by M. Skye
Turning to look at her mother, Draya couldn’t hold her peace. “What about you? Why are you giving up your love story?”
“I still love Dad; I always will. He and you kids are my love story. I just wasn’t his.”
Taking a step back, Draya shook her head in disbelief. “He loves you. I see it when he looks at you.”
“Not enough.”
Grabbing her hands, Draya gave her a gentle squeeze and saw tears glistening in her mother’s eyes. Trying to look away, Caroline dipped her head only to have Draya catch it. “Mom? What happened?”
Before she could answer, Liam and Andrew walked up, placing drinks in their hands. Brittney and Rico were on their tail. Wanting to finish her conversation, but knowing it was the wrong time, Draya looked to Liam and he put his arm around her shoulder.
Leaning to her ear, he whispered and she just looked straight ahead. “You okay?”
Giving him a fake smile, she nodded her head and grabbed his hand. “Liam, I want you to formally meet my mother, Caroline.” Watching them embrace, Draya saw the sadness in her mother’s eyes and wondered why she looked so defeated. Just minutes earlier she was preaching about love stories and not hesitating and now, she was almost in tears. Trying to think of a way to get her mother alone, Draya looked to Liam and he nodded his head toward a vacant corner.
“Excuse us,” he smiled. “I need to steal her away for just a second.” Taking her arm and walking away for a little more privacy, Liam ran his hands down her arms and pulled her closer. “What’s going on, babe? Why do you look so upset?” Letting out a sigh, she kept her eyes trained on her mother. “I know there is a party going on, but babe, I’m standing right here. What’s going on?”
Snapping out of her thoughts, Draya turned to see his concerned face. “What? Oh, I’m sorry. I was jut looking at my mother. She seems sad about something and I’m worried about her. Did she seem weird to you?”
“No,” he turned to look at her, “but I don’t know her as well as you do. What were you discussing?”
“My dad. I was talking about us and wondering if we’re...” Thinking about what she was about to admit, she stopped her statement, but it was too late. She had already piqued his interest.
“Wondering if we what?” Running his hand across her chin, he lifted her sparkling eyes to his. “Cat got your tongue?”
“If we’re moving too fast,” she uttered. “I know how rushing into things can be and now we’re involving our families. Is it too much pressure?”
“I certainly hope not. I just asked your dad for your hand in marriage and he just agreed.” Bucking her eyes, Draya took a deep breath and saw his brilliant smile appear. Smiling back, she swatted at him and he chuckled lightly. “Now there is that smile I’m crazy about.” Grabbing her arms and turning her to face the crowd, he pulled her against him. “Stop being so serious. Meeting each other’s families doesn’t mean we’re getting married next week or anything. I just want you to see who is important to me and vice versa. Your parents are cool and I’m having fun, but I want you to feel comfortable around my family too. I just I wanted you to have at least one person in my world to identify with, that’s all.”
“That’s all?”
“Yes,” he nodded, “unless that marriage thing is still on the table. I hear honeymoon nights are pretty damn hot.” Squeezing his hand, she heard him let out a yelp. “I’m joking, really, I am. I just wanted to see you smile and help you relax. This is a party, it should be fun. Things are going so well.”
“Maybe they are,” she nodded with a smile. Wrapped in Liam’s embrace, Draya felt like the weight of the world was lifted from her shoulders. He had a way of making her feel light and she felt like she was just the opposite for him.
In the time she had known him, he had all but told her he was a free spirit. Between the jokes from Will and the subtle references he made to never being in a committed relationship, she knew this was the closest he had come to being in an actual couple. Knowing all of this, gave Draya pause, but she couldn’t stop herself from wanting more. She wanted to be with someone she could believe in; she just hoped Liam was that guy.
“You spacing on me?” He kissed her cheek. “Am I that boring?”
“No,” she blushed, “I’m just thinking.”
“About?” When she didn’t answer, he just sighed and leaned to her neck. “It’s okay to tell me. I’m not going to cry if you admit what’s bothering you.”
