Tug of Fate | When Stars Align Book one

Liam

Liam

London, September 2017

I wake up with a start. It's the same soft brown eyes. With slight bangs falling into them. The same eyes I have been seeing in my dreams for the last five years, but never more. Just those eyes, that look right into my soul. They wrench everything that's inside me. I don't know who she is, what she is, where she is. But I swear, when I look into those eyes for real in my life, I will do everything in my power to keep her with me.

I check the time on the bedside clock. Ten minutes to four in the morning. Bloody hell. I get up and step in my tracks and jacket. London is pretty comfortable this time of year. So I head out for a run – a practice I haven't broken in the last five years. After seeing my best friend suffer a sudden heart attack and die on the spot, I started taking my health more seriously.

I step out into the crisp morning air and start my stretches. As I am done with those, I start my run. I take a roundabout route from my apartment to the Southbank, step inside the park, finish a circuit there, then head back up on the bridge, down to the Trafalgar, and back to my apartments. The whole circuit takes me 55 minutes.

As I enter the foyer I see Katie standing, ready to step out for her morning run. She is a busty blonde and we fucked in the past. She seemed to have thought that we were exclusive, and I broke that dream of hers pretty soon. But that hasn't stopped her from trying to get into my bed again.

I smile at her, and I see her eyes dilate. Bloody sex addict that she is.

"Hey Liam. Left really early today? Should have woken me up. I would have come with you," her saccharine sweet voice says.

Urgh, gag...don't want. Yeah, my mind hasn't woken up yet

"No problem. Laters," I say to her and hurry to the waiting elevators.

My company did good by finding me an apartment in the most premium address in London. Back in the States, I used to live with Logan, my best friend, the other half of my soul and my brother from another mother, on the Upper East Side. When my company transferred me to London to handle their biggest client, the only request I made to them was for a premium residential location.

It's not that I can't live anywhere else. Seriously. The fact that I wanted to live in a premium location was because these premium locations are also touristy. Looking for my brown eyes has become an obsession. It isn't clear how I know that she isn't American, English or European. But I know, deep in my gut, I know.

A year ago, I had my executive management team offer me relocation to London for three years to oversee our biggest telecom account. I didn't want to leave Logan, as he was dealing with his sister's death at the time. The company knew the reason I hesitated as well. Logan and I have been their star performers and we are both on the fast track to becoming partners in the firm. So when I asked for some time during the meeting, they agreed.

That night I dreamt of my brown eyes and heard a faint British accent in the background. This might as well have been a television in the background. But .. the heart wants what it wants, right? And the heart holds onto any small piece of hope, and latches on to it with all that it's worth. And just like that, my mind was made up. Logan knew, and he understood. We know each other's pain like it is our own. So he knew that I had to come to London and look for her. So here I am.

And just thinking of her eyes suddenly makes me hard and I am breathing heavily. Well damn..this has never happened before..

The elevator door is just about to close, when Katie enters as well. I try to ignore her, but I know this is not going to be a light chat.

"I thought I'd make you breakfast," she says

What the fuck... I don't want breakfast. "Is that so? Do you know how to cook?" I ask with an arched eyebrow.

She smiles and says "well...I know how to eat.", and looks pointedly at my crotch.

Oh damn... she thinks it's for her. Fuck.

Don't get me wrong. Few months back or maybe even yesterday I wouldn't have objected to it. But today, that pull to my brown eyes is just too strong. And as Katie slides closer to me in the elevator, I am filled with dread like I am betraying someone... 

Whoaaaaa where the fuck did that came from!!

This is too much for me to handle. I don't know how to let Katie off gently. I take a deep breath and turn to her to stop her advances. Instead, I end up shoving her off me. I don't even know why that happened. But I can't deal with anyone else right now.

"Don't touch me again, Katie. We had sex. Twice. Casual sex and that's it. We are done. Don't come close to me ever again." I realize I am snarling and my mouth is inches away from hers, and she's shrinking away.

I shake my head, trying to come to my senses. I've never acted like this before. Ever. I look at Katie as the elevator doors open. I am about to offer her an apology when she stands up and stomps off to her house giving me a death glare. Well.... Okay then.

****

Once bathed and ready, I call Logan. I know it's midnight or 2 am back in NY, but he would be awake. He picks up on the second ring.

"Whats up, dog?" He answers.

"Hello to you too. Something weird happened." I tell him

"You found her?"

I sigh. Deeply. "No. I wish. But......"

I tell him about the incident with Katie. I open up and tell him how disgusted I felt with myself when she touched me. How it was like being possessed by someone else for a minute there.

"Well damn.... What do you make of it?"

"I don't know... FUCK! I haven't found her. But the tug keeps getting intense and I think I'm gonna go crazy if I don't find her soon," I confess.

I am beyond frustrated at this point.

"Well .. don't worry. It will work out, soon. I know you said you didn't want to do anything for the Halloween break, but I got us something."

I sit up, intrigued. "what?"

"I bought us a trip to the Gold Coast, Australia. Ten days there, a hike. We spend some time in nature, meet some Shamans, do some shrooms if they have that. I've been trying to find myself of late. Maybe it will help you too."

I sit there....all confused. What the hell happened to Logan? I know he'd been looking into the 'mysteries of the universe' and what not..but... He needs it, and I will be there to support him in this.

"Well sounds like a plan. Gold Coast eh... Let's see where life takes us, Lo."

The clock strikes 7:30 and I get up. "Lo, I gotta go now. So what are the deets? You gonna come here and we travel together, or do we meet there?"

"I will see you in London. I'll be there by the 25th of next month. That won't be an issue, right?"

"I can never understand your tendency of asking silly questions. Just get here!"

He laughs and I disconnect the call. I have a small smile on my face.

Well, maybe this time with Logan is exactly what I need. What we both need.