by Emma Vikes
“Need the money?” I repeated, looking at him with furrowed eyebrows. “What for?”
But before Leo could explain, Maddock’s voice filled the room. I turned around and saw him standing in the middle of the crowd, a microphone in hand. He began to address everyone in the room, joking around and complimenting the wonderful photographs that joined his to be viewed by the audience. He stated that before the auction could happen, there would be a big announcement first.
“The man who photographed The Girl in an Orange Dress, Mr. Leo Hudson. He used to work with us,” there was a brief paused as Maddock scanned the crowd for Leo and he finally found us, standing where he left us, “and as you can see, this young man has talent that knows no bounds. We don’t normally let go of someone as talented and skilled as Leo but circumstances had needed him to leave but now, now we are happy- I am more than happy- to announce that Leo Hudson will be back on our team and will crusade the Eastern part of the world with us, taking photographs for the National Geographic again.”
The applaud from the crowd was deafening but all I could hear was my heart- the heart that was hastily glued back together for the sake of my son- shattering all over again. In fragments, in pieces, tiny shards of a broken heart.
I looked at Leo and his face was painted with shock. He was always such a good actor. His eyes fell on me and it was as if everything clicked in his mind. “Ellie, it’s not what you-,”
“At least this time I know you’re leaving,” I whispered, just in time for a bunch of people to crowd over him to offer congratulations. The crowd had eaten him up so slowly, I slipped away.
CHAPTER 18
Leo
It was as if the crowd had swallowed me whole. People crowded over me, congratulating me and asking me so many questions all at once that it felt like I was drowning. I tried to slip away from there, my eyes darting everywhere to look for a particular brunette but I couldn’t seem to find Eleanor anywhere. My heart raced against my chest, thumping wildly, my body felt the dread and I wanted to dig a whole where I stood and hoped that it would lead me to where Eleanor was so I could explain that what Maddock said was entirely a lie.
The fucking scumbag, Maddock.
“Aye! The man of the hour!” Maddock cheered, parting the crow. My eyes narrowed to slits and without thinking I lunged at him. The crowd gasps but Maddock raised a hand and motioned for them to leave and slowly, everyone surrounding us dispersed one by one.
But Maddock seemed unfazed, humor dancing in his eyes. “I told you that I’m not coming back to your team, Steve.”
He pondered for a moment and shook his head. “It’s not like you don’t want to, Leo. Don’t you miss it? The freedom that it brings? The places that you’ll see. It was exhilarating, addicting even. There were certain things that you had to weigh so I made the decision for you. You’re welcome.”
“You think I’m thankful that you did? You didn’t have the right to do that, Steve!” I stepped closer to him, glaring, the anger surging within me that I had so much trouble trying to tamper it down, knowing that we were in a public space and the last thing I needed was to make front-page news. “I’m not going back, Steve. My life is here in Irving. My career will be here too.”
“Aren’t you having issues with that studio of yours? Think about it, Leo. Just a couple more years with us and then you can have the biggest studio company in the city! With the right sponsors and without any issues with money-,”
I was already shaking my head. “I came here exactly for those things, Steve. I did this gallery for that studio, you know that, and that was all it was supposed to be. To announce that and to invite Eleanor here...”
Maddock smirked and crossed his arms. “So she’s holding you back, eh? You know what they say. If she really loves you, she wouldn’t hesitate on letting you go and grow.”
I scoffed and then I was right on his face, glaring at him. “Don’t make any comments about us when you don’t know a thing about our relationship. And you know what? I’m done here. You can auction off my pieces, I don’t fucking care. Do whatever you want.”
I began to stalk off, regretting the very moment that I allowed myself to be a part of this mess, regretting the fact that I never told Eleanor. I should’ve but I let my pride and ego get in the way, not wanting to admit to her that I was having trouble with the business that I was putting up, not wanting her to think that I was incapable of starting my own business, of taking control of the reigns of my career.
