"W-why is that?" I took a bite without looking at him.
"Because the moment you winked at me I felt something. I just hadn't realized what it was." He sighed. "I don't think you realize just how taken I was with you, even if I hid it under an agreement."
"Oh." I whispered. My eyes were still on my bowl that was now empty.
I saw his hand appear and take my bowl from me. Too soon, he was pulling me to him.
"Doesn't matter now, you’re stuck with me." He laughed and pulled me between his legs, massaging my shoulders as we relaxed in front of the fire.
Our anniversary passed and it was back to our normal routines. I worked three days outside of the house and spent the rest of my time at home with the kids. Loreley had started helping me on occasion when I was at home.
She surprised me one day, showing up unannounced and completely flushed. She looked as if she had been crying although she denied it. I kept pressing for her to talk with me. She simply brushed it off as nothing and that I was overreacting. I wasn't convinced and offered for her to stay at our house for the night.
For some reason I felt as if she were hiding something, but I wasn't sure what exactly it was; however, I also felt that she was worried about something or almost in danger. Aidan didn't even give me a hard time about Loreley staying the night, which I was thankful for.
Things were going so well, too well. I almost felt as if I were waiting for the pin to drop and shatter the cozy, little bubble of wonderful we had created. The twins were healthy and growing with each day. Aidan and I had worked out our schedules to spend as much time together and with the twins as we could. Our families had made more of an effort to see each other. I even had Donald come visit for a week around the twins first birthday, Millie as well. Everything was almost perfect. I should have known then that things were going too good, something was bound to happen.
Six months after the twins turned one, Aidan had a business meeting in Chicago to discuss the possibility of a new merger. He was going to originally send Liam and Henry until he was informed that the CEO requested him personally. I assured him that everything would be fine. I wasn't aware how wrong I would be.
He had been gone for two days when I got a message on my blackberry from Aidan telling me that he would be another day in Chicago. I tried to call him, but only got his voice mail. I started to get worried when after my third call he didn't respond. I called Liam to see if he could get Aidan for me, but found that Liam wasn't with Aidan. I quickly arranged a flight to Chicago and left as soon as I could. Something felt wrong.
When I arrived in Chicago, I got held up at the airport. My arranged car wasn’t there and they had no record of the request. Once they fixed the mix-up, I finally arrived at the hotel and requested that I be shown to Aidan's room. At first, I got some resistance. Fortunately, after I threw some money and my last name around, I was shown the way.
Once they let me in the room, I yelled into the dark room.
"Aidan?" I shouted. "Aidan!?"
"Lilli." I heard him groan. I headed toward the bedroom.
"Aidan, where are..." I opened the door.
"Lilli." He groaned again.
I gasped and started to hyperventilate at the sight in front of me.
He groaned again and grabbed his head firmly. He was naked and he wasn’t alone. Loreley was in bed with him, also very, very naked, with her arm and leg thrown over him.
"Oh God!" I grabbed the wall to steady me and vomited onto the floor.
"Lilli?" He groaned again and then sat up on his elbows. "What the...?" He rubbed his eyes with the base of his palm and looked again at Loreley and then back to me.
I began dry heaving.
"What the fuck is going on?" He yelled and threw Loreley from his body. She mumbled and groaned. I glanced around the room, noticing two empty bottles of champagne on the nightstand.
The red fury began to boil within me.
"Why don't you tell me?! What the fuck did you do?" I shouted.
"Lilli, I swear that I didn't...there...I don't know....please believe me...this..." He stuttered and stumbled on his words as well as on his feet as he tried to approach me.
As he got closer I could see the red fingernail marks on his chest.
"Stay away from me!" I yelled and shook my head in disbelief.
"Lilli, I didn't....I...fuck! I don't know what happened! I was having dinner with the Douriens and then I don't remember anything. I don't even know why or how Loreley is here. I swear that..."
"Just shut up!" I screamed and put my hands over my ears. I didn't realize that anything could hurt so badly.
"Lilli, please!" Aidan cried out, moving toward me.
"Aidan..." Loreley groaned out and stirred in bed.