LOVING THE DEVIL [02]

Chapter 53.

CHAPTER 53: "she's a—she's a lady and I'm just a boy"

vote and comment

"You're going to knock yourself out." you know what? I wish I could. I sat in the confines of a private bar in which I graced myself in the presence of Owen that evening.

I was drinking a glass of lemonade actually.

There was no way it could knock me out cold, but I resorted to drinking it when it was the first drink I'd thought of at the top of my head.

I'd ignored Owen's statement as he continued to ramble on with his own drink in his hand, "I've grown to tolerate you, Liam, but you can't just be a miserable grump because of current circumstances."

See? He always had something to say. Still, I continued to ignore him, taking a sip from my own drink. Owen scoffed slightly as he downed his drink in one go.

Since Summer Harrington's show debuted, I'd endlessly called and texted Cassidy to which she never picked up or saw my messages. I visited her work and she wasn't there nor was she at her father's estate. When I finally got word on where she was, she insisted on wanting to be alone. It stung when she pushed me away, but was I too shocked? She'd worked alone her whole life and it has always been just her and herself alone. Growing up, I bet she must've relied on herself for everything and that must've been tough on her.

It wasn't fair to see her get treated the way she was, but even then, she held her head high and her dignity was unscathed.

I could tell it hit her hard, though and I watched the show myself. It was only the first episode, but already whenever I heard anything remotely of it, I had to resist throwing something at the screen.

Now I was stuck at a bar, resorting to small talk with Owen to pass the time and avoid throwing myself into a hellhole. The last time I even stepped foot near a bar...was months ago. It was a small gathering amongst me and a few businessmen, but I never touched the stuff. It became incredibly easy to forget it existed—even more forgettable when I met Cassidy.

I had something in my life that brought purpose, someone who could keep me grounded and she helped in allowing me to remember everything I had to lose if I ended up in that dark place again.

I never asked her to stay, but I think she knew that was all she needed to do and I would be okay. For her to willingly support me despite her own troubles and the possible hardship of it made me feel...good about myself.

It was something I felt inspired by.

"How's Andrew, Liam? I heard retirement's making him restless." I chuckled lightly at that and shook my head, "he must be getting bored; he relied on work to keep him interested."

Andrew often called me enough times whilst I was here and he almost always had a drink in his hand or Laura nagging him in the background. He must've been driving her crazy now he spent more time at the estate much to Laura's dismay.