Chapter 23. CONFESSION TIME
(Ander)
Sienna spent the rest of the afternoon locked in her bedroom. I gave her some space because she clearly needed it, but several hours had passed since we last spoke. I was desperate to talk to her, so I knocked on her door twice. After a few long seconds, she replied, “Come in.”
She was lying on the bed, rolled in a blanket like a human burrito. Her eyes were red, and her lips swollen from crying, which told me that she’d probably spent a large part of the past few hours crying on her own.
“Can I join you?” I asked.
She nodded.
I lay on my side, facing her, and remained silent for a while. I simply observed her. Her eyes were slightly greener, bringing back memories of our childhood when she used to cry at the slightest things, causing her eyes to shift from honey to a greener hue. It always fascinated me. Her perky nose was red on the tip, and her cheeks were covered in dried tears. I reached out and gently traced my thumb along her jawline. Her eyebrows shot up as if she hadn’t expected my gentle gesture.
“I hate seeing you like this. I hate seeing you upset,” I exclaimed.
“Not long ago, you were the one upsetting me. Why do you suddenly care? What has changed?” she asked.
I considered for a moment confessing my true feelings for her and admitting my foolishness in thinking she’d forgotten about our friendship, but something stopped me from doing it. I didn’t know whether it was because of Zayn and Noah or if my fear of her rejection held me back.
“Everything and nothing,” I replied. “Have you been able to rest?” I decided to change the subject.
She moved closer to me, her scent a mixture of vanilla and fresh flowers. It was intoxicating.
“No,” she answered, shaking her head. “But I need to tell you something.”
I remained silent, waiting for her to say whatever she needed to say.
“Before the incident, I was on the phone with Peter. He is the COO at Cos Pharma. He called me to discuss giving the CEO position to one of the candidates with me.”
I wasn’t sure where she was going with this or why she was telling me, but the look on her face told me it was important. “Go on,” I encouraged her to continue.
She took a deep breath before she told me the last thing I expected. “Your father has made himself a candidate for the role. Were you aware of his intentions? I’m only asking because I need to know if our new friendship has anything to do with this.”
Wait, what?
“What do you mean? Do you truly think I knew about this? You’re unbelievable.”
I shifted, attempting to stand, but Sienna grabbed my arm and said, “Please stay. Talk to me.” I was usually the last person my dad would talk to about his business ventures or anything, but I couldn’t contain the hurt in my voice. I guessed that after all the cold treatment Sienna had been receiving from me for the past two months, I shouldn’t really take offense at her words of doubt. But I did.
“I didn’t know, Sienna. I swear.”
“I believe you,” she quickly responded.
“And what did you say to Peter?” My father was a great poker player, and I was sure this meant more to him than just a new business opportunity. I didn’t want to express my concerns to Sienna. I had no proof, but maybe her reappearance in my life wasn’t coincidental. Was he already in conversations with Cos Pharma during Thanksgiving? He probably was, and he’d kept his cards close to his chest this entire time.
“I told him that I needed some time to think about it, but I’ll have to give him a response soon,” she explained.
“Let me talk to him before you make any decisions. I’ll fly to New York this weekend and see if I can find out anything about his true intentions.” It was the least I could do. Cos Pharma was part of Sienna’s inheritance, and the last thing I wanted was for my father to fuck with her father’s legacy. Especially since there was a huge mystery about why he had left the company.
“Thank you, Ander.” Before I could say anything else, she kissed me.
It was just a sweet peck on my lips, but my entire body froze. Before I could even consider returning the kiss, she stood and headed to the bathroom. Sienna left me in her room with a boner and my mind running a hundred miles per hour.
* * *
Zayn came home an hour later and went ballistic when Sienna told him about the stalker. I could see murder in his eyes.
“I swear I’m gonna kill the fucker if they try to lay a hand on you again.” Zayn looked possessed, and I honestly thought he meant what he said.
“I’m looking into hiring private security, but I think I want to join a self-defense class,” Sienna blurted.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes. Every time I’ve faced this psycho, I’ve felt terrified and helpless. I don’t want to feel like this anymore. I want to know that if I ever come face-to-face with them again, I’ll be able to defend myself. Only if it means buying me a couple of seconds to run the fuck away and avoid being attacked.”
Zayn and I looked at each other, and the moment he broke eye contact with me, I knew what he was about to say.
“I’ll teach you.”
“What?” Sienna clearly looked surprised by Zayn’s offer.
“I’m a black/red belt in jujitsu. I can teach you the basics.”
I knew Zayn was a pro. I’d witnessed him in several tournaments where he’d consistently secured the first and second positions. If anyone could teach Sienna some self-defense moves, it would be him.
“I think it’s a great idea,” I added.
I could see Sienna pondering on the offer. She wasn’t aware of Zayn’s abilities on the mat, but he was a skilled motherfucker.
“Okay. Thanks,” she said in a hushed tone.
The doorbell rang, and Zayn stood from the couch and headed toward the door. Seconds later, an angry Noah stormed into the apartment, demanding, “What the hell, Sienna? Why must I learn from Ander that the stalker came after you today?” His face turned red, and the vein in his neck was on the verge of popping. Sienna dropped her eyes to her hands and curled them on her lap.
“I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner, but I’ve been in shock all afternoon and haven’t checked my phone. I don’t even remember where I put it.”
Noah sighed and rubbed his hands over his face.
“Give her a break, Noah. You know she hasn’t done it on purpose,” I responded. He nodded in agreement. His eyes roved over Sienna’s delicate form, and his features softened as he noticed the fear across her face.
Sienna spent the rest of the evening curled on the couch, her head on Noah’s lap while he caressed her hair and her feet on Zayn’s legs. I sat on the opposite sofa, glancing at her occasionally. Since I saw her at the freshers’ party, I hadn’t stopped thinking about her. In the beginning, I was consumed with rage as all the feelings I had once felt for her resurfaced. She’d always lingered on my mind to the point that every time I saw a Jane Austen book or someone mentioning The Notebook or Pride & Prejudice , all I saw was her face. But now, everything was different. I was facing the ghosts of my past, and every minute I spent in her company only fueled my growing desire to get closer to her.
A few Modern Family episodes later, she fell asleep. I wrapped her in my arms and took her to her room, gently settling her into bed. After tucking her in, I kissed her forehead and said, “Sweet dreams, Sienna.”
As I turned to leave, she whispered, “I’ve really missed you.”
Me too, Sienna. Me too.