But it was stupid of me to think that Eleanor would think less of me if she knew. She would’ve helped. She would’ve thought of ways- better ways- for me to reach the terms that the seller had. And she deserved to know why I had been so incredibly busy last few days, why we’d barely seen each other. She deserved to know because that was what I promised her, that this was going to be real this time, I wanted to make sure that I deserved that second chance.
I rushed to my car, ignoring everyone calling my name. I could sue Maddock for spreading fake news but I didn’t really want to go there. I knew that I would have to talk to the big bosses because of his announcement and tell them that I never agreed on anything. Good thing that I didn’t even sign a contract yet, even before the gallery because Maddock actually presented me one, telling me that it was just a confidential agreement regarding the gallery. But I always knew Maddock was sly. Had I signed it, I had a feeling that would be roped into something else entirely.
Eleanor’s car was already parked in the driveway when I arrived. I had a feeling that the door was locked and although I had a key, I knew it wouldn’t be fair to let myself in, knowing that Eleanor arrived hurt because of that stupid announcement that Maddock made. So instead of barging in her house and pleading for forgiveness and a chance to explain, I cautiously approached her front door and knocked.
“Ellie, let me in.”
There was silence on the other side and I could hear shuffling and then came a muffled reply, “Aren’t you supposed to stay for the auction? And what about an after party? I’m sure you’ve missed being a part of those things. Or maybe you don’t need to be in one tonight because you could attend the ones to come.”
I sighed and rested my head against the hardwood door. “I had no idea about that announcement.”
“Didn’t he offer you?”
My hand grazed the door, palm splayed flat on the hard surface. “He did and I said no.”
I heard the knob turn so I stepped aside, letting her open the door. Her tears had smudged her makeup, her hair was now stubbornly tied in a messy bun. “Say that straight to my face so I know that you’re not lying.”
Unconsciously, my hand reached out to touch her face but she took a step back, her eyes cold and hard, reminding me of the day we met again after seven years. “Maddock offered me my spot back. I told him I didn’t want it. He asked me to do the gallery with him. Initially, I didn’t want to but circumstances forced me to.”
“What do you mean by that?”
I let out a shaky breath. “The studio that I was planning to buy, I had a bit of a trouble with the seller. I’d sent a down-payment for it but then they declined, wanting the payment to be made full. I didn’t have that amount which is why I didn’t decline any bookings and shoots this month and I remembered Maddock’s offer.
“I knew that I would get sponsors from it and having sponsors meant that it’d be easier to start the business. And aside from that, I was desperate to find the money because of the issue with the seller,” I ran a hand through my hair, unsure of how I was meant to really explain everything to her, “I’m sorry, Ellie. It was stupid of me not to tell you the moment that I found out about the issue with the studio and when Maddock asked to meet with me.”
Eleanor could only stare at me, her golden eyes held the same uncertainty that reflected what she must’ve felt inside. “I took a risk on you, Leo, when every rational cell in my body told me not to. Granted, nothing is official between the two of us, that my heart is
prepared to be broken because hell, you’re Leo Hudson. You broke my heart once. You could do it again.”
Her voice was so quiet, almost a whisper and she looked at me, trying her best to hold back her tears, the disappointment so crystal clear in the gold eyes that I’d fallen in love with. “You broke my heart once. I still gave it back to you, trusting you not to break it all over again.”
I took a step closer to her, expecting her to take a step back but she didn’t. She stood still, looking at me levelly. “I meant what I said, all of it. I love you, Ellie, and I lost you once and I was a fool afraid of love, a coward. I’m not going to lose you again, Ellie. I refuse to lose you again.”
She stared at me and I could see her contemplating my words. “How can I be certain that I can trust you?”
“I don’t know,” I whispered, feeling defeated. I reached out for her hand and wrapped them in mine and then slowly, I placed her hand over my heart, “all I know, is that this heart is yours, Eleanor, always and forever.”
