HAPPIER THAN EVER L.T.

40. Brian

CHERRY'S POV

The camp was over and finally having kids here by my side felt relieving. I questioned them about meeting Brian but they denied. As for Brian, my security was keeping eye on him every fucking single second of the day.

Everything's good right? So why am I still irritated? Well because of the house guests- who have written themselves a self-invitation and RSVP'd yes, shocker right, were now inlivings instead of guests, who also happened to have also accepted an invitation from Brian, their bestie, for drinks. I don't know if it was really the intention of meeting him that made them say yes or the drinks and me being the dumbass, told them to invite him here, because i didn't feel like they were safe around him but it's better for this reason to be unbeknownst to them.

Before Brian could even enter the house, it's better for the kids to go to their room which only meant one thing, for them to sleep. They were right now cuddled over lads' lap, Ernie on louis and Dori on harry, while the rest of them entertained them and first time in years I feared- I feared looking around the living room. It was no mystery that kids had gotten attached to them, it was the dreading heartbreak that waited for kids when they left, what I had experienced years ago. Before I could dwell on my past anymore, I stood up.

"Come on kids, time for bed." I motioned for them to come with me. They shook their heads whining, saying it's too early for bed, but with a promised ice cream that included all of us on their demand, the bedtime was forgotten and they were good to go for the night. They requested lads to tuck them in along with me, one by one they kissed twins' forehead, to my dismay leaving me alone with Louis.

After a story and few pats, that was meant for twins to lull them to sleep, it did work for one of them while dori kept rustling around in the bed. I picked her up before she woke her brother up and situated her in my lap in my place on their bed. With her head in the crook of my elbow of the hand which was draped around her shoulder and my other hand on her back, patting, I picked her up and brought her with me to the chair that was in far corner of the room, by the window. I sat down, swaying along with chair, patting her back all while but she refused to go to sleep.

"What's the matter darling?" louis asked dori in a hushed voice, taking a seat near us on a stool but the only reply he got was her further pressing into me, almost as if she wanted to get inside me.

"Tell me what you want honey?" i cooed, trying to ease her tension. It was obvious she wanted to sleep seeing she couldn't even keep her eyes open but she just wasn't able to for some goddamn reason, and it was panicking me. What if she was having nightmares? What if she got my condition of not being able to sleep? I don't want that for her.

"Calm down, deep breaths, she's fine." a calming voice broke my chain of thoughts but when i recognized the source of the voice, I tensed even more. He should go back and sleep, he shouldn't be fussing over my child.

Grow up cherry, you know these kids matter to him.
Didn't seem like it when he called them liabilities.
That was years ago, and do you seriously think he meant it? You saw his eyes.

The look in his eyes has been haunting me forever since that day but that doesn't-

Dori patted my breast, as she fussed around, digging her face in my chest.

"Mumma please." She whined, pressing her face further into my chest. Throughout their childhood, since Mum(Maura) told me kids often breastfed for comfort, there had been many occasions which held the fact true and today was one of those days. I was starting to get up to place Dori on the bed, to remove my hoodie but louis took her from me. I remained in my position, ridding myself of the hoodie, revealing a camisole. Louis placed Dori back in my arms and started to leave.

"No stay." Dori whispered, making me and louis go still. He looked in my eyes for permission and i blinked my eyes in approval. I would do anything for kids, no questions asked. I moved my camisole, while louis' gaze burned a hole through my face. Dori attached her mouth making me grimace a bit, but she calmed down. I looked up to see Louis still looking at me, his eyes shifting from my face to my neck and shoulders, just then I'd realized what a big mistake it was to let him stay. Nobody could know about it, hence the turtlenecks and suits, his eyes returned back to mine, and I could still read them but pretended not to. I pretended not to see confusion in them, I pretended not to see anger in them and most importantly I pretended not to see questions in them asking who and why and how. I turned back to Dori who's pace on my chest had decreased evidently, meaning she was almost sleep, and soon enough she was. Louis tucked her in, I dressed back in my hoodie, giving kisses to kids and rushed down before he could question.

My relief of escaping louis did not survive long, tension growing through my body when I saw him on the couch. Brian.

"oh hey, was just waiting for you guys to come down." He came towards me, trying to give me hug but Noah hugged him. Once Noah heard Brian was coming home, he refused to go back home, he was angry at me for even taking Brian's name in the household. I know, who is he to say anything to me, when I'm his boss, but over the years, familiarity does bond people. He looks after me as if his own family and I too do the same as I do for Paul, Betty and Mary. These are the people who helped whenever I went through anything, not once leaving me own my own when they could. 

Brian shot me a look before moving onto Louis. We all sat back down, Noah on one side of me while Louis on other. Well Brian had tried to sit beside me when Noah squeezed his way in between us. They all drank and caught up like the best of friends while I wanted nothing but to throw up. Noah excused himself for some call and I too did the same for a glass of water. No way I could stand being anywhere near that asshole. 

"Hey babe i missed you so much." someone pressed himself into me from behind, his hand sliding across my mouth before I could even reprimand and kissed my neck, pulling me towards him by my stomach. It was Brian. Everyone except him, louis and Noah were way past drunk. I moved in his hold trying to free myself but before I could elbow him in the rib, his mouth moved away from my neck and his hands made their way on my hips and pulled me back, with him between me and the kitchen slab but all of this was so quick all I could was gasp.

"Cherry, please no, I don't think this is right." he spoke as I turned around to slap him, and shout at him. All my motions halted when I saw Louis standing in the entry of the kitchen, with disgust in his eyes and it hurt thinking he thinks I could do something like this.

Why? It's shouldn't matter you right? You are this strong cold-hearted girl?

My inner voice taunted me to another extent where my anger grew more, but instead of for Brian and Louis, it grew more for me. Louis left and I slapped Brian harsh in the face.

"What the fuck bitch. I might as well will have to teach you a lesson." he pulled at my hair, the pain in my scalp increasing but before I could even do something, his hold on my hair loosened and he started coughing blood. Noah punched him.

"If you ever so touch her again, nobody will even know where this fucking ass of yours disappeared overnight." He spoke in a harsh whisper, taking a hold of Brian's hair. I was shocked with everything happening around me, since the second he stepped his foot in this house.

"fucking him now huh? I guess I'll have to do it again to remind you who you belong to." this earned Brian another punch, but this time it wasn't Noah, it was me. A melody floated through my ear, a crack and without any other word I left for my room.

A/N: annndd this douchebag is back.. Do we hate him or love him? hate him OBVIOUSLY.