gone.

  I was offered some dry clothing and I accepted gladly. It was a pair of denims and a crop top. It was already sunny outside. I thanked the staff and I left after looking at some of the photos I took. I was just waiting for the elevator when Tony joined me.

  "You got your body back." He said.

  "Am I allowed to speak to you Mr. Bellingerre?" I asked respectfully.

  "Only when I speak to you. Last time I saw you naked you were nine months pregnant. Do you remember how much you hated your figure? How you smashed mirrors so that you wouldn't have to look at yourself? How you hated me for getting you pregnant?"

  His words were sharp and cold and

  tears slipped my eyes. I wanted him to stop. I still thought about Scott and Kenan. I could have handled the pregnancy better. I wiped away my tears.

  "Are you happier now that my sons are no longer a bother and hindrance to your career?" He taunted some more.

  What the bloody hell was wrong with this man? I had suffered just as much as he had.

  The elevator opened and I walked in. He joined me but as soon as it moved he hit the stop button. I glanced at him as he approached me.

  "What good does crying do love? Does it help you to sleep better at night?" He taunted viciously.

  My breath caught as I sniffled and sobbed a familiar pain that I had fought for two years took root in my heart. Why was he taunting me?

  "Answer me!" He yelled as his fist met the steel wall just an inch from my head.

  I gasped at how close he had come to punching me in the face.

  I refused to look at him despite that and he cornered me and forced me to look at him cupping my chin tightly with his spare hand.

  "I barely sleep thinking about my sons day and night Bianca! Day and night! They would have been two years old today!"

  I looked down.

  "Look at me damn it!" He demanded.

  I looked up and his eyes burned with anger. I was vulnerable right now. First we were in an elevator that was locked from inside, then he was in a foul mood and lastly, I was not pregnant so he had nothing

  to loose if he slammed repeatedly against the cold steel of the elevator.

  "Tell me what I can say or do to make it better Tony." I begged.

  He scoffed and slammed me against the steel wall. His eyes were murderous.

  "You can go back in time and stop yourself from getting into my bloody Benz and speeding off or better yet, I should go back in time and stop myself from saving your bloody life. I should have let you die!"

  "Then kill me already if it will make you feel better!" I yelled.

  He turned in the opposite direction and delivered a series of punches to the steel wall of the elevator. He growled angrily before he turned to face me. He took deep breaths and counted silently.

  "I want to hate you Bianca!" He said. "But even after all you did I still am foolishly in love with you. You are my first thought when I wake up and my last thought before I sleep. I love you Bianca. I love you more than my own life and the truth is, I would die for you all over again if you asked me to. I will do anything for you. You have messed me up."

  I was speechless.

  He hit the button and the elevator moved as I tried to compose myself. I wiped off the tears from my eyes and my mascara ran as he acted like nothing had happened. When it opened, he got out and he left me there. I followed at a distance and hailed a taxi as he got into his Range Rover. He drove off and threw me a spiteful look.

  I gave my address to the driver and in a few minutes I was home. I got into the house and I broke down sobbing like my life depended on it.

  What did Tony really want from me? One second he wanted me dead... another second he would die for me?

  I still remembered how he had wedged his car in between me and the truck to save my life. I owed him my life. I was indebted to him. My door bell rang and I hesitated to open. It rang again and I opened it.

  "Cole." I said.

  "Bianca." He responded. "Are you okay? Why are you crying?"

  "Nothing." I said as I stepped out of the way to allow him in.

  He walked in and I observed his towering height and his casual wear.

  He smiled at me and sat down on the couch.

  "Tell me why you are crying." He said.

  I broke down and cried even more and he held me tightly. I just cried continuously until I couldn't anymore. Since the death of the boys, this was the first person to hold me and console me. I narrated what happened with Tony as he listened attentively.

  "Bianca, don't take anything Tony does or says personally. He's just grieving the loss of his sons and his brother."

  I raised my eyes to him and he nodded.

  "Yes, he lost his brother about a week ago. That is why he is in London. Otherwise he would still be clubbing in Abu Dhabi."

  "I didn't hear about it." I said.

  Wayne Bellingerre never even showed any sadness.

  "It was a suicide. Not many people know about it. Keep it to yourself."

  Poor Tony, no wonder he was so moody earlier. He's still grieving.

  "Bianca, take my advice and give Tony his space. When he is ready to let you in, he will but don't push your way in."

>   =================

  Chapter twenty: a new friend

  Bianca's POV

  I woke up at noon the next day and sulked. Cole and I had talked for most of the night and he left later than I had expected. He had to be the nicest guy among Tony's friends. I felt so bad that I hadn't consoled Tony after he lost his brother.

  Cole had helped me with my business plan and even offered me a small loan that I could refund once my soon to be flower shop was up and running. He considered it a small loan but it was a significant sum. Of course to these billionaires it was loose change.

  I got out of bed, showered and dressed. I had received an email from the old lady at the shop. She informed me that she was ready to sell and had even sent the purchase price. I replied back asking her not to sell to anyone else. I would go to the bank and make the transactions necessary to buy the place.

  I was thrilled!

  This is what I needed, a distraction.

  ***

  James Lyons's POV

  I woke up in a very bad mood.

  First thing I did after I got home yesterday was to bang my new girlfriend. Afterwards, I went out clubbing with Ferrer as it was his last day in town. I of course took two girls to a hotel room and we had our own private party.

  I came back at three in the morning and found Hanna by the door of the Bellingerre mansion staring at me spitefully. Of course she went on and on about me being unfaithful and blablabla... I didn't hear most part until she dared drag my Bianca into the conversation. I had given her a piece of my mind. After that I kicked her out.

  I hated clingy women. Only Bianca was allowed

  to be clingy.

  Now I was single again.

  My head was throbbing and I had an epic hangover.

  I got out of bed late in the afternoon and showered. Afterwards I put on my sun glasses and went down stairs for lunch or whatever the kitchen staff had in store. That house was too bloody bright. I met my father on his way out and he stopped to examine me.

  "Lyons you are going down hill." He said to me.

  "Good afternoon to you too." I mumbled as I attempted to walk past him.

  He grabbed my arm and pulled me back. He had a strong arm for a man of his age.

  "Lyons, I just lost a son a week ago. I won't lose you too to your over drinking. Did you drive yourself home last night?"