Her eyes glistened with tears and then she placed a hand on my face, her thumb grazing my cheek. “I should hate you for a million and one things, number one is for breaking my heart but the truth is, I can only hate you for one.”
I placed a hand on top of hers, waiting for her to continue. Eleanor hastily wiped away a stray tear and looked at me with a melancholic smile. “I hate how I can never un-love you, despite all the heartbreak that you put me through.”
I couldn’t help it, I let out a small laugh and then pulled her in my arms, my mouth crashing against hers. Eleanor let out a tiny gasp and a small giggle and the two of us toppled inside the house. It was then that the atmosphere suddenly shifted, the air heavy with the passion that was residing in our hearts as Eleanor took a tentative step closer to me, her gold eyes focused solely on mine. Her lips grazed mine lightly, her nails threading the back of my neck lightly, making me shiver under her touch.
“Make love to me, Leo?” she whispered the question to me, her voice low and quiet and I swallowed, my stomach coiling with the intensity of my feelings for her. Without a word, I kissed her lips gently, slowly, and then lifted her in my arms, carrying her upstairs, my eyes locked with hers. I opened her bedroom door and laid Eleanor on her bed.
Our eyes continued to lock with each other as she sat up and I removed my suit jacket and her hands were firmly on the buttons of my shirts, unbuttoning each one in a measured pace, her gold eyes still fixed on my gray ones, as if she was afraid that I might dissolve and disappear in front of her. Her hands splayed flat on my bare torso, fingers grazing my abs and then she leaned over and licked them and my eyes shut tight, my erection hardening even more at the feel of her tongue on my body.
“Jesus, Eleanor,” I mumbled, holding her by the shoulders and then kneeling in front of her, “you said make love. You’re making me want to fuck you hard and rough.”
She let out a breathless laugh and then I fake lunged at her, making her laugh harder. I chuckled and then pulled her up, turning her around so I could unzip her dress, slowly, measuredly, making her shiver as my fingers grazed her skin. She let out a shaky breath as her dress dropped on the ground, revealing that she was only in her panties.
I tilted my head to the side, marvelling at the beauty of her body. It wasn’t as if this was the first time but we were always rushing, always in a hurry to be one that I tended to forget the beauty that was Eleanor’s body. My eyes drifted to the marks below her stomach and I grazed it, tentatively, waiting for her to react.
She flinched, her eyes shut closed and backed away. Her hand flew to that area and she shook her head. “Seven years and it still hasn’t really healed so please don’t.”
Without a word, I knelt in front of her, my face right on the scars and then I kissed them, softly, gently and looked up at Eleanor. “They’re a part of you and every inch of you is beautiful, Ellie. I love you, let me show you just how much.”
Her eyes closed as I began kissing every inch of her skin, nibbling gently on some parts, making her arc her body, folding it against mine when I reached her breasts, my thumb and forefinger playing with one nipple while my mouth sucked on the other. Eleanor let out a low moan, her fingers lacing through my shortened hair and then she stopped me, bringing my face up for her to see.
She traced the outline of my face with her hand lazily and a small, shy smile spread on her lips. “You’re too beautiful, Leo Hudson, should I trust you?”
The way she said it made me smile, the words echoing what I told her the first time that we had sex, the first time that I was inside of her. “Do you want to?”
Eleanor tilted her head to the side and then gently lifted her head up, placing a ghost of a kiss on my lips. There was a split-second flash of uncertainty in her eyes but then it was filled with love and passion and the unyielding desire to be with me. “In every way.”
I leaned down and kissed her lips, guiding her mouth in the familiar dance that we’d always known and our bodies had never forgotten. I unbuckled my pants and threw it hastily on the floor, her panty following after. I kissed the insides of her thighs and moved up, blowing a hot breath to her core and Eleanor gasped, her hand reaching for my hair, tugging me gently. I crawled back on top of her, kissing my way up.
