50 Shades of Drake 1 and 2

50SOD II: Chapter One Hundred One

    "Are you sure you're okay?"

    "Yeah, Mom, I'm fine." Lie number one.

    "Aubrey better be taking good care of you. I miss you, honey."

    "He is. We're so happy." Lie number two.

    By the time Destiny had finally gotten her mother off the phone, she'd lost track of the lies she'd told. She sat on Brian's living room couch with one leg crossed over the other, staring at her phone. Her fingers itched to put a call in to Aubrey, even after he'd dropped the bomb on her that he couldn't have children. It was a relief he'd told her that it would be okay for her to slack for the rest of the day, because that's exactly what she'd done. Try as she might, she hadn't been able to focus on work.

    As he'd told her, the white Range Rover she'd become accustomed to driving was delivered to Brian's driveway. She'd halfway expected Aubrey to drive the car over himself; he hadn't. After what he'd told her, she wasn't quite ready to see him anyway. For the better part of the day, she'd been pissed off at him for not telling her about the vasectomy. But then she had to remind herself that he told her early on that he didn't want to have children. Since that was the case, whether or not he had a vasectomy didn't quite matter; in his mind, he didn't want to have children and a vasectomy was a way to ensure that he wouldn't.

    That means that the little pooch that I have now is just me gaining weight, she thought with a scowl. And I don't even know how that's possible, since half the time I was eating salads. Sure, there were nights when we had pasta and bread, but still. It was easy for her to worry about the weight gain...easier than worrying about her future with Aubrey and whether or not there was one. And I feel so selfish, worrying about my relationship problems, when someone was killed. Someone died and I'm sad about the fact that Aubrey can't have children. How fucked up is that?

    The front door to the house opened and closed. That would be Brian, who'd put in a late night at the office. He'd checked in on her two more times before she left for the day. She had assured him that she was okay. Lies. All lies. She was far from okay, but didn't want to cry her woe is me story to everyone who asked how she was doing.

    Brian peeked into the living room. "Hey, there."

    "Hi."

    "I can tell you want time to yourself, so I'm not going to bug ya."

    "Actually, I could use the company."

    A look of surprised crossed his face. "Oh. In that case, just let me get changed." He returned ten minutes later wearing a t-shirt and gray sweatpants - clothes nearly identical to the ones she'd thrown on when she got to his house. "Are you watching anything good?" he asked, gesturing towards the television.

    She'd almost forgotten the television was on. It was currently tuned into a reality show. Whether it was Love & Hop Hop or Basketball Wives, she couldn't tell which.

    He scratched his head while looking at the screen. "You watch this?"

    She laughed. "No...I was going to watch TV, and then I just...didn't."

    He glanced down at her and sat down next to her. "I got Aubrey's text warning me that you would be out of the office for awhile. Did something happen?"

    "Aubrey got a call stating that a body was found in one of his condo units," she told him. "The unit that Carlos was staying in."

    Brian's eyes grew wide. "What?"

    "We both thought that it was Carlos. But...it wasn't. It was some other guy, a guy who works for the condo building."

    "Carlos is okay then?"

    She shrugged. "I don't know. He won't answer my calls. I don't know where he is."

    Brian ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck."

    "Yeah. Now more than ever, Aubrey wants me to stay away from him."

    "Someone was killed in his building. He has a good reason to, now."

    "Yeah." She ducked her head down low.

    "And...how are you feeling? Are you still feeling sick?"

    "I'm not pregnant, if that's what you're wondering," she told him flatly.

    "I didn't...I was just asking..." He stopped himself and turned his head. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

    She shrugged. "I'm fine. I'm just...over it. I'm over everything. I'm scared and I'm heartbroken and I'm just...tired. Of everything that's going on right now. I wish I could rewind time so that I could make sure that stupid fucking article was never written."

    "Everything that is happening isn't your fault."

    "But everything that is happening is because of an article I wrote," she argued. "It would be easier on everyone if I'd never written it."

    He sighed and slid an arm around her shoulders. "Hey...everything will work out. You and Aubrey will get through this. It's tough right now...and scary as hell, I admit. But I'm glad he was smart enough to get you out of that building."

    "I just wish he would get out of the building," she muttered. "If someone died in there, he should say somewhere else, too." She groaned in frustration. "He's talking about hiring all of these security guys. I don't know why he won't just go away with me somewhere. Away from all of this."

    "He runs a company that is getting some major heat thrown its way," Brian explained. "That company has stockholders he has to answer to, and it wouldn't be a good look for him to go running off on a vacation with his girlfriend right now. Not to mention the fact that he's probably also concerned about his family and friends, with Palmer's psycho ass out on the loose."

    I've been so focused on my own pain and heartbreak, I didn't even pause to think about his family and his friends. He mentioned hiring security for them, but I didn't stop to think about just how scared he is for them. All of the people around him are at risk, not just me. But I've made this entire situation about me and my feelings. She shook her head and leaned into Brian.

    "Just...give it time. Continue to go to work. Relax here, chill with me for a bit. Before you know it, things will be back to normal."

    She frowned and pressed trembling fingers to both temples. "Stop it."

    "Stop what?"

    "Stop being so good to me."

    His brows drew together. "I...don't know how else to be."

    She rolled her eyes and looked away from him. Leaning against him felt good. Better than it should have. He felt solid. Firm. With his arm around her, she felt protected. She wished that it was Aubrey's arm around her, but this was real life and not everyone got what they wanted. The arm around her belonged to Brian: an attractive, funny, sweet man who had feelings for her but was trying to comfort her by telling her that things would be okay between her and the man she loved. She glanced around the living room, remembering their conversation about why he lived in this large house by himself. Just in case she'd forgotten that conversation, her subconscious told her, Brian...the attractive, funny, sweet man who wants the same things out of life that you do.