by Grace Kagni
Just before Liam walked into the room, he watched Milania as she sat on the bed. She was pensive which worried him. Was she happy? Sad? Did something happen to make her worry? He needed to find out.
“Baby Doll, why the worry lines?” he asked, rubbing his finger over her forehead.
“I’m a little worried about tonight. I’ve never been with anyone else but you and I can’t remember the night we spent together.”
“What are you worried about? I’ve told you I’ll be gentle.”
“No, it’s not that. I won’t know what to do,” she felt her cheeks flush from embarrassment.
“Oh, Baby Doll.” He walked to the bed and sat down beside her. “I’ll teach you what you need to know and the rest we’ll learn together. It’ll be the first time for me with you and it makes me a little nervous too.”
She grinned. “It makes you nervous?”
“Yes, of course. I want our first night together to be special,” he said, kissing her gently on the lips.
They kissed a few minutes on the bed and then went down to have something for dinner. While they were having dinner, Dalton called Liam.
“Hey, Dalton.”
“Liam, there’s a piece in the tabloids about you and Milania’s marriage in Las Vegas.”
“You’re joking,” Liam said, getting up to speak to his brother privately. “What does it say?”
“It says that she charmed you into marriage without signing a prenuptial agreement. They made her out to be a person after a man’s wealth. I’m sorry man,” Dalton said.
“How did they get the news so quickly? Was there a picture?” Liam was pacing in his study, trying to figure out what to do.
“No picture but there was a scan of the marriage certificate.”
“The wedding chapel must have sold if for money. I should have seen it coming. Can you send it to me?”
“Yeah, I’m sending it to you as we speak. What do you want to do about it?”
“I’m not sure. I need to figure it out and get back to you.” Liam tried to keep the paparazzi away from Milania but now that the news of their marriage was out, he wouldn’t be able to keep them away.
“Sure, do you want me to call James to let him know or do you want to call him?” Dalton asked.
“I’ll call him and get back to you when I figure out what to do. Thanks, Dalton.”
“No problem. I’m only a phone call away.”
They hung up and Liam called James to let him know what has happened.
“It’s like when Serena and I got married. They don’t give up, do they?” James said.
“No they don’t and now I need to figure out what to do. I will get security around our house and increase it at work in the meantime but how do I keep it from Milania? I don’t want to scare her. She’s not used to this sort of attention.”
“Liam, let me know what I can do. I’ll take care of protection when you come to Italy for the wedding but if I can do something in the meantime, just let me know,” James said.
“Thanks, James. Dalton said the same and I’m sure I can deal with it for now. I’ll call you in a few days.” Liam hung up and walked back to the kitchen to join Milania.
When he stepped out of his study into the hallway, he found her looking out the front window.
“What are you doing, Baby Doll?” he asked.
“There are people out on the street. Has something happened?” she looked out again to see if they were still there.
Liam looked out the same window and felt his stomach knot. The paparazzi reporters were already outside, waiting for a story. “Come away and don’t go outside for now. I’ll call the police.”
“The police?”
“Yes the people won’t go away unless they are told to leave.”
“Why are they here, Liam?”
“You don’t need to worry about it.”
“It’s not what I asked you, Liam. Why are they here?”
“They’re looking for a story,” he said, hoping she would let it go but knowing Milania’s tenacity, he was sure she wouldn’t.
“Why would they be looking for a story?”
“Milania, the tabloids are always looking for a story and a family like ours makes cover page.”
“Okay, so why today?” she asked, understanding there was more to the story than what he was telling her.
“Can we talk about it another time?”
“No, I want to know now.” Her eyes were dark, knowing he was hiding something from her.
“Listen, Baby Doll, you’re going to have to trust me on this. I don’t want to tell you until I know what is going on so please back off.” He could see fury in her eyes as she crossed her arms and he knew he was in for a fight.
“Don’t Baby Doll me, you big brut! If you don’t trust me enough to tell me then you can keep all this…,” she said, waving her arms around at her surroundings. “…and stick it where you know where!” With that, she stormed off upstairs to the bedroom and shut the door with a bang.
He rubbed his face with his hand, knowing she would be angry with him but it was best for the time being. The tabloid magazine needed to retract it’s piece or correct it because there was no way he was going to let the world think she married him for his money.
She stayed in the bedroom for the rest of the evening and was in bed sleeping when he went to bed so he didn’t bother her. Their night had not gone as planned and he was deeply sorry for it.
The next morning, she got up to go to work and did not say a word to Liam. She was ready by the door when he came downstairs and then was silent in the car driving to work.
It was driving Liam crazy and he needed to do something about it. “Please talk to me, Sweet Pea.”
She simply turned her angry face to him without saying anything. She knew he could tell her the truth but he chose not to and that was something she would not tolerate in their marriage. If they couldn’t be honest with each other then the marriage was not complete.
He parked his car in his spot and then they got out. She was out of the car and walking into the building before him so he let her walk away, hoping the day at work would calm her down a little. In the meantime, he would send her some flowers during the morning.