“Who said I was bothered?”
“Your actions. We’re at a party, our party, and you’re acting like you’re afraid something is going to go wrong.”
“Well, can you blame me? Lately...”
“Shh,” he placed his fingers to her lips. “None of that stalker business. You haven’t had any incidents since the flowers and that was weeks ago. Maybe they gave up and found someone new to screw with. Maybe they see that you have this handsome new man on your arm that won’t put up with any mess. Who knows?”
Turning and wrapping her arms around his neck, she let out a silly laugh and he joined in. “You are so full of yourself, but thank you.”
“For what?”
“For making me feel better. I feel like I’m always so serious and you help with that. You’ve made me see that life can be fun too.”
“Your life with me is always going to be fun. I’ll make you laugh every day until the end of time if that’s what you need.” Feeling a nervousness sweep over her, Draya dropped her head and he caught it, looking away as well. She knew he wasn’t the most comfortable with sentiment, but he seemed to be giving her more and more with each passing day.
Draya and Liam walked back to the group after minutes away and no one brought up their absence. It was as if they were all trying to act like nothing happened, but every now and then, Draya would catch her mother staring at her questioningly and wonder what it was all about. This whole scene with them was confusing for Draya. Here her parents were, in the same room, getting along famously, but her mother swore her father didn’t love her or respect their marriage; it was all very strange.
After hours of shaking hands and meeting new people raving about the restaurant, Rico and Draya were pleased to be shutting it down. Only a few people were lingering, mostly staff and their friends, so they all took to the bar, deeming the evening a success.
“That was some night. It was good, though,” Liam sighed, standing behind Draya. “It was really cool seeing it all come together, but I can’t say I could do this every night.”
Scanning the room, Draya nodded her head and gave a brief smile. As quickly as it came, it went away. “It was a good night...”
“What?” Watching him look across the room, Draya could feel his pulse speeding up. “What in the hell is he doing here?” While Draya tried to stop the scene she knew was about to pop off, someone else had beaten Liam to the punch, literally.
Screaming as she saw the scene unfold, Draya watched everything come unraveled around her. As soon as her father caught a glimpse of Damien, he swung and Rico was there to pull them apart. While Austin had stepped in to try and defuse the situation, Brittney and Caroline just stood by watching.
As if in a bad movie scene, the room went silent. Brittney began to usher the remaining people out along with the help of Ashton, who had finally made her grand appearance. After minutes of silence and waiting for the people to clear out, Draya held her hand up; trying to figure out what had gone wrong. As far as she knew, her father and Damien were friends. They had spent so much time together when she was younger.
“Dad?” Draya questioned, witnessing the angry look on his face. “What’s going on here?”
“Get his worthless ass away from me or it won’t be his face I bust open, it will be his ass.” Both Draya and Ashton were taken aback. They had never heard their father speak this way, let alone in public.
“This is not the place Andrew,” Caroline pleaded.
“Isn’t it, though? Everyone here knows what this
ass has been doing. He touched my baby girl and now has the audacity to walk in here like things are all good.” Trying to fight through Rico and Austin’s restraint, Andrew lunged towards Damien. “I should have killed you when I had the chance.”
As much as Draya wanted to pretend this was all about her, she knew there was more to their feud. Thinking back on the time right before they moved, she remembered something she thought was a dream, but now it all made sense to her; everything did. What her mother said earlier, it took on a new meaning and Draya stepped back, letting out a loud gasp.
“You slept with her,” Draya hissed quietly.
“What?” Liam asked quietly.
“He slept with her. When I was younger, my dad, he slept with Deena. I remember it. I thought I made it up.”
“Finally, she gets it,” Damien laughed, further enraging Andrew. “An eye for an eye, I say.”
“Bastard,” Andrew yelled, trying to get to him by any means necessary. “Your wife was a willing participant. Everyone has had that whore, but putting your hands on my baby just cost you your life. I don’t care how and I don’t care when, I’m going to kill you. They can’t protect you forever.”