Positioning myself at her entrance, I pushed myself in, slowly, wanting to savor the feel of her tightness around my hard cock. My eyes were shut closed as I relished the sensation and she moaned beneath me, her nails digging on my arms as I began to move. It took her a moment before she met me in the measured pace that I’d set.
I leaned down, my lips against her ears as I whispered to her over and over again everything that I loved about her, recounting the very first time that I’d seen her up until this very moment, as I continued to move on top of her in a measured pace. Eleanor clung to me, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck and then I felt a shiver pass her body and she reached her climax and soon after, I followed.
I pulled out of her, spent and sweating as I laid on my back, staring at the ceiling. Eleanor moved a moment later and then she hoisted her head up with her hand, gazing up at me. “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
I looked at her and smiled sheepishly, shaking my head. “I had some sponsors wanting to meet with me probably within the next days but that’s it. I also worked my ass off in the past few days just so I could reach the amount but it’s still not enough. That’s just about it. You?”
Eleanor stared at me, her gold eyes contemplating and then she bit her bottom lip, smiled slightly and shook her head. “Nothing.”
I reached for her hand and brought it to my lips. “No more secrets, I promise.”
CHAPTER 19
Eleanor
I woke up feeling slightly sore, the sunlight directly slipping into my room because I forgot to pull them close last night so my eyes remained closed. With a groan, I moved, expecting my body to collide with his, expecting my limbs to tangle with his but I rolled to the side, colliding with nothing. For a moment, my heart began to race, the fear slowly numbing my body.
And then slowly, my heart sank as it dawned on me that Leo had left again, that maybe he had lied last night and he didn’t mean anything he said and just wanted to sleep with me one more time. I let out a humourless laugh. “Expectations lead to heartache, Eleanor, you’ve known that from the beginning when you danced with the devil for the second time again.”
I wrapped the blanket around me and headed to the bathroom, peed and then brushed my teeth, tied my hair in a messy knot on top of my head and then slipped on my robe. I wanted to make myself busy with my morning routine so I didn’t have to dwell on the fact that Leo left me for the second time around, choosing his career over the passionate love affair we had.
I hate how I can never un-love you, despite all the heartbreak that you put me through.
My eyes fluttered close, the annoyance seeping through me from the edge of my toes and right into the core of my heart. But to be hon
est, it wasn’t merely an annoyance but rather, heartbreak concealed in one. A part of me didn’t want to admit that for the second time around, Leo Hudson broke my heart and I let him. Worst of all, I was more aware that he would not be this time around too, yet I still risked my heart for the smallest probability that he had really changed.
Disheartened, I began to make my way downstairs, ready for a cup of coffee and any kind of morning routine that would distract me from the pulsing pain in my heart. But I stopped dead in my tracks the moment I reached the last step. The sweet smell of waffles floated around downstairs and I could just imagine dousing them with sickeningly sweeter syrup, the sweet-tooth in me reeling and relishing at the thought.
That wasn’t what ultimately led me in a hurry to the kitchen though. Surely, Jared wouldn’t be back until later, for Max’s game. And my Mom didn’t have a key to the house and Jared left his with me. There was only one other person who had one but he had spent the night with me too. I stood rooted at the foot of the entrance to the kitchen as I watched him as he tried to listen closely and follow a YouTube video. He had Bluetooth headphones on his head and he didn’t hear me wake up or come in.
But he was right there. Leo Hudson- in only an apron covering his body- trying in vain to make breakfast.
He paused and then looked up, his gray eyes brightening at the sight of me and I felt a sudden whoosh inside of me, my crumbling heart brought back together at the mere sight of the cute smile on his face, the shy, small one that always made me think was reserved solely for me. Quickly, he turned off the stove and then sauntered towards me and as he stepped closer, I noticed that he was lightly doused with the mixture he made for the waffles.
Leo leaned down and pecked me gently on the lips, oblivious of the storm of emotions going inside of me. “Good morning. I thought you’d wake up first and surprise me with a blow job but you were snoring so loud you ended up waking me up.”