While he was walking into his office, the investigator he’d contacted to find Milania’s friend, Rachael, called. He gave Liam an address and said she was safe and at that location. He thanked the investigator and then went out to the florist around the corner to order two-dozen red roses for Milania. Then he personally wrote a note to deliver with the flowers, telling Milania he was sorry he’d made her angry but he did it to protect her and provided Rachael’s address. He didn’t tell her it belonged to Rachael so he was sure she would wonder what the address was and contact him. It would give him the chance to talk to her.
Then he went back upstairs to his office and called the Miller pilot to tell him they would be traveling to Italy the next day. When he hung up, his assistant walked in to tell him he was late for his meeting so he took the folder she handed him and walked down the hall to the meeting room.
Milania was still distracted by anger after her mid-morning coffee break that she nearly knocked the vase off the desk when she got to her cubicle.
“Someone received flowers,” a colleague said. “Do you have a secret admirer?”
Nobody in the company knew about Liam and Milania so she pretended it was from an ex-boyfriend, trying to get back together.
She smelled the scent of the roses and smiled, knowing she had him on his knees. She opened the note and read.
Baby Doll,
I’m sorry for making you angry but the reason I can’t tell you is because I’m trying to protect you. It has nothing to do with trust – I trust you with my life every night we go to sleep. I have a surprise for you and it’s that I have an address: Via Francesco di Benedetto, 30. Roma.
With all my love, your adoring husband.
Liam
Whose address
is it? The only person Milania knew in Rome was Serena so it couldn’t be hers. She sent him a text message to thank him for the flowers and asked to meet for lunch.
He wrote back to say he was happy she wasn’t angry with him anymore and that she should pass by his office at 12:30 p.m. to go to lunch.
She confirmed the time and got back to work.
The rest of Milania’s morning passed slowly as she wondered whose address it belonged to. She was ready a few minutes before and went to Liam’s office to wait for him. She was too anxious to wait any longer. When she reached his office, his assistant told her he was on a call and to take a seat. Twenty minutes later, she was still waiting and biting her nails when the assistant told Milania that Mr. Miller was free to receive her. So Milania walked in and shut the door behind her.
Liam came to her and pulled her close to kiss her tenderly on the lips. “I don’t like it when you’re angry with me.”
“Who says I’m not still angry with you?”
“Sweet Pea, you wouldn’t let me get close and now you let me kiss you so I would say that I’ve been forgiven,” he said, grinning.
“Forgiven is a very strong word,” she grinned.
“Okay then I’ve been graced.”
“So are you going to tell me whose address you wrote on the note?” She couldn’t wait for the news.
“It belongs to your friend, Rachael Moore,” he smiled, knowing it would award him a gold star.
“Really?” She said, hugging him tight. “How can I contact her? Do you have a telephone number?” She was anxious to know more.
He grinned at her enthusiasm. “Our pilot will take us to Italy tomorrow morning so take the afternoon off and go home to pack.”
“Really? We’re going back to Italy?” Tears suddenly came to her eyes unexpectedly.
“Sweet Pea? Are you not happy?” Liam suddenly felt his heart tearing apart. Was she not pleased?
“Oh, yes. I just didn’t think I’d see Italy again this soon,” she said, covering her face with her hands.
He pulled her to the sofa and sat her down on his lap. “Baby Doll, does it pain you to go back so soon? I can go on my own or I can ask James to go if you prefer. I’m sorry. I never thought it would be painful going back to your country.” He stroked her back as the tears flooded uncontrollably.
“I want to go but I’m afraid it will be painful, remembering what I lost.”
He held her close for a little while and then sat her down on the sofa while he went to his desk phone to call his assistant. He told her he was going out for a while and would be back later in the afternoon. He asked her to cancel all meeting for the afternoon. Then he went back to Milania and pulled her to her feet. “I’m taking you home now to rest.”
They took his private elevator down to the garage and got into his car. On the way home, the tears stopped and she put her hand on his arm while he was driving. “Thank you for being this patient with me.”
“Sweet Pea, you are my world and all I want is to see you happy. We’re almost home,” he said, driving through his gates. There were paparazzi reporters still outside and as soon as they passed through the gates, the security guards kept them away.
“I didn’t notice the guards before. Are they a new feature?”
“Yes, Baby Doll. They’re there to keep us safe.”
She didn’t say another word and knew he was doing his best to protect her. It was in her best interest to trust him so when they reached the house, she got out and reached over for his hand when they walked into the house. “I’m going to lie down a little. I feel like a truck has hit me.”
“Yes, I’ll let Filomena know you’re resting upstairs. Do you want her to bring you something warm?” he asked, kissing her forehead.
“No, I just need to sleep it off. You go back to the office. I’ll be fine,” she kissed him on the lips and started up the steps. She was feeling really tired and needed to lie down.
Liam waited until she reached the top of the stairs before he left to go back to the office. He was pensive on the drive back, wondering if returning to Italy would awaken emotions in Milania that she had worked hard to hide.