“And you can’t protect your daughter forever.” Giving him a wicked smile, Damien cocked his head back and Rico snatched him by his collar. “I had my way with her. I made her feel things no other man ever will and I know she will never forget me. I’m always going to be in here,” he tapped his head. “It’s hard to forget your first.”
Sliding down in Liam’s arms, Draya felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She had never been more embarrassed in her entire life. Damien had aired everything about their relationship out for her parents and Liam to hear. She couldn’t begin to describe the feelings coursing through her. All she knew was if there were any lingering feelings for Damien, they had all just vanished. Now, she was out for blood, his blood.
Watching Rico and Austin toss Damien out of the restaurant, Draya crossed her arms and turned away from the group. Wiping her teary eyes, she turned back to be greeted by Liam’s concerned face. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” she answered quickly.
Walking over to her father, she stood and looked for a second before extending her hand, slapping his face. Hearing the loud gasps in the room, she turned on her heels and heard him call out to her. “What in the hell has gotten into you? You don’t slap your father.”
Walking to stand square in his face, she crossed her arms. “How dare you? Don’t stand here acting all high and mighty after what you did. Yes, I made my mistakes, but this all started with you. He came after me because of you, and for as well as I know Mom, I know she never put you in your place over it. I slapped you because she’s too much of a lady to do it herself, and I, on the other hand, am already a hoe.”
“I didn’t—”
“It’s what you think of me. Why else would you have come here and sent Mom here to watch me? This wasn’t about loving me. This was about making sure I didn’t make you look bad. Well, news flash, you look just as bad as I do.”
“Draya, you just don’t understand. Let me talk to you, baby. It will all make sense after I explain.”
“Save it,” she snapped. “I don’t want to hear a word out of your mouth, Dad.”
Grabbing Liam’s hand, she turned on her heels and was stopped by Caroline stepping in front of her. “Baby, don’t run. We’re not upset with you. I didn’t come here to watch you. I came because I miss you. I want to be closer to my home and my child.”
Offering a gentle smile, Draya touched her face and tilted her head. “If only that were true. Stop letting him think for you. You’re going to miss your love story that way.”
Smiling at her words, Caroline took her hand and kissed it, closing her eyes. “Don’t let that man stand in the way of you and your father having a relationship. When he found out what was going on, he was livid and wanted to defend your honor. Don’t take that away from him.”
“Mom, it’s time I defended my own honor. I’m a grown woman. You two can’t fix my messes.”
“We can try.”
Giving her a hug, Draya turned to look at her father and saw how miserable he looked. “Fix yourself first.” Nodding her head towards Andrew, she pushed her mother in his direction, but something about this whole thing was nagging at her. She had been careful to keep all of this from them. She wanted to know how they found out. “Mom?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“How did you know?”
Digging through her purse, she pulled out a picture and card, and Draya’s heart skipped a beat. She knew the handwriting. It had been on all the cards that were attached to the flowers she had gotten. Studying it carefully, Draya balled it up and threw it to the ground, walking away.
Grabbing Liam’s hand, she said her goodbyes and the room was left silent. Whoever was messing with her had brought her family into it, and now that she knew their history, she had no doubt it was Deena. She had to be adding the notes and pictures to the flowers before they went out, because she knew Damien’s handwriting anywhere and there was no way in hell he was the one to tell. Even he wasn’t that stupid. Now, she was going to take pleasure in making that bitch squirm. She was about to make a move she would never see coming. Game on bitch.
Stepping out of the door, Draya was determined as ever to land Deena on her ass. She didn’t know how or what she was going to do, but she was going to make sure Deena paid for everything she had done. Just as they approached Liam’s car, she saw the headlights. They were coming at her fast and bright, and while her mind was in another place, all she could hear were Liam’s frantic screams of her name. Feeling his hand gripping hers, she felt indescribable pain and then she passed out. Lying in a puddle of water in the parking lot, both Draya and Liam were out cold under the blinking sign of her restaurant with blood draining between them.
Coming Soon
A Kiss Before Lying 2.