Chapter Six
James picked them up the morning they arrived at the airport in Rome and then took them back to Serena’s apartment to rest. He told them he would pass by again in the afternoon to take them to the address where Milania’s friend was staying.
“In the meantime, Serena didn’t feel well enough to meet you this morning but she sends her love and is anxiously waiting to see you when you have a chance to come over,” James said to Milania.
“How is she doing? Is the pregnancy going well?” She was happy her friend was expecting a baby. It was something to look forward to.
“She’s really feeling the morning sickness but the doctor says it’s a good sign,” James smiled.
“Thanks James. What time will you come by in the afternoon?” Liam asked.
“I’ll be by around 4 p.m. Italians don’t go anywhere before that time,” James said.
“I can confirm it,” Milania grinned.
“Okay, we’ll be ready for you at 4 p.m.,” Liam said.
James left, giving Liam and Milania the time to rest and unpack before going to find Rachael. Milania was still tired and needed to lie down so she went to rest while Liam worked a couple of hours on his laptop.
He’d noticed Milania had been sleeping quite a while since they arrived and when he went to see if she was awake, he found she was still sleeping. When he went close, he saw she was sweating but he didn’t disturb her so he went back to his laptop for the rest of the morning.
Liam thought it would be a good idea to get a breath of fresh air so he decided they would go out for lunch. He went back to the bedroom and found her still sleeping. It wasn’t like her so he crouched down by the bed and gently stroked her cheek until she woke up.
“Hey, sleepy head. Are you feeling okay? You’ve been sleeping all morning,” Liam said, feeling her forehead. She was cold but her skin was clammy. “Are you coming down with something?”
She sat up and felt dizzy. “I don’t know. I’m cold and feel dizzy.”
“Maybe some fresh air might do you some good. Do you feel like going out for a walk?” Liam watched as she tried to get out of bed but fell back down onto it as her head was spinning.
“Okay, Baby Doll, you’re not going anywhere. Let me call James for a doctor,” Liam said, placing her under the bed cover.
“No, please don’t disturb James. I’m sure it’ll pass in a little while. Maybe a warm tea could help,” she said, hoping to get better.
“Okay but if you’re not better in a couple of hours, I’ll call James,” he said, going to the kitchen to make her a tea. When he came back, she’d fallen asleep. He placed the tea down on the night table and then kissed her on the forehead before leaving the room.
Liam called a restaurant around the corner to order a soup for Milania and a plate of pasta for himself. He was lucky they spoke English so he told them he would be by in thirty minutes to pick it up. Before leaving, he went to check on Milania who was still sleeping so he slipped out to get the food and felt the warmth of the sunshine. It was a beautiful day in Rome so he thought a little soup and a short walk outside might help Milania feel better.
When he returned to the apartment, Milania was awake and sitting up in bed. She was feeling better so he set the table in the small kitchen and then they sat down to eat.
“You look better. I was worried for a moment that you needed a doctor,” Liam said.
“It must be jet lag mixed with the flu,” she said, sipping the soup. It was soothing to have something warm in her stomach.
“Yes, well after you finish your soup, take a shower and we’ll go out for a walk. It’s a beautiful day and the fresh air will do you good,” Liam said, taking her hand as it rested on the table.
She nodded and slowly finished her soup. She thanked him for it and went off to get wa
shed. After the shower, she felt much better so the walk in town was pleasurable. He was right, the fresh air did her good and she was feeling back to normal when James came to pick them up in the afternoon.
“So you haven’t seen or heard from your friend since the flood?” James asked.
“No, we lost contact and this is the first time I’ve been able to have any news of her.”
“She’ll be happy to see you,” Liam said.
“Yes, I’m sure she will be,” she smiled, thinking about her friend Rachael.
“How did you meet?” Liam asked, wondering.
“Our mothers were really good friends so we grew up together. Her mother was Italian and her father British. He used to speak to us in English. That’s why I am fluent in the language. When my parents died, Rachael’s parents were there for me until I went to university. She lost both her parents a couple of years ago in a terrible accident so she lived on her own in Vernazza. I guess when the flood hit, she lost everything and moved to Rome to find work.” Milania was pensive a moment.
“We’ll soon find out what happened. We’re nearly at the address,” James said.
James drove through Rome traffic to the address and parked the car outside the apartment building. Then they all got out and walked to the building to look for her name on the intercom but didn’t find it.
“Her name is not on the door so how do we find her? Maybe she’s staying with a friend?” Milania asked.
“Baby Doll, we’ll ask the first person who enters or exits the building. Don’t worry, we’ll find her,” Liam said, pulling her into a hug.
As soon as he said that, a woman exited the door. They asked her about Rachael and she said she saw someone with that description on the second floor so they started to buzz the apartments on the second floor until the found the right one. They were buzzed in and they took the elevator to the second floor. Another woman opened the door and let them inside.
“Hello, we’re here to see Rachael Moore. Is she at home?” Milania asked.